So it's either Lana or Arcann?

[JennyFlynn]

This is just my take on it, so please do not take this personally...

 

...snip...

But, as we've all stated...YMMV in all this. And of course, it's always a generalization, and not a rule. That's just how I see it.

Cut for length. And I thought I was bad with the essays.

 

No, no, none of it has been taken personally at all nor was my previous post regarding this subject aimed at you. I think there are a lot of different ways in which each individual approaches Theron and their take on him. Some in the way I described, some as you state in your post and others have their own experiences or insights through which he's shaped in their mind. That's all good and well and it offers a nice dose of variety in all the Theron's out there.

 

I wouldn't consider him a manwhore or player myself, no. What I relayed were the words and judgment of a person claiming to understand Theron inside out, to have his personality pegged like no other while RP'ing him like a complete douche. When I asked them why, the explanation was "Well because Balkar and Spy", which I found utterly silly.

 

Jedi don't preach chastity, no, and I am certain that while attachments are taboo, there's quite a bit of rumbling and tumbling going on between the sheets. Even on Tython. Theron is basically living proof of such things, even if his parents at one point did share more than just a bed. That, however, doesn't mean Theron never developed a sense that physical interaction should be about more than just that.

 

While I am of a mind that sex and love don't necessarily go hand in hand, that you can have one without the other and that jumping into bed with someone doesn't mean loving them or heck, at times even liking them, that approach doesn't hold true for everyone. I don't feel that necessarily holds true for Theron, in my take on him, and I feel meaningless sex would be too personal and private for him to be something he actively engages in or takes lightly.

 

Now, baggage, I'm all the way there. My father is only my father because 'glorified sperm donor' is too much of a mouthful and I can rarely be bothered enough to explain. He is a stranger to me who, up until he vanished from my life, up until I chose to cut him out, did nothing but drink his days away and abuse my mother and me verbally. Which is as scarring as physical abuse. He destroyed me until I learned to get the hell up and walk away. I know baggage. I know having a predisposition for substance abuse, for destructive behavior and promiscuity and anything else that comes along with such 'trauma'. I feel all of it and I fight all of it, each day because while I have it in me to go down that road, I don't want to. And perhaps through my own bias there, my own experience, I can see Theron being much the same. He may have the tendencies but he doesn't give in to them, instead burying himself in work and drawing the line at some thrills and adrenaline rush when he's working a case.

 

I still remember the first time we meet him during the preludes. He is awkward, he literally tells us he's a lone wolf. He appears uncomfortable at a single flirt, especially when you're an Imperial character and Deefour makes a quip about it. He stands there awkward as hell likely wishing the ground would swallow him whole. Five years later after you're freed from carbonite, you get his letter and he still stumbles over his words. Not knowing what he wants to say, how to say or it how to even define and understand what it is he feels period. It strikes me as, the one thing Theron is absolutely horrible at and clumsy with, is anything in the realm of emotion, feeling, flirting, teasing and such things. Granted he may struggle with our PC because the feelings are real and that's scary/foreign to him but I actually believe it is so foreign and uncommon for him, he wouldn't be able to fake it much either when it comes to 'the job'. He's just not that guy, in my eyes, even if his life or baggage would make him a classic example of.

 

All of that said, though, I do appreciate your perspectives. They don't quite line up with mine, even if there are parts I agree with we seem to take from those things our own interpretation and that's fine. Just another example of how much one single character can force us to think and explore, even while we all go in a different direction with it.

[Sarova]

I agree, maybe we should start a "How SWTOR Helped Me Through Something" thread.

That would be great if it was a "members only thread" and used other measures to keep out the Trolls. A lot of people, (myself included) play this game as a form of escapism and maybe even therapy from some real life crap or trauma. Maybe that's one of the reasons we get so mad when the devs get it wrong, especially when it comes to companions.

[Dracofish]

Cut for length. And I thought I was bad with the essays.

 

*snip*

 

Essays...LOL. My latest chapters are pushing 12k words each...

 

I think that's where the biggest difference comes in. With the PC, Theron is like "Oh crap, I...like...this person...I can't just dig into my bag of tricks, put a mask on, and play a role." My Sith saw right through his ********, called him on his crap, and caught him completely off-guard. Awkward hilarity ensues.

 

In real life, I wouldn't *ever* be able to walk up to someone and be a flirt. Put me on the phone? I am a BOSS. Like total ownage. I can sell you on the entire concept that the sky is literally purple with green polka dots. (It really is). I can talk out of my *** til the cows come home. My boss tells me on a consistent basis that I should have my own radio show. When I talk, people listen. But in person? SHY. AWKWARD. AS. FRACK. Work Melissa is a completely different person from Home Melissa.

 

But, sometimes even the shiest, most private people can be promiscuous. Because it's a way to get away from themselves. I'm decidedly *not*, lol, but I know plenty of people who are. Taking things to the mattress with a stranger you want to have nothing to do with beyond get in, get what you need, and get out is many times easier than something that is real. Something that could leave you raw and exposed. And for Theron, that's what I see. Because he knows going in ahead of time that he doesn't have to give anything to it.

 

With all honesty, I don't think anybody has nailed any character perfectly, not even myself. Only that character's original writer can do that (and sometimes that becomes questionable if the writer leaves). We can only see what we see and go from there. BioWare has left enough open that we can grasp on to certain things as individuals to make them work in our minds with our own characters. Which is why my Theron would really have no interest in dating a Jedi. There's just too much angry baggage and resentment there for him to be able to get around. Just as your Theron might have issues hitting it off with a Sith (or my Sith in particular). The Andronikos I write is *very* different from the Andronikos that one of my friends writes. And that's okay. Because we're different people and have different characters. The Quinn I'm going to write is going to be different from my other friend's Quinn. Our Theron's are different too. But we both enjoy each other's interpretations.

 

As long as I can read something and come away saying "Yeah, I can see that..." then that's a win to me.

Edited April 2, 2018 by Dracofish

[DuchessKristania]

That would be great if it was a "members only thread" and used other measures to keep out the Trolls. A lot of people, (myself included) play this game as a form of escapism and maybe even therapy from some real life crap or trauma. Maybe that's one of the reasons we get so mad when the devs get it wrong, especially when it comes to companions.

 

That, right there, is the risk with a thread of that nature. I'm sure trolls would jump on and start making fun of and marginalizing people's real life issues. Granted, that would be a pretty slippery slope for them because I would bet that they'd get reported out the wahzoo for doing it.

 

I think it is part of the reason we get so frustrated. We invest emotionally in our characters and stories because they are our avatars for a world where we don't have to deal with the pain and difficulties we face in the outside world. Kill options, in particular, get heated because loss is a very real and difficult thing to live with. It's not something we want to be punched in the face with when we're trying to get a break from dealing with it in real life.

[Damask_Rose]

I agree, maybe we should start a "How SWTOR Helped Me Through Something" thread.

 

For me it was City of Heroes helping get me through postpartum depression & anxiety.

Edited April 2, 2018 by Damask_Rose

[bluehufsa]

For me it was City of Heroes helping get me through postpartum depression & anxiety.

 

Sorry for your pain,if you ever feel like talking to someone, i'm here for you.

[JennyFlynn]

That, right there, is the risk with a thread of that nature. I'm sure trolls would jump on and start making fun of and marginalizing people's real life issues. Granted, that would be a pretty slippery slope for them because I would bet that they'd get reported out the wahzoo for doing it.

 

I think it is part of the reason we get so frustrated. We invest emotionally in our characters and stories because they are our avatars for a world where we don't have to deal with the pain and difficulties we face in the outside world. Kill options, in particular, get heated because loss is a very real and difficult thing to live with. It's not something we want to be punched in the face with when we're trying to get a break from dealing with it in real life.

 

This. It would be beneficial to have a thread where people could come together that way in support. Unfortunately, with the nature of these boards, I don't believe that to be possible without stumbling onto foul behavior.

 

I very much agree with the game being an escape and for me, the loss of someone, be it through death or other reasons, always strikes a raw nerve. I know they're fictional but that doesn't mean their situation doesn't awaken very real emotions and memories in a sense.

[DuchessKristania]

This. It would be beneficial to have a thread where people could come together that way in support. Unfortunately, with the nature of these boards, I don't believe that to be possible without stumbling onto foul behavior.

 

I very much agree with the game being an escape and for me, the loss of someone, be it through death or other reasons, always strikes a raw nerve. I know they're fictional but that doesn't mean their situation doesn't awaken very real emotions and memories in a sense.

 

Loss just isn't a funny little game quirk when you live with the reality of it every day. I accept that not everyone plays for the same reasons that I do, and that not everyone enjoys the same elements of the game that I do, but I am not okay with the fact that, aside from a few exceptions, a death option means the end of interaction with that character. I don't want to be reminded of losing people when I'm engaging in something that should be fun.

[AbilityDrain]

Theron is not a "manwhore" to me. Nor is he a "player". I don't see him out there yelling things like "Hey baby...shake yo' boo'tay!!!" from the street corner. I see him as a complicated individual. Highly complicated. He suffers from abandonment issues. Piles of them. Everybody who he has ever loved has left him in the dirt, and he's looking for a way to connect. Any way he can. You don't come out of that without some sort of baggage, mental disconnects, and psychological effects. (Hell, my biological father was a drunk who beat me with a belt...and I know that had an effect on me).

 

I don't think he's ever gotten the chance to find out who he really is, deep down. He went from being the son of a Jedi to nothing. From a youngling to nothing. Who knows what he had to do in order to survive until he fell in with the SIS (at eighteen, if I remember correctly). He gets to wear a new face and play a new person every day. It's perfect for someone who has problems connecting on a personal level. And it's perfect for someone who doesn't want to face his inner demons, to just drown himself in his work and forget about everything else.

 

I see a definite detachment between who Theron presents himself as on a business level, and who he presents himself as on a personal level. On a business level, he's the job, and he's confident and bold and gets **** done. On a personal level, he's cautious and nervous, and keeps himself tightly closed off. On a business level, he can charm the pants off a mannequin without even blinking, because that's not him. It's the job. He's playing a role.

 

I'm always in two minds about whether he's the kind of guy to sleep around on the job a lot or not. Sometimes I assume that he probably does or at least used to, other times I'll read something one the devs have written about him and I'll wonder if maybe he never has on the job at all.

 

There was one particular short story that was written by one of the BioWare devs sometime after the SoR DLC in which one of Theron's fellow SIS colleagues (Jonas) takes him out for a drink and the following is said:

 

Jonas: “Lighten up, Shan. Drinks are always in order after saving the galaxy. This isn’t Imperial Intelligence. Or did you forget after all that time on the beach with a pretty blonde?”

 

Theron: “Unlike you, I don’t feel the need to fraternize with my contacts, Jonas.”

 

Jonas: “We all have our skills. You brood. I charm. Whatever works, right?” The man was insufferable and smoother than a sleen’s hide.

 

Theron: “Thing is, Jonas, your charm doesn’t work on me.” Theron waved him away, returning to his work.

 

So, I think that while he probably has engaged in sex on the job when required, I don't get the impression he made a frequent habit of it... or at least, not by the time the events of the Annihilation novel came about. That being said, we should also take into account that by that point Theron has met our protagonist and may have potentially slept with them (if you actively flirted with him) sooooo, he's not above hiding his activities.

 

Not that it bothers me either way, it wouldn't put me off if this was real life. As for my Smuggler that's romancing him, she pretty much f'ed her way around the galaxy (but never with her crew) during the vanilla story so she's not gonna judge LOL.

 

Here's the link to tthe short story, if anyone wants to read it: http://www.swtor.com/info/news/blog/20150213

Edited April 3, 2018 by AbilityDrain

[Dracofish]

I'm always in two minds about whether he's the kind of guy to sleep around on the job a lot or not. Sometimes I assume that he probably does or at least used to, other times I'll read something one the devs have written about him and I'll wonder if maybe he never has at all.

 

There was one particular short story that was written by one of the BioWare devs sometime after the SoR DLC in which one of Theron's fellow SIS colleagues (Jonas) takes him out for a drink and the following is said:

 

Jonas: “Lighten up, Shan. Drinks are always in order after saving the galaxy. This isn’t Imperial Intelligence. Or did you forget after all that time on the beach with a pretty blonde?”

 

Theron: “Unlike you, I don’t feel the need to fraternize with my contacts, Jonas.”

 

Jonas: “We all have our skills. You brood. I charm. Whatever works, right?” The man was insufferable and smoother than a sleen’s hide.

 

Theron: “Thing is, Jonas, your charm doesn’t work on me.” Theron waved him away, returning to his work.

 

So, I think that while he probably has engaged in sex on the job when required, I don't get the impression he made a frequent habit of it... or at least, not by the time the events of the Annihilation novel came about. That being said, we should also take into account that by that point Theron has met our protagonist and may have potentially slept with them (if you actively flirted with him) sooooo, he's not above hiding his activities.

 

Not that it bothers me either way, it wouldn't put me off if this was real life LOL.

 

Here's the link to tthe short story, if anyone wants to read it: http://www.swtor.com/info/news/blog/20150213

 

If I remember correctly, Annihilation might take place right around the conclusion of Ch. 5 of the main story. I say this because Darth Karrid was already dead when the Sith Inquisitor succeeds to the Dark Council. If I'm remembering things right. Either way, I'm almost positive it happens at least before Forged Alliances and the start of SoR.

 

*edit for frame of reference* Annihilation takes place in 3640. Rise of the Hutt Cartel takes place in 3639. Forged Alliances starts in 3638.

 

The mini story with Jonas takes place right after Yavin Four...I think. Because in the beginning it makes mention that he's waiting to pull the team together for Ziost.

 

I don't see Theron as the party type, which is what I think Jonas was jabbing him about. I see him as the brood-over-his-tumbler-of-whiskey-in-silence type. But again, that doesn't necessarily extend to how he conducts himself while on the job or undercover. I think he can put on whatever face he needs to when it's time for business, even if that involves running around a star destroyer in his skivvies.

 

It's not that I think it's his *favorite* way to go about doing things, lol, I just think it's definitely within his realm or repertoires to do should the need arise.

 

And I think you're right...he's not the "kiss and tell" sort, so I think he would have covered it up profusely against Balkar's prodding. Especially since he did most definitely fraternize with that contact, lol. Not to mention that if he was knocking some bewts with a Sith/Imperial protag, it's even more reason for him to be extra Broody-Pants.

Edited April 3, 2018 by Dracofish

[AbilityDrain]

I think he can put on whatever face he needs to when it's time for business, even if that involves running around a star destroyer in his skivvies.

 

That'll never not be hilarious! It's odd, everyone in the novels/game goes on about him being broody but I've always found him to be pretty upbeat and charming, he's always struck me as more deadpan sarcastic than anything else.

Edited April 3, 2018 by AbilityDrain

[Dracofish]

That'll never not be hilarious! It's odd, everyone in the novels/game goes on about him being broody but I've always found him to be pretty upbeat and charming, he's always struck me as more deadpan sarcastic than anything else.

 

Oh, he is most definitely deadpan sarcastic, almost annoyingly so at times. He also deflects with humor (which is something my ex always did and it drove me batty). But if something is eating at him, such as having his heart stomped on (a breakup with the protag), or worrying about someone he cares about, I think he'll brood away til the sun rises. It would be easy to set himself upon a path of self-destructive behavior.

Edited April 3, 2018 by Dracofish

[AbilityDrain]

Oh, he is most definitely deadpan sarcastic, almost annoyingly so at times. He also deflects with humor (which is something my ex always did and it drove me batty). But if something is eating at him, such as having his heart stomped on (a breakup with the protag), or worrying about someone he cares about, I think he'll brood away til the sun rises. It would be easy to set himself upon a path of self-destructive behavior.

 

Oh man, I'm 100% guilty of deflecting with humour myself so that's probably one of the reasons I like him... that being said, I've always been a sucker for funny people. It's a shame we never get to see more of the romance options worrying over us when the protagonist gets themselves in trouble, it's like that email Theron sends when we go missing in the Odessen wilderness, I would've loved to have seen at least a relieved facial expression when we reappeared, or on Iokath upon waking up after that damn chair ejects us, instead we wake up to see Lana watching over us while Theron, the little sod, comments about stuffing a sock in our mouth.

Edited April 3, 2018 by AbilityDrain

[Dracofish]

Oh man, I'm 100% guilty of deflecting with humour myself so that's probably one of the reasons I like him... that being said, I've always been a sucker for funny people. It's a shame we never get to see more of the romance options worrying over us when the protagonist gets themselves in trouble, it's like that email Theron sends when we go missing in the Odessen wilderness, I would've loved to have seen at least a relieved facial expression when we reappeared, or on Iokath upon waking up after that damn chair ejects us, instead we wake up to see Lana watching over us while Theron, the little sod, comments about putting a sock in our mouth.

 

Well hey, if he wants to start the foreplay in front of everybody else...

 

Don't get me started on the amount of times I would have loved for my character to see her actual boyfriend worrying over her rather than Lana popping up all the time. In the bedroom...just...standing...there...creepy...like...hi?...where's my hot bf?...and were you here when he got out of bed in the buff...cuz...yeah...

Edited April 3, 2018 by Dracofish

[AbilityDrain]

Well hey, if he wants to start the foreplay in front of everybody else...

 

Don't get me started on the amount of times I would have loved for my character to see her actual boyfriend worrying over her rather than Lana popping up all the time. In the bedroom...just...standing...there...creepy...like...hi?...where's my hot bf?...and can he please come back?

 

Bwahahaha!

 

If SWTOR included sex scenes like the other BioWare games, I absolutely wouldn't be surprised if Lana's head could be seen slowly rising up from behind the bed in the background during the intimate scene between Theron and the protagonist.

 

... Now I kinda hope someone draws a comic strip of it.

[Asmodesu]

Bwahahaha!

 

If SWTOR included sex scenes like the other BioWare games, I absolutely wouldn't be surprised if Lana's head could be seen slowly rising up from behind the bed in the background during the intimate scene between Theron and the protagonist.

 

... Now I kinda hope someone draws a comic strip of it.

 

I swear I've already seen one somewhere...

[AbilityDrain]

I swear I've already seen one somewhere...

 

I feel like it probably is a thing, if it isn't then it certainly should be!

[JennyFlynn]

I swear I've already seen one somewhere...

I thought I had too, but the one I had in mind involves Senya walking in...

[Asmodesu]

I feel like it probably is a thing, if it isn't then it certainly should be!

 

People have been making jokes about it since she's in your room on the Gravestone, if not back when you wake up after Asylum escape. Understandably so, she doesn't leave us alone and seems to be the only character that gives a hoot about the protagonist.

I like Lana but c'mon, back off a little bit, Lady xD

[AbilityDrain]

People have been making jokes about it since she's in your room on the Gravestone, if not back when you wake up after Asylum escape. Understandably so, she doesn't leave us alone and seems to be the only character that gives a hoot about the protagonist.

I like Lana but c'mon, back off a little bit, Lady xD

 

She's very intense, LOL. I like her though, kinda reminds me of one of my old school teachers.

[DuchessKristania]

Bwahahaha!

 

If SWTOR included sex scenes like the other BioWare games, I absolutely wouldn't be surprised if Lana's head could be seen slowly rising up from behind the bed in the background during the intimate scene between Theron and the protagonist.

 

... Now I kinda hope someone draws a comic strip of it.

 

Bahahaha! I almost fell off my chair laughing at that mental image.

[AbilityDrain]

Bahahaha! I almost fell off my chair laughing at that mental image.

 

I kinda really want it to happen in-game now, even if it's just a glitch.

[AbilityDrain]

Oh man, it's reminded me of this hilarious glitch that would happen in Dragon Age Inquisition with the Blackwall romance, Master Dennet would glitch out every time the makeout scene would trigger and it totally looked like he was spying on them. So funny.

[DuchessKristania]

That'll never not be hilarious! It's odd, everyone in the novels/game goes on about him being broody but I've always found him to be pretty upbeat and charming, he's always struck me as more deadpan sarcastic than anything else.

 

His sense of humor has always been one of the reasons he appeals to me, and Troy Baker knows how to deliver those lines. I've always thought there was a little bit of a duality to Theron. On the one hand he has a strong sense of duty and he'll work himself to death for what he believes is right. This is where I think the brooding in a corner with a datapad and a tumbler of the SWTOR equivalent of whisky comes in. He has a touch of a dark side, his job kind of requires that.

 

On the other hand, I think Theron actually has a very fun-loving side. He enjoys action and adventure, and even though he can be super serious and about the job, I think he can also joke with the people he's close to. I think that's the key though. Outwardly, he is brooding and business, he doesn't let people in easily and he's selective about who is in his inner circle. But, if you're in that circle he shows the less serious side of himself. He's sarcastic, and a bit of dork sometimes. I also think he feels things deeply, which is partly why he is so selective about who he actually lets in.

Edited April 3, 2018 by DuchessKristania

[AbilityDrain]

His sense of humor has always been one of the reasons he appeals to me, and Troy Baker knows how to deliver those lines. I've always thought there was a little bit of a duality to Theron. On the one hand he has a strong sense of duty and he'll work himself to death for what he believes is right. This is where I think the brooding in a corner with a datapad and a tumbler of the SWTOR equivalent of whisky comes in. He has a touch of a dark side, his job kind of requires that.

 

On the other hand, I think Theron actually has a very fun-loving side. He enjoys action and adventure, and even though he can be super serious and about the job, I think he can also joke with the people he's close to. I think that's the key though. Outwardly, he is brooding and business, he doesn't let people in easily and he's selective about who is in his inner circle. But, if you're in that circle he shows the less serious side of himself. He's sarcastic, and a bit of dork sometimes. I also think he feels things deeply, which is partly why he is so selective about who he actually lets in.

 

For all the issues he's has, I actually find him to be quite well adjusted... which probably says a lot about my dating track record!