Donnel Udina

"I am sick of this council and its anti-human bull-"

Donnel Udina is a human diplomat stationed at the Citadel. He is humanity's second ambassador to the Council races (the first was Anita Goyle) and is determined to advance human interests wherever possible. Udina is shown to be mistrustful or at least apprehensive of Commander Shepard, particularly after the commander's induction into the Spectres. Udina often requires solid, irrefutable proof of anything before acting; a trait which often conflicts with Shepard's goals. Udina plays the political game, refusing to rock the boat if it might endanger his standing - and therefore humanity's - with the Citadel Council.

Donnel Udina is voiced by Bill Ratner.

Mass Effect
Udina believes that humans deserve a Council seat and they should have it sooner rather than later (and Captain Anderson agrees). Initially he pushes hard for a human to be inducted into the Spectres, hoping that this will be the first step. He blames Shepard for the 'failed' mission at Eden Prime, fretting it might have cost them humanity's best candidate for the Spectres. During the hearing against Saren Arterius, Udina realized it was a mistake bringing Captain Anderson into the hearing, as their past history complicated things and Saren was cleared of the charges. Once Shepard has become a Spectre, Udina's diligence manifests itself as a preference for playing things safe to look good in front of the Council. He doesn't even bother thanking Shepard for exposing Saren as a traitor.

When Shepard reports back to the Embassy in between missions, Udina unfailingly manages to find fault with the way Shepard gets things done. He only cares that Feros was saved because losing the colony would have been a political disaster, and he has plenty to say about Shepard's handling of the rachni on Noveria. After Virmire, he's also kind enough to report that, due to Shepard's constant talk about the Reapers, the Council is starting to wonder if Shepard is unhinged.

After Shepard convinced the Council of Saren's imminent attack on the Citadel, Udina tried to move in and take control of the situation, wanting to keep humanity at the forefront of the battle against Saren to prove their usefulness. However, Shepard wasn't finished. The commander tried to warn them that the Reapers were getting ready to invade and destroy the galaxy, but the Council was tired of listening to Shepard's 'dreams' about the Reapers. Udina wanted to show Shepard wasn't speaking for the Alliance, and ordered the Normandy's controls locked out, leaving Shepard and the crew grounded until further notice. Captain Anderson offered to help Shepard unlock the Normandy's systems. If given the choice, Anderson decided to countermand Udina's order directly, claiming the ambassador had made this personal, and knocked Udina unconscious to use his computer. Shepard was able to take control of the Normandy again and stop Saren. Somehow Udina managed to survive the initial attack on the Citadel when Sovereign and Saren launched their assault.

If the Council survive, in gratitude for the Alliance's efforts against the geth and in memory of the human soldiers who sacrificed their lives defending the Citadel, the Council offer humanity a Council seat at last. Both Donnel Udina and Captain Anderson are nominated to take the post. Shepard can recommend Udina, claiming humanity needs someone who will keep their best interests in the forefront. The Council are not quite as enthusiastic as they could be - they know Udina's style of working a little too well. Udina jokes that he's been holding back and vows to make humanity a powerful presence on the Citadel, united with the other races to stop the Reapers.

Should Shepard decide to let the Council perish, then Udina will promote a human chairman, to lead the Council and the other races against the Reapers. If Shepard is a Renegade, Udina will push for an all-human Council and have humanity lead the galaxy against the Reapers. Shepard can nominate either Captain Anderson or Ambassador Udina to chair the Council. This Council will confront the Reapers with the Alliance as the military forefront. If Shepard picks Anderson for his military experience, Udina will not object but comments that the Captain "prefers to use his fists to do the talking".