Mass Effect: The Arab-Israeli Conflict Represented by the Quarians and Geth

Alright to be honest I am really excited about writing this article because I am a big Mass Effect fan. Okay that would be a large understatement, in reality I'm a HUGE Mass Effect fan. The game is full of so many political references that I can could go on and on. The fact that its all set in a 1980's inspired Sci-Fi Universe, (I mean its got a freaking 1980's synth inspired soundtrack, no I'm not kidding a synth based soundtrack), along with it being littered with tons of famous celebrity voice actors gives me a recipe for a game that I should just love.But rather than talk your ear off  in an in cohesive nerd rampage it might be better for me to write this entry on a more specific topic. So this article is on one of the political situations in the game that I find most interesting as well as possibly one of the most relevant ones to a real world problem and that is the Quarian and Geth conflict. Particularly in how it serves as an interesting allegory to the real world Arab-Israeli conflict.

Now first off for those that have never played Mass Effect, Mass Effect is set in a fictional Sci-Fi Universe set roughly 200 years in the future. It follows the adventures of the human captain Commander Shepard, as he attempts to thwart an imminent apocalypse, all while having to deal with the intricacies of galactic politics and a galaxy that is reluctant to believe him. The Mass Effect Universe is full of a variety of different species and cultures and throughout the course of the game the player has to deal with pretty much every species at one point or the other, each having its own unique problems and issues. While I could go into an incredible amount of detail on each race and their culture such as the war-like Turians, the cosmopolitan Asari, or the clandestine Salarians, one species that really stands out to me are the Quarians.

 Now the Quarians are a race of nomads. They live aboard a 'floatilla' of star ships and are like a type of intergalactic gypsy if one will to the galaxy. They are an incredibly intelligent race and highly proficient in electronics and mechanics. Unfortunately because of their constant state of vagrancy due to a lack of a home world they are seen as a hindrance to the galaxy, and are often treated as second-class citizens. The Quarians were not always in this depraved state though. They used to have a seat in the Council, (the intergalactic version of the U.N.) and even had their own home world. All of that changed though when the Quarians accidentally created the Geth.

Tali Zorah : A Quarian Squadmate

A Geth

The Geth are a race of artificial intelligences that were designed to be servants to the Quarians. They were never given the ability to reason or make intelligent decisions for themselves, and were if anything simply a group of very complex networked machines. The Quarians undoing though was in a small design flaw: and that was that they allowed the Geth to be networked. With this capability to work together, particularly in the ability to share ideas, the Geth eventually formed sapience. The Quarians began to realize this when the Geth started to ask questions about their own existence and purpose. Questions such as "Does this unit have a soul?" indicated that the Geth had a reached a level of self-awareness and panic ensued. Once the Quarians figured out that they had accidentally created artificial intelligence they attempted a preemptive strike to shut off all of the Geth in fear that the Geth may revolt due to their servile condition. In response to what would would have been an equivalent to an all out genocide for the Geth, the Geth attacked their creators. The resulting war ended with the Geth ultimately banishing their creators from the planet. In response to this the Quarians asked for assistance from the Council in retaking their home world but as a consequence for creating a race of artificial intelligences, (a crime in the Mass Effect universe due to the inherent risks of AI) were not only refused help, but lost their seat in the Council. Now the Quarians are left with nothing left but a passionate desire to retake their home world.

Like most any good science fiction worth its weight, Mass Effect leaves interesting ethical questions for the consumer, in this case: Is Artificial Intelligence a valid form of life? But where the developers at Bioware could have simply stopped and left it at that they decided to continue to bring up more thought provoking issues.

The Geth and the Quarian Conflict resembles in many ways the age old conflict between Israel and its neighboring Arab states. While obviously the allegory doesn't work in every way , for one there are no robo-ethics involved in the Arab-Israeli conflict as well as the latter being a conflict based off of religion rather then revolution, the issue of fighting over a "homeland' or in this case a "home world" is key to both conflicts.

Now The Quarians serve as an allegory to Israel in that they are currently in a state of exile, similar to the real life diaspora of the Jewish people. That along with the fact that the Quarians have to live on their planet specifically (or something very similar) due to their weakened immune systems is similar to how Israel is the only prescribed land for the Jewish people's Temple to be built and that no other land will suffice. The Geth on the other hand serve as an allegory for the multiple Arab states. While the correlation here is weaker than the Quarians to Israel the Geth are still similar to the Arab States in that they are divided into two different groups: Those who want peace, and the radical extremists. Similar to how in America people often generalize and think that all Islamic people are terrorists (a horrible generalization due to the actions of extremists and the ignorance of citizens), the Geth are believed to be all evil, wanting nothing but the destruction of organic life, when in reality that is only a splinter faction split from the larger and much more peaceful whole.

Quarian Floatilla or Migrant Fleet

 

Now everything that I just described is all back story before the series even begins (aside from the splinter geth faction, which is not found out until later in the story). The first time that the Geth are actually introduced to the player is in the role of an enemy. The Geth are attacking an innocent colony and the player has to stop them to avert the deaths of thousand of civilians. As a matter of fact in the first installment of the series every Geth that the player meets is hostile. The reason for that is is that every Geth that the player encounters is serving a Reaper (an organic/ A.I. hybrid that exterminates all organic life every 50,000 years,  the main antagonists of the series, but that's aside the point of this blog.) It actually serves as an interesting perspective that every Geth you meet is evil, because the first Quarian that you meet in the game turns out to a long and trustworthy ally. Tali Zorah, a young Quarian, joins the player throughout the first game of the series and serves as an expert in fighting the Geth. She also throughout the game explains to the player how the Geth were created and their history with the Quarians. While the game allows the player to condemn the Quarians attempted genocide, when talking to Tali about it, the game ultimately presents a situation where it is more natural to want to side with the Quarians. Now if viewed a certain way, this perspective actually fits quite well with the allegory. The Quarians in the Mass Effect series can be viewed as a  type of allegorical figure for Israel. Now if the player, Commander Shepard, were to be viewed as the United States, then it would only make sense for the player to tend to side with the Quarians more. Because in reality the United States, while a nation that tries to mediate peace in the Middle East, tends to take a stance much more in favor to Israel due to its Judeo-Christian heritage. While the Geth, in the first installment, come off as simply the bad guys.

Legion

Everything takes a turn around though in the next installment in the series. In Mass effect 2 everything changes when the player encounters a Geth by the name of Legion, (a reference to the demon in the book of Matthew that Jesus casts out of a man). The name is used though not  to "demonize" the character for lack of a better word, but rather to serve as a metaphor as to how the Geth do not think in a sense of individuality, but rather as a "gestalt intelligence" due to their networked mind. Personally I find the reference to an Abrahamic religion particularly interesting with all the allegorical things relating to the conflict in the Middle East already present in the Quarian-Geth Conflict. Now Legion, if the player gives the character the opportunity to explain, actually completely turns around the players understanding of the Geth. Legion works with Shepard  throughout the course of Mass Effect 2 to defeat the Reapers ad explains that all the Geth encountered previously were only part of a splinter group known to the "True Geth" as the "Heretics". (interestingly another religious reference) According to Legion the majority of Geth want nothing to do with the Reapers, and that the ones that did only made up a smaller portion of the overall Geth collective. This division of Extremists and "Regular" Geth bears an odd similarity to the division and stigma that many people of an Islamic faith may feel today. The Geth are known for the actions of the "Heretics" and thus associated with them. In a similar way many Muslims are  inaccurately assumed to be terrorists when they are nothing of the sort.

Hooded Quarians

Example of woman waearing hijaabs

Now one thing that is particularly interesting about the whole Quarian and Geth allegory is how the developers decided to juxtapose the designs of the characters with the real life nations they could be seen to represent. Particularly with the Quarians. For example the Quarians could be viewed as a  reference to Israel yet interestingly enough the aesthetic designs of the Quarians appear to be more Islamic in nature. A good example being the Quarians enviro-suits and the striking resemblance they have to the hijaab from Islamic culture. Although unlike the purpose of the hijaab to maintain modesty, the enviro-suits of the Quarians are done simply out of a biological necessity due to their weak immune systems from living in a sterile environment aboard their ships for so long. Along with that the Quarians are required to go on a "Pilgrimage" once they reach a certain age. These pilgrimages are not done out of a religious obligation but rather are done to collect valuable resources for their fleet. Even the nomenclature can be seen as an example of juxtaposition with  notable Quarian names such as Tali Zorah or Admiral Raan, all having a distinct Arabic sound them to them.  Add that along with the fact that many of the Quarians have a Middle-Eastern dialect and you get a particularly interesting juxtaposition of cultures. I am personally not exactly sure why the developers decided to do this, but a friend of mine proposed an idea that I think makes alot of sense. He proposed that reason that the developers mixed the themes around was to throw the consumer off. By juxtaposing opposing themes  it allowed for the viewer to see the content for it's true substance matter, removing one's preconceived notions and bias.

Geth Prime with Reaper Upgrades

Now the developers at Bioware I have to say have found a masterful way to craft an ending to this conflict in the series latest entry, Mass Effect 3 (and I'm not referring to the ending of the entire game which I know is quite controversial). Unlike in the Civil War in Skyrim, (See my prior post) I felt a true sense of satisfaction and contentment at the ending I received. The ending for this plot ark takes place at a climatic confrontation on the desert Quarian home world of Rannoch (only fitting that the planet is a desert). By this point the Quarians and Geth have finally gone to a full out war. The Quarians had found an opportunity to attack the Geth, and seized the opportunity, causing immense amounts of damage to the Geth in their strike. In defense and ultimately a sense of fear, the Geth take up an offer from the Reapers, this time all of the Geth and not just the heretics, to give up their free will in exchange for hardware upgrades to protect them from the Quarians. Its up to the player at this point to go and fight the Reapers off of the Quarian Home world. Along the way the player meets up with Tali and Legion, who was able to remain free from Reaper control, and fight alongside both of them to fight the Reapers off of the planet. Eventually after all the fighting has come to a still, the player has to make one final decision and its a grim one. The Quarians and Geth are still fighting over the planet in space. With the Reaper destroyed the Quarians are about to fire on the Geth, in the process completely obliterating the Geth collective. Without the Reaper, and with so many Geth dead the Geth are essentially helpless. Its at this point where Legion proposes to the player the idea of uploading a code from the Reaper that will allow the Geth tho be individuals, capable of operating but free from the Reapers control. Tali though objects claiming that if the Geth are upgraded then they will be able to retaliate and that will mean the end of her people. Legion will say that " he regrets the deaths of the creators, but he sees no alternative", which then Tali begs the player not to do this. This is where all the conflicts and politics boil down. Do you upgrade the Geth? Since all they ever wanted to do was live or do you protect the fleet, since the Geth have proven twice now that they cant be trusted and the Quarians have gotten so close? The decisions are quite grim. Luckily the player can, if they played their cards right (i.e. protect people who wanted peace, keep important character alive, etc.can convince the Quarians to call off their attack and realize that peace is an option. After this, albeit the vision is incredibly idealistic. the Geth and Quarians agree to peacefully coexist on the Quarian home world.

Bioware successfully manages to fit in alot of thought provoking themes into Mass Effect. The Quarian-Geth war alone is full of numerous political themes such as: property ownership, nomadic lifestyles, political insensitivity, coexistence, and many more while simultaneously interweaving the philosophical question: Is Artificial Intelligence Life? Even deeper beneath the surface though it deals largely with the idea of coexistence and whether or not its possible and if it should be achieved. A theme particularly relevant with the Arab-Israeli conflict. Ultimately the game has a surprising amount of details and moral lessons that can be learned if a consumer is willing to take the time to take the time and look for them.

Just my thoughts on one of my favorite parts of Mass Effect. As this blog was related to a very culturally sensitive topic, I am more than welcome to hearing other opinions.

- A Collegiate Gamer

Skyrim: Fascist Rebels or Religion Suppresing Empire - Oh What Great Choices I Have

Skyrim is one of the greatest games of 2011. You ask most any gamer and they have probably either played it or at the very least heard about it. Its a game loved by many for it's epic quests, life-like combat, and "immerse game play, (a term that many writers have used to describe the game). What you generally wont hear about it though, which I find sad, is the incredible amount of detail and nuances that the developers at Bethesda put into their stories. In particular I find the political allegories in Skyrim to be incredibly impressive with all their subtle references to real life issues such as racism, nationalism, religion, and even things as dark and intense as fascism and religious persecution.

 To set the scene Skyrim takes place 200 years after the last installment in the series 'Oblivion'. In this world the continent of Tamriel is divided into multiple different provinces, each with its own race and culture that are all collectively ruled by one governing body known simply as "The Empire". Throughout the series, while not always a popular faction with everyone, the Empire has served as the overall ruling entity. Skyrim takes a particularly interesting turn of events though in that it  presents a time in the universe where the Empire has fallen from its glory and has now become a weaker faction. It is a time where things have gotten so bad for the Empire that some territories have gone as far as resorting to secession.

Whats really interesting about the Empire in Skyrim is that they serve as a direct metaphor to the Roman Empire. Their aesthetic designs, as well as the terminology used to describe them, such as their army being called the Imperial Legion for example, serve as very obvious homages to the real life Roman Empire. The Empire in Skyrim though is not necessarily viewed upon as an evil empire, as in works such as Star Wars or Spartacus. Rather throughout the Elder Scrolls Series the Empire has stood out as the overall governing body of the fictional world. In Skyrim however the Empire is now in a state of decay. The reason for the decline of the Empire is largely due to a conflict that greatly resembles the first world war. You see prior to the events of Skyrim the Empire found itself at war with an entity known as the "Aldmeri Dominion". The Aldmeri Dominion were a group of "Elven Supremacists" from two former  Elven provinces of the Empire that formed together to start a new age of Elven rule. The war that followed eventually led to a truce highly in the Elves favor known in the game as "The White-Gold Concordant". This truce allowed for a peace between the two nations at the price of the Empire having to ban all worship of one of the gods in their pantheon called "Talos". The reason that the Elves wanted this suppression of worship was because Talos was a man who eventually became a god, and according to their way of thinking that was completely unacceptable, a heresy if one will, for if Elves were supreme how could a man be a god? The reason this back story is so important to the game though is because it serves as the ultimate catalyst for the Empire's new enemy to emerge and that is the Stormcloak Rebellion.

 

 

 Now just as the Empire served as an allegory to a real world government, the Stormcloaks eerily do the same thing. The Stormcloaks are angry at the terms of the "White-Gold Concordant". They see the Empire as a corrupt and dying force and feel that they are sellouts to their own people. They are the disillusioned citizens of the province of Skyrim who want to secede from the Empire so that they can live free of the Empire's regulations and live according to their traditions. The Stormcloaks want a land free of religious persecution, and a government that stands up for its people's interests. While at first glance  the Stormcloaks may sound like a noble group of freedom fighters, just like the Empire upon closer examination the Stormcloaks are shown to be equally, if not more so flawed. Just as the Empire served as an allegory to the Roman Empire the Stormcloaks serve as an allegory to early Nazi Germany. The Stormcloaks just like the Nazi's are screwed over by an unfair treaty after a massive world war. For the Stormcloaks it was the "White-Gold Concordant", with its banning of their hero-god Talos, while for the Germans it was the 'Treaty of Versailles", with its punishing verdicts forcing Germany to pay for the war damages of the first World War along with its strict regulations of how they could run their country. The correlation continues even more so with the Stormcloaks responding in a way very similar as to how the Nazis did. The Stormcloaks just like the Nazi's decide that they need to "retake" their country. They view their race the "Nords", the Elder Scrolls Universe's equivalent to Arians, as the dominant race and care only about their people. As a result the player now has a faction to side with that stands up for Skyrim but who at the same time unfortunately view their people as dominant and supreme.

What is particularly interesting about the way that the developers made this game was that they do not present one side as purely good or evil. Even the Stormcloaks, a group that has many parallels to Nazi Germany, is represented in such a way that they can be viewed equally as valid as the Empire. Part of that could be that the Stormcloaks never went as far as the Nazi's (i.e. attempting to eradicate a race), because that is simply pure evil and would paint a black and white picture, thus destroying the sense of an ethical grey area. Rather I think that a lot of the moral ambiguity has to do with the fact that the developers allowed the complicated scenario to be seen from both sides. A great example of this would be how when playing the game, depending on the side a player chooses, the game presents that side as valid. When fighting for the Empire, the player embarks on a multitude of quests under the title of "The Reunification of Skyrim", whilst if the player decides to side with the Stormcloaks he similarly embarks on the noble sounding series of quests entitled "The Liberation of Skyrim".

Ultimately the level of attention paid by the developers at Bethesda is incredible. Just the civil war alone is full of so many political references. It serves as a fun side plot to gamers who want to just kill bad guys, but for the critical thinking consumer the civil war in Skyrim presents a very interesting ethical dilemma. It asks the question : What is more important?  A strong and free society, where people can worship who they chose when they choose; a society with a strong sense of national sovereignty, that stands strong to their traditions in the face of immediate danger even at the expense of others (The Stormcloaks). Or is it a society that is tolerant of different lifestyles; one that values unity and peace over tradition, but is willing to allow its people to be persecuted up to the point of execution for their beliefs if it promotes international  peace (The Empire).  Freedom, Strength, and Racism or Unity, Compromise, and Tolerance. Its at times like these where I want to ask "Cant we have both?" but the developers at Bethesda decided to make the players make a decision. I for one enjoyed the civil war plot ark immensely. I ended up choosing the Stormcloaks for both the petty reason of not liking the Empire in the previous games, as well as humorously because I thought their armor looked cooler, but also for the more serious reason of disliking an Empire that allowed its own people to be executed for their religious beliefs. At the end of the plot line though I didn't feel a complete sense of satisfaction, because as I have mentioned throughout this blog the Stormcloaks are racist pigs, and I fear that in the game whilst I ended up overthrowing a corrupt empire, the power I put into place may turn out to be much worse. Still the amount of attention paid to detail by Bethesda is incredible and even though neither endings are very satisfactory, (I've seen both), it just adds to the realism of how grey life is sometimes. Thankfully life gives us more ethical choices to choose from than just those that are presented in the Skyrim Civil War.

Just my observations from playing the game and from reading others observations on  forums about it online. If you feel differently about it I'd love to hear your opinion.

- A Collegiate Gamer