Can You Lose Garrus Loyalty in Mass Effect 2? A Comprehensive Guide
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The short answer? No, you cannot lose Garrus’ loyalty in Mass Effect 2 once you’ve earned it. Unlike some other squadmates where making the wrong choices during or after their loyalty mission can result in them becoming disloyal, Garrus Vakarian’s loyalty is permanent once secured. This makes him a consistently reliable asset for the Suicide Mission and beyond. Once Garrus is loyal, the benefits will continue in the other games too. However, there’s a lot more to explore regarding Garrus’s loyalty mission, his character arc, and how your choices impact your relationship with this beloved Turian. Let’s dive into the details.
Understanding Garrus’ Loyalty Mission: An Eye for an Eye
Garrus’s loyalty mission, “An Eye for an Eye,” is a pivotal moment in his character development. It’s about confronting his past and making a crucial decision regarding Sidonis, the Turian who betrayed his previous team to the Blue Suns mercenaries. This mission provides significant insight into Garrus’s sense of justice and his struggle with his own vigilante tendencies.
The key to understanding loyalty loss (or lack thereof, in Garrus’s case) lies within the mission structure. Regardless of your decisions during the mission itself, Garrus’s loyalty is assured upon its completion. This differs from missions like those of Tali or Jack, where intervening in a specific way during a post-mission argument can cause loyalty to be lost.
The Sniper Showdown: A Critical Choice
The climax of “An Eye for an Eye” involves a sniper showdown where Garrus has Sidonis in his sights. Here, you face a critical decision that significantly impacts Garrus’s character arc. You can:
- Allow Garrus to take the shot: This fulfills Garrus’s desire for revenge. Letting him kill Sidonis gives him closure, aligning with his renegade tendencies. He feels justified and clears his mind, making him more dedicated to the cause.
- Convince Garrus to spare Sidonis: With a high enough Paragon score, you can intervene and convince Garrus to spare Sidonis’s life. This highlights your Paragon alignment and demonstrates to Garrus the value of mercy and justice over vengeance. It is possible to achieve this by telling Garrus to stop and convincing him that you need him for the mission.
Impact of Your Decision: Alignment and Character Development
While the outcome of the mission always results in Garrus’s loyalty, the choice you make significantly impacts his character development and your overall alignment.
- Renegade Choice (Letting Garrus Kill Sidonis): Reinforces Garrus’s renegade tendencies and his belief in decisive, often lethal, justice.
- Paragon Choice (Convincing Garrus to Spare Sidonis): Nudges Garrus towards a more Paragon-aligned perspective, emphasizing the importance of considering the circumstances and sparing those who might deserve a second chance.
The pivotal point here is that while your choices influence Garrus’s moral alignment, they do not affect his loyalty to you. He may voice his approval or disapproval, but his commitment to the mission and to Shepard remains unwavering.
The Significance of Loyalty in Mass Effect 2
Loyalty in Mass Effect 2 is critical for two reasons:
- Survival in the Suicide Mission: Loyal squadmates are far more likely to survive the Suicide Mission at the end of the game. Their loyalty ensures they perform their assigned roles effectively, increasing the chances of a successful outcome for the entire team.
- Unlocking Additional Abilities and Content: Completing a squadmate’s loyalty mission often unlocks new abilities or powers for Shepard, enriching gameplay options. In Garrus’s case, his loyalty unlocks his unique character build and ensures he’s at his peak performance throughout the game.
Why Garrus’s Unwavering Loyalty Matters
Garrus’s steadfast loyalty stands out among the other squadmates in Mass Effect 2. His background as a former C-Sec officer and his experiences with corruption and betrayal have shaped his strong sense of justice. Once he trusts and respects Shepard, his commitment becomes unshakeable. This unwavering loyalty makes him an invaluable asset, both strategically and emotionally, throughout the series. He will bring his unique skillset to your team for all of your missions.
Garrus is a popular character, and you can read more about Mass Effect and other games at the Games Learning Society website: https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Garrus and Loyalty
Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further clarify aspects of Garrus’s loyalty, his mission, and his overall role in the Mass Effect universe:
1. How do you fail Garrus’s loyalty mission?
You cannot fail Garrus’s loyalty mission in the sense of losing his loyalty. Completing “An Eye for an Eye” guarantees Garrus’s loyalty, regardless of the choices you make during the mission.
2. Can you still get Garrus’s loyalty without killing Sidonis?
Yes, absolutely. You can earn Garrus’s loyalty regardless of whether you let him kill Sidonis. The crucial factor is completing the mission, not the specific outcome of the sniper confrontation.
3. Should you let Garrus take the shot at Sidonis?
The decision of whether to let Garrus take the shot at Sidonis depends on your Shepard’s moral alignment and desired character development for Garrus. A Renegade Shepard might allow Garrus to take the shot, while a Paragon Shepard might try to convince him to spare Sidonis.
4. What happens if Garrus takes the shot at Sidonis?
If Garrus kills Sidonis, he achieves a sense of closure and justice, albeit through violent means. This aligns with his renegade tendencies and reinforces his belief in taking decisive action.
5. What happens if you warn Sidonis during Garrus’s loyalty mission?
Warning Sidonis requires a high Paragon score. It prevents Garrus from immediately taking the shot and opens a dialogue where you can convince Garrus to spare Sidonis’s life, moving him towards a more Paragon alignment.
6. Who replaces Garrus if he dies in Mass Effect 2?
If Garrus dies during the Suicide Mission, there is no direct replacement for him in Mass Effect 3. His role is partially filled by Liara and a new Turian character, General Corinthus.
7. Does it matter if you take Garrus into the quarantine zone in Mordin’s loyalty mission?
Taking Garrus into the quarantine zone during Mordin’s loyalty mission results in unique dialogue but does not have any significant impact on the game’s plot or Garrus’s loyalty.
8. Is Garrus a good or bad character?
Garrus is neither strictly good nor bad. He operates in a morally grey area, believing in justice by any means necessary. His loyalty to Shepard and his desire to do what he believes is right define his character.
9. Does Garrus have a crush on Shepard?
By Mass Effect 3, Garrus can express romantic interest in a female Shepard. Without being romanced, he probably views FemShep as just a comrade.
10. Should you tell Garrus to back down during a confrontation?
Whether you should tell Garrus to back down depends on the situation. Sometimes, standing up to him can earn his respect, especially if you have a strong reason and can convince him of your point of view.
11. How do you keep Garrus loyal?
Once you complete his loyalty mission, Garrus is always loyal. There are no decisions or actions that can make him disloyal after that point.
12. Can you miss recruiting Garrus in Mass Effect 1?
Yes, Garrus is easy to miss in Mass Effect 1. He can be recruited after helping him defeat thugs in the Citadel Medical Clinic.
13. How do you keep Garrus alive during the Suicide Mission?
To ensure Garrus survives the Suicide Mission, make sure he is loyal, assign him to a critical role (such as leading a team), and equip him with appropriate armor and weapon upgrades. Also, be sure to make the right choices for Biotic Specialist.
14. Why can’t you romance Garrus as a male Shepard?
Garrus is only available as a romance option for female Shepards. Male Shepards can romance Tali.
15. Do Tali and Garrus get together if you don’t romance them?
Yes, if neither Shepard romances Tali nor Garrus, they will begin a relationship with each other during Mass Effect 3. This is a popular fan-favorite development.