Samara

Justicar

Following my code, I will serve you, Shepard. Your choices are my choices. Your actions are my actions. Your desires are my Code.

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Samara, a justicar of the asari, approximately one thousand years old, a member of an ancient monastic order that adheres to a strict code of honor. While she possesses excellent weapon skills, Samara usually relies on her powerful biotic abilities. Justicars rarely leave asari space, but Samara’s quest for justice has led her to Illium.

File

Like most asari, Samara's maiden period was marked by adventures and excitement. Once, she ran away with a gang of mercenaries and discovered her talent for combat. She left the gang as soon as she learned that the hijacked ship she piloted was not carrying weapons or technology but slaves destined for sale to the Collectors. Samara attempted to turn the ship back, but met resistance from her group and was forced to kill them. The Collector ship arrived just after the fight ended, but fortunately, the transport was near a relay, allowing her to escape. Once she reached safety, Samara conducted a short self-defense course among the slaves and disposed of the credits, weapons, and armor belonging to her former gangmates, subsequently dropping off all the slaves at the Citadel.

After that, Samara left her mercenary career and paused her wanderings, eventually finding stability with her asari partner and starting a family. Samara had three daughters, but to her horror, she discovered that they were all Ardat-Yakshi, suffering from a genetic flaw that caused them to kill their partners during physical intimacy. As Samara would later explain, she is pureblooded and believes that the intense hatred of her kind partially stems from the fact that it is purebloods who have a heightened chance of giving birth to Ardat-Yakshi daughters.

Two of Samara’s daughters, Falere and Rila, chose a life of isolation and comfort. Her third daughter, Morinth, whom Samara describes as “the smartest and bravest” of the trio, refused to live in seclusion and ran away, beginning to explore the thrill of killing and violence. Learning that her daughter had developed a compulsion to kill her partners, Samara renounced her previous life, devoted herself to the Code, and became a justicar.

Samara hunted for her daughter throughout the galaxy for centuries. One day, Samara discovered that Morinth had twisted the minds of an entire settlement, forcing its residents to worship her and bring young asari as sacrifices. When Samara arrived, Morinth fled again, sending waves of her worshipers against her, buying herself time to escape at the cost of their lives. When Samara finished the cleanup, only a little girl remained alive, whom she turned over to the local authorities before continuing her hunt. Another time, Samara crossed paths with Spectre Nylus Kryik, after witnessing him kill an unarmed civilian. She had no choice but to initiate a chase after him. They fought for days on the planet, chasing each other through the wilderness. Eventually, Nylus outsmarted Samara, putting her in a situation where she had to save an innocent life and allow the Spectre to escape. Despite missing him, she was astonished at how Nylus adapted to the situation and managed to turn the Code against her.

By 2185, Samara caught up with Morinth outside of asari space on the planet Illium. Following a lead that the Eclipse mercenaries helped Morinth escape the planet, Samara attacked one of the mercenary groups and interrogated the only surviving bandit to learn the name of the ship Morinth had fled on. When the mercenary refused to answer, Samara killed her just before Captain Shepard arrived, who had come to Illium hoping to recruit the justicar for his mission. She shows interest in Shepard's assignment but is taken into custody by Detective Anaya for a time.

Samara asks for Shepard's help in finding the name of the ship—an urgent task, considering that according to the Justicar Code, after being in custody for one day, Samara is obligated to escape, possibly killing many officers in the process. When Shepard returns with the name of the ship (Demeter), Samara offers the Third Oath of Engagement, binding herself to Shepard and promising to fight the Collectors to the end. Nevertheless, the hunt for Morinth remains her most important pursuit.

Loyalty

Samara's loyalty mission revolves around her hunt for her daughter Morinth. With Shepard's help in discovering the name of the ship, Samara tracked Morinth to Omega and learned that she had just committed another murder. After investigating the victim’s room on Omega, Samara suggested that Shepard become bait for Morinth and lure her into a trap. After obtaining the access password to the VIP section of the Afterlife club, they split up at the entrance, with Shepard acting alone. Shepard must commit at least two aggressive actions in the club to attract Morinth’s attention. Once Morinth notices him, she invites the Captain to sit at her private table, where he tries to seduce her by discussing their “common” interests. When she is fully enthralled by Shepard, she takes him to her apartment. Finally, when Morinth attempts to seduce Shepard, Samara bursts in and engages her daughter in combat. Ultimately, their battle reaches a deadlock, as they both possess powerful biotic abilities that cannot overpower one another, allowing Shepard to choose whom to assist—Morinth or Samara. When Shepard chooses Samara, Morinth is killed, and the Captain gains the justicar's loyalty. However, if Shepard chooses Morinth, then the Ardat-Yakshi kills Samara and takes her place in the squad. Regardless of the choice made, the mission is completed.

Romance

“You are different from anyone I've met. I think I could find even more than happiness with you.”

Through conversations, Shepard has the opportunity to express romantic interest in Samara. However, due to Samara's commitment to the Code, she has prioritized serving the code over romantic impulses, though the code does not forbid them, thus refusing Shepard's advances. Still, she notes that she highly values his interest. However, through subsequent conversations, Shepard may continue to insist on a romantic relationship, leading Samara to almost reciprocate his feelings and give him a kiss, but she stops him at the last moment and asks for time to be alone. After these conversations, she can be found watching the engines from the crew quarters. If talked to, she simply responds: “Please…” She will return to her cabin on the observation deck when Shepard leaves the deck. However, if Shepard is a Renegade, Samara will respond that she does not feel a connection with him and that she has seen too many terrible things done by Shepard, for which, had she not been under the Oath, she would have killed him.

Interesting Facts:

• Samara is voiced by Maggie Baird, and her likeness is modeled after Rana McAnear.

• In Arabic, the name “Samara” translates to “guardian,” making this name fitting for a justicar.

• Samara's armor and jewelry were designed in a purely feminine style and did much to shape her image as an archetypical “mystical warrior.”

• Interestingly, the holo-projector on level 28 of the Zakera Ward, which mentions the names of potential romantic interests if they are in the party and walk past it in Samara's presence, names her despite the inability to have a romance with her.

• If Shepard is a Renegade, Samara tells him that if she were not bound by the Oath, their meeting would have ended in bloodshed. If the Captain is a Paragon, she simply notes that if Shepard forces her to do anything contrary to the Code, she will kill the Captain once their mission is completed.

• Like all other crew members, Samara has unique dialogues that we may hear in various locations throughout missions or assignments, or if a special crew member is chosen in the same squad with her.

• The Shadow Broker has files on Samara that can be accessed aboard his ship.