Suicide of Tali’Zorah Vas Normandy

To Play Mass Effect is to immerse oneself into an intricately created and highly detailed Sci-Fi universe. When you take command of the Alliance ship SSV Normandy you assume the leading role in a science fiction movie. You do not manipulate and play the main character Commander Shepard in the traditional way – you become Shepard.

Spoiler Info to Follow – You Have Been Warned:
If you have not completed the Rannoch Mission in ME3 or have not started playing Mass Effect 3 yet you may want to skip this article until after you are done playing.

Talizorah Vas Normandy elated she is on the Quarian Home World.

The Rannoch Mission is a priority mission where Shepard, Tali’Zorah Vas Normandy, and another teammate are sent to Quarian home word Rannoch to disable the Reaper connection controlling the Geth.

On the Rannoch Mission there are three possible outcomes. You broker a peace between the Quarian and Geth races.  Second: Legion dies and the Quarian Fleet destroys the Geth when you stop Legion from uploading the reaper code to the Geth Forces.  Or lastly, you allow Legion to upload the Reaper code to the Geth forces that then decimate the majority of the Quarian Fleet.

Legion from Mass Effect 2

Like everything in the Mass Effect universe what decision you make at this point in the game is driven by your past decisions and loyalties. Since I did not kill the Heretics in Mass Effect 2 it was not possible to broker a peace deal between the Geth and the Quarians. This was a turning point for me in the game – indeed – in the entire series. In the skies above Rannoch Mass Effect 3 became much more than a game to me. . . .

The Mass Effect series uses a cinematic approach driven by player choice. This creative method creates a real bond between the player – the characters – and the story. The end result – you become extremely attached to the characters in the narrative. If you dig Mass Effect and love playing the game the characters become good friends by the time you find yourself on planet Rannoch on a steep mountain ridge taking in a beautiful panoramic view of Tali’s home world.

I of course had no idea what was going to happen on Rannoch. I lived with a self-imposed total news blackout on Mass Effect since ME1. Not once did I read any forum post, any Mass Effect Wiki info, nothing. I was having such a great time playing ME1 and ME2 that I didn’t want anything to spoil the fun. I have read much now that I have finished the trilogy but before I finished the third installment I was in the dark.

I equally admired both the Geth robot Legion and Tali’Zorah. In my mind they were both loyal and trusted friends. Before you get to the point where you must decide if the Geth or the Quarians will live you are given information on how the conflict began and perpetuated. The historical footage shows the Quarians at fault. High ranking military members of the Quarian Fleet know that they are the blame for the conflict but tensions are high and combat blood lust is on the loose.

I did not want to lose Legion so I allowed him to upload the reaper code to all Geth to give them free will and make them an independent people able to choose their own path in the universe. That was my line of thought and what drove my decision making process. The code is uploaded and the Geth become instantly more powerful with this Reaper provided upgrade. Shepard asks Tali’Zorah Vas Normandy to radio her fleet and order them to break off the attack (I had no doubt in my mind they would see the error of their ways and end the attack on the Geth Fleet).

The plea to stop the fighting falls on deaf ears and the Quarians begin their attack full force. The Geth return fire and are able to quickly defeat the Quarian Fleet and the burning hulks of downed Quarian fighters begin lighting up the sky over Rannoch as they burn entering the atmosphere of the Quarian home world.  The radio chatter of the massacre of the Quarian Fleet is heard by the Normandy ground crew. Tali’Zorah Vas Normandy begins crying as she listens to her people die fighting the Geth.  The voice work here is superb.

At this point an immense sadness overcame me and I was crushed. Thoughts and emotions clashed within my mind as my decision to allow the code upload began to bear fruit. I had just killed all of Tali’s people, her friends, and her co-workers. Basically every person Tali cared for in this life was now dead as a result of my command decision. I was stunned. The next thing I remember is Tali standing with her back to a cliff . . . she takes of her pressure mask for the first time ever . . . holds her arms out to the side . . .  and allows herself to fall backwards to her death.

Tali’Zorah Vas Normandy suicide.

I instantly thought: “What have I done.”

As soon as I could I saved and shut down the computer. I could play no more that day and that night I could not sleep – tossing and turning until the sun rose on my home world.

Shepard tries to save Tali but fails.

I had spent the entire night thinking about my decision and why I made it. I remember Shepard talking to a Geth Prime after Tali’s suicide and Shepard tells the Geth Prime that the “Quarians had made their choice” as I had made mine. After the death of Tali’Zorah Vas Normandy my Mass Effect 3 game play became more serious than ever before. This was war. Friends were dying and the threat from the Reapers was not diminishing in the least. In my speech to the crew before the final assault on the Citadel beam I told them we were going to stop the Reapers or die trying.

From this point to end of the game I could see no possibility for a happy ending. This was war on a galactic scale and if the Reapers were to be stopped sacrifices would have to be made. On the final assault there was a large explosion and I remember turning back to see if Ashley was ok. I found her lying dead near the entrance to the beacon. Ashley and Liara T’Soni died at my side on the final assault. I was trying to revive them when the final beam knocked me out.  When I regained consciousness I was saddened even more but full of purpose. I was Commander Sheppard and I had a mission to complete. I staggered towards the Citadel beam fully intent on finishing off the Reapers.