User blog comment:Christina.goddette/Romance/@comment-24174486-20120714144537

BioWare had originally planned to make Kaidan and Ashley bisexual in the first game, but scrapped the idea. Whether or not it was executive meddling or simply because they thought it wouldn't fit, I don't know. Given Ashley's character in ME1, she doesn't quite strike me as someone who would be bi, unlike Kaidan, but it could have worked for character development after Virmire. (And it would have been alright to have Kaidan as bi in the first game, because his dialogue is a lot duller with MaleShep.)

I wouldn't discount Thane as a love interest simply because he dies in ME3 when a major part of his character is that he's suffering from a terminal disease, that he will die soon. In fact, Thane's romance arc is my second favourite romance, close behind Liara, and his final scene with a romanced FemShep is not only a touching farewell but gives insight into Shepard's own inner torment over everything she's been through. ("Goodbye, Thane. You won't be alone long." *tears up*)

And to be honest, I think Jacob gets too bad of a rep for finding someone else in ME3. The word "cheat" gets thrown around, but it is stated that he still has feelings for Shepard. Jacob thought that he wouldn't be able to be with Shepard and moved on. Considering that there's nothing that stops Shepard from moving on from or dumping a love interest (especially when Liara and Kaidan/Ashley are quite cold to you when you meet them in ME2), I find it's a little silly to complain that a love interest leaves you.