During the Mass Effect games, Commander Shepard, the hero of the Systems Alliance Navy, becomes the first human Spectre and travels all over the galaxy. Along the way, they meet new friends and foes. Many of Shepard's best friends and allies are teammates aboard the Normandy SR-2, but even crime lords can become friends. This was the case with Aria T'Loak.
Aria T'Loak is the kingpin of the crime-ridden space station of Omega, subverting the Asari archetype of being gentle, wise diplomats or artists. Instead, Aria revels in violence, drugs, exploitation and more -- but even then, she and Commander Shepard actually have a lot in common. Aria soon learns that Shepard isn't just another human adventurer.
Aria T'Loak, Shepard's Aloof Sponsor In Mass Effect 2
Commander Shepard's relationship to Aria T'Loak began early in Mass Effect 2. Shepard had just come back to life thanks to Cerberus' Lazarus project, and Aria had already gotten wind of that fact. Aria was most curious to meet Shepard when the Commander stepped aboard Omega. When the two met in the Afterlife nightclub, Aria presented herself as a tough, aloof crime lord. In fact, she wouldn't even begin the conversation until Shepard was scanned and confirmed as the genuine article and not some cunning Trojan Horse sent to destroy Aria.
This cautious attitude defined Shepard's and Aria's early interactions. Aria refused to describe her personal history or experiences, aside from the obvious fact that she's the number one criminal on the station. Everyone needs something from her, including Shepard, and Aria wanted to keep it that way. At first, Aria's only kindness towards Shepard was to provide helpful intel for free, helping Shepard find Dr. Mordin Solus in the quarantine zone, then helping Shepard figure out how to meet the mysterious Archangel, Garrus Vakarian.
To Aria, Shepard was simply a gung-ho human with interesting missions and goals. However, before long, Aria realized that Shepard was one of a kind. Once she realized the Commander could be trusted, Aria opened up in ways she could hardly believe it.
When Aria T'Loak Became Commander Shepard's Friend & Ally
At first, Aria's and Shepard's relationship was all business. However, Shepard can go the extra mile and help protect Aria's companion Patriarch, then uncover an Eclipse plot to take Aria down. Aria was genuinely grateful for all the help, and returned the favor by handing over some loot on a distant world. Aria didn't just see Shepard as a notable party on Omega; she saw them as someone worthy of her personal trust and respect. These sentiments were strengthened in 2186, when Aria had everything to gain.
In that year, Aria found herself desperate, since the Cerberus organization took Omega and she was in hiding aboard the Citadel. Aria made sure to meet up with Shepard in a Citadel nightclub named Purgatory, and generously lent the Commander the aid of three mercenary battle groups in exchange for relatively small favors. Aria recognized Shepard as a true war hero who could be trusted with her mercenary allies, and she slowly but surely expressed her admiration for the Commander. In fact, back in 2185, Aria had divulged personal details of her life to the Commander, showing that she trusted the Commander a great deal.
By this point, Aria and Shepard were close enough allies to form a united front against Cerberus, and Aria handed over command of her fleet to Shepard to launch her assault on Omega. Along the way, they met up with Nyreen Kandros, and Aria generously opened up to Shepard about their uneasy friendship, providing more details regarding her personal life. When Shepard finally takes down Oleg Petrovsky to defeat Cerberus aboard Omega, Aria will reward a Renegade Shepard with kiss -- something that Aria wouldn't do for just anyone.
Commander Shepard has undeniable charisma and strength of character that inspires various characters over the course of the trilogy. Just as they drew the bitter, violent Jack out of her shell and convinced Samara to love again, the Commander earns Aria's trust. Ultimately, Shepard admires and respects Aria's power as Omega's kingpin, and what started as a cautious business partnership resulted in a genuine friendship and alliance.