Highlights

  • Mass Effect 2's iconic quote, "I'm Commander Shepard, and this is my favorite store on the Citadel," remains a beloved fan favorite.
  • The humorous endorsement line, used for personal gain, has become a meme-worthy moment from the original Mass Effect trilogy.
  • Mass Effect 4 could incorporate this nostalgic quote as fan service, signaling to loyal fans that BioWare hasn't forgotten them.

The original Mass Effect trilogy is chock-full of memorable moments, almost too many to count. From the larger, more significant moments like Mass Effect 2's Suicide Mission to the smaller conversations between Commander Shepard and their crew, one playthrough of the Mass Effect trilogy can create a lot of fond memories. While every game has its merits, Mass Effect 2, which is widely recognized as the best installment of the original trilogy, may stand above the others when it comes to noteworthy moments. One moment, in particular, has continuously captured the hearts and smiles of fans, even to the point of it serving up one of the series' most meme-worthy quotes, straight from the mouth of Commander Shepard.

"I'm Commander Shepard, and this is my favorite store on the Citadel" is one of the Mass Effect franchise's funniest bits of dialogue, thanks to the frequency of its occurrence and the humorous way in which Shepard delivers it. Since then, the quote has been used in countless memes, thereby heightening its popularity and cementing its status as one of the most nostalgic quotes of the original Mass Effect trilogy. Now, Mass Effect 4 should find a way to bring this quote back, both for the sake of fan service and the narrative implications that its presence would have on the game.

Mass Effect 4 Memes
Related
Mass Effect 4 Needs to Evolve at the Cost of Good Memes

Mass Effect games of the past have included some elements that offered great meme potential, and Mass Effect 4 has the opportunity to learn from it.

Mass Effect 4 Should Find a Way to Use Shepard's Most Meme-Worthy Quote

Mass Effect 2 Sees Shepard Endorsing Various Stores on the Citadel for a Discount

In Mass Effect 2, as players explore the famous Citadel and take advantage of its many amenities, they are given an opportunity to endorse many of the Citadel's stores by recording a greeting for them in exchange for a discount on their goods. After a brief conversation with each store's keeper, Commander Shepard records the endorsement into the shopkeeper's console with the line, "I'm Commander Shepard, and this is my favorite store on the Citadel." After the endorsement is recorded, it then plays over the store's speakers anytime players enter.

The humor of the line is found in the non-enthusiastic way in which Shepard delivers the line, as well as in how many stores Shepard records the endorsement for. As each store receives the same endorsement, it ironically means every store is Commander Shepard's favorite.

However, the catch is that Shepard ultimately gave the endorsement for personal gain, as it allowed them a discount on the endorsed store's items.

The humor behind the line has resulted in it being used in a variety of memes, including one that shows Mass Effect's beloved pilot Joker holding Shepard on a ledge as they say, "Joker…tell them that I'm Commander Shepard, and this is my favorite store on the Citadel." If the quote were somehow included in Mass Effect 4, there is little doubt about the positive effect it would have on longtime fans of the franchise.

Shepard's Famous Quote Should Find Its Way Into Mass Effect 4

Mass Effect 4 could incorporate the quote into its narrative in a couple of ways. Assuming the next Mass Effect installment continues the story after Mass Effect 3's destroy ending, which sees Shepard survive and the Citadel kept intact but damaged, perhaps the Citadel could be repaired and revitalized, and Shepard could once again give this endorsement to various shops. If Mass Effect 4 didn't go this route, it might be enough to simply reference the quote, especially if it was somehow made fun of or jokingly chastised.

Mass Effect 4 would probably do well to include some form of fan service, as it has been over twelve years since the ending of Mass Effect 3 left players wanting more from the franchise. In light of that, Commander Shepard's iconic endorsement might be what BioWare needs to let its most loyal fans know that it hasn't forgotten them.