- For other articles involving the term "Justicar", see Justicar (disambiguation).
A justicar is an asari who has forsworn having children and family and given up all worldly possessions aside from weapons and armor. After swearing themselves to the Code of the Justicars, they wander asari space righting wrongs, as defined by their unwavering code of justice. Samara compares the code and duties of the justicar to that of the knights-errant in Medieval Christendom, or the Japanese samurai. There are very few asari justicars due to the high mortality rates in training, and the fact that the life of a justicar is seldom easy.
Overview[]
The Justicar Code is the central force in every justicar's life. The Code is composed of more than five thousand sutras that describe every possible situation a justicar may encounter. Every justicar is required to know the entire Code by heart. Samara comments that justice to her means following the Code, nothing more, nothing less. However, she acknowledges that this isn't as simple as it sounds, and she does not deny that many might criticize such an uncompromising doctrine. Samara herself admits that, due to the harsh nature of the Code, curiosity is a liability for a justicar: if she is required to kill a murderer, she does not wish to know anything that could potentially redeem them in her eyes.
In compliance with the Justicar Code, there are no morally grey actions: every deed done falls clearly into right or wrong categories. The Code commonly prescribes lethal force to deal with wrongdoers; for example, Officer Dara, an asari official working in Nos Astra on Illium, claims that someone trying to bribe a justicar would be gunned down where they stood. Detective Anaya, who runs a police precinct in the city, claims that a justicar would be equally willing to give her life to defend an honest police officer or to fight an army of dishonest ones.
Justicars swear oaths called the Oaths of Subsumation. These pledge protection of the innocent, the punishment of the guilty, and defence of common law and the norms of asari society. This means justicars will never overthrow an existing government, and will instead preserve the existing laws of the asari without the risk of staging a coup should the government be judged unjust.
A specific oath, the Third Oath of Subsumation, binds a justicar to the whims of another with total loyalty. This temporarily overrides the dictates of even the Justicar Code; however, upon release from the oath justicars may kill the ones they previously swore allegiance to if they were forced to do extremely dishonorable things.
Justicars are formidable warriors, skilled in most forms of personal combat. They have been known to single-handedly defeat entire bands of mercenaries and slavers, and at least one has even fought a Spectre to a draw. Their reputation is such that aggressors like pirates will call off a planned raid upon finding out that a justicar is present. Over decades if not centuries of dedicated training, justicars hone the natural biotic aptitude of their species to extremely high levels of both power and finesse, rivaling even asari matriarchs.
Given their personal sacrifices, skill and rigid adherence to their Code, justicars are highly revered in asari culture, and there are many stories and vids made of their adventures, although much of it is exaggerated.
While they often find a justicar's presence unnerving, asari police forces usually let a justicar perform her duties out of respect. However, asari officials sometimes see justicars as threats to the peace rather than protectors of it, as their merciless absolutism can easily lead to violent confrontation especially with aliens unfamiliar with or unaccepting of asari morality. The Code permits a justicar to submit to detainment by lawful authorities for a single day. After that, the justicar is bound by the Code to continue her duties, which may lead to violence between the justicar and her captors.
It is unknown whether the Code has prescriptions for ritual suicide should a justicar be unable to fulfill her duties. While Justicar Samara does attempt to commit suicide when unable to reconcile her obligations to the Code with her love of her children, this does not necessarily indicate that she is compelled to do so by the Code.
Justicars can opt to leave the order. Examples include Tristana and the Asari Duelist.
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“There won't be an Earth left to save...” — Spoilers for Mass Effect 3 follow. |
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During the Reaper invasion, some justicars returned to Thessia to reinforce their homeworld's defense. It is estimated that if the Reapers are defeated, the justicar order may no longer exist due to their limited numbers.
Known justicars[]
- Samara
- Phora: Delivered Ardat-Yakshi to the monastery on Lesuss by threatening and terrifying them into coming with her.