In the Mass Effect game series, Commander Shepard steps onto the galactic stage as the first-ever human Spectre of the Council, and a hero of the Alliance Navy. But it's not a quiet galaxy out there; it's populated by heavily armed and feuding alien races and empires, and that includes the mighty Krogan people, native to the hot world of Tuchanka, in the Aralakh system.

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The Krogan appear to be the stock "brute race" of the universe, filling in the role that ogres or orcs would take up in high fantasy. But they aren't just orcs with laser guns and spaceships; they are a fully realized race of aliens who are more nuanced than their tough-guy veneers would suggest. Commander Shepard soon learns a few vital facts about the Krogan people's past, present and future.

10 They Were Once Saviors

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Some races are more hostile than others, and some even inspire fear and awe. The Geth are widely feared synthetics, while the Batarians are dreaded slavers and raiders. People fear the Krogan too, but they were once the galaxy's heroes, in centuries gone by. After all, they defeated the Rachni.

While humans were still jousting with knights, the Krogan were uplifted by the Salarian Union to drive off the powerful Rachni race, and crush them. In fact, a Krogan statue was erected in the Citadel's Presidium to honor the Krogans' victory of the time.

9 They're Like Camels

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Some aliens evolved on harsh worlds, such as the Drell people on the arid Rakhana. The Krogan evolved on the even harsher world of Tuchanka, and they adapted to this fact in many ways. One of them is the passive ability to store fat and water in their humps.

Like real-world camels, the Krogan are built to survive a long period of time without food or water, which could also serve them well while on long missions behind enemy lines or far away from supply lines. Still, no hungry Krogan would say no to a barrel of ryncol (beer) or roasted varren legs.

8 They're Also Like Bats

urdnot wrex mass effect

Many of the aliens in the Mass Effect games are roughly humanoid in their body shape and faces, especially the Asari, who are blue women with rigid "hair tentacles." Meanwhile, the Krogan are burly creatures with reptilian faces, complete with forehead plates and scaly skin. But that's not all.

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The developers modeled the shape and features of a Krogan's face after bats, with their pointed features and their small, round, intense eyes. This helps make the Krogan distinctly less warm and fuzzy than aliens like the Asari or even the Drell.

7 Their Forehead Plates Are Vulnerable

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All Krogan have hard forehead plates, and these are not unlike the tough, helmet-like horns of Earth animals like water buffalo. However, it is known that a Krogan's forehead plate can be pried off, if the instigator knows what to do. Zaeed Massani, for example, knows about this trick.

Zaeed once told Shepard that if a person sticks a knife under a Krogan's forehead plate just right, they can use enough force to pry it off, and this will cause the Krogan to panic and instinctively use any means to protect their forehead plate. Thus, the threat of doing so is an effective interrogation or torture technique.

6 Their Forehead Plates Form Over Time

grunt mass effect

In real life, some of a newborn baby's bones are separate and fuse together as the child grows older, especially the skull. In the Mass Effect universe, Krogan are like that, too. Adult Krogan have hard, smooth plates, but only age will make their forehead plates so smooth.

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Grunt, who is tough but otherwise effectively a small child, is an example of this. When "born" from his tank, his forehead plate was made up of many fragments, and they would come together and fuse into a single whole as Grunt grows older. No doubt other Krogan children go through a similar experience.

5 They Value Feats Of Strength

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In more than one way, Krogan value feats and proof of strength, endurance, and courage, befitting a warlike race such as they. After all, the Krogan evolved on the harsh Tuchanka, and for a long time, they have considered scars to be attractive, even sexy, as one Asari bartender put it (and she would know, having a Krogan father).

Meanwhile, there is a world near Tuchanka with a notoriously toxic and hostile atmosphere, and reckless Krogan would land there, briefly step out of their ship without a helmet, and try to survive. Only one Krogan passed this unofficial trial of endurance, and once he returned home, he was immensely popular with Krogan women all over Tuchanka.

4 They Generally Hate Scientists

grunt mass effect

As a whole, the Krogan people have a distinct dislike of doctors and scientists, only trusting Krogan doctors on Tuchanka while fearing all other medical experts. As for why, the genophage is an example of science being used as a devastating weapon against an entire race. The Krogan will never forge the genophage, which was developed by the Salarians and distributed by the Turian people.

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Now, Krogan have an aversion for scientists and doctors outside their own race, but they have no problem with engineers and weapons designers. And despite what Urdnot Wrex once said, a few Krogan did become involved in science. Warlord Okeer, for example, tried to use science to create the ultimate Krogan, and Grunt was the result.

3 They Respect Death

grunt closeup mass effect

The Krogan are not afraid of death; in fact, most of them look forward to dying in glorious battle, surrounded by their broken enemies as they are vanquished in a heroic struggle. Few Krogan fear death; instead, they fear having no worthy enemy to fight. They also deeply respect the fallen, even ancient Krogan.

The Hollows is a sacred place on Tuchanka, where the bones of long-dead Krogan are displayed as a reminder of mortality. Violence is forbidden there, and it's possible that the Krogan practice a form of ancestor worship. It's also possible that they lay out those bones so no Krogan becomes arrogant with delusions of immortality or invincibility.

2 They Are Deeply Tribal

wrex and shepard

The Krogan homeworld is fractured into many feuding tribes, not unlike medieval Europe or feudal Japan (the era of samurai). Krogan value family and long for a sense of belonging, and in fact, clanless Krogan are looked down upon and are generally neglected and abandoned. Loners are not valued in Krogan society.

In fact, Krogan place their clan's name before their given name, such as Urdnot Wrex, Urdnot Grunt, Gatatog Uvenk, and Nakmor Drack. Grunt, when he was born clanless, urgently needed to pass some combat rites so he could join clan Urdnot and have basic rights, such as regular access to food, water, and supplies. It's possible that many clanless Krogan end up working as mercenaries, to travel far away from Krogan tribal politics and avoid the consequences of being clanless.

1 They Aren't All Thugs

urdnot grunt mass effect

Most Krogan whom other aliens meet are brutal mercenaries or gruff club bouncers, giving a skewed impression of what these people are like. It is true that many Krogan really are thuggish and love violence, but there are exceptions. For example, Shepard once rescued a kind-hearted Urdnot scout, and then the scout sent Shepard a grateful e-mail. And the Urdnot Shaman, while strict and serious, isn't afraid to compliment Shepard's ferocity and attitude, if renegade options are chosen. The Shaman recognizes that aliens can also be tough and respectable, not just Krogan.

Finally, Shepard met an exceptionally soft-spoken Krogan on Ilium, who spoke on behalf of a Mr. Thax. His gentle voice, delicate words, patience, and good manners were a stark contrast with most other members of his race, and he even said things like "have a pleasant day."

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