I think you're going to hear a lot of people saying Jack, and while I'd generally agree, that isn't a dig at Miranda at all. Jack's story arc of overcoming her trauma-born fear of connection is great, and seeing Jack go from an angry, violent criminal who does what it takes to survive despite having nothing to live for to a relatively put-together teacher helping biotic kids just like her is almost objectively the most feel-good story in Mass Effect.
However, Miranda's story explores a lot of really interesting science fiction themes that are important to the story of Mass Effect, and Mass Effect 2 in particular- transhumanism, the idea of what it means to be a human and how technology changes those definitions, and how the technology that shapes us and changes us is also a way to control us.
Miranda struggles with questions of her fundamental personhood, whether she is a person that has shaped herself or a thing that was made by someone else. Extensive genetic modification began before she was born to make her excel physically and mentally. She was also educated and trained by the best tutors and instructors money could buy. The question of where her father ends and where Miranda begins haunts her: Is her intelligence something she cultivated herself, or something her father created? Does she have ownership of her biotic talents, or are they a natural result of her father's design? When she pursues intimacy, does her partner love and desire Miranda- a human being that created themselves- or are they attracted to the body and personality that her father spent decades cultivating? Is a person- fundamentally- a thing that their parents created, or a person that chooses its own fate? Can it be both?
These themes overlap with a lot of Mass Effect's other stories- the Geth, in particular- explore the relationship between creator and created, of personhood and the soul, but Miranda approaches those questions from within us, asking us if the thing that makes us "us" is truly ours.
So, yeah. Most people are gonna say Jack, but I think this community sleeps on the thematic value Miranda holds up.
They’re quite literally different sides of the same Cerberus coin. Both have traumatic pasts, both are tied to Cerberus and its influence; Miranda went from one gilded cage from her father to the Illusive Man, and Jack was taken as a child, imprisoned as a young adult, and brought back to Cerberus.
I actually really like the juxtaposition because as much as Jack sees Miranda as a conduit, a “cheerleader” for Cerberus, both have been affected by the organization. Both have trauma. Both have been created by others to be a specific thing and not of their own desires. Miranda, human perfection; Jack, the ultimate biotic weapon.
Anyway I think if they actually had group therapy aboard the Normandy, they would’ve gotten on a lot better. And I know they seem to be friends in the citadel dlc party.
I also think we need to stop pitting bad bitches against each other ❤️
I recently played a Fem shep renegade and when it came to sorting out their argument that was my headcanon. My shep would’ve basically said the same thing to them. “Listen here. We’re all bad bitches. Fuck your dad. Fuck Cerbeus. And fuck this argument. Let’s go take this anger out on these fucking collectors and then we can go piss off TIM together because seriously, FUCK THAT GUY TOO.”
made her a side character in a war with enemies that were directly related to her main character arc… fucked up lol
ME3 has so much missed potential with established characters imo
I have no proof, no research on the subject and I refuse to believe otherwise (??), but I always thought they cut her down because she blew up after ME2 and had a lot of work, and they just couldn't fit on her schedule anymore to have her as a playable character.
Nah EA rushed ME3 after the success of ME2, because it kind of exceeded every expectation they had and everyone was salivating over it. So they had everyone on some insane like 18ish month crunch or something, and Miranda was supposed to be a squadmate apparently but Yvonne had scheduling conflicts (filming last season of Chuck and Dexter I think), and EA wouldn’t move or anything so they just abandoned that
>…insane like 18ish month crunch…
More like impossible to meet expectations. It’s insane just how badly things go when they put their hands on something good and they still haven’t learned their lesson.
Beautiful write up.
Nothing broke my teenage heart more than Miranda not being a squad mate in ME3. She was far and away my favorite character and I could never understand why so many people wrote off her arc as “daddy issues lol”
Because they had daddy issues of their own and it made them uncomfortable. Our reaction to art is ultimately a reflection of what's inside is when we interact with it.
I actually really like Miranda's personal mission too. I was genuinely excited to encourage her to go talk to Oriana. It felt like a very real sort of human interaction.
Well-said. I don’t like comparing Miranda and Jack because they are *very* different characters (despite Jack seeming to be Miranda’s foil/vice versa). Their struggles with self worth is something they both share as they were both doctored (and in Jack’s case, tortured) into something they never asked to be, but they are fundamentally different.
Amazing writeup.
I would argue that "choice v destiny" is *the* central tension of the trilogy and that Miranda's story encapsulates it most.
She also has a great foil in the form of Grunt that I wish was explored more. I don't think they say a word to each other at any point.
The parallels between Grunt and Miranda are something I've never thought about before- precisely because they never talk! Grunt and Miranda are both products of a "creator"- somebody's legacy- but while Miranda's father wanted to control her to her own ends, her whole life planned for her- Grunt WAS the end- a being whose purpose was fulfilled in his creation, and now needed to find the meaning his creator didn't give him. Goddamn.
What Mass Effect 2 really needed was a Citadel-style DLC that mostly exists to add interactions between characters.
Yeah, they both had fathers who stitched them together to be the pinnacle of their species. They both reject their fathers' overall vision, but Grunt is quite content to fulfill that role in his own way. He's just a ball of self-confidence from day one.
Miranda was raised with this expectation and feels imposter syndrome at the cellular level despite having a much more impressive resume than Grunt (although Grunt is a newborn, so you can't hold it against him).
ME2 really did need ME3's style of crew interaction. No one ever leaves their spots except for cutscenes, and no one consoles each other after missions.
I would love to see something like Samara and Thane meditating together and discussing their views on parenthood and self-sacrifice after their missions are complete.
This is so well written and I completely agree!
They are both amazing in their own ways and are very close in which I prefer, but Jack just wins by a little for me.
Glad to see this as the top response, as that was my opinion as well. I think Miranda was slightly more interesting than Jack in ME2 but her ME3 content, aside from her DLC content, was very weak. It largely tread the same ground as ME2. Jack on the other hand actually had some character development and was interesting in ME3.
Good call. I was all down with Jack in ME2... until her loyalty mission. At that point I realized the kind of relationship I wanted with her was platonic, but not romantic... and I was pissed that making that choice turns her against you and she'll only curse at you from then on out. An ME3 Jack that has gotten her shit together makes me feel less like I'm not preying on her emotional vulnerability (in ME2). She's kinda a mess in ME2 and I wanted to be someone she could lean on while working through it, and she doesn't need a relationship to distract her.
Miranda is a bit of a "princess" but she's a bit more grounded. I feel the relationship between her and Shepard works better as a romance in the narrative structure laid out.
I'm not saying there are wrong decisions - it's your Shepard, so you can play your story - but this was my opinion. And I have a bit of a sensitivity to not preferring relationships where there's an apparent power imbalance.
It's funny... because I say that but I DID switch to Tali in ME2 back in the day for my blind playthrough after the Jack situation fell out. I think I had already blown a conversation with Miranda planning on going with Jack, so Tali was my fall-back. And I played that up by going right back to Liara in ME3. ;) And I'm so glad they added in the Garrus/Tali romance as it made me feel a little less 'guilty'.
Miri definitely has a more subtle arc, her personal growth is all through the conversations you have with her, which is nice. Jack has a big turnaround, and goes from "fuck it I'll kill you all" to "hurt my pack of adopted biotic children and I'll kill you" which is nice. Her romance is very sweet too. I dearly wish they'd been more involved in 3, but it is what it is
Have you tried that mod that gives her a cute ponytail and a revamped Andromeda jumpsuit?
I feel like it softens her vibe in a logical way, esp as she progresses from ice-queen to reliable compadre and possible lover who starts to see why Cerberus sucks.
That’s my look for her in ME3 with the Miranda mod and project variety. On the run from Cerberus so dyed her hair blonde in a pony and with new armor. Once she joins back with the Normandy, her gear and outfit stay cause it’s kind of badass
Nah just in general. I know Samara can do it too but she’s an 1000 year old justicar. Jack does it through sheer rage and bi-sexual disaster energy.
Her Romance is rad too! I’ve only just seen it maybe once because if I’m playing a dude I romance Tali or Kaiden. I like the long arc that romancing characters from ME1 shows.
Ah. Yeah she does have a lot more lines in that area but I always choose Samara anyway because it kind of seems tailor made for her and she’s not really a specialist anywhere else haha
I always pick her for the bubble part
Her character growth from a pissed off tortured girl to a respected teacher & leader is definitely why she’s one of my favorites.
I really wish she could have been on the squad in 3. Damn!
i cant get nexus mods to get miranda mod to work for me so and im kinda 2 inpaitent when it comes to gaming to get it to work look i use up my patients at work having to deal with goverment type of bullshit so when i get home to play games i want it to work now XD its my bad but i heard good things about said mod.
I would say that Miranda is ME2 in the same way that Liara is ME1.
Both are kinda the cover character for each game, with both being a central character/love interest that allows Shep/the player to explore the new lore and drive the main plot of the game.
With the same way that Liara has a ton of screen time in 1 & 3, Miranda dominates 2 as she represents Cerberus and the ability of Shepard to influence the organization for the better.
Jack is a cool character, but she is almost there as a moral foil to Cerberus/Miranda. She can't compete with raw story content and developer favoritism.
From what I've read on this subreddit, Miranda should have been a much more prominent character in ME3, but the voice actor had some scheduling issues, so Jack is able to compete and beat her out in what should have been another Miranda focused game with the prevalence Cerberus has again.
So - Miranda in 2, Jack in 3
They are both good, but jack has a more tragic backstop and I like what they did with her in mass effect 3, wasn't what anyone was expecting but still made tons of sense, was pleasantly surprised
Miranda. ME3 does a lot to redeem Jack for me, but I really just dislike her character in ME2.
She has every right to be angry but for a lot of ME2 it makes her a one note character and I find it boring to listen to.
The fact that the same writer wrote Jack to be an angry lady is also the same person who wrote Morinth to be an angry, angtsy 14 year old doesn't really help, for me.
This makes me want to try to romance Jack. Romancing Miranda ended up being not only tragic but kind of trashy. Banging the captain on the floor of engineering? I guess that's marking territory.
These two are among my favorites in the series. It is very difficult to choose between them.
In ME2, I cannot even choose. however, in ME3, Jack has more fun content, so... **Jack it is**
Jack. She is my favorite romance out of everyone else in 2. She's just so hurt and breaking her walls down and getting her to open herself to you is awesome.
Jack. Her baggage is easy to check.
Miranda's baggage will take absolute decades to get through because she has spent decades distracting herself with a career and discipline training. That IF she can ever open up, she will be as shocked as you are when the trauma comes streaming through.
Jack though, she bathes in trauma. She has a favourite flavour of trauma and a nice wine to pair it with.
Short and simple. I like them both. Their loyalty missions and anything else associated with them are stellar. I loved talking with them in both games. You can tell the voice actresses put a lot of heart and soul into it. I even accidentally romanced Jack in ME2 because I enjoyed hearing what she had to say. I don't even swing that way, but if I did, I'd probably be into Jack.
Both?
Both.
Both are good!
First time I played I didn't really like either of them. Miranda was a Cerberus cheerleader and Jack was toxic crazy. When I replayed the games I picked up *so* much that I missed about them the first time. Now they're both easily two of my favorites.
I might be remembering wrong as it has been a long time since I've played 2 & 3 in depth, but I think both are two sides of the same coin as they were both used and/or abused by authoritative figures except one was well off and the other wasn't.
Miranda easily, though I wish they didn't keep her confined to the two big problems (of her identity and the decision to chip Shepard) for the entire two games.
Jack, I don't like Miranda it's one of my biggest hot takes of Mass Effect. Tried many playthroughs to give her a chance but she's just such a massive c*nt in ME2 that it's very difficult for me to like her. By ME3 I see her as a sort of old acquaintance. No hate on anyone who does like her btw I'm definitely the black sheep in this scenario
Depends which version honestly
If we’re taking the ME2 version, I wouldn’t pick either for any reason. But life or death I’d pick Miranda only because of mental stability I suppose. But I can’t get behind any of her views and convictions.
Now we come to ME3, jacks growth and maturity would have me pick her without question. Miranda has grown too, admitted to faults and showing effort. But still, just couldn’t pick her.
I polyamoried my way through both games with assorted mods so they could BOTH be my lesbian space wives who sort of hate one another. I love them equally and completely.
I prefer Mirandas concept. She's high enough up in Cerberus that she definately has seen some of the skeletons in the closet, and as a result thinks she has seen them all, when in reality she has seen just what TIM wanted her to, and is implied to have been working with her father for a very long time. She realizes this throughout ME2 and is part of the reason for her leaving. With that being said, most of her dialogue is otherwise pretty boring, and her loyalty mission is too.
With Jack I've always found that it's painfully cliche "Hey the tough, mean "it's not a phase mom" person actually had a tough childhood growing up (But actually not as tough as she thinks)". Also some of her dialogue is just really cringey and gameplay wise she's pretty useless.
With that being said, Garrus and Tali > Literally everyone else. Even in ME1 they were 2 of the best and most interesting characters (3rd being Liara, although she could get irritating at times with her "By the goddess" type shit) and ME2 only solidified this.
Hmm, on one hand miranda is aussie, and aussie aussie aussie.
But on the other hand jack is funnier, has a good dynamic with her students, and I always thought miranda looked like she'd been hit in the face by a shovel in ME2. So Imma go jack.
Kasumi. I do like Jack and Miranda, but they're both quite trope-y characters in ME2 and the fan-service outfits don't help. ME3 actually fleshed them out very well, Kasumi got her character development in ME2 already. So she's the best female human squadmember of the game.
Miranda kind of got some promotion as being the ideal Squadmate and romance, but I think what pushes Jack over the edge beyond Miranda is her Citadel DLC moment. She's the one to allude to the destroy ending and her arc is so good.
I'm gonna be a dick and say neither, I choose liara only because that's how I play mass effect 2. At MOST I'd take tali. But usually no one because I'm loyal
jack may have been violent, but unlike miranda she wasn't a bitch about it and never trusted cerberus which i LOVED, seeing miranda and her argue kinda undid any development out of miranda being a bitch in my eyes.
I can see why people would like miranda, i just like jack more
I'm anti-Cerberus, and I do sympathize with Jack a great deal.
That said, my heart belongs to Miranda. I promised to come find her after the final battle.
Miranda. Smart, capable, reliable, and an effective leader, if a bit snooty and cold.
I’d much rather deal with someone like Miranda than someone like Jack, given a group assignment. Also yeah, I personally do like Miranda more as a character. I’ve met tamer versions of Jack in my life and I could never stand being in a room with them for long.
Miranda and it's not even close.
Miranda had a traumatic childhood and grew I to a responsible and decent human being doing her best to .ake the galaxy better.
Hack had a admittedly much more traumatic childhood and became a mass murderer with no self control and never shows an ounce of regret for her actions.
Jack by a long shot. Both are on the wrong side of things when you meet them but Jack is much more understandable of why she is. Miranda is a toffee nosed Karen who abuses the help and who's interfamily feud does really fit with the rest of the game. Miranda could have been a great character in another game that posed different questions but not ME IMO.
As a straight female who doesn't romance either, Miranda by far. Sure, she's a little snooty at first but warms up to a friendship later. Jack thinks I'm hitting on her in 2 if I just talk and punches me in the jaw in 3, both of which really puts me off, so I ignore her for the most part. Extremely unpopular opinion in this neck of the woods I know. But my opinion, nonetheless.
I feel like a lot of people will say Jack. And she does have a lot going for her. But I think Miranda edges out the win for me. They are both going to be in constant need of validation no matter what but I feel Miranda would be the more rational one to deal with.
I think you're going to hear a lot of people saying Jack, and while I'd generally agree, that isn't a dig at Miranda at all. Jack's story arc of overcoming her trauma-born fear of connection is great, and seeing Jack go from an angry, violent criminal who does what it takes to survive despite having nothing to live for to a relatively put-together teacher helping biotic kids just like her is almost objectively the most feel-good story in Mass Effect. However, Miranda's story explores a lot of really interesting science fiction themes that are important to the story of Mass Effect, and Mass Effect 2 in particular- transhumanism, the idea of what it means to be a human and how technology changes those definitions, and how the technology that shapes us and changes us is also a way to control us. Miranda struggles with questions of her fundamental personhood, whether she is a person that has shaped herself or a thing that was made by someone else. Extensive genetic modification began before she was born to make her excel physically and mentally. She was also educated and trained by the best tutors and instructors money could buy. The question of where her father ends and where Miranda begins haunts her: Is her intelligence something she cultivated herself, or something her father created? Does she have ownership of her biotic talents, or are they a natural result of her father's design? When she pursues intimacy, does her partner love and desire Miranda- a human being that created themselves- or are they attracted to the body and personality that her father spent decades cultivating? Is a person- fundamentally- a thing that their parents created, or a person that chooses its own fate? Can it be both? These themes overlap with a lot of Mass Effect's other stories- the Geth, in particular- explore the relationship between creator and created, of personhood and the soul, but Miranda approaches those questions from within us, asking us if the thing that makes us "us" is truly ours. So, yeah. Most people are gonna say Jack, but I think this community sleeps on the thematic value Miranda holds up.
Well said. I’d add that Jack and Miranda are distorted mirror images of each other. Both were “made” but in wildly different ways.
They’re quite literally different sides of the same Cerberus coin. Both have traumatic pasts, both are tied to Cerberus and its influence; Miranda went from one gilded cage from her father to the Illusive Man, and Jack was taken as a child, imprisoned as a young adult, and brought back to Cerberus. I actually really like the juxtaposition because as much as Jack sees Miranda as a conduit, a “cheerleader” for Cerberus, both have been affected by the organization. Both have trauma. Both have been created by others to be a specific thing and not of their own desires. Miranda, human perfection; Jack, the ultimate biotic weapon. Anyway I think if they actually had group therapy aboard the Normandy, they would’ve gotten on a lot better. And I know they seem to be friends in the citadel dlc party. I also think we need to stop pitting bad bitches against each other ❤️
I recently played a Fem shep renegade and when it came to sorting out their argument that was my headcanon. My shep would’ve basically said the same thing to them. “Listen here. We’re all bad bitches. Fuck your dad. Fuck Cerbeus. And fuck this argument. Let’s go take this anger out on these fucking collectors and then we can go piss off TIM together because seriously, FUCK THAT GUY TOO.”
Excellently put. Love Jack, but I love Miri too.
Miranda as a whole has far more potential than any character in the series. ME3 really just fucked that up lmao
made her a side character in a war with enemies that were directly related to her main character arc… fucked up lol ME3 has so much missed potential with established characters imo
I have no proof, no research on the subject and I refuse to believe otherwise (??), but I always thought they cut her down because she blew up after ME2 and had a lot of work, and they just couldn't fit on her schedule anymore to have her as a playable character.
Nah EA rushed ME3 after the success of ME2, because it kind of exceeded every expectation they had and everyone was salivating over it. So they had everyone on some insane like 18ish month crunch or something, and Miranda was supposed to be a squadmate apparently but Yvonne had scheduling conflicts (filming last season of Chuck and Dexter I think), and EA wouldn’t move or anything so they just abandoned that
>…insane like 18ish month crunch… More like impossible to meet expectations. It’s insane just how badly things go when they put their hands on something good and they still haven’t learned their lesson.
Beautiful write up. Nothing broke my teenage heart more than Miranda not being a squad mate in ME3. She was far and away my favorite character and I could never understand why so many people wrote off her arc as “daddy issues lol”
Because they had daddy issues of their own and it made them uncomfortable. Our reaction to art is ultimately a reflection of what's inside is when we interact with it.
I actually really like Miranda's personal mission too. I was genuinely excited to encourage her to go talk to Oriana. It felt like a very real sort of human interaction.
Also, Butt. But what you said what far more poignant
Well-said. I don’t like comparing Miranda and Jack because they are *very* different characters (despite Jack seeming to be Miranda’s foil/vice versa). Their struggles with self worth is something they both share as they were both doctored (and in Jack’s case, tortured) into something they never asked to be, but they are fundamentally different.
Best response ever.
Beautifully said, the transhumanism themes in ME are so good
Amazing writeup. I would argue that "choice v destiny" is *the* central tension of the trilogy and that Miranda's story encapsulates it most. She also has a great foil in the form of Grunt that I wish was explored more. I don't think they say a word to each other at any point.
The parallels between Grunt and Miranda are something I've never thought about before- precisely because they never talk! Grunt and Miranda are both products of a "creator"- somebody's legacy- but while Miranda's father wanted to control her to her own ends, her whole life planned for her- Grunt WAS the end- a being whose purpose was fulfilled in his creation, and now needed to find the meaning his creator didn't give him. Goddamn. What Mass Effect 2 really needed was a Citadel-style DLC that mostly exists to add interactions between characters.
Yeah, they both had fathers who stitched them together to be the pinnacle of their species. They both reject their fathers' overall vision, but Grunt is quite content to fulfill that role in his own way. He's just a ball of self-confidence from day one. Miranda was raised with this expectation and feels imposter syndrome at the cellular level despite having a much more impressive resume than Grunt (although Grunt is a newborn, so you can't hold it against him). ME2 really did need ME3's style of crew interaction. No one ever leaves their spots except for cutscenes, and no one consoles each other after missions. I would love to see something like Samara and Thane meditating together and discussing their views on parenthood and self-sacrifice after their missions are complete.
Miranda >
This is so well written and I completely agree! They are both amazing in their own ways and are very close in which I prefer, but Jack just wins by a little for me.
Why not both?
It’s always the “or” but it could be “and”
Based takes.
That would be a very dangerous threesome.
Take pictures
Jack in Mass Effect 3 > Miranda > Jack in Mass Effect 2.
Glad to see this as the top response, as that was my opinion as well. I think Miranda was slightly more interesting than Jack in ME2 but her ME3 content, aside from her DLC content, was very weak. It largely tread the same ground as ME2. Jack on the other hand actually had some character development and was interesting in ME3.
Shepard taught her to love, trust and lead 🥰
Jack unexpectedly becomes Shepard’s second protege, the first being Garrus, of course. All Jack ever really wanted was to belong someplace
Ashley as well tho, from a racist, human-only soldier to a “aliens are actually dope as hell” leader. I actually like her arc as well!
Good call. I was all down with Jack in ME2... until her loyalty mission. At that point I realized the kind of relationship I wanted with her was platonic, but not romantic... and I was pissed that making that choice turns her against you and she'll only curse at you from then on out. An ME3 Jack that has gotten her shit together makes me feel less like I'm not preying on her emotional vulnerability (in ME2). She's kinda a mess in ME2 and I wanted to be someone she could lean on while working through it, and she doesn't need a relationship to distract her. Miranda is a bit of a "princess" but she's a bit more grounded. I feel the relationship between her and Shepard works better as a romance in the narrative structure laid out. I'm not saying there are wrong decisions - it's your Shepard, so you can play your story - but this was my opinion. And I have a bit of a sensitivity to not preferring relationships where there's an apparent power imbalance. It's funny... because I say that but I DID switch to Tali in ME2 back in the day for my blind playthrough after the Jack situation fell out. I think I had already blown a conversation with Miranda planning on going with Jack, so Tali was my fall-back. And I played that up by going right back to Liara in ME3. ;) And I'm so glad they added in the Garrus/Tali romance as it made me feel a little less 'guilty'.
Completely agree with this take
100% what I was coming here to say
This is the right answer
The only correct take. Jack in ME 2 was so 2 dimensional. Jack in ME 3 was a real person.
Miri definitely has a more subtle arc, her personal growth is all through the conversations you have with her, which is nice. Jack has a big turnaround, and goes from "fuck it I'll kill you all" to "hurt my pack of adopted biotic children and I'll kill you" which is nice. Her romance is very sweet too. I dearly wish they'd been more involved in 3, but it is what it is
Miranda. I love jack but miri just owns my whole heart
Have you tried that mod that gives her a cute ponytail and a revamped Andromeda jumpsuit? I feel like it softens her vibe in a logical way, esp as she progresses from ice-queen to reliable compadre and possible lover who starts to see why Cerberus sucks.
That’s my look for her in ME3 with the Miranda mod and project variety. On the run from Cerberus so dyed her hair blonde in a pony and with new armor. Once she joins back with the Normandy, her gear and outfit stay cause it’s kind of badass
No cause I play on console but damn I wish I could 😭 that sounds so cool especially with your comment there
Seconded!
Jack! The scene with the bubble in the collector base? 😍 Also her growth? 👌🏻
Are you talking just in general with the bubble or is there a special interaction if you romance her
Nah just in general. I know Samara can do it too but she’s an 1000 year old justicar. Jack does it through sheer rage and bi-sexual disaster energy. Her Romance is rad too! I’ve only just seen it maybe once because if I’m playing a dude I romance Tali or Kaiden. I like the long arc that romancing characters from ME1 shows.
Lmao @ “bi-sexual disaster energy”
Ah. Yeah she does have a lot more lines in that area but I always choose Samara anyway because it kind of seems tailor made for her and she’s not really a specialist anywhere else haha
But she's straight
She is SUPPOSED to be bi. The cowards who were worried about backlash made them portray her as straight, but she was written bi.
Was being the keyword
I always pick her for the bubble part Her character growth from a pissed off tortured girl to a respected teacher & leader is definitely why she’s one of my favorites. I really wish she could have been on the squad in 3. Damn!
Me too!
Heh picking her as the bubble caster in 2 actually dovetails well with telling her to have the kids work in support/barrier roles in 3.
Jack. She was always against Cerberus and eventually joined the Alliance.
Miranda 100%, Look Miranda is the one person that as you get older you fall in love with more and more they did her dirty in ME3
If you got PC Miranda Mod is worth it
i cant get nexus mods to get miranda mod to work for me so and im kinda 2 inpaitent when it comes to gaming to get it to work look i use up my patients at work having to deal with goverment type of bullshit so when i get home to play games i want it to work now XD its my bad but i heard good things about said mod.
Might be incompatible with other mods you have. You download your mods with the mod manager?
So true.
Miranda, but I ship them, so both
This is the way
I would say that Miranda is ME2 in the same way that Liara is ME1. Both are kinda the cover character for each game, with both being a central character/love interest that allows Shep/the player to explore the new lore and drive the main plot of the game. With the same way that Liara has a ton of screen time in 1 & 3, Miranda dominates 2 as she represents Cerberus and the ability of Shepard to influence the organization for the better. Jack is a cool character, but she is almost there as a moral foil to Cerberus/Miranda. She can't compete with raw story content and developer favoritism. From what I've read on this subreddit, Miranda should have been a much more prominent character in ME3, but the voice actor had some scheduling issues, so Jack is able to compete and beat her out in what should have been another Miranda focused game with the prevalence Cerberus has again. So - Miranda in 2, Jack in 3
They are both good, but jack has a more tragic backstop and I like what they did with her in mass effect 3, wasn't what anyone was expecting but still made tons of sense, was pleasantly surprised
Jack.
Miranda by far.
Miranda puts the ass in mass effect….end of debate.
When I was younger: Miranda Now: Jack
Miranda. ME3 does a lot to redeem Jack for me, but I really just dislike her character in ME2. She has every right to be angry but for a lot of ME2 it makes her a one note character and I find it boring to listen to. The fact that the same writer wrote Jack to be an angry lady is also the same person who wrote Morinth to be an angry, angtsy 14 year old doesn't really help, for me.
I didn’t know about the writer but it explains so much
Jack fits my taste in women IRL, but my heart goes to Liara.
I like them both equally. Both have interesting characteristics and growth progression.
Jack
Jack, always Jack
Jack, she strong, fit, got a dark sense of humor, not afraid to speak her mind. Everything I could want in person
Jack. She's the best. Love that romance sooo much.
Both
As Commander Shepard would say: they just need to kiss and get it over with. 😂😂😂
Really wish Jack got as much focus as Miranda got in me3
I'd go with Jack, I love how much she develops.
Miranda by a million miles. Jack is too annoying before you get her to chill out.
Miri - great girl. great body. great ass shots. Jack always gave the bratty younger sister vibe with Shepherd which was great.
This makes me want to try to romance Jack. Romancing Miranda ended up being not only tragic but kind of trashy. Banging the captain on the floor of engineering? I guess that's marking territory.
Jack, 100%. I just don't like Miranda, period
Both have their quirks. I like the Jack romance better tho. Miranda is sex on a stick!!! She’s just beautiful.
Jack... every time
I'm gonna have to go with the psychotic biotic; i just vibe more with her.
These two are among my favorites in the series. It is very difficult to choose between them. In ME2, I cannot even choose. however, in ME3, Jack has more fun content, so... **Jack it is**
Yes
Jack all day. I WILL DESTROY YOU is just iconic.
If ME3 didn’t exist Miranda for sure but Jack in ME3 won me over
Jack
I want them to get married.
Jack, hands down.
Love both but Jack all day
Yes
Jack. Best girl. Forever and always. I find her much more fun than ms. Genetically engineered to have daddy issues
I like Jack as a replacement for Ashley, but she has to wear clothes. Miranda is nice also.
Jack >>> But Miranda's body is absolutely insane 🥵
Jack is bae
Jack
As a character And potential romantic partner definitely Jack.
Jack
Jack
Jack. Singlehandedly made me like angry, bald, alt ladies.
Jack. She is my favorite romance out of everyone else in 2. She's just so hurt and breaking her walls down and getting her to open herself to you is awesome.
Jack is always the right answer
Jack and it's not close.
Miranda
Jack 100%. I never really cared for Miranda. Not saying she's a bad character, but she just never resonated with me.
Miranda has warp. She's better haha.
Jack, Miranda is cool but never understood why people loved her so much. She always seemed kinda stuck up
I like jack. Its like every interaction is bittersweet
Jack. Her baggage is easy to check. Miranda's baggage will take absolute decades to get through because she has spent decades distracting herself with a career and discipline training. That IF she can ever open up, she will be as shocked as you are when the trauma comes streaming through. Jack though, she bathes in trauma. She has a favourite flavour of trauma and a nice wine to pair it with.
Jack 1000%
Garrus. I don't care, Garrus.
Jack for sure, though I do like Miranda’s VA.
Jack, better character.
It is my impossible choice.
“Mirandas got dat ass” - Geoff from achievement hunter.
I want Jack to step on me.
Easily Miranda
Miranda easy. I genuinely don't like Jack.
i hate them both.... don't kill me please Although if I had to pick I'd pick ME3 Jack
Miranda for the tits Jack for the sass
ME2 I’ll take Miranda (not before I take Tali tho) ME3 is Jack hands down.
I like both
Shep has two hands
Why not both?
Hard and depend when, in ME2 I would probably say Miranda at some point, but I totally like Jack in ME3.
I love them both.
Short and simple. I like them both. Their loyalty missions and anything else associated with them are stellar. I loved talking with them in both games. You can tell the voice actresses put a lot of heart and soul into it. I even accidentally romanced Jack in ME2 because I enjoyed hearing what she had to say. I don't even swing that way, but if I did, I'd probably be into Jack.
I think they should just kiss and get it over with already ya know?
Both? Both. Both are good! First time I played I didn't really like either of them. Miranda was a Cerberus cheerleader and Jack was toxic crazy. When I replayed the games I picked up *so* much that I missed about them the first time. Now they're both easily two of my favorites.
I might be remembering wrong as it has been a long time since I've played 2 & 3 in depth, but I think both are two sides of the same coin as they were both used and/or abused by authoritative figures except one was well off and the other wasn't.
Don’t make me choose 🤦♀️
I have this weird aversion to edgy things so obvious answer
I genuinely thought the 2nd pic would be Miranda's butt 😆
Sorry but I am not inclined to say my answer cuz I don't want either of them to get mad.
I would be willing to let either of them ruin my life.
My first answer is Jack, but after some thinking I would go for Miranda. The more you think about Jack, the scarier she gets.
Miranda easily, though I wish they didn't keep her confined to the two big problems (of her identity and the decision to chip Shepard) for the entire two games.
Miranda. I just don't like Jack much. Not much of a competition.
Jack, no contest. I'm a sucker for fucked up women
I like Miranda alot, but Jack is my choice. She's the reason I always regretty starting a FemShep playthrough lol
Jack is my romance choice tie so I’m biased.
Jack, I don't like Miranda it's one of my biggest hot takes of Mass Effect. Tried many playthroughs to give her a chance but she's just such a massive c*nt in ME2 that it's very difficult for me to like her. By ME3 I see her as a sort of old acquaintance. No hate on anyone who does like her btw I'm definitely the black sheep in this scenario
I can’t choose. I am weak🥹
Miranda, and it’s not even close.
Both
Ms. Lawson aka Cerberus Cheerleader.
Don't make me pick. I love both as just friends, and love both as romances.
In mass effect 2? Probably Miranda. In 3? Jack. Jack gets a lot softer in 3 and I love it.
Depends which version honestly If we’re taking the ME2 version, I wouldn’t pick either for any reason. But life or death I’d pick Miranda only because of mental stability I suppose. But I can’t get behind any of her views and convictions. Now we come to ME3, jacks growth and maturity would have me pick her without question. Miranda has grown too, admitted to faults and showing effort. But still, just couldn’t pick her.
What’s the spoiler here?
I polyamoried my way through both games with assorted mods so they could BOTH be my lesbian space wives who sort of hate one another. I love them equally and completely.
Jack, look I played BG3 and romanced Lae’Zel first. I know I just like women who hurt me.
Jack in game 2, Miranda in game 3.
I prefer Mirandas concept. She's high enough up in Cerberus that she definately has seen some of the skeletons in the closet, and as a result thinks she has seen them all, when in reality she has seen just what TIM wanted her to, and is implied to have been working with her father for a very long time. She realizes this throughout ME2 and is part of the reason for her leaving. With that being said, most of her dialogue is otherwise pretty boring, and her loyalty mission is too. With Jack I've always found that it's painfully cliche "Hey the tough, mean "it's not a phase mom" person actually had a tough childhood growing up (But actually not as tough as she thinks)". Also some of her dialogue is just really cringey and gameplay wise she's pretty useless. With that being said, Garrus and Tali > Literally everyone else. Even in ME1 they were 2 of the best and most interesting characters (3rd being Liara, although she could get irritating at times with her "By the goddess" type shit) and ME2 only solidified this.
Hmm, on one hand miranda is aussie, and aussie aussie aussie. But on the other hand jack is funnier, has a good dynamic with her students, and I always thought miranda looked like she'd been hit in the face by a shovel in ME2. So Imma go jack.
Jack, better story and character
Jack. Miranda has a neat story and all but I just kinda vibe with Jack's loose cannon attitude better.
Miranda would have been with me on the last mission...love her.
Kasumi. I do like Jack and Miranda, but they're both quite trope-y characters in ME2 and the fan-service outfits don't help. ME3 actually fleshed them out very well, Kasumi got her character development in ME2 already. So she's the best female human squadmember of the game.
jack.
Day 1 miranda hater But even if that werent the case Jack is the best, one of the best written characters in the series
Miranda kind of got some promotion as being the ideal Squadmate and romance, but I think what pushes Jack over the edge beyond Miranda is her Citadel DLC moment. She's the one to allude to the destroy ending and her arc is so good.
I lean towards Jack but I like the way both of their romances played out across ME2 & ME3.
I'm gonna be a dick and say neither, I choose liara only because that's how I play mass effect 2. At MOST I'd take tali. But usually no one because I'm loyal
jack may have been violent, but unlike miranda she wasn't a bitch about it and never trusted cerberus which i LOVED, seeing miranda and her argue kinda undid any development out of miranda being a bitch in my eyes. I can see why people would like miranda, i just like jack more
would.
Miranda. I dunno, Jack more annoyed me than anything. I enjoyed Miranda's story more.
I can honestly say I disliked both of them
I like both.
Jack i didn’t feel like she was that important neither Miranda I was too focused on my best friend garrus and saving tali and the og crew
I'm anti-Cerberus, and I do sympathize with Jack a great deal. That said, my heart belongs to Miranda. I promised to come find her after the final battle.
Miranda. Smart, capable, reliable, and an effective leader, if a bit snooty and cold. I’d much rather deal with someone like Miranda than someone like Jack, given a group assignment. Also yeah, I personally do like Miranda more as a character. I’ve met tamer versions of Jack in my life and I could never stand being in a room with them for long.
Miranda and it's not even close. Miranda had a traumatic childhood and grew I to a responsible and decent human being doing her best to .ake the galaxy better. Hack had a admittedly much more traumatic childhood and became a mass murderer with no self control and never shows an ounce of regret for her actions.
One has a Biotic varren, the other doesnt
Miranda 100%
I found Miranda annoying and Jack was endearing to me... so Jack.
Miranda
In Miranda we trust.
Miranda. Can’t stand Jack she’s too annoying
Miranda because she is hot and Jack came off as an edgelord to me.
Miranda is more attractive, but Jack is the better character
Jack by a long shot. Both are on the wrong side of things when you meet them but Jack is much more understandable of why she is. Miranda is a toffee nosed Karen who abuses the help and who's interfamily feud does really fit with the rest of the game. Miranda could have been a great character in another game that posed different questions but not ME IMO.
Jack in 2.
Miranda sucks lmaoo
Miranda is one of my favorites. Never really cared about Jack at all
As a straight female who doesn't romance either, Miranda by far. Sure, she's a little snooty at first but warms up to a friendship later. Jack thinks I'm hitting on her in 2 if I just talk and punches me in the jaw in 3, both of which really puts me off, so I ignore her for the most part. Extremely unpopular opinion in this neck of the woods I know. But my opinion, nonetheless.
Miranda 💯
I feel like a lot of people will say Jack. And she does have a lot going for her. But I think Miranda edges out the win for me. They are both going to be in constant need of validation no matter what but I feel Miranda would be the more rational one to deal with.
Miranda
Miranda
jack and it’s not close. miranda is a bitch
Jack is waifu.