Human beings are often seen as one of the blandest and most fragile races in the Mass Effect mythos. However, the human characters are the most relatable, obviously. Granted, they’re not as special nor as skillful as the other races of the galaxy but they still have some worthy outliers.
Some of these special individuals and the best representatives of humanity have even made their way in the protagonist’s party or in the halls of the Normandy itself. Without them, there certainly wouldn’t be any saga to recall as the Reapers would have had their way. So to appreciate better what humanity brought to the table in the Mass Effect franchise, knowing their best humans should make a point.
10 David Anderson
David Anderson accompanied Shepard to the end of the Mass Effect trilogy and at that moment, there are only two of them left in the battle area. Suffice to say, Anderson is one tough nut to crack and despite his age, he’s still one of the best military men in the series.
On top of being once a good soldier, Anderson is also a great leader of the Alliance military — one who even served as Shepard’s mentor. Anderson also specifically hand-picked Shepard to be his second-in-command back when he was the captain of the Normandy so he knows strength when he sees it.
9 Zaeed Massani
One quick glance at Zaeed Massani and it’s clear that he’s someone you don’t mess with or even make eye contact with. Those scars tell a tale about his reputation — no calling cards needed for the introduction. Zaeed is one of the most skilled bounty hunters and mercenaries in the galaxy.
In fact, Shepard was lucky that the man wasn’t out to bag his head. When it comes to combat, having Zaeed watching your back is better than any life insurance the Citadel can offer. Especially, as prior to becoming a mercenary, his job was head of security for Blue Suns. Regardless, being hand-picked by Cerberus is proof enough of his prowess.
8 Ashley Williams
As one of the longest-serving allies of Commander Shepard himself, Ashley Williams deserves a well-earned reward and a long break. She’s also one of the first few humans who managed to get picked by the Citadel to be a Spectre.
Between Kaiden and Ashley though, we have to give it to the latter since she essentially rose to the top of her military career despite having some serious handicaps, particularly her shameful family name. That meant she got by through pure skill and talent.
7 The Illusive Man
Other than having an eerie resemblance to Martin Sheen, not much information is divulged about the Illusive Man. He does prefer to stay in the shadows, though his organization, Cerberus, is notorious for making waves throughout the galaxy.
When it comes to power, The Illusive Man’s is more subtle and nuanced. He prefers to display it with pure authority instead of raw skill or strength. As a result, he easily becomes a thorn in Shepard’s side and Cerberus is also a force to be reckoned with, presumably through The Illusive Man’s work and craftiness.
6 Kasumi Goto
Kasumi Goto is much like The Illusive Man in that both of them don’t bluntly display their capabilities. Rather, Kasumi opts to work in the shadows and strike true when an opportune kill is guaranteed. Lore-wise, she can supposedly kill anyone stealthily.
In-game though, Kasumi has more useful abilities than stabbing people in the guts from behind. She can quickly melt enemy shields and zip past the battlefield unseen. She’s like the human version of Thane Krios, except she has more enemies and has the capacity to outlive them all.
5 Cora Harper
Cora Harper is one of the most special human individuals in the Mass Effect mythos as she got a pass to join the Asari Commandos. If you didn’t know already, the Asari Commandos only accepted, well, Asari in their ranks, making Cora a unique case.
One specification that the Asari Commandos required for their applicants is an intense aptitude for biotic powers. Cora Harper was blessed in this department, making her an important asset and prodigy in the Asari Commandos despite her race.
4 Miranda Lawson
Miranda is formerly one of Cerberus’ most prized experiments and an irreplaceable asset. Shepard was lucky enough to have Miranda defect to the Normandy.
It’s hard to find any fault in Miranda, for that matter. She’s highly intelligent, an exceptional fighter, and of course, an unmatched beauty. She has every advantage available for any human being.
3 Kai Leng
Too bad Miranda Lawson wasn’t the Illusive Man’s most trusted agent, despite her perfection. No, that title belongs to Kai Leng, Cerberus’ most efficient wet-work point man and assassin. He’s discreet, professional, and ruthless — almost to the point of psychopathy.
That’s why The Illusive Man sent Kai Leng to personally deal with Shepard. In fact, he has won against Shepard multiple times, making him a bit better than Normandy’s seasoned commander. Eventually, Kai Leng’s 10-year-success streak as a Cerberus agent abruptly ends after Shepard had enough of his shenanigans.
2 Jack
Cora Harper, despite her admission into the Asari Commandos, doesn’t hold a candle to Jack’s biotic abilities. Jack is the original biotic freak of the Mass Effect series; she’s the result of a brutal experiment that turned her into a mutant.
As a result of Cerberus’ attempt to create the most powerful biotic they could, Jack went rogue and started fending for herself. She’s one of the few individuals in the Mass Effect series to not need any conventional weapon to wipe out battlefields. Even Shepard can’t do that.
1 Commander Shepard
Speaking of Commander Shepard, well, of course, he’s at the top. He represents the players more than anything else, who have always been the most powerful characters in the game. Shepard is more decorated than a Christmas tree and is the only human in the Mass Effect series to die and come back to life, albeit with a ton of help from Cerberus.
Come the second game, Shepard is more of a cyborg after getting revived from his barbecued carcass, making him a cut above the rest of humanity.
NEXT: Mass Effect Andromeda: 10 Things You Didn’t Know About SAM
