Garrus Vakarian is one of Mass Effect's most beloved companions, and one many players were delighted to see again in Mass Effect: Legendary Edition. The Turian starts off as a hot-headed C-Sec cop and over the course of the trilogy can mature into a competent leader in his own right under Shepard's mentorship.
Garrus is also behind some of Mass Effect: Legendary Edition's most memorable moments. Here are the best Garrus moments in the original Mass Effect trilogy, and why he rightly deserves to be the fan-favorite follower he has become.
The Archangel Reveal
Garrus is a great character in Mass Effect 1, but his reveal in Mass Effect 2 is one of the second game's greatest moments. Shepard is sent to Omega to find a mysterious vigilante named Archangel. After tracking down Archangel, the player finds him stuck alone across a bridge, with mercenaries closing in on all sides. That's when the mysterious man takes off his helmet, revealing him to be none other than Garrus Vakarian.
With two years between Shepard's death at the start of Mass Effect 2 and the completion of the Lazarus Project, the Archangel reveal fits perfectly into Garrus' characterization and the relationship between Shepard and the Turian so far. Although his temperament can be cooled in Mass Effect 1, it comes as no surprise that Garrus has taken things into his own hands in his pursuit of justice, particularly in a dangerous place like Omega. It's also a reminder that, without Shepard, Garrus is quick to get in over his head.
What makes this moment particularly satisfying, however, is the realization that this is no longer a rescue mission. With their backs up against the wall and an army of mercs coming their way, Shepard and Garrus' reunion flips the situation on its head. Instead of an impossible situation, it's suddenly just like old times.
Garrus'Â Love Life
Garrus' love life provides some of the most heartfelt and occasionally hilarious moments in the series. It also depends deeply on the decisions Shepard makes throughout the trilogy, but no matter how things pan out, Garrus gets some great romantic scenes. If Shepard doesn't romance Garrus or Tali, the player can walk in on them in a loving embrace in the Normandy's engineering room. The pair are adorably embarrassed. Garrus fumbles for excuses - "I think one of my mandibles got hooked on her helmet." Tali's teasing line "this is just a fling Vakarian, I'm using you for your body" is only one-upped by Garrus' "you're so mean... and I'm okay with that."
Garrus' romance with Fem Shep also delivers some side-splitters, as well as being one of the series' best romances overall. Not one for expressing his feelings at first, Garrus ends up saying things like "it'll either be a night to remember, or a horrible interspecies awkwardness thing," early in his Mass Effect 2 romance. "If you were a Turian I'd be complimenting your waist or your fringe," he'll say when they're alone, "so your, uh, hair looks good. And your waist is very supportive." By Mass Effect 3's Citadel DLC their relationship is more comfortable and playful. Garrus even jokingly reintroduces himself with "I'm Garrus Vakarian. Codename: Archangel. All-round Turian bad-boy and dispenser of justice in an unjust galaxy."
If a male Shepard has romanced Tali, Garrus still gets an awkward shot at love in the Citadel bar scene. Shepard can try to set him up with another Turian, and his awkward charm shines through in all its destructive glory - "come here often? I imagine anyone who does is probably an alcoholic."
I'm Garrus Vakarian, And This Is My Favorite Spot On The Citadel
Before the final mission in Mass Effect 3, Garrus will invite Shepard to the Citadel's presidium for a shooting contest to finally find out who the best shot is. Shepard will only miss if the player chooses to do so on purpose, but if they do Garrus delivers a version of Shepard's famous line, "I'm Garrus Vakarian, and this is now my favorite spot on the Citadel! I think I'm going to erect a monument right here - bronze this gun so the whole galaxy knows."
The scene is a reminder of how close the friendship between Garrus and Shepard has become over the trilogy, especially as one of the few companions to return in every game even if the player didn't romance him. Garrus starts out as a loose canon, but with Shepard pushing him can become as skilled as the Commander. Their competition is a reminder of the way Garrus looks up to Commander Shepard, and how both can push one another to become better people - and marksmen - if the player so chooses.
The Bar In Turian Heaven
Garrus has some other great moments throughout the Mass Effect trilogy. It's his loyalty missions in particular that can see some of Garrus' best character development, although the route he goes down depends on whether Shepard picks Paragon or Renegade options. No matter how his story panned out, however, some of Garrus' lines towards the end of Mass Effect 3 are among the series' most heart-wrenching. There's a classic buddy-cop movie dynamic at play, but with the impending final fight it takes on a new tone, with Garrus joking that the duo will "retire somewhere warm and tropical and live off the royalties from the vids" even though their deaths are far more likely.
He goes on to deliver a line which really hones in on Shepard and Garrus' relationship: "James told me there's an old saying here on Earth. 'May you be in heaven half an hour before the Devil knows you're dead.' Not sure if Turian heaven is the same as yours, but if this thing goes sideways and we both end up there... met me at the bar." Shepard can respond with "good luck Garrus, and if I'm up in that bar and you're not, I'll be looking down. I'll always have your back." With Garrus appearing as a follower in all of the first three games, it's as much a goodbye to the original trilogy as it is to Garrus himself, with the character being an avatar of some of the best storytelling BioWare has to offer.
Mass Effect Legendary Edition is available right now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
