History MassEffect2 / TropesAToF

** People from Cerberus, a human supremacist organization, are surprisingly okay with having almost half your squad members be aliens. At least, they're less xenophobic than the crew of the original ''Normandy''. Justified with Paragon shepherd, since Cerberus picked it's "pro-human not anti-alien" personnel to avoid alienating Shepherd and/or chasing off useful squad members.

** Shepard ends up working as a Cerberus agent even when nobody trusts or likes them, and many of their party members have very personal reasons to hate them. You also cannot refuse any mission the Illusive Man offers when he calls you on the ''Normandy''. If Yeoman Chambers informs you that the Illusive Man wants to speak with you, you can't access the Galaxy Map until you finish the mission he gives you.

** More esoterically: when you first obtain Legion, your options are "Hand it over to Cerberus ForScience" or "Let me talk to it first." The ExactWords of the latter imply that you've merely deferred the decision and can still package it up ''after'' activating it (which is far more [[JerkAss Renegade]] if you [[FridgeLogic think about it]]), but no: if you take that option, Legion joins your party. Period. It is, however, pointed out by Miranda that it will likely be difficult to deactivate Legion once it's active, but you're never given the opportunity to try, or to take Jacob's suggestion of destroying and [[ThrownOutTheAirlock spacing]] it. What makes this more bizarre is how closely this resembles your acquisition of Grunt, whom you can choose to keep in his tank or awaken; in his case, leaving him alone will keep him out of your party.

* ArtificialStupidity: Part of what makes LOKI mechs such weak and easy-to-kill enemies is the fact that, much of the time, they don't use any kind of combat tactics and don't have the wit to try to hide behind something. They just slowly advance towards you in a manner that makes it simple to just mow them down. The in-game Codex acknowledges this behaviour and justifies it due to the use of primitive VI.
** However, on Hardcore and Insanity, they suddenly learn how to aim properly, gain armor over their normal health bar and do more damage. Since they do not utilize cover and just walk towards you while firing, they become more dangerous than more powerful, but cover-using enemies. They are still breakable with a few melee hits, though, in spite of the armor.
* ArtisticLicenseBiology: Mordin says the Collectors are coming after humans because of their genetic diversity, much greater than other species. That's crap. Genetic diversity is decreased if a population can mix their genes, and increased when you have separate populations. Humans, having only recently arrived on the scene, should be the ''least'' diverse group. ''Vorcha'' would be the most diverse, having spread throughout the galaxy and having a very short lifespan. Even among Earth species, human genetic diversity is shockingly low, due to a near-extinction event during the ice age in 70,000 BC, which put the human population down to numbers as low as 5000 by some estimates.
** [[FridgeBrilliance Of course]], that's assuming human-style genetic mixing is the norm. (Salarians feature [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haplodiploidy haplodiploidy]] and asari explicitly don't receive genetic information during reproduction -- that's already half of the Council races.)

-->'''Vending Machine:''' Only losers drink '''Paragade'''! You want Tupari! Winners drink Tupari!

-->'''Shepard:''' I came ''back''.\\

** [[spoiler:Not all of the NPC crewmates will die in the final mission, but take too long and one of the people you rescue will be traumitized because they saw everyone else die before her.]]

* ArtisticLicenseBiology: Mordin says the Collectors are coming after humans because of their genetic diversity, much greater than other species. That's crap. Genetic diversity is decreased if a population can mix their genes, and increased when you have separate populations. Humans, having only recently arrived on the scene, should be the ''least'' diverse group. ''Vorcha'' would be the most diverse, having spread throughout the galaxy and having a very short lifespan.

* DeathWorld: You find out from Mordin that the genophage was designed to reduce the successful birthrate of the krogan to their pre-uplift levels. Considering that only one in a thousand krogan have successful births, and how tough krogan are, Tuchanka is pretty damn terrifying. It should be noted, though, that the decrepitude of their homeworld had nothing to do with the salarians introducing the genophage; it was a by-product of the krogan endlessly fighting each other over thousands of years.

* DefiantToTheEnd: An Eclipse lieutenant in Samara's recruitment mission refuses to give the justicar her target's whereabouts. Also, you could consider this to be true for Shepard, if they're KilledOffForReal.
* DegradedBoss: The first boss in the game is a YMIR Mech. You fight more of them in later missions, including [[DualBoss two at once]] in Garrus's loyalty mission.

** All your former teammates except for Garrus and Tali have been reduced to {{Quest Giver}}s (Wrex and Liara) or {{One Scene Wonder}} ([[spoiler:the Virmire survivor]]). However, Liara does get GuestStarPartyMember status with "The Lair of the Shadow Broker".

* DespairEventHorizon: The ending if everyone dies. [[spoiler:Not only is Joker deeply depressed and Shepard dead, but the army of mecha-Cthulhu are on their way. Good luck, humanity]].

* DestinationDefenestration: In Thane's recruitment mission, a Renegade interrupt allows Shepard to do this to an Eclipse mercenary. The sequence was used to demonstrate the interrupt system in pre-release demos. Also happens when you meet Samara.

* DevelopersDesiredDate: The developers have admitted that they had the story nudge Male Shepard to Tali and Female Shepard to Thane, with the latter's species having been designed from the ground up to be as attractive as possible. Kelly Chambers is the only LoveInterest in ''[=ME2=]'' with whom Shepard cannot have an intimate scene, only being available for an optional lap dance (she also doesn't give the achievement for romancing one of your shipmates).

** Samara and Morinth's biotic showdown.

** Shepard's Murder Pistol, a distant cousin of Dragon Age's Murder Knife.

*** Zaeed's loyalty mission, if you choose to continue chasing after his target, ends with him ejecting a thermal clip on a puddle of gasoline, setting his mark on fire. Outside of that one scene, spent thermal clips are essentially useless.
*** The last boss on Kasumi's loyalty mission is on a gunship whose shields regenerate after taking them down once. The second time, a cutscene occurs in which Kasumi makes her way on top of the gunship and disables its shields.

-->'''Jacob Taylor''': The core is just black holes and exploding suns. There are no habitable planets there.

* ADayInTheLimelight: Each individual squadmate (with the sole exception of [[spoiler:Morinth]]) has a loyalty mission centered on their character, for which they're a {{Required Party Member}}.

* DeadguyJunior: If you hang around the Sirta Foundation store in the Citadel, you learn that the baby from the [[VideoGame/MassEffect1 previous game's]] side quest "Family Matter" was named Jacob, after his father. [[PlanetOfSteves Not to be confused with the Jacob who is the first member of your party.]]

* DeathOrGloryAttack: Vanguard Charge. Either it's a spectacular close-range bulldozer, or plants you right in the middle of an enemy horde.

--->'''[[ByTheBookCop Anaya]]:''' I have no interest in dying.

* AirQuotes: The Turian Councillor makes sarcastic air quotes ("Ah yes, 'Reapers'...") when dismissing your claims of an army of robotic {{Eldritch Abomination}}s making their way towards the Milky Way. This quickly became a MemeticHandGesture among the players, as literally the first thing that happens in ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' is the Reapers descending upon the galaxy and tearing it a new one.

* FourElementEnsemble: Four defense types, health, armor, shields and barriers. Weapons deal bonus damage to specific defenses in a mostly random fashion; most tech and biotic abilities are severely restricted, forcing you to bring along team members that make up for your weaknesses. Eventually you inevitably end up with a weapons guy, an engineer and a biotic in your squad and ignore everyone else.

* AwfulWeddedLife: Wouldn't you know it? Conrad Verner is married! And his wife finds him as annoying as Sheperd does. She paid for his ticket offworld so he could go plat at being like Sheperd.

* FunnyBackgroundEvent: Asking Conrad Verner about his N7 armor will cause him to mention how supportive his wife was of all his expenses...including his last shuttle offworld. Cue a facepalm from the bartender behind him.

* DevelopersDesiredDate: The developers have admitted that they had the story nudge Male Shepard to Tali and Female Shepard to Thane, with the latter's species having been designed from the ground up to be as attractive as possible. Kelly Chambers is the only LoveInterest in ''[=ME2=]'' with whom Shepard cannot have an intimate scene, only being available for an optional lap dance.

* {{Brainwashed}}: Common theme, including the Reapers' indoctrination of [[spoiler:the entire Prothean race, as well as the heretic geth in a... heroic example?]]. Also, [[spoiler:victims of [[DeathBySex ardat-yakshi]]]], ''literally'', in their case.

* BuryYourGays: Figuratively. Like its predecessor, there is a great deal of same-sex content written and voice acted for both men and women, and [[DummiedOut still remaining on the game disks]], but it can only be dug out with editor programs. Also literally for Nef in Samara's loyalty quest, and potentially for [[spoiler:Kelly Chambers and even female Shepard if she chooses to [[DeathBySex romance Morinth]] (though the same happens to a male Shepard).]]
* ButForMeItWasTuesday: A Renegade's reaction to Fist is to tell him he forgot about him five minutes after he told him to scram. Fist will mutter that at least Shepard could have remembered the name of the guy who's life he ruined.

* AnyoneCanDie: All twelve squadmates, all of the supporting crew (except for Joker and EDI), and [[spoiler:Shepard]] can be killed during the suicide mission.

* ElectricInstantGratification: The subject of... [[ADateWithRosiePalms nerve stimulation systems]]... comes up a couple of times. Mentioned by Tali offhandedly during her romance path; also mentioned by the "Valley Girl Quarian", who was apparently quite willing to demonstrate its use ''in public'', until she and her turian friend suddenly notice you eavesdropping.

* EarnYourBadEnding: Getting the worst ending (where ''[[EverybodyDiesEnding everyone]]'', including Shepard, dies) is surprisingly difficult. Even a new player who has no idea what they're doing is bound to have at least a few squadmates survive the suicide mission. It's difficult to kill everyone accidentally, and doing it ''[[VideoGameCrueltyPotential deliberately]]'' requires knowledge of how the survival mechanic in the final mission works. If you have the two DLC that add more party members (one of whom is actually the optimal choice for one of the final gauntlet challenges), then getting the worst possible ending is functionally impossible, because so many people will survive to the end challenge that they may get either Grunt or Zaeed out anyway.

* CommandRoster: As Commander Shepard, the player character takes on the role of TheCaptain. Your default companions Miranda and Jacob serve as your NumberTwo and Security Officer respectively, offering contrasting advice for you throughout the game. Mordin is specifically recruited as a science officer, while Garrus, returning from the first game, sees to the ship's main guns. Tali's technical knowledge, meanwhile, exceeds that of even your actual [[TheEngineer chief engineer]] -- Adams says as much himself. The rest of your recruitable companions mainly provide value to the crew through their combat expertise, with the other technical roles on the ship (helmsman, [[TheMedic medical officer]], CommunicationsOfficer, chef, etc.) being filled out by the [=NPC=]s who start out in the ship.

---> '''Mordin:''' Better funded [than the Spectres], though. Didn't have to ''[[LampshadeHanging buy our own weapons]]''.

---> '''Bailey:''' Whenever you would delete something, the VI would say "I delete data like you on the way to real errors."\\

** Or, in this case, the Shadow Broker's lair, which you can find on the DLC titled, well, ''Lair of the Shadow Broker''. After Liara [[spoiler: becomes the new Shadow Broker]], the lair gives the player a lot of interesting tidbits on some of the characters. It also gives the player a sizable [[ArchiveBinge archive to binge on.]] Included in its archive of video clips and dossiers are:

* AndIMustScream: What happens to victims of a seeker swarm, as you'll see on Horizon. They're fully aware of their surroundings -- they can even move their eyes -- but are unable to move their bodies or speak. The first victim that the player gets to see is [[spoiler: the squadmate you chose to save on Virmire]] back in ''VideoGame/MassEffect1''.
** Also, in the ''Overlord'' [=DLC=], [[spoiler: the fate of David, until you rescue him]]. Of course, the thing is, he ''is'' screaming... [[spoiler:And what's more, if you listen right, you can hear that he's screaming "Help me, please!" and "Make it stop!"]]
** This is revealed to be the fate of the [[spoiler: entire Prothean race, having been turned into the Collectors to act as subservient slaves to the Reapers. Although, by the time of ''Mass Effect 2'', it's unclear just how aware of this they are]].
** A difficult-to-get [[http://youtu.be/CqtAHNQT3-w conversation with Legion]] strongly suggests that [[spoiler: the minds of the millions of people melted down to create each Reaper body all still exist, uploaded and [[MindHive conjoined]]]].

* AntiHeroTeam: TheSquad itself, especially if led by a Renegade Shepard. It consists of two members of a paramilitary terrorist organization, a vigilante, a DeadlyDoctor, a master assassin, an near-AxCrazy biotic convict, a genetically "perfect" member of a [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Proud Warrior Race]], a KnightTemplar [[spoiler: who can be replaced by her [[OutWithABang Sex Demon]] daughter]], [[spoiler: [[TokenHeroicOrc a Geth Platform]],]] a master thief, and an amoral mercenary who only cares about [[OnlyInItForTheMoney money]] and revenge. Tali is possibly the only member who doesn't qualify as an AntiHero, and she makes it clear she is only there as a favor to Shepard.

** In Tali's loyalty mission, one of these is a major TearJerker. A log plays a female quarian frantically saying "Jona, if you ever see this, be strong for Daddy. Mommy loves you very much--" ''as she's being killed.'' In ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'', [[spoiler: the TearJerker steps up a few notches as you encounter a dying quarian on Rannoch -- who asks you to tell Jona his father died on the homeworld. Poor kid...]]

** The Overlord DC has two: "It all seemed harmless" and "[[spoiler: QUIET PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!]]" The latter is particularly omnipresent, being played (distorted) every time you interact with a console.

* ArtisticLicensePaleontology: The Illusive Man claims that a 37 million year-old [[spoiler: (supposedly) dead Reaper]] is the "last remnant of a battle that took place when mammals were still taking their first steps upon the Earth." Mammals first evolved in the Late Triassic, about 225 million years ago.

** [[spoiler: The Human Reaper]]. Bonus points since its weak points are actually called... "[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Weak Point]]".

--> '''Shepard:''' We will fight and win without it. '''I will not let fear compromise who I am.'''

*** You can also invoke this trope after siding with [[spoiler: Miranda]]. "Charming" [[spoiler: Jack]] doesn't invoke this trope, but "Intimidating" [[spoiler: Jack]] has Shepard tell her that they sided with [[spoiler: Miranda]] because [[spoiler: Jack]] is tough when she's angry and Shepard didn't want her to lose her edge, and besides how would she have reacted if Shepard had kissed her ass?

*** Or, if you sided with [[spoiler: Legion]], the "Intimidate" option invokes this trope by explaining to [[spoiler: Tali]] that [[spoiler: if Shepard makes Legion instead of Tali happy, then the geth fleet will ''soak up fire'' like pets as the quarian fleet battles the Reapers]].

--> '''Shepard:''' I'm glad you saw reason.\\

* BefriendingTheEnemy: Commander Shepard can pull this with Jack. Jack is a violent, AxCrazy criminal with a DarkAndTroubledPast and Shepard can help her deal with her demons in a number of ways. Jack goes through several levels of resistance, first warning Shepard that she knows what Shepard is trying to do and that it won't work, followed by (if Shepard is male) propositioning for sex (because she thinks that's the only reason a guy would treat her nicely), followed by acting like a {{Tsundere}}. If Jack is romanced in that game, [[LoveRedeems it works.]] [[spoiler: It also works without the romance come the third game, if Jack survived]].

** The Collectors also exploit this in regards to the Vorcha on Omega. The Vorcha are treated as pests by the other races and are considered too unintelligent to do something like [[spoiler: spread an engineered plague virus.]]

--> '''Mordin:''' Trying to determine how scale-itch got onto ''Normandy''. Sexually transmitted disease only carried by varren. Implications... unpleasant.

** Outside of the Heavy Weapons category, three huge -- and mutually exclusive, so choose wisely -- guns are available to be picked up on the Collector ship: The Claymore heavy shotgun for Vanguards or Soldiers, the Widow anti-materiel rifle for Infiltrators or Soldiers, and the Soldier-only Revenant light machine gun (the Soldier is the only class that actually gets to choose between them, the aforementioned specialist classes have to choose between their specialist gun or training with another class of weapon). Each of the three weapons is an enormous [[OurWeaponsWillBeBoxyInTheFuture brick of a gun]], and in the case of the Claymore and Widow can only manage one shot before the cooling slug has to be ejected and replaced. The recoil of all three is supposed to break the arm of a regular human... but the re-engineered Shepard is no ordinary human. Apart from Shepard, the Claymore is available to Grunt and the Widow is available to [[spoiler: Legion]] as their research upgrades.

** There's also the Great Rift on Klendagon, first seen in ''[[VideoGame/MassEffect1 Mass Effect]]'', which was made by a glancing blow by an immensely powerful mass accelerator fired ''thirty-seven million years ago''. [[spoiler: It's what killed the Reaper in the IFF mission]].

--> '''Vending machine:''' Tupari: Brings your ancestors back from the grave!

--> '''Jacob:''' You really think Wilson's capable of that?\\

* BlamedForBeingRailroaded: Most of the characters who knew Shepard in the previous game greet him or her with a vehement "WhatTheHellHero" upon learning that he or she has joined Cerberus, a notoriously xenophobic human organization with no qualms about atrocious human rights violations and unethical experiments, even on humans. However, most of those characters ''eventually'' come around. Not so with the Virmire Survivor (Ashley or Kaidan), who remains adamantly against the idea and refuses to have a civil conversation with Shepard for the entire game. Nevermind the fact that the player is forced to work for Cerberus for the entirety of the game, no matter what choices are made in this game or the previous one. [[spoiler: Though being nice to the Survivor in this game makes them more amenable in the next game.]]

--> '''Joker:''' EDI, get us out of here!\\

--> "No two species are identical. All must be judged on their own merits. Treating every species like one's own is racist. Even benign anthropomorphism."

** On a similar level, Thane's beliefs regarding the separation between his mind and his body, and the distinction that leads him to make regarding actions his ''body'' took versus things he holds himself personally accountable for, come across as quite alien and can be difficult for both Shepard and the player to wrap their minds around. A pretty telling example is when Thane opens up about him hunting [[spoiler: his wife's killers]]. One Shepard response has them saying that by Thane's own beliefs, he merely acted on instinct, to which Thane responds that those kills are the only ones he committed on his own prerogative; the only deaths on his conscience.

--> '''Mercenary:''' I've got nothing more to say to you.\\

--> '''Shepard:''' Just another routine mission.

* {{Brainwashed}}: Common theme, including the Reapers' indoctrination of [[spoiler: the entire Prothean race, as well as the heretic geth in a... heroic example?]]. Also, [[spoiler:victims of [[DeathBySex ardat-yakshi]]]], ''literally'', in their case.

** Played straight with [[spoiler: Dr. Amanda Kenson]] from the ''Arrival'' DLC.

** Literally the only option for Joker, since he has glass bones. Regarding his inability to [[spoiler: defend the ''Normandy'', he remarks: "What was I supposed to do [against Collectors]? Break my arm at them?"]]

* BystanderSyndrome: What's that, Shepard? Saved the Council? Destroyed a Reaper in the middle of the Citadel? They promised you support in your hunt for the rest of the Reapers and their eternal gratitude? [[spoiler: Sucker]].

* {{Catfight}}: [[spoiler: Jack and Miranda]] after completing both their loyalty missions.

--> '''Legion''': Geth do not ''intentionally'' infiltrate.

** It's a good idea to fully upgrade the ''Normandy''. Though some of them don't give any immediate benefit, they prove to be ''immensely'' useful later on. [[spoiler: The lives of three of your squadmates after crossing the Omega-4 relay depend on those upgrades, particularly those suggested by Jacob (ship armor), Garrus (improved weaponry) and Tali (drive core shielding)]].

--> '''Shepard:''' Hey everyone! This store discriminates against the poor!

* ClusterFBomb: [[spoiler: Joker when the Collectors have boarded the ''Normandy''.]]
--> "Shit. Shit-shit-shit. What the ''shit?''"

* ColonyDrop: In the ''Arrival'' DLC, [[spoiler: performing one is your ''main objective''. It succeeds spectacularly. And the repercussions of this are severe]].

---> '''Jack:''' They ''really'' liked that moon.

--> '''EDI:''' I enjoy the sight of humans on their knees. (''long pause'') That is a joke.

* CommandRoster: Much like the first game, some roles depend on how you play it out.You take on the role of TheCaptain asCommander Shepard. Your default companions Miranda and Jacob serving as your NumberTwo and Security Officer respectively and the two high-authority positions allow them to offer contrasting advice for you throughout the game. Mordin, Tali, and Garrus serve the scientific and technological roles on a spaceship as experts on science, engineering, and armaments respectively. The rest of your companions mainly provide value to the ship through their combat expertise, with the other technical roles on the ship (pilot, medical officer, communication chief, chef) being filled out by the unrecruitable [=NPC=]s who start out in the ship.
* CompanionSpecificSidequest: Standard issue for a Bioware game - except in this case the companion quests are the whole ''point.'' The bulk of the game involves recruiting and securing the loyalty of your teammates, with Shepard being more of a [[FirstPersonPeripheralNarrator peripheral / viewpoint]] character to their various arcs.

--> "And be sure to see the production live: an unforgettable fourteen-hour experience!"

--> This one has forgotten whether its heat sink is over capacity. It wonders whether the criminal scum considers itself fortunate.

* CradlingYourKill: Thane does a version of this [[spoiler: with Nassana]] in his introductory scene.
* CrapsackWorld: Depending on the choices you made in the first game, the state of affairs in the second game can be rather [[{{Dystopia}} dystopian]]. Some of the possibilities: [[FantasticRacism other species having anti-human race riots]] on the Citadel, the Alliance and the other militaries having serious problems keeping the fleets up to snuff, humanity's relationship with all other Citadel species being increasingly strained and antagonistic... hell, the list goes on and on. Just listen to the Galactic News on the Citadel, or talk to Avina. And that's not even considering the AnyoneCanDie nature of the final mission, where even Shepard can be KilledOffForReal, plus [[spoiler: the massive fleet of Reapers shown advancing on the galaxy in the ending]].

* CriticalStaffingShortage: Happens to the ''Normandy'' after [[spoiler: the Collectors abduct the entire crew minus the {{Player Character}}s and Joker.]]

** Even before that, when Shepard is [[spoiler: trapped in the room with the artifact while wave after wave of Project troops tries to kill them]]. While you can lose the battle at any point and still continue, it is ''much'' more satisfying to go the full 5 waves, on your own, with no real cover, against vastly superior numbers, and only be taken out by the Reaper equivalent of a DeusExMachina. At that point, it sure feels like ''nothing else'' can stop you. There is, of course, an achievement for doing this.

* CyanidePill: Cerberus employees get one in their molar as a standard feature. Mordin is dismissive, noting that "ocular nerve flashbangs" are harder to disarm. [[spoiler: This comes back in a truly horrible brick-joke in ''3'', where indoctrinated Cerberus agents are revealed to now be implanted with them. Guess Mordin didn't get all of the bugs out of his lab after all, although he ''did'' return the expensive one to Miranda]].

* DarkIsNotEvil: Seems to be the main theme in regards to the squad. Many of them (aside from your returning teammates) are criminals (Jack, Kasumi), assassins (Thane), working for Cerberus (Jacob and Miranda), or otherwise untrustworthy (Grunt, Zaeed, [[spoiler: Legion]]). However, the problem is that, aside from [[PsychoForHire Jack]] and [[BountyHunter Zaeed]] (before CharacterDevelopment sets in, at least), none of your teammates are ''evil'' per se (Mordin and Samara, for example).
* DarkReprise: [[spoiler: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCk4RiKH9H0 "The End Run"]], the song that plays as you and the team escape from the Collector Base, sounds slightly different in the event [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=al-VeZaTKSk Shepard dies]].]]

* DeadpanSnarker: Every team member ([[MyFriendsAndZoidberg and Joker]]). For example, Shepard talking to Detective Anaya during Samara's recruitment mission will have them tell Anaya to not have to go through with restraining Samara (which would get her killed, due to justicar law), because she has a right to disobey suicidal orders. Your teammates will dryly comment that they didn't know they were allowed to do that, considering that Shepard pits them against impossible odds about twice a day ([[spoiler: Legion]] narrows this down to 2.73 times a day, rounded down).

---> '''[[ByTheBookCop Anaya]]:''' I have no interest in dying.

** During Jacob's loyalty mission, you stumble upon the surviving crewmembers of the crashed MSV ''Hugo Gernsback'', most of whom [[PhlebotinumInducedStupidity have undergone neural decay as a result of eating the local food]]. None of them are in a good place mentally after eight years spent on Aeia, and the first one you talk to can be heard shrieking that she just wants to go home. [[spoiler: Turns out that Jacob's father - having sole access to the ship's original stock of rations - refused to launch the distress beacon; instead, he kept his brain-damaged subordinates trapped on the planet for eight years while he posed as a god to them, treating the female crewmembers as his personal harem.]]

--> '''Merc:''' I've got nothing more to say to you.\\

* DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu: In the end, you fight a [[spoiler: fledgling Reaper, on foot, with only two of your sidekicks]].

--> '''Joker:''' I'm glad things worked out, Commander. I was worried you'd [[spoiler:dump Samara for some crazy soul-sucker with a death fetish, all lithe and sexy and]]... never mind.

--> '''Mordin:''' Salarians created genophage... I've heard. Still trust them with medicine and agriculture?\\

--> '''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q1IaWLsyrQ Gunnery Sergeant]]:''' And that is why Sir Isaac Newton is the '''''DEADLIEST-SON-OF-A-BITCH-IN-SPACE!!'''''

--> '''Shepard:''' So you're crazy, so what? That's practically stamped on the boarding pass for this mission.

** [[spoiler: Not all of the NPC crewmates will die in the final mission, but take too long and one of the people you rescue will be traumitized because they saw everyone else die before her.]]

* EarthShatteringKaboom: In the ''Arrival'' DLC, [[spoiler: literally. Shepard destroys a mass relay, which causes a supernova-sized explosion that wipes out the entire star system it's in]].

--> '''Quarian:''' Here, let me fire it up... Uh, excuse me, human? Private conversation? Ugh.

** The Collectors seem to love this trope; [[spoiler:a giant particle beam is the only weapon their cruiser uses]], and the [[spoiler: Oculus drones guarding the Omega-4 Relay nearly tear the ''Normandy'' apart with their lasers]].

--> '''Kaidan Alenko:''' They probably just want to keep everything running. It has to be hard keeping all these cultures working together.\\

--> '''Kasumi:''' They're really selling the "geth did it" message. I bet you can't even say "Reapers" without inciting a panic. Reapers!

--> '''Shepard:''' The lack of flashlight heads is kind of a dead giveaway.

--> '''Enyala:''' (''talking to Miranda'') I was just waiting for you to finish getting dressed. Or does Cerberus really let you whore around in that outfit?

* FeministFantasy: The franchise does a great job with its female characters, which is one of the reasons why the game has such a large EstrogenBrigade. Since the first game, every squad in the series has had a roughly 1:1 gender distribution, with women warriors potentially outnumbering the men if you play as female or [[spoiler: save Ashley on Virmire]]. Even the more sexualized characters, like Miranda and Samara, are ''far'' more than eye candy and receive plenty of CharacterDevelopment throughout the series that turns them into, well, people rather than objects. ''Mass Effect'' also shows plenty of women as soldiers, scientists, and other strong individuals among the N.P.C.s and background characters. The real icon of the feminist influence in ''Mass Effect'' though female Shepard, who manages to surpass being a typical PurelyAestheticGender RPG protagonist due to Creator/JenniferHale's extremely well done voice performance for the character and Creator/BioWare's acknowledgement and endorsement of female Shepard as a strong female protagonist.

** Subverted in [[spoiler:the Collector cruiser]]. Lots of space, lots of cover...no bad guys. [[NothingIsScarier It gets very creepy very quickly.]] Don't worry, [[spoiler: it changes]].

** A minor one that's very easy one to miss, especially since it's optional dialogue, but it hints at how Archangel ended up cornered with his entire team dead. If Shepard presses Eclipse's leader for details about Archangel's past and identity, Jaroth says that even Archangel's team didn't know that. [[spoiler: How would Jaroth have any idea what Garrus's team did or didn't know? Simple: Sidonis told him]].
*** On the same mission, something that hints at Archangel's true identity: [[spoiler: Although he will shoot you if you hang around in the open too long, instantly taking down your shields, he will ''never'' take another shot at you until your shields regenerate]]. He even lampshades this later, if you mention it.
** Many more have turned up now that ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' is out. For example, in the ''Lair of the Shadow Broker DLC'', Thane's dossier mentions that [[spoiler: recovery from major injuries is exceptionally difficult due to his Kepral's Syndrome, and a serious enough wound will kill him. If he survives the suicide mission, this is exactly what happens. Thane survives the fight with Kai Leng, and then dies from his injuries.]]
*** Similarly, Tali mentions that in order for a quarian of her generation to watch a sunset without a mask on, the quarians would have to take back their homeworld. [[spoiler: If you take back the quarian homeworld, that's the first thing Tali does.]]
** A little and more subtle is the fact that the Normandy SR-2 crew doesn't wear combat gear. [[spoiler: This means that the ship is under a lot more danger if it's boarded and the party isn't there. [[FinaglesLaw This happens.]]]]
** During the ''Arrival'' DLC mission, a log made by Dr. Kenson after she'd [[spoiler: already been heavily indoctrinated has her coming to the ludicrous conclusion that they simply don't know what the Reapers want, and it's foolish to assume they mean doom for everyone since life goes on even though they've been here before. Come VideoGame/MassEffect3, she was closer to being right than anyone realized]].
** Also during ''Arrival'', there are some blink-and-you'll miss it clues that [[spoiler: Kenson and her team are already indoctrinated]]. like a batarian security log that reports the prisoners were raving incoherently, and one that's very easy to miss is a prison cell with a blood stain on the floor and body next to it. And up on the wall is a bloody human handprint [[CouldntFindAPen and a drawing of a Reaper in blood]].
** The BossFight of the Shadow Broker DLC - you figure out pretty quick that the Broker can't be defeated conventionally with [[FighterMageThief bullets, biotics or tech attacks]]. You need Liara's help to figure out how to use the Broker's own technology against him to take him down. If only we knew [[spoiler: that this is how the entire third game plays out with a different enemy.]]

** Zaeed's mission gives you another reminder that sometimes the choice is between saving innocent lives at the cost of letting the BigBad pull a KarmaHoudini or nailing that BigBad but sacrificing innocents in the process. [[spoiler: Come VideGame/MassEffect3 and you are stuck making a similar choice with the Reapers. Destroy but sacrifice EDI, the Geth, and whatever other artificial intelligences that are out there, or Synthesis which saves them all but let's the Reapers get off scot free. Well, there's always Control, where the Reapers become your slaves.]]

** In the post-mission summary for the Reaper IFF mission, the Illusive Man notes how much information Cerberus gained about the husk creation process from the data about the husks in that mission. [[spoiler: In the next game we learn that they wanted that information so they can create their own husks as part of a larger plan to control the Reapers themselves.]]

* FullConversionCyborg: The game eventually reveals that the Collectors, despite appearing to be InsectoidAliens, are heavily-disguised cyborgs. They were originally a race conquered and enslaved by [[MechanicalAbomination the Reapers]], but as [[MindRape indoctrination destroyed their intelligence]], they were implanted with Reaper tech to compensate; over generations of cloning and genetic experimentation, more implants were added to replace organs that failed to form, until the Collectors were reduced to carapaces draped over highly-sophisticated machinery. Today, they're just cheap clones kept active through one-size-fits-all implants. And that species that the Collectors used to be? [[spoiler: The Protheans -- a race so different that you'd be hard-pressed to find similarities between the two.]]

** The Avalanche. It's [[IncrediblyLamePun kinda cool]] how it can shatter enemies in one hit, but most of the time it just freezes them, leaving the shattering up to you. Cryo rounds might still be impractical on some difficulties, but at least they don't burn heavy weapon ammo.

* CommandRoster: Much like the first game, some roles depend on how you play it out.
** TheCaptain: Commander Shepard.
** NumberTwo: Miranda officially, although Garrus and Joker can serve in a similar capacity.
** WrenchWench: Tali.
** The Scientist: Mordin, who is also technically [[TheMedic a medic]] but doesn't serve in that position on the ship.
** TheMedic: Dr. Chakwas, like the first game.
** Security Officer: Jacob and Garrus are in charge of armaments and usually the ones you consult on mission efficiency.
** The Marine: Comes in several varieties.
*** ColdSniper: Zaeed, Thane and [[spoiler: Legion.]]
*** ReligiousBruiser: Samara and Thane, who both live by strict codes and speak often of deities.
*** TheBerserker: Grunt and Jack. Grunt because he's a [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Krogan]], Jack just because she's angry at the universe.
*** PhantomThief: Kasumi.
*** SixthRanger: [[spoiler: Legion, and Morinth if you take up her offer to betray Samara]].
** AcePilot: Joker.
** MissionControl: EDI and Joker.
** TheShrink[=/=]Communications Officer: Kelly, who manages all crew communications.
** TheNeidermeyer: The Illusive Man, whom no one really trusts.

* ContinueYourMissionDammit: From Grunt's Rite of Passage: "Ready for another round? Hit the Keystone, Shepard." Yes, Grunt, we get it.

* AntiFrustrationFeatures: The ''Legendary Edition'' version of the game allows a player who's already finished the first game to import 10% of their money from that game, along with dramatically increasing the amount of money given for completing story missions, alleviating one of the major problems of the game - running out of money.

* AntiHeroTeam: TheSquad itself, especially if led by a Renegade Shepard. It consists of two members of a paramilitary terrorist organization, a vigilante, a DeadlyDoctor, a master assassin, an AxCrazy biotic convict, a genetically "perfect" member of a [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Proud Warrior Race]], a KnightTemplar [[spoiler: who can be replaced by her [[OutWithABang Sex Demon]] daughter]], [[spoiler: [[TokenHeroicOrc a Geth Platform]],]] a master thief, and an OnlyInItForTheMoney mercenary. Tali is possibly the only member who doesn't qualify as an AntiHero, and she makes it clear she is only there as a favor to Shepard.

* DifficultySpike: Any level involving the Collectors. The geth as well, but to a lesser extent. Their rifles will strip your shields just as fast as the Collectors', but do less damage against health and the geth themselves are weaker. It probably helps to know which squadmates to bring along when you can anticipate what you're about to face; for example, the Collectors' defenses are usually armors or barriers (both, in the case of Harbinger and the Praetorian), so biotics would be very useful against them. The Collectors also usually bring with them the [[BossInMookClothing nuisance]] that is Harbinger.