In the Mass Effect games, Commander Shepard goes up against a wide array of seemingly impossible challenges, and one of the most notorious has always been the suicide mission the ends Mass Effect 2. With the remastered trilogy's release in 2021, fans were once again tasked with heading into the notorious Omega 4 relay to launch a full-scale attack on the Collector Base.
Shepard spends the entire game until that moment preparing their squadmates for the mission, and though no one really thought they'd make it back alive, there was a strong possibility everyone could survive if they were all properly prepared. During the 2021 holiday season, EA released a chart exploring the crew member survival rates, proving once and for all that Shepard knows how to beat the odds and survive the unsurvivable.
Garrus Is the Most Likely to Survive
Out of all Shepard's squadmates, Garrus Vakarian is the most likely to survive because, like Shepard, he is a soldier at heart and survival is in his blood. Garrus has a 98 percent survival rate, with Grunt, Jacob and Miranda trailing his lead at 97 percent. In theory, one of the things that makes these four so hearty is their training. All four were built for war, and their ability to navigate combat and enemy battlegrounds makes them excellent companions to have on Shepard's side.
That being said, Shepard's relationships with their squadmates factors into their survivability. The more attention Shepard paid to individual squadmates and their personal missions, the more loyal they grew. The higher a squadmate's loyalty, the more dedicated to the mission (and their own survival) they'd become.
Mordin Is the Least Likely to Survive
According to EA's statistics, Mordin Solus is the squadmate least likely to survive the suicide mission because, despite his dedication and special forces training, Salarian's just aren't cut out for hardcore warfare. If Shepard does everything right and gains Mordin's loyalty, he has a 90 percent chance of survival, which decreases significantly if Shepard's not done their part to engage him.
Tali, Jack and Zaeed follow on Mordin's heels with 93 percent survival odds, which means Shepard needs to be extra careful in their interactions with them if they want to make sure they survive. Tali, for example, is incredibly delicate after her father's death, and if Shepard didn't have her back against the other Quarians in the Flotilla, her reasons to live aren't strong enough to compel her. The same goes for Zaeed, who could very easily lose his will to live and his dedication if his personal quest isn't carried out to his satisfaction.
How Are Fans Able to Navigate the Mission So Easily?
When Mass Effect Legendary Edition released, fans had already been running these missions on repeat for years, and they understood the importance of the loyalty missions, just as much as they knew the best options for each squadmate's placement throughout the suicide mission. Those new to the game had an unending supply of internet guides and tutorials to guide them through the ins and outs of every game mission imaginable, including the final mission of ME2.
It became almost second nature for players to have Mordin escort the Normandy crew back to the ship, which keeps him out of harm's way. Putting Garrus or Miranda in charge of the second squad was a given, and choosing Samara's biotics to the test against the swarm made the most sense on instinct.
Why Surviving the Suicide Mission Matters
While it may not seem like a big deal if one or two squadmates dies, it can have a major impact on Mass Effect 3. As Shepard and the galaxy go up against both Cerberus and the Reapers, having people they can count on makes it much easier to win over the forces that build up to galactic readiness. Shepard's familiarity with Tali'zorah and Legion, for example, means having individuals they know and trust at their side on Rannoch, and that trust can go a long way towards earning the respect Shepard needs to negotiate a peaceful solution between the Quarians and the Geth.
Shepard and Garrus have fought side by side from the start, and not having Garrus there to back them up can make the outcome of the final battle seem much bleaker. Plus, Mordin's importance to the genophage cure has a poetic justice to it that makes the entire endeavor memorable. Considering that many of the the squadmates from ME2 have gone to hell and back with Shepard, who better to have by their side going into the possible end of the galaxy?