Mass Effectmakes Commander Shepard a character whose opinions hold weight. However, there are plenty of situations where Shepard is put in a position where they need to make a decision, but the best choice to make might not be clear at that moment, and the consequences of that choice aren’t revealed until later. On the other hand,some situations don’t exactly have meaningful consequencesor impact on the overall narrative ofMass Effect. In fact, it often seems like most of Shepard’s choices aren’t as impactful as they might feel while making the choice.
One group inMass Effectthat seems to hinder Shepard more than help them is the Council, which is supposed to have the best interests of the galaxy in mind when they make decisions. While they bestowMass Effect’sSpectre status on Shepard, it feels like they work against Shepard more than they help them in most other cases. That’s whythe decision to finally have some effect on the Council by placing a new member on it to represent humanity can feel like a turning point, but the reality is that it might not be that meaningful.
What Happens If You Put Udina On The Council
Choosing The Career Politician
Udina is a more typical politician compared to Shepard’s other option of Anderson. BecauseUdina has a rather hostile attitude towards Shepard, it might not feel like he would be an option who would offer help if Shepard requested any, which is frustrating considering how often the Council ignores Shepard in the first game alone. Luckily, there isn’t too much that Udina affects inMass Effect 2while on the Council.
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The biggest downside would be that he’s against giving Shepard Spectre status again, but he can be overruled if the Council was saved inME1.His hostility lasts intoMass Effect 3, but fades as bigger issues take priority, and he grows frustrated that he’s unable to receive support for the Alliance to reclaim Earth after the Reaper invasion in the game’s opening. However, his position on the Council inME3doesn’t make a difference in events that occur regarding the Council.
What Happens If You Put Anderson On The Council
Choosing A Familiar Face
PickingAnderson over Udina for the Councilmakes only one change, and it’s not that significant overall. If Shepard didn’t save the Council inME1, thenAnderson will help Shepard reinstate their Spectre status, even though the new Council is against it. However, having Spectre status or not doesn’t make a big difference in-game, and it’s easy enough to complete all the missions with or without it. For roleplay purposes, it can be fun to be a Spectre that has returned from the dead or a former Spectre turned renegade.
Unfortunately, putting Anderson on the Council at the end ofME1doesn’t mean that he stays on the Council. He’ll be a member for the duration ofME2, but then he’ll send Shepard a message saying that he prefers to live a more active life, stating thathe’s giving his position to Udinainstead. He decides that he can serve theMilky Way Galaxy inMass Effectbetter by putting his military experience to the test against the Reaper invasion rather than trying to be a politician.
It Doesn’t Matter Who You Put On The Council In ME1
The End Result Is The Same
Although it feels like deciding who will represent humanity on the Council is a big deal, it’s effectively not a choice with many consequences, if any. Anderson makes becoming a Spectre again easier, but it can still be done by placing Udina on the Council after saving them at the end ofME1, and even not having that status reinstated doesn’t change that much. It’s also disappointing thatAnderson will step down from the position and give it to Udinaanyway, but understandable given what Shepard has seen of his character.
Throughout the trilogy, Commander Shepard has to make a lot of decisions, and it feels like who to put on the Council for humanity should be an important choice. Unfortunately, the consequences are rather disappointing, and that makes the decision ultimately become meaningless, because Udina will be on the Council later no matter what, letting the events of the final game play out the same for the Council. Of course, not every choice can feasibly have meaningful consequences, but this one should at least have more impact inMass Effect.
