Many mysterious figures work behind the shadows in Mass Effect. In fact some of the most intriguing characters in the entire series barely appear on the screen all. One such character became one of the most. legendary figures in the entire series — at least, before the DLC ended up sealing his fate for good. This the Shadow Broker, an elusive entity whose moniker has been assumed by several people in the series.
This shady character deals in valuable information that can cost millions — if not billions — of credits. His dealings easily cement the Shadow Broker's image as one of the most powerful characters in the entire universe. For die-hard fans, here are ten things about this Shadow Broker that most people simply aren't aware of.
10 There's Only Squad Member He Doesn't Have Files On
After infiltrating the Shadow Broker's hideout and putting an end to his operations once and for all, players have the option of roaming around this lair. They can check out all the files that the Broker had kept on Shepard and his crew — barring one notable exception.
If the player opts for the Renegade path and replaces Samara with Morinth, they'll notice that the Shadow Broker has no files on the Ardat-Yakshi. It's a testament to Morinth's excellent record at covering her tracks.
9 Liara Takes Over His Base, Even If Shepard Doesn't Help
At the start of Mass Effect 3, Liara will have taken over the operations of the Shadow Broker regardless of whether Shepard aided her in this quest. However, if Shepard doesn't help her out, it comes at a cost.
Without Shepard's help Liara, manages to take over the base of the Shadow Broker at the cost of Feron's life. This informant for the Shadow Broker who betrays the elusive figure to help Liara out, resulting in his death. Shepard is in danger as well, if the player decides to engage with the events of The Lair of the Shadow Broker.
8 The Illusive Man Considers The Shadow Broker His Equal
Many know the Illusive Man to be powerful, mysterious, and intimidating — courtesy of a wonderful performance by the legendary Martin Sheen himself. It's no secret that any person the Illusive Man talks about in high regard is bound to be a notable figure in their own right.
In the games, the Illusive Man outright states that the Shadow Broker is his equal. This will lead fans to hold the influence of this mysterious figure in high regard.
7 The Yahg Were A Species Tailor-Made For The DLC
After infiltrating the lair of the Shadow Broker, players learn that the identity of this elusive figure was actually a Yahg. This strong and intellectual species is so infamous that the council refused to recognize them, due to their violent nature.
The Yahg were never mentioned before the events of this DLC, and have barely played a role in the series since. Thus, it's quite likely that this new race was created for the purposes of having a mysterious and powerful figure at the head of the Shadow Broker's operations.
6 The Original Shadow Broker Kidnapped The Yagh As A Pet
The Yahg who took over as the Shadow Broker had a rather tense and unnerving start to his time in the organization. In fact, he was initially kidnapped by the original Shadow Broker to be used as a pet.
This haunting past aggravates the Yahg to no end whenever he's forced to recall those humiliating moments. It's one reason he sought to wrench control away from the previous Shadow Broker. Now, he runs the operation himself.
5 He Took On The Moniker "Operative Kechlu"
The Yahg didn't take his insulting treatment lying down. Instead, he quickly established himself as a powerful high-ranking informant of the Shadow Broker, under the moniker Operative Kechlu.
In fact, Kechlu's influence became massive. Even the Shadow Broker of the time even tried to get rid of him before he became a threat. However, Kechlu caught wind of the Shadow Broker's plans. He moved before him to take down the person who'd kidnapped him, and take over his place as the new Shadow Broker.
4 He Makes A Cameo In Mass Effect: Andromeda
Players who rifle through the voice logs of Alec Ryder in Mass Effect: Andromeda will notice an interesting tidbit. The main character's father contacted a rather interesting figure to aid in the development of SAM.
This was none other than the Shadow Broker himself. The shadowy figure's vast array of knowledge proved to be invaluable for Alex Ryder's efforts to create an advanced AI that could help the Ryders out at every step of the way.
3 He Seemed Pretty Neutral In The First Game
The Shadow Broker might've received plenty of flak in Mass Effect 2 — mostly to make the player feel less guilty about hunting him down. Still, fans have to admit that the Broker's reputation was way better in the previous game.
Players who got to know about the Shadow Broker in the first Mass Effect title were led to believe that the Shadow Broker was a powerful yet fair person. The sequel completely discards this notion, and in this game he's an outright terrible person who abuses his power.
2 The Shadow Broker Could Speak Eleven Languages
As some might expecte from a character with immensely powerful connections throughout the galaxy, the Shadow Broker was quite talented when it came to speaking languages. This allowed him to broker deals with plenty of different people.
This multilingual figure could speak in eleven different tongues without having to use a translator. Surely, this talent that aided him greatly when it came to negotiating deals and forging alliances.
1 His Lines For Each Squadmate In The Final Confrontation
After reaching the hideout of the Shadow Broker, the Yahg will always have a unique — and insulting — comment, curated for the third squadmate in the group. It's an oddly specific and interesting dialogue detail
Of course, this third squadmate doesn't really get the opportunity to shut the Shadow Broker down. This person always gets knocked out right before the final confrontation, when the Broker chucks a table at them.