One of the Mass Effect series' biggest attractions has always been its cast of characters. From building powerful teams for combat excursions to wooing one's preferred beau-to-be, the various side characters players interact with repeatedly prove themselves to be a major selling point. Now, with the announcement of a new entry in the franchise, fans are left wondering which classic characters will make a return.
Unfortunately, thanks to the diverse number of ways in which Mass Effect's plotlines can play out, it can be incredibly difficult predicting which characters have a sure-shot at a comeback. So far, only one character has been confirmed for the game, Liara T'Soni. For most fans this is a positive confirmation, but it still gives them zero clues as to what other characters might appear. As an Asari, Liara could live hundreds of years ahead of every other character from the classic games As far as fans know, everyone else is dead and Liara is the only survivor of the Normandy's crew.
However, that still leaves plenty of room for speculation as to which characters can make it in. It also provides the opportunity to discuss which characters even deserve such an honor. Plenty of major characters have appeared in Mass Effect's universe, and not all are created equal. Certain characters have a special personality, an interesting story, or a mechanical feature that makes them a more desirable contender than their milquetoast counterparts.
5. Jaal Ama Darav
The reveal trailer shown at the 2020 Game Awards heavily implies that players will see something from the Andromeda Galaxy once again, despite the poor reception Mass Effect: Andromeda received. Ideally, this means players will get to explore both the Milky Way and Andromeda, but at the very least it should mean a return for some of Andromeda's better characters.
Of Andromeda's cast of characters, the ideal choice for most fans might be Jaal. As one of the only team native to the Andromeda Galaxy, Jaal set himself apart from Andromeda's other side characters with his unique mannerisms and fresh story. He's a completely new type of alien from a new, unexplored territory of the universe. The possibility that he could make the trip back to the Milky Way would open up many opportunities for unique, "fish-out-of-water" stories and interactions.
4. Javik
Similar to Jaal, Javik has a foreign quality to his character. He is the last of the Protheans, a near-extinct race of aliens that had been exterminated thousands of years prior to the events of the original Mass Effect. When Javik emerged out of cryogenic sleep in Mass Effect 3, it seemed as if an entire ancient civilization emerged with him. Javik had a new, different perspective on everything and anything he saw around him, and possessed ancient knowledge that only he could speak on.
It would be wildly entertaining to see that old-world perspective brought back for the new game. Likewise, on a purely character level, it would be interesting to see what Javik is up to after the defeat of the Reapers. The Galaxy that exists now is entirely different from the one he re, and it would be nothing if not wasted potential to see how he finds purpose in a universe that has ostensibly left him behind.
3. Garrus Vakarian
Garrus is doubtlessly one of the ultimate fan-favorite characters across the entire Mass Effect series. The Turian space-cop has been part of Shepard's team since some of their earliest adventures. In the games that followed, Garrus proved himself a reliable teammate, a trusted friend, and an engaging love interest in his own right. Reuniting him with players would be like meeting one's oldest friend after years of separation. Aside from Liara, if any character were to be chosen simply for nostalgic purposes, it would be Garrus.
2. Joker
Most of Mass Effect's memorable characters have the benefit of being team . When the player can choose to have certain characters by their side at pretty much any point in the game, they are bound to make the deepest impression. Joker is the exception to the rule, however. As the Normandy's pilot, Joker had plenty of screen time and character development of his own, and his witty, rambunctious personality injected a fair amount of levity into the game's story. Fans would be delighted to see this rascal return for another entry into the series.
This is especially true after the ending of Mass Effect 3. Depending on which ME3 ending is canon, Joker's character could go a lot of different directions. By the end of ME3, Joker had built up a questionable romantic relationship with the Normandy's resident AI, EDI. Whether or not Shepard chose the Destroy, Synthesize, or Control options at the end of the game would influence Joker's character any number of ways, as his love interest either survives, dies, or becomes partially organic.
1. Legion
Joker isn't the only character whose story would be dramatically influenced by Mass Effect 3's ending, however. As a sapient AI lifeform, whether or not Legion even survived the last game is still a mystery. Assuming that Mass Effect 3 ended with either the Control or Synthesize options, it would be incredibly interesting to see Legion and other Geth learn to find a place in the galaxy after years of war against their Quarian creators. Perhaps more than any other character, Legion would be an effective tool to explore the after effects of the original trilogy's final conflict, which hinged on the relationship between synthetic and organic life.
These are just a few of the characters BioWare could pick to make a comeback. There are many more faces that Mass Effect fans would meet with open arms should they encounter them. This is especially true for classic team like Tali, Wrex, and Kaiden. Still, as fun as it may be to fantasize about these possibilities, BioWare has confirmed next to nothing. Mass Effect could take place centuries after ME3's conclusion, leaving the game's story in the hands of an entirely new cast (barring Liara). Surely, this would be a great way for writers to provide a fresh take on the franchise, but it also means they would be fighting an uphill battle as they establish yet another new entourage to tag along on the player's adventures.