Line #6 Webcomic/MarauderShields


1	->''"He was the final boss. But you just don't understand how serious this was. This isn't some random Marauder that popped out of nowhere. All this time, he waited for you [...] His name was Marauder Shields"''
2	-->--'''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=467pmIX-oZo His name was Marauder Shields]]'''
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4	''WARNING: This page assumes you have played ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'', and is intrinsically tied to the game's endings. As such, spoilers for the ending of ''Mass Effect 3'' may be unmarked.''
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6	''Marauder Shields'' started out as a brief {{parody}} {{webcomic\|OfTheGame}} hosted on Website/DeviantArt by user [[http://koobismo.deviantart.com/gallery/ koobismo]]. It stars the eponymous "Marauder Shields", a {{memetic\|Mutation}} and {{fanon}}ical EnsembleDarkhorse from ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' that originated as a random [[{{Mook}} marauder]] which is the [[FinalBoss final enemy combatant faced by the player in the entire trilogy]]. While the comics themselves are rather episodic, and focus on different characters every so often, there is a story arc present throughout the series, with every character contributing, knowingly or otherwise, to Shields's quest to save [[PlayerCharacter Commander Shepard]] from the controversial endings of ''Mass Effect 3''.
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8	The first 5 'episodes' focus on Shields as he [[{{Comedy}} comedically]] lambasts features of the game's multiple endings and mocks the game's major antagonists.
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10	After Episode #6, the webcomic [[CerebusSyndrome takes a serious turn]]. From there, the webcomic follows Shields and preexisting [[Characters/MassEffect Mass Effect Characters]] as the final desperate battle against the [[BigBad Reapers]] rages across Earth and the Solar System.
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12	The series can be found on [[http://koobismo.deviantart.com/gallery/ koobismo's deviant art gallery]], and appears to be on a SeriesHiatus.
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14	----
15	!!Tropes found in this webcomic include:
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17	* AffectionateParody: The comic as a whole alternates between this and a [[TakeThat more venomous critique]] of ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'''s endings, mostly at the beginnings. Slogans supporting the controversial "Retake Mass Effect (3) movement" appear at the bottom of the first few episodes of the webcomic, subsequently replaced with the comic's own tagline "Hope is Alive".
18	* BrainwashedAndCrazy: One could tell from their glowing eyes that both Commander Shepard and Khalisah had been indoctrinated by the Reapers at some point of the Reaper War. Thankfully, they were incapacitated by Marauder Shields and Commander Bailey, respectively, before they could achieve what the Reapers ordered them to do.
19	* ChekhovsGunman: [[spoiler:Nihlus as Marauder Shields.]]
20	* ColonelBadass: definitely the now mutilated Commander Bailey.
21	* CrazyPrepared: Mordin apparently wrote at least 473 automated messages that would trigger if problems occurred with the Crucible. [[spoiler:The one that went off explains Mordin's concern that the Crucible [[OhCrap could be used by the Reapers as a mass-indoctrination device]].]]
22	* HeroAntagonist: Either Shepard (Marauder has the utmost respect for Shepard and wants to save him, but Shepard doesn't know this) or Shields (he's trying to save Shepard from the endings the only way he can), depending on which angle you want to view the series from.
23	* InterruptedSuicide: Aria T'Loak in Episode 13 ("The Queen") takes a gun to her head to avoid being reaperized and end her life on her own terms. [[spoiler:She is interrupted by none other than Commander Bailey]].
24	* KilledOffForReal: [[spoiler:Jack's students]], incinerated just in front of her, with their white bones barely visible in the fire.
25	* TheMainCharactersDoEverything: Averted to an epic scale. The main characters are unavailable, so their crew members have to step up to the plate and save Earth.
26	* PutOnABus: Commander Shepard. This is presumed, as the story barely arrived at its half-season finale.
27	* {{Retcon}}: In the final mission of ''Mass Effect 3'', the Reapers will stop at nothing in their attempt to kill Shepard. In the webcomic, the Reapers suddenly seek to use Shepard, despite the webcomic beginning with Shepard nearly being killed by Harbinger.
28	** The controversial Catalyst, and everything associated with it, was removed from the story or completely reworked so that Marauder Shields' story could be explored.
29	** This includes [[spoiler:the history of the Leviathans, the ancient apex race that created the Catalyst. Their story was revealed in the Leviathan DLC, which was released after the start of the Marauder Shields series. Since it is so closely tied to the Catalyst, it is irreconcilable with the webcomic. It is also easy to put aside without significantly altering the main plot of the game]].
30	* ReWrite: The author has stated that he's [[DefiedTrope trying to avoid these]] in favor of [[ReVision re]]''[[ReVision visions]]''. Not all agree that this is the case; however, the author does try to build on canon events such as [[spoiler:the beacon on Eden Prime]].
31	* TheReveal: In Episode #6 ("The True Catalyst"), Marauder Shields' true identity was revealed [[spoiler:to be Nihlus Kryik, the turian spectre from ''[[VideoGame/MassEffect1 the first game]]'' who endorsed Shepard as a Spectre candidate before being killed by Saren on Eden Prime. Nihlus' body has been taken from Eden Prime and reaperized by the geth servants of Saren Arterius - with whom Nihlus was emotionally attached in the official canon - which is explained by emphasizing Saren's insanity and showcased as his last semi-awake stand before succumbing to total indoctrination (mirroring the events involving Matriarch Benezia on Noveria). A group of marauders has been hidden in the Citadel's core during the events of the first Mass Effect game, awaiting the arrival of the Reapers, which explains Nihlus' presence at the beam during the events of Mass Effect 3.]]
32	* ScarsAreForever: Bailey's eye.
33	* ShoutOut:
34	** In Episodes #10 ("Spectres") & #13 ("The Queen"), Commander Bailey can be seen sporting a sexy eye-patch, resembling the one worn by one [[Series/BattlestarGalactica2003 Saul Tigh]], who was played by the same actor as Bailey (Michael Hogan).
35	** In #13 ("The Queen"), one [[Characters/{{WingCommander}} Christopher Blair]] can be seen discussing the Reaper attack taking place in Episode #12 ("Breaking Point").
36	** In #16 ("Brothers Till The End"), James tells Javik the reason he became TheNicknamer was because he once called his girlfriend [[Series/{{Chuck}} Sarah]] when her real name was Yvonne[[note]]reference Yvonne Strahovski, who played Sarah Walker on ''Series/{{Chuck}}'' and Miranda Lawson in ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' and ''3''[[/note]].
37	** In #17 ("Believe"), while Joker is dogfighting with a Reaper: "[[Film/{{Serenity}} I am a leaf on the wind. Watch how I soar.]]" Also, Joker makes a reference to not wanting to become a vet, which coincidentally was the dream of one [[Film/AustinPowers Scott Evil]], also played by Seth Green.
38	** In #20 ("Seeing Is Believing"), Liara mentions several companies that are interconnected and part of an elaborate Cerberus front on Earth, among them [[Franchise/StarWars Rakata Bank]], [[VideoGame/DeusExHumanRevolution Belltower Associates]], [[VideoGame/DeusExInvisibleWar ApostleCorp,]] and [[ComicBook/{{Watchmen}} Veidt Enterprises.]]
39	** In #23 ("Dominoes Will Fall"), the Virmire Survivor is leading Special Task Force [[Franchise/{{Halo}} 343]]. The Codex entry at the end of the comic also references a special shock trooper program known as the [[Franchise/{{Halo}} Helljumper project.]]
40	** In #24 ("Never Alone") the codex entry mentions that the Alliance tried to copy the design of an Asari super-computer network, giving it the codename Project [[VideoGame/{{Marathon}} Durandal]].
41	** In #25 ("The Fire Within"), the codex entry mentions a Cerberus sympathiser called [[VideoGame/DeusEx Walton Simons]] and a reporter called [[VideoGame/BrokenSword Nicole Collard]].
42	** In #26 ("Little Acts of Defiance"), "Fire detected in area [[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration NCC-1701-E]]". The codex entry mentions [[Film/TheFly1986 Dr. Seth Brundle of Brundlefly Applications]], [[Franchise/ResidentEvil Dr. William Birkin of Birkin-Wesker Condominium]] and [[Franchise/StarWars Czerka Corporation]]. Also, Bailey makes mention of [[{{Literature/Discworld}} an "overzealous bastard" of a C-Sec officer named Vimes]].
43	** In #30 ("The Protege") there's a Captain [[Film/BladeRunner Roy Batty.]]
44	* ToThePain: Aria threatens an Elcor actor who did ''Theatre/{{Othello}}'' and has now been dragooned into taking up arms with [[GroinAttack emasculation]] if he misses again.
45	* TookALevelInBadass: All of Shepard's squadmates, current and former, supporting characters, and even one-time side-quest characters [[LetsGetDangerous step up to the plate]] [[spoiler: with Shepard out of action]]. Especially when compared with Mass Effect 3.
46	* TrueCompanions: all of Normandy's crew and the Normandy (EDI) herself. No one abandons Shepard, they all fight for him/her and for each other.
47	---> '''[[ClassyCatBurglar Kasumi]] (Episode #23)''': "'''They're coming for you...''' I know they are. We would '''never''' leave you behind. just hang in there Shep... Wherever you are."
48	* UnstoppableRage: [[spoiler:Jack]] starts hurling around and tearing apart husks and cannibals like a one-woman biotic hurricane. [[spoiler:She even did a Biotic Charge from the face of Big Ben straight into a Sovereign-class dreadnought, most likely planning to tear it apart from the inside.]]
49	* WatchingTroyBurn: couple of panels show the burning London with giant Reapers circling above it.
50	* YouShallNotPass: [[spoiler: Garrus tries for this in #15, but [[SubvertedTrope Liara pulls him to safety with her biotics at the last second, instead]].]]
51	** In #34 ("[[UsefulNotes/GrecoPersianWars Thermopylae]]"), [[spoiler:[[DarkestHour with Commander Shepard MIA, the Citadel Beam disabled, and the last of Hammer forces in London collapsing under renewed Reaper assault from across Tower Bridge]]]], the Virmire Survivor and Special Task Force [[Franchise/{{Halo}} 343]] plan to detonate explosives across London [[InvokedTrope to funnel the overwhelming enemy forces into a bottleneck where the 343 is entrenched]]. [[spoiler:With only a part of the 343 still combat effective, it looks like [[HeroicSacrifice all they can do is buy Hammer time to regroup, with their lives]].]]
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Context Webcomic / MarauderShields