Summary
One of the best things about theMass Effectseries is its characters. Of course, each game is noted for its narrative, but a good narrative is nothing without a compelling cast of characters to lead it, and this is something that theMass Effectfranchise generally excels in. Of all the characters in the series, however, Dr. Liara T’soni stands out as one of its most memorable faces (and voices). To this day, she has made an appearance ineveryMass Effectgame, including a vocal appearance inMass Effect: Andromeda, and it seems her time in the world isn’t over yet, as she is one ofMass Effect 4’s confirmed characters.
The teaser trailer forMass Effect 4doesn’t reveal much about the game, as it was likely only created to announce that the nextMass Effectgame is on the way. What it does eventually show, however, is a cloaked Liara picking up a piece of N7 scrap out of the snow. By the looks of things, a lot of time has passed sinceMass Effect 3, which would mean that Liara likely isn’t the same Liara players grew to know before. Despite any unfamiliarity players may find with her inMass Effect 4, this massive time jump may end up being beneficial to the game’s narrative, especially when it comes to Liara.
Mass Effect 4’s Liara May Be a Completely Different Person Now
A Time Jump Would Likely Mean Liara Has Changed Considerably
The timeline andstory ofMass Effect 4are still unknown, but if there has been a significant time jump betweenMass Effect 3andMass Effect 4, players can expect a different Liara than they remember. Chances are, Liara’s character has developed off-screen, so she may be a bit of an initial shock to players upon her arrival on the scene. That being said, it wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing for Liara to be different now, especially when considering the series' continued emphasis on companion characters.
Liara’s off-screen character development could be one of the primary means by which players develop a relationship with her, assuming she will be one ofMass Effect 4’s companions. It would be a great motivator to ask her questions about her past and her history, and those questions would mean even more coming from someone she has never met before. Still, whether there has been a time jump or not, Liara’s presence inMass Effect 4spells good news for the original trilogy’s legacy.
Liara Could Be Mass Effect 4’s Link to the Original Trilogy
Even if Liara is an entirely different person inMass Effect 4, she could still serve as one of the primary links to the original trilogy. It’s currently unclear whether othercharacters from theMass Effecttrilogywill find their way intoMass Effect 4, but since Liara is all but confirmed, it can be assumed that the original trilogy’s story and characters will at least live on in her dialogue with the player character. In fact, that could be the very reason BioWare has chosen to make Liara such a focal point for the next game — to ensure the original trilogy remains alive and well inMass Effect 4.
Despite the supposed time jump that has happened betweenthe events ofMass Effect 3andMass Effect 4, and the possibility that Liara is a completely different person than she was at the end of the third installment, it may very well benefitMass Effect 4’s narrative by sort of disconnecting players from the original trilogy, only to have them reconnected to it through Liara. Liara has always been a very consistent character throughout the series, so it will be interesting to see if she has changed inMass Effect 4, and to what degree.
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