The Mysterious Benefactor

Was there any evidence of that? Like, anything that's no conjecture from Liara guessing in dialogue? 

Just gonna repost this from the Jian Murder thread...

My money's on SAM being The Benefactor.

SAM was already partially complete by the time we hear from "The Benefactor". The fact that TB hides behind rotating set of different voices & faces is what first made me wonder. Being an AI, it could rapidly accumulate the wealth it needed (which we've seen an AI do already in ME), would explain it's interest in, well, improving itself, and would comprehend the threat the Reapers posed. And as it was still early in it's development, it's "humanity" is still an evolving state. It orchestrated Jian's death as she began to question TB, which in turn could jeopardize the entire Initiative project should the truth be learned.

SAM could employ others to work on its behalf and is the answer to the question why TB never revealed themselves after arriving in Andromeda.

The mysterious benefactor was this man,who has since mysteriously vanished from our sensor sweeps

what would be the most BioWare route would be to nonsensically throw in Cerberus for little no reason

I understand what you are suggesting entirely. I just hope BioWare does not take it that direction given it's a topic that has been beaten to death.

Truthfully, I think the only reason SAM is so essential to the story is more so because the lead writer, who wrote the story for Halo 4, essentially copied that story. Ryder is Master Chief. SAM is Cortana. Alec Ryder is Dr. Halsey. In Halo 4, Cortana wasn't "bad." However, she was suffering through rampancy and it was leading to her deterioration. In the end, she actually did the right thing and sacrificed herself to save Chief.

I certainly won't dispute the possible hints in the game suggesting SAM could actually be a secret villain. It certainly wouldn't be the first time BioWare has done it. I just would expect better from BioWare instead of playing the same tune again. I got enough of the "AI are people too" with the Geth. I was hoping all of those story lines would be done and resolved once we moved to Andromeda.

Hrungr was suggesting that someone working for the Benefactor likely assassinated Jien Garson due to her concerns about AI, if I understood him correctly. The main reason I find that to be highly unlikely is that no one on the Nexus likely had a SAM implant. We know that all the SAM nodes were based on the various arks, and Jien died before any of the arks ever reached the Nexus. I still find the Shadow Broker and TIM to be far more likely candidates. At least we know Alec had dealings with the Shadow Broker to continue his AI project. SAM's entire purpose was actually to keep Ryder's mother alive, which is still his primary function. Somehow I find it highly unlikely SAM has become unhinged and is solidifying control and power by offing certain individuals in places of power.

I hope it's literally anyone besides Cerberus.

Kadara has two separate Cerberus tie-ins.

One is a sidequest of Cerberus scientists being stupid/evil and conducting brain experiments for Reasons. They left Cerberus because they thought TIM was losing sight of the real goal.

The other is Knight, the anti-AI extremist. She was a scientist who bailed on Project Overlord before it went to shit.


Both groups are unrelated, and are Cerberus defectors. While they support the idea that Cerberus could have ties to the Initiative, neither represents or carries forward Cerberus in any 'official' capacity.

He isn't writer anymore and he already got his ritual sacrifice with that Kadara quest. Unless on team meetings he goes like "Give me more Cerberus, boys. I need it. I need this stuff!"

Now, I don't doubt anything from Bioware. That could happen if they wish (didn't they invent the ODSY drive system out of nowhere to fit this plot?).

But, how could SAM have been advanced enough to accumulate massive resources on his own and be able to fund an entire Initiative of 100,000 people before Alec finished building him? (Can an AI steal that many credits in, what, 15, 20 years, without anyone knowing?)

It's stated several times that SAM need a host to function properly, and I doubt Alec would've implanted himself with an AI before it was finished, for the risk suffering severe side effects from any malfunction that might've occurred.

Alec says that the Geth didn't work out because they were separated from their creators. So, he screwed up so bad in construction that his AI was already growing in intelligence before interfacing with him? Even the geth needed other bodies to increase their intelligence, and EDI had reaper tech (maybe SAM has too?)

But if none of that is true, and he didn't have a host yet, why would he care enough (or understand organics enough) to the point of wanting to save their asses from an impending doom? It was more likely, in my point of view, that he would try to make an alliance with the Reapers.
During the game, SAM tells Ryder that he is learning a lot from their experiences, on human emotions, family, drive, etc. So, he couldn't have been advanced at that point in the Milky Way.

Now, of course, as I said, they might as well go this route, but I think it would really be bad writing again. Also, I'm not stating facts here, just my opinion. 
My best hope is still the Council, because Cerberus might be too obvious, and Garson's assassination wouldn't be related to the benefactor, but some other hidden agenda.

FYI - I believe we already know who killed Jien Garson.

Alec.

I believe the Mysterious Benefactor is the one who ordered him to kill Jien and he did so because he was close enough, could do it, and get out. Alec's wife and children were in stasis and vulnerable as well as the fact the Benefactor provided him the resources for finishing SAM as well as saving his wife's life.

It's the best assassin for maximum horror.

WHAT ARE YOU SAYING ABOUT MY DAD?! *cracks knuckles*