Alien races in Mass Effect
This article is AbOUT the fictional species found within the Mass Effect universe contained in both the novel and Xbox 360 video game.
Known sapient species
Asari
The Asari are a bipedal species that have a seat on the Citadel Council (1 of 3). All Asari are mono gendered, displaying female characteristics, with the ability to bear and nurse children. Their reproductive system allows them to mate with any species or gender, with whom the offspring is always female. The Asari do not mate, in human terms, but rather form a mental connection with their partners, and by doing so, draw genetic material, of which is used for the offspring. Asari consider it strengthening their species to procreate with other races, attaching a stigma to those born "pureblood" between two Asari. Their homeworld's name is Thessia.
Of all the species in Council space, the Asari are the most widespread, powerful, and respected. This is due in part, to their being the first species since the Protheans to achieve interstellar flight, to discover and learn how to use the Citadel, and their position as a founding member species of the Citadel Council. Despite this, the Asari are open in their service to others, to the point where there is no cultural stigma attached to performance arts, even [...] ones. This has led to salacious rumors of Asari promiscuity, which they consider unfounded.
Of all the galactic species, the Asari are the most economically powerful, their culture, products and entertainment dominating the galaxy. They are governed by a loose democracy, known as the Asari Republics, and are known to be politically neutral, favoring stability that is conducive to cultural and economic development. The Asari can live for a thousand years going through three stages in life.
Batarians
The batarians are a species that are socially not unlike humans, with large numbers in the crime syndicates throughout the galaxy, and who have a political rivalry with the human Systems Alliance, with whom they compete for unclaimed territory. The batarians have a slimmer build than the average human but are about the same height, on average, as a human. They have four eyes, one inner set located approximately where that of a humans would be, and a second pair stemming from "stalks" on the side of their heads. It is implied in Mass Effect: Revelations that they are capable of [...] relations with humans, and cross-breeding. According to the Mass Effect: Revelation novel, batarians have slits for noses and no lips. Batarians used to have an embassy on the Citadel, but they closed it in protest to the council's decicion to allow human colonization to continue in the Skyllian Verge, an area that the batarians considered within their interests. Despite the race playing a major part of the storyline in the novel, Casy Hudson of Bioware has noted that they do not Appear in Mass Effect itself.
Geth
The geth are a bipedal, humanoid race of networked AIs that reside in the Terminus Systems (possibly a reference to the Foundation series by Issac Asimov). The geth were created nearly 300 years ago by the quarians as laborers and tools of war. When the geth began to question their masters, the quarians attempted to exterminate them. The geth won the resulting war and reduced the quarians to a race of nomads. The example of the geth has led to a legally enforced, systematic repression of artificial intelligences in galactic society. It was feared that after they drove the quarians from their homeworld, the geth would turn on the rest of the galaxy, but this never happened, and they followed a pattern of isolationism. The geth now seem to have formed some sort of relationship with Saren. It is later revealed that the geth know about the Reapers, and believe them to be gods, having formed an alliance with them.
Hanar
The hanar are a species resembling Earth jellyfish. Hanar stand slightly taller than a human and have 3 fingers at the end of each of their tentacles. They are governed by The Illuminated Primacy, a theocracy that worships the Protheans as mythological "Enkindlers", although they are tolerant of other creeds. For this reason, they have difficulty seeing the Protheans as an extinct biological species, instead tending to view them as components of their religious mythology. Their extreme cultural obsession with politeness leads to problems interacting with other species, who may not understand their rules and manners. Among Hanar, it is customary to refer to oneself as "I" or by one's birthname only among family or close friends; with others, "it," "this one" or a public name are used. Financial interaction with the galactic economy is limited, and hanar space has few facilities designed to provide bipeds with a means to operate equipment such as computer terminals, contact GeneRally being limited to border trade stations. Being an oceanic life-form similar to a jellyfish, they cannot support their own form in standard gravity, instead using mass effect contra-gravitic levitation packs.
Humans
Humans in Mass Effect are generally similar to those in modern day life, although more technologically advanced. A recent addition to the galactic stage when the game is set, human society (called the Systems Alliance) advanced significantly with the advent of interstellar travel, made possible with the discovery of lost Prothean technology. Humans quickly expanded outwards and established more and more colonies on uninhabited planets. This fast expansion brought them into contact with the turians, with whom they quickly had conflict. The human-turian First Contact War brought humans to the attention of the species of the Citadel Council, who wasted no time in ending the war. In the brief decades since their "discovery", humans have quickly risen to prominence. In addition, humans have recently been given an embassy at the Citadel.
Humans are generally seen as intelligent, aggressive, and highly adaptable. Their brisk population growth and rapidly developing military strength have led to resentful speculation that the newcomers will soon be given an invitation to join the ranks of the Council itself. Despite their rising military strength, they are limited by the Treaty of Farixen, which limits the Alliance military to 1/5th the number of dreadnaught warships the turians possess. The Alliance agreed to this to gain an Embassy on the council.
Keepers
This race is known only to exist on the Citadel Station, and are suspected to be remnants from the Prothean era. The keepers were on the station upon the arrival of the asari many years back. They resemble large aphids and it is debated as to whether or not they are actually an intelligent species, being incapable of any conversation. Some citizens on the station believe them to be organic machines, designed only to serve and perform tasks given by masters. No matter how many of them perish, their numbers are mysteriously maintained, perhaps from within the bowels of the Citadel station. Attempts to capture and study them result in a sort of self-destruct, in which acid is released, dissolving the keeper into its constituent molecules. It is revealed that they were either created by the Reapers or enslaved. They operate through the signals released by the Citadel, including the Signal to turn the Citadel into a Mass Relay to the Reaper Fleet in Dark Space.
Krogan
The krogan are a species of large reptilian bipeds native to Tuchanka, a world known for its harsh environments, scarce resources and over-abundance of vicious predators. Once hailed as the saviors of the galaxy, the krogan are now a shadow of their former prominence. Due to the hostile environment of their home world, NATURAL selection has caused them to evolve various adaptations that make them a hardy species. Krogan naturally reproduce and mature at an extremely high rate, but due to a biological weapon unleashed on them called the genophage, only 1 in 1000 krogan births is successful. Because of this, the krogan are a dying species; faced with this slow extinction, many krogan have become very self-centered. The large shoulder humps on a krogan individual store fluids and nutrients, which enables them to go for long periods without food or water. Krogan also possess multiple instances of major organs, in which secondary organs serve as backups should a main organ be damaged, including four testicles. A krogan individual possesses a thick hide, which is extremely hardy and very resistant to cuts, scrapes, and contusions. Krogan are also highly resistant to radiation, poisons, and extreme temperatures. Biotic individuals are rare, though those who do possess the talent are typically quite strong in their abilities.
Quarians
The quarians are a nomadic species of humanoid aliens. Quarians are generally shorter and of slighter build than humans. They dress in a scavenged assortment of materials, hiding their FACES behind visors, goggles, or breathing masks. It is possible the quarians are cybernetic, a BLEND of machine and biology that can survive for a time in the vacuum of space. Due to living upon completely sterile spaceships for their whole lives, quarians have virtually no immune system, and cannot remove their life-support systems until returning to their fleet. Due to their limited amount of resources, quarian families are only allowed one child.
Salarians
Salarians are a species renowned for their technical skill as well as their high aptitude for espionage. Salarians have a very high metabolism rate, lowering their life expectancy to about 40 Earth years. The Salarians created the virus that basically neutered the krogans .The Salarians have a seat on the Citadel Council. In the interstellar community, they have created many of the major technological advances that now fill the galaxy. They favor political liberalism, making them a counter-balance to the conservative Turians and neutral Asari on the Citadel council. The Salarian Union is largely governed by a group of dynastic families. Of the three council species, their economy is the smallest, but still substantially larger than that of the human Systems Alliance.
Turians
The turians were the last of the Citadel species to join the Council. The turians gained this position after defeating the krogan for the Council during the "Krogan Rebellions". To defeat the krogan, the turians employed a biological weapon called the genophage which virtually eliminated the possibility of new krogan births and caused that species to go into a steady decline.
Turian features are avian, making them resemble Terran birds or raptors. They have a reputation for skill and bravery in combat, but they are not known to be bloodthirsty. A rigid code of honor and strict discipline are the hallmarks of any turian officer. This includes humane treatment of prisoners and conquered enemies. A turian unit will never willingly leave behind one of their own, no matter what the cost of going back to retrieve their comrade.
Their species is governed by the Turian Hierarchy, and of the three council races, they possess the largest military force, even if they are not as powerful as the technologically, diplomatically and economically superior asari.
Volus
Little is known to date about the volus, but their pressure suits and breathing masks are necessary when away from the much Thicker atmosphere of their home world. Their home planet's gravity is 1.5 times that of Earth's, with a high-pressure atmosphere, making their bodies short and almost spherical, and requiring them to wear protective suits. Their political independence was given up to the Turian Hierarchy in exchange for military protection and stability, making them a client state or protectorate. They are known to be prolific traders, and possess an economy far larger than their territory would suggest. In addition, volus in the game refer to the player-character as "Earth-Clan" possibly indicating a clan-like social hierarchy.
Other species
Other than the aforementioned, there are also dozens of other sapient species occupying Citadel station and Citadel space and also in the rivalling Terminus systems, but no further information on these has yet been made available. They also do not appear in the first game, though they are mentioned in it.
Species of unknown classification
Species 37
Also known as Thorian, Species 37 is a plant life-form capable of taking over the bodies of non-synthetic life-forms through The Release of spores. This life form predates the Protheans. It remained hidden, watching and learning, while civilizations grew and fell. It is the only life form left in the galaxy that can understand the Prothean language, if not more of the extinct races' languages. The Thorian gives Commander Shepard and Saren the vital knowledge they each need to understand their "visions" and find the Prothean Conduit.
Extinct or missing sapient species
Protheans
The Protheans are a supposedly-extinct alien species that was extremely technologically advanced. It is said without the technology that is credited to them, most of the galaxy's races would still be confined to their star systems. Although the Protheans possessed highly advanced technology, it is revealed that they were not the true creators of some of the greatest technological marvels for which they are given credit, such as the Mass Relay network. However, Prothean technology was discovered in a long abandoned facility on Mars that "propelled human advancement by over 200 years". According to the novel, Mass Effect: Revelation, the Protheans were wiped out approximately 50,000 years ago, long before humanity had developed interstellar travel. Despite their complex technology, the Protheans were methodically wiped out in the last cycle of the Reapers. Though the species was exterminated, a select few surviving Protheans managed to leave a series of clues and warnings of the Reapers' impending return which are discovered over the course of the game. It is revealed on the planet Ilos that the Protheans created the Conduit, a replica Mass Relay between Illos and the Citadel, and were able to shut down the signal that allows the Citadel to become a Mass Relay to the Reapers in Dark Space.
No visual description of a Prothean is ever given in Mass Effect or Mass Effect: Revelation. Although at least one Prothean Virtual Intelligence construct survived on Ilos, it's holographic appearance is fractured, erratic, and appears to be the holographic equivalent of "static". Whether this is a purposeful design by the Protheans, or due to damage is not revealed, nor is the possible existence of other surviving VI constructs.
Many statues exist on the surface of Ilos and it is likely that these statues are of Protheans. These statues show a humanoid body with a squid-like head, the tentacles hanging off the face much like a beard. The player also sees visions of the Protheans through the course of the game. Although the player only has brief, blurry images of them, a humanoid shape with coils protruding from the face and body can still be vaguely made out.
Rachni
The rachni are an extinct insectoid species that threatened to defeat and overthrow the Citadel Council roughly two thousand years ago. They were first encountered by accident due to the activation of a long range Mass Relay with a counterpart in, what was at that time, an unknown location. Since long range Mass Relays are not omnidirectional, each one has a counterpart scattered somewhere in the Milky Way. It is due to the disastrous opening of the mass relay into rachni space that most galactic races have adopted a policy of leaving Mass Relays with undiscovered counterparts inactive. The rachni were defeated and completely eradicated by the Krogan, who had been groomed by the Salarians to perform this act. This indirectly caused the Krogan Rebellions much later. However, a rachni egg was found by a science team on a derelict ship and brought to the Noveria research lab. The rachni were effectively and inadvertently brought back from the dead.
The Queen discovered on Noveria subtly suggests the rachni's capacity for extreme belligerence was not in their nature, but rather influence from Sovereign. It is up to the player to decide whether the Queen lives or dies.
Reapers
The main villains of the Series, this cybernetic race appears every 50,000 years to harvest all sentient organic life, and by the first Mass Effect game, the time of their return is approaching. The term "Reapers" is not actually a self designation, according to Sovereign (A vanguard left behind to signal for their return when sentient biological life in the galaxy had recovered sufficiently to be harvested again), but a Prothean name given to the sentient machines.
The main force of Reapers lay in Dark Space, in the empty space beyond the outer edge of the Galaxy, leaving one Reaper alone in the Galaxy each cycle to act as a vanguard to activate the Citadel Mass Relay every 50,000 years. At the time of the first Mass Effect, this vanguard is Sovereign.
To facilitate this invasion, the Reapers built the Citadel and the Mass Effect relays, so organic civilization, as Sovereign claims, would advance along the lines beneficial to the Reapers. Specifically, the Citadel creates a centralized government at the point of invasion from Dark Space and the Mass Effect relays keep organic life dependent on Long term travel which can quickly be taken away.
Upon invading through the Citadel, the Reapers quickly destroy organic civilizations' capitals and leaders, crippling their ability to react. Furthermore, the Reapers are able to isolate each system by controlling the Mass Effect relays and hunt down organic life at their leisure by the vast records galactic civilization keeps at the Citadel.
The motives for this [...], the Reapers origin and their habitation in Dark Space are all unknown, even at the very end of the game. The Prothean Construct Vigil suggests they go into hibernation to preserve energy and do so in the void between galaxies so organic species will not stumble upon them when sleeping. No explanation is offered for the cycle upon which the Reapers seem to exist, Vigil suggests that while it May Be something simple like a need for slaves, it is likely an alien and unknowable synthetic goal.
References
Montaza