10 Iconic Moments That Defined Mass Effect As A Series

9. Touching The First Prothean Beacon

This scene is not only important from a narrative standpoint, but it perfectly demonstrates Shepard's selflessness as a leader. When the mysterious activated Prothean beacon suddenly starts pulling support character Kaidan towards it, Shepard doesn't hesitate in quickly dragging him to safety, taking his place as the beacon's human guinea pig. Just to prove that it's never a good idea to help anyone ever in this universe, Shepard gets exposed to horrific, jumbled up images full of war and suffering that are actually a haunting preview of what the future holds for all inhabitants of the galaxy. It's the first time you get a real taste for how large the universe is and your purpose within it, and doubles as a perfectly executed moment that does a great job of showing that Mass Effect is a lot more than a corridor shooter with dialogue choices.