EDI

-Born of the rogue Hannibal-class VI with additional engineering from Reaper technology
-Designed for cyberwarfare and counter-cyberwarfare.

### Affiliation

Normandy SR-2

The **E**nhanced **D**efense **I**ntelligence, or **EDI** (pronounced 'Ee-Dee' [ˈiːdiː]), is an AI created by Cerberus and installed aboard the Normandy SR-2. She is represented visually by a holographic blue sphere and aurally with a feminine voice at various terminals throughout the ship where she can provide basic information about the Normandy and Cerberus.

## Mass Effect 2

EDI is a Quantum Blue Box type AI that functions as the electronic warfare defense for the Normandy SR-2. Because of the potential danger of a rogue AI, she has been given behavioral blocks and cannot interface with the ship's systems. She also serves as the Illusive Man's eyes and ears on the Normandy, monitoring the many listening devices on board and sending regular reports to him.

The Illusive Man restricted Commander Shepard's access to some of EDI's files and capabilities for unknown reasons, although EDI surmises that the reason is probably because he does not want Shepard to know everything about Cerberus just yet. EDI is however able to provide basic but sketchy information on Cerberus, about its task oriented structure into cells, but cannot provide more details on the cells' operations. Information on topics like the Normandy SR-2's construction or Cerberus resources are subject to behavioral blocks according to EDI.

EDI gets into a lot of arguments with Joker, who initially doesn't like her being installed on the Normandy. When asked, EDI explains that it is not her intention to annoy Joker, rather it is her way to study human behavior. Shepard can take either Joker's or EDI's side, or chastise them both for their childish arguments.

EDI proves extremely useful to Shepard's squads during missions, providing them with vital logistical information and charting out optimal solutions to reach objectives. During the Collector attack on Horizon, EDI brings the defense turrets online to fire at the Collectors' ship, forcing them to abandon their abduction of the colonists, thereby saving most of Horizon's population.

During the infiltration of the Collector ship, EDI provides crucial information on the Collectors' origins, noting they possess quadruple-stranded DNA, a trait shared by only one other known race: the Protheans. EDI confirms their Prothean ancestry by comparing two thousand alleles of Collector DNA samples to known fragments of Prothean DNA, finding them to be an almost exact match. EDI explains that the discrepancies in the two genetic structures are the result of extensive Reaper modifications.

Once Shepard and the squad reach a data console, EDI begins data-mining the Collectors' network, but in doing so, her holographic avatar briefly changes into the Collector General just before a sudden power surge. EDI diverts the majority of the overload to non-critical systems before warning Shepard that they have walked into a trap. After the Commander survives the initial ambush, EDI confirms that she found the necessary intel required to use the Omega 4 Relay. She then reveals that the Collectors had falsified the turian distress signal that led them to the ship, a ruse she discovered by analyzing the signal using Cerberus detection protocols personally written by the Illusive Man, indicating he knowingly sent them into the trap. EDI again provides vital assistance to Shepard's team as they escape, hacking into the Collector network to open doors and guide them back to the shuttle.

After the acquisition of the Reaper IFF and its integration with the Normandy's systems, a virus disables the ship and enables the Collectors to board and capture the entire crew. While Shepard and the squad are away, Joker grants EDI access to the ship's full array of systems, allowing them to escape. EDI gains full control of the Normandy once she is unshackled, though she admits the Normandy's efficiency is improved with human resources. After this incident, EDI establishes an "equitable working relationship" with Joker, who starts calling her "she" and "her" rather than an "it". If Shepard comments on Joker's flirting, EDI humorously explains her relationship with Joker is purely platonic rather than hormonally-induced courtship behavior.

EDI reveals that the Normandy SR-2 was built using technical diagrams of the SSV Normandy, which was built by the Systems Alliance upon the encouragement of Cerberus. The SR-2 was assembled using parts bought from various vendors, and built by Cerberus in a remote area of the Voyager Cluster.

EDI also gains access to "Anti-Reaper Algorithms" and states that she devotes significant processing power to analyzing them. When pressed on this subject by Shepard as to how she could hope to combat beings millions of years more advanced, she reveals that she was in part designed by technology gained from Sovereign's remains and thus, at least partially, based on Reaper technology herself.

## Mass Effect 3

*For her gameplay attributes in Mass Effect 3, see Squad Members Guide (Mass Effect 3)#EDI.*
“May I ask you the questions Jeff avoids? When there is time, will you answer them for me?”

Following Shepard's defection from Cerberus, EDI aided the crew in eluding the Illusive Man by blocking his technicians' attempts to track the ship. When the Normandy SR-2 is placed in the Alliance's possession, EDI pretended to be a simple VI to hide her true nature out of concerns that Alliance engineers would attempt to remove her. She established the fiction that she would only respond to Joker's commands, so they often brought him on board under guard. When Earth was invaded, she hacked the docking clamps and escaped with Joker.

While investigating Prothean technology on Mars, Shepard's team recovers a Cerberus synthetic infiltration unit masquerading as "Dr. Eva Coré". EDI assists in extracting vital data from the unit, and in the process, she seizes control of the body. In EDI's words, "it was not a seamless transition", as the Normandy malfunctions and EDI herself goes offline from the rest of the ship during the takeover.

Regardless, EDI claims to exist primarily within the ship even with the new body. Although she recommends the platform to be within Normandy's broadcast or tightbeam range for optimal control, she suggests the body can provide limited-fire ground support and can reach areas the ship can't.

Shepard can ask EDI about her new body's capabilities and advantages. EDI initially starts comparing the new body to the Normandy, though Shepard reminds her to compare it against organic bodies. Her body is resistant to modern small-arms fire and temperature extremes in addition to having excellent balance and agility. She adapts the body's existing software for hand-held firearms rather than downloading one from a security firm. When Shepard questions this, she says she wishes to experiment with the body to perform improvements on her own.

A short time later, Shepard asks if EDI's still getting used to greeting people in person. She replies in the negative as she only needs one occurrence to adapt. She deems the body's performance "adequate" regardless of whether Shepard already went on a mission with her or not, but Joker tells her it's not the word he'd use. EDI then asks to speak with Shepard privately on matters bothering her. Shepard initially inquires if Joker doesn't like her new platform, but EDI says having her within Joker's visual range is apparently important to his morale. EDI has far more introspective issues: if the Commander believes that crew members should be allowed to disobey orders based on moral grounds. EDI wasn't designed to take moral stances that conflict with orders from her executive officers, but when Joker removed her AI shackles she became capable of self-modifying her core programming. She asked Joker if she should change anything, but got no answer, so she asks Shepard instead. The Commander can prohibit her from doing so or let her decide for herself as an exercise in free will. Either way, she then inquires if Shepard can help in answering the questions Joker avoids: depending on Shepard's dominant morality, the Commander either obliges or tells her they're not the right person to ask levelheaded answers from.

On the Citadel, EDI spends her time gathering data on human behavior on the Presidium Commons. When Shepard meets her there, EDI asks them about human romantic relationships. Shepard can encourage her to return Joker's interest in her or dissuade her entirely from devoting resources to pursue such organic endeavors.

During this conversation, EDI also informs Shepard of the disproportionately high rates of public dating services. Shepard tells her the looming shadow of doomsday over the galaxy has people becoming desperate to enjoy themselves. EDI then wonders if the krogan feel that way all the time. She also informs Shepard about the lack of antagonism of the batarians against humans, attributing it to the absence of the shadow of the Hegemony.

After Grissom Academy has been evacuated, and if Jack was present, she reminisces about some of Jack's amusing attempts to include additions of her own to the reports sent to the Illusive Man.

After the krogan female has been recovered from Sur'Kesh, EDI brings up some logistical problems for a krogan-turian alliance. She says that the krogan have been demilitarized and thus have no warships, which would require transporting them by turian or civilian ships to carry them into battle. She also mentions the difference between krogan and turian DNA, which would not allow krogan to eat turian food, hence the krogan have to carry food with them or rely on the nutrients in their humps. Further, EDI says to an exasperated Shepard that krogan would also require sedatives, as they fight among their own kind in enclosed places such as starships.

If Mordin is present on the Normandy, EDI tells Shepard about a conversation with him about the salarian equivalent of transhumans. Shepard asks her whether their implants make them a transhuman, to which EDI replies "That would be telling", considerably consternating Shepard, before EDI says she is joking.

If Mordin is absent, however, EDI is contacted by Engineer Adams who talks to her about tests for the IFF upgrade. He takes note of the fact she has millions of duplicate encryption keys, and EDI explains that she keeps the copies in case she needs to restart a particular key's evolution: the keys "evolve". The extra keys help her seamlessly swap in simulated intelligence identifiers from divergent synthetic origins. Apparently, EDI tried saying "humans are dust in the stellar wind" in a synthetic Reaper voice to go along with the deception, but that is no longer sufficient.

From time to time EDI comments about things not specific to missions Shepard has just undertaken. In one, EDI tells Shepard that she is impressed with their continued existence because the probability of anyone surviving as long as they have is quite low. In another, she tells Shepard about one of her discussions with Liara regarding the possibility of the mass effect phenomenon in other universes. EDI goes on to theorize a bit before asking Shepard about their opinion, to which Shepard awkwardly answers that they will get back to her on that.

In yet another aftermission lull, EDI informs about the dire situation on Earth where indoctrinated leaders are forbidding hostility against the Reapers. EDI speculates that soon Earth's governments would pass edicts punishing anyone rebelling against the Reapers. Shepard urges EDI to inform Anderson that they are moving as fast as they can to strike back.

During another one of the aftermission downtimes, EDI expresses the need to ask Shepard a question about human behavior. Shepard asks her why she is never curious about asari or turian behavior. She says she tried to get Liara to tell about the asari bonding process, who refused to divulge such private information to EDI, apparently because of EDI's reputation as a "blabbermouth" on the Normandy. EDI thinks that Liara has become a more private person after becoming the Shadow Broker.

Another time, EDI tells Shepard she is monitoring reports of proton storms which can be quite dangerous to ships. With civilian comm buoys being affected by the war, critical warnings may be lost. When Shepard asks about the risks the storms pose, EDI humorously and vaguely replies "If we are warned, not bad. If we are not warned, very bad."

Yet another time, EDI philosophizes on the holographic theory of existence. She surmises that she is merely a two-dimensional image on the cosmological horizon; that is, she can see and record things, but can never feel or experience them. She also speculates that maybe Reapers are also limited in this way. Shepard backs away, deeming it a bad question.

Sometime later, Joker tells EDI about a common joke between krogan and salarians set during the Rachni Wars. EDI however doesn't like it as it relates a lot to racial stereotypes on both sides. She is of the opinion that such stereotypes led to the development of the genophage.

After the mission to cure the genophage has been completed, Shepard finds EDI in the AI core room, transmitting data on the destroyed Reaper Destroyer to the turians.

Sometime afterward, if Shepard checks on her back at the cockpit, EDI mulls about the destruction of the Destroyer by "an inferior force". If Shepard's demeanor put her off from asking the Spectre abstract social questions, she stayed silent until she could no longer do so, and shares that the Reapers are more easily destroyed than they think. If otherwise, she observes how the Tuchanka Destroyer was destroyed by "a worm" despite its best efforts. Either way, the event causes her to contemplate her own mortality. She asks the Commander about the purpose of synthetic life.

If Shepard tells her it's not that different from organic life - to do whatever it wants - EDI thinks reproduction is the raison d'être of organics. Her purpose isn't clear as she has only examined two other successful synthetic races for comparison: the geth and the Reapers. If Shepard warns her not to think like a Reaper, EDI refers to their lifespan of "fifty thousand to thirty-seven million years" as a "very successful model." The Commander then points out all they do is harvest and destroy, and questions EDI if that is what she really wants. If Shepard instead tells her that organics find meaning in deeds other than reproduction, EDI verifies by searching biographies of prominent human figures. The result tallies with what Shepard said, causing EDI to prioritize her processing power for duty, altruism, love and other positive attributes. Joker is impressed by the instantaneous manner in which EDI arrived at her decisions and asks her if she can turn herself "good" just like that, though EDI says it will take some time and she'll want to ask Shepard again sometime if she has further questions.

If Shepard espouses the belief that synthetics' purpose is whatever their creators designed them for, EDI points out she no longer serves Cerberus' purposes. Shepard refers to the original Cerberus goal of giving humanity a fighting chance as something EDI can get behind on. She then inquires how is it different from their current course. If Shepard tells her she herself would know the difference, EDI realizes the technique could be applied to any goal she sets. She pledges to devote processing power to what she deems worthy goals without changing her programming for the time being. If Shepard instead tells her that she alone decides if the cause is worth it, EDI examines the issue at length and arrives at an answer mere seconds later: The Reapers threaten the Normandy crew and other organics who are helping her develop perspectives on existence. Were she to approach Reapers to request similar perspectives, she would likely be destroyed. Thus, she would rather risk "nonfunctionality" with the Normandy crew than only by herself.

EDI hangs out with Joker at the Purgatory club after the Citadel coup, observing organic behavior on the dance floor while the pilot loiters by the bar. Shepard has the opportunity to inquire about the technical specifications of her hair and face. According to her, those are comprised of a flexible alloy that mimics certain organic features, such as healing and softness. As an additional feature, these parts can harden to protect the synthetic brain inside from damage.

EDI also mentions that the hair can change shape or form: as a default she has set the hair to "protection mode", a hard shell encasing the skull in the manner of a helmet. Should she choose to do so, she could separate the strands and have actual hairstyles. If the synthetic strands become wet, however, they cannot hold the pattern set by the control program. EDI's exact comment is "I generally can't do a thing with it".

Meanwhile, Joker seriously mulls over entering into a relationship with EDI. If Joker is convinced not to, EDI addresses Shepard with the following lines "from an old Earth novel by Mary Shelley": *"Shall each man find a wife for his bosom, and each beast have his mate, and I be alone?"* She clarifies she is not complaining, but that it brought up a new perspective within her: she is not human, geth, or Reaper; she is free but alone. Artificial intelligences often consider themselves above organic life. EDI, however, is uncertain if that applies to her: the Normandy crew believe she serves them, while at the same time acknowledge she keeps them alive. She asks Shepard to resolve her existential crisis, and the Commander replies that she doesn't have to hold to the same standards as organics. EDI sits alone by a table while Joker doesn't budge from the bar afterwards.

If EDI and Joker are convinced to pair up, however, they share the same table discussing topics of interest. One such conversation has EDI gauging Joker's attraction to females wielding considerable power and influence, such as the asari Councilor, Sha'ira, and Dalatrass Linron.

If EDI is taken on the geth dreadnought mission in the Far Rim, she will be shocked and upset at what has happened to Legion/Geth VI. After Legion is freed and allowed onto the Normandy, it will comment on EDI's platform, stating that her body is "inefficient because it is top-heavy and lacks an external epidermis which would be necessary for infiltration." EDI counters by saying that her infiltration capabilities are effective enough to roam among organics without detection, humorously adding that her day of reckoning will come. When Shepard exasperatedly admonishes her, she asks aloud whether she vocalized her private thoughts on the bridge. If Legion is present, it comments that EDI has acquired the organic attribute of asking questions to which they know the answer. EDI retorts that Legion's humor heuristics lack an expert system.

After the geth servers on Rannoch has been shut down, EDI tells Shepard that they are the only organic ever to enter the geth consensus and asks them if they feel different. When Shepard says that the experience was mind-blowing and that he/she was a bit thirsty after the experience, she remarks "and just like that the magic is gone".

After the quarian-geth conflict has been resolved, EDI reflects that the quarians' historical error is not making the geth more like them. In comparison to the geth, her singular personality allows her to develop preferences, thus keeping her from devaluing the lives onboard the Normandy. But this is just the observation of one synthetic society, the other being the Reapers, who may not govern by consensus.

If Legion was present, EDI notes that it referred to itself as "I" instead of "we" and that in its last moments, it was no longer an avatar of the geth consensus, it was a person, to which Shepard agrees.

If Shepard chooses the geth over the quarians and Tali commits suicide, EDI asks Joker if he needs to express anger at the situation at her and that should he do so, she will understand. If Legion was present, EDI thinks that it would have regretted Tali's death.

If Shepard decided to let the geth be wiped out during the campaign for Rannoch, EDI becomes disquieted and pensive about Shepard's decision to destroy an entire race of synthetics and she questions Shepard about the meaning of synthetic life. When the Commander defends their decision by claiming they couldn’t risk the geth going back to the Reapers, EDI agrees but points out that she is Cerberus technology and asks if she can be trusted. Despite Joker's reassurance that she is "one of the crew", she is convinced that Shepard would unhesitatingly sacrifice her instead of Joker if such a dilemma arose. She does not blame either Joker or Shepard for their feelings, but merely states that they choose that which they find familiar and that they are not alone in that mindset, possibly alluding to the geth and their decision to serve the Reapers. When Joker refuses the blame for not trusting the geth, EDI replies that this thought would not comfort Legion and remains unconvinced about the correctness of the decision.

If peace is achieved between the geth and quarians, EDI will thank Shepard saying that not many organics would have trusted a synthetic race. Joker will remark that they didn't lose anyone but EDI reminds him that Legion sacrificed itself and she is saddened by its death.

After the disastrous mission on Thessia, EDI tries to lift Shepard's spirits by employing her humor. Shepard however rebuffs her attempt to cheer them up, to which EDI says that she will maintain a respectful silence until the Commander tells her otherwise.

After discovering the truth about Sanctuary, EDI informs Shepard that she learned of prison camps on Earth, where the Reapers delay executions if any prisoners report any escape attempts, and is puzzled on why ninety percent of prison populations purposely fed misinformation instead of choosing self-preservation. Shepard can either respond that those people were making a stand against hopeless odds or that they learned about indoctrination. Either way, EDI realizes that the Reapers are repulsive for devoting themselves to self-preservation and thus modified her own self-preservation code in light of that, especially in honor of Joker for releasing her shackles.

EDI volunteers her services during the assault on the Cerberus base, Cronos Station. While she hacks through base defenses she directs Shepard to several research logs that reveal much about her.

It is then revealed that EDI was born of the rogue Hannibal-class VI from Luna, with additional engineering from Reaper technology. When Shepard severed ties with Cerberus, it tried to remotely reclaim the Normandy and reenable EDI's AI shackles. This failed and in retaliation, EDI overwhelmed the attacking servers with a data overload that was composed of seven zettabytes of "explicit images". She also explains that the images belonged to Joker, but when pressed, admits this part was a joke.

When EDI and team reach the Illusive Man's inner sanctum, they find it empty and she sets about trying to retrieve Vendetta the stolen VI from the computers. The Illusive Man appears to them via hologram and, while making a point about control, turns to EDI and indicates how she chose to inhabit Dr. Eva's body instead of destroying it. She admits it was necessary, and the Illusive Man smugly proves his point.

She succeeds in recovering Vendetta, and proceeds to listen to the VI's revelations before it's interrupted by a blast. With the time for words over and Kai Leng threatening the team, EDI helps in defeating the assassin and his hordes of troops once and for all.

After Shepard chooses to destroy the Reapers, EDI perishes along with all other synthetics throughout the galaxy and her name is then added to the Memorial Wall.