The Mass Effect trilogy has some great characters and some even better squadmates. Each game has a different set of squadmates, and depending on how the End Run goes in Mass Effect 2, your cast of characters could be drastically different, given your entire squad can die. The Mass Effect: Legendary Edition was recently given a release date along with a slew of new information, and to commemorate this, we’re doing an ongoing series on Mass Effect until the Legendary Edition’s release. Being the greatest gaming trilogy of all-time, Mass Effect has not only an incredible story to tell but some great squadmates over three games. It’s hard to choose the top Mass Effect squadmates, but there are a few who stand out as being the best.
6. Liara
Liara appears in all three Mass Effect games and is a playable character in Mass Effect and Mass Effect 3. She’s a powerful biotic who’s a true asset to the team and has excellent character development throughout the trilogy. Even more, she’s Shepard’s rock in the third game, helping him through his grief as the weight of his decisions wears him down. Liara may be kind of bland as a character in the original Mass Effect, despite being fairly powerful, but her character development is some of the best in the series.
5. Thane
Thane is a playable character in Mass Effect 2 and is one of your greatest assets. Thane is one of the galaxy’s greatest assassins, yet this seems to be at odds with his spiritual beliefs. The conversations between him and Shepard are some of the best interactions in the series. Thane is an assassin who is able to use biotics, giving him a certain level of versatility. His death scene is one of the best sequences in Mass Effect 3, and there are few characters who leave as lasting an impression as Thane does.
4. Miranda Lawson
Miranda is a powerful biotic who is in the employ of Cerberus when you first meet her. She is instrumental in the revival of Commander Shepard and is the go-between between Shepard and The Illusive Man. After the events of Mass Effect 2, she breaks ties with Cerberus and goes rogue. She’s a potential love interest for Shepard, and as Mass Effect 2 goes on, she grows on you. She’s a must-have for your team and Yvonne Strahovski’s performance as Miranda is nothing short of astounding. While she’s only a squadmate in Mass Effect 2, she leaves a lasting impression.
3. Mordin
Mordin is one of the most memorable characters in the Mass Effect series. He’s quirky, intelligent, and ruthless when he has to be. He has a variety of powers, including incinerate, cryo blast, and neural shock, making him a very powerful asset to the team. He’s only a squadmate in Mass Effect 2, but his death scene (if he survives Mass Effect 2) is one of the best moments in the series. The Salarian is an excellent member of the team and is not only a true asset but a wonderful character.
2. Wrex
Despite only being a squadmate in the original Mass Effect, the Krogan is a total badass whose conversations with Shepard are engaging, as the two (in my playthrough) have similar ideologies. He uses biotics and arms himself with a shotgun and an assault rifle. The confrontation between Shepard and Wrex on Virmire is legendary, and is arguably the best scene in the entire trilogy. Wrex is incredibly powerful and despite only being a squadmate in the first game, he’s more than earned his place as being one of the top squadmates in Mass Effect.
1. Garrus
Garrus is my bro. This former C-Sec agent turned into Shepard’s best friend in my playthroughs and goes through some great character development. He is a potential squadmate in all three games, making him one of the only characters who is with Shepard during the duration of his journey. He makes use of a Sniper Rifle with pin-point precision and uses engineering techniques. He’s a powerful asset to the team and has some of the best character moments over the course of the trilogy. His bond with Shepard is a deep one, and out of every squadmate, he is the best hands-down.