Theron Shan (5.9) Request

[DuchessKristania]

I am so sorry to read this. My heart goes out to you. I can only imagine what you have been through.

 

This is my biggest fear. My husband and I used to heal raids together, until he got sick, and couldn't raid anymore. He gets about halfway through a raid and has to lay down. With the slow progress of new raids, and the loss of their primary healers our raid team fell apart. So I became a story player, which was fine, I need the distraction from real life and the crappy things it was throwing my way. While he sleeps, I log in and do chapters or dailies and escape to my own little world. I live with the constant worry that my husband is going to get worse, and we will not grow old together. He was diagnosed with an aggressive form of MS, and there is no cure right now, hopefully someday. But I am already dealing with these emotions in real life and then adding to them from an in game story...the angst is strong. I know that it is a game and it is just pixels, but I feel close to my two main characters, I have played them for six years, I know all their backstories, what makes them laugh, what makes them tick. I feel like the last eight months Jen, my merc, and I have been going through some of the same uncertainty. I don't want her to lose her love, because I really hate the thought of losing mine. If Jen loses Theron, I don't know how I would even be able to log her on. That pain is based on a real fear, a real worry. Losing my husband is not something I want to face yet, but I know that it is a real possibility.

 

 

 

I'm so sorry to hear this. My husband had a brain injury and battled with depression for a long time before he took his own life. I understand that fear and what it's like to have it hanging over your head all the time. Things like games, where we can immerse ourselves in another world for a little while become a part of survival. It makes it incredibly difficult when those real life fears and emotions get stirred up in our escapism. The fear of loss is an incredibly overwhelming thing to live with.

 

It's not the kill option that's the problem, it's losing future interaction with a character that's become a part of escaping that fear. Yes, this is a game and the character is not real, but when you're facing difficulties in real life you need safe places to go to that don't include those fears and concerns. Hopefully, kill option or not, we will not be seeing the end of Theron in future story installments.

[Mirandel]

Not entirely unfair to say, I agree, however, the Marr example is off.

 

Marr's death was written into the story and it was the writers who then also used him for a re-enactment of Ghost/Unchained Melody with Satele. His death had nothing to do with player choice. It's like saying "We killed Valkorion in Chapter 1 but he still received content the entire expansion!".

 

Arcann's example is more accurate but I do feel in large, that has to do with the devs giving a go-ahead for his romance after they'd already made him killable, in response to the requests for him specifically as well as the overall requests for a Male Force using LI and the fact one of their own writers had been pushing for his romance herself (she wrote for/had ideas for his romance long before BW confirmed that yes, they were going to add him as a romantic interest). He is also currently the only exception and while the order in his case is slightly reversed, in a way he's gotten no more than say Quinn, Aric, Kaliyo--we're yet to see if he will actually continue to get content updates or if this romance-lock was the only thing ever.

 

This is exactly my point - Arcann is not the only exception! We have tons of unkillable silent companions that only had their piece at recruitment. And we have T7 - no part in the story, yet, here all the way from the start and totally unkillable. Mortality has nothing to do with the importance for the story. If writers want someone in the story - they will bring him/her from the grave without so much as explanation.

 

Quinn, Aric, Kalio and all other old companions were silent from Makeb. Your last talk with LI is either marriage proposal, or one more - about children. After that they are done (ok, 2 comments on Makeb and one from LI only on Rishi). Saying "my husband Quinn is silent now and all because of those nasty companion-killers" is nonsense. He was silent for the bigger part of the game already. Beginning with Revan - it's all about Lana/Theron. BW tried to give each returning companion a personal story, but never promised (and this is from one keeping scores!) to keep returning companions important for the whole story. "Meaningful return" is all they planned (and with some companions even did it, for the rest there were no more resources).

 

If BW decided to finish Theron's story - they will do it with or without killing option. Same if they decide to continue - unless they include cremation scene, dead should not necessarily stay dead.

 

Killing option is not the cause but the result of story ark ending. And we have zero control over it.

[Keta]

We also have pie. Join us!

 

In all seriousness I would hate to stop subbing and all, but there has to be a line in the sand somewhere. People have been begging and pleading for these companions on this board for almost a year. If they're going to be so blase about that they giggle through the interview about the kill option...it's enough for me.

 

I doubt you'll see all companion returns until well into next year ... if then.

 

My subscription lapses roughly a month after 5.9. I'll watch the returns of any beyond 5.9 on You-tube perhaps.

 

As for Theron ... a lot of the speculation here is literally baseless. Until we have the actual why and how stuff in 5.9 who knows what our characters would do.

 

What if he's a wholehearted convert to the Order and is on board with all the deaths? What if he's a double? what if .. etc.

Edited April 2, 2018 by Keta

[rachetsw]

I'm so sorry to hear this. My husband had a brain injury and battled with depression for a long time before he took his own life. I understand that fear and what it's like to have it hanging over your head all the time. Things like games, where we can immerse ourselves in another world for a little while become a part of survival. It makes it incredibly difficult when those real life fears and emotions get stirred up in our escapism. The fear of loss is an incredibly overwhelming thing to live with.

 

It's not the kill option that's the problem, it's losing future interaction with a character that's become a part of escaping that fear. Yes, this is a game and the character is not real, but when you're facing difficulties in real life you need safe places to go to that don't include those fears and concerns. Hopefully, kill option or not, we will not be seeing the end of Theron in future story installments.

 

Thank you for your kind words. It is a comfort to know that there are others out there that are in similar situations and you are not alone. As awful as that sounds, because it sucks to be in the situation in the first place. I will be thinking of you, as the anniversary draws closer. I wish there were words or something that would make it better, but that I am afraid only comes with time.

 

As for the original topic. I hope that we will not be seeing the end of his interactions. Like in the case that they put in a he dies in some heroic stunt or something and we have no choice in the matter. I really hope that this won't be the case.