14 DAY TRIAL // I plan to talk about something that happens in Mass Effect 3 about two thirds in, so please do not read the following article unless you are comfortable with knowing how at least one of the most interesting moments of the game turns out.
One of the more exotic and affecting elements of the Mass Effect universe is the conflict between the Quarians and the Geth, and its larger implication about life, intelligence, ruthlessness and deserved punishment.
The Quarians are at the moment a nomadic race, living in the biggest fleet of the galaxy, exiled from their homeland by the Geth, a race of machines that were originally created as slaves and then rebelled when they were threatened with annihilation.
In Mass Effect 3 the Quarians, with help from one pretty amazing weapon, are close to retaking their home planet and taking out the Geth once and for all, when the cyber organisms ally themselves with the Reapers and bring the fight to a stalemate.
Commander Shepard flies in and the goal is, pretty clearly, to get the Quarians and Geth to make peace and rally behind the humans in the push against the Reapers.
I managed to botch the mission and see one of my closest allies killed as his entire race was wiped out.
And I did this because, under pressure, with the Reapers breathing down my back and the uncertain future of Earth in my head, I decided that cybernetic life forms could be a huge threat in the future and their sacrifice would make the galaxy a safer place in the long term.
I was also unable to think about what Tali might do if the Quarian fleet she loves so much was destroyed.
I basically chose something familiar and safe, a humanoid I could relate to, over a friend who’s nature still scared me.