Mass Effect Legendary Edition: Rachni Explained
By Jack O'Dwyer
Mass Effect's Rachni have a potentially tragic and unfortunate end in the series, according to player decisions.
At the start of Mass Effect, the Rachni are an extinct insectoid race from the planet Suen within the Maskin Xul system in the Nimah cluster. They were extraordinarily intelligent and were among the first spacefaring races in the galaxy. Unfortunately, for other races, however, they were as aggressive as they were smart, which led to the start of the Rachni Wars nearly 2000 years ago. This was the catalyst for the Krogan Rebellions and subsequent genophage inflicted by the turians and salarians.
Mass Effect Legendary Edition: Rachni Explained
The rachni entered Citadel Space via a newly discovered and activated Mass Relay near the start of the Rachni Wars. They proved to be formidable enemies who wiped out several worlds with ease. Negotiation with the rachni was impossible as their leaders—known as "queens"—existed solely on their inhospitable homeworld beneath the planet's surface.
Desperate for an end to the conflict, the salarians made first contact with and uplifted a hardy, pugnacious race known as krogans to fight on the Citadel's behalf. The krogan chased the rachni back through the Mass Relay and through it to their homeworld where they effectively wiped out the species entirely.
Surprisingly, this action was allowed by the Citadel races, who believed full genocide to be the only true solution. Once the rachni were destroyed, the Citadel moved to forbid the activation of unknown Mass Relays and left surveillance devices in areas formerly inhabited by the rachni to prevent a possible revival.
This isn't the first time the rachni have faced extinction. Their interactions with the Protheans weren't much better—though the Protheans weren't nearly as thorough as the krogan following the conflict.
In the modern era, a group of Binary Helix researchers discovered a drifting rachni ship containing a clutch of cryogenically frozen rachni eggs. One of these was a Rachni Queen, which the company took control of at Peak 15 on Noveria. At maturity, the Queen began to lay eggs, which Binary Helix ripped from her and hatched on their own in an attempt to control them. As a result, the Queen's children were unable to hear her song or connect with her.
Shepard's Intervention
There are spoilers for the entire Mass Effect trilogy beyond this section. We recommend clicking away to avoid them, if desired.
Commander Shepard will encounter a captured Rachni Queen on Noveria. Following the battle with Matriarch Benezia, the Queen will possess the dying body of an asari commando and plea with Shepard for her release. She explains the situation to Shepard promises not to lead her species into violence in the future. Additionally, she will advise that the aggressive rachni within the laboratory be eradicated as they have been driven insane by the "silence."
Shepard can choose to release or destroy the Queen here. If released the Queen will thank Shepard profusely and disappear into space. She will then make a cameo in Mass Effect 2 through a different asari to thank the player again on Illium.
If Shepard decides to destroy her, the Queen will use the possessed asari to attempt to release her on her own to no avail.
The largest consequence of this comes in Mass Effect 3. Shepard will discover the Reapers have taken control of the Rachni Queen and are once again forcing her to give them an army--leading to Shepard once again having the option to free her. The Queen will offer to pledge troops against the Reapers in return. If freed, the ultimate outcome will hinge on Shepard's actions in the first game.
If Shepard freed the first Rachni Queen, she will hold true to her word, and add to their War Assets. However, if Shepard chose to destroy the Queen, she will eventually turn on them and damage Shepard's War Assets on her way out.