Garrus Vakarian: The Turian with a Heart of Gold

Garrus Vakarian is a fictional character in the Mass Effect series of video games. He is a turian, a species known for its militaristic culture, and serves as a squadmate and love interest for Commander Shepard, the player character. Garrus is first introduced in the first Mass Effect game as a member of C-Sec, the Citadel Security Services, and later joins Shepard as a member of their team to fight against the Reapers, a powerful machine race bent on wiping out all organic life in the galaxy.

Personality

Garrus is known for his dry wit and sarcastic humor, which often serves as a counterpoint to the seriousness of the situations he finds himself in.

He is also fiercely loyal to his friends and teammates and will do whatever it takes to protect them.

Despite his military background, Garrus is not a fan of unnecessary violence and often takes a more cautious approach to combat than some of his more hot-headed comrades.

Background

Garrus was born on Palaven, the turian homeworld, and grew up in a military family.

He initially pursued a career in law enforcement, joining C-Sec after graduating from the turian military academy.

However, he became disillusioned with the bureaucracy and corruption he saw within the organization and left to join Commander Shepard’s team as a vigilante.

Looks/Dressing

As a turian, Garrus has a distinctive appearance, with a bird-like face and a carapace that covers his body.

He wears a set of customized armor that reflects his preference for stealth and long-range combat.

His armor is primarily black and gray, with red accents, and is adorned with a skull emblem.

Weapons

Garrus is an expert marksman and prefers to fight at long range with sniper rifles.

He also carries a set of pistols for close-quarters combat and is skilled in using grenades and other explosives.

Allies

Throughout the Mass Effect series, Garrus forms close bonds with several members of Shepard’s team, including:

Tali’Zorah: a quarian engineer who joins Shepard’s team in the first game. Garrus and Tali often banter with each other and share a mutual respect for their technical expertise.

Liara T’Soni: an Asari researcher who becomes Shepard’s ally in the first game. Garrus and Liara share a close friendship and often provide emotional support to each other during the game’s events.

Wrex: a Krogan mercenary who joins Shepard’s team in the first game. Garrus and Wrex initially have a tense relationship, as Turians and Krogans have a long history of conflict, but they eventually become close friends.

Mordin Solus: a salarian scientist who joins Shepard’s team in the second game. Garrus and Mordin share a love of calibrations and often discuss technical details together.

EDI: A Quantum Blue Box type artificial intelligence that joins Shepard’s team in the third game. Garrus initially distrusts EDI due to her status as a machine but eventually comes to accept her as a valuable member of the team.

Enemies

Saren Arterius: The primary antagonist of the first game. Saren is a rogue turian Spectre who has been corrupted by the Reapers, and Garrus is one of the first characters to suspect his treachery.

The Collectors: a race of insectoid aliens who serve as the main antagonists of the second game. Garrus is one of several characters who help Shepard investigate and fight the Collectors.

The Reapers: an ancient race of synthetic beings who seek to destroy all organic life in the galaxy. Garrus fights against the Reapers in the third game, serving as one of Shepard’s most trusted allies.

Cerberus: a pro-human organization that serves as one of the primary antagonists of the series. Garrus initially works with Cerberus in the second game but becomes disillusioned with their methods and ideology throughout the series.

Kai Leng: an assassin who serves as one of the primary antagonists of the third game. Garrus and Leng have a personal rivalry due to Leng’s role in attacking the turian homeworld of Palaven.

Despite facing numerous enemies throughout the series, Garrus remains steadfast in his loyalty to Shepard and the cause of saving the galaxy from the Reapers.

Game Plot

Garrus Vakarian plays a significant role in each of the three main Mass Effect games. Here are some details about his involvement in each game’s plot:

Mass Effect:

In the first game, Garrus Vakarian is a turian C-Sec officer who becomes embroiled in the investigation of Saren Arterius, a rogue Spectre who is working with the Reapers to conquer the galaxy.

After Garrus becomes disillusioned with C-Sec’s bureaucracy and corruption, he joins Commander Shepard’s team and becomes a valued member of their crew.

Garrus Vakarian serves as a sharpshooter and tactical expert throughout the game, and his expertise in turian military strategy proves invaluable in fighting against the Reapers.

Mass Effect 2:

In the second game, Garrus Vakarian is working as a vigilante on the turian homeworld of Omega, taking down criminal organizations and serving as a protector for the city’s vulnerable populations.

When Shepard is killed in action and subsequently resurrected by the pro-human organization Cerberus, Garrus joins their team to help investigate a mysterious new threat known as the Collectors.

Throughout the game, Garrus Vakarian works to rebuild his relationship with Shepard and confronts his demons regarding his vigilante past.

He also develops a close friendship with Mordin Solus, a salarian scientist who joins the team.

Mass Effect 3:

In the third game, Garrus Vakarian becomes a leader in the turian military, working to defend his homeworld of Palaven from the Reaper invasion.

He rejoins Shepard’s team early in the game and serves as a tactical advisor, offering his expertise in strategy and marksmanship.

Garrus also develops a romantic relationship with Shepard, which can culminate in a touching scene near the end of the game.

As the war against the Reapers intensifies, Garrus Vakarian remains a stalwart ally and trusted friend to Shepard, working tirelessly to save the galaxy from destruction.

Top Quotes

Garrus is known for his dry wit and sarcastic sense of humor, which has earned him many fans among Mass Effect players. Here are some of his most memorable quotes:

• “Just like old times, Shepard. Let’s give these bastards everything we’ve got.”
• “I’m Garrus Vakarian, and this is my favorite spot on the Citadel.”
• “I’m Garrus Vakarian, and this is now my favorite spot on the Citadel.”
• “We’ll make sure everyone knows what the Reapers did here. The sacrifices they made. I owe them that.”
• “There’s no Shepard without Vakarian.”
• “I’m Garrus Vakarian, and this is my rectum. Er, my rectifier.”
• “Anyone who fights us is either stupid or on Saren’s payroll. Killing the latter is business. Killing the former is a favor to the universe.”
• “I don’t know which worries me more: the possibility that the Reapers already have agents within the galaxy, or that we’re still arguing about it.”
• “Do I sound like that?”
• “Go out there and give them hell. You were born to do this.”

Trivia

1. Garrus was originally conceived as a romance option for female Shepard in the first Mass Effect game, but the idea was ultimately scrapped due to time constraints.
2. In the original concept art for Mass Effect, Garrus was depicted with a more reptilian appearance, with scales on his face and a long, forked tongue.
3. Garrus was voiced by actor Brandon Keener in all three Mass Effect games.
4. Garrus was the first non-human squadmate to appear in the Mass Effect series.
5. Garrus is one of only two characters (the other being Liara T’Soni) to appear as a squadmate in all three main Mass Effect games.
6. In the third game, Garrus can be found practicing his shooting skills in the ship’s cargo bay, a nod to his love of calibrations and precision.
7. Garrus’s voice actor, Brandon Keener, has said that he based Garrus’s voice and speech patterns on Clint Eastwood’s portrayal of “The Man with No Name” in the classic Western films.
8. Garrus’s loyalty mission in Mass Effect 2 involves him seeking revenge against a former ally who betrayed him during his vigilante days on Omega.
9. Garrus’s father was a highly respected turian general, but Garrus was always more interested in fighting crime and corruption on the streets than following in his father’s footsteps.
10. Garrus has a bit of a competitive streak, often challenging his fellow squadmates to shooting contests or other contests of skill.
11. Garrus’s favorite holiday is Turian New Year, which he describes as “one big party across the entire turian hierarchy.”
12. Garrus’s armor in the first Mass Effect game was originally supposed to be red and black, but the colors were changed to blue and white due to a technical issue with the game’s lighting.
13. Garrus’s loyalty mission in Mass Effect 3 involves him and Shepard trying to rescue a group of turian soldiers who have been trapped behind enemy lines.
14. In Mass Effect 3, Garrus’s romance scene features a reference to the classic film Top Gun, with Garrus and Shepard taking turns quoting lines from the movie while sitting in a makeshift cockpit.

Also Read: Clementine (Walking Dead)

Conclusion

Garrus Vakarian is a beloved character in the Mass Effect series, known for his dry humor, loyalty, and expert marksmanship. As a turian, he brings a unique perspective to the game’s world-building and lore, and his relationships with other characters are some of the most memorable moments in the series. Whether players choose to romance him or simply enjoy his banter and support during combat, Garrus is a character that has stood the test of time and remains a fan favorite among Mass Effect players.