One of the defining elements of Mass Effect 2 was the importance of Commander Shepard’s squad and their loyalty. A key activity throughout the events of the game is gathering an array of squad members and earning their loyalty, so that they’ll accompany the player on the fateful suicide mission. The cast of characters at Shepard’s disposal is quite a mixed bag, with characters including mercenaries and assassins who embody different aspects of morality. BioWare’s Mac Walters recently revealed cut characters who didn’t end up making it into the final version of the game, and some of them don’t sound particularly Paragon-inclined.
In the Mass Effect 2 that was released, players were able to recruit some of the galaxy’s best and worst concerning their moral path. One of the most notable examples of Renegade morality is the Asari, Morinth. She has a rare genetic disorder that kills anyone she mates with, and in turn, making her more powerful. In the events of Mass Effect 2, her mother Samara is trying to bring her to justice, and Shephard has the opportunity to help her, or kill her and have Morinth impersonate her mother for the mission. Among the cut characters, some might have fit in well with the likes of Morinth.
Mac Walters, writer for the Mass Effect series and director of the upcoming Mass Effect: Legendary Edition remaster, revealed a host of details surrounding existing and cut characters from Mass Effect 2. Based on his presentation of a document, there were many different concepts that BioWare was considering for companion characters. A portion of these ideas carried forward into the squad members that the game ended up including. Some character concepts, more than others, seemed to lean into Renegade ethics more so than others.
It’s important to note that the morality system in Mass Effect 2 is composed of Paragon and Renegade actions which can be distilled down to “good” and “bad” in some cases, but this isn’t a rule. Players will get Paragon points for being generally amicable and helpful, whereas Renegade points are earned for being curt and self-centered. In line with this description, some cut characters fit the Renegade label quite clearly.
One such character referred to as The Convict, is a clear-cut Renegade. The Convict is described as being the most deadly killer in the whole galaxy, held within the confines of a high-security prison. Shepard would have been tasked with breaking them out of prison to gain their services, which is a Renegade-like act in itself. Being a murderer, The Convict would have been a clear Renegade character who could have brought conflict to the Normandy and its crew. Elements of The Convict and another character, The Mad Bomber, live on in Mass Effect 2 with Jack and Zaeed.
Another concept referred to the Salarian Avenger, who was inspired by the character Inigo Montoya and his revenge story in The Princess Bride. While his goal of exacting revenge on those who killed his ancestors doesn’t seem especially evil, it’s his actions that thrust him into Renegade territory. The plan was for Commander Shepard and the crew to encounter the Salarian after he has assassinated a high-ranking politician for information. The Salarian devoted himself to becoming an assassin, and even abandoning personal connections in the process. While seemingly not inherently evil, their actions were reflective of a Renegade outlook. This concept seemed to be quite fleshed out before it was cut, and being renamed to Salarian Assassin at one point.
A character called The Mercenary was in the works at one point, who was described as a soldier of fortune, an older male character who has seen and done it all. This doesn’t sound unlike Zaeed Massani, the veteran soldier who was introduced as a part of Mass Effect 2 DLC content. Where his probable Renegade alignment stems from is in how his personality was described. While bluntly honest, The Mercenary was described as crude and gruff, and coupling this with his hardened soldier routine, it would have been easy to see him being a confrontational figure.
The Spacejacker was described as a thief, who especially loved stealing ships. While being confident in their skills and having a chatty personality, thieving entire vessels isn’t really an action that would fall in-line with a Paragon character. This strikes as a softer Renegade affiliation, especially when compared to the likes of The Convict. This character could have possessed a good heart but ultimately, stealing ships are the actions of a Renegade character. While there is no confirmation, this concept sounds like it may have served the development of Kasumi Goto, who is widely considered to be one of the more middling Mass Effect companions.
An interesting character idea was that of the Design-A-Krogan. This Krogan would have been creating inside of a breeding chamber and would have needed a genetic donor to be created. The character was described as that of a child in their manner and perceptions but would be a killing machine on the battlefield. It’s easy to see that this idea served as inspiration somewhat for the infantile Grunt companion in Mass Effect 2.
The difference with this original idea is that Shepard would have been able to influence his development, specifically when it came to their moral path. While this Krogan companion wouldn’t have been inherently Renegade or Paragon, it would have been an interesting experience for players to be able to mold the character to their own personal blueprint.
Mass Effect 2 is widely regarded as an RPG classic, filled with memorable characters. The final squad of available companions that the game ended up with is a memorable bunch who possess different moral compasses. Some of the ideas revealed by Mac Walters would have undoubtedly been exciting for fans if they were fully realized, but it’s heartening to see some of their qualities exist within the characters that did escape the cutting room floor.
Mass Effect 2 is available now on PC, Xbox 360, and PS3.
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