Matriarch Aethyta

Matriarch Aethyta is the asari bartender in the Eternity lounge on Illium. Aethyta is willing to discuss her life with Commander Shepard and how she ended up as a bartender despite being an asari matriarch.

Mass Effect 2
Aethyta explains that her father was a krogan who fought in the Rachni Wars and Krogan Rebellions, while her mother was an asari commando who also fought in the Rebellions. Her mother kept her commando leathers for "special nights" with her father, and her father always showed off his war scars and talked about how he stomped a Rachni Queen to death on some poisonous world. When Aethyta's father learned that he and Aethyta's mother were once mortal enemies during the Krogan Rebellions, they decided to fight, a battle neither of them survived. During this time Aethyta was about a hundred years old and an exotic dancer. For the rest of her lifespan, she had many mates, including a turian, elcor, and a hanar. She also fathered a pureblood daughter, but her relationship with the mother didn't work out, and Aethyta lost track of her daughter.

Aethyta has very different views on matters than other matriarchs and a very free-spirited, laissez-faire attitude to life. She seems to support the asari becoming more militant and active on the galactic stage, and believes that young asari should help improve society in their maiden years instead of becoming strippers or mercenaries. Her proposal that the asari should try to construct new mass relays was met with ridicule, causing the other asari to "laugh the blue off her ass". Realizing that no one wanted to listen to her arguments, Aethyta left Thessia for a less conventional matriarch's life on Illium.

She is part of the assignment Illium: Conrad Verner, where an "undercover cop" is trying to buy the bar she works in. An amateur vigilante, Conrad Verner, was attempting to buy the deed to uncover a red sand seller. Aethyta told him that her bar didn't sell red sand--and besides, it is legal on Illium as long as the seller has a permit. She was ready to hit Conrad with a singularity before Commander Shepard got rid of him.

Mass Effect 3
After Commander Shepard gains access to Presidium Commons on the Citadel and spoke to Liara at least once in Presidium Commons, she will be present at Apollo's Cafe.

If Shepard assisted Liara in a mission against the Shadow Broker, Shepard mentions a video of Aethyta looking at the picture of Liara. If not, Shepard will speculate that the reason Aethyta is on the Citadel is to do with Liara.

While talking to Aethyta, she confirms that she is in fact Liara's "father" and is watching Liara on behalf of other asari matriarchs, who are suspicious because of Liara's occupation as a powerful information broker, her relationship with Matriarch Benezia, and her friend Shepard's prior affiliation with Cerberus. If currently in a romance with Liara, Aethyta will refer to Shepard as a "boyfriend/girlfriend who used to work for Cerberus" in this section of dialogue, instead of a "human commander".

Shepard can explain that they only worked for Cerberus to stop the Collectors, and is no longer with them. Aethyta will then imply a threat towards Shepard, telling them that they wouldn't be anywhere near her daughter if they were still with Cerberus, telling them that "nobody messes with [her] girl".

Afterward, Aethyta will point out that if she hadn't agreed to spy on Liara, the other matriarchs might have arranged to have her assassinated. After this, Shepard will tell her that that isn't going to happen, to which Aethyta agrees. If romancing Liara, the dialogue will differ slightly, with Shepard directly quoting Aethyta in saying that "nobody messes with [his/her] girl", to which she will tell Shepard that maybe s/he is good enough for Liara after all.

Shepard will then tell her that Liara might like to meet her, and Aethyta will reply that they'll see how that goes.

After talking to Aethyta, Liara admits that she already knew about Aethyta and can be asked into approaching her. In their conversations, Aethyta and Liara discusses a number of subjects:


 * The reason the asari matriarchs are spying on Liara, and bugging her office on Illium.
 * The asari's military doctrine during the war against the Reapers, and the apparent uselessness of said doctrine.
 * Liara's krogan grandfather and having children with hanar. Aethyta will also explain her grandfather's genes will be the reason Liara might have urges to headbutt people. Liara will deny that she ever had that urge, and then Aethyta will tease her about "going blood-rage on [her]".
 * Aethyta's hundred-year relationship with Matriarch Benezia, and speculation of why it ended, one theory being their similar dissatisfaction with the asari being "stuck in the past", but Benezia preferring to make alliances rather than focus on asari independence like Aethyta did. Further dialogue on this subject will imply that she and Benezia were also married.
 * Benezia's alliance with Saren, and how it is better for Aethyta to remember her as she was before she served him. Liara will explain the reason why Benezia allied with Saren, and that it was not her fault she changed. Learning that her beliefs about Benezia were wrong upsets Aethyta, indicating that she might still love Benezia.
 * Liara's and Shepard's sex life if they are in a romance. This dialogue will differ if the romance is recent or brought over from the first Mass Effect.
 * If Shepard and Liara are not romantically involved, will make comments suggesting sexual tension between the pair.
 * The story behind Liara's 'Little Wing' nickname.
 * An offer of support involving Asari Commandos and Eclipse mercenaries, as Liara is too old for a pony. Liara will then call Aethyta the best father a girl could wish for.

If Shepard gets Liara to talk to Aethyta, the matriarch sends a group of asari mercenaries to volunteer their services against the Reapers' invasion.

If Shepard recovers the Library of Asha and gives it to the asari military trainer in Purgatory, Aethyta gives her backing to the trainer about using the texts to increase the fighting ability of the asari.

Trivia

 * If Shepard talks to Aethyta after becoming drunk from imbibing the mystery drink, she will appear younger and have pink facial markings and lipstick.
 * Aethyta was an alternate name of the goddess Athena, used in the Greek city of Megara.
 * The Shadow Broker Base Video Archives includes multiple videos of Matriarch Aethyta.
 * In Mass Effect 3, Aethyta's facial features are notably different from her appearance in Mass Effect 2. She appears younger, with darker eyes and purple skin as opposed to light blue, and her other features bear little resemblance to her previous appearance. To date, there has been no stated reason why Aethyta's appearance was changed between games.

Matriarchin_Aethyta