Salarian
Mass effect alien species
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The salarians[Note 1] are a fictional extraterrestrial humanoid species in the Mass Effect multimedia franchise developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts. Originally introduced in the 2007 tie-in novel Mass Effect: Revelation, salarians are a warm-blooded amphibian species with a hyperactive metabolism, which makes them think, talk, move and act faster than most species in the Mass Effect universe. Notable salarian characters include Mordin Solus, Major Kirrahe and Dalatrass Linron.
| Salarian | |
|---|---|
| Mass Effect race | |
Major Kirrahe as he appears in the first Mass Effect | |
| First appearance | Mass Effect: Revelation (2007) |
| Created by | BioWare |
| In-universe information | |
| Quadrant | Citadel Space |
| Home world | Sur'Kesh |
| Sub-races | Lystheni |
| Affiliation | Citadel Council |
| Leader | Dalatrasses Salarian Union |
| Notable members | Mordin Solus, Major Kirrahe |
Due to their accelerated metabolism, salarian lifespan is relatively short when compared to other Mass Effect alien races, usually not living for longer than 40 years. Salarians are a haplodiploid egg-laying society, in which unfertilized eggs produce males and fertilized eggs produce females, which along with their strict societal norms led to the species being 90 percent male. Salarian females are usually cloistered on their planets, usually holding positions of power. Approximately 2000 years before the events of the first Mass Effect the salarians uplifted the krogan to combat the rachni, a hive-minded insectoid race. Following the defeat of the rachni, the krogan rebelled against the rest of the galaxy, prompting the salarians to develop the genophage, a bioweapon that rendered the krogan nearly sterile.
Salarians are Mass Effect's version of gray aliens, a common archetypal image of an intelligent extraterrestrial non-human creature and an iconic space exploration trope.
Concept and design
According to Mass Effect's art director Derek Watts, the development of each alien species began with the creation of a brief paragraph that outlined the basic characteristics they wanted to give to them. For the salarians, the design process began with the gray alien sci-fi archetype, which was then adapted to fit the narrative and style of the Mass Effect universe. Once this initial phase was finished, the process was divided into a series of phases and passed onto the concept artists.[1][2]
Associate art director Matt Rhodes cited Japanese cultural influences as a source of inspiration for the salarians. Salarians were pictured as "warrior poets", a concept that was emphasized by some big dark gray alien eyes to transmit a sense of calmness and tranquility. This approach led to a softer, less threatening appearance when compared to other species such as the krogan or the turians. The final facial design featured many key aspects associated with gray aliens, including a triangular facial structure, an elongated mouth and the aforementioned large eyes. To differentiate them from the classic version of the gray alien trope, the team decided to add some horn-like protrusions on top of their heads.[2][3] Additionally, in order to create visual diversity between different salarians, Watts suggested the use of facial tattoos.[1]
Due to animation restrictions, the bodies of most alien races were designed to remain humanoid. For the salarians, artist Sum Kim introduced a concave chest as a defining characteristic. This anatomical feature was later incorporated into salarian clothing design, which was made to often include tubing or structural elements intended to make their chests appear less concave and more similar the rest of the species. In an interview with Game Informer, Rhodes made a simile between this practice and "a bald man wearing a toupée". Additional elements, such as hoods and circular chest pieces were incorporated into salarian ceremonial dressing design.[2][3]
According to former lead character artist Herbert Lowis, during the development of Mass Effect: Andromeda, the team originally played with the idea of adding secondary sexual characteristics to female salarians, but ultimately rejected it in order to remain consistent with the already established Mass Effect lore.[4]
Attributes
Biology
Salarians are a reptilian-looking amphibian species native to the planet of Sur'Kesh. They are characterized by their hyperactive metabolism, which allows them to function on as little as one hour of sleep per day and process information, speak and make decisions at an accelerated rate.[5][6] However, this rapid metabolism results in them having a comparatively shorter lifespan to many other Mass Effect species, only living up to 30–40 years. The species is known to reproduce through a haplodiploid system in which unfertilized eggs become male and fertilized eggs become female. Salarian females lay clutches of dozens of eggs annually in environmentally controlled hatching pools. Strict societal rules limit the number of fertilized eggs, resulting in a population that is 90 per cent male. The species is noted for possessing a photographic memory, a trait that has contributed to their prominence in intelligence gathering, scientific research, and espionage.[5][6][7] Physically, they are an androgynous species with minimal sexual dimorphism, exhibiting few noticeable secondary sexual characteristics between males and females.[4]
Culture and society
Salarians are characterized by their pragmatism and unsentimentalism, often prioritizing logic and efficiency over emotion. This mindset has made them more willing to undertake complex decisions or sacrifices when deemed necessary for the greater good. The species is known for their reputation as technological pioneers, contributing to the galaxy as its main source of scientific advancement.[5][6] Salarians experience no concept of love as humans understand it. Reproduction is arranged through formal agreements and negotiations rather than emotional relationships solely for the purpose of reproduction.[8][9][10]
The salarians have a centralized government called the Salarian Union that works similarly to how noble families distributed land in medieval Europe. Although males constitute the majority of the population, political power is held by an elite of planet cloistered Dalatrasses, a group of female political clan leaders. This results in a societal structure where high-level political authority is female-dominated, while many other sectors, including science, military, and commerce, are predominantly male-dominated. The salarian navy is relatively small but highly advanced and equipped with modern weaponry, sensors and cloaking devices. However, salarians specialize in intelligence and covert operations rather than conventional warfare. Their primary military intelligence service, the Special Tasks Group (STG), consists of highly trained agents operating in small, independent units tasked with missions such as counterterrorism, reconnaissance, infiltration, and assassination. The STG is considered strategically vital and receives substantial governmental funding and support.[6][9][11]
History
The salarians were the second species to discover the Citadel, a massive space station that serves as the political and administrative center of Citadel Space. Together with the asari, they founded the Citadel Council, which functions as the primary governing body of the sector.[12][13]
More than 2000 years before the events of the first Mass Effect, a group of explorers activated a previously dormant mass relay, a network of massive space installations that allow spaceships to slingshot themselves from one to another through a corridor of massless space. This led to the discovery of the rachni, a hive mind of space-faring hyper-intelligent spider-like insects. After their discovery, the rachni initiated a galaxy-wide conflict with other races known as the Rachni Wars. After nearly a century of losses, a salarian initiative would seek the uplifting of the krogan, a race of warmongering reptiles that had destroyed their home planet of Tuchanka in a thermonuclear world war. Their initiative was successful and the rachni were driven to extinction by the krogan.[6][5][14][15]
In the aftermath of the war, the krogan's rapid growth rate led to an exponential population growth, which made them pursue an aggressive territorial expansion. Eventually, the krogan would attack the asari colony of Lusia, starting a conflict between them and the Citadel Council known as the Krogan Rebellions. Prolonged warfare between the warmongering krogan and the turians, led the latter to seek help from the salarians to put a definitive end to the conflict. The salarians manufactured the genophage, a massive biochemical weapon that would render the krogan nearly sterile. Although initially conceived as a deterrent, the genophage was deployed unilaterally by the turians, resulting in a severe population decline and ultimately forcing the krogan to surrender.[6][5][14][15] Following these events, the SPECTRE program, an elite group of agents with little limitations to their methods, would be created with the salarian Beelo Gurji as its first member.[15]
Years prior to humanity's entrance onto galactic society, the aggressive-expansionist batarians bombed the salarian world of Mannovai.[14]
Other
- The Lystheni as an offshoot of the salarians are mentioned in the novel Mass Effect: Ascension. They are said to be unwelcomed in Citadel Space and usually live among the batarians and mercenaries in Omega, a crime-ridden space station built in the crust of a metallic asteroid that appears in Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3: Omega DLC. As of 2025, the Lystheni do not make an appearance in any Mass Effect video game, but they were originally going to appear in the first Mass Effect in a cut sidequest that would cover a conflict between the hanar and the Lystheni salarians.[16][17]
Appearances
Salarians were first introduced in the tie-in novel Mass Effect: Revelation as one of the races that form the Citadel Council, the governing body and authority in Citadel Space. A representative of the salarian race holds a permanent seat on the Council. The salarian councilor plays an important role during proceedings against humanity concerning the illegal development of artificial intelligence, which is prohibited in Citadel Space.[14][12][13][18]
Mass Effect
In spite of the absence of a salarian squadmate who can accompany the player on missions in the original Mass Effect, members of the species are involved in multiple in-game missions. In order to progress against one of the game's main antagonists on the planet Noveria, the player has to deal with administrator Anoleis, a salarian executive in charge of the planet's Port Hanshan.[19] On the planet Virmire, the player must collaborate with Captain Kirrahe, a salarian STG intelligence officer known for his motivational speeches. There, Saren Arterius, the game's main villain, has conducted experiments on krogan biology and bioengineered a cure for the genophage. Acting under the authority of the council and in coordination with the salarian STG, the player must assist Kirrahe with destroying a massive krogan cloning facility that Saren had set up to create a krogan army, thereby destroying the cure. Kirrahe's fate during the mission depends on the player's actions.[20][19][21]
During Garrus Vakarian's personal quest, the player is tasked with locating a salarian organ trafficker named Saelon.[22]
Mass Effect 2
Mass Effect 2 introduces the franchise's first and sole salarian squadmate, Mordin Solus. Mordin is a salarian scientist and ex-STG member that worked on a modification of the krogan genophage to make it more resilient. Through this character the player is introduced to the genophage perspective from a salarian point of view, in contrast to the krogan one that Urdnot Wrex offered in the first Mass Effect. During Mordin's loyalty mission, a specialized side-quest that the player has to complete in order to gain each squadmate's loyalty, the player is tasked with locating Maelon, Mordin's former assistant who had reportedly been kidnapped on the krogan home world of Tuchanka. Gradually, it is revealed that Maelon had voluntarily decided to work with the krogan to try to locate a cure for the genophage through the conduction of brutal experiments on voluntary krogan. The fate of Maelon and the results of his research is dependant on player choice. Similarly to every other squadmate in Mass Effect 2, Mordin Solus can perish during the "Suicide Mission", the game's final mission[14][23]
Mass Effect 3
Mass Effect 3 is set during the Reaper War, an ongoing galactic invasion waged by massive, spacefaring synthetic leviathans against the Milky Way races.[6] In response, the player initially seeks to secure an alliance between the turians, the krogan and the salarians. As part of these negotiations, the krogan demand the creation of a cure for the genophage as a condition for their participation. This demand is initially rejected by the salarian leader, Dalatrass Linron. However, intelligence provided by the krogan leader and an anonymous insider reveals that several krogan females had survided the experiments conducted by Maelon on Tuchanka and were being contained in a secret facility in Sur'Kesh. The player subsequently persuades Linron to grant them access into the facility. If Captain Kirrahe survived the events of the first Mass Effect, he reappears, now holding the rank of Major, and assists the player during their mission on Sur'Kesh. At the facility, the player will meet the unidentified insider source, who is either Mordin Solus or his replacement, Padok Wiks, depending on whether Mordin survived the events of Mass Effect 2. Together, the player then has to repel a concurrent assault by Cerberus, a pro-human xenophobic organization, and rescue the last surviving immune krogan female.[14][19][23]
Following the completion of the mission on Sur'Kesh, the player travels to Tuchanka to cure the genophage. At this stage the game presents two possible outcomes: the player may collaborate with the salarian insider and the krogan leader to successfully cure the genophage, thereby securing krogan war support, or align themselves with Linron to sabotage the cure, prioritizing salarian and, depending on the identity of the krogan leader, potentially retaining krogan support under false pretenses.[14][19][23]
Later in the game, following a Cerberus-led assault on the Citadel, the player's choices in the previous games determine whether the salarian councilor survives the attack.[19]
Mass Effect: Andromeda
The salarians are one of the races selected to lead their own ark to the Andromeda Galaxy. In Mass Effect Andromeda, arks are a set of gigantic spaceships aimed at traversing the distance between the Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxy. Similarly to the asari and turian arks, the salarian ark never managed to reach the Nexus, an enormous space station that had also been sent on its way to Andromeda. Unlike the aforementioned arks, the salarian ark is not encountered by the player via side-quests, but after the end of the main quest "Hunting the Archon". Once the player boards the ark, they meet the salarian pathfinder, Raeka, the ark's leader. After fighting off some kett enemies that had also boarded the ark, the player must decide whether they should save the life of Raeka or some krogan scouts.[24]
In Mass Effect: Andromeda, the player also meets Kallo Jath, who pilots the game's main spaceship and hub, the Tempest.[25]
Other notable appearances within the Mass Effect universe
A salarian called Tazzik appears in the comic series Mass Effect: Redemption. He's a hitman of the Shadow Broker that was given the task of retrieving Commander Shepard's body from Omega and bringing it to the Broker's main base.[26]
Reception and analysis
Reception
Several salarian characters in the Mass Effect trilogy, especially Mordin Solus, have received critical acclaim from both journalists and players, and have become popular in fan art and cosplay.[27][28] Major Kirrahe's speech has been quoted as one of Mass Effect's most iconic moments.[29] Kallo Jath's appearance in Mass Effect: Andromeda as the Tempest's pilot received mostly mixed receptions by the audience. He was ranked #7 in Beth Meadows' ranking at HeyPoorPlayer, highlighting that while "it is impossible to think of anyone filling Joker's role", he had done a "pretty good job", expressing a desire for more interaction with him.[30] Dr. Saelon was listed as one of gaming's "most magnificently murderous medical practitioners" in David Houghton's list for GamesRadar+.[22]
The salarian species has mostly been well received by critics and media outlets, receiving praise for their intelligence, technical prowess and importance within the Mass Effect universe. Sean Murray of The Gamer placed them #2 on his list of best Mass Effect races.[31] Similarly, David Caballero of ScreenRant also ranked the salarians #5, criticizing their unpopular attitudes and somewhat treacherous behavior.[32] In contrast, Shubhankar Parijat of GamingBolt placed them second to last in his list, yet still described them as "one of the most formidable and respectable alien races in the world of Mass Effect".[33] The lack of salarian females in the Mass Effect series has received some criticism. Kay Shinkle of Screen Rant justified the abscence due to the fact that only fetilized salarian eggs produce females.[34] Alex Raymond, writing for Gamecritics.com, highlighted that their absence reinforces the notion that the traits associated with the salarians, such as intelligence and scientific aptitude, are traditionally male-coded. Raymond also compared the seclusion of most salarian females, who are largely confined to their homeworld, to the outdated notion of women being in the "salarian kitchen". However, this criticism is somewhat tempered by the lore indicating that most salarian females hold positions of significant political power.[35] Timothy J. Seppala underlined the relationship between the krogan and the salarians as an example of the Mass Effect trilogy's most rich, nuanced world building, something that wasn't quite present in Mass Effect Andromeda.[36] Ari Notis of Kotaku criticized the fact that players are forced to kill an apparently innocent and mentally stable salarian scientist in Mass Effect, arguing that by being forced to leave him behind, the game limits player choice and agency.[37]
Analysis
The relationship between the salarians and the krogan has been analyzed by a number of scholars, highlighting the moral complexity of their interrelation. Amy M. Green of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas drew comparisons between the salarians and colonial powers, arguing that they evade responsibility and attribute the krogan's suffering to the krogan themselves, even if salarians had been the ones who had originally destabilized krogan society by intervening. M. Green compares this dynamic to historical instances in which dominant powers subdued indigenous peoples in conquered lands.[38] In contrast, in a scholarly article written for De Gruyter, Eamon Raid discussed the involvement of the Salarian Union with the uplifting of the krogan and the creation of the genophage with real-life bioweapons. Raid reaches the conclusion that "politics in the ME trilogy cannot be captured only through critiques emphasizing neoliberal, imperialist and colonialist dynamics".[20] In his PhD thesis, Raid examines the actions of the salarian council in Mass Effect: Revelation in relation to artificial intelligence policy within the Mass Effect universe. Raid draws comparisons between these policies and the works of English philosopher Thomas Hobbes and Croatian-born Canadian writer Darko Suvin. Raid also discusses the salarian "uplifting" of the krogan within the context of the use of the term in David Brin's Uplift universe, arguing that salarians characterize the krogan as "culturally primitive" while positioning themselves as "more cultured", though not necessarily as more intelligent. Additionally, Raid draws parallels between salarian practices and the works of philosopher Charles W. Mills and historical actions associated with the Spanish Inquisition, particularly in the treatment of less technologically advanced civilizations.[14] Michael Frias of the University of New Brunswick discusses actions performed by the salarians and the Citadel Council against other Mass Effect races within the context of Michael Omi and Howard Winant’s racial formation theory, arguing that race in the Mass Effect universe is a socially constructed identity determined by social, economic and political forces.[12]
Salarian involvement in the creation of the genophage has also been analyzed substantially. In a video uploaded in April 2012 by GameSpot, which talks about the Fermi Paradox and the possibility of convergent evolution in alien worlds, the salarian development of the genophage was compared to a gene-therapy technique being developed in order to get rid of mosquitoes. The presenter also compared salarians to "fish-frogs" and debated about the possibility of the existence of earth-like alien species.[39] Similar comparisons have been made by scientific commentators, who highlighted the similarities between the genophage and genetic interventions tested on mosquitos in Florida.[40] In a scholary paper published by RSIS International, Mohd Hafriz Bin Abdul Hamid and Izlin Binti Mohamad Ghazali of the MARA Technological University drew comparisons between the salarians' involvement in the creation of the genophage and instances of collective punishment associated with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.[41] In a separate analysis written for Kotaku, Sebastian Alvarado of Stanford University analyzed the salarian creation of the genophage, suggesting that a similar biological weapon could be created in the real world, given that certain types of enzymes are known to posses the ability to cut DNA. Alvarado also drew parallels between the genophage and historical practices of forced sterilization enforced by colonial powers in the early 20th century.[42]
Salarian asexuality was analyzed in The Bloomsbury Handbook of Sex and Sexuality in Game Studies arguing that it could provide story-telling opportunities beyond "heteronormativity" in the Mass Effect universe.[8]