Mass Effect 1: Kill Or Free the Rachni Queen?

Mass Effect 1 is filled with brutal choices. The Legendary Edition doesn’t make things any easier for you either; it’s just that now these life or death choices are much prettier! If you’re here, you’re likely staring down at the mesmerizing beady eyes of the Rachni Queen and wondering: Should you kill or free the Rachni Queen in Mass Effect 1?

Allow us to help you find an answer.

Kill or Free the Rachni Queen In Mass Effect 1

OK, so let’s just make one thing very clear: There isn’t a third option here, or a way to make everyone happy. You’re going to have to either release this Queen that is arguably responsible for these hordes of Rachni you just had cut through, or kill her and make a species go completely extinct. Even if you’re not president of the Rachni fan club, that’s pretty dark.

For a non-spoiler recommendation, go with what your morals dictate. If you want a boat load of Paragon points, free the Queen. If you want Renegade points instead, kill her. The immediate consequences are as simple as that. The ramifications of your choice other than the Paragon/Renegade bump will be felt more in future games than in Mass Effect 1. If you don’t mind some spoilers, keep reading for a more detailed explanation of which you should pick.

What Happens if You Kill or Free the Queen (Spoilers for ME3)

If you decide to kill the Rachni Queen, they are extinct once the third game rolls around. However, the Reapers will find a way to clone and produce artificial Rachni that will attack you. If you go this route, make sure to put the Rachni down once and for all. Otherwise, they will betray you and lower your readiness score as they will ally with the Reapers regardless of what you do.

If you free the Rachni Queen, then the Reapers will enslave the new Rachni, but you will have the opportunity to rescue them and free the Rachni Queen one last time. She will then ally with the allied alien races and help fight the Reapers, raising your readiness score.

That’s all you need to know about whether you should kill or save the Rachni Queen in Mass Effect 1. For more tips, tricks, and FAQs answered, be sure to check out our Mass Effect Legendary Edition wiki guide for more helpful info.