Prothean

The Protheans were an ancient humanoid species in the Mass Effect video game universe. They inhabited the Milky Way Galaxy and established a vast interstellar civilization known for its advanced science and engineering. The Protheans are credited with creating the Citadel and the network of mass relays that enables galaxy-spanning travel, shaping the structure of galactic society for millennia.

Culture and technology: The Protheans possessed highly developed technologies, including sophisticated data storage and exploration tools. Their ruins and beacons spread across many worlds preserve fragments of their knowledge, history, and language. Prothean artifacts often serve as crucial sources of information for successors seeking to understand galactic history and Reaper lore.

Extinction and legacy: Approximately 50,000 years before the primary events of Mass Effect, the Protheans were largely wiped out by the Reapers, a recurring synthetic-organic threat. Despite their disappearance, their architectural, infrastructural, and technological legacies persisted, underlying much of the galaxy’s current infrastructure and scientific understanding. Genetic and archaeological evidence suggests traces of Prothean DNA in some species, notably the Asari, reflecting ancient contact or admixture.

Archaeology and impact: Prothean sites are central to galactic archaeology within the Mass Effect lore. Beacons, ruins, and data caches provide vital insights into Reaper history and the nature of Prothean civilization, often guiding explorers and shaping the narratives of subsequent species.

In media: The Protheans appear as a foundational element of galactic history in the Mass Effect series, with their artifacts and writings revealing key aspects of the galaxy’s past and its ongoing struggle against the Reapers.