Why is Kaiden Alenko so popular?

[Vrex360]

He has an interesting backstory. And he's not a total racist ***** like that whore of a squadmate, Ashley.

When it came to that section in Mass Effect 1, yes, it was tense and emotional, but I did, essentially, just go "BYE ASHLEY."

For everyone's consideration, the Renegade Kaidan



Yes, he can be actually. Clearly he was just persuaded into the dark side by a renegade and how here he is calling out some pretty severe racial hate and pro human extremism. Now I actually think this is kind of sad because he had the right mindset about aliens but he was so easily swayed into the wrong path, by someone manipulating his past traumas to make him into a true monster.

Also while we are on the subject:


Yes, that is Ashley moving on past her pat prejudices towards aliens and moving on to trusting aliens and the Council in general. Not how she also makes clear that she doesn't think humanity is 'superior'. It's also made clear that her distrust of aliens is based on bad family history and not a personal irrational fear and hatred of the unknown.

So there you have it, a reformed racist Kaidan and a reformed alien loving Ashley. They are both opposites of each other that can be influenced either way at the behest of the player.

 

[Fozza]

Personally, I choose Ashley. Though I neither her or Alenko fits my line of thoughts, so I choose Tali instead =)

 

[BlastedTheWorm]

Why is Kaidan black in that video?

In any case, you only get the full picture of a character if you're able to romance them. Kaidan is the better character if you're FemShep, Ashley is the better character if you're MaleShep. Simple.

 

[similar.squirrel]

The hair. It must be the hair.

 

[Vrex360]

Why is Kaidan black in that video?

In any case, you only get the full picture of a character if you're able to romance them. Kaidan is the better character if you're FemShep, Ashley is the better character if you're MaleShep. Simple.

Yeah, I think that was the general idea and I see what you mean.
I like how there is optional character development though and I think it is a little bit of a shame that this is only for romances. But still at least it's something.
Also clearly the most evil thing about this bizarre evil version of the once nice guy Kaiden is his terrible fake skin tan.

 

[Anti Nudist Cupcake]

This is the first time I heard that people like him.

 

[Nightodie]

It's rather interesting and yet frustrating to read some of the things posted. Some of it is untrue, some is just narrow minded and then, some is just meant to cause a negative reaction in others. I won't ignore the fair personal opinions and simple statements - but the haters are just a mystery to me.

Some people say he whines... does he? What do you consider whining? I am just wondering because I played as FShep and MShep and talked to all characters and I don't see any whining. He talks of his past and his experiences but he doesn't whine.

He is bland - is he? Did you actually spend time with the character - both genders and talk? I did with both genders and while he has less to say to an MShep, he is an interesting character for FShep.

I actually like most characters in Mass Effect 1&2 and Kaidan is among them. Do I like him better than most? Yes, I do. He is a mature character, who has dealt with his problems and didn't need or ask for help. He has a history - but that is exactly it; it is history and while he shares it in conversations he also points out that he has come to terms with it.
Additionally, he remains in his role as soldier throughout the game, never forgetting his duty and even continues it in ME2, when he doesn't follow Shepard blindly (this is shared with Ash).
So, yes I like him and I enjoyed the chance to choose him as LI and would like to see him in ME3 again. Of course I am aware that I will be branded as sad/rabid/delusional fangirl by some and I can't change that but it doesn't change anything.

As a little note for the few fair-minded: Forgive me the upcoming use of generalizations and clichés but the constant meetings with haters is getting really tiering. Also, I don't expect all female gamers to like Kaidan - they are entitled to their opinion and preferences of course but they tend to bash less, so I am not addressing them separately.

Of course I am aware that among the majority of slightly homophobic and often immature male gamer community - we are fighting a hard battle. To actually see characters that actually stepped away from a stereotypical path is very delightful change and as sad as it is - the motivational picture shown just recently, speaks more the truth than it should.
It is rather sad to see how many people just go on bashing and hating a character, for the bashing and hating sake. Why not just leave it to those that like it? Why not just accept that some people will prefer different characters, games, paths, ways, classes or what not.

I feel for you - Haters. May you find your own personal joy one of those days...

I agree with this mostly. I also want to comment on the Fan Fiction for Kaidan... If you will look at most of them you will see that most stem from the fact that ME2 was highly unsatisfying for Kaidan Alenko Fans. A three minute conversation where both characters are OOC. Most of us chose to deal with it in a fun way... we wrote fan fictions. You don't have to read them. We wrote them for people that felt the way we did and want to commiserate together. Mostly we just wanted time with our favorite squadmate and in the fan fictions we get to do that. Each Fiction also shows that not everyone sees the game or the characters the same way. But one thing they mostly agree on is that he is a nice guy who fights alongside Femshep and is a good moral compus as well as an interesting LI.

You don't have to like him. Just respect that some of us do like him. I respect that you don't.

 

[chemlight]

Eh, Kaiden served as my tech expert / hacker dude who opened stuff for me. That's all i really had him tagging along for, in relation to Ashley however she was useless as i played a soldier anyway so there was no love lost there. I suppose Kaiden is popular because he plays the "rough childhood" role that women seem to find endearing, like they want to protect him or give him a cuddle or something. He's not a tough guy, in fact, i thought Kaiden was a bit of a wuss. But again those qualities may appeal to women more.

Actually, completely wrong. One the reasons I liked him is because he was the only person on the whole damn ship I DIDN'T have to fix. "Fully functional human being here, Shepard." I think your reasoning would apply more to Thane.

I thought he ended up killing a guy because of his biotic powers? And that business with the girl he liked? And the horrible training facility he was forced to be put through as a child?

Just because someone appears to be 100% a-okay doesn't mean they are. People can have a lot of emotional baggage. Kaiden's just managed to bury it all so it makes him appear a 'deeper character' than the in-your-face Thane with his terminal illness and issue with his son(?). The point is to make Kaiden appear to be operating properly but have some skeletons in the closet that players opened up through dialogue, so to speak. Just look at Jack. She's like Kaiden taken to the extreme without his childhood issues having been repressed in a healthy(?) way.

I disagree. Jack couldn't cope with her past and took it out on herself, her crewmates, and you. You had to go blow up her past to give her closure.

Kaidan had dealt with what happened and only relayed it to you as an illustration of what happens when you cut corners. In fact, that was almost exactly what he says, bad things happen when you cut corners. He's not looking for you to fix him, he's looking to protect you.

Plus, the man has an uncanny knack for using lift whenever I'm faced with a krogan charging. Always amusing.

 

[RobCoxxy]

He has an interesting backstory. And he's not a total racist ***** like that whore of a squadmate, Ashley.

When it came to that section in Mass Effect 1, yes, it was tense and emotional, but I did, essentially, just go "BYE ASHLEY."

For everyone's consideration, the Renegade Kaidan



Yes, he can be actually. Clearly he was just persuaded into the dark side by a renegade and how here he is calling out some pretty severe racial hate and pro human extremism. Now I actually think this is kind of sad because he had the right mindset about aliens but he was so easily swayed into the wrong path, by someone manipulating his past traumas to make him into a true monster.

Also while we are on the subject:


Yes, that is Ashley moving on past her pat prejudices towards aliens and moving on to trusting aliens and the Council in general. Not how she also makes clear that she doesn't think humanity is 'superior'. It's also made clear that her distrust of aliens is based on bad family history and not a personal irrational fear and hatred of the unknown.

So there you have it, a reformed racist Kaidan and a reformed alien loving Ashley. They are both opposites of each other that can be influenced either way at the behest of the player.

True, however, if you take them from their base values, he's the emotional dude with a pretty shitty childhood and she's just a racist *****.

If the player affects them, they change, yes, but that's a "different" them.

So, I killed the one who was inherently racist. It was logical.

 

[chemlight]

So, I killed the one who was inherently racist. It was logical.

I don't see Ashley as racist at all. People generally bring up the same examples over and over again. Quite frankly, I think people's perception of Ashley as racist is a symptom of a society which is overly concerned with being politically correct, to the point of self sabotage. So, in defense of Ashley:

Hater's Point one: " Ash doesn't want aliens in the vital parts of the ship."
Counterpoint: Would you like Russians at NORAD? Perchance North Koreans hanging out on the Ronald Reagan? It's a security issue. She's a marine. It's a logical concern. It's not that they are of different races, but that they are not Alliance. She probably doesn't want Miss al-Jilani on the Normandy either, and she's pretty human.

Point two: "The bear comment."
Counterpoint: I know, human syntax is hard to get a hold of but it's pretty obvious she was voicing her worries that the council will sic humanity on the bear. She WASN'T saying, "Hey Shep, let's send the aliens to their doom."

Point three: "Sometimes she's the one to put (spoiler) down."
Counterpoint: You ordered her to be ready to do that and we all know their health goes back up to half or more as soon as they hit the ground. So you don't want your people following your orders?
Besides, she's concerned for her commander/boyfriend.

Point four: "I can't tell the animals from the aliens."
Counterpoint: Yeah, let me be the first to admit if I was wondering around and ran into a big floating jellyfish, I'd probably think he was an escapee from a local aquarium exhibit. I guess I'm racist now.

 

[bluebrino]

OT - You want to know why people like Kaidan then don't ask the (mostly) male escapists, PMSL! How would you like me to define what is attractive about a well adjusted fully functioning, attractive man who has dealt with his issues, isn't whiny (btw)? If you think he is whiny - prove it ;-)
He tells you about his past, doesn't dwell on it and deals with things in a mature fashion. I am more curious as to why men don't like him............ Oh, wait, no I'm not, he is all the things I said above and men think that makes him 'gay'!
Also, if you don't auto level him, he is a bloody squad mate!
I personally think you're all jealous cos while Sheploo is saving the galaxy Kaidan is getting all the hot chicks with those smoky brown eyes and that very sexy voice (Ash even has a crush on him, but denies it) ;-)
If you pop onto the SN at BioWare take a look at the appreciation threads and you will see the Kaidan one is one of the busiest and most on topic forums on there, with male and female fans.
Seriously though? Attractiveness is all subjective anyway, as is the whole concept of friendship, as my old gran used to say ''Wouldn't do for us all to be alike'', or put simply there are real people you like and dislike, but (and here is the shocker) just because you don't like someone doesn't mean everyone should, or will, revile them along with you. We'd all be trying to be mates with the same people and that is just dumb - horses for courses and all that! HTH
Rant over ;-)[/quote]

I see what you're saying and I probably overreacted saying I hated him. I don't really hate him. The only time he actually annoys me is when he hits on my FemShep cuz I see him more as an older brother than a romantic interest. And I wasn't trying to make a hate thread. In fact, I told people not to post why they hate him. I was mostly just trying to understand what people found attractive about him romantically.

 

[Jenova65]

I see what you're saying and I probably overreacted saying I hated him. I don't really hate him. The only time he actually annoys me is when he hits on my FemShep cuz I see him more as an older brother than a romantic interest. And I wasn't trying to make a hate thread. In fact, I told people not to post why they hate him. I was mostly just trying to understand what people found attractive about him romantically.

But you kind of gave your unspoken permission for people to hate on him by saying that you do (in your OP) hence my reply and the replies of other Kaidan fans, iyswim?
Anyway, no matter, thanks for the polite and well reasoned response
The thing is you can't actually define what makes someone romantically attractive, it would be like trying to work out why my husband and I are attracted to each other, lol!
Put simply, if you are a heterosexual guy, you aren't meant to find him attractive, just as I don't find Ashley sexy at all, but I do like her (as I mentioned) You are looking for something you will never see in the same way that I will never understand what men see in say, Jennifer Tilly, I just don't get it at all, it befuddles me ;-)
To condense it - He is an attractive character model, has the single sexiest voice ever (and yes we have all seen Sbarge and don't care) he is just the right level of manly + romantic without being a girl about it and when he says ''Shepard, you are hard to step away from....'', well *swoons*
Anyway I hope you have some answers now ;-)

 

[ecoho]

I see what you're saying and I probably overreacted saying I hated him. I don't really hate him. The only time he actually annoys me is when he hits on my FemShep cuz I see him more as an older brother than a romantic interest. And I wasn't trying to make a hate thread. In fact, I told people not to post why they hate him. I was mostly just trying to understand what people found attractive about him romantically.

But you kind of gave your unspoken permission for people to hate on him by saying that you do (in your OP) hence my reply and the replies of other Kaidan fans, iyswim?
Anyway, no matter, thanks for the polite and well reasoned response
The thing is you can't actually define what makes someone romantically attractive, it would be like trying to work out why my husband and I are attracted to each other, lol!
Put simply, if you are a heterosexual guy, you aren't meant to find him attractive, just as I don't find Ashley sexy at all, but I do like her (as I mentioned) You are looking for something you will never see in the same way that I will never understand what men see in say, Jennifer Tilly, I just don't get it at all, it befuddles me ;-)
To condense it - He is an attractive character model, has the single sexiest voice ever (and yes we have all seen Sbarge and don't care) he is just the right level of manly + romantic without being a girl about it and when he says ''Shepard, you are hard to step away from....'', well *swoons*
Anyway I hope you have some answers now ;-)

ok id like to say this and im quoteing you since you seem to be part of the group i might have problems with if i dont explain my last post. ok i thot he came off as a prick and i did try to be his friend(was a total paragonthat being said i was pissed when i had to chose between him and ash i mean i didnt like the guy as a squad mate but i had him on the ship for so long i guess i just got used to him. now i am a male gamer and i have no intrest in playing a fem shep but thats mostly do to the fact that i dont want to play mass effect 1 again not that i wont play a female character in other games in fact my favort save on dragon age is my female warrior (mostly cause i like watching tuff guys get their asses kicked by a girl half their hightI beleave if your not secure enoth to play a girl in a game youve got real issuses

 

[Jfswift]

*cringe* he was my least favorite character out of everyone in both games.

Spoiler

When I saw my chance to kill him off in ME1 I was ecstatic XD.

 

[godofallu]

I personally killed him. He lacked a Vagina, and the ability to hold an assault rifle.

 

[Thedayrecker]

Everybody, I know, hates him...

 

[vapidaphid]

Kaiden was kind of a wiener, like he received swirlies on an hourly basis in school. Besides that, his character was very flat, he kind of blended into the walls when you talked to him. At least Ashley had fire, may have been annoying admittedly, but she had spunk.

 

[lizards]

You should look up half life, full life consequences. That will cure any need to read fan fiction.

Probably because he was the only available love interest for real girls that didn't impose some kinda creepy sexual taboo on them.

what happens in them that is so bad (half life not the last part)

 

[pretentiousname01]

You should look up half life, full life consequences. That will cure any need to read fan fiction.

Probably because he was the only available love interest for real girls that didn't impose some kinda creepy sexual taboo on them.

what happens in them that is so bad (half life not the last part)

ummm watch this and you will see why fan fic is a scary place.

 

[lizards]

You should look up half life, full life consequences. That will cure any need to read fan fiction.

Probably because he was the only available love interest for real girls that didn't impose some kinda creepy sexual taboo on them.

what happens in them that is so bad (half life not the last part)

ummm watch this and you will see why fan fic is a scary place.

i thought that was pretty funny to be honest