Robert Joseph Maccready Singing

one time i saw someone skipping rocks and eating a sandwich along the beach and idk he just tossed his sandwich in the water and bit the rock and he just stiffened a bit but i saw him dying inside after realizing what had just happened

obsessed with the way my robotics team lead talks

she’s reinventing hieroglyphics

She’s not the subtlest of photobombers

“I told you I don’t like strawberries!”

i’ve just come across one of my favourite videos on the internet

The Sole Survivor’s Sentinel rank has nothing to do with Maxson’s trust

So if you play through the BoS ending, you get promoted to Sentinel for your part in helping take down the Institute. One criticism about this is that it seems incredibly strange that Maxson would come to trust you so quickly, especially if your decision in Blind Betrayal was to go against his orders. He even promotes you to Paladin immediately after completely Blind Betrayal, no matter what decision you made. It seems way too sudden and that Maxson is putting too much trust in you that has no basis whatsoever, something that reads like bad writing (and well, considering Bethany “four dead wives” Esda, I wouldn’t be too critical of anyone who says it’s just bad writing).

But what if your promotions don’t actually have anything to do with trusting you?

Let’s look at what happens after Blind Betrayal. No matter what happens during the quest, you get the same outcome; you are promoted to Paladin, you are given Danse’s quarters on the Prydwen, and you are given his power armor to use as your own. You effectively take Danse’s position, getting his rank, his quarters, his armor, literally everything he owned that was left on the Prydwen. You replace Danse in the Brotherhood. There’s a void in the chain of command that needs to be filled, so you’re put there.

And then, the promotion to Sentinel. The Sentinel armor was already on the Prydwen, so Maxson clearly intended to name a Sentinel while the BoS was in the Commonwealth. And if he was intending to name a Sentinel, he probably also had a person in mind already, because Maxson isn’t psychic and probably didn’t see you coming. But who was he considering?

Remember back to Danse’s quarters, which are now yours. Around his quarters are Maxson’s room and Kells’ room, the Elder of the Brotherhood and the Captain of the Prydwen, respectively. Danse’s room was right next to the two highest-ranking officers on the ship. That part of the ship is effectively the officer’s quarters. Danse is a Paladin, but he’s not as high up on the chain of command that he’d be equated with the highest leadership. So what’s his room doing there then?

So we’ve got a) Danse’s room right next to the rooms of the two highest-ranking leaders on the ship, b) the likely intention of Maxson granting the Sentinel rank to someone on the ship, and c) you replacing Danse in the chain of command.

Danse was going to be Maxson’s Sentinel, hence why his room was so close to the other high-ranking officers’ rooms. You’ve replaced Danse’s place in the Brotherhood, as established by you taking his rank, his room, and his belongings. So, as Danse’s replacement, you become Sentinel after the Institute falls.

It has nothing to do with whether Maxson trusts you or not. Maxson likely doesn’t know how to emotionally deal with Danse’s absence in a healthy way. The closest way to coping he has is to fill the gap with something else and act like nothing is wrong. He makes you the Sentinel not because he trusts you, but because he’s mentally replaced Danse with you.

That’s what the Brotherhood taught him, after all. When you lose someone in command, you just replace them. Just like how fallen Elders are replaced with new Elders, Maxson replaces a fallen Danse with you.

Me after a long day

(Source)

Art by Chloe’s arts

I know It has been brought up and discussed already, but I still can't decide for myself. In my F!SS playthrough she's with BoS and romances Danse. In My M!SS playthrough Adam doesn't even join the BoS and destroys the Institute with the Minutemen. I wonder in what universe Danse is happier. With Sole or with the BoS? I'm afraid though that in the BoS he might be KIA before reaching the next rank, because PTSD and pushing himself so hard and so on. What do you think?

I have not seen a discussion on this before, but I very much wantto know what people have to say about this matter.  However, I willput down my thoughts before I ask to see others’.

Is Danse happier with the Brotherhood of Steel (BOS) or the SoleSurvivor (Sole)?

That is a very loaded question, not even counting the part where Ineed to define the parameters of happiness in order to properlyanswer it.  Lets say, for the sake of this argument, that happinessis the measure of overall quality of life as well as potential forgreatest emotional well being.  We also have to consider the factthat any post Blind Betrayal (BB) dialog from Danse, concerning Sole,is skewed.  Since it was based on an ending that did not actuallycome to fruition.  Given these two things, let us proceed.

Firstly, is Danse happy with the BOS to begin with?

Yes and no.  Danse found purpose with the BOS and with his past thismay have seemed the most content life could get. However, he neverseems to have found true comradery in anyone within the BOS, save forpossibly Cutler (deceased) and potentially Haylen, who was hissubordinate and so, not someone he could go to for strength.  Thehappiest he is, is when the Prydwen arrives and when he is aboard itin general.  It is, quite literally, as he quotes “the only homeI’ve ever known.”  I think ultimately that is what he clings to inthe BOS. The idea that he is somewhere he belongs.  That is why hegives so much of himself, why he is willing to loose all of himself,to fight for his home.  

We never get a full picture of Danse’s own personal ideals, asseparate from the Brotherhood’s, only a taste of them when hisdefenses are down.  He wonders if he did the right thing killingCutler when he was changed by the FEV.  The BOS would not questionthis, all Super Mutants are to be destroyed.  Danse is respectful ofMaxson in every way right up until BB, where he says that “Maxsonnever did like to get his hands dirty.” Implying he has somereservations about the Elder’s leadership style, if nothing else.

Danse’s duties have been taking a serious toll on him mentally andphysically, as he devotes every bit of himself to the Brotherhood. All signs indicate it is only a matter of time before something givesout and he breaks.  He’d be lucky if that moment didn’t cost him hislife.  Ultimately I think staying in the BOS would result in Dansebeing killed in action or eventually found unfit for duty.  At whichpoint I wonder if he would have the strength to continue.  

Conclusion, Danse’s overall quality of life in the BOS is fallingand does not look to be improving any time soon.  There is potentialfor him to gain the rank of Sentinel, but only if he lives that long. Which again, I think is unlikely.

Secondly, is Danse happy with Sole?

Yes and no.  Danse is utterly miserable at finding out he’s a synth. His identity, his life, his home all get ripped away in the span ofa few hours, leaving him an empty and broken being.  If not for Sole,surely he would not get through the events of BB alive, but also hewould not have had to endure them in the first place.  While I thinkit’s horrible the way Danse learns of his identity and the way thosearound him act during the crisis, except Haylen of course. I thinkthe fact that he learns who he really is incredibly important.  It isa gateway to acceptance, that Danse would only walk if Sole were byhis side.  

Sole cares for Danse, whether good friend or lover, at max affinitySole gives him that comradery, that link to another human soul thatDanse has never had before in his entire life.  Sole has proven theywill stand up for him, someday he’ll realize that he’s worth so muchmore than he gives himself credit for.  

At max affinity a romanced Danse states that he’s happier than he’sever been, found something he didn’t know he was missing, would doanything for Sole.  The same could be said of Sole.  So, here withthem, unlike with the BOS, Danse would be getting his effort,diligence, love and affection returned to him.  Not just givinghimself away to a force that would consume him. (Again, I hesitate toput too much stock into the dialog due to it being from a technicallydifferent ending).

Being with Sole would give Danse solace and a space to find himself. Figure out who he really was, who he wanted to be.  Ultimately, Ithink it would bring him peace and the ability to find happiness.

Conclusion, Danse’s overall quality of life with Sole would startlow but increase over time.  There is the potential for him be themost satisfied and find substantial meaning in a deep relationshipwith Sole.  Therefore, I think, given time, the path for Dansethat leads to the greatest happiness is the path that he can walkwith Sole.

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Whew, so, give me your thoughts.