Ugh yeah, I think he genuinely thought he was helping humanity, albeit via his INSANE messiah complex, but I hate the guy.
As to Shepard being a clone, well one of the things I appreciated about the citadel dlc was finally getting a sort of answer to that because I imagine if there was even a chance Shepard was a clone Brooks would have trolled the hell out of her. I also think my reading of the Illusive Man's personality and obsession with excellence means he would have seen simply cloning Shepard as no fall accomplishment. Clone Shep would have been a useful propaganda tool but little more. Having decided he needed her for something other than propaganda then I can see him insisting on the original. I can even see him thinking Shepard's intelligence on the Reapers is invaluable, but that she's so super special that he wouldn't even try to control her? Nah, he's too arrogant for that unless there's another major factor like the beacon.
Wouldn't it have been interesting if when you tried to destroy the Collector base he tried to activate your control chip but you had to fight him off mentally?
Anyway, I'm babbling now, but as an actual practical answer to your question, the best I've got is the beacon again. I could be wrong, but I don't it would get cloned along with you, so the fact Shepard still had it suggests to me that she isn't a clone?
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Date: 2013-06-27 08:12 pm (UTC)As to Shepard being a clone, well one of the things I appreciated about the citadel dlc was finally getting a sort of answer to that because I imagine if there was even a chance Shepard was a clone Brooks would have trolled the hell out of her. I also think my reading of the Illusive Man's personality and obsession with excellence means he would have seen simply cloning Shepard as no fall accomplishment. Clone Shep would have been a useful propaganda tool but little more. Having decided he needed her for something other than propaganda then I can see him insisting on the original. I can even see him thinking Shepard's intelligence on the Reapers is invaluable, but that she's so super special that he wouldn't even try to control her? Nah, he's too arrogant for that unless there's another major factor like the beacon.
Wouldn't it have been interesting if when you tried to destroy the Collector base he tried to activate your control chip but you had to fight him off mentally?
Anyway, I'm babbling now, but as an actual practical answer to your question, the best I've got is the beacon again. I could be wrong, but I don't it would get cloned along with you, so the fact Shepard still had it suggests to me that she isn't a clone?