It’s official: A Mass Effect show is in the works at Amazon’s Prime Video. Although it hasn’t been said outright, the show will most likely be an adaptation of Commander Shepard’s story from the original trilogy due to that saga’s popularity with fans. A television series is the most appropriate format for adapting the award-winning game franchise into another medium, opposed to say a feature film, since Mass Effect is an extension of many of the space opera narrative conventions popularized by perennial sci-fi TV juggernaut Star Trek, and also because the many episodes/seasons a TV show affords will allow the creators to use far more of the series’ wide array of fan-favorite characters.
The characters are why Mass Effect fans love the series so much and what will help the franchise connect with a new audience. Now that we know we’re getting a show, let’s take a look at the Mass Effect trilogy’s best characters and moments that the show should adapt. (And obviously we're not including main character Commander Shepard on this list as their inclusion goes without saying!)
Confronting Wrex on Virmire
The genophage subplot is introduced to players through the eyes of Urdnot Wrex, a krogan battlemaster who joins Shepard’s crew. Late in the first game, Wrex breaks with RPG companion convention and refuses to help Shepard with the mission on Virmire because it would destroy a cure for the genophage, the sterility plague that has infected his people. This leads to Shepard and Wrex drawing their weapons on each other. Players who convince Wrex to trust in their leadership manage to keep him alive for the sequels, giving their fire-forged bond with him much more dimension as the genophage plot plays out across the trilogy. Wrex is one of Mass Effect’s best characters, so we hope to see him and this scene in the upcoming show.
Talking Down Saren on the Citadel
Saren Arterius, the main antagonist of the first game, is a rogue Spectre (the same elite group Commander Shepard is a member of) and an agent of the Reapers, the techno-organic starships that are the ultimate villains of the series. Shepard chases Saren across the galaxy, leading to the final confrontation on the Citadel space station. Players could either fight him conventionally, or if they were crafty in conversation, peel away the layers of Reaper indoctrination and convince Saren that what he was doing would lead to the end of galactic civilization. Saren then commits suicide upon realizing what he’s become. This finale gives Saren a real sense of tragedy, and makes him into the most compelling antagonist in the series.
Garrus’ Friendship With Shepard
If there’s one Mass Effect character that no one hates, it’s the turian C-Sec officer turned vigilante Garrus Vakarian. One of only two characters to be primary squadmates in all three games (we’ll get to the other in a sec), Garrus is beloved for his loyalty to Shepard, his suave but vulnerable personality, and his efficiency with a sniper rifle. He’s also one of the most popular romance options, but even if you don’t pursue that subplot, Garrus still winds up being the player’s most steadfast companion. Watching their bond grow as Shepard mentors Garrus in the ways of the galaxy, pushing him to be more paragon or renegade, only to receive the same kind of backing in turn makes this a can’t-miss dynamic to explore in the show.
Thane Saving His Son
Drell assassin Thane Krios is one of the least important squadmates in Mass Effect 2 in terms of how he affects the main plot, but getting involved with his loyalty quest leads to one of the most emotional moments of the game. Having lived the life of a paid killer from the time he was 12, Thane is heartbroken to learn that his son Kolyat, whom he hasn’t seen in years, has followed the same path. Shepard can help Thane stop Kolyat from carrying out his first assassination, and save their relationship if they make the right choices. These smaller, more personal side quests are what makes Mass Effect such a rich narrative experience, so we hope they devote an episode or two to adapting Thane’s story.
Tali’s Trial
The other squadmate who is part of the main crew in all three games is Tali’Zorah nar Rayya, a young quarian who grows from a teenager on her first foray in galactic society into a critical player in her species’ destiny. One of the most pivotal beats in that arc is her loyalty quest in Mass Effect 2, where Tali is put on trial for treason by the Migrant Fleet’s Admiralty Board. Shepard can help Tali clear her name or let her get exiled to save her father’s reputation, but either way, this quest shows Tali maturing into a more assertive character, one who finally grasps the weight her actions can have on the path the quarian race will take. It’s another example of ME2 putting character and world-building ahead of plot, and it’s one side story well worth adapting.
Lair of the Shadow Broker
Some of the most beloved moments in Mass Effect canon happen in bonus downloadable content missions, with one of the best being Lair of the Shadow Broker. Acting as connective tissue between Mass Effect 2 and 3, this DLC focuses on Liara T’Soni, the asari archaeologist who joined Shepard’s crew in the first game, as the player helps her take on the fearsome galactic information trader known as the Shadow Broker. It’s the only big piece of narrative content Liara gets in ME2, but it’s a critical part of her arc, showing her transcend her previous role as a mousy scientist into a powerful figure who usurps the Shadow Broker’s position. It’s a fascinating beat because it’s simultaneously corruptive and celebratory, and it’s the sort of thing that would never make it into a Mass Effect movie, so hopefully the show takes advantage of it.
Mordin Curing the Genophage
One of the best new faces introduced in Mass Effect 2 is the salarian geneticist Mordin Solus, who is perhaps the franchise’s most complicated character. He’s a bubbly, eccentric, lovable mad scientist who upgrades your equipment, while also bordering on being a war criminal because of his work on the genophage modification project. The catastrophic effects of his actions weigh heavy on Mordin’s soul, to the point that he decides to cure the genophage in Mass Effect 3. Watching Mordin go from defending his work as necessary for galactic security to defiantly yelling “I made a mistake!” is one of the franchise’s strongest character arcs, and any adaptation would be making a mistake of their own not to include it.
The Geth-Quarian Ceasefire
The conflict between the quarians and their AI creations the geth is a background subplot across the trilogy that finally culminates in explosive fashion in Mass Effect 3. Legion, Shepard’s geth companion who is introduced in Mass Effect 2, sees the value in a potential truce, as does Tali. However, it’s up to the player to build enough trust between the two enemy factions via numerous choices across their playthrough to finally make the ceasefire happen. Otherwise, Shepard is forced to choose one or the other, leading to the extinction of an entire race. The ceasefire scene is not just an incredible moment because of how impossible it seems in the first two games, but because it also highlights how Shepard can embody the ideal of galactic unity in the face of the Reapers.
Leviathan
It’s no secret that Mass Effect 3’s ending was controversial with fans. One of the biggest sticking points was a lack of clarity about the exact nature of the Reapers and the Catalyst in the game’s final moments. The Leviathan DLC fills in the missing context, delving into the Reapers’ origins and the long overdue answers that really should have been included in the base game. It also has some fantastic location work with the oceanic planet 2181 Despoina, where Shepard has to go deep underwater in a diving mech. We won’t spoil the exact details of what Leviathan reveals, but adapting this DLC would go a long way to helping newcomers to the series not feel as flabbergasted by the finale as gamers were when they first reached it back in 2012.
Citadel DLC
The other piece of DLC that helped smooth over Mass Effect 3’s reputation was Citadel, a last hurrah for all the companions Shepard came to know over their journey. While on mandatory shore leave, Shepard winds up investigating someone who wants to steal their identity. After that’s wrapped up, Shepard and their crew throw a house party as one last moment of respite before finally confronting the Reaper threat on Earth. The entire package is filled with hilarious character moments and unexpected interactions, and helps offset the increasingly dire tone the rest of the game has. Not having a house party episode that lets the full cast have a blast on screen would be a huge missed opportunity for the show.
Elcor Hamlet
Okay, this is the most important one of all. There needs to be a reference to Elcor Hamlet in the Mass Effect show. Francis Kitt’s award-winning production of Shakespeare’s tragedy, with an all-Elcor cast, an unforgettable 14-hour experience? Honestly, they should just make this the whole show. The people need it.
But what do you want to see in the Mass Effect show? Let’s discuss in the comments!
Carlos Morales writes novels, articles and Mass Effect essays. You can follow his fixations on Twitter.
