Mass Effect: 10 Memes That Sum Up The Franchise

The Mass Effect trilogy, much like any great franchise, has a flurry of memes and memorable quotes. Every fan will recognize and likely agree with most memes posted in regards to the science fiction video game. Whether it is Garrus calibrating or Shepard giving endorsements, the Mass Effect memes are pretty spot on.

When the Legendary Edition was released, these memes came all that more abundant as old players remembered old playthroughs, and new players got to experience these famous moments as well. Anyone that has played the games can easily feel the stress of Banshees and the laughter at the renegade moments. However, memes make these memories all the more hilarious to reflect on.

Busy Calibrating

It is no secret that Garrus loves to calibrate the Normandy’s weapons, but what is not often thought of is how he reacts to the success of blowing up other ships, especially the Collectors’. It is essentially an unspoken plus of having Garrus on board. Shepard may have researched the upgrades for the guns, but Garrus calibrated them. He is always calibrating them.

The meme, posted by Redditor Foodyquest, perfectly encapsulates the likely joy Garrus felt seeing Normandy’s weapons obliterate anything. It is likely Garrus also probably said to himself that there would be more construction if Shepard was not always trying to talk to him.

Acceptable Inconsistency

There are a lot of holes in the translation of other languages in the Mass Effect universe. This meme, posted by Redditor linus044, discusses that very inconsistency. Supposedly translating most of the aliens’ languages, some words like “Keelah se’lai” sneak by. It is something players likely will not notice at first, but once they do, it is hard to forget. Although, the explanation for translation in any science fiction story is usually spotty.

The argument could be made that Tali does state there is no real translation for the word. However, that could also be the case for the multiple languages spoken by the several different alien species within the galaxy. The fact that a few Quarian words are not translated while no one else runs into this issue is a bit of a head-scratcher, but an acceptable head-scratcher as it is an awesome phrase.

All of the Renegade Lines

Most Mass Effect fans have watched the old video posted by Hybrid titled, “Commander Shepard Is Such A Jerk”, and its sequel. It is hard to pinpoint an exact renegade line that completely envelopes a renegade playthrough. The entirety of the renegade dialogue does it justice. Moments such as punching an annoying reporter, telling Batarians they work too hard, and just not caring about the state of the galaxy are pure renegade moves.

Both the videos perfectly summarize what a renegade playthrough looks like. Although, if one were to truly go renegade, they would lose a lot of their squadmates, which is a truly evil act, especially in regards to Garrus.

Reapers Interrupting Scans

Mass Effect 3 introduced a lot of cool gameplay mechanics. One of the worst, however, is scanning across the galaxy, and having the Reapers show up to ruin your day. Granted, PC players can nullify this with mods, but console players are stuck having to be chased by Reapers and waste way too much time on simple tasks. There is a lot to debate on Mass Effect 3, but almost every fan will universally agree the Reaper Alertness mechanic is annoying.

That’s why a meme from Dumb and Dumber posted by Redditor mutant_amoeba is perfect in showcasing this.

Shepard As The Co-Pilot

It is no secret that Commander Shepard knows how to pick up romances. Regardless of gender, Shepard knows how to flirt. Their charisma skills are through the roof. However, poor Garrus is just not as easy with the ladies. This meme posted by Redditor BeenEatinBeans drives home Garrus’ flawed attempts at flirting with women. This is displayed very similarly to the scene in the Citadel DLC when Garrus tries to flirt with a Turian woman and drops the ball. Luckily, Shepard is always there to save the day.

Garrus is easily the most lovable character, and even though he is awkward, the fans still adore him with his quirks. His awkwardness and cleverness are one reason why he is often thought of as the best companion in Mass Effect. Never change, Garrus.

Every Store Is Shepard’s Favorite Store

One of the most infamous lines was so popular that the website Know Your Meme did a whole article on it. The line stems from Mass Effect 2 when there is an option to pretty much make every store on the Citadel Shepard’s favorite. Shepard will do anything for a sweet deal and essentially become a sellout. Endorsements from competing stores across the street from each other. Shepard does not care, they just want discounts.

It is arguably one of the fans’ favorite lines to utter and a shame that the trend could not continue in Mass Effect 3. Still, it is just icing on the cake when playing through Mass Effect 2 for the 500th time.

Banshees Are Horrifying

Easily the most terrifying enemy in the game, Banshees strikes fear into players even before appearing on screen. This meme, posted by a Redditor shows just how the stress levels skyrocket when the Bashees’ scream is heard. Their ability to teleport, tank a lot of bullets, and potentially one-hit kill if too close, just makes them all the more terrifying. Arguably, even the bigger and louder Brutes don’t stand a chance against Banshees.

The set up for Banshees in regards to the Ardat-Yakshi monastery, the horror elements were dialed to eleven. The third installment featured excellent elements of science fiction horror with this mission and the Leviathan. The build-up and the payoff of the Banshees compliment their horrifying nature as well as their backstory. The mission rivals some of even the scariest video games.

Ah Yes, Reapers

If the council from the first game is saved by Shepard, the council will just dismiss anything about the Reapers hilariously and predictably. Even though there is undeniable evidence, the council shrugs and says nope. The line has become famous amongst fans and rose to even more popularity with the Legendary Edition release. The line is used in various memes across the internet, including this one posted by Redditor ChknShtOutfit.

In the real world, many have been searching for other life in the universe. Although, if Reapers are found, it is likely the governments of the world will dismiss those claims.

Shepard the Eavesdropper

Just imagine having a simple conversation at the Citadel. Whether it is about checking out a restaurant or having a family dispute, and then there is some random stranger standing right beside listening to the entire conversation, and solving a problem that was mentioned. It is a bit awkward, no? Well, fans like to poke fun at Shepard constantly doing just that across all three games. They have a knack for just standing next to strangers and solving their problems without their knowledge or consent.

Granted, most are pleased that Shepard fixed their issues. Still, it is a bit weird to eavesdrop on everyone. This image posted by Redditor Resplendent_InChrome shows just how awkward it looks.

Cerberus Switches Sides

Although Cerberus was technically never good throughout the trilogy, the organization did suddenly become very very bad within the third game. In the second installment, Cerberus was portrayed as a simple means to an end to the Collector problem, but the third game turns Cerberus into a full-on cult. Granted there is some indoctrination involved, but it is a sudden change nonetheless. The Illusive Man suddenly becomes a lot more aggressive and less careless than his cool and calculated self in the second game.

Still, every fan saw Cerberus being a villain coming with the ending of the second game. However, this meme posted by Redditor Odomocnina showcases that change.

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