Talk:Asari

Goddess
During the Game several Asari hint towards a Deity only known as "The Goddess" Maybe add that in Religion either as a lesser or equally popular. Examples include Liara exclaiming "by The Goddess" or "Thank the Goddess".

Evolution
Kudos to anyone who can explain how asari evolved with the weird reproduction and biotics.

One word:Chuck Norris.- SalarianScientist7

Capitalization
Shouldn't we capitalize the "A" in Asari? Shouldn't we capitalize the first letter for all the other species, as well? Just because they weren't capitalized in the game doesn't necessarily mean they aren't meant to be capitalized. Sometimes the developers overlook a few things, I remember as couple instances in Knights of the Old Republic where the word "Wookiee", is spelled "wookiee". That doesn't change the canonical spelling to "wookiee", does it? No. Any thoughts?--Jedi Kasra 06:28, 23 December 2007 (UTC)


 * Actually the names of the species are lowercase throughout both Mass Effect, the tie-in novel and the website, so it appears to be canon, not a misspelling. I think that was intended to make them seem more realistic; we don't write 'Human' to refer to ourselves and so the same was applied to the other races. Tullis 09:09, 23 December 2007 (UTC)

Appearance
The first couple of sentences appear to have been modified by someone into referring to a "blue beanie" and "gravy like" complexion. It is obvious someone is trying to be funny, or is mentally handicapped. If someone would fix it. 65.165.240.65 15:32, 18 January 2008 (UTC) Jacob

I registered and took the liberty of fixing it. I did not have Liara and Tali in my party much ofthe time, can someone confirm that they do indeed compare the description of Benezia in a pin striped suit to something on an extranet fetish site? I was also unsure of the complexion, and I could only remember one instance of green asari, which is during the encounter with the thorian. Is this the only one? If not then change the description to fit the whole color range. Spectre J 15:46, 18 January 2008 (UTC)


 * There are a couple green asari throughout the game. None notable. As I type this, on the Citadel I'm currently looking at a green asari with red in her 'fringe'. However I've yet to see any green asari in ME2, except for Shiala but she has a condition related to the Thorian, and Shepard acts surprised to see a green asari. So either Bioware changed their mind, or they're rather rare. -Dementid


 * Actually it's Alenko who mentions the extranet site but only if no female squad members are around: Liara, Tali and Ashley are fairly eye-rolling about the whole thing. Clarified. I also fixed the other bits of vandalism that slipped the net. *shakes head* You'd hope these vandals would have the common decency to actually be funny. -- Tullis 16:53, 18 January 2008 (UTC)


 * I did not check the whole document- glad you took the time. Mustard, Really? I agree with you, I don't like vandalism, but at least make it look like you put some work into it. All this was a minor inconvenience, hardly worth the time. I will be watching this page closely. -Spectre_J 65.165.240.65 17:56, 18 January 2008 (UTC)


 * The history page outlines their little contributions in red, makes it a bit easier to spot them. My favourite was someone who thought removing the entire Mass Effect Guide would be a giggle, forgetting that all you've got to do to replace it is nip back into the history to copy and paste it back in. -- Tullis 18:40, 18 January 2008 (UTC)

What about asari facial markings? It appears as though they could me natural but I do not know. If I were at home I would flip through my notes and the codex to try and figure it out. Would someone like to provide an explanation? If nobody knows, I might just add it and try to keep the source of the markings ambiguous. I feel its kind of an important characteristic, like the turian facial markings. Spectre J 19:38, 18 January 2008 (UTC)

No. Asari facial markings are either scars or painted on their face. 24.237.35.132 01:10, 14 June 2008 (UTC)MysticVulture, Tullis' idea-maker


 * I believe they're tattoos. There's a note on Benezia's concept art. --Tullis 21:42, 28 July 2008 (UTC)

Picture
The headpicture should focus on the asari, not the other 2 races (turians and salarians), so i've changed the pic.

Liara becomes Matriarch?
Since Benezia is pretty much dead, I think that Liara will become Matriarch in her place in Mass Effect 2 or 3. And besides, what game platform will ME2 and ME3 be on? Tullis, do you know? (DISCLAIMER: I am NOT SPAMMING ANY PAGES!!!)
 * 'Matriarch' is a stage in asari life just like 'Adult'. Read the article
 * Yes you are right, an asari Matriarch simply means an asari that reached adulthood

I'm a bit confused here. I was under the impression that the Matron stage represented Adulthood and that the ascension to the position of a Matriarch is comparable to the position of an Elder. Am I wrong? Also isn't it somewhat improbable that Liara could become a Matriarch in the near future considering here extremely young age? Also I would think that Liara would be prone to a long Matron stage considering how often she seems to meld with others. (I'm new to this so I'm not sure if I'm supposed to sign this but hey someone can just delete it later if I messed it up...) -Jax Montag


 * Yes matriarch is comparable to elder, and yes it is highly improbable that she would become a matriarch in ME2 or 3 because by that time in her life (700 years old where she is only 106 in ME1) Shepard would most likely be deceased Dtemps123 00:11, March 2, 2010 (UTC)

Ugly google adverts
If you check history you can see that I was trying to bring the head picture up a bit to try to get rid of those damn google ads that seem to pop up at the top right of the article - they are just so ugly and really spoil the wiki. >:(
 * That's why I use AdBlock with MY Firefox! :) Seriously, they are a pain but there's not a lot we can do. It's the price for Wikia being free, I think. --Tullis 21:33, 15 December 2008 (UTC)

Tattoos / Markings
They seem to be genetic, but they can't be inherited from turians as their markings are definitely tattoos. See the section on the Unification War under turians. --Tullis 14:02, 21 April 2009 (UTC)

Change the primary picture...
Seriously, is it just me or does that Asari look as if she knows something and is being shifty about it? The Asari primary picture should be changed to be more... "natural", despite if the Asari normally are very shifty. --Delsana 23:24, 17 May 2009 (UTC)


 * I think she looks good-humored, like she just heard something that made her chuckle. I don't really see shifty or secretive. And the picture seems to fulfill the intended purpose. After all, it is clearly an asari (please remember no caps for ME races) and the distinguishing features are present in the picture.SpartHawg948 23:28, 17 May 2009 (UTC)


 * Well it irks me to no end, about as much as having to lowercase a title of a race does. --Delsana 23:41, 17 May 2009 (UTC)


 * The picture is from the Mass Effect Codex, same as the the rest of the alien races.
 * Alien race names in Mass Effect are not capitalised. It's the correct mode for the universe we are writing about. --Tullis 00:06, 18 May 2009 (UTC)


 * Oh I understand that, but it still is a creepy picture, just as much as lowercasing a race is also incredibly weird. --Delsana 00:22, 18 May 2009 (UTC)

"Sex"
I just read an article on wikipedia about Parthenogenesis, and got to a part about insects stating the following:

Thelytoky - parthenogenesis in which only female offspring are produced and no mating is observed 

Pseudogamy (or gynogenesis or sperm-dependent parthenogenesis) - here mating occurs and the eggs require activation by entry of sperm but only the maternal chromosomes are expressed Automixis - parthenogenesis in which the eggs undergo meiosis

Apomixis - parthenogenesis in which the eggs do not undergo meiosis

Thelytoky sounds alot like the way asari reproduce and it might be worth mentioning something about it, instead of just saying that they have a unique way of reproducing, thoughts? 83.183.219.250 15:45, 29 July 2009 (UTC)


 * That's a negative. The asari do mate to produce offspring. Thus, their process is unique, and is not thelytoky. SpartHawg948 18:56, 29 July 2009 (UTC)
 * Actually, liara says that physical interaction may or may not be involved so... yeah
 * Indeed, the act of having sex to produce offspring does seem to be optional for asari, the only reason for doing so being pleasure and intimacy. Therefore thelytokous parthenogenesis does seem to be an accurate description, although speculative. We don't actually know the biological workings of asari reproduction in any real detail, just a sort of overview. --Looq 15:59, October 1, 2010 (UTC)

The Folds
Anyone else think those folds on the asaris' heads might be some sort of external brain that facilitates their biotic abilities?
 * -- Gnostic 21:10, September 28, 2009 (UTC)
 * No more than I think that the humans hair impedes theirs. I mean, there is some precedent for brains outside the skulls in sci-fi in general what with the Twi'leks and all, but we've seen absolutely no evidence of this in ME, so no, haven't really speculated about it. SpartHawg948 21:15, September 28, 2009 (UTC)
 * Besides, we don't know exactly why almost all asari are biotic anyway. Is there some eezo volcano on Thessia or something? Who knows? --Tullis 21:22, September 28, 2009 (UTC)

Ergo, two girls can make a baby? 24.87.4.53 19:42, November 29, 2009 (UTC)


 * Wait, where did this come from (besides out of left field, I mean!)? Now I'm confused... and also, not sure where the two girls making a baby thing comes from... as has been stated numerous times, asari aren't girls, they are monogendered. They just happen to resemble human females. SpartHawg948 21:52, November 29, 2009 (UTC)

Biology edits
First of all, alien races in Mass Effect are not capitalised; second of all, please check your spelling; and finally, please don't simply make up a genealogical family for the races here. That's pure fiction, and doesn't belong. --Tullis 12:34, October 7, 2009 (UTC)

This was mostly my big brothers idea. You see, my brother and I are very interested in biology and genealogy, so the idea of an entirely new kingdom of species kind of... entrigued... my brother. Endeed, he kind of insisted that the fans of ME sould create new genealogical families, and give them latin-ish names. I mean, is that so bad? Theese aliens are the result of our fantasy, and as no genealogical families for any of them are provided, we are entitled to do what scientists do when they discover something new: Come up with names for it. And allthough that sound kinda' fanfiction-ish, hey, maybe BioWare will listen and make it official. Hey, in this world there's nothing that is right or wrong, only thought of, or not thought of yet. Another example of people just coming up with names for things, would be all the non-senient species on this site who have been given names. Without a little help from our imagination, those animals wouldn't have a name, since no names are provided for them. If you still disagree, I do apologise and promise not to do this again.


 * Calling something that lives on another planet and looks vaguely bovine a "space cow", is very different from inventing a biological family name for them and putting it where other users will take it as fact. We have to call those animals something. But inventing stuff like this is exactly what led to our policy against speculation in the first place. It may be kind of fun and interesting to you (and I can understand why) but to us, it's stuff we have to double check and then clean out and then re-check the wiki for. If you're interested in inventing new species, the Mass Effect Fan Fiction Wiki exists for that exact purpose. Please don't create work for us unnecessarily. --Tullis 18:32, October 7, 2009 (UTC)


 * For the record- In this world there most certainly is right and wrong, and no, you are not entitled to make up your own names for races and such, both for the same reason- YOU DID NOT CREATE THIS, BIOWARE DID. The asari are the result of someone at BioWare's fantasy, not your own. You did not "discover" the asari, they were created by someone at BioWare. In the Mass Effect Universe, what BioWare states to be fact is right, all else is pretty much wrong. If you want to take creative license and come up with your own species and create facts about their development, anatomy, etc, go write your own Sci-Fi material. SpartHawg948 20:52, October 7, 2009 (UTC)

Also bear in mind that just because an alien life form looks like something familiar, it isn't necessarily anything close under the surface. Asari look like human females, but we know that they are very different. Thus, any attempts to discern asari anatomy based on very peripheral visual similarities to human females is in error. And as for the fact that a human male is able to mate with an asari (which was used as supporting evidence for asari reproductive organs being similar to human females), remember that a human female is also able mate with an asari. SpartHawg948 12:39, October 7, 2009 (UTC)

Yeah, but if you recall those privates discussing the consort, they said "she's much better than the girls back at eden prime", thereby implying that they have done something with the consort they also can do with human females (and don't tell me that's not sex). Also, the fact they can mate with human females does not mean that they don't have anything reessembling a vulva, since they still have to have a uterus and some kind of opening that the child can emerge from, even if they are impregnated through mendeling. Also, These creatures are most certainly mammals! Even if they lay eggs they still have evolved breasts. --Gormtheelder 18:10, October 7, 2009 (UTC)
 * Ok, I sincerely hope that I don't have to explain to you that there are sexual acts a male and female can do that do not involve the parts you mentioned. And the fact still remains that you are essentially inventing facts about the asari anatomy out of whole cloth, and then providing evidence that is at best circumstantial and can be interpreted several ways. And you are correct that the fact they can mate with human females doesn't mean they don't have something similar to a vulva, the fact they can mate with human males doesn't mean they do. Remember that before they developed space travel, they procreated only with other asari. Bearing this in mind, it is highly unlikely that their reproductive organs developed along the same lines as ours. Regardless, at the end of the day this is speculation. There is absolutely no source for it other than your own guess-work and assumptions, and that will not fly atound here. SpartHawg948 20:46, October 7, 2009 (UTC)


 * asari do notwork that way, no mateing required in theory they could even get pregnant with your child wthout you knowing. Physical contact may or may not be required. ralok 18:55, November 14, 2009 (UTC)


 * Actually, if you refer to the relevant codex entry (the secondary codex entry on asari biology), it states that there IS mating (the asari call it melding), physical contact IS required, and, given that the asari and their partner (and this is a direct quote from the in-game codex) "briefly become one unified nervous system", I'd say it's pretty obvious you would be aware you were mating with the asari. So yes, asari DO work that way, at least as far as mating is concerned. All this comes directly from easily verifiable in-game sources. Regardless, this thread was about someone making up "facts" about asari anatomy without a shred of evidence, not the mating process which, as has just been demonstrated, was never in doubt. SpartHawg948 12:36, November 15, 2009 (UTC)

Well there is a contradiction there. I read the Codex entry and it is heavily implied that physical contact is required, however that clearly violates in game statements that asari are capable of mating with any species as it would be impossible to do so with a species such as the volus (due to the fact that it would be impossible to maintain skin contact with the obvious problems related to their respective biological needs for vastly different air-pressure). I also feel this is contradicted in the sense that there does not seem to be any physical contact in Shepard's non-sexual meldings with Liara and Shiala (Though it could be reasonably argued that physical contact was implied). --Jax Montag 04:12, December 17, 2009 (UTC)


 * Ok, here's my take on that: As far as the supposed contradiction involving whether contact is required- you are speaking in terms of practicality. It could be theoretically possible for an asari to mate with a volus while being practically impossible. However, that would mean that it is still possible, just highly unlikely. Also, it was stated quite clearly that neither Liara or Shiala melded with Shepard. To quote the article, "It is also possible for an asari to use this ability outside of melding and share another's consciousness. This technique is used by both Liara and Shiala, with varying success". Hmmm... Outside of melding, it said. That would preculde any melding. Stating that it was a melding is pure speculation. So no, there really isn't a contradiction when you get right down to it. It is stated that asari can mate with any species. It doesn't state that it would be easy to do so in all cases. And there is no evidence to support the claim that either of the encounters with Liara or Shiala were meldings, which are reproductive in nature. Also, as for the statement that "it is heavily implied that physical contact is required", it's not implied, it's stated outright. "During melding, an asari consciously attunes her nervous system to her partner's, sending and receiving electrical impulses directly through the skin." Taken directly from the Codex. SpartHawg948 04:21, December 17, 2009 (UTC)

About Gender
Why is there confusion about hte asari gender, clearly they are all female (capable of carrying a child) but they are also mono gendered, being monogendered doesnt mean that the gender is neutral. And clearly male and female would have no meaning to a species that is capable of mating with anyone (aside from maybe the volus) but they arent capable of impregnating another species. So whats the deal why is this confusing, they have a single gender that is similiar to most other species females but they as a species dont make gender distinctions. After all it means nothing to them, im talking like practically not culturally if you are female or male this has no bearing on their ability to reproduce with you. anyone stop to think thats what it meant. ralok 16:40, December 26, 2009 (UTC)
 * Well they would be female by our standards, but not by theirs. Their reproduction system is entirely different from ours, while it is still sexual, they need genetic information from another individual only as a source code for life, they choose which traits to give to their offspring. So instead of terms as "impregnate" or "be impregnated", it would be more accurate to call it "creating life", they do that in the purest sense, they take some genetic information, add some more information and create new individual using that modified genetic code. Natural genetic engineering if you will. --LiudvikasT 17:06, December 26, 2009 (UTC)
 * Also ralok, it's pretty hard to talk practically and not culturally, since every aspect of the two does tend to be intertwined. Everything we do and see we see through the perspective of people to whom two distinct sexes (male and female) are the norm. Therefore, we would attempt to view new things through this perspective as well, including the asari. Since the asari look like women, and they have babies, they must be female, right? WRONG! Your baby example is specious. So, any monogendered race that has live young must be all female, right? Also, let me throw something else out there. You cite as evidence that they cannot impregnate a member of another species. 2 things: 1) Source? Have you done studies using asari and members of all other species known in ME? :P And 2) While that may or may not be true, they most certainly CAN impregnate other asari. Being able to impregnate someone else doesn't sound like a very female characteristic to me. SpartHawg948 20:46, December 26, 2009 (UTC)


 * I would personally define it as impregnating themselves with as partner being used for the basis of genetic code, the point i just wanted to make is that the two descriptions of it are really just two viewpoints on the same subject. Asari and human (evidence for the codex being human written is found in ascension) and like I said being monogendered and female doesnt seem to be a contradiction. I think i have gotten my point across though. ralok 00:02, December 28, 2009 (UTC)


 * But you can't state it as "impregnating themselves with as [sic] partner being used for the basis of genetic code", at least not if you want it used as evidence, because that is speculation, plain and simple, and you don't get your point across with speculation! We don't know that the asari impregnate themselves when they mate with other asari, as nothing has ever been stated along those lines. As someone said on another talk page recently, you did not create Mass Effect, ralok, BioWare did, so you can't make up facts to support your claim. SpartHawg948 00:07, December 28, 2009 (UTC)


 * I think this is how it sohuld be organized, information about being monogendered and gender having no real meaning to them should be in the culture section, and the biology section should include the bulk of talk concerning the slight contrary descriptions of asari gender in biology, and in appearence it should note that the species appears female (especially to humans) but they arent exactly what they look like. ralok 00:08, December 28, 2009 (UTC)


 * Or, we could leave it the way it is. All the information is there, and is arranged in a nice, common sense order that keeps it in line with the other race articles. No fuss, no muss. It certainly isn't broke, so no reason to mess it up by trying to "fix" it. SpartHawg948 00:12, December 28, 2009 (UTC)


 * I personally think the way it is now is very confusing, your right that it wont help to make things more convulted, but I feel the subject of asari gender could be ddealt with better in the article. If i have time I have time I will sanbox this page on my user page to see if i can come up with a better version (if i cant ill leave the main article alone) i doubt i will however, so you can all go on with your lives. ralok 00:20, December 28, 2009 (UTC)

Good lawyers?
I was replaying Mass Effect in preparation for the release of Mass Effect 2. One of Gianna Parasini's comments got my attention on Noveria.

"Tread lightly. The board can bury you in litigation. You'd need an asari lawyer to see the case through."

Could this mean that asari make good attornies?

--Cyberweasel89 05:52, January 25, 2010 (UTC)


 * I think the implication is that asari are very persuasive. If you think about asari's two main attributes: being extremely good-looking (that 'young males have an unhealthy obsession for'), and reproducing through melding - where they reach a greater understanding of their partner's race's thoughts, instincts, and whatnot, they've got everything they need to make one - everyone's far more attentive to a highly attractive eye-catching female, who also happens to have the collected wisdom and viewpoints of their 'racial inheritance'. Phylarion 12:53, January 25, 2010 (UTC)


 * I think it's even simpler than that. I believe by using the words "to see the case through" Parasini-san was implying that you'd need a lawyer who would live for a thousand years. :) --Danse CC 19:24, February 25, 2010 (UTC)

Asari "mind control"
Could there be any truth to this theory that Asari don't really look "human" but mind controll the viewer to appear attractive to their specific race? The conversation seems to imply such but then it could only be an easter egg sort of thing.

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ7r80IOxtE starting at about 1:45

82.119.106.135 16:59, January 25, 2010 (UTC)

Zee

I really don't understand how this could work on a practical level in the universe - what about electronic survailance? What about dead bodies, or when different species compare notes? 173.77.102.97 02:50, February 2, 2010 (UTC)


 * I believe the implication is that, the various species are so enthralled that they view the asari as attractive. Attractive enough where they claim asari look like their aesthetic ideal, even if asari are really somewhere in-between. The turian's comment about a head-ridge actually makes sense to me considering the asari head-tendrils. Although I agree with the human that I don't see the salarian thing at all. Maybe salarians have poor eyesight. Also&mdash;we have no idea what salarian and turian females look like! It's possible they all DO look like asari! Anyway, I think it's more of a beer-goggles/strong attraction thing. I don't believe this is an example of mind control, charm spells, or illusions. fodigg  (talk) | 15:49, February 2, 2010 (UTC)


 * Personally, I disagree. I think the conversation was a plant specifically to raise this question in the mind of the player. It may have been for the purposes of humor, but four facts can't be dismissed:
 * Nearly all asari are natural biotics, with psychic-like effects at their disposal that include their mating ritual.
 * Whether for biological or cultural reasons, asari rely on mating with members of other species.
 * Members of all species are often attracted to asari, despite the asari's patently human appearance.
 * Every asari in the game is seen through human eyes (Shepard's or the player's; your choice).
 * The seed is there, in canon. Coupled with the possibly drunken assertion that asari can be perceived to look like both salarians and turians, it is compelling. Admittedly, there's no conclusive evidence, but whether we're talking about "mind control" or "strong attraction," the argument for asari having evolved or conditioned a 'psychic mask' that makes them appear desirable to onlookers is not unreasonable in the slightest. It's important to remember that not every citizen of the galaxy is an exobiologist. It is possible that scientists, coroners, and security personnel are familiar with this phenomenon, but it is not recognized by the public at large. In a setting where FTL travel is a reality and people can throw other people around with their minds, I can't see such a minor revelation causing controversy and widespread discussion. A bachelor party is exactly the kind of place I would expect the topic to be raised and ultimately dismissed. --Danse CC 19:18, February 25, 2010 (UTC)


 * I think it's both funny and possible. I also think there was a very brief mention of asari mind control potential somewhere else too. I can't remember where though, might have been mentioned passingly in one of the books or an ME1 conversation. The asari are also clearly adept at keeping things that might make them look bad under wraps or written off as fairy tales, IE Ardat Yakshi. Personally, I think it's all too likely that there is something strange behind them appearing attractive to other species.--Karstedt 07:25, February 28, 2010 (UTC)


 * Sidenote at 4: they do appear as human females to female editions of Shepard. Checked that with a female Mass Effect player too, and she stated the asari definitely look female to her.82.139.64.190 19:51, May 20, 2010 (UTC)


 * The simple answer is that they always appear female because they bear and nurse young. But you're right; if this were intended to be true by design, asari would appear to have more masculine facial features if you chose to play a female Shepard who made heterosexual romantic choices. --Danse CC 19:11, June 1, 2010 (UTC)

Just to throw this one out there- if the asari do appear different to different species through use of 'mind control' or whatever, how do you reconcile Avina? Avina takes on the appearance of an asari, and there is absolutely no indication that the displays have ten or fifteen or whatever different displays, all appearing on only on frequency that only one race can see, or that the Avina displays use any form of 'mind control', and we know that the Citadel (to include the VI interfaces, more than likely) were not built with the asari in mind. And while on this topic, what about Fornax? The magazine is known to make heavy use of asari models. How would their mind control transfer over to print media? Again, whatever form of 'mind control' they use per the 'asari look different to different races' theory would be nullified here. I think there are too many holes in this theory for it to hold water. The reason so many races are attracted to human-esque asari is the same reason aliens are attracted to humans or near-humans in most any sci-fi, and why so many sci-fi genres feature alien women who look nearly human, just slightly more exotic. SpartHawg948 02:54, May 21, 2010 (UTC)


 * Bah, SpartHawg. Ruining our fun. :) --Danse CC 19:11, June 1, 2010 (UTC)
 * I think the reason for all the confusion on how they look was just because they were all half drunk XD
 * I'll buy that! Lousy alkies! :P SpartHawg948 01:13, June 8, 2010 (UTC)
 * I'll buy that! Lousy alkies! :P SpartHawg948 01:13, June 8, 2010 (UTC)

Asari Military doctrine- Commandos
Their is nothing on the page about the asari commandos on other species pages such as salarians and turians their elites the STG and cabal are actually directly mentioned and described just seems a little odd. Just curious if they should be mentioned on the page or is the link sufficent?.
 * I don't believe that the asari commandos are a formal organization. It's a descriptor, like "human mercenary", for an NPC in the game and for a common military path among the asari. The closest we have to a formal military organization specific to the asari would be the justicars. &mdash;fodigg  (talk) | 15:33, February 12, 2010 (UTC)
 * Yeah, if you read the codex entry on the asari military, you find that there is no actual 'asari military', at least in the sense that the Asari Republics does not field a unified standing military. Rather, each community fields and equips its own forces as it sees fit, ranging from large, well equipped forces from larger communities to a handful of soldiers with small arms from small farming settlements. There aren't even uniforms. So no, there really isn't any comparing the asari commandos to the STG or the cabal or anything like that. SpartHawg948 08:47, February 14, 2010 (UTC)

Mind Control
"Due to their ability to wear human armor and clothes, it is safe to assume that they are most physically similar to humans. Like humans, asari have navels, suggesting similar biology between the two races. "

Oh no, the mind control got to the editors also!
 * Good call... I'd been on the fence about this for a little bit, but yeah, it's most definitely high-grade speculation! :) SpartHawg948 23:38, February 13, 2010 (UTC)
 * Not sure if I'm missing the point here, but asari do indeed have bellybuttons. That, especially combined with the fact they have breasts, makes them mammals. Mammals that incubate their young inside for a certain period of time and then give birth. That means they have a vagina (as if that wasn't obvious to begin with) and once you get to that level, there isn't much relevant potential difference left. So maybe they have two livers, maybe their heart beats stronger on the right rather than the left, whatever. At least sexually and from a physical exterior sense, they're as near to identical to humans as a fantasy alien race can be.

Fair enough. It should be noted though that this is all speculation, as it's based on cursory external similarities. Now, were any of it to be listed in-game, I'd be all for adding it, but as is it's extrapolation. And as such, while I generally concur with the above statement, it also really has no place in the asari article. SpartHawg948 02:33, August 7, 2010 (UTC)
 * Well it is explicitly stated by an NPC, in a matter-of-fact fashion. It's also plainly visible on the asari dancers. They also obviously have breasts, as I said, which is the criteria for being a mammal in a manner of speaking. Mammal derives from mammary, after all. Teclo 03:27, August 7, 2010 (UTC)
 * Well, you're partially right. An inebriated reveler at a bachelor party says they have belly buttons. Or at least something that looks like a belly button. And they do have what appear to be breasts. Although we have no idea whether these have the same function or composition as human breasts. What I was referring to, however, is that it is never stated in-game (or in other sources) that they incubate their young inside for a certain period of time, then give birth, or that they have vaginas. Those last two are speculation based on cursory external similarities. True? Or is there a source I missed? SpartHawg948 03:32, August 7, 2010 (UTC)
 * Logically, they need some kind of birth canal, but we have no information on how it looks. They have a body part that has the vulgar nickname "azure" in some areas of Illium, which Liara says is located in "the lower reaches, near the bottom" &mdash; in other words, where a vagina would be. We have no evidence to jump to conclusions, though. - Sikon 11:34, January 23, 2011 (UTC)

Own Embassy?
Shouldn't the asari be listed as being a council race, not just having their own embassy? The same should hold true for the human, turian, and salarian articles also. Bastian964 19:17, February 19, 2010 (UTC)

I considered this, but since the council can become all human depending on the player action, I wasn't sure what to do. Any thoughts? I can't just put "Council Membership" because they may or may not be on it. --Saren72 19:21, February 19, 2010 (UTC)


 * The humans should not be listed as council race - this is a spoiler for ME. Same goes for the turian, salarian, and asari. --silverstrike 19:25, February 19, 2010 (UTC)


 * Maybe you should just write "Allegiance", or something, in the infobox instead of their citadel status. Like hanar, asari, humans etc. would be "Council Race(s)". Batarians and krogans would be "Rogue Race(s)" and the Collectors allegiance would be "Reaper" (unless that's too much of a spoiler). Swedish Guy 19:31, February 19, 2010 (UTC)

How about "current or former council race" if we are going to include it. @silverstrike; listing the turians, salarians, and asari as anything other than just council race is a spoiler for ME.Bastian964 19:39, February 19, 2010 (UTC)


 * That is what I meant. Humans should be tagged as "has embassy". Turian, salarian, and asari should be tagged as "Council race" --silverstrike 19:45, February 19, 2010 (UTC)

How about we say "founding council race" for the asari, "second race to join council" for the salarian, and "third race to join council" for the turians. That removes any spoilers while it is still true even if they are no longer on the council. However, I agreed that for the humans we are probably just going to have to suck it up and lie. Bastian964 19:55, February 19, 2010 (UTC)


 * That sound like a fair compromise - although, I wouldn't call it lying, the facts regarding this matter change according to how ME is played. When in conflict, we should use what was true at the start of ME playthrough (no spoilers, there). --silverstrike 20:02, February 19, 2010 (UTC)

Or we could just do it as we did in the Race-page. We used the model we did there to avoid this kind of dilemma. Swedish Guy 19:58, February 19, 2010 (UTC)

I personally prefer this way because it provides more info on each species. Furthermore, saying the humans have their own embassy is just like saying the Rachni are extinct, a small white lie to cover up a spoiler.Bastian964 20:16, February 19, 2010 (UTC)


 * In the eyes of the galactic community (apart from the council), the rachni are extinct. Even on ME2, if you saved the rachni queen, the rachni 'representative' will approach you somewhat secretively (that's what it looked like to me, anyway). --silverstrike 20:23, February 19, 2010 (UTC)

I actually have issue with the current Race page. What exactly constitutes a "Citadel Race"? Is it ones that have embassies there? Because I don't think Hanar and Drell have been confirmed to have one and Keepers are more of a Historical Race. Or does it mean races that are simply welcome on the Citadel? Because half the "Non-Citadel Races" are still technically allowed and welcome there. I don't even like that grouping to begin with because it throws good and evil races under the same heading which is misleading. -Saren72 21:34, February 19, 2010 (UTC)


 * As I understand it, a Citadel Race is a species that's established close political ties with the Citadel Council. Simply being welcomed on the Citadel isn't enough for a species to be considered a Citadel Race since, really, only direct enemies of the Council are unwelcomed on the Citadel, like the geth or batarians. But what really establishes if a species is a Citadel Race or not is how it is presented in the Codex. Swedish Guy 21:44, February 19, 2010 (UTC)


 * First off, a Citadel Races is one that has signed the Citadel Conventions and been granted an embassy on the Citadel. Pretty simple. Second, "welcome" is not really a status for a race, since it applies to individuals. A single quarian may be welcome, but would the Council approve of the Migrant Fleet pulling up to the station? And I ended up removing the boxes for several reasons. There was some pretty rampant speculation (such as assuming the krogan are a rogue state when there is no evidence there has even been a unified krogan state since the end of the Rebellions), inaccuracies (just because the volus and elcor embassies share a common building does not make them a "shared embassy"), and of course the canon issue with the three original Council races. This is why we ask that users bring this stuff up before implementing it themselves. If there is this much debate over these boxes now that they are in place, then there wasn't sufficient thought/discussion put into them before they were added. (and near as I can tell, there was no discussion put into them) SpartHawg948 22:03, February 19, 2010 (UTC)

Okay then if that's the accepted definition for the page, then Drell, Hanar, and Keepers should be removed from Citadel Races since none of them are confirmed to have embassies. You saying that "welcome" applies only to individuals is basically opinion. On the whole, despite having their embassy closed, the quarians are still "welcome" to walk freely on the Citadel. Of course if the entire Migrant Fleet tried to come in at once, there would be problems, but there would also be problems if an entire huge fleet of Alliance or Asari ships tried docking at once, so that's rather irrelevant. I wasn't the one who wrote "Shared Embassy" for Elcor and Volus, someone edited that. And I discussed the Council problem on DRY's page. -Saren72 22:32, February 19, 2010 (UTC)


 * The Codex states that the hanar is a citadel species. As for the other two... well, the keepers have evolved to become more as a part of the Citadel itself than an independantly-thinking race and the drell are more or less the protégés of the hanar, a Citadel Race. If that makes them Citadel Races though is debatable. Swedish Guy 22:45, February 19, 2010 (UTC)


 * Yup, the hanar are definitely a Citadel race. Just because we don't see their embassy, that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. As for the "welcome" thing, again, my example may have been somewhat less than perfect, but so is the "welcome" classification. Krogan are welcome to walk freely on the Citadel too, after all, and just because we don't see batarians there (due to the policies of their own government) doesn't mean they aren't also "welcome" to walk freely on the Citadel. SpartHawg948 23:15, February 19, 2010 (UTC)

Asari capitalised?
Should Asari be capitalised? If so I will do a find and replace to make it all Asari and it will look better.
 * Please see naming conventions for alien races. Matt 2108 01:33, February 22, 2010 (UTC)
 * Indeed! You'd think that if asari were supposed to be capitalized, one of the hundreds of editors would have done it in the (just over) two and a half years this wiki has been up and running! :P SpartHawg948 02:13, February 22, 2010 (UTC)

Asari Reproduction, After mating when do they produce offspring?
I was half expecting Liara to have a child when I started ME2. Just cause I melded with her and all the discussions we had about children. She still may, but ti would be odd considering her focus on the Shadow Broker. But I am curious if anyone has heard anything about what causes an Asari to produce offspring. I would find it very unrealistic for them to just choose a moment to impregnate themselves with their partner's "genetic history", psychological traits, or whatever.

Also, I doubt this has been covered but since asari unify their nervous systems with their partner's and given the nature of Morinth, is there no real protection for asari mating for an asari or non-asari? I mean, wouldn't non-asari want some protection since an asari could potentially forcibly meld with them? I suppose a gun would suffice. -- (Lone Hunter 00:07, March 1, 2010 (UTC))

Choosing when to start a pregnancy would not to be particularly weird, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embryonic_diapause


 * The statement "wouldn't non-asari want some protection since an asari could potentially forcibly meld with them?" is understandable but most non-asari are part of the general public who aren't even aware there is such a thing as an Ardat Yakshi.82.139.64.190 20:05, May 20, 2010 (UTC)


 * Just because Liara bonded, doesn't mean she "sexually bonded" for lack of a better phrase. We have seen asari bond before (such as the one on Feros which bonded with Shepard) and there is not evidence to suggest that all bonds lead to pregnancy. So I imagine it has to be a special kind of bond. Also one can also surmise that, as mammals, they have menstruation cycles and therefore can only get pregnant at the corresponding time of the month. It's also possible (if not probable) that there is some kind of protection that asari can use. --Looq 16:07, October 1, 2010 (UTC)

Vandalism
Just as a heads-up, someone was changing ALOT of the first paragraph to stuff about whores and sluts. I changed it back, but look out for more. Kremlin16 02:08, March 28, 2010 (UTC)

Facial Tattoos
The entire section about the facial markings being genetic is pure speculation. We have no indication one way or the other. The fact that the Asari Clones created by the Thorian had facial markings is NOT an indication that they are genetic. Those Asari Clones also had jumpsuits, and I don't think anyone is suggesting that jumpsuits are a genetic feature of Asari. I think we should remove the speculation until there is something more concrete. Nutiketaiel 23:09, May 17, 2010 (UTC)
 * Seeing no objection, I have removed the passage in question. Nutiketaiel 12:34, June 2, 2010 (UTC)

The jumpsuit objection is certianly interesting and is potentially damning in and of itself, but I do still think there is some merit to the info, particularly in that it does seem to mesh with the fact that none of the known purebloods possess these markings. I'll agree, it is a bit speculative, but that speculation does have some basis in factual observation, and as such, it's not really 'unfounded', and does fit with the established guidelines for speculation. Addendum- Also please do remember the race name caps rule (i.e. 'asari' as opposed to 'Asari') SpartHawg948 18:24, June 2, 2010 (UTC)
 * I dunno, SpartHawg, you might as well say all tabby cats must have green eyes because your three pet tabby cats have green eyes. The observation of a thing is not proof of its universality. I think Nutiketaiel is right; there is no basis for speculation here. "Some asari have facial markings; it is unknown whether these are tattoos or hereditary." It might be worth pointing out that all the known purebloods in the game are barefaced, and what this suggests, but I think it belongs in the trivia section. Perhaps, "So far, all asari squad members have been purebloods, none of whom have had facial markings. This may suggest that facial markings are inherited from an out-species father." Failing that, I definitely think we should at least get rid of the statement about clones; it just doesn't hold water. If the thorian can replicate the inner construction of a mass-effect shotgun, it wouldn't have any trouble with tattoo pigments. --Danse CC 20:36, June 2, 2010 (UTC)

Yeah, that's true. However, I don't really think the tabby cats analogy holds any water, as most people have seen more than three tabby cats. On the other hand, we only know of three pureblood asari, all of whom lack facial markings. Additionally, if the arguments were really the same, the tabby cat one would be spot on, as the argument is for genetics, and eye color is a genetic trait. There is evidence for the genetic marking speculation, again, it's a simple matter of observation. I don't really think it belongs in the trivia section, as the markings are a matter of appearance, and they are in the Appearance section, where they are relevant, while trivia sections are reserved more for material that isn't relevant in the pre-existing sections, but you do make a compelling argument for removal of the clone info. SpartHawg948 22:43, June 2, 2010 (UTC)
 * While I still think the information is too speculative to be in the article at all without further evidence, and while I agree completely with Danse CC's Tabby Cat analogy, I am also forced to agree with SpartHawg that, if the information is going to be in the article at all, it belongs in the Appearance section. The removal of the clone information has removed the most egregious portion of the speculation, and I am satisfied with it as it stands now as a compromise (though I did reword it slightly to make the sentence flow a little better). Nutiketaiel 15:58, June 8, 2010 (UTC)
 * Wait a minute, what about Matriarch Aethyta, the Asari Bartender? We know her to be the child of a Krogan father, but she has no markings. That would seem to be pretty good evidence against a genetic basis for the markings. Nutiketaiel 16:01, June 8, 2010 (UTC)
 * So... no comments on that? Nutiketaiel 20:55, June 30, 2010 (UTC)
 * Hadn't even noticed it. It doesn't seem to be good evidence against though, as it's really only one example. If anything, it may demonstrate that (if this 'genetic inheritance from the 'father'" or whatever we're calling it doesn't apply to krogan (remember, small k, krogan not Krogan, and asari, not Asari). As of now, we know of (IIRC) four asari without facial markings, three of whom are purebloods. It's speculative, yes, but does seem sufficiently substantiated to be allowed, provided that it is labeled as theory, not fact. Unless there is something we know of that Morinth, Samara, Liara, and Aethyta have in common that could explain it, and I sure can't think of anything. SpartHawg948 22:16, June 30, 2010 (UTC)
 * Well I don't know if this is relevant but Liara is also one of only two asari that have "eyebrows". I'd say they could fall under the facial marking category. There's no evidence that Benezia is also a pureblood so I wouldn't be able to comment on that but perhaps Liara simply followed Benezia and drew the eyebrows on herself. And then again, thinking back, Liara's eyebrows aren't as distinct as Benezia's so this can also take the genetic route where Liara's eyebrows were faded a bit by the "father" asari who had no eyebrows. Argh, my whole comment went nowhere. Freakium 22:48, June 30, 2010 (UTC)
 * No worries! That happens to all of us on occasion. You look at a post and ask 'just where was I going with that?' or alternately, 'what the hell was I thinking when I wrote that?' :) SpartHawg948 23:12, June 30, 2010 (UTC)

Councilor Tevos
Ok how about discussing it here so we avoid the edit war. Because we do know the asari Councilor's name, or at least the name of the one in 2183, I do think that deserves a mention in the Notable Asari section, with a note of course. (asari councilor in 2183) perhaps? Since the asari councilor can be killed in ME, forgot about that since I have very few save files where I killed the council, and haven't played any recently. Lancer1289 18:16, July 20, 2010 (UTC)
 * We know the name of the asari councilor in 2183? Since when? What is the source? I see a CDN report from 2185 being cited, which mentions an asari councilor named Tevos. It never says whether this is the same asari councilor as the one in 2183. Not once. The report is from two years after it's possible for the asari councilor from Mass Effect to be killed and replaced by another asari councilor (possibly by Councilor Tevos). And remember, the default background for a new ME2 character (the closest thing we have to a 'canon ending' of ME) has the Council dying and being replaced by others of their species who are essentially 'yes men' to Udina and the Alliance. So, long and short, if there is a source identifying Tevos as the asari councilor from the first game, let's see it. The CDN report says nothing of the sort. SpartHawg948 22:12, July 20, 2010 (UTC)
 * I'd argue that the CDN report was designed to fit with multiple interpretations depending on how someone played Mass Effect. The e-book itself is clearly about the Citadel Council at the time of the Eden Prime attack, i.e. the Citadel Council we know from ME. The author of the book was/is bodyguard to an asari Councilor named Tevos; now, it seems logical that since the author writes about the Council of ME, and he was a bodyguard of a councilor, that Tevos was the asari councilor of ME. An important thing to note is that the CDN report does not explicitly confirm that Tevos is alive or dead at the time of the e-book's release. This leaves the report open-ended. People who saved the Council can read that report and think Tevos is alive, people who let the Council die can think she was killed on the Destiny Ascension. I don't think BioWare forgot about their "no established canon" policy for the games. Every CDN report that mentions the Council fits seamlessly with either of Mass Effect's endings. -- Commdor (Talk) 22:35, July 20, 2010 (UTC)
 * I"m not so sure that it was about the Council at the time of the attack. After all, the article states that he claims in his book that the Council had knowledge of the geth being outside the Veil long before their attack on Eden Prime. This could easily be interpreted as demonstrating that the e-book is about the period before ME, not concurrent to it. If this is the case, the Councilor in question could easily be the predecessor to the ME Councilor. Again, there is nothing definitively connecting the name Tevos to the Councilor from ME. Any attempt to do so would be based on an interpretation of ambiguous data that is clearly not shared by all, which is why it is speculation. SpartHawg948 22:45, July 20, 2010 (UTC)
 * (edit conflict) Not to mention that the full-renegade ending in Mass Effect has the council replaced entirely by humans. News reports in ME2 mention "former council races" with this ending. The only way to reconcile this with the CDN story is to conclude that the news item is talking about the council member that existed at or before the time of eden prime, and not the current (2185) council. This obviously does not exclude the book being about a pre-ME council... but I think it's unlikely. Why would BioWare suddenly want to talk about pre-ME things in CDN stories that are set two years after the original game? -- Dammej ( talk ) 22:53, July 20, 2010 (UTC)
 * (edit conflict/connection failure) That would depend on if Citadel Council members are elected for limited terms, though, and a different Council was in charge in the "long before" period prior to ME. It's an equally valid possibility that the Council members are elected for life and the three members in ME were the ones who dropped the ball with the geth. But you're right, it does look like we have too little info to make a definitive conclusion for the time being. I hate vague stuff like this, it's so much easier to take things at face value. -- Commdor (Talk) 23:00, July 20, 2010 (UTC)
 * This is all just speculation, but I think we can safely say that Council members are not lifers. I mean, the Council was started by the asari, and life-terms don't seem like an asari thing, given their 'electronic democracy' in which any and all issues are perpetually up for a vote. The more I think about it, the more it makes sense that this would be a book written describing events pre-ME, possibly quite a while before. In that case, it'd be the ME equivalent of all those books written by former Clinton-administration insiders alleging that his irresponsibility in dealing with international terrorism directly led to 9/11. There would seem to be some serious parallels between those books and the description of this e-book. Just throwing that out there. But again, no solid evidence that Tevos is the asari councilor from ME. And no hard proof = speculation. SpartHawg948 23:18, July 20, 2010 (UTC)
 * Seems like a stretch to me, but your guess is as good as mine. I'm not very attached to adding "Tevos= asari councilor from ME" to the article, but as long as we're not shooting it down by saying "Tevos = asari councilor from 2185", I'll be satisfied. I still maintain that this story is about Tevos, the asari councilor in Mass Effect, but as you said, it's a conclusion that's drawn from insufficient evidence, so it shouldn't go in the article. -- Dammej ( talk ) 23:29, July 20, 2010 (UTC)
 * No, I was never using "Tevos = asari councilor from 2185" to 'shoot down' the idea that Tevos = asari councilor from 2183. This entire time, my point has been that there is no solid evidence that Tevos = asari councilor from 2183. SpartHawg948 23:32, July 20, 2010 (UTC)
 * To be fair, your initial objection said: "The report is from two years after it's possible for the asari councilor from Mass Effect to be killed and replaced by another asari councilor (possibly by Councilor Tevos)." You have since modified your counter-argument to talk about potential pre-ME councilors, but that's what I initially responded to (you edit conflicted me before I could post it.) I just wanted to nip that particular argument in the bud. I'm glad that we're in agreement that Tevos is certainly not the councilor in 2185. -- Dammej ( talk ) 23:42, July 20, 2010 (UTC)
 * (edit conflict x2) Wow I propose one thing, then step out for a hour and look what happens. Ok maybe not link anything but how about just putting Councilor Tevos under the Notiable Asari section. No link, just a mention of the name with soem embedded text that says we don't know when she was the councilor. Thoughts on that. Lancer1289 23:35, July 20, 2010 (UTC)
 * (edit conflict) I feel the same way about that as I do putting Sarah Williams in as a notable human. She's not. She was mentioned, but that's it. All we know is that at some point, Tevos was a councilor. That doesn't mean that she was notable. SpartHawg948 23:37, July 20, 2010 (UTC)
 * Ok then, I'll just drop the issue. Just throught it deserved mention, but I can see the connection with Sarah Williams. So at least this was solved without yelling or an edit war. Lancer1289 23:40, July 20, 2010 (UTC)
 * Yeah, I mean, sure she's a prominent individual in-universe, but she isn't notable. She was mentioned exactly ONCE, in a CDN story. After all, President Huerta was mentioned twice in-game and several times in CDN. But he (thus far) seems not worthy of adding to 'notable humans'. Ditto for Speaker Lisa Ford, also mentioned several more times than Tevos. And those two are people we actually have info about other than their names and positions. SpartHawg948 23:43, July 20, 2010 (UTC)

Why I gave a reference for the teal asari
In the history it says "Don't really see the example as being warranted. After all, examples of blue and purple asari are not provided" so I just thought I'd address it here. I gave an example because it's the only two times I've seen an asari that isn't the purple/blue type apart from Shiala after being controlled by the Thorian. Of course one wouldn't give an example of a purple/blue asari since that's accounted for by every single asari you see apart from Shiala and the two asari in the Kasumi DLC. Also, in reference to another point made in the page history, I linked to a Wikipedia page for "teal" simply because it's not a colour I imagine most people knowing by name, or they'd know just the name but not the colour - unlike purple and blue. In both cases I'm perfectly happy with the edits if that's what other people think is best. I just wanted to point out why I did it in the first place Teclo 22:58, August 5, 2010 (UTC)
 * Fair enough. It just didn't seem necessary to point out the two examples, nor did it seem in keeping with the rest of the paragraph to provide examples for one but not the other. After all, in the sentences immediately preceding the one in question, facial markings are discussed, with examples being provided for both (i.e. asari with, and asari without the aforementioned markings). I was shooting for consistency not just within this particular article, but with a mind towards the site as a whole. SpartHawg948 23:17, August 5, 2010 (UTC)

Asari are all female
The proofs that asaris are all female, are these:
 * They can give birth to a child.


 * They have maternal instincts.


 * They can't make other's pregnant.


 * No, They can't! Even when two asari mates, the one who become pregnant just randomizing her own genes, the partner's genes are not taking part in the progress, except when the nervous System of the other asari "reads" it. The DNA doesn't make contact with the cell what will be the baby. Like if you would clone yourself, but change some genes to make your clone redhead with green eyes...

that would be all.
 * But at the same time, they are mono-gendered, i.e. not male or female, as male and female are terms applying to a multi-gendered society. They are what we would consider female, but that doesn't mean that they are, just that we are imposing our own definition where it does not apply. SpartHawg948 18:52, September 7, 2010 (UTC)

I always liked your replies. And you are right again! I heard about a kind of reptile what "clone" it self, but it's not like the asari. And their gender has some special things. They have the role of females with some unique feature. Nice!

Spart you said it yourself in other locations on this talk page that unless it is stated by Bioware or in the Codex it isn't fact. In the Codex: Primary: Council Races: In paragraph two it clearly states that the asari are an "all-female race". Yes, they are technically mono-gender but if they thought of themselves this way why call each other she and her and not it? Epzo 07:12, February 24, 2011 (UTC)
 * And in several other places it says that asari are a mono-gendered species, neither male nor female. Example: pg 104 of Mass Effect: Revelation states "The asari were an asexual species - the concept of gender didn't really apply." It then goes on to make clear that humans generally considered them to be an all-female race. And we know that most or all of the Codex is written from an Alliance (i.e. human) perspective. So yes, unless stated by BioWare or in the Codex, it isn't fact. And BioWare has stated that the asari are a mono-gendered race, and the concept of male and female doesn't really apply. As for why they might use female references, and noting that the very nature of the question requires me to speculate as to an answer, my theory would be that they simply adopted the practice after centuries and millenia of dealing with species which do have males and females. Remember, the asari are very keen on enhancing their own people and culture via external sources (i.e. non-asari). SpartHawg948 07:39, February 24, 2011 (UTC)

Pureblood trivia
"So far, all asari squad members have been purebloods."

Can someone please direct me to a source which confirms Samara as a pureblood? Not that I know otherwise, but I don't recall ever seeing this in-game. Ev0lve 23:10, October 4, 2010 (UTC)
 * I believe she mentions it in-game while explaining about Morinth and about Ardat-Yakshi in general. It's noted in the Samara article, "As Samara explains later, she herself is a pureblood". SpartHawg948 23:15, October 4, 2010 (UTC)

Excellent, thanks. Ev0lve 23:18, October 4, 2010 (UTC)

Asari Religion
I'm wondering, is it worth mentioning in 'Trivia' that the Asari religion appears to have been inspired by Babylon 5? The line: "...the universe is a consciousness, every life within it is an aspect of the greater whole, and death is a merging of one's spiritual energy back into greater universal consciousness." is practically a verbatim summery of the Minbari, Narn and human Foundationist beliefs as devised by JMS. Blind Wolf 19:39, October 15, 2010 (UTC)
 * There would definitely need to be some substantiation of this before it could be considered for trivia. Some sort of reputable source making clear that the B5 religions in question are actually similar to the mainstream asari (remember, it's asari, not Asari) religion. SpartHawg948 19:48, October 15, 2010 (UTC)
 * Well the canon B5 book called "To Dream in the City of Sorrows" goes into minbari beliefs in some detail and it's mentioned in several episodes, perhaps most notably Passing Through Gethsemane. Then there's this quote from A 'Distant Star':-
 * "Then I will tell you a great secret, Captain. Perhaps the greatest of all time. The molecules of your body are the same molecules that make up this station, and the nebula outside, that burn inside the stars themselves. We are starstuff. We are the universe made manifest, trying to figure itself out. And as we have both learned, sometimes the universe requires a change of perspective."
 * And there's this one from 'Grey 17 is Missing'
 * "...we are the universe, the universe made manifest. It broke itself into pieces to examine every aspect of its being. We try to understand it because in so doing, well, we understand ourselves."
 * That's off the top of my head and 30 seconds using google. Anyone who's watched the show could probably give a dozen more examples. Blind Wolf 20:34, October 15, 2010 (UTC)
 * You sure about that? After all, I'm a huge fan of the show and the tv movies, and couldn't give a dozen more examples. Just saying... statements like that tend not to pan out.
 * As for the "A Distant Star" quote, that one seems too generalized. Saying we are all starstuff does not really equate to the concept of a greater universal consciousness. The Grey 17 one, on the other hand, (and forgive me if I'm mistaken, but that's a quote from G'Kar, isn't it?) fits the bill a little better. SpartHawg948 20:37, October 15, 2010 (UTC)
 * OK, slight exaggeration maybe, but I think the parallels are pretty clear. The 'Grey 17' quote is actually from Robert Englund's character and he's specifically talking about minbari beliefs. G'Kar does voice a similar perspective at certain points...off the top of my head I think he mentions something to the effect of "our thoughts form the universe, they always matter." I think that's early season 4, talking to Zack IIRC. As I said though, there's a fairly in-depth discussion in the canon novel tDitCoS, but here's a brief snippet of a conversation between Sinclair, Rathenn and the minbari leader from Page 83:-
 * "The only true individual consciousness, you believe, is that of the Universe, which somehow became sentient out of nonsentient matter"
 * I also have this quote from the Official Guide CDROM: -
 * "Religion: The Minbari do not worship any gods, rather they believe that the universe itself is sentient. To them, the soul is a spark, a piece of the universe. The universe has created life in an attempt to understand itself. "
 * Like I said, there's still probably several more instances that thematically tie into this idea (I think G'Kar gives a whole lecture about it in season 5) and a whole bunch of others, but those appear to be the major ones that relate specifically to the universal consciousness. Plus there's that whole bit about minbari souls and I think Lorien probably mentioned something similar at some point. A bit of googling should probably throw up some more examples and a search of JMS news might also prove fruitful if you really feel the need. ;-) Blind Wolf 21:28, October 15, 2010 (UTC)
 * I do feel the need to have some substantiation. Something that can be independently verified, as opposed to relying, for example, on a CD-ROM that not everyone has. And no offense, but I'm not trying to demonstrate anything here, so the burden of proof (i.e. finding said independelty verifiable sources) would fall with the person trying to get the trivia added. And as much as I like JMS, I'm not going digging through the JMS news. SpartHawg948 21:39, October 15, 2010 (UTC)
 * OK, how about this? It's a link to and old archived site for the CDROM and a combat sim that was ultimately cancelled. As you can see, Sierra posted a lot of information about the individual races as background and most of it was directly lifted from the CDROM itself. Short of personally getting yourself a copy, I'm not sure how else one could verify it's origin. Even if you don't believe that, the quote from 'Grey 17' and 'City of Sorrows' should be proof enough. Blind Wolf 21:51, October 15, 2010 (UTC)
 * Which is why a link to somewhere confirming the legitimacy of those quotes would be ideal. As for the Sierra link, my concern there is that, as you say, it's from a project that was canceled. This would seem to cast doubt on its being canon material. After all, canceled or cut content in Mass Effect is not canon. I'm not sure how it works for B5 though. SpartHawg948 21:54, October 15, 2010 (UTC)
 * The space combat sim was cancelled, the Official Guide CDROM was not. I just used that link because it's material lifted (literally copy/pasted) straight from the Official Guide (also published by Sierra), so no that isn't cut content and yes it is canon. Plus, I've already provided several quotes from the show AND from a canon novel. If you want to confirm them then I'm not sure what you expect me to do aside from sitting you down and showing you the episodes in person. Googling the book's quote brings up a cached ebook copy which I'm pretty sure is in breach of copyright, so I shan't be posting a link to that. Blind Wolf 22:22, October 15, 2010 (UTC)
 * I'm not asking for hand-holding. I'm asking for documented, substantiated, and verifiable proof of the point you are trying to make. The link you provided is to a site that appears to mix canon and noncanon or cut material with little or no distinction. The CD-ROM is unverifiable to anyone without it, ditto for the guidebook. You have provided several quotes, as well as sources, but have provided no verification whatsoever. A YouTube link or other video clip would work. So to would something from an official B5 site, or JMS's site. A portion of a cached e-book would also be great, and I'm fairly certain that fair use would apply, so it shouldn't be a breach of copyright at all. All I am asking for is some proof other than your word. Any proof that anyone who wants to follow up on it can confirm for themselves. It's not an unreasonable request. SpartHawg948 22:34, October 15, 2010 (UTC)
 * OK, you can find the cached book here, though you'll have to Ctrl+F to find the exact passage. As for youtube, I'm pretty sure having a whole episode on there wouldn't be covered by "fair use", so that's out. I think there are however sites out there that have DVD subtitles available for download that could serve as a transcript of sorts, but again, I'm not sure how legal that'd be. Blind Wolf 22:49, October 15, 2010 (UTC)
 * Sigh... to see if I couldn't resolve this, I did some looking. It took me literally 15 seconds to come up with suitable sourcing for one of the claims. Right here. This would have been acceptable. Again, it took not even half a minute, once I had decided to devote any sort of effort to this. However, this site does not back up the claim that the Narn religion resembles the asari religion, and the more I think about it, the more I agree. The Narn religion is based around prophets such as G'Quan and G'Kar, interpreting the will of higher powers. Nor does Foundationism seem to mesh with the siari faith, and the memories the page jogged (particularly of Dr Franklin's 'walkabout' - Franklin being the most notable Foundationist in B5) seem to support this. So I'd say that sure, it's worth noting that Minbari religion is similar to siari pantheism, but not the other two. SpartHawg948 22:55, October 15, 2010 (UTC)
 * There's a good reason why I didn't cite the B5 wiki, because I researched and wrote substantial portions of those articles myself. I assumed you'd have dismissed it out of hand. Wikipedia proper also states pretty much the same thing in it's Minbari article, but there's no specific source cited, so again I didn't think you'd accept it. As for the foundationisum and Narn links, yes I probably didn't phrase it right. That specific belief is only directly related to the Minbari, but there are common themes that link it to Franklin's, G'Kar's and even Sheridan's own personal philosophies. Not surprising given it all came from the same author and JMS has said as much, but you're correct in that there's nothing solid linking it to the bit Bioware gave to the asari. I just have trouble seeing those beliefs as distinct since it always just sounds like JMS talking. ;-) Blind Wolf 23:33, October 15, 2010 (UTC)
 * No, when we simply need a source for something in a fictional universe such as B5 or Star Wars or Star Trek, a wiki is generally fine, which is why there are several trivia items throughout the site using Wookieepedia and Memory Alpha as sources. And I can't even begin to speculate how many trivia items use wikipedia as a source, particularly for information relating to the various and sundry mythological figures whose names are referenced in Mass Effect. As for foundationism and the Narn religion, yeah, shared general themes isn't enough for trivia. After all, there are as many shared themes between siari and those two as there are between siari and a host of other sci-fi religions. There are specific and detailed similarities to the Minbari religion though, so that is indeed acceptable trivia. SpartHawg948 23:29, October 15, 2010 (UTC)

Asari Vocals
Speculation: The asari vocal chords are located near the back of their necks. I noticed right after the romance scene with liara, which is the only part you get a good look at the back of their necks close up, that when she talks part of her neck right under the scalp moves inwards and outwards. Does someone have some more enlightenment on the subject, is it worth mentioning under the trivia? --George Sfendourakis 19:52, November 11, 2010 (UTC)
 * And why should we mention it as you quite clearly stated, it is speculation. You nor anyone else has any idea what that is, and now that I think of it, I can't seem to remember that myself. You have absolutely no proof that it is their vocal chords, or anything else for that matter, and we do have that speculation policy, and this quite clearly falls under the realm of speculation. No proof, no mention. Lancer1289 20:02, November 11, 2010 (UTC)

Asari and Delvians.
Ever since I first played Mass Effect, I've always had a feeling that the Asari are actually based off of another species called Delvians from another fictional space opera/sci-fi series by the name of Farscape.

Here is why I believe this is so:

1: Delvians have mostly blue skin.

2: Delvians live long lives, as Zhaan in Farscape is 812 years old.

3: Delvians have sex by "sharing unity" (similar to "Embracing Eternity") which is a melding of the minds. The description given by Liara in ME1 is actually quite similar to the one Zhaan gives in Farscape's first season.

4: Unity can potentially be fatal in a fashion similar to that of the Ardat-Yakshi, as Zhaan was convicted of killing her lover by forging a bond of unity and then forcing her mind upon his.

link: http://farscape.wikia.com/wiki/Delvian

Obviously this is only speculation but I see a lot of similarities between the two species.

Foetus 03:55, February 28, 2011 (UTC)
 * I really can’t see it because it is extremely subjective.
 * 1. Asari have blue skin, but it can range from blue, to teal, to light blue, to purple as we see all three, and a few others I think. From what it says there, and IIRC, they only have one skin color.
 * 2. We have no confirmation on the lifespan of the species. Asari are known to live well over a millennium. The description is vague and IIRC is never fully revealed.
 * 3. That is a stretch in itself. The Delvians meld minds, while the asari bond nervous systems. The Delvians themselves are plants, while the asari are not. The asari reproduce using a form of Parthenogenesis because they are an all female race while the Delvians are not and have two genders IIRC. Liara also says that the bond is much deeper, which is supported by Samara in ME2 with how she describes how Morinth kills her victims. There are a number of differences.
 * 4. This is just a stretch. Morinth's condition is genetic while Zhaan chose to force his mind upon her lover. There is already a huge difference. Zhaan does not get a feeling of ecstasy for killing her mates, while Morinth does and continues to do it to feed her addiction.
 * Overall there are many differences and the comparison is extremely subjective and based on a few vague things and stretches. Lancer1289 04:19, February 28, 2011 (UTC)

I have never said otherwise. I simply wished to state this in the talk page as something I had noticed. I did not say that Asari are copied from Delvians, but that Delvians may have served as inspiration for the Asari. There are wide differences between the two, but also interesting similarities. It would seem that you are determined to point out all the differences, as minuscule as they may be. I am not insulting the work of Mass Effect by making this relationship - on the contrary, I have great respect for Rockne S. O'Bannon's work in Farscape, as I have tremendous admiration for Bioware's work on Mass Effect. Foetus 04:31, February 28, 2011 (UTC)
 * Except some of those similarities you pointed out are fundamentally different and the only two things that seem to connect them are age and skin color. Skin color could also be stated that it is from the Bolians of Star Trek and long lived species are not uncommon, but I will grant that those living for millennia are rarer. I am not determined to point out minute differences, but when those differences operate differently have different context, then yes it should be pointed out. And remember it's asari, not Asari. Lancer1289 04:53, February 28, 2011 (UTC)

Attitude towards nudity
Just to clarify, I'm a girl. This question was prompted from sociological studies, not perversion.

How do the Asari feel about nudity?

I mean... they all have the same "parts", so there's no segregated bathrooms. Modesty of the body is a cultural phenomenon, not inherent to any people, so I have to wonder how Asari culture developed in regards to nudity.

It's obvious the Asari prefer to wear clothes, as seen from every Asari in the series, but one has to wonder if they'd care if anyone saw them in a state of undress...

While I'm delving into potentially naughty topics... I wonder if the male anatomy of other species looks downright otherwordly to them? I'd use "alien" instead of "otherworldly", but I'd rather not for obvious reasons.

--Cyberweasel89 22:22, March 31, 2011 (UTC)


 * Questions prompted from sociological studies, or anything not directly pertaining to the article itself (and this does not directly pertain to the article) belongs in a blog or a forum, not the article talk page. SpartHawg948 22:26, March 31, 2011 (UTC)
 * (edit conflict) First most of this doesn't even have an answer as we just don't know. There are also a lot of assumptions being made. Second, it's asari, not Asari. Third, this really belongs in the forums or a blog post, not here. Lancer1289 22:30, March 31, 2011 (UTC)

Minor detail in Biology
So, I'm not sure if this is something that should even need to be discussed on the talk page, but I'm not sure where it should go. It's a minor edit:


 * However, the offspring is always 100% asari, as it does not actually take DNA from the partner, simply use it as a "map" to randomize the genes of the offspring.

I changed it to:
 * However, the offspring is always 100% asari as no DNA is taken from the partner, it is simply used as a "map" to randomize the genes of the offspring.

Now, maybe my grasp on English isn't quite what I would like it to be, but the first version seems grammatically incorrect. First off, the word "it" appears a lot, and it's not clear what's being referred to (The DNA, the asari parent, the offspring?). I think my edit clears that up a bit. Secondly, the "simply use it" just doesn't make sense.

My change was undone, citing unnecessary wording as the reason. My change is actually less words, and, unless I don't know my English too well, more coherent.

BTW, sorry I wasn't logged in when I made the edit. Pena47 04:19, April 15, 2011 (UTC)