10 Evil Video Game Characters Who Saved The Day Anyway
5. Commander Shepard - Mass Effect
![Baldur's Gate 3 Dark Urge](https://d2thvodm3xyo6j.cloudfront.net/media/2022/07/231fcee4b12cc7ec-600x338.jpg)
Mass Effect’s Commander Shepard is one of the most well-known and beloved protagonists in video game history. However, although they are technically one person, the fans of the series like to think of them as two—the paragon and the renegade.
The franchise’s alignment system plays a big part in the storytelling aspect of Shepard’s adventures. It shapes their personality so much that it truly makes sense to speak of two radically different personalities. The paragon Shepard is a just and compassionate leader of the Milky Way's defense force, while the renegade Shepard is a selfish and downright sadistic opportunist.
And yet, even the latter iteration of Shepard ends up saving the galaxy from every threat imaginable.
Although renegade Shepard exhibits such evil behavior that it literally manifests itself on their face in the form of glowing red eyes and burn marks, each of their actions, even the cruelest ones, ultimately serves to protect the world.
Each renegade option can be thought of as Shepard being a harsh but pragmatic anti-hero, committing crimes and causing suffering in order to gain the upper hand against a much larger threat.
They may ruin your life, but at least you won’t become Reaper feed.
Neat!