Instead of linking to my previous blog about this, I'm going to quote the relevant portions and then move on from there to the new points.
One thing that I don’t think I’ve previously discussed is the problem of voice overs of the character Master Vash – the Jedi we’re seeking in the M4-78 materials. Did you know that there are two voice actresses for the lines that appear in the game?
When we first see and hear Master Vash, it’s an old video that T3-M4 plays of your Exile’s trial on Coruscant. The voice actress for Vash in this scene is Vanessa Marshall.
Vanessa Marshall has played a number of parts over the years, including a few characters in the Extended Universe including: Master Bela Kiwiiks (from SWTOR), Hera Syndulla (from Star Wars: Rebels, Forces of Destiny, and Squadrons) and assorted characters in KotOR2. Here's an IMDB link to her CV.
Here’s where things take a turn. Vanessa Marshall isn’t who we hear on the planet of M4-78 though. That completely different voice actress is Kath Soucie. In TSL, she played the sisters of the Last of the Handmaidens (a/k/a Brianna's sisters). In the Star Wars EU alone, she’s played the female Smuggler and minor characters in SWTOR, Mira Bridger and Minister Maketh Tua in Star Wars: Rebels, Mon Mothma from the Star Wars: The Clone Wars cartoon, the Nightsister in Star Wars Empire at War: Forces of Corruption, Mara Jade in Star Wars: Empire at War, and the list goes on and on with other non-Star Wars roles. Here's her IMDB link.
The new points:
Now there's a few things to consider . . .
1) Which Vash voice actor is canon? Personally, I have to say that the real voice actor is the one we hear in the vanilla game. That's the Vash they presumably intended to have all the way through and Vanessa Marshall's line didn't have to be restored. If you disagree, please comment below but read on for now.
2) There isn't enough information left in the game to describe what Vash's fate was to have been as the planet was cut early on in the development. So the character's fate is a mystery.
3) No one here is going to pay for Vanessa Marshall to redo Kath Soucie's lines.
So what's the alternative? My thought is via AI models of the voice actress' lines. Have someone - say YouTube's SpeakingofAI - make a new model by providing all of Vanessa Marshall's lines from the game and providing addition material from other games and sources.
But should anyone request this yet? I'd say no and here's why: The aforementioned mystery of Vash's fate (or fates) should be considered first. There are other points as well so let's quickly cover them.
- If she makes it off the planet, might she return to Jedi Enclave? If she does, what does she say during the Exile's trial that ties into the material that she's already discussed. And can she do so while both staying true to the overall themes of the game and not simply repeating what the other surviving Jedi Masters say?
- Is there a possibility where she makes it off the planet and doesn't return to the Enclave? Is there a way to do so while remaining true to the game's themes? And assuming Kaah lives, does he go with her to points on unknown?
- If she doesn't make it off the planet, does she have new dialogue? What would she say?
- As long as we have an AI model that can replicate Vash's voice. would new scenes be written and created to provide the player with a "breadcrumb trail" to let them know they're on the right track and to provide some exposition?
I was planning to put these points in the documentary, but I think it's something that should be discussed now so I can judge the audience's reaction to it. I'm also curious to see how feasible you all think this may be. Finally, if anyone wants to bring up other possible uses for extending Vash's appearances or what her new unwritten dialogue might be, please drop your own suggestions or writing examples down below.
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