Uncovering the Enigmas of Mass Effect 4: Dark Energy, Interstellar Threats, and Shady Businesses

The allure of Mass Effect lies in the plethora of enigmas scattered throughout the Milky Way. Ancient planets harboring perplexing discoveries dating back billions of years and remnants of long-gone societies are just a few of the unsolved mysteries that permeate the Mass Effect universe. As the trilogy came to a close, fans were eager to learn more about these enigmatic elements, making the announcement of the continuation of the series a source of great excitement, with the hope that some of these questions would finally be answered.

While certain mysteries may have more straightforward explanations - such as those related to dark energy, which were revealed to have been part of a plot thread that didn't make it into the final game - they still hold a certain intrigue and could potentially be revisited in Mass Effect 4, possibly becoming integral components of the plot.

Mass Effect's Question of Dark Energy

In Mass Effect 2, Tali embarks on a recruitment mission to Haestrom, a planet located within Geth space, to retrieve readings of the planet's sun. The Quarians are concerned as the star is cooling at an alarming rate, leading them to believe that the sun is dying prematurely due to dark energy. This topic resurfaces in Mordin's Loyalty Mission when a dead human test subject is encountered. However, the issue of Haestrom's sun remains unanswered in Mass Effect 3, leaving ominous implications for the role of dark energy in the galaxy, especially considering the Scourge in Andromeda. The outcome of Mass Effect 3 is crucial to the plot of Mass Effect 4, with the survival of Shepard being the main concern for players. The Control and Synthesis endings suggest that Shepard either dies or their consciousness is absorbed into the Citadel, but the Destroy ending provides hope for their survival, despite the implications of the Synthesis ending and its impact on the galaxy.

The Threat In Mass Effect That Spans Galaxies

In Mass Effect 3: Leviathan, the Leviathans were introduced as a formidable species of squid-like aliens responsible for creating the Intelligence that controls the Reapers. Fearing the destructive power of their synthetic creation, the Leviathans went into hiding to evade the Reaper's relentless harvesting of organic life. Eventually, Shepard discovers their location and persuades them to join the fight against the Reapers. However, their ultimate intentions after the defeat of their only threat remain unclear.

Following the Battle for Earth, the Citadel suffered severe damage, and Shepard's brief visit to the space station did not reveal any signs of life. Despite this, it seems unlikely that the millions of people on board were killed by the Reapers, and it is more plausible that they were instead kept alive during transit to the Sol system. Fans have since speculated on the fate of the people on the Citadel, both before and after its use as the Crucible, and whether there is a possibility that they survived the ordeal.

Mass Effect Has Some Shady Businesses

Throughout the trilogy, Shepard encounters numerous dubious organizations, and some of the worst are those that conduct experiments on people under the guise of legitimate businesses. ExoGeni is one such organization, which funds the colony of Zhu's Hope that settled on a former Prothean world above the Thorian's home. Rather than relocating the colony, ExoGeni chose to use the colonists as test subjects for the Thorian. Shepard discovers other Thorian slaves in Cerberus bases on other planets, raising concerns about ExoGeni's true motives. Some fans speculate that ExoGeni was always a front for Cerberus. Another enigma introduced in Mass Effect: Andromeda is the identity of the Benefactor, who funded the Andromeda Initiative years before the Reaper threat appeared in Mass Effect. The Benefactor was wealthy, supported Shepard's warnings about the threat, and aimed to ensure the survival of all civilizations in the galaxy by sending them to Andromeda.

Speculations regarding the identity of the Benefactor have been circulating within the Mass Effect community, with theories ranging from The Illusive Man to the Shadow Broker. However, none of these candidates seem to accurately match the description of the enigmatic figure. It remains unknown whether the Benefactor journeyed with the Arks to Andromeda or remained in the Milky Way. Fans eagerly anticipate Mass Effect 4 for answers to the numerous questions surrounding this mysterious character, including how they were aware of the Reaper threat and why they supported Shepard.