When we think back to Mass Effect’s original trilogy DLC selection from 2007 to 2012, Lair of the Shadow Broker stands out as a fan favorite. In it, we are introduced to the Yahg, a species that fans are theorizing could make a grand return in BioWare’s next installment.
This topic gained traction in a Reddit thread posted by user Akuma2004 on Nov. 29. They put forward the thought of the Yahg being a much more prominent part of the galactic Milky Way community in the next Mass Effect. This idea has gained plenty of traction, but let’s first catch ourselves up on the history of this niche species.
To date, the Yahg have been fleeting in all Mass Effect media. Lair of the Shadow Broker features one as the titular villain and is our first encounter with their kind. This particular individual had been kidnapped from their homeworld of Parnack before killing the previous Shadow Broker. Upon discovery, he is swiftly slain by Commander Shepard and companion Liara T’Soni who inherits the role for herself.
This individual was extremely intelligent yet inherently violent, which is a trait that the species is known for. They are pre-spaceflight and thus, after a disastrous first contact with the Citadel Council, have been largely left alone. Besides the ex-Shadow Broker, a few Yahg are known to have been taken by Salarian scientists and experimented on at a Sur’Kesh research facility as seen in Mass Effect 3. No lessons were learned from the Krogan seemingly.
Our last tidbit on the Yahg comes from Admiral Hackett who lets Shepard know that the Reaper invasion has ignored Parnack as they have not reached technological relevance. Had events played out as intended before Shepard’s intervention, these savage people would have been at the apex of the next cycle.
With the Reapers halted, the Yahg will now reach spaceflight eventually during a never-ending cycle. Should the most prevalent theories come true and this next entry takes place around the same time as Andromeda, it’s entirely possible they are flying amongst the stars for better or worse.
“I wonder if they will integrate well or will they keep being violent towards the other races,” one player said. “Only time will tell, but I have my fingers crossed they will make an appearance in the future.” BioWare could take this branch in any direction. In my personal opinion, I’d be over the moon to have a Yahg companion next time we head into space. A proper bruiser with devilish cunning sounds like a treat to write.
