Top-ranked Mass Effect romanceable characters
A few weeks ago while streaming, I got into a very detailed discussion about the future of Mass Effect and what character was the best romanceable option. So I’ve decided that today we are ranking the romanceable Mass Effect characters! Here is a list of fan-favorite romanceable characters from the games. (and yes, Garrus will be at number one. For those of you who don’t know me and my fangirl obsession with the constantly calibrating Turian).
It’s actually rather difficult to compile a list of the best romanceable characters with the trilogy, so I had to do a lot of research. I ended up having to watch a lot of videos on YouTube to try and understand why any other character other than Garrus would be picked.
So after a lot of snooping and reading, I perhaps started seeing the appeal of the other characters.
Spoilers ahead if you have never played any of the games!
I’m starting the list off with Kaidan Alenko
It’s probably in poor taste that I say this, but when I first started playing Mass Effect I kinda chose Kaidan because he was rather sweet and charming…in the beginning. He was like a lost puppy, making googly eyes at your Shepard when she complimented him or would give a charming little smile and would agree with everything the Commander said.
I mean who wouldn’t fall for a charming young lieutenant as you explore the wonders of the galaxy. Always looking for your approval and just being by your side, and at some point, my Shepard needed a companion and a partner she could vent and rely on. However, like any relationship, there must be some ups and downs. But this “downfall” was a big red flag. When Shepard was declared dead in Mass Effect 2, Kaidan took the news very hard, eventually he moved on, focused on his work, might have dated a few others, who knows.
When we get a surprise visit from the now second human Spectre, Kaidan Alenko, on a mission, he completely lost his Prince Charming cool. Arguing that the Commander was now working with the enemy, and while you try and convince him otherwise he refuses to listen to you or even trust you. (This might have enraged me a bit too much and I have still not forgiven him for it, no matter how many times I replay the game).
However, there are die-hard fans that have stuck with Shepard’s first love even if he was a complete jerk in the second installment and I guess like many relationships now we all have to have our ups and downs in order for the relationship to work.
Like Kaiden did with his mistrust of Shepard in the second game and perhaps in the third game. Even after breaking his heart in both the second and third game he still asks you to give the relationship another try. But at this point, my heart fully belonged to another alien! Heartbreaking I know :(
Kaiden was, unfortunately, the punching bag so to say. And now that I think back to it, he was the choice I picked to insure my commander was not alone while saving the world.
Next up we have Tali’Zorah vas Neema
Our sweet little engineer has come so far from the first time we saw her in-game. Tali is definitely a fan favorite for many reasons, for some fans, Tali was the forbidden fruit… exotic, and out of reach.
Romancing her leaves you feeling like you are in your own Hollywood movie, Romeo and Juliet if you would like to sound dramatic. Destined to be together but it seemed so impossible at first.
I like the idea of falling in love with someone based on who they are and their personality and not for the way they looked.
For many fans this was the case, Tali won over her fans through the things she did and always being by Shepard’s side. You see, Tali’s race has a very weak immune system due to the race living in a very sterile environment. This has resulted in the quarians dressing in highly sophisticated suits. There is just something about our human nature that makes the unknown so attractive, and not seeing what Tali looked like until very far in the series really does seem to do it for some gamers.
And then we have the brilliant Liara T’soni
The developer’s favorite and some might even say her character felt a little forced as a romanceable option for both male and female commanders.
Personally, I think Liara has some of the best character development throughout the entire trilogy as we see her go from the shy and nervous bookworm to a lot colder and darker in the second game due to the loss of Commander Shepard at the start of the second game. I personally liked the more grownup version of Liara as she no longer acted like a child, she was stronger and yes a lot colder but she could look after herself and rely on her abilities more.
As the game progressed I think Liara was first fascinated with Shepard due to the commander’s interaction with the Prothean Beacon. From what I can see the commander was Liara’s first very serious crush and I would best describe the relationship as sweet and innocent. As Liara acted like a young school girl that fell in love for the first time, which is very understandable considering that Asari live up to 1000 years and in the first game Liara was only 106 years old, ane her own race still seeing her as a child.
The second installment of the game really left Liara heartbroken and cold as she was under the impression that you passed away when the reapers first attacked. Eventually, we learn that Liara was the person who sent your body off to the Illusive Man, as she believed if anyone could bring you back it would be the man with the money to back it.
However, I did find it rather strange that she herself never came to look for you or try and make contact with you considering if you romanced her, you would be lovers and partners. Even after she received word that you are indeed alive and well. But she had her reasons and if you are a super Liara fan most players were really saddened by the fact that Liara did not join you in the second game as a crewmate leaving you to fight the dangers alone. However, if you stick with your love for her it is greatly rewarded in the third game.
And should you not choose to romance her she still remained in my opinion one of Shepard’s closest friends.
Saving the best for last, Garrus Vakarian
I already know most of you scrolled down without reading the rest just to see if Garrus was my Number 1 :)
As most of us know, the best love stories start out as friends, and that is how I felt about Shepard’s relationship with Garrus.
As the story of the first game progressed we noticed how Garrus quickly turned into best friend material and by the end of the game many players were dreaming of tying down the vigilant and making him our partner.
In some way, it feels rather wrong not to give Garrus a chance as he has been with you throughout the entire trilogy. We have seen him at his best and worst, and romancing him kinda feels like the most obvious choice, it was easy, he was always there, ready to take a bullet for you if needed.
We never got to flirt with him as we did with Ashley or Kaiden right from the start. The progression in the second game was a bit frustrating as we mostly saw him calibrating things even though all you wanted to do was tell him how you felt. But in any good relationship, all great things take time…even though some aliens take longer than normal.
When we finally got Garrus to the point that he confesses his feelings it was all uphill from there, the crew making jokes about the odd pair. The Citadel DLC, the romantic meetups, that charming deep voice, and who could forget when he rushed into Shepard’s room all nervous with a bottle of wine to lighten the mood.
Garrus is the only character I have romanced except for Kaiden without second guessing myself, and although I have tried my hardest, I always seem to go back to the Turian…after I break Kaiden’s heart in the second game of course. And possibly one of the other things that make me hesitant to romance someone else is because I don’t really want to see Garrus end up with someone else in the game (which is possible, from what I have heard…Tali), I know it’s selfish but once you fall for the lone Archangel you will understand.
There are so many options and I would encourage you to play the games in order to pick your own favorite, but for me, I don’t know if I will ever romance someone else other than Garrus…
Guess you will need to find out when I stream Mass Effect again, perhaps we should hold a viewer vote where chat decides who I should romance?
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