Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is all about decisions, especially because choices and circumstances roll over from the first game to Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3. Sometimes players must make difficult decisions that can result in the deaths of many, and one of the biggest decisions Commander Shepard must make in Mass Effect 1 is whether or not to save the Council towards the end of the game.
This guide contains mild spoilers for the Mass Effect trilogy.
Many decisions throughout Mass Effect can be split between Paragon and Renegade, the morality system. Morality is affected based on the choices Commander Shepard makes. For example, by complying with officers and being kind to those in need of help, Shepard will be awarded Paragon points. On the flip side, should Commander Shepard respond brashly or become hostile in situations, they'll earn Renegade points. These impact what dialogue options become available for Commander Shepard, which can, in turn, greatly affect the story in Mass Effect: Legendary Edition. One of the biggest Renegade/Paragon choices is saving or sacrificing the Council.
During the Race Against Time quest arc, Shepard will eventually be notified that the Council is aboard the Destiny Ascension. Its shields are beginning to fail and its engines are offline. Joker will inform Shepard that he can save them if the Commander opens the Relays to the Citadel.
Deciding whether or not the Council should survive is something of a litmus test for Mass Effect 1 players. The Citadel Council is the executive committee that allows Shepard to become a Spectre, but not without some hassle. It could be argued that it's sometimes fueled by some prejudice towards humans in the Mass Effect universe, but the Council is often rude or condescending towards Shepard and judges their decision-making at every step of the way. Some of Shepard's crew will also mention that the Council has never done much for humanity, so it can be easy to toss them out when the time comes.
However, deciding to let the Council die will have some negative effects. Some races will act hostile towards Commander Shepard and other humans due to this decision, namely in the Wards. Additionally, in Mass Effect 3, the Destiny Ascension War Asset is not achievable and therefore can affect endgame content.
On the other hand, if Shepard chooses the Paragon option and saves the Council, they'll still treat the Commander poorly. Overall, however, this decision in Mass Effect won't greatly impact much other than some dialogue and the Destiny Ascension War Asset. Having the Ascension during the final battle also adds a small cutscene.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.