Most Difficult Choices in the Mass Effect Trilogy

The Mass Effect trilogy is memorable for many reasons: the characters, the writing, the lore, and the impactful choices you have to make throughout the series.

Here is a list of what I consider to be some of the most difficult challenges in this iconic sci-fi gaming trilogy.
The Top Ten
Killing Wrex or saving Wrex (Mass Effect 1)

When you reach Virmire and have to destroy Saren's cloning facility, there is a major problem right off the bat. Your Krogan squadmate, Wrex, has some issues with destroying it, believing that it might halt a potential cure for the Genophage. You're given the option to shoot him or talk him down if your Paragon or Renegade score is high enough. I will say this much: killing Wrex makes the Genophage storyline in Mass Effect 3 less interesting and incredibly dull.

Saving Ashley or Kaidan (Mass Effect 1)

In Virmire, this is another critical moment. You'll have to leave either Ashley or Kaidan in a bomb blast to take down the cloning facility and survive.

For me, I save Ashley, but I do know there are a lot of people who prefer Kaidan as a character. The squadmate you save will have a cameo in Mass Effect 2 and play a more significant role in Mass Effect 3.

Curing the genophage or sabotaging the genophage cure (Mass Effect 3)

Curing the genophage will come at the cost of Mordin Solus, a beloved character from Mass Effect 2. His life will be sacrificed to ensure the cure, allowing the Krogan population to reproduce again, which is a rather noble outcome.

If you decide to sabotage the genophage cure, Mordin will survive, but you'll have to kill Wrex as a result because he will be furious with you.

Letting the rachni queen live or killing the rachni queen (Mass Effect 1)

The Rachni Queen encounter happens on the Noveria mission, the same one where Liara's mother is killed. There's a lot of tension as a result. Killing the Rachni Queen results in the extinction of the rachni species. Saving the Rachni Queen can lead to the council berating you and a small cameo in Mass Effect 2.

In Mass Effect 3, if you killed the Rachni Queen, a new one emerges that you are forced to kill. However, if you saved the queen in Mass Effect 1, you can choose to save her again in Mass Effect 3.

Saving the council or saving the Destiny Ascension (Mass Effect 1)

In Mass Effect 1, you're given the choice to either spare the council, which will come at the cost of several human lives, or save the Destiny Ascension, which wipes out the council but saves many human lives.

A new council will eventually emerge and form by Mass Effect 3.

Sacrificing Thane or Captain Kirrahe (Mass Effect 3)

In Mass Effect 3, the Salarian Councilor's life is at risk. To save him, either Captain Kirrahe, the leader during the Virmire assault, or Thane, a squadmate from Mass Effect 2, must die.

If neither of them is sacrificed or killed, the councilor will die, and you'll have a harder time convincing your squad to believe you. This is because Udina doctors footage to make it look like Shepard killed the councilor.

Saving Gavin Archer or leaving him with David Archer (Mass Effect 2)

During the Project Overlord DLC, it becomes evident that David Archer ended up using his neurodivergent brother for geth research. It's a very emotional and gut-wrenching DLC that makes you question David's ethics.

At the end, you're given the choice to either save Gavin from this mess or leave him with his brother. I think saving him makes the most sense because what he goes through is horrific.

Destroying the Reaper base or preserving it (Mass Effect 2)

Towards the end of Mass Effect 2, during the Suicide Mission, you're given an interesting choice to make. You discover a Reaper base that has kidnapped some of your crew, and if you've taken the right precautions, your squadmates will survive the mission.

After defeating the human Reaper, destroying the base seems like the logical choice. However, the Illusive Man will try to persuade you to preserve the base and will scold you if you destroy it.

Saving the hostages or killing Balak (Mass Effect 1)

This occurs during the Bring Down the Sky DLC, where a group of Batarian extremists is planning to destroy an entire colony. After you shut down some lasers, you're given the choice to save the hostages, which ensures that Balak survives, or to kill Balak, which results in the hostages dying.

Saving the colonists or killing the colonists (Mass Effect 1)

This occurs during the Feros mission, where an entire colony is under attack due to a character called the Thorian. Toward the end of the mission, you're given the option to save the colonists with a grenade upgrade that knocks them unconscious or to kill them outright.

One option gives you higher Paragon points, and the other gives you higher Renegade points. I think saving them makes more sense and also feels more rewarding, but I digress.

BAdd New Item