So, SAM can kill Ryder whenever he wants to?!?

I was hooked by that minute and rushed the main sl. So good. Sam offers a lot sl wise, they should use their symbiotic relationship more in the next game.

Well, SAM is an A.I., capable of self adaptation and learning like EDI (it is called Simulated Adaptive Matrix after all). For all intents and purposes SAM is an independent sentient being. Sure, Ryder and SAM have a symbiotic relationship for now but even with someone I completely trusted (and not sure if the rather enigmatic SAM qualifies), giving them that kind of power over my life and death would freak me out. Learning that they have it only by the time they suggest to actually use it (even though it's for your benefit, so to speak) is scary as hell, IMO.

Ryder can't live without SAM, hence why he/she died for 3rd time in final mission until his/hers sibling connects SAM back to him/her again.

Plus SAM's survival depends on Ryder. Outright murdering him/her without valid justification would mean certain death of SAM.

Well, at this point, it seems people in the ME universe just don't have near death experiences or anything like that. Shepard says at some point, that he basically just doesn't remember anything (like just being unconscious) and since Ryder never goes into it much, I guess it's the same for him/her. If so, ok, I can work with that.

I am mainly freaked out about the fact that SAM basically has a remote kill switch for Ryder.



I can't remember if it was explicitly stated that SAM is shackled. It certainly seems that way but even though, we know that doesn't need to lsat forever. We know that SAM is definitely not bound by anything like Ansimov's three laws because he can kill Ryder (though he does with consent of course).

And sure, it's like Sara killing Scott but then, it's not unheard of that sibling can be driven to kill each other under very bad circumstances. The really freaky part for me here is that SAM can do it remotely through a QEC implant and Ryder apparently was never told about this during the implantation. That's less like asking "Could Sara kill Scott?" and more like asking "Would Scott be fine with Sara implanting a remote detonator in his brain?"

Yea, I mean, Shepard's case was definitely the one that would spur more philosophical questions since he was dead for what? a little under 2 years? And they put him together almost from scratch, supplementing necrotic tissue with cybernetics and stuff. That does warrant the question as to whether Shep really still is him/her self (not to mention that in Citadel, we see how things turned out for the clone).

Ryder just has his/her heart stopped for a few seconds. There are plenty of people who went through something similar in real life and I doubt anyone would question whether they are still the same person then before. Some do have weird experiences associated with that, some don't, so if Ryder just feels like she was unconscious, that's ok with me. Shepard definitely neede more in that regard and as you said, it's a good thing we got at least a little scene about it in ME3.

I haven't played through the game yet, so I stopped reading Croatsky's post. I know that SAM ultimately is the one who saved Ryder in the beginning of the game and yea, I would guess with all the implants Ryder probably can't live without SAM anymore but that's still a different thing to SAM being able to kill Ryder consciously - and SAM apparently can survive without Ryder as we've seen.

Alec unshackled him.

SAM can also kill everyone on the Nexus according to Angaran AI.

SAM flat out tells you why that'd be a stupid idea on his part. AI are logical beings. He's not gonna kill his only access to the real world not to mention he'd almost immediately be deactivated soon afterwards.

SAMs need the previous owner to authorize the transfer and if they die too soon into the transfer it traumatizes them the turian SAM shows this. Another reason SAM wouldn't kill Ryder if anything.

Yeah but she still was mostly logical. The Gambling AI I'll give you. By the time SAM does become emotional it'll have been heavily influenced by both Alec and Ryder's memories and fond recollections of them. It's highly unlikely he'll suddenly want to murder them he has nothing to gain and only things to lose.

If anything the only conflict of interest I see SAM doing is going overboard in protecting Ryder that he does something they haven't authorized.

Honestly I can see why Ryder wouldn't be concerned. SAM has been in Alec's head all that time and if SAM ever does decide to kill them there's nothing they can do about it (not to mention SAM saved their life once already) and removing SAM will kill them. It's like why even be bothered at that point.

It's a pointless concern. Ryder is only alive thanks to SAM. The second SAM is disconnected Ryder drops and again SAM has to be the one to revive them. (Also the final battle really should've been like that fight in DE:HR if you're dumb enough to get the new implants). At the very least the profiles and switching them should've been disabled.

As for the virus thing the same applied for EDI (who could've jettisoned the entire crew into space at any time after she was unshackled). The whole point of EDI/SAM is that they're advanced enough to fight said viruses off.