Mass Effect is a universe of infinite adventure and infinite danger. The galaxy is a big, scary place, and the people there have to look out for themselves when thuggish mercenaries, the robotic Geth, or pirates come knocking. Or at least, that’s how Garrus Vakarian sees it, and he’s learned to watch his own back (and even Commander Shepard’s). But he doesn’t mind the danger; he finds it fun, actually.
Garrus is a Turian man who worked for C-Sec until he signed up with Commander Shepard to hunt down the rogue Saren Arterius, and Garrus learned more than a few lessons from watching Shepard in action. He evolved and changed as a person in a few ways, but some things about Garrus will never change. He does his best to stay true to himself.
10 CHANGED: His Ability To Lead
Garrus Vakarian was born on Palaven, in the middle of the rigid and militaristic Turian culture. He didn’t like how restrictive it was, and he tried to be a good citizen and follow orders without question, like his father wanted. He did the same in C-Sec.
However, Garrus broke away to go an adventure with Shepard to save the galaxy from the Reapers, and he learned to become a squad leader in his own right, and take charge of a bad situation. That newfound independent streak led him to become a vigilante on Omega, looking out for the innocent.
9 SAME: He Is Brave
One thing is for sure about Garrus: he never flinches from danger or an exciting mission. No matter the odds, no matter how daring the mission or the plan may be, Garrus is ready to jump in and start shooting. No one can scare him off.
Garrus was bold to try and investigate Saren on the Citadel in 2183, and he fearlessly went to Omega to fight back against the thugs there. And he will gladly follow Shepard into any battle that involves destroying the Collectors or the Reapers, the toughest and scariest enemies around.
8 CHANGED: His Reputation
At first, Garrus wasn’t much of anyone, and that shouldn’t come as a surprise. Turians don’t typically try to stand out that much, since they put the community first and obey the chain of command. But later, like a Krogan warlord, Garrus gained a serious reputation for his rogue actions.
As Garrus fought the mercenaries on Omega, he came to be known as Archangel, the rogue hero who looked out for the innocent and defended them one gunshot at a time. By the time Shepard visited Donovan Hock’s house party, the other crime lords there were treating Archangel like a household name.
7 SAME: His Longing For Justice
From the very start, Garrus had a burning desire to see justice done, to protect the innocent and mete out punishment to those who harmed them. Garrus couldn’t stand the idea of criminals or bullies getting away with their misdeeds; they had to be held accountable.
Exactly how this justice should be dished out will vary, and Garrus changes his mind on that more than once. All the same, Garrus is convinced that the galaxy is an unjust place that lets monsters get away with murder, and he wants to restore balance to the galaxy, street by street.
6 CHANGED: His Knowledge Of Firearms
As a Turian, Garrus grew up with a familiarity with firearms, and like all Hierarchy citizens, he underwent basic military training. Then he laid eyes on an even wider variety of weapons during his time with C-Sec. He was sure that he’d seen them all.
Garrus was just getting started. Once he quit C-Sec and went rogue, he got his hands on (and got shot at by) a much wider variety of pistols, machine guns, carbines, sniper rifles, grenade launchers, and more. Garrus was no doubt quite impressed by the sheer diversity in the arms trade.
5 SAME: His Sense Of Loyalty
Exactly to whom Garrus is loyal may change over time, but the fact remains that Garrus values loyalty and trust. He isn’t a total loner, despite his break with C-Sec and his father. Garrus greatly values the idea of a trusted friend and teammate, and he doesn’t mind being part of a squad.
Garrus was a valuable teammate during the hunt for Saren, and in 2185, Garrus gladly joined the team again to fight the Collectors. Finally, by 2186, not even entire Reaper fleets could discourage Garrus from staying by Shepard’s side to the end. When Garrus makes a friend, he keeps that friend.
4 CHANGED: His Willingness To Be Brutal
Garrus made sure to never go out of control and become a thug or outlaw in his own right, but he skirted the boundary a few times. Garrus was betrayed by Sidonis, a teammate on Omega, and he flew to the Citadel to find the traitor and root him out. But Harkin, acting as Fade, was protecting Sidonis.
So, Garrus started to torture and beat the information out of Harkin, and eventually, Harkin gave in. Harkin, who had known Garrus in C-Sec, commented how the Terminus Systems had had an impact on Garrus. Garrus denied it, but Harkin was right. When Garrus got angry, he started to lose himself.
3 SAME: His Love Of Sharpshooting
Garrus isn’t the type to rush the enemy with a shotgun or a heavy pistol; he would rather fight from afar, from behind the scope of a rifle. In all three games, Garrus is able to use sniper rifles, and he’s using them in the cutscenes, too. He once tried to snipe Sidonis with a sniper rifle, right there on the Citadel.
Then, in Mass Effect 3, Garrus invited Shepard to a bridge high in the Presidium, and challenged the Commander to a fun sniping contest, just so he could prove to Shepard that he really is the best. The way Garrus puts it, he can make a sniper rifle dance in his hands.
2 CHANGED: His Ability To Forgive
At first, Garrus was not the type to forgive much of anything. He once lost track of a wicked doctor named Saleon, and when he tracked Saleon down, he took great satisfaction in gunning him down as repayment for Saleon’s cruel experiments. But in 2185, Garrus learned how to forgive.
Shepard may intervene with Garrus’ revenge scheme on Sidonis, and learn that Sidonis had been coerced and that he was suffering from intense guilt. When told of this (and blocked from shooting Sidonis), Garrus bitterly learns how to forgive, and he allows Sidonis to keep his life. The old Garrus wouldn’t have done that.
1 SAME: His Fun Streak
Garrus isn’t all revenge and sniper rifles. He is also quick with jokes and dry observations, and his dialogue is almost as funny as Joker’s is. Garrus was a bit tense and unsure of himself in the first game, but starting in Mass Effect 2, Garrus always has a one-liner or a witty comment to make.
He’ll joke about Alliance marines beating up Joker to feel better about themselves, he hopes that heaven has a bar, and he once commented with a wink how he and a female Turian had butted heads before a mission, then made up in all kinds of ways in Garrus’ private quarters later.
