History Characters / MassEffectAndromedaPathfinderRyder

** While Sheppard was by no means a CelibateHero, Ryder can have AGirlInEveryPort and unlike Shepard has the option to flirt with characters even if they are an IncompatibleOrientation.

* ContrastingSequelMainCharacter: Whereas Commander Shepard was an experienced and decorated officer at the beginning of the first game, Ryder is described as being much more inexperienced and untested. Additionally, Shepard is a decorated war hero by the time of the first game, while the Ryders were blacklisted due to Alec's highly illegal research on AI. It's played up with their physiques - their heads are significantly larger proportionate to the rest of them than Shepard's was, making them [[http://i.imgur.com/JRcphAy.jpg look shorter, scrawnier, and less imposing]].[[labelnote:Explanation]]Using the height of a character's head, "superheroes" are nine "heads" tall while "regular" characters are 7.5 heads tall, so Shepard's proportions make them seem to tower over the Ryder siblings.[[/labelnote]]

%%* AmazonChaser: the male Ryder if he chooses to flirt with/romance [[spoiler: physically imposing female characters such as Cora or Vetra]]. Also applies to the female Ryder if she chooses to flirt with/romance [[spoiler: Vetra, or unsuccessfully attempts to do so with Cora]].

** Public opinion between the two characters differs as their stories progress: Shepard is seen as a model soldier, and their appointment into the [=SpecTRe=] program is met with near-universal approval. Once they die, and are resurrected two years later, much of the galactic community see their disappearance as a betrayal, and a lot of work has to be done to build bridges. Ryder is greeted with a lot of scorn once they are appointed Pathfinder, as they are seen as a pretender to the role. But as they build settlements and gain allies, Ryder grows more of a reputation, and by the end, they are acknowledged with nothing but praise from damn near everyone they meet.

* TheImmodestOrgasm: At least according to a romanced Jaal.

* PintSizedPowerhouse: Subverted. Sara appears to be the shortest crewmember other than Peebee (Suvi, Cora and Vetra tower over her), but the developers stated on Twitter that she is 5'7, so it's less that Sara is tiny and more that all of her female crewmates are unusually tall.

* DeadpanSnarker: Unlike Shepard, who was only this if the player chose, Ryder always is this. They will quip and joke without the player's input. Choosing the bottom left responses on the dialogue wheel turns this UpToEleven to the point that several characters (including some squad mates) will call Ryder out on not taking anything seriously even when shit's really hit the fan. (A few irreverent response options will even terminate discussions that otherwise would trigger side-missions.)

* GoodIsNotNice: [[spoiler:Depending on the player's choices, Ryder can blow the Cardinal and Akksul's heads open, or shoot Kalindra and send her plummeting into the lava below.]] Even if the high road is taken in those encounters, Ryder's job requires killing lots of people to protect the initiative and he/she is comfortable with that fact.

* KleptomaniacHero: In fine franchise tradition, Ryder can and probably will loot everything that isn't nailed down, regardless of where (s)he is. One scene on [[WretchedHive Kadara]] has Ryder come across two looters stealing from a corpse, and Ryder can attempt to take the moral high ground by saying [[{{Hypocrite}} "Looting is wrong."]]. The two looters [[TakeThatAudience just laugh at you]] and continue about their business.

* {{Transhuman}}: Ryder can be physiologically augmented by an AI with whom s/he has a QEC interface in the brain. These augmentations are called Profiles.

* PintSizedPowerhouse: Sara appears to be the shortest crewmember other than Peebee (Suvi, Cora and Vetra tower over her).

* TeleportSpam: Ryder has access to three variants: The returning Biotic Charge from previous games, the Explorer profile's Biotic Blink evade move, and finally the Asari Huntress sword, which has a short-range teleport as part of it's attack. The latter two are particularly rife for spamming as they don't have a cool-down.

-->'''Ryder:''' [[{{Understatement}} Well...if you put it like that...]]

-->'''Ryder:''' Am I unlucky in general?
-->'''Jaal:''' I... don't know what to say about that.
-->'''Ryder:''' It's possible, right? It could even be genetic.
-->'''Liam:''' You should probably talk to Lexi about that.
-->'''Ryder:''' I'd rather not.

* CanonName: The default names for the characters are Scott and Sara. So canon, in fact, that the defaults are actually used in the game if left alone.

* ContrastingSequelMainCharacter: Whereas Commander Shepard was an experienced and decorated officer at the beginning of the first game, Ryder is described as being much more inexperienced and untested. It's played up with their physiques - their heads are significantly larger proportionate to the rest of them than Shepard's was, making them [[http://i.imgur.com/JRcphAy.jpg look shorter, scrawnier, and less imposing]].[[labelnote:Explanation]]Using the height of a character's head, "superheroes" are nine "heads" tall while "regular" characters are 7.5 heads tall, so Shepard's proportions make them seem to tower over the Ryder siblings.[[/labelnote]]

* YoungerAndHipper: Mac Walters designed Ryder with the intention to have them be more relatable to the game's target audience, at least in comparison to Commander Shepard. Rather than being a weathered, experienced military commander, Ryder's a comparatively green soldier who has yet to earn their place.

[[center: [- [[Characters/MassEffect Main Character Index]] | [[Characters/MassEffectCommanderShepard Commander Shepard]] | [[Characters/MassEffect1PartyMembers Party 1 Members]] | [[Characters/MassEffectKaidanAlenko Kaidan Alenko]] | [[Characters/MassEffectAshleyWilliams Ashley Williams]] | [[Characters/MassEffectGarrusVakarian Garrus Vakarian]] | [[Characters/MassEffectLiaraTSoni Liara T'Soni]] | [[Characters/MassEffectTaliZorah Tali'Zorah]] | [[Characters/MassEffectUrdnotWrex Urdnot Wrex]] | [[Characters/MassEffect1Antagonists Mass Effect 1 Antagonists]] | [[Characters/MassEffect1Npcs Mass Effect 1 NPCs]] | [[Characters/MassEffect2EarlyPartyMembers Early Party 2 Members]] | [[Characters/MassEffect2LatePartyMembers Late Party 2 Members]] | [[Characters/MassEffect2SecretPartyMembers Mass Effect 2 Secret Party Members]] | [[MassEffect2AntagonistsAndNpcs/MainAntagonists Mass Effect 2 Main Antagonists]] | [[MassEffect2AntagonistsAndNpcs/SecondaryAntagonists Mass Effect 2 Secondary Antagonists]] | [[MassEffect2AntagonistsAndNpcs/NormandyCrew Normandy Crew]] | [[MassEffect2AntagonistsAndNpcs/CouncilSpace Mass Effect 2 Council Space NPCs]] | [[MassEffect2AntagonistsAndNpcs/NonCouncilSpace Mass Effect 2 Non Council Space NPCs]] | [[Characters/MassEffect3PartyMembers Party 3 Members]] | [[Characters/MassEffect3AntagonistsAndNpcs Mass Effect 3 Antagonists and NPCs]] | [[Characters/MassEffect3MultiplayerCharacters Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer Characters]] | '''Pathfinder Ryder''' | [[Characters/MassEffectAndromedaPartyMembers Party Andromeda Members]] | [[Characters/MassEffectAndromedaCrewOfTheTempest Crew of the Tempest]] | [[Characters/MassEffectAndromedaTheAndromedaInitiative The Andromeda Initiative]] | [[Characters/MassEffectAndromedaTheKett The Kett]] | [[Characters/MassEffectAndromedaTheAngara The Angara]] | [[Characters/MassEffectAndromedaOtherCharacters Andromeda Other Characters]] | [[Characters/MassEffectAndromedaMultiplayerCharacters Multiplayer Characters]]]]-]

* {{Adorkable}}: Sara Ryder is so awkward while flirting she can give Samantha Traynor a run for her money. She also makes terrible jokes.

* BookDumb: Ryder is basically scientifically illiterate, and needs SAM to explain even basic concepts. The scientist characters have a hard time taking them seriously as a result.
** Though some of the more "Logical" dialogue choices can have Ryder show surprising knowledge, like explaining in detail to Jaal how the human eye works (Sara), or explaining the existence of vestigial organs (Scott).

* ItRunsInTheFamily: Their father, Alec, was one of the first humans to travel through a mass relay with Jon Grissom's exploration team, and later became an N7 soldier. Clearly, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree when it comes to his children being pioneers and badasses. On a less badass note, Sara has apparently inherited her dad's terrible flirting skills.

* YourCheatingHeart: Implied with your "shore leave" romances (Keri T'Vessa and Avela Kjar). In particular, Avela and Keri resign themselves to being Ryder's "mistress"--a lover to look forward to as an escape from ''Tempest'' life, and during her date with Ryder, Keri even tells a romanced Ryder she's watching the door to make sure their partner doesn't catch them. No negative consequences occur for this game, though. Ryders of both genders can also engage in (repeated) casual flings with Peebee even while progressing through other romances, though this ends once Ryder reaches the commitment point in another relationship.

* BadassGay: Or "Badass Bisexual" A male Ryder romancing Jaal, Gil or Reyes, or a female Ryder romancing Peebee, Vetra or Suvi.

* HelmetsAreHardlyHeroic: ZigZagged: Wearing a helmet is optional on all combat and away missions, not just the ones in inhospitable environsm (though the benefits of a helmet remain in place). The helmet will vanish regardless during any cutscene or conversation not taking place in a hostile atmosphere.

[[caption-width-right:346: ''"We made it."'']]

** In-game it's possible to set up whomever the female Ryder chooses to commit to as her "second love" if flirtation and romance with Reyes continues [[spoiler: up to the point where he murders Sloane; after this Ryder can either commit to Reyes or break it off in disgust over his actions]].

** [[spoiler:Leaving the salarian Pathfinder to die in favour of rescuing the krogan. Her replacement will harbour no grudge, only noting that her death will demoralise the salarians, but without ascribing any blame toward Ryder.]]

* YoungerAndHipper: Mac Walters designed Ryder with the intention to have them be more relatable to the game's target audience, at least in comparison to Commander Shepard.

* KleptomaniacHero: In fine franchise tradition, Ryder can and probably will loot everything that isn't nailed down, regardless of where (s)he is. One scene on [[WretchedHive Kadara]] has Ryder come across two looters stealing from a corpse, and Ryder can attempt to take the moral high ground by saying [[{{Hypocrite}} "Looting is wrong."]]. The two looters [[TakeThatPlayer just laugh at you]] and continue about their business.

* TookALevelInBadass: Ryder starts the game off as relatively inexperienced. By the time of the team loyalty missions, they've become a full-on the Pathfinder everyone aspires to be.