Mass Effect Legendary Edition is filled with characters and companions battling their demons, but Commander Shepard's crew features some particularly tragic characters. The war against the Reapers is a dire situation with few happy outcomes, and while many of these outcomes are dependent on the player's choices, there isn't always a way out. While many NPCs were written with tragic stories, some of the most depressing stories in Mass Effect reside on the Normandy.
In the ranks of Shepard's crew are three particularly tragic characters: Javik the Protean, Legion the Geth, and Thane the Drell assassin. Javik is the Avatar of Vengeance of the Proteans and the last Protean survivor in existence. Legion is a Geth who frees themselves from the Reaper and gains sentience, developing an endearing personality. Thane is a Drell assassin tormented by his past and plagued by a terminal illness that will eventually claim his life. Each of these companions has tragic fates which cannot be averted by Shepard, no matter what choices the player makes.
Javik is a character that first appears in Mass Effect 3. He is the only known surviving member of the Protean race, having endured the destruction of his people by being trapped in stasis for 50,000 years. Upon being awoken by Shepard and their crew, Javik pursues vengeance on the Reapers for destroying his civilization. No matter which ending players choose at the finale of ME3, Javik will forever be the last of his kind. As the last of his species, Javik will never truly find another being who understands just how much he has lost, nor will he ever get a chance to bid farewell to those he lost.
Some Mass Effect Companions Are Doomed From The Start
Out of all the companions, Thane's story is particularly tragic. A Drell assassin by trade, Thane Krios is rumored to be the deadliest contract killer in the galaxy. Despite this bloody occupation, Thane is often soft-spoken and shows himself to be deeply spiritual as he prays for success and forgiveness for each mission he undertakes. Unfortunately, Thane is plagued by a terminal illness which eventually claims his life in Mass Effect 3. Players are allowed to help Thane repair his damaged relationship with his son before then, but there is no way to save his life.
Legion is perhaps one of the most unexpected companions to come aboard the Normandy, as a Geth soldier which comprised a majority of Mass Effect 1's enemies. Legion gains sentience and freedom from the Reapers and succeeds in developing their own quirky personality. Repairing their wounds with shards of Shepard's broken armor, Legion's dedication is clear from the beginning. Legion's fate ultimately ends in self-sacrifice as they disseminate their personality into a code that frees all Geth from the control of the Reapers. With this sacrifice, the Geth can grow into individuals and gain sentience. While Legion never gets to see their people claim freedom, the addition of the Geth fleet to Shepard's army assists in saving the rest of the galaxy from the Reapers.
While Mass Effect Legendary Edition holds the threat of losing companions based on the choices players make, the fates of these three characters are unavoidable. Javik, Thane, and Legion represent the unfortunate reality of a galaxy at war. No matter how much of a hero Shepard is, they can't solve everything or save everyone. The losses and tragic fates of these characters succeed in immersing players in Mass Effect's beautiful and gritty world, where there sometimes is no right choice and no way out.