History ShoutOut / MassEffect

* When Kelly Chambers changes her identity her new name references [[HeroesWantRedheads two redheads]] well known in [[JustForFun/OneOfUs certain circles,]] given that her new name is Creator/{{Felicia|Day}} [[Creator/AlysonHannigan Hannigan.]]

** He also leads a horde of [[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4 all-female assassin ninja]].

* While Kaidan Alenko's name (a combination of Japanese [[note]] Granted, "Kaidan" isn't really a name [[/note]] and Eastern European) might reference [[Series/AlteredCarbon Takeshi Kovacs]].

* The FinalBoss is a HumongousMecha [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam that shoots lasers out of its mouth, has no legs because it's still under construction and is fought inside a gigantic space fortress]].

** During his loyalty quest, if you [[spoiler: choose to rewrite the geth heretics]], he notes that it requires exactly [[Film/BackToTheFuture 1.21 petawatts]] of electricity to do so.

* They also bear a strong resemblance to the logo for [[TableTopGame/BattleTech Comstar]].

* The idea of advanced AIs giving the organics a nearly indestructible PortalNetwork, using these organics' brains' processing power, and serving some even more advanced AI seems to be ripped out of Literature/HyperionCantos.

* One of the "Blink and you'll miss it" variety. And if you don't have the right skills trained then you might still miss it. In the very first mission on Eden Prime you will find a locked shed with two scientists hiding inside. Upon confirming that you are human Dr. Warren will exclaim "You're human! Thank The Maker!". "The Maker" is the name of the God in the Dragon Age games, another Bioware series that was in production just after Mass Effect.
** A double shout out, as "Thank the maker" is also used by C-3PO in Franchise/StarWars.

** Also, the "We are going to need bigger guns" line is possibly a reference to the 1992 sci-fi film Split Second, when upon the heroes realize they may be facing something inhuman, one of the two leads starts ranting about how "We need bigger guns, bigger f---ing guns!" Starting around 44 sec into here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQvMWD-_Nfo
* There are several Kowloon class freighters, which is probably a reference to Literature/SnowCrash.

* There's also a sidequest where you help a bunch of stranded marines against hordes of rachni inspired by the battle at Whiskey Outpost in Starship Troopers. Their commanding officer is Lt. Elena Flores, a shout out to Lt. Isabel 'Dizzy' Flores from the movie.

* Franchise/{{Stargate|Verse}} shoutouts are aplenty in this game. Most notably would have to be the Prothean artifact imprinting partial knowledge in Shepard's brain, and despite being the one unlikely human who was genetically capable of handling it, he still has to seek out the help of the advanced race who created the artifact to sort out his mind again. This same plot led to Shepard discovering the fate of the Protheans and saving the galaxy several times over and led O'Neill to discovering the Asgard and saving the galaxy several times over.
* "[[Film/{{Ghostbusters 1984}} Okay, important safety tip]]: don't [[CrossingTheStreams press the big red buttons]]".

** The PC version of Bring Down The Sky has an extra shout out in the form of a note. One of the radio project managers heard from another person about how extreme the stations music was and its effect on younger workers. This is a shout out and a TakeThat to the Cooper Lawrence-Fox News controversy where Lawrence made several false allegations against Mass Effect in regards to its approach to sex and relationships in a live interview. Lawrence even admitted in the interview that she had only heard of it from secondhand sources and never played the game itself. She later recanted her statements publicly after a friend had showed her the scenes.

* Captain Bailey is likely a reference to Creator/IsaacAsimov's Plainclothesman Baley, who was a detective in his Robot series of novels.

** While Zaeed has several obvious shout outs to Firefly, his character is a subtle shout out to another series. A morally questionable mercenary who founded an organisation only to be betrayed by his partner(s)? Who is missing an eye (Zaeed's current eye is a cybernetic replacement)? [[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid I wonder what other series has a character like that, huh?]]

* One of the quarian Admirals is from a ship named Qwib-Qwib. This just happens to be the name of the lone anti-Berserker sentient machine in the Literature/{{Berserker}} universe. Bonus points in that the Reapers are similar to the Berserkers in some ways.

* And there's a [[TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} Dakka system.]] Fittingly, Jack takes you here to blow the shit out of a Cerberus facility.

* The Firewalker [[DownloadableContent DLC]] pack throws another one in: the wife of one of the scientists is Helen O'Loy, which is also the name of a Creator/LesterDelRey story where a human and a robot fall in love.

** It may also incorporate some elements of the assassin robes from Franchise/AssassinsCreed; the resemblance becomes even stronger when she freeruns up a collection of pipes and towers to jump onto Hock's gunship. And those pipes are red, which should remind you of another EA title, ''VideoGame/MirrorsEdge''.

* Speaking of which, fans of ''Videogame/DeadOrAlive'' should recognize the names Kasumi and Donovan.

* There is the M-3 Predator, a popular heavy pistol in the ME universe (and the first gun you get). Those who are familiar with TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}} probably know about ''their'' most popular heavy pistol...the Ares Predator.

* Keiji's greybox seems to look almost identical to a "self sealing stem bolt", a [[CowTools Cow Tool]] from ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine''.

* When you get Thane's loyalty mission, he will mention that he and his son would "[[VideoGame/{{Persona 1}} dance crazy]]".

* Easy to miss in the Lair of the Shadow Broker (literally): The Shadow Broker says: "You travel with fascinating companions, [[Series/DoctorWho doctor.]]"
* In the updates preceding the release of the Arrival DLC, there is a break-in at [[Webcomic/HomeStuck 4:13]] AM, two researchers tampering with the [[Webcomic/HomeStuck Lowas]] Relay and [[Webcomic/HomeStuck 612]]-billion credits lost in the galactic economy.
* Slightly obscure one: apparently the planet Siano wandered to its current location from another system, and is home to an abandoned base on one side and a nuclear waste dump on the other. Looks like we found out where [[Series/{{Space1999}} Moonbase Alpha]] finally ended up.
* The nuclear munitions ship hijacked by geth, who are planning to suicide bomb it into a colonized moon? MSV [[Film/BrokenArrow1996 Broken Arrow]]. (Complete with title inaccuracy.)

** Her poetry of herself in the Lair of the Shadow Broker DLC is a reference to the future generation nuclear waste warning project.

* After using the Omega 4 Relay, the Normandy comes out of its jump on a collision course with a debris field made of destroyed star ships bathed in an apocalyptic shade of gold. The sequence is almost identical to one in the 2009 ''[[Film/StarTrek2009 Star Trek]]'' film, where the Enterprise comes out of warp and has to maneuver through a dense collection of wrecked star ships in a similarly golden sector of space.

** As well, Morinth is an intensely sexual blue-skinned babe with a knack for 'herbs' and [[spoiler: killing her lovers]], making her remarkably similar to Farscape's Zhaan, as well. The shoutout feels complete each time an asari makes a remark to The Goddess.

* A soldier is killed when his ship is ambushed and destroyed by an enemy cruiser, and is brought back to life by a disavowed black ops organization as a hard-to-kill cyborg via a project named for Lazarus. Just like in the early ''Series/BabylonFive'' episode ''A Spider in the Web.''
* Samara's loyalty quest on Omega, with Nef. Including the little video diary, seems to be an almost direct shout out to Lost In Space, given the similarity to Penny.

* The turian leader is called [[TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} Primarch]], as you all know.

** Also, during the CIC firefight on board the Normandy (in the Citadel DLC), Tali says [[Film/TheHuntForRedOctober "Be careful, Shepard! Some things in here don't react too well to bullets!" and Shepard replies "Like me! I don't react well to bullets!'']]

* From the Resurgence DownloadableContent is the Cerberus Vanguard, who, with the right colours, can look a lot like [[TheBrute The Meta]] from WebAnimation/RedVsBlue.

* The achievement for completing the ''Leviathan'' DLC is called "[[Music/{{Queen}} Under]] [[Music/DavidBowie Pressure]]".

* ''Citadel'' DLC has quite a few of these.

** The Shepard/Garrus dance scene, which occurs if Garrus is Shepard's Love interest, plays out somewhat similarly to [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZxEGlqSl5w Barney and Robin's dance]] from [[Series/HowIMetYourMother How I Met Your Mother]].

** When Tali gets drunk in the Quiet party, one of her lines is "No, that gets broken down with mass effect fields. Those are just my hips..." which is a reference to a certain famous quote from {{Literature/Dune}} about Fremen stillsuits: "Urine and feces are processed in the thigh pads."

** Shattered Eezo is Rock Em Sock Em Robots with LOKI Mechs. The name itself is a reference to Shattered Steel, the first video game Bioware ever produced.

** Traynor's asari chess rival's first name is [[Literature/TheBelgariad Polgara]]- that is, she was named after an immortal woman who was extremely skilled at manipulating people for a long-term goal. Perfect name for a an asari chess specialist, really.

*** The game plays out almost exactly like a similar game shown in the '''Film/JamesBond'' film ''Film/NeverSayNeverAgain'', complete with holographic display and the fact players receive an electric shock as punishment for sacrificing pieces on the board.

* Vega's toast, if you buy the grunts a round at the nightclub, based on a toast by RobertBurns: "[[VideoGame/ReturnToZork Here's to us! Who's like us?" "Damn few, and they're all dead!]]" (A bit obscure, and Vega lampshades it if you don't hit the Active Time Event fast enough. "Sorry, Commander. I thought you knew that one...") It's also a military toast in certain units (Navy [=SEALs=], etc.)

* The final multiplayer DLC pack features a [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor big krogan with a hammer he can charge with electricity]], an [[Comicbook/BlackWidow agile female that performs martial arts attacks and flips to dodge]], an [[ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}} archer with specialized arrow powers including exploding arrows]], and [[ComicBook/IronMan a fellow who can fling a rather large energy blast]]. [[Film/TheAvengers2012 Sound familiar?]]

* During the memorial for [[spoiler:Thane]], Joker comments that he could [[Film.GrossePointeBlank "kill us all with a ballpoint pen"]].

* Garret Bryson of the Leviathan DLC as a whole seems to be a direct shout-out to {{Agent Mulder}} of ''Series/TheXFiles'' fame. Not only does he try to find evidence for things the galaxy doesn't believe in, but he's in it "for the truth". His daughter Ann even quotes the series {{Arc Words}}: "the truth is out there".

* When Kelly Chambers changes her identity her new name references [[HeroesWantRedheads two redheads]] well known in [[JustForFun/OneOfUs certain circles,]] given that her new name is [[Creator/FeliciaDay Felicia]] [[Creator/AlysonHannigan Hannigan.]]

* During the Geth Dreadnought mission Tali might exclaim: "Vents! Why is it always vents!". Happily, [[Film/{{Galaxy Quest}} she has more functions aboard rather than just repeat what computer said.]]
* Joker's elaborate yarn in the Citadel DLC that he spins in an attempt to blag free drinks at the bar sounds like something right out of ''WesternAnimation/RobotChicken''.
* If you rescued David Archer in Mass Effect 2 and import the save, he's present at Grissom Academy, and unlocks a security office for you. His description of what's inside: [[Film/TheMatrix "Guns. Lots of Guns."]]

* The large black hole at the centre of the Heleus cluster resembles Gargantua from {{Film/Interstellar}}, though tinted blue instead of gold. Appropriately, that film also dealt with the challenges of exploring and colonizing another galaxy.
* The premise of the game is similar in ways to the {{Franchise/Halo}} games.

** [[spoiler: Legion]] at one point tells you that every race should have the right to self-determination, or put more plainly, that [[{{Transformers}} freedom is the right of all sentient beings]].

** A ''huge'' proportion of the game seems to pay tribute to the ''VideoGame/StarControl'' series, except no longer PlayedForLaughs. The Krogan and the Thraddash are both races of [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy warriors]] who cite nuking themselves back into the stone age as a step towards ''improving'' their species. The Reapers, and especially Sovereign, mix the motivation of the Eternal Ones with the personality of the Ur-Quan Kohr-Ah. The planet exploration and resource gathering of Mass Effect seems like an updated version of Star Control's planet exploration and resource gathering. And so on. If it weren't for both games being unapologetically Troperiffic in their homage to the SpaceOpera, and therefore embracing the same Sci Fi tropes that were around long before either of them, you could keep citing examples all day.

* The Krogan story of them being used against the insect like Rachnai then efforts to limit them spreading, coupled with their toad like appearance, resembles the story of the cane toad introduced to Australia to control the cane beetle then efforts to stop them.

** A double shout out, as "Thank the maker" is also used by C-3PO in StarWars.

---> '''Ashley:''' Nothing like a nice, relaxing stroll on the beach... [[Franchise/EvilDead blasting bad guys with my boomstick]]!

---> '''Shepard:''' The turians were old too. We gave them a boot in the ass.
---> '''Kaidan:''' I think we're going to need a bigger boot, Commander.

* One of the last things you do on your way to defeating the BigBad is take your vehicle through a [[StarWars "Trench Run"]]. (Yes, that's what the map screen calls it.)
* In one sidequest, you find a human distress beacon which turns into a geth ambush. Ashley comments [[StarWars "I've got a bad feeling about this..."]] Once they attack, she yells "It's a trap!"

---> '''Shepard''': You know this place is falling apart?
---> '''Krogan''': Exhilarating, isn't it?

-->'''Mira:''' It looks like you're trying to restore this facility. Would you like help?
-->'''Renegade response:''' Crap, a pop-up.

-->'''Ashley''': If you expect me to get into a tinfoil miniskirt and some thigh-high boots, I want dinner first. Sir.
-->'''Kaidan''': When you put it that way, there's no reason they wouldn't like you. I mean us. Humans. Ma'am.

** As the trial commences in earnest, both captains are asked to back up the accused, Shepard as a pseudo-lawyer and Picard as a Cha'[=DIch=], due to the manipulations of a hostile political figure (Duras/Koris) causing the (alien) person who would normally fulfill those roles to be recused. Both trials see the human captains investigating the case, leading to the discovery of an AwfulTruth that could potentially cause a civil war. In both cases, the accused then offers to make a HeroicSacrifice by taking the blame for crimes they didn't commit and accepting permanent exile over the objections of their human captains. The main difference is that Worf goes through with it; Tali ''can'' go through with it, but in three of the five possible outcomes,[[note]]As well as apparently the [[CuttingOffTheBranches canonical one]]. In-universe articles mention that the geth and the quarians end up fighting on the same side, a result that's only possible to achieve if Tali is loyal.[[/note]] she gets exonerated anyway when Shepard is able to TakeAThirdOption. Oh, and unlike Tali and Shepard, Worf and Picard didn't have to kill a platoon of heavily armed robots to find the evidence... though Worf probably would have preferred it that way. The other main difference is that Koris is not trying to make peace with the Geth for personal gain, but to atone for the Quarians; Duras wants to have a secret alliance with the Romulans for pure selfish gains.

--> "Some days I just feel like turning off the inertials and pulling a [[Film/TheHuntForRedOctober Crazy Ivan]], y'know?"

--> '''Joker''': All right... but if you start singing Daisy Bell, I'm done. (''to himself'') Great. See, this is where it starts, and when we're all just [[Film/TheMatrix organic batteries]], [[NiceJobBreakingItHero guess who they'll blame?]] "This is all Joker's fault. What a tool he was! I have to spend all day computing pi because he plugged in the Overlord!"

--> '''Shepard''': This is... [[Franchise/StarTrek it's green.]]
** The bartender at Dark Star implies that Batarian ale is an especially strong drink, generally illegal in Council Space. [[Franchise/StarTrek Swap "Batarian" for "Romulan".]]

--->'''Shepard:''' What should I call you?
--->[[spoiler: '''Legion:''' Geth.]]
--->'''Shepard:''' No, I mean you, specifically.
--->[[spoiler: '''Legion:''' We are all geth.]]

--> '''Cpl. Hicks:''' I wanna introduce you to a personal friend of mine. This is an [=M41A=] pulse rifle. Ten millimeter with over-and-under thirty millimeter pump action grenade launcher. ''*hands the rifle to Ripley*'' '''Feel the weight.'''
** The Krogan trucks on Tuchanka look a lot like the vehicle the finds the derelict space ship in ''Aliens''.

--> "The council thought that Blasto, the first Hanar spectre would play by the rules. They were wrong!"
--> "[[Film/DirtyHarry This one has forgotten whether his heat sink is over capacity. He wonders if this criminal scum considers itself fortunate.]]"

* During Samara's Loyalty Mission, Shepard can protect an Asari dancer by beating up the turian sleaze trying to get a night out of her. Upon kicking his ass, Shepard can declare [[WebAnimation/HomestarRunner "The good times are over"]].

-->'''Batarian:''' My friend doesn't like Alliance types.
-->'''Ashley:''' Buddy, we're right in the middle of something.
-->'''Batarian:''' [[Film/ANewHope I don't like Alliance types either.]]

* The final multiplayer DLC pack features a [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor big Krogan with a hammer he can charge with electricity]], an [[Comicbook/BlackWidow agile female that performs martial arts attacks and flips to dodge]], an [[ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}} archer with specialized arrow powers including exploding arrows]], and [[ComicBook/IronMan a fellow who can fling a rather large energy blast]]. [[Film/TheAvengers2012 Sound familiar?]]

*** A Krogan bulletin mentions an actor by the name of [[VideoGame/MassEffect3 Vega]] [[VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition Bull]] [[Creator/FreddiePrinzeJr Jr.]]

** As the trial commences in earnest, both captains are asked to back up the accused, Shepard as a pseudo-lawyer and Picard as a Cha'[=DIch=], due to the manipulations of a hostile political figure (Duras/Koris) causing the (alien) person who would normally fulfill those roles to be recused. Both trials see the human captains investigating the case, leading to the discovery of an AwfulTruth that could potentially cause a civil war. In both cases, the accused then offer to make a HeroicSacrifice by taking the blame for crimes they didn't commit and accepting permanent exile, over the objections of their human captains. The main difference is that Worf goes through with it; Tali ''can'' go through with it, but in three of the five possible outcomes[[note]]As well as apparently the [[CuttingOffTheBranches canonical one]]. In-universe MP broadcasts mention that the geth and the quarians end up fighting on the same side, a result that's only possible to achieve if Tali was never exiled.[[/note]] she gets exonerated anyway when Shepard is able to TakeAThirdOption. Oh, and unlike Tali and Shepard, Worf and Picard didn't have to kill a platoon of heavily armed robots to find the evidence... though Worf probably would have preferred it that way. The other main difference is that Koris is not trying to make peace with the Geth for personal gain, but to atone for the Quarians; Duras wants to have a secret alliance with the Romulans for pure selfish gains.

* The Reapers creator's known as 'The Leviathans' are very similar to the Slaver species from Larry Niven's Known Space Universe. Both are massively xenophobic and have the natural ability of mind controlling other species which they use to form and control their space empires.

* They also bear a strong resemblance to the logo for [[TableTopGame/BattleTech Comstar]]

* The whole story of the geth uprising, coupled with [[spoiler: Legion's recordings]] draws several similarities to ''[[Anime/TheAnimatrix The Animatrix: The Second Renaissance]]''

* When talking to the V.I. in [[MegaCorp Exogeni's]] headquarters on Feros, you discover what the Thorian is and can learn about the experiments that were being conducted. If you pay attention, you'll find that this is Day 28 after the discovery and initial exposure of the Thorian's "infection," which can turn its victims into [[OurZombiesAreDifferent kinda sorta zombies]]. In other words, Shepard & crew arrived on Feros... ''Film/TwentyEightDaysLater''.

* Compare the opening of Film/TopGun [[note]]On March 3, 1969 the United States Navy established an elite school for the top one percent of its pilots. Its purpose was to teach the lost art of aerial combat and to insure that the handful of men who graduated were the best fighter pilots in the world. They succeeded. Today, the Navy calls it Fighter Weapons School. The flyers call it... TOP GUN[[/note]] to the opening text of ''Franchise/MassEffect'' [[note]]In the year 2148, explorers on Mars discovered the remains of an ancient spacefaring civilization. In the decades that followed, these mysterious artifacts revealed startling new technologies, enabling travel to the furthest stars. The basis for this incredible technology was a force that controlled the very fabric of space and time. They called it the greatest discovery in human history. The civilizations of the galaxy call it... MASS EFFECT[[/note]]

* "[[Film/{{Ghostbusters 1984}} Okay, important safety tip]]: don't [[CrossingTheStreams press the big red buttons]]."

* If the "mumble something" option is selected when trying to activate the Neutron Purge on Noveria, Shepard says "sic semper tyranis" before trailing off. "Thus always to Tyrants," this was the line shouted by Marcus Julius Brutus during his assassination of UsefulNotes/JuliusCaesar as well as John Wilkes Booth after assassinating UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln.

* When starting Grunt's loyalty quest, Wrex says, "Next thing you'll tell me is he's a quint and [[WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}} craps dark matter]]."

*** In addition to the response to one character remarking about your death: "I was only [[Film/ThePrincessBride mostly dead]]."
*** And in response to another character: "Shepard... you're dead." [[Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail "I got better."]]

** This is particularly genius, because it's also referencing the ExecutiveMeddling that caused the machines' use for humans in Film/TheMatrix to be changed from using human brains for distributed computing to power sources.
*** In the french version, Joker mentions [[Franchise/{{Terminator}} Skynet]] instead.

** The bartender at Dark Star implies that Batarian ale is an especially strong drink, generally illegal in Council Space. [[Franchise/StarTrek Swap "Batarian" for "Romulan."]]

* If you convince the asari on Illium to date the krogan, you'll see them later on Tuchanka. After the asari claims that the planet is too dusty, the krogan notes that it "[[ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes builds character]]."
* The distress beacon for one of the side missions in "Mass Effect 2" is numbered [[Literature/AClockworkOrange 655321]]

** The vending machine may be a reference to Talky Toaster of Series/RedDwarf: a machine ''obsessed'' with getting people to eat/drink their products.

* A possible numerical anagram shoutout: [[spoiler: Legion has 1,183 geth programs in its platform.]] Although most would call it a ''Franchise/StarWars'' ShoutOut, but it's really more of a ShoutOut to Creator/GeorgeLucas, who many attribute to the revival of the science fiction genre because of the popularity of the movies. The number comes from a film he made earlier called Film/THX1138, and has been hidden in all his movies since. It also pops up in various other places when the writer wants to shout out ''Franchise/StarWars'', ''Franchise/IndianaJones'', or Lucas himself.

* The famous exchange on the Citadel involving Sir Isaac Newton is a vague ShoutOut to Film/{{Aliens}}

* When you get Thane's loyalty mission, he will mention that he and his son would "[[VideoGame/{{Persona 1}} dance crazy]]."

* The Collector General scurrying around the ship's control hub bears more than a passing resemblance to Pilot from Series/{{Farscape}}.

* The achievement for completing Thane's loyalty mission is called "Cat's in The Cradle," a reference to a song by Music/HarryChapin about a DisappearedDad.

* A soldier is killed when his ship is ambushed and destroyed by an enemy cruiser, and is brought back to life by a disavowed black ops organization as a hard-to-kill cyborg via a project named for Lazarus. Just like in the early ''Series/BabylonFive'' episode ''A Spider In The Web.''

* After Priority: Thessia, one of things Javik says if you talk to him is, [[Film/ANewHope "The loss of a planet is insignificant next to the loss of the galaxy."]]

* While trying to sneak past some geth using their stealth system, Joker comments [[Film/TheHuntForRedOctober "The only way they'll detect us is if we all start singing the Russian National Anthem."]] And then gives an AsideGlance.

** Spoken of in the geth memories, is a "Mistress Hal'''a'Dama'''", which is also referencing Film/TwoThousandOneASpaceOdyssey.
** Speaking of ''Series/BattlestarGalactica2003,'' a RunningGag for Javik is his desire to throw synthetics out the airlock. President Roslin would do the same with any Cylons they discovered.

*** From the same message, the opening line of his noir story: "Omega. [[Literature/{{Neuromancer}} Sky was color of vid-cam, tuned to dead vorcha."]]

** One that's very easy to miss. When you go through a cold storage during the sushi bar attack, you see a salarian smoking there. If you stand near him long enough, he says [[Film/BladeRunner "Look, I only do eyes."]]

** If Ashley is still around when you do the DLC she will reply to Shepard saying things are a little dicey with, "Must be Tuesday." This was a popular line from the musical episode of Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer.

*** Another is, during a toast, Vetra commenting on the defeated Kett as being "face down, ass up," alluding to a phrase Sera from ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'' used to shout when defeating an enemy.

** After [[spoiler:The Remnant City]], Liam sends an message with various vids attached, including one about "[[Film/TheComputerWoreTennisShoes a 1995 vid about an AI's choice of footwear]]."
** Another one of Liam's emails contains various remakes on a vid about "[[Film/GroundhogDay repeating a day over and over again until it's done right]]."

* The message Liara made for Ryder in the game is very similar to the message Ripley left in the ending of ''Alien'', ending with "This is [insert character and ship name here] signing off.".

* Then there are the Blue Suns mercenary band, which is a reference to either the "Blue Sun" corporation of ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' or "Black Sun" crime syndicate of ''StarWars''. Or both.

* Commander Shepard's name is probably a ShoutOut to Alan Shepard, the first American in space, as well as Series/StargateAtlantis' main character, Lt. Colonel John Sheppard (especially due to to John being the default given name for male Shepard, and Shepard's exact rank being Lt. Commander, the direct navy equivalent to Lt. Colonel). The similarities between mass relays and Stargates (As well as Reapers and the Wraith) further cements the relationship.

* There is a possibility that whoever designed the turians read Film/{{Salt}} by Adam Roberts, given that it featured a ship named the Senaar where "they live by the hierarchy" which had a past captain named "Tyrian, or Turian".

* The First Contact War was an event triggered between humans and another intelligent spacefaring species (the turians) when they encounter each other for the first time; a misunderstanding occurred that ended in violence and triggered an interstellar war that shaped the political landscape and left a lot of mutual distrust between humans and turians for decades to come. This is similar to the Earth/Minbari war in Series/BabylonFive where humans encounter the Minbari for the first time and a misunderstanding ends in violence leading to an interstellar war that shaped the political landscape and caused a lot of mutual distrust between humans and Minbari for the next decade. The difference is that in ''Franchise/MassEffect'', the humans were bailed out by asari diplomats before the turians could sweep in with their tens of thousands of ships to smash the Systems Alliance's mere two hundred ships, leaving the actual war a mere skirmish, whereas the Minbari unleashed a horrific CurbStompBattle on the Earth Alliance and nearly exterminated the human race in ''Series/BabylonFive''.

** Jack also has a ShoutOut to Series/BabylonFive. Has anyone else has a good look at the tattoos on her [[http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cCl5i7abykg/TbwuYnb2CKI/AAAAAAAAARM/Kgu_W8bl7O8/s1600/Mass%2BEffect%2B3%2BJack.jpg back]]?

* Joker's elaborate yarn in the Citadel DLC that he spins in an attempt to blag free drinks at the bar sounds like something right out of WesternAnimation/RobotChicken