During the Mass Effect games, Commander Shepard will meet and recruit many human and alien teammates, including the C-Sec officer Garrus Vakarian. When Shepard recruits him, Garrus is a gung-ho hothead who is determined to find evidence of Saren Arterius’ guilt, putting him at odds with his C-Sec superiors. Is this is a good sign of what’s to come? Well, the answer isn’t clear-cut.
Unlike most members of the Turian race, Garrus has a rogueish, independent streak. He prefers to get the job done alone and through his own methods. In that regard, he is almost like an unofficial Spectre, but the results were rather mixed. Overall, Garrus did better as Shepard’s #1 sniper than as an outlaw vigilante.
When Garrus Tried To Go It Alone
Garrus quickly hit a wall when he tried to investigate Saren in 2183, clashing with his C-Sec superiors and making a poor impression. Fortunately, Garrus was resourceful and gracious enough to back off and allow Commander Shepard to finish what he started, and he even joined Shepard’s team to get the job done. Then, in 2183, the Collector cruiser destroyed the SSV Normandy, and Garrus went his own way. He resigned from C-Sec at last and became a mercenary outlaw on the Omega station, where he just had to point and shoot to take down criminals and other unsavory parties.
Garrus had a field day there, dispensing vigilante justice while recruiting a diverse team to back him up. He became a miniature Commander Shepard, but he couldn’t keep his team together forever. His enemies coerced Sidonis the Turian to betray and destroy the team, and Garrus only survived the onslaught because Shepard recruited him.
Garrus was understandably bitter about this, and while he didn’t regret quitting C-Sec and becoming a vigilante, he did admit that he didn’t have what it took to become the next Shepard. “Shows what I know” he said, and was unlikely to attempt this a second time. In particular, he blamed himself for not realizing that Sidonis was going to betray him, but he did get a chance for revenge (and more loyalty to Shepard) during a mission to the Citadel in 2185. However, Garrus only dug himself deeper into the hole during this mission. Not only had he lost his team, but he was now losing himself, too, giving in to wrath, hate and malice as he beat information out of Harkin and tried to snipe Sidonis in a Citadel ward.
Paragon Shepard knows that this is not who Garrus is supposed to be, and if Shepard spares Sidonis’ life, Garrus will understand when Shepard scolds him for giving in to the dark side like that. Garrus has finally learned to let go and move on, and he needed Shepard’s help every step of the way. Garrus wanted so badly to become a gritty action star, but it nearly cost him everything. Clearly, this isn’t the way.
When Garrus Finds His True Calling
Conversely, Garrus is at his best when he is part of a team, but not necessarily C-Sec. In particular, Garrus is most comfortable when he finds a compromise between the stiff bureaucracy of C-Sec and going it alone as a vigilante. This balance is best struck when he is on Commander Shepard’s team. Shepard has rules and discipline, but as a Spectre, Shepard also has a lot of operational freedom, which is extended to all squadmates.
Garrus is a semi-vigilante while serving with Shepard, having an elite team by his side and a seasoned commander to give him orders. This compromise pays off handsomely, such as in 2183, when Garrus enjoyed touring the stars with Shepard to blow up some Geth and take down Saren. In 2185, Garrus joined the team once again, and was instrumental in defeating the Collectors on their home turf.
By 2186, Garrus reached his peak, being a part of Shepard’s team while also aiding the Turian Hierarchy in developing anti-Reaper strategies and plans. Garrus is a part of something larger in both cases, but he still has room to be himself, which keeps him happy. Garrus needs a leash to prevent another Sidonis incident, yet the Hierarchy and Shepard alike know that Garrus needs some slack on that leash so he can realize his true potential. Overall, Garrus works best as a single piece of a larger whole, so long as that whole is flexible and not too bureaucratic or stiff. Needless to say, he’s not going back to C-Sec.
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