I didn't buy From Ashes when the game first came out, but somewhere in the months since, I did. I've been replaying ME3 to see the Javik stuff as well as the new endings, and I'd heard that taking Javik to Thessia is critical. I did that last night, and I can't see why anyone anywhere would think that.

The interaction he has with the Asari commander at the start of the mission doesn't end any differently than when he's not there, instead of Shepard doing the convincing, Javik just uses his mystical space-voodoo. The beacon sequence also plays out exactly the same as it does when he's not there, and, disappointingly, the only direct interaction he has with the Prothean VI is a throwaway line where he tells the VI to trust Shepard, something that it does anyway without Javik present.

So, what's the big deal with bringing Javik here? Am I missing something, or is the mission you "have" to take him on something else? Kinda weird if this is the thing that people are hyping up, like on the latest bombcast. Can anyone enlighten me?

There are a lot of objects in the museum-y part of the level that can be interacted with. Javik has a lot of interesting Prothean trivia to tell there.

It is more about the stuff that he explains when interacting with other objects in the museum, how the Protheans basically changed how the Asari evolved and how the Asari gods are actually Protheans.

@Village_Guy said:

It is more about the stuff that he explains when interacting with other objects in the museum, how the Protheans basically changed how the Asari evolved and how the Asari gods are actually Protheans.

Yeah, I didn't have the Javik DLC when I played through and that sounds like something pretty big that I would have liked to hear in-game.

It's importance is definitely over-hyped. It's really interesting information, but it's not THAT big a deal.

But yeah, it's the stuff Javik reveals about the items on exhibit (as others have said).

Granted, his importance has been overstated to the nth degree on the Bombcast.

Javik's a real cool cat, regardless.

It's weird that you would expect something besides his point of view on stuff. Points A and B in Mass Effect so rarely change, what changes are the way you get from one to the other and what kind of information you get along the way.

It's mostly related to the history of the Asari race and their beliefs. It's just backstory stuff that's not necessarily important to the main story, but if you are really into the lore then it would interest you.

It's certainly all more interesting than anything the big beefy marine Freddie Prinze Jr. voice acted added to the game. That should've been the DLC character.

@SeanFoster said:

It's certainly all more interesting than anything the big beefy marine Freddie Prinze Jr. voice acted added to the game. That should've been the DLC character.

Oh, wow. I completely forgot about him. Not even joking, I forgot his character existed. That's... not a good thing.

Actually, if you choose the right dialog options with him when you're talking to the A.I he'll heavily foreshadow the ending and reaper motivations.

@ShaggE said:

@SeanFoster said:

It's certainly all more interesting than anything the big beefy marine Freddie Prinze Jr. voice acted added to the game. That should've been the DLC character.

Oh, wow. I completely forgot about him. Not even joking, I forgot his character existed. That's... not a good thing.

I remember that fight when you first talked to him on the ship was pretty great and he hit on me in the bar which was pretty weird. 2 moments I remember about that character.

Best thing about Javik if you're renegade, at the very end where Shepard is talking to everyone before the final mission begins he tells you that if he survives he plans on living with the Hanar and being worshiped as a god for the rest of his life.

He's mostly like a snide codex, I guess. Also, since the Protheans were just one cycle in a sequence of countless cycles, their historical relevance to that universe is, perhaps, not as great as was foreshadowed in Mass Effect 1.

You're thinking more about what it changes, which is nothing. That's totally fine. It's more what that character brings in terms of commentary. Liara really doesn't like him insulting her species. Also, going back to play that stuff significantly diminishes the value of it.

@ everyone itt:

My expectations were a result of how hyped this has been everywhere the game is discussed. I wasn't expecting anything specific, I was just expecting something at the very least worthwhile. Instead, it was just some throwaway dialogue that I don't think was that revelatory to begin with. I just fell victim to the hyperbolic nature of video games journalism, I guess! Thanks for the replies.

@SeanFoster:

I thought the character Freddie Prinze Jr. played was pretty decent. Granted, he's not an excellent addition to the series, but you actually learn some interesting things about his past if you talk to him. He's also got some cool weapon skills.

orignally on thessia javik was going to be kidnapped instead of the ai!

I think what's more important is the little storyline that develops between Liara and Javik, and this basically pushes her over the breaking point.   

Javik is just as if not more important to have hanging around the ship. Honestly looking back it is pretty close to "criminal" that he was DLC where they should have allowed Javik on the ship but not recruitable without completing his mission as DLC. If you don't get the DLC at least you get that insight you get by talking to him in his room.

The big deal for me was his interaction with Liara, just straight up dropping some lore about the asari gods just being protheans, etc, etc.

From the little of the wiki page for Leviathan I've read, it sounds like that was even more important lore wise. That's definitely my biggest gripe with ME3: the DLC. Self-contained missions or gear DLC is one (perfectly acceptable) thing, but when your DLC directly fits into the main story and would've made that core story not only richer but actually more comprehensible, you've fucked up.

It's seriously worse than true ending DLC like Prince of Persia or Asura's Wrath, since at least with those you'll beat the game and then go back to see what happens next instead of experiencing a jaggy story and then going back to plug up some holes. Not good. BAD BIOWARE/EA, BAD.

I got the Asari gods being Protheans information anyway, and I took EDI.

It still doesn't seem that unique.