User blog comment:The Milkman/Share Your Shepard's Story/@comment-12718189-20130722161654

Felix Shepard was born and raised on Earth, residing most of his life in Vancouver. Though his early life was shattered with dozens of problems and an inconceivably dangerous upbringing, at the age of 18 - in 2172 - Shepard joined the Alliance Military. His training was intense, and was where he decided - after lengthy examination - that he was best in the fields of both long-range combat and technological capabilities.

In 2177, just five years after his enlistment, Felix Shepard faced a horrible strike to his center: Akuze. After landing on the planet to check on the colony which had gone silent, his entire platoon was devoured, and only he was able to make it back to the extraction shuttle in time. At the time, he believed that he had seen one of his mates in the field, running, and nearing the shuttle. However, the pilot and his company commander, who had arrived on the planet, told him it was impossible and that they had the evacuate.

Shepard was the only one to be on Akuze during the Massacre and come out alive. To this day, Shepard's most-hated being is the Thresher Maw.

ME1:

In 2183, Commander Shepard was assigned to the SSV Normandy, one of the most advanced warships in the galaxy, of joint human-turian design. After landing on Eden Prime, racing after the Geth (later learned to have been Heretics) and eliminating everything in his path, he located the beacon, which imprinted a memory into his mind. At the time, he did not fully understand what he was seeing, and the ensuing dreams did not explain.

After proving to the Council that Saren was a traitor to the Citadel and its "subordinate species," Commander Shepard gladly accepted status as a member of the Office of Special Tactics and Reconnaissance - though he would always introduce himself as "Commander Shepard, Systems Alliance Navy" - and the Systems Space Vessel Normandy.

Looking to find clues about Saren and Benezia, he immediately moved to the Artemis Tau cluster in search of Liara. She was definitely not as he had expected, but decided she would be a valuable asset to the team.

After accomplishing his mission on Feros, saving the colony from destruction, and his mission on Noveria - where he took Liara in an attempt to calm Benezia down - where he saved the Rachni queen, he realized that there was an odd connection between himself and the asari that resided in the back room of the Normandy's medical bay. He found himself extremely comfortable around her, and later found that she did as well. They agreed that they had feelings for one another, but that such things should be left for after the mission was completed.

After saving Kirrahe and his team at Virmire - at the unfortunate sacrifice of Gunnery Sergeant Ashley Williams - Shepard returned to the Citadel in order to take his place at the front of the fleet being assembled to assault Ilos, the planet on which the Conduit was believed to be located. However, he found that Donnel Udina, ambassador to the Citadel from the Systems Alliance, had betrayed him and planned to lock down his vessel.

He immediately found himself empty and unable to react. Liara helped him in this situation, and after clearing his head, went to Flux to meet former Captain David Anderson. There, they spoke of escaping from the Citadel and racing through the Mu Relay to reach Ilos in time. Finding his intervention personal, Shepard and Anderson agreed that Udina's office offered the best results. The operation was a success, and Anderson permitted Shepard to leave the Citadel and go to defeat Saren.

During the time between the launch from the Widow relay and their arrival at Ilos, Liara entered Shepard's room. She explained that she was afraid that this would be their last moments together, and that she wanted to show Shepard how she really felt. Shepard made clear that this was not necessary, and that no action had to be taken if Liara was uncertain it was what she wanted. After reassurance, they united for the remainder of the trip.

After quick movements through Ilos, grabbing as much information from Vigil as possible, they reached the Conduit and returned the Citadel, already under attack. They rapidly pursued the former Spectre Saren Arterius to the Citadel MCU in the Council Chambers. After speaking with him, Saren concluded that he had been indoctrinated by Sovereign and committed suicide. This permitted Garrus and Liara to check on his body and ensure that he was truly dead, whilst Commander Shepard used the data file he had received from Vigil to reopen the Citadel's closed arms. After this, he ordered the Arcturus Fleet to defend the Destiny Ascension, and then move to destroy Sovereign.

After a confrontation with a warped Saren, under control by Sovereign, Commander Shepard watched as the enormous Reaper was destroyed. The galaxy had been saved.

When given a decision, Commander Shepard decided to recommend Ambassador Udina to the position of Councilor. Though he had betrayed him before, Shepard knew how Captain Anderson disliked politics, and would prefer not force him into a job he did not want. He also rationalized that Udina might be a better political figure, who could effectively counterattack against Council whitewash.

Commander Shepard saved Terra Nova from a deadly incoming asteroid plotted by batarian terrorists and trained against the best on Pinnacle Station.

Most Common Team: Liara and Garrus

ME2:

After having been killed and agreeing - albeit reluctantly - to work with Cerberus, Shepard followed the dossiers and recruited all eleven team members. Assuring each team member of their duty and preparing themselves to fight against the Collectors, Shepard ensured that his mission would be a success. He, himself, regained his status as a member of the Office of Special Tactics and Reconnaissance and thanked the Council.

As his warship prepared to blast through the Omega-4 Relay, Shepard reminded himself for what he was fighting; an image of Liara T'Soni, sitting on his desk near his Medal of Valor, assured him of his own duty.

Following the so-called "Suicide Mission," destroying the Collector base in the process, Commander Shepard destroyed Project Overlord, saved the galaxy from the early appearance of the Reapers through the Alpha Relay, and helped Liara track down the Shadow Broker, after which Shepard made clear to Liara that he had every intention to continue their relationship.

Commander Shepard completed all of his missions, saving the galaxy - as well as counter-Genophage data - and deciding the turn himself into the Systems Alliance to honorably face a court-marshal for his actions.

ME3:

Commander Shepard did everything he could in order to save the galaxy. He fought alongside Leviathans, rescued a Prothean, and fought Cerberus and the Reapers harder than anyone else in the galaxy. In the end, it was deemed enough. When the fleets returned to Earth to fight to the Catalyst, Commander Shepard led them well, breaking through with Sword and allowing Hammer to land, whilst Shield remained with the Crucible until the Citadel could be opened.

After Cerberus stole the data, and the Illusive Man had been tracked to the Cronos Station, Liara asked Shepard if he was all right. After exclaiming that he was unsure of how to deal with the situation, the two spent the remainder of the night together.

With the Krogan on Palaven safely, and the Turians lending their support, as well as the geth and the quarians, the turians, and even what was left of the batarians, Shepard had prepared his armada well. As they fought to the Beam, large explosions wounded Liara. Shepard called for extraction, and ordered both Garrus and Liara to evacuate. Neither wanted to, but Shepard convinced both. Notably - and something that significantly strengthened Shepard's resolve - Liara said, "I...I am yours!"

He continued to race down to the Beam, despite Harbinger's shots, one of which eventually hit nearby and greatly wounded him. Although Major Coats seemed to make it clear that they believed everyone had died, Commander Shepard did otherwise. He ensured that everyone knew he had reached the Beam and had arrived at the Citadel. After facing the Illusive Man and being forced to shoot him, he said his goodbyes to Admiral Anderson, who had been previously shot.

When the Intelligence presented him with his options, Commander Shepard was immediately unsure of what to do. His life compared to the lives of everyone else was minuscule, and providing his life to control the Reapers - despite his reluctance to do so - or to synthesize organic and synthetic life was something of which Shepard had no quarrel. However, he eventually reached a conclusion: control of the Reapers was impossible. If he lost everything that was his, he would not be able to remember his losses. He would not remember what he had already given to get here, and controlling the Reapers would never appear to be the right choice.

With that choice discarded, Shepard had to choose between synthesizing or destroying the Reapers. For a moment, it was a complex question, the situation with far too many variables to count.

However, Shepard found something that made it all clear. "If I synthesize, the Reapers will survive. They might try and kill us again. I won't waste my life with this."

And so - despite promising Legion that the geth would be safe and ensuring Joker that EDI would be fine - Shepard chose to destroy synthetic beings.

(It is my personal belief, however, that, while EDI's Reaper core and the geth's Reaper code intelligence may have been destroyed, EDI and the geth themselves survived. This is primarily because Shepard was only kept alive through the synthetic machines within his body. His survival at the end of this fight would go to show that synthetics themselves are not destroyed)