What is the Significance of Tali’s Face Reveal in Mass Effect 3?
Tali’s Face Reveal in Mass Effect 3 is a pivotal moment in the series, marking a confluence of emotional significance and long-standing fan speculation.
- The infamous Tali bedside photo was updated by BioWare… this image should’ve been a big deal for players back in 2012, as it’s the only chance to see Tali’s true face, despite her presence in all three Mass Effect games.
- The new image only shows Tali’s face, with the rest of her head covered in her usual purple headdress. Notably, her face appears almost human, with two exceptions: her eyes are almost entirely white, with slight darkness around the pupils and iris.
- Additionally, Tali is one of the only two characters to appear as squad mates in all three games, making her significance even more substantial. The Mass Effect Legendary Edition delivered in one of the most unexpected ways, finally ending years of what-if fanart collections.
- Striking up a romantic relationship with Tali in Mass Effect 3 will earn you a lovely picture of her face sitting on the desk in Commander Shepard’s quarters. For Tali romancers, it’s particularly special, as it means you actually get to see her face without her helmet on.
- In the Mass Effect Legendary Edition, BioWare swapped out the edited stock photo of Tali for a much more ‘realistic’ pic. Tali retains her white eyes and alien-ish face lines, but she remains in the safety of her suit due to her Quarian heritage.
- That picture of her on your desk is the only one of her face you’ll ever see, which adds to the disappointment surrounding the original image, an edited version of a stock photo, which left much to be desired.
- Furthermore, Tali’s face reveal in Mass Effect 3 not only shows her physical appearance but also addresses long-standing questions about the Quarian race. This provides players their first real look at Tali’s face, which fans speculated about for years, enhancing the personal connection for those who romanced her.
- Moreover, her expression upon being revealed signifies joy, freedom, and hope for the future of her species, highlighting emotional and narrative depth beyond just visual representation.
- Importantly, the face reveal isn’t significant solely because of Tali. For decades, debates have been ongoing about the appearance of Quarians. This moment grants players the first real glimpse of Tali’s face and illustrates what Quarians look like under the mask.
- For Tali romancers, it’s particularly intimate and rewarding to see her without her helmet on, as it deepens the connection and emotional investment in her character.
I personally think she has the best character arc in the series, so I do recommend getting to know her if you’re playing a dude Shep (unfortunately, FemShep can’t date her).
How Did Mass Effect 3 Change Tali’s Character Design?
Tali’Zorah, the Quarian engineer, is one of Shepard’s original squad mates and one of the series’ most beloved characters. Her face is never shown, nor that of any Quarian. Quarians are always depicted with their breathing helmets on, which filters the air and protects their compromised immune system. However, if you choose to romance Tali, her face is eventually revealed in Mass Effect 3 through a framed photo in Shepard’s cabin.
Unfortunately, the picture that existed in the original Mass Effect 3 wasn’t very alien. It was a simple photoshop of a stock image of a woman in a sunset, which angered some of the character’s fans. In response to this criticism, BioWare went back and changed that moment in Mass Effect 3.
In Mass Effect Legendary Edition, BioWare replaced the original photo with a more appropriate, in-universe picture of Tali. This update was a significant change that addressed long-standing concerns regarding Tali’s character design. Now, instead of a Photoshop of a human stock photo model, Tali’s face is presented as a unique piece of art created by the developers. While Tali still has a human-looking face (except for the all-white eyes), some fans may feel disappointed, as she is an alien character. Nevertheless, this change marks a notable improvement over the original design.
Exploring Tali’s Romance Options in the Legendary Edition
Tali is a romance option in the Mass Effect series, specifically for Male Shepards.
However, there are specific conditions to initiate and successfully complete a romance with her:
- Mass Effect 1: Tali is not romanceable in this game because she is a squate who is too young and focused on her pilgrimage and the conflict with Saren and the Reapers.
- Mass Effect 2:
- After recruiting Tali, it’s essential to spend time talking to her after each mission to exhaust her dialog.
- Once you secure her loyalty, continue to reciprocate her advances which leads to a romance scene, locking in Tali as your partner.
- Mass Effect 3:
- Tali becomes available only after successfully completing her Loyalty Mission, Tali: Treason.
- You must ensure Tali is Loyal by NOT presenting the evidence against her father to the iralty Board. Presenting the evidence will make a romance with her impossible.
- Unlike every other Romance option, Tali does not appear until past the halfway point of the game.
- If you romanced her in Mass Effect 2, be patient and wait until she shows up in Priority: Geth Dreadnought.
- After Tali is revealed to be on the iralty Board, you will have a private conversation. To initiate romance, when you get your first Dialogue Wheel, select ‘Do you still want me?’
- Once you complete her loyalty mission, you can begin courting her through three conversation stages, which must be initiated consecutively by completing missions or assignments.
- The third conversation stage is confirmed by selecting ‘I want to talk about you.’ To lock in the romance, choose ‘Only if it’s safe’.
- If you choose to spare the Geth over the Quarians, Tali will die with no exceptions.
- If Tali is locked in and survives Priority: Rannoch, talk to her aboard the Normandy to check in. She will mention leaving something for you in the Captain’s Cabin, which is a photo of her without her mask.
- For those who have an imported save where they romanced Tali in Mass Effect 2, she will invite you to her quarters after the diplomatic talks with the iralty Board, allowing you to rekindle your relationship.
