What Happens in Mass Effect 3 if Legion Dies? A Comprehensive Guide
What happens in Mass Effect 3 if Legion dies? The short answer is this: if Legion is dead before the events of Mass Effect 3, the possibility of achieving peace between the Geth and the Quarians vanishes. A Geth VI (Virtual Intelligence), essentially a computer program constructed in Legion’s likeness, replaces it in the story. This substitution carries significant consequences, primarily forcing you to make an impossible choice that results in the near-extinction of one of the two races.
Let’s dive into the ramifications of Legion’s absence and explore how it impacts the narrative, the decisions you’ll face, and the overall outcome of the Geth-Quarian conflict.
The Role of Legion in Achieving Peace
Legion is more than just a squadmate; it is an indispensable key to unlocking the potential for reconciliation between the Geth and the Quarians. Its unique perspective, advanced understanding of Geth collective intelligence, and eventual evolution towards individuality provide a bridge between two vastly different civilizations.
- Mediation: Legion can offer insights that neither side would accept from another source. It can explain the motivations and thought processes of the Geth to the Quarians, and vice versa.
- Understanding: Its ability to communicate with both races allows it to serve as a translator, clarifying misunderstandings and preventing escalations that could lead to further bloodshed.
- Perspective: The Geth perspective is often misunderstood. Legion can give a unique viewpoint on the logic and reasoning behind the Geth’s actions.
Without Legion, this crucial mediation point is lost.
The Geth VI: A Poor Substitute
The Geth VI, while bearing Legion’s likeness, lacks the critical elements that made Legion so important. Primarily, it lacks true individual sentience. It is a program, albeit an advanced one, and it can only mimic the functions that Legion performed.
- Limited Understanding: A Geth VI cannot truly understand or convey the nuances of the Geth’s evolving sentience in the way Legion could.
- No Trust: Both the Geth and the Quarians are less likely to trust a Geth VI compared to the genuinely individual Legion, hindering meaningful negotiations.
- No Empathy: Most critically, the Geth VI can’t experience or demonstrate the empathy that Legion developed, a key factor in earning trust.
As such, the Geth VI merely serves to fill the mechanical role of Legion in certain scenes, but it does not bring the narrative weight or the diplomatic opportunity that Legion provides.
The Unavoidable Choice: Geth or Quarians
Without Legion’s influence, the conflict between the Geth and Quarians reaches a fever pitch in Mass Effect 3. The Quarians launch a full-scale assault on the Geth, who have been enhanced by Reaper code. You are forced to choose:
- Side with the Geth: Allow the Geth to upload the Reaper code, granting them immense power, but causing the complete annihilation of the Quarian fleet. Tali, if she is still alive and present, will likely commit suicide from the crushing guilt of destroying her people.
- Side with the Quarians: Destroy the Geth fleet, securing the survival of the Quarian race. Tali, if she is still alive and present, will praise you.
This choice is agonizing, and without Legion to guide the two sides towards compromise, it becomes a tragic necessity.
The Importance of Legion’s Survival in Mass Effect 2
To avoid this disastrous outcome, it is essential to ensure Legion’s survival in Mass Effect 2. This requires completing Legion’s loyalty mission and making the correct choices during the Suicide Mission at the end of the game. Here are the key factors to consider:
- Complete Legion’s Loyalty Mission: Successfully complete Legion’s loyalty mission, “Legion: A House Divided”, to ensure its loyalty for the Suicide Mission.
- Maintain Loyalty: Prevent Legion and Tali from fighting by having a high enough Paragon or Renegade score to mediate the situation.
- Strategic Squad Assignments: During the Suicide Mission, select squadmates with appropriate skills for key roles, such as using a loyal Tali to handle the tech specialist role in the vents.
- Choose Wisely for the Final Battle: Leaving Legion as part of your final squad in the battle against the Human-Reaper will maximize its chance of survival.
Preventing Tali’s Death
The death of Legion directly leads to the inevitable death of Tali in Mass Effect 3 if you are forced to side with the Geth. To keep both alive, you MUST work toward Legion’s survival and, ultimately, work toward peace between the two races.
The Broader Impact on the Mass Effect Universe
Legion’s death not only affects the outcome of the Geth-Quarian conflict but also has broader implications for the future of the galaxy:
- Loss of Potential Allies: Without peace, the Geth or the Quarians become a lost potential ally against the Reapers, diminishing the forces available to fight the galactic threat.
- Weakening of the Council: The loss of an entire civilization undermines the strength and stability of the Citadel Council, further fracturing the galactic community.
- Missed Opportunities for Technological Advancement: Collaboration between the Geth and Quarians could have yielded significant technological advancements, but this opportunity is forever lost.
Conclusion
In summary, the death of Legion before the events of Mass Effect 3 has profound and devastating consequences. It eliminates the possibility of achieving peace between the Geth and the Quarians, forcing a choice that results in the near-extinction of one of those civilizations. To ensure a brighter future for the galaxy, players must prioritize Legion’s survival and work towards achieving peace between the Geth and the Quarians. By understanding the significance of Legion’s role and making the right choices, players can shape a more hopeful outcome for the Mass Effect universe. Learn more about the impact of games on society at the Games Learning Society: GamesLearningSociety.org.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 15 frequently asked questions about the consequences of Legion’s death in Mass Effect 3:
What happens if Legion dies in Mass Effect 2?
If Legion dies in Mass Effect 2, it’s replaced by a Geth VI in Mass Effect 3, preventing peace between the Geth and Quarians.
Can you save both the Geth and Quarians without Legion?
No, without Legion, it’s impossible to broker peace between the Geth and the Quarians. The Geth VI lacks the necessary qualities to achieve this outcome.
Is Legion important in Mass Effect 3?
Yes, Legion is essential in formulating peace between the two species. Not having Legion around ruins the chance for peace entirely.
Can Legion and Tali both survive?
Yes, Legion and Tali can both survive if you manage to keep Legion alive through the Suicide Mission in Mass Effect 2 and achieve peace between the Geth and Quarians in Mass Effect 3.
Is there any way to save Legion in ME3?
Legion cannot be saved. No matter what happens, it will either die or give its AI to spread through all of the Geth. This choice determines the fate of the Geth.
What happens if you let Legion upload the code?
Letting Legion upload the code in Mass Effect 3 grants the Geth full sentience but leads to the destruction of the Quarian fleet, essentially dooming the Quarians.
Can you stop Tali from dying?
Yes, you can stop Tali from dying by brokering peace between the Geth and Quarians. If forced to choose between them and siding with the Geth, Tali will die.
Can you save Tali from killing herself?
Tali commits suicide if you side with the Geth and the Quarian fleet is destroyed. Achieving peace is the only way to save her.
Who replaces Legion in ME3 if it dies?
If Legion dies, its role is replaced by a Geth VI constructed in Legion’s likeness, but without Legion’s sentience or diplomatic capabilities.
Which ending is best for Mass Effect 3, considering Legion’s fate?
The “best” ending depends on your preferences, but many consider the Synthesis ending, or the Control or Destroy endings with high enough Effective Military Strength (EMS) and achieving peace between the Geth and Quarians, the most satisfying.
What does Tali look like under her mask?
In Mass Effect 3, if you romance Tali, you will receive a picture of her without her mask in Shepard’s cabin.
Does Mass Effect 3 have a bad ending if Legion dies?
Yes, many players consider the ending where you are forced to choose between the Geth and Quarians, resulting in the destruction of one race and Tali’s death, a “bad” ending.
What happens if Tali dies?
If Tali dies, her role in Mass Effect 3 is minimally replaced by Admiral Shala’Raan vas Tonbay, but the emotional impact and potential for a positive outcome are diminished.
Do the Quarians go extinct if Legion dies?
Depending on your choice, the Quarians can go extinct if Legion is dead and you side with the Geth.
Can humans mate with Quarians?
No, humans cannot reproduce with Quarians or other alien species due to genetic incompatibility.