Mass Effect Discovery #2 Review – Don’t Do Biotics, Kids
I had to re-read the last issue of Mass Effect Discovery to understand what in the world was going on. I remembered this comic was about Kandros joining the Initiative, but, um, why are they interrogating quarians? That’s one problem with these mini-series; a lot happens in each issue and you have to remember all of it for a month. My memory certainly isn’t what it once was, and it doesn’t help that issue #2 starts immediately after the last issue ended. Once you turn the cover page, you’re smacked with Kandros and Luna investigating a quarian mining site. Once I took a few steps back into the first issue, I was immediately up to speed and followed along with zero problems. With the way this one ended, I doubt I’ll have a similar problem with issue #3, but it seems like this series may be best read all at once.
Kandros is still trying to earn the trust of the Initiative so he can complete his spy mission. Since it’s taking longer than they thought to track down Shio’Leth, the quarian who drew up the calculations for safe galactic navigation, the turians are having doubts about his mission. He’s feeling pressure from both sides, and it doesn’t look like things are getting any easier. Especially now that they have run into the crazy salarian with a biotic problem.
Not much was really accomplished this issue other than seeing someone crazy is after Shio as well. However, there was a rare glimpse into the quarian flotilla life and some background information on Shio. Turns out he spent his pilgrimmage with heretic geth and tried to take the flotilla to an unknown system outside the Veil. He was banished for that act, which is how he ended up with the Initiative. Knowing what I know now about the heretic geth, the geth in general, and the quarians, they should have listened to Shio. Then again, if they had, we wouldn’t have had Tali’s main quest in Mass Effect 3.
The biggest mystery behind Mass Effect Discovery is how this all fits into Mass Effect Andromeda. This is only a four-issue mini-series, and Kandros is still not going by his real name. How in the world does he go from a turian spy to the Andromeda Initiative security second-in-command? Not only that, but Sloane Kelly said quite a few times in the Mass Effect Andromeda: Nexus Uprising novel that she had worked with Kandros for a long time. Hence why he was her second-in-command and became the head of security after her exile. It’s possible that Discovery takes place years before the Initiative’s launch, but dialogue between Jien Garson and Luna suggest that the launch’s schedule date is in a matter of days, not years.
In two more months, perhaps I’ll have my answer. Although, I do have a feeling I’ll be left with more questions.
Our Rating: Yep
Authors: John Dombrow and Jeremy Barlow
Artists: Gabriel Guzman and Michael Atiyeh
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Publish Date: 06/28/2017
Acquired via Publisher
