Though The Illusive Man may get more time in the spotlight, the Shadow Broker is one of the most truly evasive characters in the Mass Effect universe. A title that has passed between several individuals, the Shadow Broker is slowly revealed to be pulling the strings behind some of Mass Effect: Legendary Edition's most important events.

With a central and constantly shifting role across Mass Effect: Legendary Edition, keeping track of the Shadow Broker's story can be tough, even for fans who play through the trilogy looking for the Broker's fingerprints. Here's a breakdown of the Shadow Broker lore, and its connections to the strange story of the Yahg, a violent, predatory pre-spaceflight species that found one of its members at the heart of a galactic information network.

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The Shadow Broker In Mass Effect 1 And 2

mass effect citadel

Shepard first gets a hint at the Shadow Broker's network on the Citadel in Mass Effect 1. Volus financial adviser Barla Von is revealed to be an agent of the Shadow Broker, but like most who sell information to the Shadow Broker he has no idea who he's working for, or if they really are an individual at all.

The Shadow Broker collaborated with Saren Arterius some time before the events of Mass Effect 1, before Saren betrayed him. Chora's Den owner Fist is also an agent of the Broker. When Tali arrives on the Citadel with evidence incriminating Saren, she is put in contact with Fist, and hopes he can sell her information for a safe place to hide. Fist, however, betrays the Broker in favor of Saren.

This is how Mass Effect 1's Krogan companion Urdnot Wrex enters the story. The famed mercenary was hired by the Shadow Broker to take down those who turned against him. The Shadow Broker is also key to Shepard's revival after their death at the start of Mass Effect 2. The Collectors hire the Broker to find Shepard's body. Liara T'Soni, however, manages to rescue Shepard's corpse after the Broker gets his hands on it.

Mass Effect 2 reveals far more about the Shadow Broker's identity. Now pursuing Liara, it's also revealed that the Shadow Broker was responsible for the death of Thane's wife, hiring Batarians to kill her. In the Lair of the Shadow Broker DLC, Liara and Shepard finally manage to identify the Shadow Broker in-person, where he is revealed to be a Yahg. Liara and Shepard defeat him, and Liara takes over as the new Shadow Broker.

The Yahg

mass effect 3 alien design

The Yahg encountered in Mass Effect 2 was not the first Shadow Broker. In 2125 the planet Parnack, the Yahg homeworld, was discovered by the Council. At the time, Yahg technology was roughly equivalent to that of Earth in the 20th century. The Citadel Council sent ambassadors to establish contact with the species. They did not anticipate just how aggressive the Yahg were, however, and the predatory species massacred the Council's delegation. The planet was declared off-limits, and the Yahg banned from interaction with the galactic community.

The Shadow Broker at the time, however, was fascinated. Despite their limited technology, the Yahg were shown to be extremely adaptable, as smart as the Salarians and far longer-lived. The Shadow Broker violated the Council's isolation decree and recruited a Yahg as one of his agents. The Yahg's violent instincts quickly made him more of a threat than an asset, however. When the Shadow Broker realized his mistake, it was already too late. The Yahg killed him, taking over his operation. With no-one knowing the Shadow Broker's identity, the Yahg suddenly found himself behind the wheel of the galaxy's greatest information exchange.

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The Shadow Broker In Mass Effect 3 and 4

Liara in Mass Effect

During the Reaper invasion, the Yahg homeworld, as a pre-spaceflight civilization, is spared. It is believed that their sharp intelligence and predatory instincts could allow them to become one of the dominant forces in the galaxy in the next cycle. Attempts by Salarian forces on Sur'Kesh to uplift and weaponize the Yahg in a similar way to the treatment of the Krogan during the Rachni Wars ended in a Yahg escaping, massacring many on its way out.

As with the Yahg's ascension to the role, the secrecy surrounding the Shadow Broker allows Liara to take over without arousing suspicion. The Shadow Broker is a fascinating part of Liara's arc across the series, and her transformation from a relatively naïve researcher in Mass Effect 1 to a ruthless information dealer by Mass Effect 3.

Although the visual design of the Shadow Broker was not revealed until the second game, Mass Effect concept artist Matt Rhodes gave some insight into the character's design on his blog back in 2013. He described the Shadow Broker as "Ares, in space." Earlier designs for the Shadow Broker showed him a giant, centaur-like alien. It's interesting that the Shadow Broker is so closely associated with physical strength, predation, and even the Greek god of war in the Mass Effect universe.

The fact that a Yahg so easily took over the operation, and that he was willing to work with the Collectors for no reason other than business, seems to correlate information brokering and ruthless mercantilism with classic predator-prey relationships. Despite their influence being so indirect, the Shadow Broker is shown to be one of the galaxy's greatest predators, making Liara's takeover a fascinating part of her arc.

Liara's return in the trailer for Mass Effect 4 seems to suggest that the Shadow Broker's story isn't over just yet. In the teaser, she finds a part of Shepard's N7 armor, suggesting that once again she is searching for the Commander's body, perhaps hinting at Shepard's return as the player character. If the game is set long after the events of Mass Effect 3, however, there's no telling just what sort of person Liara has become as the Shadow Broker. One thing's likely, however –  she will be very different from the young Asari players first met in Mass Effect 1.

Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is out now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One and backward compatible on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

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