History Characters / MassEffect1AntagonistsAndNpcs

A pro-human former Alliance black ops group with the aim of advancing humanity's role in the galactic community. Due to disagreements with Alliance command, they eventually went rogue and became an NGOSuperpower in their own right. They appear in a SidequestSidestory in the first game, where they are experimenting on rachni and Thorian Creepers, aiming to create super soldiers; they're also believed to have a hand in the traumatic first encounter between humanity and Thresher Maws on Akuze, and they kill an Alliance admiral who was asking too many questions. They return in the second game, where they bring back Shepard after his death with the Lazarus Project, in order to stop the Reaper threat. There, they serve as Shepard's main financial backer, rebuilding the Normandy, giving Shepard's team custom weapons, providing intelligence, and paying Shepard after each mission. In the third game, they turn on Shepard and effectively declare war on the galaxy in their attempt to control the Reapers using ancient technology found on Mars.

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Cerberuslogo_5254.png

* ContinuityPorn: In a series known for its save game bonuses, his story arc takes the cake. He only shows up in ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' if you spoke to him all three times on the Citadel in the first game and didn't get him killed. Then, wh will only appear in ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' if you completed his quest and [[ButtMonkey didn't get him killed again]]. Finally, he will contribute his [[spoiler: doctoral dissertation on xenotechnology]] to the war effort only if Shepard completed the side quest for a minor N.P.C. on Feros in the first game, completed the asari writings collection in the first game, and purchased an Elkoss Combine requisition license in the first game. ''[[UpToEleven Damn]].''

* ContinuityPorn: In a series known for its save game bonuses, his story arc takes the cake in ''VideoGame/MassEffect3''. He will contribute his [[spoiler: doctoral dissertation on xenotechnology]] to the war effort only if Shepard completed the side quest for a minor N.P.C. on Feros in the first game, completed the asari writings collection in the first game, and purchased an Elkoss Combine requisition license in the first game. ''[[UpToEleven Damn]].''

** TookALevelInKindness: In ''Mass Effect 3'', in a way. He's much less abrasive towards Shepard; it helps that he's visibly beleaguered and worried about the state of Earth in the wake of [[spoiler:the Reaper invasion.]] Though he and Shepard aren't always in agreement, they're on the same side. [[spoiler:Or so it would seem; it later turns out he's working for Cerberus.]]

* EvilMatriarch: [[spoiler:Not by choice.]]

* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast

* OneSceneWonder: He speaks in only ''one'' scene, but it's easily one of the most memorable moments of the entire game.

[[caption-width-right:350:'''[[AC:[[BiggerBad I am Sovereign!]] And this station is MINE!]]''']]

* BadBoss: He pretty much says flat-out that he doesn't give a crap about the geth, and actually seems a bit ''insulted'' that they revere him as a god. That, and [[MoreThanMindControl Reaper]] [[FateWorseThanDeath indoctrination.]]
* BigBad: In the first game, he's the true force behind Saren. [[spoiler:However, he, like all other Reapers, is TheDragon to [[BiggerBad The Catalyst]].]]

* WrongGenreSavvy: In the first game, they are ''certain'' that they are taking part in a [[{{Thriller}} political thriller]] about a RogueAgent attempting to take down their government with his loyal army of machines, despite their top agent's repeated protests that this is actually a CosmicHorrorStory with the Reapers as the ''[[BiggerBad true]]'' threat to all life in the galaxy. It takes until the third game and an galaxy-wide invasion by said race of [[EldritchAbomination Eldritch Abominations]], before they finally get on the same page.

** Resurrecting Shepard: showed progress and promise, s/he drops them and starts killing their guys. Also just to note, the project had a traitor, who also started killing their guys, with only Jacob and Miranda surviving. Shepard also took Jacob and Miranda with him/her, both of whom started killing their guys.

** Resurrecting Shepard: showed progress and promise, s/he drops them and starts killing their guys. Also just to note, the project had a traitor, who also started killing their guys, with only Jacob and Miranda surviving.

* RapeAsABackstory: Strongly implied. Talitha mentions the batarian pirates "doing things to her" in the dark. [[{{Squick}} This happened when Talitha was six]].

** The fandom has created the "Cerberus Taco Cart Theorem" which states that if Cerberus built a taco cart it would go rogue, take over their base, and start killing their guys.

*** Some of the backstory clearly hints that [[spoiler:those rachni who fought in the Rachni War were controlled by the Reapers. Sort of a parallel there with the heretic geth. The third game's ''Leviathan'' DLC, however, disproves this, and instead theorizes that the Leviathans may have been the ones controlling them.]]

*** Ironically, some of the backstory clearly hints that [[spoiler:those rachni who fought in the Rachni War were controlled by the Reapers. Sort of a parallel there with the heretic geth. The third game's ''Leviathan'' DLC, however, disproves this, and instead theorizes that the Leviathans may have been the ones controlling them.]]

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Her cameo in ''2'' implied that she was going to have some future role revolving around dark matter. Ironically, she's one of the few minor/supporting characters that ''doesn't'' return for the third game.

* InternalAffairs: Perhaps one of the only ''good'' examples in all of fiction; she's the ''least'' irritating person who can get you a freakin' garage pass on Noveria.

* ShoutOut: To ''Literature/CrimeAndPunishment'', as stated above, but Shepard's words of comfort are also taken from ''Film/{{Aliens}}''.

A Systems Alliance officer and veteran of several battles against the Batarian's, including the Skyllian Blitz. He is encountered by Commander Shepard on the Citadel, where he is trying to find information on a group of his marines that went missing.

* FourStarBadass: She's a Captain in the first two games, though it's mentioned in the second that it's only because she keeps ''refusing'' to become an Admiral, preferring to continue to [[TheMenFirst serve with her crew]] instead of behind a desk. By the third game, she's been rapidly promoted to Real-Admiral, in part because of the losses the fleet have suffered, but mostly because she's so badass it's the rank that she honestly ''should'' be by this point. [[BadassFamily She is a Shepard, after all.]]

[[folder:David Anderson]]
[[WMG: Captain (later Admiral) David Edward Anderson]]
http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/CaptainAnderson1_6457.jpg
[[caption-width:401:You did good. I'm...'''proud''' of you.]]

-->''"I know Saren. I know his reputation, his politics. He believes humans are a blight on the galaxy. This attack was an act of war."''

-->'''Voiced by:''' KeithDavid, Creator/PatrickSeitz (''Paragon Lost'')

Former commanding officer of the ''Normandy'', now advisor to Shepard from the Citadel. Was once in the running to be the first human Spectre until his efforts were sabotaged by Saren.

* AwesomeMomentOfCrowning: If he becomes the human Councillor.
* {{Badass}}: Was once a candinate for becoming the first human spectre had it not been for Saren.
** BadassBaritone: As one would expect from Creator/KeithDavid.
** BadassGrandpa: Still badass even as an older captain.
** BadassNormal: While he lacks biotic powers or cybernetics, he's still a badass nonetheless.
* BeehiveBarrier: Fortification is one of his powers during the intro to ''3'' -- in his admiral's uniform, to boot.
* BigGood: While not officially leading the Alliance [[spoiler: unless you pick the Paragon end of ''Mass Effect 1'']], he's the only authority figure other than Admiral Hackett that Shepard consistently respects. When he's [[spoiler:promoted to Admiral by ''3'']], he, Admiral Hackett, and Commander Shepard share this role, with Shepard acting as a military ambassador getting species together, Hackett being the man behind the [[spoiler:joint species fleet]] while Anderson is the leader of [[spoiler:the Earth resistance troops.]]
* ButtMonkey: He has to take crap from [[spoiler: Saren, who ruined his chances to become a Spectre by blaming the destruction of an element zero refinery on him in ''Revelation''; Udina, who belittles Anderson and complains about everything he says in addition to shafting him mid-game, [[QuicklyDemotedLeader forcing him to step down and hand over the ''Normandy'' to Shepard.]] When he overrides the lockdown, you can either get him shot by C-Sec or have him punch out Udina (funny how you have to ''encourage'' him to do the latter).]]
* CoolOldGuy: Granted, he's only 49 by the third game, but he essentially fulfills this role.
** Justified in that 49 is pretty old for an active duty military man. Retirement ''usually'' happens some time in your 40s, even for career soldiers.
* ContinuityCameo: You get to meet Anderson's old flame, Kahlee Sanders (from ''[[Literature/MassEffectRevelation Revelation]]''), in a ''Mass Effect 3'' side mission. [[spoiler: If you manage to rescue her, Anderson hopes to hook up with her after the war is over. The ''Citadel'' DLC also implies that they do meet up occasionally at his Citadel apartment]].
* CosmicPlaything: The universe just piles on the crap for this guy. [[TheDeterminator He still gets up and does his job though.]]
* ADayInTheLimelight: The tie-in prequel novel ''Literature/MassEffectRevelation'', which elaborates on how he used to be in the running for first human Spectre before Saren screwed him over.
* DemotedToExtra: He only has one scene in the second game.
* DeskJockey: What he's demoted to when Shepard is given command of the ship. [[spoiler: You can decide whether he stays like this or gets promoted to Councillor at the end of the first game.]]
** In ''Mass Effect 3'', he becomes the leader of the remaining human forces on Earth resisting the Reapers.
* DoomedHometown: According to the first ''Mass Effect'' novel ''Revelation'', Anderson was born and raised in London. [[spoiler: Guess where one of the main targets for the Reaper invasion of Earth is?]]
* AFatherToHisMen: Especially when it comes to Shepard.
* FourStarBadass: Gets some admirals' stars in ''Mass Effect 3'', and if he was Councilor, he has retired from that post to return to the military. Takes charge of the Resistance on Earth once Reapers start reapin'.
* TheGoodCaptain: Probably Shepard's most reliable authority figure.
* GuestStarPartyMember: Fights with Shepard directly during the intro level of ''Mass Effect 3''. Breaks the trend set by the first two games, in that he survives this role. [[spoiler:For the time being.]]
* HeroOfAnotherStory: Of ''Revelation'' and ''Retribution''.
* IChooseToStay: Anderson refuses to leave Earth with Shepard in ''3'', wanting to help with the war effort against the Reapers there.
* INeedAFreakingDrink: In the two years between ''Mass Effect 1'' and ''Mass Effect 2'', apparently. The [[http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Shadow_Broker_Dossiers/Captain_David_Anderson Shadow Broker's dossier on him]] shows that he's two steps from becoming a full-blown alcoholic due to [[DrowningMySorrows all the booze he's had to down to ignore all the stupidity he's been exposed to.]] His tab at Dionysus Imports: 2 bottles white wine after viewing "Saren: A Hero Betrayed", 1 bottle GargleBlaster after viewing a documentary on what ''really'' happened behind the Citadel attack, 2 bottles VodkaDrunkenski after watching "Path of Lies: A History of the Alliance Military" and a documentary on the [[MemeticMutation airquotes "Reapers"]] back-to-back. Followed by a call to [[VomitDiscretionShot Kleen Sweep Home Maintenance.]]
* KilledOffForReal: [[spoiler:On the Citadel in the endgame of ''3''; either the Illusive Man executes him, or he succumbs to a gunshot wound and dies peacefully]].
* KnightInSourArmor: He knows full well the galaxy is run by idiotic politicians and bureaucrats. He does not like this. He gets up and does his job anyway.
* TheMentor: To Shepard.
** ObsoleteMentor: Subverted. Despite being surpassing their OldMaster, Shepard still answers to Anderson as their superior and throughout the trilogy, consistently will turn to him for advice on what to do.
* MentorOccupationalHazard: [[spoiler:Interestingly enough, he actually makes it to the very end of the trilogy before dying.]]
* MildlyMilitary: At least with Shepard by ''Mass Effect 3'' who he jokingly reprimands for referring to him formally.
-->'''Shepard:''' Good to see you too, sir.
-->'''Anderson:''' ''"Sir?"'' I may have reinstated you, but that doesn't give you permission to get all formal on me.
-->'''Shepard:''' Then I'm glad you managed to keep your ass alive, Anderson.
-->'''Anderson:''' ''[chuckles]'' That's more like it.
* NiceHat: He's sporting one in ''Mass Effect 3''.
* NotEvenBotheringWithTheAccent: He really doesn't sound like a Londoner. ''Revelation'' explains this to be because of cross cultural exposure through electronic schooling, the internet, and pan-global entertainment.
* OptOut: [[spoiler:Whether you choose him to be the Councilor or not, Anderson opts to quit his position in ''Retribution'', leaving Udina as Councilor.]]
* PapaWolf: To humanity and his protege, Shepard, in particular.
** If he was made [[spoiler: Councillor]] in the second game, one reason you can imagine that he stepped down for was because he couldn't legally defend Shepard's actions in the ''Arrival'' as the [[spoiler: representative of the human race.]] However, as a member of the Alliance, once he was promoted to the Admiralty, he ''[[ThePlan could]]''.
* ParentalSubstitute: Three guesses for whom.
* PassingTheTorch: Was meant to be [[spoiler: the first human Spectre]] until Saren ruined his candidacy. It's implied that he chose Shepard as his protege, because he saw in them the potential to take up where he left off.
* QuicklyDemotedLeader: Udina forces him to step down as Captain of the ''Normandy'' after Shepard becomes a Spectre. Subverted when he becomes an authority figure once more in the other two games, (potentially) becoming a Councillor in ''2'' and an Admiral in ''3''.
** Though he does [[spoiler: OptOut of being the human Councillor]] before ''3'', in the tie-in novel ''Literature/MassEffectRetribution''.
* QuintessentialBritishGentleman: According to ''Revelation'', though he [[NotEvenBotheringWithTheAccent doesn't have the accent.]]
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: One of the two human authority figures Shepard can actually count on throughout the entire series, (the other being Admiral Hackett).
** In the third game, Anderson has apparently having repeatedly gone out on a limb for Shepard during their time in the Alliance brig. Despite Shepard's trial being interrupted by the Reaper invasion without coming to a verdict, Anderson promptly drops the charges and reactivates them back into service, as Earth needs the person most experienced at fighting Reapers in the fight.
* RebelLeader: During ''Mass Effect 3'', he decides to stay on Earth and lead LaResistance during the Reaper occupation.
* RetiredBadass: [[spoiler:In a manner of speaking. When the truth comes out about Saren, Shepard inquires if he has thought about reapplying to become a Spectre. Anderson admits that he's "too old" to go chasing about the galaxy and he trusts Shepard to [[TakeUpMySword pick up where he left off]].]]
* SoProudOfYou: [[spoiler: If you stop the Illusive Man from killing him, his last words in the entire series are how proud he is of his protege.]]
** [[spoiler: This is also the name on the soundtrack of the MoodMotif during this scene when he dies.]]
* TheMenFirst: Why he stays behind on Earth in ''3'', because someone has to lead the resistance.
* TheOneThatGotAway: Seems to feel this way about Kahlee Sanders. The feeling is mutual and it's alluded to multiple times in ''3'' that both of them wish to renew their relationship once the war is over.
** FriendsWithBenefits: Heavily implied in the ''Citadel DLC''. Her overnight bag (containing [[GoodPeopleHaveGoodSex massage oils]]) is found in Anderson's apartment on the Citadel and a recording mentions her as being present while Anderson relates some life stories for the biography being written about him.
* UndyingLoyalty: He will always be there to support Shepard. The feeling is mutual with Shepard as well.

[[folder:Donnel Udina]]
[[WMG: Ambassador Donnel Udina]]
http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Udina_6704.bmp
[[caption-width:243:[[ObstructiveBureaucrat It's just politics, Shepard.]] [[AssInAmbassador You understand.]]]]

-->''"You went to the Council behind my back? Do the words [[PrecisionFStrike "political shitstorm"]] mean anything to you?"''

-->'''Voiced by:''' Bill Ratner

A human diplomat at the Citadel struggling to give humans a say in intergalactic politics. And a real jerk about it. He has little patience or interest whatsoever in Shepard's endeavors, as all he cares about his forwarding ''humans''.

* AssholeVictim: [[spoiler:He assists the Cerberus coup in ''3'', and is shot by either Shepard or the Virmire Survivor for his efforts.]]
* AssInAmbassador: In spades. The turians describe him in the second game as "a diplomatic incident waiting to happen."
* AwesomeMomentOfCrowning: [[spoiler: Can be given a Council seat at the end of the first game.]]
** In ''Retribution'', the novel sequel to ''Mass Effect 2'', [[spoiler: Udina is the Councilor regardless of your choice. Anderson opts to quit his job.]]
* BeleagueredBureaucrat: While the Renegade ending leaves no doubt as to the kind of person he is, Udina sometimes seems as tired of politics as everyone else, but he has to deal with it because it's his job. This is most obvious if you talk to him after Feros.
* {{Catchphrase}}: Frequently utters just why "This is an OUTRAGE!".
* DemotedToExtra: Like Anderson, he only has one scene in the second game.
* DividedWeFall: When he grounds Shepard as opposed to letting him/her go after the Conduit because he's afraid of losing the Council's favor.
* FaceHeelTurn: [[spoiler:In ''3''. Not that he wasn't already slipping in that direction to begin with, though.]]
* {{Jerkass}}: Ambassador Udina seems to enjoy his job a little too much, especially when foiling Shepard.
** JerkWithAHeartOfJerk: If you [[spoiler:give him the position on the Council]], does he serve as a "true advocate" for humanity? ''Balls no''. He goes right back to being an ObstructiveBureaucrat and [[spoiler:may even completely deny the existence of Reapers. Even worse, if he's the human Councilor, Shepard cannot get reinstated as a Spectre.]]
** In ''Mass Effect 3'', it is eventually revealed that [[spoiler: Udina was outright working with Cerberus to engage in a coup against the Council. Strangely, this is perhaps the most sympathetic he gets; his entire motivation for working with Cerberus was to force the Council to send support for his besieged homeworld.]] Before that, too, he's unusually dedicated and not as harsh towards Shepard as usual.
* KickTheDog: He was responsible for [[spoiler: Executor Pallin's death]] in ''Inquisition'', where he tries to use the fact there could be enemies in the Council to further a pro-human agenda.
* ObstructiveBureaucrat: Though he's fairly helpful at first. But not for long.
* PetTheDog: If you convince the Alliance to return Nirali Bhatia's body to her husband, Samesh, or save Chairman Burns from biotic extremists, Udina is nice enough to supply them with Shepard's e-mail address so that they can properly thank Shepard in ''Mass Effect 2''. Udina will do this even if [[spoiler:Shepard recommends Anderson to the Council.]] This is pretty much the nicest thing he does across the entire series.
* SlaveToPR: More concerned with making sure humanity looks good than anything else.
* TheMole: [[spoiler:He is this in ''3''. It is unknown how long he was working with Cerberus, but he was the one who helped them get to the Citadel.]]
* TheQuisling: [[spoiler:In ''Mass Effect 3'', he has joined in with Cerberus, and plots to assassinate the other Councillors and stage a coup with their aid. It's left ambiguous whether he was indoctrinated, idiotically ambitious or just plain desperate and scared when he went with this plan.]]
* TooDumbToLive: [[spoiler: His collaboration with Cerberus can only be defined as fatally stupid, considering that, as the Human Councilor and thus a high-level official, he would have known very well that Cerberus was directly undermining the Alliance war effort, using Reaper-augmented soldiers, and attacking civilian targets. The leap in logic required to see this ObviouslyEvil enemy as a source of backing is enormous.]]
* TookALevelInJerkass: It's easy to forget, but at the beginning of the first game, while he was not the friendliest guy, he at least would give Shepard the benefit of the doubt. But then he started basing his judgement purely on PR.
** TookALevelInKindness: In ''Mass Effect 3'', in a way. He's much less abrasive towards Shepard; it helps that he's visibly beleaguered and worried about the state of Earth in the wake of [[spoiler:the Reaper invasion.]] Though he and Shepard aren't always in agreement, they're on the same side. [[spoiler:Or so it would seem; it later turns out he's working for Cerberus.]]
* TragicVillain: [[spoiler: He worked with Cerberus in a bid to get support to save Earth.]]
* TyrantTakesTheHelm: [[spoiler:If you kill off the Council and put him in charge of the human one, he'll start restricting Spectre positions because he doesn't want anybody to operate outside of his authority. Even though the last person who did so ''saved the freaking galaxy''.]]
* UngratefulBastard: Even if you [[spoiler:recommend him to be on the Council]], don't expect him to give you a warm welcome in the sequel.
* WellIntentionedExtremist: [[spoiler:Works with Cerberus to engage in a coup against the Council. He did it to get support for Earth.]]
* WhatTheHellIsThatAccent: Has elements of a British and Irish accent; the latter is much more prominent in ''3'', particularly in the conversation Shepard can have with him in his office after the Council meeting.
* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: Pulls this card when siding with the Council against Shepard near the end of the first game.

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Steven Hackett]]
[[WMG: Admiral Steven Hackett]]
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hackett_2605.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[CatchPhrase Hackett out.]]]]
->''"When Earth calls, you be there with your dress blues on, ready to take the hit."''

-->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/LanceHenriksen, Bruce Carey (''Paragon Lost'')

Commanding officer of the Alliance Navy's Fifth Fleet. Voice of authority and giver of sidequests. Often heard, but never seen in-game (until ''Mass Effect 2'''s Arrival DLC, that is).

* AscendedExtra: Goes from being just a voice telling you about side-missions, to being arguably Shepard's most frequent and [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure trusted]] contact in the Reaper War.
* {{Badass}}: Orphaned at 12, showed chops in science and leadership, enlisted, became a frontier explorer, fought with distinction in the First Contact War, climbed from lowly enlisted to the top flag office in the Alliance navy. He's an Alliance Navy recruitment poster boy for a reason.
** BadassBaritone: Courtesy of Creator/LanceHenriksen.
** BadassBeard: As seen in the above image.
** BadassGrandpa: Hackett's age doesn't diminish his badassery in any way.
** FourStarBadass: He's an admiral, after all.
* BigGood: A large number of the side missions in the original ''Mass Effect'' come from him.
** In ''Mass Effect 3'', Shepard reports directly to him and he is, for all intents and purposes, the leader of the entire human race.
** ''Mass Effect 3'' essentially makes him part of a BigGood Ensemble along with Shepard and Anderson. The humans on Earth look up to Anderson, Shepard looks up to Hackett and the rest of the galaxy looks up to Shepard.
* TheCavalry: ''Epically'' at [[spoiler:the climax of the first game.]]
* ClintSquint: Seems to be the neutral state of his eyes.
* DemotedToExtra: Only appears in the second game if you have the ''Arrival'' DLC.
* FatherNeptune: Serves as this for the Alliance Navy.
* GenreSavvy: In ''The Arrival'', knowing exactly how [[MagneticHero Shepard]] can inspire loyalty from people, his response to being asked if he finds it strange being on the second ''Normandy'', since it's a Cerberus vessel. (The following line is spoken only if Shepard [[spoiler:refuses to hand the Collector technology over to the Illusive Man during the suicide mission]].)
--> '''Hackett''': I'm not sure it is a ''Cerberus'' ship [[FaustianRebellion anymore]]... right?
** This is also the reason he makes Shepard the spearhead of the entire war effort against the Reapers, because he knows that no matter how bad things get, the rest of the galaxy will rally behind him/her.
* GoodHairEvilHair: Hackett wears the classic [[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries mirror universe]] goatee and mustache combination, but he's definitely a good guy.
* GoodScarsEvilScars: Has a very prominent scar on his right cheek, and his right eye looks like it's taken its fair share of right hooks.
* GrayAndGreyMorality: As an Admiral, Hackett is naturally concerned with maintaining the law; however, following Shepard's promotion to Spectre, he has Shepard perform more "under the table" missions to maintain Alliance confidentiality.
** GuileHero[=/=]TheChessmaster: Some of his missions (such as sending a Renegade Shepard to possibly assassinate Lord Darius) edges him closer to this territory.
--> '''Shepard:''' You put Darius in power, but he was getting greedy. You wanted me to kill him.\\
'''Hackett:''' The Alliance does not condone assassination. We would never give that order. Killing Darius was your decision alone -- and because you're a Spectre, we couldn't reprimand you if we wanted to.
* InkSuitActor: Hackett's face has more than a passing resemblance to Creator/LanceHenriksen's.
* IronicEcho[=/=]MeaningfulEcho: "You've done a hell of a thing." [[note]]What Hackett tells Shepard in the first game if s/he manages to save everyone in the Paragon-exclusive mission. Also what he says after Shepard [[ShootTheDog buys the galaxy some time]] in ''Arrival''.[[/note]]
* {{Narrator}}: He narrates the WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue for the high-EMS "Destroy" ending and the low-EMS BittersweetEnding (with ''heavy'' emphasis on the "bitter").
* NervesOfSteel: Probably the calmest and most unflappable human leader in the series. Even when Reapers tore the Alliance a new one.
** Pointed out by Jacob in the third game.
-->'''Jacob:''' They make old guys any tougher than that, I'd like to see it.
* OldSoldier: He's been with the Alliance for a very long time. He doesn't let it slow him down.
* PrecisionFStrike: In a new cutscene added in the Extended Cut, during the final battle, once Hackett is notified that Shepard has [[spoiler:reached the Conduit and boarded the Citadel.]]
--> "Holy shit, s/he did it."
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: He uses Shepard's loyalty to the Alliance to get him/her to take on some sensitive missions. However, he does at least acknowledge that s/he is doing him a favor and acts appropriately. At the end, he defers to Shepard as the (wo)man in the field, despite his much higher rank.
** In ''Lair of the Shadow Broker'', [[spoiler:his dossier reveals that [[GenreSavvy he denied an Alliance desk jockey's request to have Shepard detained and interrogated for a few months due to his/her ties to Cerberus, and with style.]]]]
-->'''Hackett's entire response to a lengthy request email:''' Request denied.
** Later in the same DLC, Liara [[spoiler: reveals that Hackett was the one who gave her Shepard's dogtags, and confirmed that Shepard was still alive before they actually met, wishing Shepard well.]]
** In the ''Arrival'' DLC, after Shepard is forced to [[spoiler:kill 300,000 batarians, Hackett notes that he will do what he can to protect Shepard and delay any fallout that s/he will have to face as long as possible saying that s/he did what s/he did for the right reasons. He even tells him/her to keep his report because he doesn't need it to know that s/he did the right thing.]]
* RousingSpeech: [[spoiler: He gives one during the endgame of ''3''.]]
--> [[spoiler: "Never before have so many come together - from all quarters of the galaxy. But never before have we faced an enemy such as this. The Reapers will show us no mercy. We must give them no quarter. They will terrorize our populations. We must stand fast in the face of that terror. They will advance until our last city falls, but we will not fall. We will prevail. Each and every one of us will be defined by our actions in the coming battle. Stand fast. Stand strong. Stand together. Hackett out."]]
* ShootTheDog: A lot of his missions seem to revolve around this trope. After the events of ''Arrival'', Hackett tells Shepard that [[spoiler:'''''s/he''''' has to be (metaphorically) sacrificed to the batarians to avoid a war, after s/he kills over 300 000 of them to blow up a mass relay the Reapers were minutes away from using.]]
* SupportingLeader: He leads the charge against Sovereign in the final act of the first game.
* UpThroughTheRanks: He spent four years as an enlisted man and volunteered for several high-risk exploration assignments beyond the Charon Relay before receiving a commission as a second lieutenant in 2156. He's now the fleet admiral of the Alliance Navy.
* TheVoice: Until the second game DLC ''Arrival''.
* VoiceWithAnInternetConnection: In the first and third games.
* YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre: In a particularly poignant moment, when Shepard is expressing doubts about his/her ability in the war, he sums up why s/he is so important and deserving of his/her position. S/he has the ability to inspire such confidence in troops, that they will literally follow any order given simply because they believe in him/her.
* [[spoiler:YouAreInCommandNow: A strange case: He's already the highest ranked flag officer in the Alliance Navy, but with the death of the entirety of Alliance Parliament, and subsequent treason and death of Udina in the third game, Hackett is the de facto leader of what's left of the Systems Alliance.]]

[[folder:Nihlus Kryik]]
[[WMG: Nihlus Kryik]]
http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/nihlus_2467.jpg
[[caption-width:250:Not all turians resent humanity. Some of us see the potential of your species.]]
-->''[[IWorkAlone "I move faster on my own."]]''

-->'''Voiced by''': Alastair Duncan

A turian Spectre trained by Saren, Nihlus was selected to assess whether Shepard was qualified to join the Spectres and mentor him/her if that was the case. During the attack on Eden Prime, he's betrayed and killed by his old mentor.

* DarkIsNotEvil: As a Spectre, he's willing to use some pretty brutal methods, but he is ultimately working toward galactic peace.
* EtTuBrute: Killed by a shot to the head from Saren, his mentor.
* GuileHero: His response to having [[KnightTemplar asari justicar Samara]] corner him into a little village? Turn her own Code against her and have her choose between killing him and the innocents or let everyone live peacefully. [[ForegoneConclusion Well he survived all the way to ME1]] so...
* IWorkAlone: Invoked by Nihlus. [[spoiler: It gets him killed, unfortunately.]]
* MentorOccupationalHazard: Before he got to do any mentoring, even.
* RenownedSelectiveMentor: Unlike most turians encountered in the first game, he has no issue with humanity taking a greater role in the galaxy and thinks they have great potential. He also fully supports Shepard candidacy to be inducted into the Spectres:
--> '''Nihlus''': I don't care that you're ''human'', Shepard. I only care that you can do the job.
* SacrificialLamb: Mere minutes after Jenkins.
* ShoutOut: His name seems to be one to [[VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic Darth Nihilus.]]
* SoundOnlyDeath: Saren pulls his gun on Nihlus, and the cutscene ends before he can pull the trigger. Just as gameplay resumes, the player hears a gunshot off in the distance.
* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: Subverted.
* WalkingArmoury: According to Kaidan. We only [[GameplayAndStorySegregation actually see]] him holding an assault rifle and a shotgun.
* WorthyOpponent: Samara considers him one.

[[folder:Chloe Michel]]
[[WMG: Dr. Chloe Michel]]
http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/230px-Dr__Chloe_Michel_9561.JPG
-->"''I was fired by my previous employer for giving out free medical supplies to clinics like this.''"

-->'''Voiced by''': Jan Alexandra Smith

A human doctor who runs a clinic in the Wards. Your interactions with her tend to involve saving her from various gangs of blackmailing lowlifes, and she rewards you with free medigel refills. She can be a crew member in ''Mass Effect 3''.

* AscendedExtra: [[spoiler:Was involved in a minor manner in two quests early in the first game. She was not seen at all in the second. In the third game, she shows up running a hospital on the Citadel where you can bring her on board as the ''Normandy'''s medic instead of Dr. Chakwas.]]
* {{Blackmail}}: In the first game, some thugs threaten to reveal why she was fired from her previous job.
* BuffySpeak: Refers to Mordin's horns as "pokey-things".
* DistressedDamsel: A mild case.
--> '''Shepard:''' Every time I come in here, I see someone threatening you.
* DistractedByTheSexy: She has a ''very'' obvious crush on Garrus. In fact, her email in ''[=ME2=]'' which is meant to be thanking Shepard for their help in the first game ends up veering off topic and she starts gushing about Garrus instead.
* DoggedNiceGuy: Her email in ''[=ME2=]'' indicates a crush on Garrus. This understandable since he rescued her in ''[=ME1=]''. When Tali learns that the doctor sent Garrus dextro-only chocolates "because they reminded her of him", she either warns a Garrus-romancing female Shepard to watch herself or amusedly notes Garrus's [[ObliviousToLove obliviousness to Dr. Michel's attraction to him.]]
* EverythingSoundsSexierInFrench: She doesn't actually ''say'' anything in French, but she has a heavy French accent, which for some reason becomes ''heavier'' in ''[=ME3=]''.
* JustAMachine: She brings this up in an argument with Engineer Adams. Shepard can support her or Adams, who believes the opposite.
* TheInformant: She provides the player with information during several quests. It tends to be information of the sort you wouldn't expect an ordinary clinic doctor to know.
* MilitaryBrat: Her parents were both Alliance military.
* RomanticRunnerUp: Not to Shepard but to Garrus, given that she'll lose out to female Shepard [[spoiler:or Tali.]]
* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight: In the past, she gave out free medical supplies, which resulted in her firing the aforementioned {{blackmail}}.
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: For Dr. Chakwas, if you bring her on board the ''Normandy''. Hell, she even has the same haircut.

[[folder:Talitha]]
[[WMG: Talitha]]
http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/240px-Talitha_9568.jpg
[[caption-width:240:"You'll dream of a warm place. And when you wake up, you'll be in it." --Shepard]]

->"''It hurts when she... when I remember me. But she wants to remember.''"

A slave taken by batarians from the same colony from which Colonist Shepard escaped when s/he was sixteen. Shepard is told about how she escaped, but wants to kill herself, and is asked if s/he can help, having been through the raid.

[[hardline]]
* BaldWoman: As a slave her hair wouldn't have been allowed to grow.
* BrokenBird: Due to having spent thirteen years as a slave.
* MeaningfulName: In Literature/TheBible, ''"Talitha koum"'' is the phrase Jesus speaks when bringing a young girl BackFromTheDead. It means "Little girl, get up" - more or less what Shepard tells her.
* ShootTheDog: Talitha will either do this to herself if she feels threatened by Shepard, or Shepard can order a sniper to do so.
* ShoutOut: To ''Literature/CrimeAndPunishment'', as stated above, but Shepard's words of comfort are also taken from ''Film/{{Aliens}}''.
* StockholmSyndrome: She tried to heal the slavers when a woman came along and slaughtered them all.
* ThirdPersonPerson: How Talitha copes with what happened to her; she sees the trauma she faced as happening to another girl.

[[folder:Kirrahe]]
[[WMG: Captain/Major Kirrahe]]
http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/CaptainKirrahe_2754.png
[[caption-width:300:In the battle today, we will ''HoldTheLine''!]]
--> ''"Always a pleasure to watch you work, Commander."''

-->'''Voiced by''': George Szilagyi

The Captain in charge of the Special Tasks Group on Virmire. Worked with Mordin. Sends a request to the Council for backup upon finding Saren's base but gets garbled into static so only Shepard and the Normandy comes to investigate. Returns in ''Mass Effect 3'', now a major, provided you saved him on Virmire.

* AllThereInTheManual: The Shadow Broker's files on Mordin show how he worked with him [[spoiler:on the modified genophage mission.]]
* ArbitrarySkepticism: Bring Javik with you on Sur'Kesh [[spoiler:assuming Kirrahe is still alive]], and you will see what Kirrahe thinks of living Protheans.
-->'''Kirrahe: '''Amazing what they can do with genetic modification these days.
* {{Badass}}: He's tougher than he looks. [[spoiler: He proves it spectacularly if if he is still alive in ''3'']].
* TheCaptain: Has the rank and the personality for it.
* {{Catchphrase}}: Mordin reveals that Kirrahe is ''very'' fond of "HoldTheLine!" in his speeches.
--> '''Mordin:''' Good captain. Bit of a cloaca. Loved his speeches. ''"Hold the line!"'' Personally prefer to get job done and go home.
** Lampshaded in the third game, when he wistfully repeats it when encountering Shepard again on Sur'Kesh.
* TheComicallySerious: Doubles with GenreSavvy in 3. He does not think the Salarian troops can handle Wrex, ''he thinks their medbay is not large enough for all the ensuing casualties''.
* DareToBeBadass: Part of his rousing speech to his troops on Virmire.
* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:He'll end up TakingTheBullet for the salarian Councilor in ''Mass Effect 3'' if Thane is not around to stop Kai Leng.]]
* HoldTheLine: The basis of his RousingSpeech; without assistance from Shepard, he can die doing so.
* KilledOffForReal: He will not survive if Shepard doesn't help with the base's defences, or if Shepard diverts attention to his troops.
** [[spoiler:See the HeroicSacrifice entry above for what happens if you don't get Thane's help in the third game.]]
* LargeHam: He doesn't hold back when he gives his speeches.
* MajorlyAwesome: If he lives through Virmire, he gets promoted to this by ''3''.
* MeaningfulName: Named after Currahee Mountain, a mountain used during WW2 to train Paratroopers.
* RousingSpeech: A fan of these. Mordin somewhat exasperated with them, preferred to get the job done instead of wasting time with "chest-pounding."
* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight: [[spoiler: If he survived Virmire, you'll meet him again on Sur'Kesh, where he promises to lend the STG's support to retaking Earth regardless of what deals you have going with the dalatrass. Should you help Mordin or Padok cure the genophage, he makes good on that promise.]]
* StickyBomb: When you meet him again in the third game he's carrying a Scorpion as his sidearm. The Scorpion is a salarian pistol that launches blue sticky grenades, which he helpfully demonstrates on a couple of Cerberus {{mook}}s. Garrus complains about it... But after the mission, you can buy it and ease his (and your) gun desires.
--> '''Garrus:''' How do I ''not'' have one of those?
* VitriolicBestBuds: With Mordin. Referred to as a "bit of a cloaca[[note]]A cloaca is a general purpose genital/waste excretion orifice on some non-mammal species - ergo he's calling Kirrahe a dick ''and'' an asshole[[/note]]" by Mordin in the present, [[NeverSpeakIllOfTheDead even if Kirrahe is dead]]. Mordin's Shadow Broker dossier includes an STG report that reveals that on the mission to [[spoiler: distribute the modified genophage on Tuchanka]], the two of them spent most of the time flinging cloaca-based insults at one another, with Mordin poking fun at Kirrahe's insistence on following the plan to the letter and suggesting that he "[[ExpospeakGag has foreign object in cloaca]]", "suggests foreign obstruction in cloaca is Kirrahe's cranium" and Kirrahe losing temper at constant jibes and Mordin incessantly asking about shifting mission parameters and calling Mordin a "walking cloaca." However, when Mordin was injured in battle and refused to obtain medical attention until his work was finished, Kirrahe admiringly called him "one tough cloaca." Furthermore, cut content from ''Mass Effect 2'' includes an email from Kirrahe (assuming he survived Virmire) in which he admits that he's been exchanging friendly emails with Mordin over special equipment requirements, and remarks that he's "a good agent. [[NotBad Nervy for a tech]]. [[RunningGag Bit of a cloaca, though]]."

[[folder:Conrad Verner]]
!![[spoiler:Doctor]] Conrad Verner
http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Conrad_4847.bmp
[[caption-width:219:Oh, the Commander and I go way back.]]

-->''"You showed me what it meant to be truly extreme. I learned that lesson well."''

-->'''Voiced by:''' Jeff Page

Shepard's biggest fan. Initially appearing on the Citadel in the first game, Conrad wants to be ''just'' like Shepard, going so far as to try to ask Shepard is s/he will help him become a Spectre. He may or may not survive the ensuing reality check. Reappears in ''Mass Effect 2'', this time wearing a replica of Shepard's armor and trying to be a hero. He later appears in ''Mass Effect 3'', where his story is fully culminated, and we discover interesting HiddenDepths about our favorite ButtMonkey.

[[folder:Gianna Parasini]]
[[WMG: Gianna Parasini]]
http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Gianna_9248.bmp
[[caption-width:207:[[NobleBigot I love nailing asari. So ageless and superior -- then you get them, and they squeal like schoolgirls.]]]]

-->''"You have the right to remain silent. I wish to God you'd exercise it!"''

-->'''Voiced by:''' Wendy Braun

An oft-undercover internal affairs agent for the consortium on Noveria that Shepard repeatedly encounters through the galaxy, repeatedly enlisting his/her aid in her investigations.

* DeadpanSnarker: She has quite a tongue when she's not pretending to be a secretary.
* DrinkOrder: She cheerfully promises Shepard a beer if s/he helps her arrest Anoleis; she delivers on that promise in the second game, [[spoiler:but only as a prelude to asking for help in another investigation]].
* InternalAffairs: Perhaps one of the only ''good'' examples in all of fiction; she's the ''least'' irritating person who can get you a freakin' garage pass on Noveria.
* NobleBigot: Has a racist streak towards asari.
* ReverseMole: When you first encounter her, she's posing as [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Administrator Anoleis's]] secretary, but [[spoiler: quickly reveals herself to be an InternalAffairs agent for some corporate conglomerate.]]
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Her cameo in ''2'' implied that she was going to have some future role revolving around dark matter. Ironically, she's one of the few minor/supporting characters that ''doesn't'' return for the third game.

[[folder:Harkin]]
[[WMG: Harkin]]
http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Harkin_9786.bmp
[[caption-width:257:What'd I ever do to you?]]

-->''"Secrets are like herpes. If you got 'em, might as well spread 'em around."''

-->'''Voiced by:''' Roger Jackson

A disgraced C-Sec officer known for numerous abuses of power and general disorderly conduct. Used as an obnoxious informant in the first game.

* ArcVillain: For Garrus's loyalty mission.
* DirtyCop: Anderson refers to him as an embarrassment kept in office only because he was one of the first humans in C-Sec and they desperately needed bodies in C-Sec to legitimize their presence in the Galactic politics. He was kicked out the second he was no longer needed politically.
* DirtyCoward: He does his best to put on a tough guy act, but caves the moment he's faced with a real threat.
* FallenHero: Was praised for being one of the first humans in C-Sec, before he became corrupt.
* JerkassHasAPoint: While he may be a disgraced dirty cop, he is somewhat accurate about both Anderson's past and Garrus's CowboyCop tendencies.
* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: Particularly towards [=FemShep=], whom he acts like a chauvinist prick towards.

[[folder:Toombs]]
[[WMG: Toombs]]
[[quoteright:270:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Toombs_6562.png]]
->''"This man deserves to die, Shepard. For you, for me, for everyone else in the unit."''

-->'''Voiced by''': Chris Postle

An ex-Alliance solider, and potential former squadmate of Shepard, if you play the SoleSurvivor background. Saw his whole unit wiped out on Akuze by a Thresher Maw.

* DrivenToSuicide: Depending on how you play his mission.
* ShellShockedVeteran: Not like you can blame the guy.
* SoleSurvivor: Is the only surviving member of his unit. If Shepard has the SoleSurvivor background, they both react with surprise upon seeing the other alive.
* WhatTheHellHero: If he survives, in ''MassEffect2'' he sends Shepard a message tearing him/her apart for working with the people who tortured him. Just be glad you never have to meet him in person.

[[folder:Din Korlack]]
[[WMG: Din Korlack]]
[[quoteright:270:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/270px-Din_Korlack_6356.jpg]]
->"''You humans are new to the Citadel, and yet the Council has granted you great favor.''"

-->'''Voiced by''': Creator/LexLang

The volus ambassador to the Citadel. He takes a dim view of how the other species view his, and feels that their power should be greater than it is.

* AssInAmbassador: Is very rude to anyone who's not a volus.
* CulturalPosturing: A fairly minor case, but will still bend Shepard's ear about how they are vital to the galactic economy while humans are upstart newcomers.
* DirtyCoward: [[spoiler:Knows of a planned attack on a turian colony, but is afraid that revealing this will jeopardize his safety, and will withhold the support of the Volus Bombing Fleet if he's made to reveal the attack unless Zaeed can persuade him.]]
* {{Jerkass}}: Why he's an AssInAmbassador.
** JerkassHasAPoint: While he's a jerk about it, he does have a point that the Volus are treated like [[ButtMonkey Butt Monkeys]] despite being around far longer than the humans.
* TheMole: [[spoiler:Becomes one for Cerberus, feeling that they are the best chance to beat the Reapers after they helped stop the Collectors. Once he realizes how wrong he is, he cuts all ties with them.]]
* ProudMerchantRace: He feels that the volus should have a seat on the Council because they basically run the galaxy's economy.

[[folder:Hannah Shepard]]
[[WMG: Captain[=/=]Rear-Admiral Hannah Shepard]]
->"''[[CatchPhrase I have to go]]. But take care of yourself. You're making us proud.''"

-->'''Voiced by''': Jane Singer

If Commander Shepard has the Spacer background, Captain Hannah Shepard is Shepard's mother. She helps Shepard with a side mission involving a PTSD soldier friend of hers.

* ActionMom: What else would you expect from Spacer Shepard's mother?
* CatchPhrase: Though you only have two chances to speak with her, she signs off with "I have to go."
* FourStarBadass: She's a Captain in the first two games, though it's mentioned in the second that it's only because she keeps ''refusing'' to become an Admiral, preferring to continue to [[TheMenFirst serve with her crew]] instead of behind a desk. By the third game, she's been rapidly promoted to Real-Admiral, in part because of the losses the fleet have suffered, but mostly because she's so badass it's the rank that she honestly ''should'' be by this point. [[BadassFamily She is a Shepard, after all.]]
* ItRunsInTheFamily: A decorated Alliance soldier, well respected by her crew, and signs off with "[[CatchPhrase I have to go]]".
* TheMenFirst: Gives this reason as why she kept refusing to become an Admiral.
** Zabaleta recalls that she always stuck up for him when they served together on the ''Einstein''. The only reason he even agrees to go to Veterans Affairs Office to deal with his PTSD is because she told him to.
* OutlivingOnesOffspring: She had to experience this between the first and second game. This is part of the reason for her WhatTheHellHero message below. May have to do so ''again'' depending on the ending in the third.
* SoProudOfYou: Expressed in the above quote, and through Hackett in ''3''.
* TheVoice: Presumably because Shepard's mother looks like her child, and the player is the one who chooses what Shepard looks like.
* WhatTheHellHero: Sends Shepard an email in ''2'' asking why she had to learn her child was still alive [[http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Hannah_Shepard third hand]] through Alliance brass. She relents a little, assuming it's a classified thing, but still wants her kid to call.
** You can finally call her in the ''Citadel'' expansion of ''3''.

[[folder:Helena Blake]]
[[WMG: Helena Blake]]
[[quoteright:240:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/helena_blake_8386.png]]

-->''"Now if you'll excuse me, my men get nervous in the presence of law enforcement agents."''

-->'''Voiced by:''' Jane Singer

A member of a criminal syndicate who asks Shepard for help in eliminating two of her associates and allowing her to take over. If she survives, she shows up in the second game, either continuing her ways, or having reformed.

* DrugsAreBad: One of her driving motivations in asking for Shepard's help.
* EvenEvilHasStandards: Her motivation for killing the other crime bosses are that they condone slavery and selling of red sand, wheras she simply wants to smuggle illegal products.
* HeelFaceTurn: If you convince her to disband the gang, she shows up on Omega in the second game as a social worker. Shepard is impressed, and is at a loss as to how she could keep up the job on [[WretchedHive Omega]] of all places.
* KarmaHoudini: Any outcome that doesn't result in her death, although somewhat lessened if Shepard convinces her to undergo a HeelFaceTurn.
* MindOverMatter: A biotic.
* NobleDemon: Similar to Aria in many ways, which would explain why she's an underboss on Omega if she's allowed to continue running the gang.
* YoungerThanTheyLook: She looks like an older woman, but the fact that she's a biotic means she can't be older than 32-33 in the first game.

[[folder:Charles Saracino]]
[[WMG: Charles Saracino]]
[[quoteright:270:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/charles_saracino_6417.png]]

->'''Garrus:''' What happened at the mass relay was a misunderstanding. If you saw a child about to touch a gun, wouldn't you stop them?\\
'''Saracino''': I'd pull them away, yes. I wouldn't shoot them dead.

-->'''Voiced by''': Gary Anthony Williams

Leader of the pro-human Terra Firma party. Asks for Shepard's endorsement in his political campaign for a spacer seat in the Alliance parliament.

* AffablyEvil: To Shepard, at least. To Shepard's alien team members, he's less than polite, particularly with Liara.
** Although he's more cordial to Wrex, who actually ''agrees'' with his assertion that military power brings prestige. Of course, it may have also been because he's not stupid enough to insult a Krogan battlemaster to his face.
* BeardOfEvil: Bearded, and a high level member of a racist political party.
* BiggerStick: Discusses and supports this philosophy, believing that Earth should focus on military spending to both keep up with the rest of the galaxy and levy their military power into political clout, so that their opinion will be taken seriously. After all, it worked for the Turians.
* CatchPhrase: "Remember Terra Firma on election day, because Terra Firma remembers you!"
* CorruptPolitician: Sort of.
* DummiedOut: Cut news reports for ''[=ME2=]'' show what results Shepard's actions would have had. Had Shepard endorsed him, then Terra Firma would have gained seats in the recent election. Had Shepard refused, then Saracino would have been charged with tax evasion.
* EveryoneHasStandards: Ashley dislikes the party, in spite of her prejudices that may lead you to think otherwise; every point Saracino brings up, she counters coldly and with brutal accuracy. When he mentions Shanxi -- the root of Ashley's suspicion of turians especially -- she brusquely says that he wasn't ''there'', thus he should shut the hell up.
* FantasticRacism: The entire point of Terra Firma in practice. They do have a semi-reasonable platform (keeping humanity's unique cultural contributions alive in the rush to advance and discover what lies beyond the Solar System), but it attracts a lot of bare-faced xenophobes.
* FictionalPoliticalParty: Terra Firma is one.
* JerkassHasAPoint: Despite his politics and his party's racist beliefs, the quote he makes above does make sense.
** His comments about Humanity embracing the BiggerStick philosophy similarly aren't without precedent, considering their incredible military power was one of the main reasons the Turians gained their seat on the Council.
* TheStarscream: ''Ascension'' and the Shadow Broker's files show that he became party chairman when his chief rival, Claude Menneau, was assassinated by Cerberus because Mennau was seen as too moderate.
* UnwittingPawn: He's one for Cerberus -- the Illusive Man believed he'd be easier to influence than Mennau.

[[folder:Fai Dan]]
[[WMG: Fai Dan]]
[[quoteright:270:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/fai_dan_2542.png]]

-->''"I tried to fight it, but it gets in your head. You can't imagine the pain. I was supposed to be their leader. These people trusted me."''

-->'''Voiced by''': Armin Shimerman

Leader of the Zhu's Hope colony on Feros. Secretly, he's under the control of the Thorian like the rest of the colonists.

* BrainwashedAndCrazy: Though not to the extent of Reaper victims, given that the Thorian's mind control is different from indoctrination.
* DespairEventHorizon: Not being able to protect the colonists.
* DrivenToSuicide: Kills himself when the Thorian attempts to make him kill Shepard.
* EverythingFades: One of the few exceptions. While most bodies fade quickly, Fai Dan's body stays. There's also a noticeable pool of blood, one of only two times in the game.
* GoryDiscretionShot: The camera cuts away just before he shoots himself.
* MindControl: As with all of the colonists, he is being used by the Thorian.
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: More like, My God, What Did I Let Happen?, but he blames himself for what happened to the colonists, and is likely part of the reason for his suicide.
* UnwittingPawn: Part of the Zhu's Hope control group used by [=ExoGeni=] to study the Thorian.

[[folder:Kahoku]]
[[WMG: Rear Admiral Kahoku]]
http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kahoku_1881.png

-->'''Voiced by''': Brian George

A Systems Alliance officer and veteran of several battles against the Batarian's, including the Skyllian Blitz. He is encountered by Commander Shepard on the Citadel, where he is trying to find information on a group of his marines that went missing.

* AFatherToHisMen: He is highly respected by his soldiers, and in turn he is extremely dedicated to them as well.
* CharacterDeath: [[spoiler:He is captured and executed by Cerberus after uncovering their research facilities on Binthu.]]
* FourStarBadass: Served with distinction during the Skyllian Blitz.
* HappilyMarried: It is mentioned that he has a wife and three children.

!!Non-Council Space

[[folder:The Rachni Queen]]
[[WMG: The Rachni Queen]]
http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rachni_9742.png
[[caption-width:247:What will you sing? Will you release us? Are we to fade away once more?]]
->''"We are the mother. We sing for those left behind. The children you thought silenced. We are rachni."''

The Rachni Wars ended with the complete and utter annihilation of the rachni, or so the galaxy thought. Thousands of years later, the Binary Helix corporation discovered a cache of rachni eggs in cryogenic suspension. To their pleasant surprise, one of these eggs was a queen and, once hatched, many interested parties sought to use her to breed an army of rachni soldiers. Shepard encounters the Rachni Queen on Noveria and is presented with a choice: [[GenocideDilemma To kill her and end the rachni threat once and for all, or release her so that she can follow her dream of rebuilding her race]].

* BizarreAlienBiology: She contains the genetic material of her predecessors, which allows her to lay fertile eggs without mating. In addition, rachni communicate through whalesong-like sounds (which may be partially telepathic, since they can be [[SpaceIsNoisy heard in a near-vacuum]]) that they refer to as "singing". They also seem to have synethesia, having such descriptions as singing "a sour yellow note", and so on.
** Their method of communication is stated to be an organic version of quantum entanglement communication in the ''Leviathan'' DLC of ''3''. This is the technology that allows galaxy-wide communication in the series.
* BlueAndOrangeMorality: Asks Shepard to exterminate the remaining Rachni on Noveria, as they were born without her influence to shape their minds, leaving them completely feral. She admits it's regrettable, but it ''has'' to be done.
* CharacterizationMarchesOn: In ''Mass Effect 1'' and ''2'', it is claimed that the rachni were a peaceful race that were manipulated against their will into war with the rest of the galaxy. In ''3'', they were still manipulated, but it's indicated that they were pretty hostile anyway and were in fact ''bred'' to be vicious and cunning. The queen herself is also presented as being more alien than before, partially achieved by [[spoiler:having her speak using numerous krogan dead simultaneously to achieve a choir-like effect rather than the impression of speaking to a single entity.]]
** On the other hand, her rather abrasive temperament in the third game might be due to having been restrained, tortured and forced to give birth to children that were then turned into huskified abominations for several months. One can only begin to imagine how utterly ''pissed off'' she was by the time Shepard rescues her.
*** Also, if you compare the voice acting with that of her replacement, the Rachni Breeder, you will realize just how much gentler she sounds. Furthermore, if you refuse to help her this time, she won't hold it against you and accept your decision peacefully.
** Given that the queens possess GeneticMemory, you can understand why their offspring would be naturally be inclined to be hostile; considering the last time the rachni encountered sentient life in the Galaxy, the Protheans tried to turn them into ''[[BrainwashedAndCrazy shock-troops]]'' and tried to exterminate them when it didn't work!
* ChekhovsArmy: If Shepard spares her life, [[spoiler:she will send a messenger in the second game in order to pledge her support against the Reapers when the time comes.]]
* CloningBlues: [[spoiler: If you killed the Queen in ''1'', the one you encounter in ''3'' is a clone made by the Reapers.]]
* DidWeJustHaveTeaWithCthulhu: Shepard has the option to do this twice to her, once in the first game and again in the third. If you choose this option in the first, in the second game [[spoiler:an asari who's been in contact with them delivers a personal message from the Queen herself thanking you and offering her support against the Reapers]], and if you play your cards right she keeps her word and helps you build [[spoiler:the Crucible]] in the third game, leading to an amusing incident mentioned in an email where the rachni's presence freaks out most of the staff as yet another example of this trope.
* DistressedDamsel: At least, if the term "Damsel" can even apply to a giant insect. Regardless, the Rachni Queen gets captured in both ''1'' and ''3'', both times with Shepard being the only one to rescue her if they so choose.
* FaceDeathWithDignity: [[spoiler: If you decide to kill her in the first game, her asari thrall tries to stop you. If you leave her to die in the third game, she accepts it as a release from the Reapers' torture. Her breeder replacement, by contrast, screams at her children to kill you.]]
* GeneticMemory: Appears to be the case, at least between generations of rachni queens.
* GenocideDilemma: On one hand, everybody and their grandma tells you about how dangerous the Rachni Wars were. On the other hand, she's done nothing wrong and swears to live in peace. It's up to Shepard to decide how it goes.
* GodSaveUsFromTheQueen: [[spoiler:Averted in the second game; if you spare her, it seems she's held to her promise not to cause trouble, and pledges to aid you in any way that she can when the Reaper war begins]].
** [[spoiler: In ''Mass Effect 3'', she is found strapped to Reaper machinery and forced to give birth to Husk versions of the rachni. However, she still remains defiant and vengeful against the Reapers, and will aid you in the war effort if you chose to save her again. [[WildMassGuessing Possibly her genetic memory keeps her free will intact, even though the same doesn't apply to her children]].]]
** [[spoiler: Played straight with her Reaper-created clone, if you killed the original. If you spare her this time around, she and her children will ditch you in revenge, after massacring most of the Alliance engineering corps/]]
* HiveQueen: [[spoiler:One of the few good examples.]]
* LastOfHerKind: She is the only remaining rachni queen, which means the rachni race will die with her if she is killed.
* PeoplePuppets: Although she can do this, she only does it to communicate with Shepard and even then only because the person she's controlling is already (nearly) dead.
** Depending on dialogue choices, Shepard can show concern that she is doing this in the second game. However, the one that Shepard's worried about is happy to help the rachni.
*** Ironically, some of the backstory clearly hints that [[spoiler:those rachni who fought in the Rachni War were controlled by the Reapers. Sort of a parallel there with the heretic geth. The third game's ''Leviathan'' DLC, however, disproves this, and instead theorizes that the Leviathans may have been the ones controlling them.]]
* RoyalWe: Though as a HiveQueen who uses telepathy to calm and control her offspring, you could consider it a plural "we" as well. [[spoiler: Her Reaper-created clone, on the other hand, does not use this, which is an indicator that ''[[EvilTwin something is very wrong about her.]]'']]
* ShoutOut: Done almost whole-cloth (right down to the Queens killing the daughters that didn't share "harmonious" views) from the bugs in ''EndersGame''.
* StarfishAlien: Doesn't resemble anything remotely human.
* UndyingLoyalty: To Shepard, if they decide to let her go on Noveria. Before departing, she pledges to sing to her children of Shepard's mercy and in the second game, sends an envoy offering the rachni's support when it comes time to fight against the Reapers.
* VoiceOfTheLegion: In ''3'', [[spoiler:she uses about fifteen ''dead'' [[PeoplePuppets krogan puppets]] to speak with Shepard's squad.]]
* [[IAmTheTrope We Are The Trope]]:
-->We are the... mother. We sing for those left behind. The children you thought silenced. We are rachni.

[[folder:Vigil]]
[[WMG: Vigil]]
http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/vigil_6318.jpg
[[caption-width:350:My name is Vigil. You are safe here for the moment, but that will change. Soon, nowhere will be safe.]]
->"''You must break a cycle that has continued for millions of years. But to stop it, you must understand, or you will make the same mistakes we did.''"

-->'''Voiced by''': David Shaughnessy

A virtual intelligence on Ilos that is the last voice of the Protheans, who remained active just long enough to give Shepard critical information about the Reapers, and how the Protheans made one last ditch effort to warn future species about them.

* CallForward: Look closely at Vigil - after playing ''Mass Effect 3'', it's easier to see the Prothean form in the distorted image.
* CozyVoiceForCatastrophes: Understandable, since it's a virtual intelligence.
* DoAndroidsDream: Vigil has far more nuance and ability to comprehend things than any other VI you meet in the series. It's highlighted since soon after meeting him you get a chance to talk to the Citadel VI, Avina, again, and she is so clearly more limited. Maybe it can be credited to superior programming or personality imprints, and his leitmotif probably helps, but Vigil evokes an emotional response.
** It's later learned in ''MassEffect3'' that Prothean VI's contain the ''total'' [[BrainUploading imprints]] of a specific Prothean, as was the case of Vendetta, the VI at the Thessian temple of Athane. So, Vigil is the actual personality of the overseer Ksad Ishan, and bordering on, if not totally, an actual artificial intelligence.
* FlingALightIntoTheFuture: Vigil's sole purpose.
** {{Foreshadowing}}: Liara states that Vigil was the inspiration for her own plan in case things go wrong. [[spoiler: In the Refusal ending, it ''works''.]]
* {{Leitmotif}}: [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7bE3hUwylQ Vigil's theme]] is not only the menu music for the first game, but in ''Mass Effect 2'', it's the music played when you and Kaidan[=/=]Ashley meet again on Horizon, when you get a hearty welcome from Wrex, and when you have the "date" with Liara on the ''Normandy'' after she [[spoiler:assumes the Shadow Broker mantle]]. In ''Mass Effect 3'', it plays [[spoiler:after curing the genophage and/or after ending the geth-quarian war, in TheStinger]] and is also faintly playing on the menu screen.
** In the Citadel DLC, "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PinXwIZaQHc Liara's Theme]]" is a piano version of this song.
* MeaningfulName: In the most literal sense, considering its purpose.
* MrExposition: The rare positive variety.
* NoPlansNoPrototypeNoBackup: [[spoiler:In the sequel, apparently once Vigil powered down it could not be reactivated again, making it an even riskier GambitRoulette by the Protheans. It's possible this was so the Reapers wouldn't be able to retrieve anything from its databanks even after it powered down, but that meant they left the fate of all future civilisations -- sentient beings in numbers beyond counting -- suspended by a single, slim thread. Even if it was a thread they'd never had before. JustifiedTrope when you remember that he's been doing this for a very long time... He didn't power down naturally, he ran out of power completely.]] ''Mass Effect 3'''s "From Ashes" DLC subverts this by revealing that the Protheans had ''several'' alternate plans, [[spoiler: which makes sense considering the remnants of their society had no way of contacting each other and made their own plans.]] For example, [[spoiler: Javik was supposed to lead a million-man army of cryogenically-suspended Protheans in rebuilding the Empire after the Reapers left. Another attempted to covertly uplift the proto-asari as they were deemed the most apt to lead the next cycle of all the "primitives".]]
* {{Omniglot}}: Learned English merely by studying Shepard's radio chatter. Considering the Protheans were extreme Omniglots themselves who could learn an entire ''species's'' history just by ''touching'' them, this makes a ''lot'' of sense.
** Also counts as somewhat ironic. An earlier interaction with a damaged VI shows that because of the Cipher, Shepard was implanted with a subconscious understanding of the Prothean language, so learning English to communicate wasn't actually necessary at all.
** Vigil addresses this. At first, only Shepard understands any of the Prothean communiques. By the time Shepard arrives, Vigil has learned English. And it was necessary in that it would be useful for Shepard's two squadmates, especially if one is Liara, to communicate with it as well.
* RagnarokProofing: Somewhat averted. After 50,000 years, just enough to remain functional through the next cycle, Vigil's data is corrupted, and it finally gives out just after speaking to Shepard between the first and second games.
* ThemeNaming: The Prothean VIs have all been named with a "V" word: Vigil, Victory, and Vendetta.

[[folder:Han Olar]]
[[WMG: Han Olar]]
[[quoteright:270:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/han_olar_1063.png]]

-->''"Are you going to give me a 'you know too much' speech?"''

-->'''Voiced by''': Gord Marriott

A volus scientist at the Peak 15 research station on Noveria. Suffers severe survivor's guilt over letting a co-worker be killed by the rachni to save himself. Shepard runs across him while looking for Benezia.

* CreepyMonotone: He describes the death of his co-worker in gory detail, with no emotion in his voice. Even for a [[VaderBreath volus]], he sounds really cold.
* DeadpanSnarker: See the above quote. To the asari commando holding him at gunpoint, no less.
* OnlySaneMan: When a couple of fellow scientists tell him if he's going to be crazy, to be the quiet kind.
--> '''Han:''' Crazy? I'm sane. God, am I sane!
* SoleSurvivor: If you go to the hot labs first, then Han says that he's the only civilian left, Ventralis having killed the rest under Benezia's orders.
* SurvivorsGuilt: To such an extreme that in his message to Shepard in the second game, he practically wishes that he had been killed instead of his friend. At the very least, he's not ungrateful to Shepard.

* QuicklyDemotedLeader: As a Spectre, he is more or less in charge of the Eden Prime mission, only to be killed halfway through it.

* NotEvenBotheringWithTheAccent: He really doesn't sound like a Londoner.

* PornStash: According to EDI, he has a few ''zetta'bytes''[[note]] that means there is thousands of times more information in his porn stash than there is on the 2014 internet[[/note]] of the stuff hidden away in the ''Normandy'' computers. [[spoiler: She flooded Cerberus with it after they tried to shut her down remotely. And no, she wasn't joking about that. At least, not about the size of the porn stash.]]

* InsultFriendlyFire: Inflicts this upon himself after Tali's loyalty mission. Living aboard a ship your whole really screws with your priorities - uh, wait...

* WellIntentionedExtremist: [[MoralMyopia Only the eyes of a batarian.]] Shepard attempts to call him out on this, but it really doesn't do anything.