Disagree ...
Controling Mind Flayer technology via Psyonics makes perfect narrative sense ...
If you dont want to use your tadpole, you dont have to ... but you dont get Shadowheart in final tutorial fight.
This new era of demanding all rewards, while refusing to do what it takes discuist me. :-/
Then why doesn't the ceremorphosis pod require that you use the tadpole in order to use it? Or even better, why doesn't the transponder (the control panel of the ship) require that you use the tadpole? Seems like those things are more important to guard than some random prisoner. Forcing the player to use the tadpole to free Shadowheart isn't genius, it's a cheap solution to something that is not a problem at all. There are more organic ways of promoting the tadpoles rather than locking out a companion in the beginning.
Shadowheart is a special prisoner. She is carrying the Gith weapon. So, special security is called for.
This is just 1 potential explanation.
And I disagree. It solves the problem of, "No one is NOT freeing Shadowheart. We've made it too easy.". It also solves the problem of "No one is tempted ever by the tadpole. If we want people to seriously be tempted, we may need to do things to seriously tempt players."
