Mass Effect is a series that started in 2007 and has since blossomed into a beloved science-fiction universe with unique races, politics, and antagonists. It has had a number of public successes and scandals, which, for better or worse, have kept it in the collective gaming subconscious for many years.
In a universe with hundreds of worlds and dozens of alien races, there’s bound to be a lot of backstory. The games are full of it; there are so many codex entries and NPCs to talk to that you’d probably never make it through them all — and even if you did, you’d never remember everything. The novels and comic books serve to expand the most interesting subplots that didn’t quite fit in the game, or couldn’t be told from Shepard or Ryder’s perspective.
10 The Quarian Ark
The Quarians are a race of humanoid aliens from Mass Effect that featured heavily in the original trilogy. Players were disappointed to discover that they didn’t appear at all in Mass Effect: Andromeda; supposedly, they just never arrived.
Fans who read Mass Effect Andromeda: Annihilation know that the truth is much more sinister. The Captain of the ship turned rogue and exposed the population to a deadly plague. Though she atones for her scheme, the problems set the ship off their regular schedule.
9 How Saren Met Sovereign
Mass Effect: Revelation was the first novel to be published in the Mass Effect universe. It tells the story of Saren, the first game’s primary antagonist. Revelation fills in a lot of gaps about how this interplanetary society functions and gives more meaningful depth and backstory to some of the unique races.
However, the big takeaway that fans were dying to learn was how Saren became wrapped up in Sovereign’s schemes. Saren had a lot of latent hatred for humans left over from the First Contact War, and when, in his duties as a Spectre, he gained access to research being done about a latent Reaper, he stole it in the hopes of exacting his revenge.
8 How Liara Found Shepard’s Body
Liara is one of the most beloved characters in the franchise, for good reason. She’s the one who works with Cerberus to recover Shepard’s body, in the hope that they could be revived. Mass Effect: Redemption tells this story in detail.
Liara begins simply as a woman looking to find her missing friend and is crushed when a contact, Feron, tells her that Shepard is dead. She tries to see the body, only to be interrupted by mercenaries who’ve been hired for the Shadow Broker. Miranda Lawson contacts Liara on behalf of Cerberus to insist they can bring Shepard back to life, and Liara makes it happen.
7 The Illusive Man’s Origin Story
The Illusive Man is, well, elusive, in Mass Effect 2 and 3. Though the player can gather little tidbits about his motives and backstory, they can’t really piece together the whole story from just the video games. Thankfully, Mass Effect: Evolution fills in the gaps.
Fans read about how and why the Illusive Man — then known as Jack Harper — founded Cerberus. He served in the First Contact War between the humans and Turians, and is placed in direct opposition to Saren (who despises humans because of the war) during the story. Jack decides that the stars are full of knowledge and riches for the human race, but that they won’t always be welcomed with open arms.
6 Udina’s Frame Job and Bailey’s Promotion
It’s a truth universally acknowledged that a Mass Effect fan must hate Councilor Udina. He’s a thorn in the player’s side since the first game, and finally giving him what he deserves in Mass Effect 3 is akin to finally scratching a bad itch.
Mass Effect: Inquisition reveals some of his corruption before the player had the opportunity to do anything about it. He claims that the Commander of C-Sec, Venari Pallin, is undermining the council, and asks Armando-Owen Bailey to look into it. When Pallin is shocked by the accusations and resists arrest, the pair get into a shooting match and Pallin is killed. Bailey took his place, and the player meets him as the new Commander in Mass Effect 2.
5 The Biotic Underground
The ability called “Biotics” is how BioWare is able to create a science-fiction mage class in their Mass Effect games. These abilities are very valuable in combat: they can be used to knock enemies over, generate gravitational forces, lift things, and create protective barriers. The Biotic Underground is a group only ever mentioned in the series’ books and comics; they’re a biotic supremacist organization.
It’s unclear why the team never decided to pursue this story in more depth, since a group of magical people that have decided they’re better than everyone else seems like a great jumping-off point for quests in-game, but it might be related to the fact that Mass Effect: Deception, one of the primary books they’re involved in, was so widely hated by the fans.
4 Aria’s Long History With Cerberus Before Losing Omega
When gamers first meet Aria T’Loak in Mass Effect 2, she’s the proud Pirate Queen of Omega. Omega is a space station full of criminals, mercenaries, clubs, and lowlifes (loosely based off of Star Wars’ Mos Eisley).
However, between Mass Effect 2 and 3, Aria’s daughter, Liselle, is killed. It was at the hands of a Cerberus assassin, but the Illusive Man framed another man and used Aria’s suspicions and anger to convince her to support Cerberus. Her dealings with them span over several installments: Mass Effect: Retribution, Mass Effect: Deception, and Mass Effect: Invasion, when Cerberus claims the station in a coup and Aria flees to the Citadel, where she is found at the beginning of Mass Effect 3.
3 The Nexus Uprising
The Nexus is a space station that was intended to be the Andromeda Intitiative’s version of the Citadel, only much smaller. It was meant to be complete by the time the colonists arrived in Andromeda, but an uprising halted development.
Since Ryder is too busy trying to kickstart life in this new galaxy, the player doesn’t learn too much about the Nexus during the game. However, Mass Effect Andromeda: Nexus Uprising fills in the gaps, explaining how dwindling supplies and intense stress led to a mutiny on board.
2 How Joker Became The Normandy’s Pilot
The Joker is a beloved Mass Effect character, even though he’s not a companion on missions. He’s funny, cheerful, and generally optimistic, which Shepard usually needs. The comic Mass Effect: He Who Laughs Best tells the story of how Joker came to be the Normandy’s pilot, despite the illness that causes him to have dangerously brittle bones.
Turns out, Joker applied for the job to be the Normandy’s pilot, but lost to another candidate named Crooks. However, when Crooks hijacks the ship and panic ensues, Joker manages to pilot it safely back to their station. The general in charge wants to lock Joker in prison for this stunt, but David Anderson insists that there’s no one else he’d trust the ship with.
1 Why Everyone Loves Blasto
The Spectres are an organization shrouded in mystery, which makes them perfect candidates for movies and television shows to capitalize on — like the FBI or CIA. This is seen in Blasto, a fictional Hanar Spectre.
The character is so bizarre partially because the Hanar are known to be a calm and polite species. The bewilderment only adds to Blasto’s popularity. While fans can see some Blasto content in Mass Effect 2 and 3, the Mass Effect: Blasto: Eternity Is Forever comic allowed them to see first-hand what all the hype was about.
NEXT: Mass Effect: 10 Things Worse Than The Reapers
