{{Short description|Fictional robotic species from Mass Effect}} {{Infobox fictional race | name = Geth <br />{{small|Servant of the People}} | image = File:A_Geth_Engineer_in_Mass_Effect_3.png | caption = A regular Geth engineer as it appears in ''Mass Effect 3''{{'s}} multiplayer mode | series = Mass Effect | first = ''Mass Effect: Revelation'' (2007) | creator = BioWare | home_world = Rannoch | sub_races = Geth troopers, Geth armatures, Geth colossi, Geth flyer, Geth drones, Geth heavy drones | members = Legion }}
The '''Geth''' are a fictional extraterrestrial robotic species in the ''Mass Effect'' multimedia franchise developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts. Originally introduced in the 2007 tie-in novel ''Mass Effect Revelation'', the Geth are a synthetic race of networked artificial intelligences whose overall intelligence increases when operating in proximity of one another. The Geth went through several design iterations before their final appearance was selected, with the art team drawing inspiration from insects and Quarian environmental suits. Most Geth are of humanoid shape; however some are quadruped or aerial.
The Geth play an important role in the ''Mass Effect'' universe as the main enemy the player encounters in ''Mass Effect''. In ''Mass Effect 2'' and ''Mass Effect 3'', the Geth appear as situational enemies or allies, and players gain an inside perspective on them through Legion. The Geth are portrayed as a synthetic species which was designed by the Quarians as a tool of labor and war. In the fictional Quarian language, the word "Geth" means "servant of the people". As the Quarians realized the Geth were becoming self-aware, they attempted to destroy them, leading to an armed conflict known as the Morning War. This war serves as the background for both the Geth and the Quarians, culminating in the near-annihilation of the Quarian population. In its aftermath, the surviving Quarians were forced out of their home world, Rannoch, and now nomadically wander space.
The Geth have attracted significant commentary, often ranking high in multiple "top species" lists in the ''Mass Effect'' franchise. Critics and scholars have analyzed them through various philosophical, theological, and sociopolitical lenses to explore themes of artificial intelligence, labor struggles and post-colonialism, examining the ethical implications of synthetic life.
==Concept and design==
The Geth design underwent several iterations before the final design was selected by the ''Mass Effect'' art team. According to the game's bonus disc, early concepts depicted the Geth as organic-synthetic hybrids similar to the concept behind Bishop from ''Aliens''. Thus, the art team initially followed similar design principles to the ones used for other organic Mass Effect races. At one stage of development, the Geth were envisioned as human skeletal figures composed of a plastic muscle-like material. This concept was ultimately rejected, as the designers wanted the Geth to resemble Quarians and not humans. Other iterations included a machine form composed primarily of multiple tube-like structures with multiple eyes on its head, and a cyborg featuring dolphin-like skin.<ref name= "Matt Rhodes Bonus Disc ME1"/><ref name="MEArtBook"/>
For the final design the art team opted for a more mechanical approach, trying to make them stand out from synthetic enemies in other science-fiction universes. Their head design was originally envisioned for the Geth armature, a specific quadrupedal Geth enemy. This design also featured a protruding chest, inspired by the anatomy of some animal species such as pigeons. Elements from earlier iterations were kept, previous designs were maintained, including the aforementioned tube-like elements, which are integrated into the back of the final version. This appearance was also intended to closely resemble Quarian environmental suits, highlighting the fact that the Geth had been modelled after their creators.<ref name= "Matt Rhodes Bonus Disc ME1"/><ref name="MEArtBook"/>
In designing Geth technology, the art team drew inspiration from insects. Geth spacecraft feature a set of legs that make them resemble giant metallic insects. These leg-like structures were made to mimic a fly rubbing its legs together. Due to the abundance of Geth enemies in the first ''Mass Effect'', the species was designed with a wide array of weapons and platforms. The Geth were originally intended to be sidelined for the next entries in the series, but they were ultimately kept due to their positive reception in the first ''Mass Effect''. For a quest in ''Mass Effect 3'' that takes place in Rannoch, the Quarian home world, the art team was inspired by the industrial style of Lloyd's building in London's main financial district to show that the Geth had kept it in a pristine and ordered state whilst they remained on the planet.<ref name="MEArtBook"/><ref name="VG247 on GethRachni"/>
===Types=== [[File:A Geth Colossus in Mass Effect.png|thumb|right|A Geth colossus as it appears in ''Mass Effect'']] The Geth were designed with a variety of shapes and sizes, with several different types present throughout the trilogy. In addition to the standard humanoid Geth, a number of specialized units are encountered throughout the franchise.<ref name="Top Villains"/>
* '''Geth armature and Geth colossus:''' Geth armatures are massive quadruped Geth units equipped with heavy weapons and shields designed by the art team to provide the player with a large and dangerous enemy to fight against. According to the ''Mass Effect'' codex, an in-game compilation of lore, they are "quadruped all-terrain heavy weapons platforms", highlighting their similarity to modern armored vehicles. It was originally planned for a mounted turret to be present on their heads, but it was removed to allow for multi-directional aiming. An even larger version was also designed, the Geth colossus.<ref name="Top Villains"/><ref name="Armature"/><ref name="Artbook2"/>
* '''Geth drone, Geth heavy drone and Geth flyer:''' The Geth drones and heavy drones were designed by the art team to bear a similarity to the standard Geth while providing a fast-moving enemy for the player to contend with. The Geth flyer was designed to serve as an aerial platform for Geth troopers, although it would ultimately only be used by Saren Arterius, the primary villain of the first ''Mass Effect'' game''.''<ref name="Artbook2"/>
==Fictional attributes== ===Technology=== Within the ''Mass Effect'' universe, the Geth are presented as networked artificial intelligences that lack any inherent connection to their physical body. The different bipedal or quadrupedal forms encountered throughout the series act as interchangeable "mobile platforms" that one or multiple Geth programs can upload themselves to.<ref name="GethCodex" /> Individual Geth programs are depicted as possessing minimal processing power, sufficient only for executing and interpreting their most basic motor functions and sensory inputs. However, the networked artificial intelligence mentioned above allows them to connect with each other and cooperate and allocate part of their processing power toward more complex reasoning and tasks.<ref name="PolygonMassEffect" /> The series' narrative depicts the Geth as operating within a collective consciousness in which each Geth program has the ability to share data and experiences with others.<ref name="Thomas Faller" />
===Culture and society=== The existence of Geth culture is a point of debate in the ''Mass Effect'' lore, as an individual Geth program is depicted to only possess a rudimentary, animal-like intelligence. However, when in proximity to other programs, their networked processing power allows them to employ advanced behaviors like tactical planning, strategizing and situational analysis. Whether this networked intelligence results in each Geth program having individual "personalities" remains a point of ambiguity within the narrative.<ref name="Thomas Faller" /><ref name="Geth Culture" /> Throughout the games, Geth society is organized around the principle of consensus. Rather than acting as individuals, Geth programs share a collective mind, communicating experiences and information across their network, rather than through independent action.<ref name="Functionalism"/><ref name="Thomas Faller"/>
===History=== Within the series' backstory, the Geth were created by the Quarians as a tool of labor and war around 300 years prior to the first ''Mass Effect'', modelled after their creators. The term "Geth" means "servant of the people" in the fictional Quarian language, the Quarian native tongue. Initially the Geth were not intended to develop true intelligence, as safeguards had been implemented by the Quarians to guarantee their non-sentience. However, as the Quarians became more reliant on them, their networked processes made them become exponentially more intelligent, eventually being used as a means to gain self-awareness.<ref name="Thomas Faller"/><ref name="Vanessa Erat" />
The species' background history centers on a conflict triggered when the Geth began to question their own existence, reaching the point of inquiring whether they possessed a soul or not. The Quarians interpreted this behavior as a malfunction and demanded the deactivation of all Geth programs. The Geth, who had intended no initial harm on their creators, fought back in self-defense and triggered a galactic conflict.<ref name="Vanessa Erat" /><ref name="Thomas Faller"/> This event, which ended with the death of most of the Quarian population, serves as an element of the game's worldbuilding, explaining the Quarian exile from their home planet of Rannoch into the Migrant Fleet, a massive flotilla of salvaged second-hand ships of varying shapes and sizes that nomadically wanders space.<ref name="Thomas Faller"/><ref name="Vanessa Erat"/> Following the end of the war, the Geth are depicted as having earned an ungrateful reputation amongst the many species in the galaxy. However, the Geth didn't pursue any further attacks on the Quarians, portrayed as only wanting to establish a peaceful society.<ref name="Thomas Faller"/>
==Appearances== The Geth were first introduced in the tie-in novel ''Mass Effect: Revelation'', where they are described as a networked synthetic race that had been created by the Quarians and that had ultimately rebelled against their creators.<ref name= "Revelation"/>
===''Mass Effect''=== In the original ''Mass Effect'', the Geth are presented as the primary antagonistic force that Shepard, the game's protagonist, encounters.<ref name="Sorry to kill"/> The game's narrative begins with a Geth attack on the human colony of Eden Prime, where Shepard first encounters them and Saren Arterius, a rogue Turian Spectre, an intergalactic intelligence group with almost no limitations imposed on their actions. Influenced by the reaper Sovereign, Saren leads the Geth to attack multiple planets. As the story progresses, Shepard collaborates with the Salarian military to prevent Saren and the Geth from establishing a large-scale Krogan army.<ref name="Gizmodo"/> The game also allows the player to examine the Geth-Quarian conflict from a Quarian perspective through Tali'Zorah, a squadmate who can accompany Shepard on missions.<ref name="Vanessa Erat"/>
===''Mass Effect 2''=== Toward the conclusion of the game, Shepard meets Legion, a gestalt consciousness composed of a collective of networked artificial intelligences that serve as the series' first Geth squadmate if reactivated. It is then disclosed that only a subset of the Geth known as "the heretics" had followed Saren Arterius' orders and allied with the Reapers in return for a Reaper body that all Geth could upload themselves to. The remainder, known as "the true Geth", declined Sovereign's offer.<ref name="Kelly Aliano"/><ref name="Functionalism"/> During Legion's loyalty mission, a specialized side-quest that Shepard has to complete in order to gain each squadmate's loyalty, Shepard must decide whether to rewrite "the heretics"' code and force them to rejoin the "true Geth" or destroy them entirely.<ref name="Functionalism"/><ref name="Theology"/><ref name="10toughest"/>
In the paid downloadable content ''Mass Effect 2: Overlord'', the human-supremacist group Cerberus attempts to gain control of the Geth by connecting a human test subject to a virtual intelligence, an advanced user interface software designed to simulate natural conversation, with Shepard ultimately faced with a decision regarding the test subject's fate.<ref name="ViceOverlord"/>
===''Mass Effect 3''=== In ''Mass Effect 3'', Shepard must unite the galaxy's various species to fight off the ongoing Reaper invasion. During the course of the narrative, the Quarians decide to make an attempt to retake their home world, Rannoch.<ref name="Eurogamer2"/> As the story progresses, Shepard encounters either Legion or, if Legion died in ''Mass Effect 2'', a replacement Geth virtual intelligence program.<ref name="GamingBolt"/> Whoever Shepard may encounter then eveals that the Geth had accepted aid from the Reapers in order to ensure their survival in their fight against the Quarians. The outcome of this conflict is dependent on player choice regarding decisions involving Tali'Zorah, Legion and the interactions between them and their respective species. The narrative concludes with Shepard either supporting the Quarians, siding with the Geth, or brokering a peace deal. If a peace agreement is reached or Shepard allies with the Geth, the Reaper enhancements to the Geth code are retained, with the Geth becoming true individuals, while their alliance with them is severed. If the player otherwise decides to support the Quarians, the entirety of the Geth race is destroyed.<ref name="Eurogamer2"/><ref name="Theology"/><ref name="Thomas Faller"/>
During a side-quest that must be done before the end of the conflict, Shepard enters the Geth consensus and gains an insight into the initial Geth uprising and the Geth-Quarian conflict from the Geth point of view, showing that not all Quarians had agreed with the start of the conflict.<ref name="Functionalism"/>
===''Mass Effect: Andromeda''=== The Geth do not make a physical appearance in ''Mass Effect: Andromeda'', but they play an indirect role in its backstory. They are responsible for the discovery of "Golden Worlds", a group of presumably habitable planets within the fictional Heleus Cluster of the Andromeda Galaxy. To achieve this, the Geth built a faster-than-light telescope from three mass effect relays, a set of Reaper-built massive space installations that allow spaceships to slingshot themselves from one to another through a corridor of massless space.<ref name="PolygonMassEffect"/>
===Untitled future ''Mass Effect'' game=== On November 7, 2021, a date celebrated by BioWare and the Mass Effect fandom as the official Mass Effect day, BioWare released a piece of concept art for the next installment in the series. The image depicted a massive crater whose shape closely resembled that of a Geth.<ref name="PolygonN7Day2021"/>
On the same date in 2022, BioWare released a short video in which Liara T'Soni appears to be engaged in a conversation with a Geth.<ref name="EurogamerN7Day2022"/>
In 2023, BioWare once again used that date to show a teaser followed by a poster depicting a club scene populated by various species, among which what appeared to be a Geth dressed in clothing could be found.<ref name="GamesRadar+N7Day2023"/>
==Reception and analysis== ===Reception=== The Geth have been featured in multiple ranked lists of the ''Mass Effect'' franchise's species and villains. Shubhankar Parijat of ''GamingBolt'' ranked the Geth #8 on his list of the best alien races in the franchise, due to their "fascinating" backstory and the use of Legion to convey their point of view.<ref name="Shubhankar"/> Similarly, Sean Murray of ''TheGamer'' placed the Geth at #4, noting the complexity of their fictional backstory and their power derived from networking thousands of artificial intelligence, endlessly debating and generally voting in favor of peaceful co-existence except when threatened.<ref name="TheGamerSeanMurray"/> The Geth were ranked #48 in ''IGN'''s list of the 100 best video game villains, noting them as an example of "man's most fearsome technological nightmare" and emphasizing their ambush tactics.<ref name="Top Villains"/> Jakub Mirowski of ''GamePressure'', in his list of enemies he regretted killing, reflected on the emotional impact of fighting the Geth, stating that it was difficult to feel satisfaction in defeating them once it became clear they were on the verge of true sentience, capable of noble acts and profound sacrifices. Mirowski also pointed out how the Geth’s exploitation by the Reapers, so soon after their struggle for autonomy, evoked a surprising sense of compassion.<ref name="Sorry to kill"/>
Shayna Josi of ''Game Rant'' argued that the Geth were one of the most interesting interpretations of AI in science fiction. Josi suggested that the discarded squadmate concept of the 'Geth Frankenstein' could be an interesting one to explore in the next ''Mass Effect'' game.<ref name="Shayna" /> Matthew Byrd of ''Den of Geek'' highlighted the parallels between the Geth and other synthetic species found in science fiction. He noted that their networked AI "hivemind" is reminiscent of the Borg from ''Star Trek'', while their design and philosophy draw clear comparisons to the Cylons from ''Battlestar Galactica''.<ref name="Den of Geek" /> Eric Emin Wood invoked the Geth in his critique of Hanson Robotics, arguing that when an AI reaches a certain intellectual milestone, it should be considered a new form of life.<ref name="Wood" /> Tyler Fischer of ''ComicBook.com'' discussed how the Geth could play a role in bringing back Commander Shepard in the next ''Mass Effect'' game.<ref name="ComicBook.com" />
The Geth-Quarian conflict has also been spotlighted: Carlos Morales of ''IGN Southeast Asia'' called it one of the most iconic confrontations in the franchise, essential for inclusion in Amazon's planned TV adaptation,<ref name="IGNSoutEasAsia"/> while András Neltz of ''Kotaku'' emphasized it as one of the most significant player decisions in the entire Mass Effect trilogy.<ref name="KotakuNeltz"/>
===Analysis=== Several scholars have analyzed the philosophical and literary roots of the Geth and drawn comparisons with historical events. In a scholarly e-book published by Brill, Thomas Faller compared the Geth to René Descartes' ''cogito ergo sum'', a philosophical notion that once an individual becomes self-conscious, it gains the ability to form connections and affirm its own existence. Faller also compared the Geth to Mary Shelley's ''Frankenstein'' noting that, as seen in the novel, the Quarians "struggle to remain dominant as the creations gain consciousness and self-awareness". Faller also used Isaac Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics to highlight how ''Mass Effect'' and BioWare use the Geth to predict a "more-than-likely future of artificial intelligence in terms of their development as slaves".<ref name="Thomas Faller"/> David Callahan of the University of Aveiro analyzed the complexity of the decision to rewrite or destroy the Geth heretics in ''Mass Effect 2'', drawing an analogy between the choice that the player has to make to alter a species' destiny to "what settler-invader peoples did, and are still doing, to Indigenous peoples".<ref name="David Callahan"/> Kelly I. Aliano drew comparisons between the Geth and theories of posthumanism and a potential "robot revolution", arguing that although such a revolution is not imminent, its implications continue to resonate with our increasingly technology-mediated human lives.<ref name="Kelly Aliano"/>
Geth-Quarian relationships have also been the subject of philosophical and literary analysis. In a scholarly e-book published by Brill, Vanessa Erat analyzed Geth-Quarian relationships from a post-colonialist and cultural point of view. Erat compared Geth-Quarian relationships to the writings of MUD's creator Richard Bartle and ''Cow Clicker'''s creator and Washington University professor Ian Bogost, reaching the conclusion that "the truly powerful thing that video games can do is to create empathy with the vulnerable".<ref name="Vanessa Erat"/> Kieran Wilson examined their relationships from a narrative perspective, arguing that they exemplify a stratified-narrative model of game storytelling.<ref name="Kieran Wilson"/>
Other scholars have explored the sociological and theological implications of the Geth. Jordan Webber and Daniel Griliopoulos analyzed the Geth within the context of the philosophy of Hilary Putnam's functionalism, also using them as a warning about the possible dangers of AI.<ref name="Functionalism"/> In ''Technology and Theology'', Erin Archer examines the question of whether the Geth possess souls through the philosophical frameworks of Origen of Alexandria and Thomas Aquinas. Archer argues that, according to Origen's thought, the Geth could potentially possess human-like souls, as his philosophy allows for a broader interpretation of spiritual essence. In contrast, Aquinas' framework suggests that the Geth could not possess souls unless they had a divine origin, since he ties the soul intrinsically to divine creation. Archer also examines the Geth's capacity for conscious free will, arguing that unlike HAL 9000 from ''2001: A Space Odyssey'', whose fear may be caused by its programming, the Geth have the capacity to make independent choices. Archer states that, if the Geth hadn't had free will, they would have all either followed Saren or rejected him.<ref name="Theology"/>
==References== {{Reflist|30em|refs=
<ref name="Thomas Faller">{{cite book|url=https://brill.com/display/book/edcoll/9781848884380/BP000003.xml|first=Thomas|last=Faller|title=Levelling Up:The Cultural Impact of Contemporary Videogames - We Are Legion: Artificial Intelligence in BioWare's Mass Effect|publisher=BRILL|date=January 4, 2019|access-date=June 27, 2025|isbn=978-1-84888-438-0}}</ref>
<ref name="Vanessa Erat">{{cite book|url=https://brill.com/display/book/edcoll/9781848884380/BP000011.xml|first=Vanessa|last=Erat|title=Levelling Up: The Cultural Impact of Contemporary Videogames - A (Dis)United Galaxy: The Silenced Voices of Non-Human Minorities in BioWare's Mass Effect|publisher=BRILL|date=January 4, 2019|access-date= June 27, 2025|isbn=978-1-84888-438-0}}</ref>
<ref name="David Callahan">{{cite web|url=https://gamestudies.org/1902/articles/davidcallahan|first=David|last=Callahan|title=Do not Fear the Reapers, Fear Multiculturalism: Canadian Contexts and Ethnic Elisions in Mass Effect|access-date=June 27, 2025}}</ref>
<ref name="Kelly Aliano">{{cite book|first=Kelly I.|last=Aliano|title=The Performance of Video Games - Enacting Identity, History and Culture Through Play|publisher=McFarland|date=November 10, 2022|isbn=9781476685496}}</ref>
<ref name="Functionalism">{{cite book|first1=Jordan Erica|last1=Webber|first2=Daniel|last2=Griliopoulos|title=Ten things video games can teach us about life, philosophy and everything|publisher=Little, Brown Book Group|isbn=9781472137920}}</ref>
<ref name="Theology">{{cite book|editor-first=William H. U.|first=Erin|last=Archer|editor-last=Anderson|title=Technology and Theology - Chapter 14: Does This Unit Have a Soul? Aquinas and Origen on the Ethics of Transhumanism and AI in Mass Effect|date=January 5, 2021|isbn=9781648890864}}</ref>
<ref name="Kieran Wilson">{{cite book|url=https://brill.com/display/book/edcoll/9781848884380/BP000005.xml|first=Kieran|last=Wilson|title=Levelling Up:The Cultural Impact of Contemporary Videogames - Ludic Narratology: Creating a Theory of Structure in Choice-Based Video Game Narratives|publisher=BRILL|date=January 4, 2019|access-date=June 28, 2025|isbn=978-1-84888-438-0}}</ref>
<ref name="Wood">{{cite web|url=https://www.itbusiness.ca/news/cinematech-mass-effect-argued-ai-was-a-new-life-form-better-than-an-actual-ai-developer/104689|title=CinemaTech – Mass Effect argued AI was a new life form better than an actual AI developer|last=Wood|first=Eric|date=September 7, 2018|access-date=March 20, 2020|work=ITBusiness.ca|archive-date=March 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200322184310/https://www.itbusiness.ca/news/cinematech-mass-effect-argued-ai-was-a-new-life-form-better-than-an-actual-ai-developer/104689|url-status=dead}}</ref>
<ref name="Sorry to kill">{{cite web|url=https://www.gamepressure.com/editorials/enemies-whom-wed-rather-not-kill/Geth-in-mass-effect/za2a7|title= Geth in Mass Effect. Eight Enemies We Were Sorry to Kill|first=Jakub|last=Mirowski|website=GamePressure|date=May 24, 2020|access-date=June 28, 2025}}</ref>
<ref name="IGNSoutEasAsia">{{cite web|url=https://sea.ign.com/mass-effect-the-series/222395/feature/11-mass-effect-characters-and-moments-the-tv-show-needs-to-be-a-hit|title= 11 Mass Effect Characters and Moments the TV Show Needs to Be a Hit|first=Carlos|last=Morales|website=IGN Southeast Asia|date=Nov 12, 2024|access-date=June 28, 2025}}</ref>
<ref name="TheGamerSeanMurray">{{cite web|url=https://www.thegamer.com/ranking-every-major-mass-effect-race-from-worst-to-best/|title= Ranking Every Major Mass Effect Race From Worst To Best|first=Sean|last=Murray|website=TheGamer|access-date=June 28, 2025}}</ref>
<ref name="Shubhankar">{{cite web|url=https://gamingbolt.com/top-10-best-alien-races-in-mass-effect/3|title=Top 10 Best Alien Races in Mass Effect|first=Shubhankar|last=Parijat|website=GamingBolt|date=April 21, 2021|access-date=June 28, 2025}}</ref>
<ref name="KotakuNeltz">{{cite web|url=https://kotaku.com/the-most-defining-decisions-you-have-to-make-in-mass-ef-471612781|title=The Most Defining Decisions You Have To Make In Mass Effect|first=András|last=Neltz|website=Kotaku|date=April 12, 2013|access-date=June 28, 2025}}</ref>
<ref name= "Shayna">{{cite web|url=https://gamerant.com/mass-effect-2-cut-Geth-frankenstein-character-me4-legion-revive-species/|title=How Mass Effect 2's Cut 'Geth Frankenstein' Character Could Work in ME4|first=Shayna|last=Josi|website=Game Rant|archive-date=June 28, 2025|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250628133228/https://gamerant.com/mass-effect-2-cut-Geth-frankenstein-character-me4-legion-revive-species/|date=June 24, 2023|access-date= March 16, 2026}}</ref>
<ref name= "PolygonMassEffect">{{cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/mass-effect-andromeda-guide-walkthrough/2017/3/21/14311292/mass-effect-lore-story-beginners-guide-explainer-recap|first=Susana|last=Polo|title=The lore of Mass Effect: A complete guide|website=Polygon|date=March 21, 2017|access-date= June 28, 2025}}</ref>
<ref name="Den of Geek">{{cite web|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/games/mass-effect-best-star-trek-references-easter-eggs-tribute/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517225111/https://www.denofgeek.com/games/mass-effect-best-star-trek-references-easter-eggs-tribute/|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 17, 2021|first=Matthew|last=Byrd|title=Mass Effect: Best Star Trek References and Easter Eggs|website=Den of Geek|date=May 17, 2011|access-date=June 29, 2025}}</ref>
<ref name="Armature">{{cite video game |title=Mass Effect: Legendary Edition |developer=BioWare |quote= '''Codex - Geth Armatures:''' Armatures are quadruped all-terrain heavy weapons platforms, akin to the armored fighting vehicles of other races. Geth being synthetic intelligences, armatures are not crewed vehicles, but intelligent entities, capable of independent decision-making and learning. Armatures are equipped with heavy kinetic barriers. Their main cannon, mounted on the articulated 'head' turret, appears to be a highly efficient conventional mass accelerator.}}</ref>
<ref name="Top Villains">{{cite web |url=http://uk.ign.com/videogame-villains/48.html |title=The Top 100 Videogame Villains |work=IGN |access-date=June 28, 2025 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120531160857/http://uk.ign.com/videogame-villains/48.html |archive-date=May 31, 2012}}</ref>
<ref name="GethCodex">{{cite video game |title=Mass Effect: Legendary Edition|developer=BioWare|quote='''Codex - Geth - Technology:'''The most difficult aspect of Geth existence for organics to comprehend is that a body is meaningless to Geth. The biped form commonly perceived as a Geth is nothing more than a "mobile platform." A Geth's software -- hundreds of programs whose interactions mimic organic consciousness -- can be installed in any given hardware. The Geth that was a bipedal soldier an hour ago may now be a quadruped heavy armature and, in another hour, might be a starship.}}</ref>
<ref name="PolygonN7Day2021">{{cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/22769946/new-mass-effect-5-teaser-poster-Geth-story/|first=Michael|last=McWhertor|title=New Mass Effect teaser hints at the return of the Geth|website=Polygon|date=November 8, 2021|access-date=January 18, 2026}}</ref>
<ref name="EurogamerN7Day2022">{{cite web|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/mass-effect-5-development-proceeding-very-well-as-bioware-issues-fresh-tease|first=Tom|last=Phillips|title=New Mass Effect teaser hints at the return of the Geth|website=Eurogamer|date=November 7, 2022|access-date=January 18, 2026}}</ref>
<ref name="ComicBook.com">{{cite web|url=https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/the-Geth-may-bring-back-commander-shepard-in-mass-effect-5/|first=Tyler|last=Fischer|title=The Geth May Bring Back Commander Shepard in Mass Effect 5|website=ComicBook.com|date=November 21, 2025|access-date=January 18, 2026}}</ref>
<ref name="10toughest">{{cite web|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/games/mass-effect-toughest-choices-decisions-trilogy/|first=Matthew|last=Byrd|title= Mass Effect: 10 Toughest Choices in the Trilogy|date=May 14, 2021|access-date=March 16, 2026}}</ref>
<ref name="Gizmodo">{{cite web|url=https://gizmodo.com/mass-effect-made-itself-on-virmire-1846815333|first=James|last=Whitbrook|title=''Mass Effect'' Made Itself on Virmire|date=May 6, 2021|access-date=March 16, 2026}}</ref>
<ref name="Eurogamer2">{{cite web|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/the-other-mass-effect-3-the-game-you-didnt-play|first=Tom|last=Phillips|title=The Other Mass Effect 3: The Game You Didn't Play|date= July 19, 2012|access-date=March 16, 2026}}</ref>
<ref name="Geth Culture">{{cite video game |title=Mass Effect: Legendary Edition|developer=BioWare|quote='''Codex - Geth - Technology:'''The most remarkable aspect of Geth culture is that it may not exist at all. No one knows whether Geth develop personalities as organic-created AIs do.}}</ref>
<ref name= "Matt Rhodes Bonus Disc ME1">{{cite AV media|date= November 20, 2007|title= Art Gallery: The Creatures Of Mass Effect|url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOGUpfkpKkI|via=YouTube}}{{dead YouTube link|date=April 2026}}</ref>
<ref name="MEArtBook">{{cite book|first=Derek|last=Watts|date=February 23, 2021|title=The Art of the Mass Effect Trilogy: Expanded Edition|isbn=9781506721637}}</ref>
<ref name= "Revelation">{{cite book |last= Karpyshyn | first= Drew |title= Mass Effect: Revelation | date= 2 March 2012 | publisher= Del Rey Books|isbn= 9782811206772}}</ref>
<ref name="ViceOverlord">{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/mass-effect-2-overlord-should-have-stayed-in-2010/|first=M. Wesley|last=Alvey|title='Mass Effect 2: Overlord' Should Have Stayed in 2010|date= May 4, 2021|access-date=March 22, 2026}}</ref>
<ref name="Artbook2">{{cite book|last=Birlew|first=Dan|title=The Art of Mass Effect|date=November 20, 2007|publisher=Prima Development|isbn=9780761558514}}</ref>
<ref name="VG247 on GethRachni">{{cite web|url=https://www.vg247.com/mass-effects-continued-Geth-storyline-the-trade-off-for-missing-rachni-plot|last=Hillier|first=Brenna|title= Mass Effect's continued Geth storyline the "trade off" for missing Rachni plot|date=April 10, 2013|website=VG247|access-date=April 12, 2026}}</ref>
<ref name="GamesRadar+N7Day2023">{{cite web|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/figuring-out-what-the-n7-day-2023-teaser-means-for-mass-effect-5-is-sending-my-fan-theory-brain-into-overdrive/|last=Wald|first=Heather|title=Figuring out what the N7 Day 2023 teaser means for Mass Effect 5 is sending my fan theory brain into overdrive|date=November 8, 2023|access-date=May 13, 2026|website=GamesRadar+}}</ref>
<ref name="GamingBolt">{{cite web|url=https://gamingbolt.com/mass-effect-legendary-edition-guide-all-decisions-and-choices-in-mass-effect-2|first=Ravi|last=Sinha|title=Mass Effect: Legendary Edition Guide – All Decisions and Choices in Mass Effect 2|date=June 9, 2021|access-date=May 29, 2026}}</ref> }} {{Mass Effect}} Category:Fictional extraterrestrial robots Category:Video game characters introduced in 2007 Category:Mass Effect species