Liara T'Soni
Weapons	M-3 Predator, Disciple, M-4 Shuriken, Biotics.
Origin	Mass Effect
Activities	Asari Scientist (Formerly), Information Broker (Formerly), The New Shadow Broker, Helping Commander Shepard.
Service	2077-2186
Battle Status	Will Fight Tex, and Aayla Secura.

Dr. Liara T'Soni is an asari researcher who has spent the past fifty years of her life studying Prothean technology and culture, specialising in the Prothean extinction. She was born on Thessia in 2077, making her "only" 106—little more than a child in asari terms—when Mass Effect takes place.

After learning Liara is Matriarch Benezia's daughter, Commander Shepard searches for Liara to discover what, if anything, she knows. Searching the Artemis Tau cluster, Shepard eventually discovers her suspended in an energy field at a dig site on Therum, a mining world in the Knossos system. The geth have chased her behind the barrier curtains, in an attempt to either kill Liara or force her to help Saren Arterius find the Conduit. After being rescued from the doomed ruins, Liara joins the Normandy and is subsequently available as a squad member. She uses her telepathic abilities to assist in interpreting Shepard's fragmented visions gained from the Prothean Beacons, in order to discover and thwart Saren's plan in time. She was surprised by Shepard's revelation of the Protheans' extinction by the Reapers, but believed it to be true, as there was remarkably little evidence of the Protheans' existence—as if something or someone did not want the mystery of their extinction solved.

Liara does not relish her role as Benezia's daughter and has shied away from her mother's life as an important figure in galactic affairs. Benezia's position meant Liara faced high expectations from everyone, and she chose a career in archaeology to escape the pressures of being the daughter of such a prominent figure. Because of her work, Liara spends most of her time alone. She is shy and not used to lying, a trait Ashley Williams is tempted to take advantage of—"Want me to ask about her sex life? Might be illuminating."

Liara is viewed with suspicion by the rest of the Normandy's crew because of her connection to Benezia, though she has not spoken to the matriarch in many years. However, she knows her mother well enough to be astonished to discover she is working with Saren, and does not believe she could be aiding him of her own free will. Shepard can talk to Liara about her mother and discuss the reasons Benezia may have for assisting Saren, as well as asari culture in general and the misconceptions surrounding Liara's species. Liara later explains she is unaware of whom Benezia chose as her partner, only knowing that her 'second parent' was another asari. Reproduction between two asari is taboo in asari culture, which may contribute to Liara behaving as an outcast from society; it is speculated that her 'father' did not wish to be identified due to the social stigma surrounding 'pureblooded' offspring. Whatever the reason, Benezia never reveals the identity of her partner to Liara—whether this is important enough to be explored further in the future is unclear. As a result, Benezia raised Liara alone, though this is not unusual among asari due to their long lifespan. From an early age Liara became fascinated in the Protheans, seeing them as wondrous, mysterious figures.