I think I’m liking the concept of this Jarun Tann. I mean I don’t think I’ll like the guy himself but the concept is cool to me - at first it was like, oh, surprise, another Salarian who’s underhanded, a bit slimy, up to the ol’ politicking.. and oh, shock, another politician character who can’t be trusted and is in this for power. but on reflection it feels to me like they’ve given the ‘2d’-base more dimension, which is encouraging to see in someone who essentially seems to be a side-character (bodes well).
people don’t respect him, and he’s keenly aware of it, thats gonna feed back into everything thats going on for him and compound how he’s struggling and treading water in the position he’s in and trying to hide that fact from everyone.. he artificially inflates his importance a lot as a defense mechanism due to the deep insecurity. that’s kinda Jo Everyman tbh. not an evil person but not a hero either, obviously quite intelligent and self-concerned but not overtly malicious, slippery and manipulative in order to protect himself and his interests while also still apparently remaining concerned in a way about an overarching greater good? I like how he like sidles up to Ryder, slippery eel-mode engaged, and makes sure to verbally set up a “them” and an “us” and put himself and Ryder in the same box.. smart, but see-through. I don’t sympathize with him but I do find him kinda relatable? he’s ironically quite human in his flaws and motivations.. I’m liking this idea that politicians are not all nefarious power-hungry monsters (2d root of all evil shadow puppets on a wall) but some are people who tell others and themselves that they have noble goals, and somewhere they do, but they’re self-absorbed and flawed. it feels like his motivations aren’t “Protect the interests of the AI in order to protect my power-base” but simultaneous - Protect the interests of the AI, and also protect his power-base. that’s a different thing entirely
sometimes Bioware are ham-fisted in their fascination (fixation) with portrayals of GREY!! SHADES OF GREY morality, but. I think like this one. I’m feelin an udina who is more relatable (udina verged more on the caricature side of things for me, even with the stuff we know about him), I’m feelin a Bel Anoleis who is more fleshed out and from the other side of the track kinda.. I think I feel u, Jarun Tann
I wonder how he ties into the Nexus Uprising plotthread (political discord there). I am also here for getting down n dirty in some political navigation storyline among the AI. sounds like his voice is over loudspeakers or he’s part of the welcoming committee addressing the occupants of the Hyperion when that ark finally reunites with the others. and why is Ryder’s success/future tied to Jarun’s?
also this Kumail guy is great (perfect voice for a salarian! and a fan of the series too) and it was cool seeing the alien facial rigs thing in action!! the alien models and animations look better than the human ones do tbh.
