Good point that their population might have been too small.
I am not saying S.A.M. is not important or that the Pathfinder isn't important but considering that they handpicked a bunch of people to be able to take up the mantle should they lose one, it just seemed that maybe 3 of the chosen could have went to Nexus and one of them could have had a S.A.M.
In fact, my suggestion lends more credence to how major S.A.M. is then them deciding not to have a person with a S.A.M. present for the construction of something of great importance that the arks would have to rely on.
If S.A.M. is so major (which it is) why not have it be involved in the major project that is the Nexus? Doesn't make sense.
Alec tied the SAM nodes to the Pathfinder (they aren't mutually exclusive). Working with Garsen and the Benefactor, he was the one responsible for the creation of the Pathfinder team, their purpose, and responsible for the creation of the SAM nodes. So, in Alec's mind, I could see where he would not predict the need for the Pathfinder/SAM team on the Nexus. Does that mean it was the right decision? No. But I can see how in a hurry and the plan having been that the Arks would have been there sooner originally, he wouldn't have assigned that team to the Nexus.
There is also a lot of missing information we just don't know, so that makes it even more difficult to really answer this question beyond conjecture. For example, SAM nodes can communicate with their Pathfinders across the galaxy. Ryder's SAM is never transferred to the Tempest (which makes sense as the Hyperion would be safer given the unknown's the Tempest is flying into). But Ryder's SAM is also never transferred to the Nexus. He stays on the Hyperion, but gives active assistance to Nexus personnel. I bring this latter part up because I believe Alec intended his SAM for a much broader purpose than the other SAM nodes. But how that was supposed to play out pre-scourge is the question.
Just was doing some additional research and re-watching some of the Initiative and Pathfinder videos online. One of them makes a statement I had forgotten - that the Pathfinder teams operate under their own authority. That may also be why the Nexus didn't have a Pathfinder/SAM. May have been a political or bureaucratic issue due to the authority interplay.
@VitesseLumiere wrote:
Just was doing some additional research and re-watching some of the Initiative and Pathfinder videos online. One of them makes a statement I had forgotten - that the Pathfinder teams operate under their own authority. That may also be why the Nexus didn't have a Pathfinder/SAM. May have been a political or bureaucratic issue due to the authority interplay.
@VitesseLumiere wrote:
Alec tied the SAM nodes to the Pathfinder (they aren't mutually exclusive). Working with Garsen and the Benefactor, he was the one responsible for the creation of the Pathfinder team, their purpose, and responsible for the creation of the SAM nodes. So, in Alec's mind, I could see where he would not predict the need for the Pathfinder/SAM team on the Nexus. Does that mean it was the right decision? No. But I can see how in a hurry and the plan having been that the Arks would have been there sooner originally, he wouldn't have assigned that team to the Nexus.
There is also a lot of missing information we just don't know, so that makes it even more difficult to really answer this question beyond conjecture. For example, SAM nodes can communicate with their Pathfinders across the galaxy. Ryder's SAM is never transferred to the Tempest (which makes sense as the Hyperion would be safer given the unknown's the Tempest is flying into). But Ryder's SAM is also never transferred to the Nexus. He stays on the Hyperion, but gives active assistance to Nexus personnel. I bring this latter part up because I believe Alec intended his SAM for a much broader purpose than the other SAM nodes. But how that was supposed to play out pre-scourge is the question.
The only alternate plan the Ryder's SAM had was Ellen. She was the goal for that SAM all along. She was also the reason for the differences between that one and the others. The main reason for this SAM interfacing more directly was because it was required to try and save her, it's also the only reason their SAM is more advanced, because of the direct interfacing and because it's been active for longer.
Im fairly certain Alec never had other hidden agenda's for their SAM than his wife's survival. It was just a result of that goal.
Ellen kicked it off, but after her "passing", things didn't stop there. I could be mistaken, but I'm fairly certain things like "Profiles" are only available for Ryder's SAM. The human Pathfinder team was well aware of SAM, but when Alec started using the advanced military functionality of SAM, all of them were confused. So, that goes beyond Ellen. In the long run, the goal was for SAM to find a way to cure Ellen (hence the cryo), but that end goal doesn't preclude other uses for SAM, which Alec clearly implemented. I don't think we have enough pieces of the puzzle to say with any certainty what Alec's full intentions for SAM were, but I think it's safe to say it was more than just saving Ellen once she was in cryo. Alec would have used SAM for other advanced purposes to ensure his Pathfinder team could find, secure and help grow a world for his kids and Ellen. While at the same time, Alec's SAM could grow in ways the other SAM nodes could not (with the hope of one day figuring out how to cure Ellen).
So, I agree that the end goal is Ellen. But I believe Alec developed his SAM for other purposes as well that go beyond Ellen. The Profiles and surprised Pathfinder team are just an example. I think a lot more will be revealed in the future.
@VitesseLumiere wrote:
Ellen kicked it off, but after her "passing", things didn't stop there. I could be mistaken, but I'm fairly certain things like "Profiles" are only available for Ryder's SAM. The human Pathfinder team was well aware of SAM, but when Alec started using the advanced military functionality of SAM, all of them were confused. So, that goes beyond Ellen. In the long run, the goal was for SAM to find a way to cure Ellen (hence the cryo), but that end goal doesn't preclude other uses for SAM, which Alec clearly implemented. I don't think we have enough pieces of the puzzle to say with any certainty what Alec's full intentions for SAM were, but I think it's safe to say it was more than just saving Ellen once she was in cryo. Alec would have used SAM for other advanced purposes to ensure his Pathfinder team could find, secure and help grow a world for his kids and Ellen. While at the same time, Alec's SAM could grow in ways the other SAM nodes could not (with the hope of one day figuring out how to cure Ellen).
So, I agree that the end goal is Ellen. But I believe Alec developed his SAM for other purposes as well that go beyond Ellen. The Profiles and surprised Pathfinder team are just an example. I think a lot more will be revealed in the future.
Potentially any additions to SAM still could be centered around the same goal. As you said, lack of information BUT., the more knowledge and functions SAM has the more chnaces there is of eventually reaching the end goal of a cure - but that could also be extended to a newer goal of keeping his kids safe. (And in turn, humanity).
@VitesseLumiere wrote:
Alec tied the SAM nodes to the Pathfinder (they aren't mutually exclusive). Working with Garsen and the Benefactor, he was the one responsible for the creation of the Pathfinder team, their purpose, and responsible for the creation of the SAM nodes. So, in Alec's mind, I could see where he would not predict the need for the Pathfinder/SAM team on the Nexus. Does that mean it was the right decision? No. But I can see how in a hurry and the plan having been that the Arks would have been there sooner originally, he wouldn't have assigned that team to the Nexus.
There is also a lot of missing information we just don't know, so that makes it even more difficult to really answer this question beyond conjecture. For example, SAM nodes can communicate with their Pathfinders across the galaxy. Ryder's SAM is never transferred to the Tempest (which makes sense as the Hyperion would be safer given the unknown's the Tempest is flying into). But Ryder's SAM is also never transferred to the Nexus. He stays on the Hyperion, but gives active assistance to Nexus personnel. I bring this latter part up because I believe Alec intended his SAM for a much broader purpose than the other SAM nodes. But how that was supposed to play out pre-scourge is the question.
Just as a thought, the Benefactor has a lot of stuff moving behind the scenes and full access to all schematics/programs of the Initiative, including SAM. Ergo, there could be a SAM that is/was installed on the Nexus that no-one but the Benefactor & minions knew about.
Actually, if you want to go full on conspiracy theory, there are an awful lot of top of the line Initiative toys, including armor and Tempest-class vessels, that somehow got marked missing or destroyed between launch and arrival. It could possibly be assumed that, like Jien Garson's death, the Benefactor (or competitors) used the Scourge "accident" to hide what was going on, namely, moving people and materials off the station, up to and maybe including any hidden SAMs.
Double Conspiracy with a cherry on top: Jian Garson isn't actually dead. "Sorry Alec, but I had to play you..."
