Mass Effect games have churned out tons of unique characters over the years. Some were enemies while others acted as squadmates aboard the SSV Normandy for Commander Shepard. One of the toughest crewmates to ever join Shepard was Urdnot Wrex, an experienced Krogan mercenary with more than a few scars to prove his mettle.
Wrex fought bravely by Shepard’s side on the quest to destroy Saren and defeat the Reaper fleets. He then went on to unite the feuding Krogan clans to create a truly unified Krogan race. In battle, Wrex boasts extreme strength and endurance, a variety of weapons, some martial arts moves, and an utter lack of fear or mercy. Few fighters in the galaxy could kill him, but some of them could come close, giving him a real challenge – just what Wrex needs.
10 Challenger: Urdnot Grunt
Urdnot Grunt is the newest member of the Urdnot clan, and he’s determined to make up for lost time. Grunt is very young having been released from his tank only recently. As the perfect Krogan, he has a lot to prove. At least he’s got those perfect genes and a warlord’s ideal Krogan physiology on his side.
Grunt can certainly match Wrex in terms of strength and tissue regeneration. His ferocity and love of battle can compensate somewhat for his limited battlefield experience. Wrex will definitely have to take Grunt seriously if he doesn’t want to get dethroned as the new Krogan leader.
9 Weakling: Kaidan Alenko
Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko is a loyal Systems Alliance soldier just like Commander Shepard. He acted as the poster boy of human biotics for the player. While humans can use biotics, this is a new concept for humanity. As such, Alliance leaders are figuring it out as they go and some, like Kaidan, are unfortunate (if powerful) guinea pigs.
Kaiden underwent some harsh training at the hands of the Turian people and he can shoot a gun and lead a squad just fine. He’s a credit to the uniform, but he’s not ready to face an opponent like Urdnot Wrex. The Krogan badass can survive Kaidan’s firepower and return fire with lethal force that breaks brittle biotics.
8 Challenger: Thane Krios
Thane Krios is a Drell assassin and he can enter his “battle sleep” or autopilot then assassinate people without even being aware of what his body is doing. Thane was honed to be the ultimate weapon and he would give Wrex a real headache in a duel.
Thane isn’t tough like Wrex, but he boasts superior agility and speed meaning Wrex will struggle to land a finishing blow. What’s more, Thane knows the natural weak points of any species – including the Krogan. He can exploit them to deal a fatal wound with ease. Wrex had better watch out.
7 Weakling: Tali’Zorah
Tali’Zorah is an engineer and she is quite comfortable around ship engines and synthetic beings. She is also something of an expert on the fearsome Geth. She can remotely hack them temporarily or overwhelm their electrical components with her tech mastery.
However, none of this will help her against Wrex who is certainly not a Geth. Tali will face Wrex with her virtual drones and small arms, but it takes more than that to defeat Urdnot him. If Wrex can get in melee range, which he can, then Tali is doomed.
6 Challenger: Commander Javik
The Prothean race has long since met its doom at the hands of the Reapers, but one remains: Javik, a hardened soldier. He was the Commander Shepard of his time and he’s ready to challenge the primitive known as Urdnot Wrex and show him how the Protheans dominated the galaxy.
Javik is tough, smart, and resourceful and he also boasts unique armor and weapons. On top of that, he wields some impressive and totally unheard of biotics. Javik might not be able to land a finishing blow on Wrex, but he could give Wrex a real fight. He’s faced the worst the Reapers had to offer after all. What’s one mere Krogan compared to that?
5 Weakling: Jacob Taylor
In Mass Effect 2, Shepard got to know Jacob Taylor, an ex-Alliance soldier who once served as a Corsair (a type of privateer fighting for the Alliance). Jacob is a down-to-earth, practical soldier who doesn’t let his emotions get in the way of the mission. The only exception to that being the mission to find his father.
Jacob is also a biotic and all of this makes him loosely similar to Kaidan. The only difference is that Jacob ended up working with Cerberus at some point. Jacob can handle himself, but he’s not ready to face Urdnot Wrex. The battle-hardened Krogan would smear the walls with his innards and call it an accident.
4 Challenger: Samara The Justicar
This ancient protector is a member of the noble Asari race, but she is no diplomat. Instead, Samara is a Justicar – a lone wanderer of justice – and she brutally delivers that justice with biotics and firepower alike. She can even take on Spectres and stand a real chance of winning.
Samara’s extensive experience probably rivals Wrex’s own, and she has incredible biotic talents to match. She could certainly survive a fight with Wrex and she could give Wrex a real bruising in a protracted fight. After this clash, Wrex will see the Asari in a whole new light.
3 Weakling: Legion
Unless Legion can get an incredible vantage point from afar and use the element of surprise, the galaxy’s friendliest Geth trooper is in for a rough time. Legion is highly effective against synthetic opponents due to its elite hacking skills, but Wrex is a whole different issue.
Legion has good aim and it lacks fear or hesitation of any kind. However, Legion cannot overcome Wrex’s incredible toughness and ferocity. If the battle gets physical, Wrex will bash Legion into scrap metal. The odds don’t calculate in Legion’s favor – that’s for sure.
2 Challenger: Saren Arterius
Saren Arterius was the main villain of the first Mass Effect game and he was indeed a worthy foe for Commander Shepard. This rogue Turian Spectre is among the best of his class and he also has numerous Reaper and Geth implants that enhance his combat capabilities even more.
Saren also has a hoverboard that can protect him from Wrex’s melee attacks. This added mobility will even the odds in a fight. Saren can whittle Wrex down a great deal before Wrex gets a chance to shoot down that hoverboard and engage Saren up close.
1 Weakling: Armando-Owen Bailey
Overall, it’s the Turian people who run C-Sec, but more and more humans are being welcomed into C-Sec’s ranks. That includes ornery officer Armando-Owen Bailey. In Shepard’s eyes, Bailey is a typical gruff, “tough but fair” police commander and he can handle himself in a fight with armed thugs.
Bailey would feel right at home policing the mean streets of New York City, but NYC doesn’t typically have gigantic, reptilian aliens with redundant organ systems in it. Bailey can use pistols and assault carbines, yes, but that won’t mean much against Urdnot Wrex and his thick armor. Wrex will simply blow Bailey sky-high with minimal effort.
