User blog comment:Garhdo/Plot hole?/@comment-190.51.60.67-20111226021413/@comment-1900300-20111228021643

The death of Shepard more served several plot purposes. With Shepard dead for two years it lets the game start off with the next threat Shepard must face already begun. It would have been hard to believe the Collectors could attack colonies without Shepard doing something and it would be impossible for the Collecters to build the Human-Reaper in just a few weeks or so. By having Shepard wake up when the threat is the most serious means the stakes are highest, bringing dramatic tension. It allows them to explain why the character cut ties with the Alliance and past squatemates and now work with Cerberus. It allows for advances in weaponary and technology so Bioware cant had changes to there universe rather then be forced to stick to the same stuff. Also a jump of two years gives Bioware a suffiucent gap in time to show the previous squadmembers doing different things. Wrex couldnt have done as well as he did in a few weeks. It gives room for character development, as characters will have changed in two years time. etc