Players assume the role of Commander Shepard in the Mass Effect games. Created by the character, this person was the hero of the Systems Alliance Navy and the first-ever human Spectre as of 2183. Shepard inherits a galaxy in great peril with a rogue Spectre named Saren Arterius threatening to unleash the devastating Reaper fleets and usher in everyone's doom. But this isn't the first time Saren has acted like a villain.
Saren is a no-nonsense, results-oriented Spectre with a longstanding grudge against humanity due to the First Contact War (and he may just be xenophobic overall). Thanks to his laissez-faire attitude towards the law, Saren has concocted a plan to conquer the galaxy. However, some aspects of his character make more sense than others. How does Saren measure up as a cool villain in Mass Effect?
10 Checks Out: Saren's Resentment Of Humanity
It's not a good thing that Saren is so hostile to the human race, but it does make a certain sense. Many Turians have a chilly relationship with humanity due to the events of the First Contact War and vice versa. Some Turians are working to have the past remain in the past, but others are still angry.
Saren is one of those Turians who wants humanity to pay; in his eyes, conquering Earth and oppressing humanity is a good way to keep this reckless race from expanding too fast. Like the Krogan before them, they could disrupt the current state of the galaxy. That's not a nice sentiment, but it does fit the lore.
9 Wait What?: Saren Took Risks With The Prothean Beacon
Saren orchestrated the attack on Eden Prime and he had a small army of Geth on the scene to secure a rare, working Prothean beacon. At some point, Saren assassinated another Turian spectre named Nihlus then decided that enough was enough. He ordered his Geth to blow up the entire colony before bailing hard.
However, Saren left the Prothean beacon behind and (fans surmise) expected it to be lost in the blast. He was foiled when Commander Shepard disarmed the bombs and touched the beacon in person, threatening Saren's plans. Ideally, Saren would have just brought the beacon with him when he left the planet.
8 Checks Out: Saren Hid Behind His Spectre Status
It's a little odd that the Council went so far to protect the shady Saren, but they seemed to okay his every action; Saren was counting on this. Spectres operate largely above the law and are rarely held accountable for their actions. This is why the agents of C-Sec don't like Spectres.
All of Saren's files are classified and sealed away, making it nearly impossible to investigate a Spectre like him. He used this to great effect to hide from Shepard and Garrus Vakarian alike which bought him time to scheme and plan.
7 Wait, What?: Saren Raided That Volus Freighter
The Volus people are largely peaceful as they vastly prefer big business and mercantile pursuits over military matters. That's why they turn to the Turians for protection, but Volus ships still get raided. Saren once raided a Volus ship with the aid of mercenaries -- including Urdnot Wrex, one of Shepard companion's.
What was Saren looking for? Not even Wrex knew and Saren soon killed everyone who was involved in this affair. It's a little strange that Saren did this for no clear reason and the lore added mystery to Saren's character without adding enough substance. Saren doesn't raid ships for fun; he's a very purposeful person.
6 Checks Out: Saren Believed In Organic & Synthetic Convergence
At the time, when Saren claimed that organics and synthetics can converge to form a perfect whole; Shepard scoffed at this idea. It sounded too outlandish, but, with the benefit of hindsight, it becomes clear that Saren was onto something.
Synthesis really is an option and even the Illusive Man knew it, but he was too indoctrinated to do anything about it. In 2186, Commander Shepard may choose to unite organics and synthetics at last, proving that Saren's ideas were ahead of their time. Good for you, Saren, but not so good with the Reaper ally.
5 Wait, What?: His Floating Surfboard
Saren is a rather stylish villain as a Turian Spectre who commands an army of Geth while cruising the galaxy aboard Sovereign -- an actual Reaper. But Saren looks a bit silly when he flies around on that floating platform that is unique to him. He's riding it during each of his boss battles on Virmire and the Citadel.
But why is Saren the only person riding it? Elite Geth troopers could also use it to gain a fine vantage point, but they don't. Moreover, nothing like this surfboard ever appears again. It's an odd one-off and it sticks out during the events of Mass Effect. Perhaps it was some odd reference to the Silver Surfer from Marvel comics? Fans may never know.
4 Checks Out: Saren Used Cloned Krogans As Shock Troops
Saren needs some basic troops to invade planets and capture the intel that he needs to locate and use the Conduit. He has an army of Geth for the job, but why stop there? Saren is about to push his army over the top with a legion of cloned Krogan, bred at the Virmire facility.
This involved curing the genophage and Saren would win over many Krogan with that fact alone. If Saren got all the Krogan people on his side, he'd find it incredibly easy to conquer any planet he needed to and usher in the Reapers. It would have been his ultimate victory.
3 Wait, What?: Saren Tried To Sway Shepard
Saren is utterly convinced that he is doing the right thing by pursuing synthesis with the Reapers to avoid total extinction. But he won't achieve it like this and Shepard is right to oppose him. Still, Saren tries to win Shepard over with an impassioned speech.
During their Virmire meeting, Saren tries to sell his plan to Shepard only to be rejected. Saren tries it again on the Citadel, but really, after how hard Shepard worked to stop Saren, it's unthinkable that the Commander would decide "you know what, Saren? Let's try things your way." Shepard doesn't work like that.
2 Checks Out: Saren Elisted Matriarch Benezia's Aid
Saren was a highly visible servant of Sovereign and, at some point, Matriarch Benezia, an influential member of the Asari race, decided to intervene. She intended to help guide Saren and lead him along a good path, but she ended up indoctrinated. Saren then made intelligent use of her abilities and sway.
After all, not even Saren can do everything. He sent Benezia to the chilly world of Noveria to extract vital intel from the last surviving Rachni queen. Sure enough: Benezia's talents allowed her to find the Mu Relay's coordinates. Without that intel, Saren couldn't complete his quest.
1 Wait, What?: Saren Appealed So Much To The Geth
Ultimately, the heretic Geth are loyal to Sovereign, but they also take orders from Saren. In fact, they view him as a prophet of the Reapers' mechanical perfection. It's true that Saren has a Geth arm and some implants, but it's still rather odd for the "we must crush all organics!" Geth to think so highly of Saren and believe that he is Sovereign's ambassador.
The Council's members said that Saren used his charisma to win over the Geth, but that makes even less sense. Saren isn't terribly charismatic anyway as he prefers interrogation. Furthermore, in subsequent games, Legion proves that charisma doesn't really get anyone too far with the Geth Collective.