For the Children (On Grunt and Samara)
The Rachni Queen and Samara both find that their kids aren't all right. Also, Grunt is still up for a fight....
Nick, Chip, and Kurabara are back to talk about their experiences playing through Mass Effect 3 in the Mass Effect Legendary Edition. This week, they handle some side quests involving Grissom Academy and some Cerberus Scientists, and come across some familiar faces while doing so.
They begin by talking about Traynor picking up a Turian signal regarding Grissom Academy, and she’s able to determine that it’s a trap. They talk about her humility and self-deprecation after doing a good job. Then they talk about Kaiden’s educational history. After recapping the events at Grissom, they discuss Jack having hair now. Kurabara points out that this mission was based on the mansion attack with Wolverine protecting the kids in X-2: X-Men United.
They review Jack’s changes in behaviour and attitude, and evaluate if she has a satisfying character arc. They talk about Jack’s focus on protecting the kids, and how this mission also gives her the ability to directly fight Cerberus. They talk about Jack punching Shepard and the information that Cerberus wants to reprogram her and indoctrinate the kids. They consider Cerberus’ actions in ME2 and how they seem to be an aberration in hindsight. They also try to consider Cerberus’ moral philosophies.
They talk about Kahlee Sanders and her relationship with Anderson. Nick dubs them Sanderson and stumbles into what may happen. They talk about Anderson’s four book saga and the age difference between Kahlee and Anderson. They get back to talking about Grissom Academy and they discuss the auditorium section of the mission. They also talk about the chance to get in the mech. They mention that, if you saved him in the Project Overlord DLC, David Archer is here, counting the number of days since Shepard freed him.
They talk about some of the kids on the mission including a couple that Nick struggles to recognize as flirting. They talk about Ensign Rodriguez beginning to buy into the Cerberus propaganda. They talk about the Phantom Initiative. They mention this must be done before the Cerberus Coup and whether or not they put the kids in a support role at the end.
Next, they talk about the mission to evacuate the Cerberus scientists. They talk about immediately running into Jacob. Chip reveals he does not like Jacob and they talk about how if you romanced Jacob in ME2, this is your first sign that he has blown you off. They talk about how Jacob is reacting to his father’s abandonment, including his trip to the beach after ME2. They mention meeting up with Jacob later in the Citadel for him to reveal that Bryn is pregnant. They wonder if Jacob even likes Shepard, and compare Jacob and Shepard’s outlooks on family.
They debate Jacob vs. Kaiden as characters and wonder if Kaiden can get a date? They talk about Cerberus being evil for evil’s sake and how they are murdering the scientists at the conclusion of their research. Kura mentions how this mission is a homage to the Hoth evacuation sequence in Empire Stikes Back. They mention that Gavin Archer is here and Nick enjoyed telling him right off. They talk about how Jacob admits that he missed when they Illusive Man tuned evil, which only further fuels Chips dislike of the character.
Thank you for listening to Squad Goals – A Mass Effect Legendary Edition Podcast! Please send any comments or questions to squadgoals@mash.gg or @squadgoalsN7 on twitter.
Hosts
Nick Zielenkievicz
Host of WoW! Talk! and The Tauren & The Goblin. Sometimes known as the Video Games Public Defender. Wants to play more Destiny and Marvel Heroes but WoW is all-consuming. Decent F2P Hearthstone player. Sad that he lost the Wii that had Wrecking Crew on it. Would be happy if the only game ever made was M.U.L.E. Gragtharr on Skywall-US. Garresque on Ravencrest-US.
Chip Locke
Chip has a boring adult day job and then burns as much free time as possible playing the videos james. Fond of a variety of MMOs, JRPGs, and action games without active time button mashing.
