The Mass Effect series is filled with tough decisions that the game forces you to make. The RPG series even has you decide the fate of some of the alien races you come to know and love. A major decision that the game has you make is whether to rewrite or destroy the Geth Heretics.

The decision occurs at the end of Legion’s loyalty mission in the second game and has some major ramifications for Mass Effect 3. It can certainly cause some conflicting thoughts, so here is everything you need to know about it and whether or not you should make one decision over the other.

That is the case for the choice to rewrite or destroy the Geth Heretics in Mass Effect 2. So, we created this guide to let you make an informed decision about the complicated situation. And now we’ve returned to the piece to alter some sections and make it easier to read.

Legion’s Loyalty Mission

It’s important to note that this decision is only open to you if you have Legion as a party member, meaning you can’t sell the Geth to Cerberus. Then after a short time of having Legion onboard, your journal and Kelly will inform you that he wants to speak to you.

He will tell you that the Geth Heretics — Geth that worship the Reapers and the ones Shepard fought in the first game — are planning to introduce a virus into the Geth that will make all of them side with the Reapers. Luckily, though, you still have a chance to stop them, which serves as the premise to his loyalty mission, aka Legion: A House Divided.

The Heretic Station

Once you arrive at the Heretic station to start the mission, Legion will tell you that, on top of destroying the Heretics, it is also possible to rewrite their code to force them to abandon the Reapers. He will try to form a consensus about what to do as the mission progresses.

While navigating the station you will be given additional insight into how Geth society works and what possibly caused the main Geth and the Heretics to drift apart. These are factors to consider when thinking about your decision.

At the end of the quest, you will find a large room with a terminal that needs to be hacked to stop the Heretics. This is when Legion tasks you with making the big choice in question.

Rewrite Or Destroy The Geth Heretics?

Legion lets you decide since he is unable to come to a consensus about what to do and leaves the fate of his people in your hands. These are your options:

  • Rewriting The Heretics - You can rewrite the Heretics to force them into believing that worshipping the Reapers is bad. It’ll keep them alive, but you’ll be taking away their free will. Destroying The Heretics - Selecting to wipe out the Heretics means you’re destroying a good portion of Geth, which is like killing a bunch of Legions in a way.

The Consequences Of Both Geth Heretic Decisions

In the immediate aftermath, you will receive paragon points for rewriting the Heretics or renegade points for destroying them. Also, the scene of you leaving the station will slightly differ depending on your choice.

An EMP-like pulse will rock the station (if you rewrote the Geth Heretics), or the station will blow up as the Normandy escapes (if they were killed). In Mass Effect 2, those are the only real consequences for your decision - besides the occasional bit of dialogue. The true impact of your choice won’t manifest until Mass Effect 3.

The Effects Of Your Decision In Mass Effect 3

The war to retake Rannoch still happens regardless of your choice since the Geth side with the Reapers in order to survive.

Once Legion is saved (if he lives through the Suicide Mission), he will explain how it was tough for the Geth to accept aid from the Reapers due to the Quarians attacking first and lament how they accidentally gave the Reapers more Geth to use as fodder.

The decision also plays a major role in brokering peace between the Geth and Quarians. Destroying them will help pave the way for the two races to settle their differences. And peace is the only way you can keep both Tali and Legion on your side. In fact, either companion can die if the conflict between the Geth and Quarians remains.

However, this sequence of events doesn’t completely depend on you destroying the Heretics. This is just one of several decisions that impact the chances of peace. So, even if you rewrite the Heretics, the Geth and Quarians can still end on good terms.

Your decision will also affect the number of Geth and Quarian war assets you have available.

  • Rewriting The Heretics - More Geth units means heavier Quarian losses. So, you will have more Geth assets by taking this route. Destroying The Heretics - As they have less Geth to fight, more Quarians survive the war giving you more of the latter assets.

The best choice for Legion’s loyalty mission is ultimately up to you to decide as there are valid arguments for either rewriting or destroying the Geth Heretics.