Reyes Vidal - No longer A Mystery (Official Thread)

I keep getting fanfiction ideas when finals is just around the corner.

Really? I thought that no matter what, Shepard was on house arrest for the whole blowing up a cluster thing at the start of ME3... could've sworn I read that somewhere. As for LotSB... for some reason I just assumed they'd proceed as if Shepard were involved, or at least knew about it. Well, regardless, it would only take some changes to a few bits of dialogue (as with how the Liara thing was handled) to account for you playing the DLC or not. Again, there's a precedent for it.

As for the second part, I'm well aware there's people that don't like Reyes and wouldn't want to work with him. But you know what? I didn't like Aria and had no particular desire to work with her, but still bought the Omega DLC because it gave me a new quest to play. And I figured I'd keep an open mind about her... I decided afterward I didn't like her much after all (as a person - I like her character well enough), but still had fun playing it. I could've not played it all... just as you have the option to not purchase a DLC that gives Reyes a large role. Or if you do, I'm sure the game will give you the opportunity to make your dislike of him clear or even let you act against him to some degree like you could with Aria. The thing is, if you look on the poll in this very forum, people are choosing Reyes over Sloane by a very large margin. His popularity as a romance is almost equal to Jaal's among female players, despite the lack of content and not even being on the Tempest. You might not like him, and I respect your reasons even if I don't agree, but many fans do. Even a lot of the fans who didn't side with him will say they find his character at least interesting.

And as I said, I wouldn't want Reyes to be a squadmate with a new protagonist. First because I did enjoy his romance, and would love to see it fleshed out and developed further. Even not romanced, I loved the dynamic between him and my Ryder and fighting alongside him as a different character just wouldn't be the same. Plus I feel like we barely know anything about him, and if I'm going to learn his life story, or help him with whatever loyalty mission, I want it to be as my Ryder. Not as some other chick.

Ah, I see. Thanks for the clarification.

Still, people potentially not liking a squadmate never stopped Bioware from bringing them back if they wanted... They also haven't brought back people who were popular. So it's all up in the air. The team will do what they want, regardless.

The one case I do know where fan reaction had a demonstrable impact was with DA2. Originally Velanna was supposed to merge with Justice and return as a party member. But she was widely disliked so they went with Anders instead. 

Those of us who are Reyes fans just hope our vocal support of the idea of him as a squadmate, or just that we want to see more of him in general, will nudge them in that direction. I suggested the idea of him in a DLC being a chance for people to work with him, because if you didn't side with him why would you trust him enough to recruit him later on? Having Ryder partner up with him, and learn more about his motivations and who he is as person, might allow Reyes to try to earn that trust back with some - be it in a DLC or his recruitment mission in a future game. There will always be players who hate and distrust him anyway, but Bioware has rarely shied from divisive characters, nor should they. I understand than can be frustrating when you're on the side of not liking that character. But I'd rather see Bioware keep doing that over playing it safe. Because for every writer's pet and fan favorite I myself don't like, there's another character I love that others don't but I'm glad to see more of them.

And Reyes is pretty popular, and has a rather interesting role on Kadara even if he doesn't govern it, and still remains a mystery to where I feel like they could expand on him a lot. Few NPCs off the Tempest (and even some on it) have made as much of an impression on players as he has or is as widely liked as he is. It seems a wasted opportunity to not do anything else with him.

As for being an optional squadmate... has that ever been a thing in the ME universe? I know Dragon Age did it with Zevran and Leliana, but I can't remember if they've done that since. You can turn down Ashley in ME1 but Anderson brings her on anyway. I always grab everyone because I'd rather not miss out on content, even if it's with a character I dislike, so I can't really remember.

Only afterwards do they ever marry.

*snerk*

If I ever replay the Deep Roads, you just made them 100% better for me

Nothing can ever make the deep roads better! hahaha

... Unless of course, Oscar Isaac were to cheer you on from the sidelines, while the 80's motivational power music were to continue playing on Spotify. 

In the same boat as you.  I'd say we should try and be patient together, but I'm not very good at that either 

::grasps your hand in solidarity:: How long do we wait before it's cool to start bugging the devs on Twitter for updates? It's supposed to be addressed sometime this month, right?

Yessssssss. Bioware, give this to me. I am 200% on board with awkward fake-lovers/spouses who become legit after pretending to be together gets them to admit their feelings. Give it to meeee. ::Grabby hands::

I can imagine it now-

Random NPC- and you two are the newlyweds we've heard so much about?

Reyes: yes, ah this is my darling partner... Ry *Ryder kicks him* Lee. 

RNPC: aw that is too sweet. How did you too end up meeting?

Ryder: well this little suave asshole winked at me and made me pay for drinks at a dingy bar. I guess it was love at first sight? 

Reyes: _{that was the fanciest bar I knew. Why weren't they impressed. WTF. I am... disgusted. Betrayed! Humiliated!}