Mass Effect fans have had incredible news the past few months, from the confirmation of the Mass Effect: Legendary Edition to the teaser of a brand new Mass Effect game in the works. The trailer for the upcoming game has led to lots of speculation in the Mass Effect community, although nothing has been confirmed by BioWare in the slightest. Still, it’s impossible not to try to piece together the clues that have already been dropped in the trailer.
The Mass Effect 4 teaser trailer, debuted at the 2020 Game Awards, definitely left more questions than answers for players. No one knows what galaxy Mass Effect 4 will be set in, who exactly the protagonist will be, or even an official name for the in-development title. However, the video teased the return of beloved asari Liara T’Soni, which could have big implications for the storyline of the upcoming game. It also showed two different galaxies, meaning Mass Effect 4 could see the merging of both the original Mass Effect trilogy and Mass Effect: Andromeda, ultimately meaning that Liara and Pathfinder Ryder may be teaming up in the next game.
Liara T’Soni has been in the Mass Effect franchise since the very first game. Though she’s only a companion in Mass Effect and Mass Effect 3, Liara is one of the most well-known companions in the games. Her role as the Shadow Broker, solidified by the Mass Effect 2 DLC Lair of the Shadow Broker, may have some interesting implications for Mass Effect 4.
It’s been confirmed through Pathfinder Ryder listening to their father’s logs that Alec was in contact with Liara before Ark Hyperion took off for the Andromeda galaxy. The initial messages are from the year 2182, right before Liara met Shepard and started on the journey to save the galaxy from the Reapers. Liara later sends a message in 2186 telling Alec Ryder that the Reapers had arrived and that the Milky Way and its people may be changed forever. She asks him not to forget about them and signs off. Alec didn’t receive this message immediately, as he was in cryo, but his child can listen to it and know the truth of what happened on Earth.
It’s unclear if Liara is still the Shadow Broker following the conclusion of Mass Effect 3, but it is confirmed that Ryder (Alec’s child) knows who Liara is because of her well-known research and their father’s audio logs. Alec also conferred with the Shadow Broker, but it wouldn’t have been Liara at the time. Liara could end up venturing out to Andromeda with the threat of the Reapers gone, meeting up with Ryder and establishing a partnership. Instead of being a selectable companion, Liara could also just function like Dr. T’Perro, who Ryder can talk to on occasion.
Though Pathfinder Ryder doesn’t have as extensive a history in the Mass Effect universe, they still rose up to the challenge of being Pathfinder, even after the loss of their father. Whether players chose Sara or Scott, both protagonists proved themselves worthy of the title of Pathfinder at the end of Mass Effect: Andromeda. While the game still left plenty of questions for players that could be answered in sequels, the fact is Mass Effect: Andromeda wasn’t as well-received as the developer had hoped.
However, once Mass Effect: Andromeda made it to Steam, the reviews improved quite a bit, giving a bit of hope to fans who enjoyed the follow-up game. It would be a shame to see the lore and newfound life in the Andromeda galaxy be put to the wayside in the development in Mass Effect 4, so it’s possible the developer will try to take what’s left of the Mass Effect trilogy and combine it with Andromeda. Ryder learned the truth about Earth and the Reapers through their father’s audio logs and surely had tons of questions—who better to ask than the person (asari) who sent them?
Though nothing is confirmed yet, it’s entirely possible that Ryder and Liara can team up in Mass Effect 4 as a way of tying the two segments of the franchise together in a cohesive way. That way fans get a pleasant look at what the Milky Way and Andromeda look like as a cooperative unit (despite being light-years away) and not so utterly distant from each other.
Mass Effect 4 is currently in development.
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