Does anyone actually like James Vega?

[Jon_Smith]

Ok, so at first he's all nice and respectful to you, kinda idolizes you and salutes even though you don't have a rank and are under house arrest.

Then you get back on the Normandy and he mouths off and argues with you about going to Mars and doesn't accept you were re-instated, Joker just takes the order and gets on with it. Major Alenko or Williams doesn't question it, but this flipping Lieutenant, who previously thought you were great won't accept that order without a little argument....?

Then on Mars he gets all fussy again following an order when he's told to go back and guard the shuttle. He's one of the lowest ranks, arguing with a Commander who is also a Spectre cause he wants some action......

Even Traynor, who has never met you, comes on board and gets on with doing the very best she can.

James is just selfish and childish and just wants to fight, how he ever qualified for N7 is beyond me when he cannot follow basic orders and is pouty.

I always thought Jacob was the worst character before ME3 as he was just too bland, but replaying abit now and James is the worst.

Happy to hear dissenting opinions.

[Whitman1855]

I didn't hate the character, I think he should have been an NPC, and not a squad mate though. Same with Javik, I think some ME2 squad mates should have come back in their roles instead.

[Caz]

I never really had much of an opinion about Jacob. Because he's so unremarkable that it's kinda hard to form an opinion about him. It's like bread. You don't ever really like it or dislike it. It's just... bread.

But James... His insubordination makes him very unlikable early on. He comes around, sure. But he's made unlikable so quickly that it tarnishes players' opinion of him right out of the gate. And the way he's written in general, it's like someone looked up "meathead jock stereotype" and went full ham with it.

Jacob may be bread and boring from lack of any interesting personality. But James is just lazy writing, and arguably insultingly bad from a literary angle.

[Ogami]

Originally posted by Whitman1855:

I didn't hate the character, I think he should have been an NPC, and not a squad mate though. Same with Javik, I think some ME2 squad mates should have come back in their roles instead.

HARD disagree on Javik. He should not have been a preorder but he is pretty much the most important squad member in Mass Effect 3. So much brilliant story added in many missions if you take him along.
The Thessia mission alone justifies him for the extra scenes and lore you get.

[Twiggly Wiggly]

Kaidan is essentially Shepard's Stalker. Jacob is just so bland it hurts. James isn't really the most complex character, but I appreciate his companionship.

[Arkham99]

Originally posted by Caz:

he's made unlikable so quickly that it tarnishes players' opinion of him right out of the gate

isn't he actually saluting Shepard the first time we see him?... also, calls her Commander... eventhough he's not supposed to be doing it he gives her proper respect anyways... an upstart can be a powerful ally if under the leash of Shepard... James learns his place early on...:-)

[Whitman1855]

Originally posted by Ogami:

Originally posted by Whitman1855:

I didn't hate the character, I think he should have been an NPC, and not a squad mate though. Same with Javik, I think some ME2 squad mates should have come back in their roles instead.

HARD disagree on Javik. He should not have been a preorder but he is pretty much the most important squad member in Mass Effect 3. So much brilliant story added in many missions if you take him along.
The Thessia mission alone justifies him for the extra scenes and lore you get.

He doesn't have to be a squad mate to add to the story and lore.

[Ogami]

Originally posted by Whitman1855:

He doesn't have to be a squad mate to add to the story and lore.

But his best scenes are running commentary during missions. Like Thessia.
How would that work?

[Jon_Smith]

Originally posted by Arkham99:

Originally posted by Caz:

he's made unlikable so quickly that it tarnishes players' opinion of him right out of the gate

isn't he actually saluting Shepard the first time we see him?... also, calls her Commander... eventhough he's not supposed to be doing it he gives her proper respect anyways... an upstart can be a powerful ally if under the leash of Shepard... James learns his place early on...:-)

No but thats what annoying and jarring about him. As soon as you get on the Normandy he starts questioning if your even in command, infront of Major Alenko/Williams, which is really inappropriate. Shepard shouldn't need to explain himself to every grunt on the ship and if James isn't sure then don't mouth off to the Commander, asked Kaiden or Ashley.
Then on Mars he refuses to follow orders until you tell him twice and justify it, even then he is sulking as he leaves.

It makes the respect he shows you at the start seem completely insincere and that he's a ♥♥♥♥.

[Bealla Donna]

My eyes like him.

[ASRIEL]

Originally posted by Jon_Smith:

Originally posted by Arkham99:

isn't he actually saluting Shepard the first time we see him?... also, calls her Commander... eventhough he's not supposed to be doing it he gives her proper respect anyways... an upstart can be a powerful ally if under the leash of Shepard... James learns his place early on...:-)

No but thats what annoying and jarring about him. As soon as you get on the Normandy he starts questioning if your even in command, infront of Major Alenko/Williams, which is really inappropriate. Shepard shouldn't need to explain himself to every grunt on the ship and if James isn't sure then don't mouth off to the Commander, asked Kaiden or Ashley.
Then on Mars he refuses to follow orders until you tell him twice and justify it, even then he is sulking as he leaves.

It makes the respect he shows you at the start seem completely insincere and that he's a ♥♥♥♥.

To be fair, who would want to be ordered to leave as their home was being ransacked and torched by an angry mob of giant robotic space squids, aka Cthulu and Co? You would probably be pretty ticked off, too.

[life4trinity]

Hella underrated character, better than Kaidan and Ashely IMO.

[jackhickman999]

James might be a bit too much of a bro but he's not a bad character. I know the military doesn't like people who question or talk back. That doesn't change there are people that are like that and still go far in the military. James Vega in the raw emotion is desperate to save not to fight. If Humanity was in that situation people would end up getting scarred for life from it. Many would end up with PTSD. James being a bit irrational is still quite disciplined for the context.