#Khalisah Al Jilani

[partylikemajima]

I think its such a wasted opportunity in me3 to not have either Emily Wong or Khalisah Al-Jilani on the Normandy, instead of Diana Allers. Like you have a history with both reporters and it would of been more meaningful. But no~ of course not we had to introduce a new character in

[illusivesoul]

N7 Month 2022 - Day 5: Interview

"Thank you for your time, Commander Shepard"

[shadesofmauve]

Sunset & Evening Star updated!

Chapter 27: Complicated

“This isn’t personal, Commander.” Al-Jilani’s voice was patronizing as hell. “When I’ve questioned you, it’s never been personal.” “It hasn’t? Must be nice to sit where you’re sitting.” “I look for answers. The public has a right to know.” “Sure. But even when a question needs to be asked, that doesn’t make it not personal. You once asked me why I had our fleet defend the Destiny Ascension. There are thousands of grieving families that deserved to hear that answer — but I had friends on every ship we lost. You can question the decision, but it will always be personal.”

[the-rogue-mockingjay]

Either the Citadel is allergic to Shepard or Shepard's allergic to the Citadel, because things never seem to go quite right when she's there.

[oonaluna-art]

Forget Saren and the Reapers. This is the true iconic rivalry of Mass Effect.

—

[This story on AO3] [My Ko-Fi] [RedBubble] [Patreon]

[tali-zorahs]

i just suddenly realized that i had never posted the full piece that i did for the agu A Slice of Life in the 22nd Century! zine a while back, which clearly needed to be rectified asap! this was such a fun project and i really enjoyed the experience of working with @luckyspacerabbit to make this art even more interesting! you should really go check out the rest of the zine if you haven’t, there’s a lot of really cool stuff in there by a bunch of fantastic people

[yellingaboutmasseffect]

For the character headcanon questions: (choose one or do them all!) Khalisah Bint Sinan al-Jilani Zaeed Massani Shiala

Sexuality Headcanon:

Khalisah Bint Sinan al-Jilani: Lesbian Zaeed Massani: Has done it all, doesn't think about what that means about himself Shiala: Pan-romatic

Gender Headcanon:

Khalisah Bint Sinan al-Jilani: This one I haven't thought about as much. Zaeed Massani: Is that one post going around about their dad not wanting to remember anyone's gender Shiala: The gender most asari use but doesn't translate in game

A ship I have with said character:

Khalisah Bint Sinan al-Jilani: Emily Wong/Khalisah as exes and rivals but still with mutual admiration of each other. Zaeed Massani: I like him with Chakwas a lot Shiala: @spookyvalentine 's Stellan Shepard ;A; they are so cute together

A BROTP I have with said character:

Khalisah Bint Sinan al-Jilani: Since she'll be taking the place of Allers in my fic, Khalisah and Samantha will be interacting a lot Zaeed Massani: Zaeed and Garrus are terrible influences on each other during Citadel DLC and it would have been funny to see more of that. Shiala: Shiala and her colonists fighting the Reapers with the power of friendship and found family (and the neural link a fungus gave them)

A NOTP I have with said character:

Khalisah Bint Sinan al-Jilani: Getting punched because people think it's hilarious Zaeed Massani: I think Samara turning him down at the party is funny and they wouldn't work out. Shiala: The Thorian

A random headcanon:

Khalisah Bint Sinan al-Jilani: Khalisah is a reporter who wants to report what the Alliance is doing regardless of if it makes the Alliance look bad or not which has her blacklisted by Pro-Alliance news networks. As a result, she's fallen in with the more of a pro-human news agency which she doesn't personally believe in but they give her the resources to investigate the Alliance so she's using it for her own ends. Zaeed Massani: Him and Vido did the horizontal tango together. Don't think it was romantic just something to do Shiala: @spookyvalentine 's headcanon about Shiala gardening flowers on Zhu's Hope is a beautiful image and I like about that too.

General Opinion over said character:

Khalisah Bint Sinan al-Jilani: I want better for her so much. The fact there are people who still think it's hilarious that the game treats the most prominent Arab character in the franchise as a punching bag for questioning the military is just gross. Zaeed Massani: War crimes grandpa. Great voice actor but I do feel being a me2 style dlc character hampers my ability to connect with him. I feel Kasumi was more successful with the formula. Shiala: I have found her interesting since encountering her again on Illium during ME2. I think it's one of those times that Mass Effect really pulls off having a NPC who feels like they're living this very complicated and rich life while Shepard is doing what they're doing.

[craftylittlenerd]

N7 Month Day 5 Interview

Is It Really Tabloid Gossip If You Plan It A Head?

Khalisah al-Jilani and Shepard plan a gossip piece to help show Shepard is as human as everyone else.

So I did an oops, finished the Day 5 prompt Interview, and went to bed without posting it. So now it's just after 3 am and fixing that. I hope you all enjoy.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/42894105

[omegastation]

Once saw someone describe ME as copaganda and honestly... I feel like that's a 100% accurate statement. It honestly dampens my enjoyment of the saga. Genie is out of the bottle, as they say.

Open contempt for civilian agencies, check. Repeated instances where they present fascism as a Good Thing Actually, check. Cops and military almost unilaterally depicted as correct and just, check. Ones like Harkun are treated as merely bad apples and hand-waved away whereas any and all politicians are treated as incompetent at best or outright corrupt/malevolent at worst. Not to mention the whole thing with Khalisah al-Jilani.

Idk. It all just feels so dim-witted and mean-spirited.

There are a lot of good things that make me love it with all my heart, and things that are not so good. I try to do my best to acknowledge the bad stuff and remain critical. So yeah, I do agree that some elements of the trilogy should be analyzed closely because it's kinda fucked-up.

Genie is out of the bottle, I find that the expression explains a lot. Because Mass Effect is a product of its time and place, and /insert the speech from LOTR/ the world has changed. I don't mean to say that it was never this bad, because I think it was, but we now are getting images, videos and live updates all the time showing us exactly how bad it is. We see so much suffering and injustice. And it's us "outside". Some are inside, and they're the ones showing us how bad it is. So... It's harder to see specific themes, stories and characters that are unchallenged. It's harder to see injustice being portrayed, even if the content doesn't always condone it.

I also think we are more critical in general. We are, unfortunately, used to specific issues so it's easier to recognize when they appear in fiction. I can really see that in the way people talk about specific characters. People idolize less, and I honestly think that's an improvement, because idolatry, at least how I see it, is not about seeing characters or stories as they are, but putting them on a pedestal. Characters are complex and flawed, and that's what makes them interesting. Real growth happens when characters change and adapt and rethink their position. Sometimes it means they have to look inside themselves and see the ugliness, and that means we get to see the ugly too. Not only that, but we can also contemplate what is ugly inside us, and see what we can do to change and grow. But not so long ago, before my hiatus, it was really hard to step away from "this character is a god" or "this character is flawless and if you don't see it you're not a fan" and "no no i can't see this issue at all, doesn't exist, lalalala" talk. Now it's harder for people not to see the issue. But the issue was always there.

You talked about Khalisah. I saw a meme on FB recently that says that if we can't hit someone like Khalisah in the new Mass Effect, we shouldn't bother playing it, which to me is 1. disturbing, 2. missing the fact that wars need journalists and reporters, even someone like Khalisah who is not always playing fair. I don't understand the option to hit her. I've ranted about it enough here. If you don't hit her, you get to encourage her and reassure her. It's obvious she's falling apart and she needs to be reassured. One of my favorite quotes in the game is what Shepard tells her: "Keep asking the hard questions." That's what is needed in a time of war. And sure, this one beautiful interaction and line won't take away the fact that some choices can feel mean-spirited but to me, it means it's not black & white. I see the ugliness, I do, but I also see the beauty.

IDK where I'm going with this. I guess that Mass Effect was never flawless and unproblematic, and in a way, I think it's a good thing that issues are seen and we can have a critical look at the worst parts of the trilogy.

But what is very specific to you, anon, is what you can tolerate, appreciate or enjoy. Some parts of the trilogy make me sad and or angry but it doesn't stop me from really enjoying the whole. If you find that you don't get to enjoy it anymore, because too many elements make it difficult to appreciate and it's now a real dislike, don't forget that you can step away. I'm not telling you that you have to do it. You can do what you want, but don't forget that you don't have to force yourself to love something. It's okay to move away from things because you now find them disappointing.

[azranox]

Drabble for you all

(Recorded Interview between Commander Shepard and Khalisah Bint Sinan al-Jilani | 2186)

The commander stands in front of Citadel Tower, dressed in a sharp blue suit with a small Spectre insignia on the buttons, arms resting behind them in parade rest. They are wearing an earpiece, and their black painted lips are held in a careful manner, not giving away the underlying exhaustion of the Earth escape and following events. Al-Jilani had asked questions ranging from the state of Earth and the Bahak Catastrophe, to small details and stories about long past events.

Commander which of your great feats is your proudest? A great many have been overlooked for others.

“I survived humanities first encounter with giant space worms that eat everything and then went on to kill aforementioned worms on foot in an alien rite of passage with my tankborn adopted son and my alien partner. We were the first to kill the maw in a centuries, the last being my good friend Urdnot Wrex.”

A tale for the ages I’m sure. Thank you again for the interview Commander, I hope the Galaxy heads your call.

The pair shake hands and the recording ends. The mechanical hand turns of the terminal, and turns back to the data pad it had set down hours ago. Something must be in it…

[cr-noble-writes]

Title: Argonauts Series: Odyssey Fandom: Mass Effect Rating: Explicit Characters: Alex Shepard, ME1 Ensemble, Aria T'Loak, Minah Atruzea Relationships: mShenko Tags: ME1 timeline, minor character death, canon typical violence, nightmares, male Shepard, Sole Survivor Shepard, custom background, paragade Shepard

Summary: Khalisah bint Sinan al-Jilani crosses a line, Alex gets a new living space on the Normandy, and Kaidan makes a friend.

Notes: Shoutout to my beta, who by some miracle made it so I could still post today despite the fact that I sent over the chapter today after forgetting that this week was posting week. You're awesome, and I appreciate the hell out of you! It's been a time y'all.

Start at the beginning Read latest chapter

Excerpt:

At least it’s quiet when he steps off the elevator. He takes the few steps to his door, and his hand is already raised to the access panel when he remembers the XO’s quarters are no longer his. Ambassador Udina had tersely informed him that his personal belongings had already been moved.

It’s not the biggest invasion of privacy he’s experienced today, but it’s enough that whatever anxiety he’d managed to shake once again sits in the pit of his stomach like a lead weight. With a sigh, Alex lets his hand drop to his side and makes his way to his new home on the Normandy.

The Captain’s cabin is easily twice the size of the XO’s, split into an office and living quarters with a door between them. The office is austere and built to familiar Alliance specifications. The desk is built into the right wall beneath a few bare shelves. The wall ahead has an inset bookcase, which is also empty. The few print books Alex owns, and his stack of Justicar comics will never fill the space, contained as they are by a single box that sits on the desk next to a pile of datapads.

When this was Anderson’s office, the space had been used to its fullest. Alex unpacks the small, plastic container, and the contents don’t even cover a whole shelf. He slides the empty box under a corner of the desk and steps into the living quarters. Spartan as they are, they’re almost luxurious compared to what he’s gotten used to. There’s a double bed against the back wall with a night stand beside it, a large, inset armoire, which presumably already holds his clothes, a small round table with two chairs bolted to the floor, and another desk with a private terminal.

Alex’s eyes catch on the table. Sitting in its center is a scale model of Arcturus Station. During the year he’d spent training for his N7 commendation, Anderson had insisted that he, Alex, and Riley build the model together as a team bonding exercise. Between assignments and other parts of their duties, the three of them would gather at a table in the mess to work on it. It had been painstaking work, but it had effectively done exactly what Anderson intended. A year’s worth of memories, good and bad, stored in plastic pieces that weren’t all fit together perfectly and a paint job that left a lot to be desired. It would never be a work of masterful craftsmanship, and Alex would never admit it to Anderson, but he was proud of their shoddy little model of Arcturus.

[shadesofmauve]

Shepard's team pulled off their evacuation mission without losing a single civilian —and now there are a bunch of kids on the Normandy.

There was a bonk from the direction of the starboard corridor. Kaidan’s head whipped around, and Shepard started to rise, but Al-Jilani waved them back down. “I let Caleb fly my camera drone.” Shepard snorted and gestured for her to take a seat. She chose the one opposite Shepard, with a cautious look to the other end of the table. Kaidan wasn’t sure if she was worried about Garrus or Joker. There was a much louder crash — nearer the elevator this time, Kaidan thought — and then a giggle. Al Jilani winced again, and sighed. “It’s combat-rated.” Shepard gave her a worried look. “But is it six-year-old rated?” Al Jilani started to speak, then shrugged and rested her head in her hands. “The network can buy a new one.”

[strawberrykidneystone]

my (not media trained) shepard when khalisah al-jilani randomly came up her and started berating her with questions

[scareyedcharizard16]

Shepard: Khalisah al-Jilani. My arch nemesis.

Harbinger : I thought I was your arch nemesis?

Shepard: I have a life outside of you, Harbinger.

[calibartingjingle]

So, I love the Mass Effect trilogy. All of it’s perfections and imperfections. That will never change.

But there’s something *really* uncomfortable with the fact that punching Khalisah Al-Jilani is a thing and most of the fandom seems to meme it.

It just forever will stick to me and I can never do it.

[average-mako-enjoyer]

For ask game: 6, 42 & 49 :)

Thank you for the ask, kind anon! 👉👈

From this list.

6. Preferred Shepard backstory (colonist, earthborn, spacer)?

Earthborn.

No matter how much fun the idea of Shepard having a whole ass Admiral mother sounds like, no matter how much tragedy you can pack into a poor, poor colonist, it's always Earthborn.

Mass Effect has this very obvious undercurrent of military propaganda, and I love how the Earthborn background intersects with that.

How and why did the orphan from one of the worst places on Earth decide that the military was the only way out?

How did the teenage gang member go from such humble beginnings to becoming an N7 and what keeps them on this career path?

How does a person who obviously doesn't believe in the sanctity of the military machine and doesn't respect authority in general deal with his pre-service incident and everything that happens after Eden Prime?

Besides, this is the only background where the male and female experiences must be drastically different, and I appreciate that.

Earrrrthborrrrrrn.

42. One romance you just can’t stand/doesn’t make sense/etc?

Hmm. That's a tricky question. Most Mass Effect romances make sense, I think. I'm not a big Shakarian fan, but it makes sense for a certain kind of playthrough.

Narratively, the Kelly and Diana romances are the weakest (even weaker than the Jacob romance), with the latter feeling completely pointless and useless. It was always some weird, exceptionally cheap fanservice that I don't understand at all. Instead of Diana, Bioware could have brought back Emily Wong, or even better, given us the option to date Khalisah al-Jilani, but nooo.

49. Favorite Shepard headcanons?

I have such an embarrassingly long list of headcanons. But I can pick random 3.

After Cerberus' reconstruction, Shepard's fine motor skills are completely fucked. All the model ship collecting started as an attempt to improve them, because things like knitting and puzzles sound so incredibly boring. And then Shep just really got into it. Poor kid from the slums and his first real toys.

The Space Hamster is genetically engineered to be a very, very smart animal, and Shepard loves him very much and takes him everywhere on the ship. You'd be sitting in a very, very serious mission debrief and there'd be a space hamster looking at you from under Shepard's collar.

Fifteen probes have been sent to search for the fucks Commander Shepard gives about other people's opinions of him, none have returned with any valuable data. Most likely, the Shepard's fucks are completely lost to science and at this point are only the stuff of legends.