I just finished my first (and likely only) playthrough of Andromeda, and while it was an interesting time I understand all of the criticisms it received. The one thing that I took away from my playthrough was the way they connected the story to the original trilogy by using the “Benefactor” as an anonymous figure who helped fund the Andromeda initiative to get humanity and the council races out of the Milky Way to “save” them from the Reaper invasion. The only person in the Milky Way who I’d think could be the Benefactor that would make sense lore wise is the Shadow Broker or the Illusive Man. Especially if the implications of Cora’s last name (Harper) of her being TiM’s daughter are true, it gives him even more motivation. Who do you all think is/would turn out to be the Benefactor in a now canceled Andromeda sequel?
Illusive Man
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So, it's been six years since MEA came out and I don't know if we will ever get a canon answer to their identity. We have (deliberately) vague descriptions of them and it's possible even BioWare doesn't know who they are because they put off the lore decisions until future games.
All that said, I think I have an idea (well, two) of who they are.
We know that the Benefactor has practically unlimited wealth to spend on moonshot projects. We know from the Citadel DLC that the Shepard clone was made by teams funded by an extremely wealthy individual from "leftover bits and pieces" of Shepard in 2185, which is the same year that the Andromeda Initiative launched. And we know that this Benefactor is really worried about the Reaper threat.
What if the Shepard clone wasn't the only clone?
What if TIM had himself cloned, his ego saying that he's the best to lead the future of humanity, and sent the clone to Andromeda? It would certainly explain the psychotic behavior, like killing potential rivals (Garson) and fits the facts above.
Or, we could spin that in the other direction, that TIM had himself cloned and left the clone behind. Maybe that's why it succumbed to indoctrination, it wasn't quite the real TIM and didn't have the original's force of will just as the Shepard clone didn't have Shepard's leadership skills.
(Note, just discovered a related theory here: https://masseffect.fandom.com/f/p/4400000000000337405 ). Similar ideas, but not quite the same.
So that's my fan theory, that the Benefactor is either TIM or a clone of TIM.
Liara T'Soni.
Yup, that Liara, no joke, BUT calm your tits first.
Observe the video I got it from.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKs66auLTf8
Since not everyone can bear through essays, let alone the video kind, I'll list key takeaways:
Liara's rise to power as the Shadow Broker, a far cry from her semi-damsel status in her intro
Vid uses the "sleight of hand" theory, implying that the trilogy left hints
The oddity of her being the only other nonhuman onboard rather than Tali (Pilgrimage notwithstanding, hunting Geth would be a fine priority) when the Normandy got shanked
The events of the Redemption ME2 prequel comic are brought up
Becoming more like her mother in some ways as well as increasing ruthlessness and lethality
A comparison to the Illusive Man
Darth Vader and Revolver Ocelot, then Loghain (DA: Origins), the Sith Lord roster from Kotor 2 brought for comparison
If I may add my extra cents:
She could be allying with the Geth and a reborn Cerberus. Not necessarily the same name, but its spiritual essence. The Director from Mass Effect Infiltrator never got truly dealt with
Geth survivors could either be rebuilt or were far enough away from the Crucible's blast
That line about a pissed-off Council, the warning not to underestimate human defiance, plus the MR7 relay colors being shared with Cerberus AND her dad being grumpy about getting ridiculed for bringing up the Mass Relay Tycoon idea...
I imagine that post-RW, Liara would become her own SB, a Paragon version of the Illusive Man/Cerberus (now with more aliens and 100% less Reaper mindfucking) that wants to bring the Asari back to their pre-war state/former glory
Shady, but wanted to do the right thing no matter what
Was shook and put through the wringer by the carnage of the war, especially Earth, Palaven, and Thessia (emphasis on the last one, what with the Prothean uplifting and beacon revelations possibly driving her to believing the Asari should rise on their own this time), much like TIM was w/ the First Contact War and general human weakness
Consistently pulled in resources and people after another for the Crucible, as well as endorsing alliances. Not much villain material at first…until you realize she could have some of them go rogue or independent for her cause. The convo with her and Javik post-Priority: Thessia showed her mortification w/ the revelations and the Council’s belated support after all
All of this sounds like it'll be a reversal of the trilogy, lel, complete with goodie and baddie Geth and Cerberus 2.0 in an alignment kitchen sink.
So what you think? Is an antiheroic angle more plausible otherwise?
And how do you think all this will link to Andromeda? Maybe some media subtext about it like,
"Andromeda was a misunderstood ambition that has achieved some success in spite of its failings, it deserves to be continued despite what the Council may say."
in there, xd.
https://twitter.com/blmnkmpf/status/1412916416295047172
Their both being leashed kids of businesspeople working for xenophobic human leaders is a bonus glyph.
Supplemental:
Odalia Blight and Henry Lawson's similarities: https://www.reddit.com/r/TheOwlHouse/comments/13hbrdn/i_care_about_you_willoamity_damn_it_amity_amity
Luz/Shepard: https://www.reddit.com/r/TheOwlHouse/comments/12v6p3a/whats_the_difference_between_the_good_witch_luz
Belos/Illusive Man: https://www.reddit.com/r/TheOwlHouse/comments/12w6b9q/salvation_comes_with_a_cost_judge_us_not_by_our
As a P.S., the Collector and Sara Ryder share VAs! (Fryda Wolff)
What if deep down he had Shepard resurrected as a last ditch effort of his subconscious to defy the Reaper's indoctrination?
“Salvation comes with a cost. Judge us not by our methods, but by what we seek to accomplish.” Definitely something Belos would say.
More symbolic is that the Emperor's Coven emblem's a sword, like Cerberus’ original goal being humanity’s sword before being a dagger in its back.
New format catches more eyes, I hope.
136 Votes in Poll
Following the epic introduction of one of video game's best sequels, Commander Shepard awakens from a two-year slumber to discover his duties as an Alliance Spectre are the least of his concerns. Resurrected and rebuilt by Cerberus, a human-centred paramilitary group focused entirely on the survival, and eventual betterment, of humanity, Commander Shepard spends the majority of the game at the mercy of an organisation he once believed to be unjust.
Cerberus work outside the parameters of Alliance jurisdiction, and strongly believe that the advancement of humanity is entirely justified, no matter the cost to get there - even if that price is the downfall of other races. In truth, Cerberus constantly seem to skate a thin line between valiantly looking out for their own kind and straight-up galactic xenophobia. The Illusive Man will manipulate others (including Shepard by luring the Collectors to Horizon) to get what he wants, yet throughout Mass Effect 2's campaign it's hard to think his motivations aren't well-founded. That said, his questionable methods are surely a worry, and the lack of Turians on his Christmas card list is almost certainly concerning.
171 Votes in Poll
So, while I wasn’t overly fond of Andromeda’s narrative, the races it excluded and its increased focus on gunplay, I have to admit some parts of the story drew me in. The Kett’s fascination with the Krogan, and the drama around the initiative mostly. And of course at the heart of that is “the Benefactor,” this mysterious force who’s responsible for saving the initiative, and for killing Garson.
But am I the only one who felt their identity was painfully obvious? I mean unless they go the lame route and just say it’s someone we’ve never heard of before, it’s someone who:
Immediately believes the reapers exist
Was prepping for doomsday before the first battle of the citadel (say, with rachni, thorian creepers and weaponized thresher maws)
Has seemingly unlimited funds
Holds a vested interest in AI research
Recruits from the alliance’s disgraced and dishonorably discharged
Always has a hidden agenda, whatever he does
Sounds like the Illusive Man to me.
143 Votes in Poll
In the german version of the Mass Effect trilogy the Illusive Man is called „Der Unbekannte“ which is translatable as „The Unknown“.
In my opinion this is way better and elegant.