Poll: Is Commander Shepard shooting blanks? (spoilers)

[CM156_v1legacy]

Mmmm, good point. I would be inclined to say no, but then again, I don't know.

Do you think a female shepard can have children as well? I mean, dying ain't going to do much for your uterus. Then again, most of your romance options are aliens...

You know, I don't really know. Good thread! I'm sure Commander Shepard would give it their endorsement!

 

[Cheesus333]

There really should be mandatory education in basic biology.

There is. Sadly, it does not cover the implications of being dead for two years and abandoned in the cold, lifeless vacuum of space. There's also nothing on being resurrected by magical science, either.

It's a legitimate question, but I don't think they'd miss out on something as important as the reproductive capacity of the greatest human being in Mass Effect's history. He/she is, as Miranda says, "a hero, a bloody icon". It would be a massive cock-up if Cerberus left no way to continue that bloodline.

You know, I don't really know. Good thread! I'm sure Commander Shepard would give it their endorsement!

"I'm Commander Shepard, and this is my favourite thread on The Escapist.

...And my balls work just fine, thank you very much."

 

[hermes]

We can't be sure. Of course, Shepard was restored by Lazarus up to the point his reproductive organs work, otherwise we would heard something from Miranda, Tali or Jack. My point is: he is not an eunuch.

However, being able to use it for recreational reasons doesn't mean the same as for reproduction... It is still quite possible that he is sterile due to damage suffered during his "premature" death.

 

[Zeraiya]

If they could reconstruct his brain so he retained memories and personality why couldn't they get his testes working again?

My thoughts exactly.

 

[thedoclc]

There really should be mandatory education in basic biology.

There is. Sadly, it does not cover the implications of being dead for two years and abandoned in the cold, lifeless vacuum of space. There's also nothing on being resurrected by magical science, either.

It's a legitimate question, but I don't think they'd miss out on something as important as the reproductive capacity of the greatest human being in Mass Effect's history. He/she is, as Miranda says, "a hero, a bloody icon". It would be a massive cock-up if Cerberus left no way to continue that bloodline.

I was trying to shake the lack of knowledge about what clones and such actually are, and how sperm are actually produced, while also stating that Shep's exact status is whatever Bioware decides is most dramatically appropriate in my own post. They used some narrative device to bring him back and the effects of that technology would be whatever Bioware decides since the whole thing is essentially incredibly soft science fiction. However, many earlier points in the thread were based on attempts at applying hard science to soft sci fi while having no clue what one was talking about. Thanks for cutting me down to one out of context line and then beating a straw man! See, not only did I point out that the right answer is "the tech works like Bioware says it does in their fictional universe," but I also corrected common and silly statements about exactly how gametes are produced and what a clone is and is not. Oh, and that while iconic Shep is male earthborn sole survivor soldier, canonically Shep's gender, background, and training are not set at all.

While I'm pointing that out, should I also mention the rather disturbing eugenics undertones in the statements you made? Maybe also a failure to appreciate regression to the mean?

 

[Altorin]

If they brought him back I would assume they brought everything back. If they could reconstruct his brain so he retained memories and personality why couldn't they get his testes working again?

it does bring up the interesting point of, that guy, having that job, of reconstructing commander shepard's testicles cell by cell, for months and months.

shitty job imo.

 

[Remleiz]

Didnt they say that Shepard 'reconstruction' was still incomplete - hence explaining why he/she still had scars on their face? It could be possible that Shepard is still unable to "spawn" as it were.

 

[Jedoro]

"I'm Commander Shepard, and this is my favourite thread on The Escapist.

...And my balls work just fine, thank you very much."

I just read that in his voice. Thank you, you just made my night.

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

If they could reconstruct his brain so he retained memories and personality why couldn't they get his testes working again?

My thoughts exactly.

Especially when the instructions were to rebuild him exactly as he was before. Aside from difficulties in procreation, non-functional or non-existent testes would (likely) lead to a notable shift in behavior.

 

[Savagezion]

It's the future. Medicine is always perfect in the future. Therefore, his testes work.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

That...is a very good question actually. I've always played as a female and hook up with Liara, so I've never thought about it. Plus, on the occasion I do play male, it's with Tali, and that's not going to result in children either. You raise an interesting point though. One that I'm sure will never be answered, but still.
What I wonder about is Shep's soul. Yes, mine believes in God, and this question would drive me nuts.

 

[loc978]

Obviously not... She's not shooting anything

...but I doubt her ovum are intact after the death/surgical rebuild thing.

 

[Twilight_guy]

1. Shepard is not canonically male or female. I think the issue of can Female Shepard become pregnant is also a valid and separate issue. (The answer to the two is not necessarily the same since the female reproductive system is more complex).

2. Unless Male Shepard lost or damaged part of his reproductive system and they did not replace it with a mechanical replacement (*in a Phil Ken Sebben voice* HA HA metal penis) or repair it then I imagine that when the rest of his organs and tissues were restored his reproductive organs would also be restored. That means that he could produce more sperm (assume that he wasn't impotent to start with, since for all we know he could have been). I assume that his organs were all burned to chared bacon crisps and then rehydrated to bring them back so since his veins are all working properly his reproductive system should be too. His sperm were probably all flash fried but he would just make more.

As for female Shepard, I dunno if her egg cells all got fired to bits and the process didn't regenerate them (for one reason or another) then no. Females can't just make more eggs the way a man makes more sperm.

Honestly they say the process restored him/her completely just as he/she was so I assume that means also not overlooking the organs used for sexy time.

Also: Ah, yes, the "penis." A mythical organ used by humans to procreate and the existence of which is taboo in video games. We have dismissed this claim.

 

[MmmFiber]

Well, the testes also produce testosterone, so unless some hormone producing cybernetics are in place.... yeah. You are supposed to suspend disbelief. The commander's physical condition will be whatever Bioware feels is most beneficial for the story.

Personally, I wish Bioware would have given us the chance to start a Quarian harem. I'm sure Cerberus can keep Shep alive for several hundred more years, that should be enough time to start my own migrant fleet. To help with genetic diversity(and to ensure my migrant fleet would be especially well endowed), I would make Jacob my second in command.

Note: I hope we get to see what Tali looks like. With that, I can see whether or not the Quarian harem was a good idea... and what exactly was going through Shep's head after the suit came off in ME 2. Was he like, "Nice(w/ head bob)" or "Shit just got freaky"??