Seekers are tiny insectoid robots utilized by the Collectors in the Mass Effect universe. They have the appearance of large light-brown insects, with four wings, four limbs, and a stinger, deployed in swarms from Collector ships. Once released, the swarms seek organic targets and sting them, leaving their prey in a paralytic stasis-like state. This allows the Collectors to disable the populace of entire colonies, whereupon they move in and gather the bodies for transportation.
Appearances[]
Mass Effect 2[]
In the aftermath of the Battle of the Citadel, the Collectors deployed Seeker Swarms on human colonies in the Terminus Systems and began abducting their inhabitants. One such planet was Freedom's Progress, where all human colonists were taken. The sole survivor of the attack was a Quarian, Veetor'Nara, who was on his Pilgrimage there. Though mentally unbalanced by the encounter, Veetor had managed to record footage and biological data of the Seeker Swarms. He gives this information to Commander Shepard, who had begun working with Cerberus to stop the colony abductions.
After an analysis of the Quarian's data, the Illusive Man asks Shepard to find Mordin Solus and solicit his scientific expertise to create a vaccine to repel the paralytic effects of the Seeker Swarms. Mordin later develops an experimental countermeasure that makes wearers theoretically invisible to the Swarms.
The countermeasure is successfully tested on Horizon during an ongoing attack by the Collectors. However, it proves to be unable to provide protection against heavy concentrations of Seekers, such as those later encountered by Shepard in the Collector Base, but this is remedied with the use of biotic fields to keep the Swarms at bay.
Mass Effect: Paragon Lost[]
Collectors arrive on Fehl Prime in 2185 to harvest its human population, deploying the swarms as per standard procedure. The creatures easily bypass the colony's newly-installed military-grade kinetic barriers and proceed to stun every human on sight, including three of James Vega's associates: Captain Toni, April, and Christine. Some of the creatures paralyze Vega's squad member Essex, but the human later recovers because of a cure.
The swarms are later destroyed upon destruction of the Collector Cruiser they reside in. Intel about their capabilities and the cure for their capabilities as well as various other things about the Collectors are handed over to the Alliance by Vega.
Mass Effect 3[]
While the Collectors do not appear in the main campaign, it is confirmed in dialogue that they are active during the Reaper invasion. It is mentioned that "Collector swarms" were used by the Reapers during their assault on Palaven, though this could refer to the Collectors themselves and/or the Seeker Swarms.
In the Retaliation DLC, the Collectors become an additional enemy faction in multiplayer mode. Collector Drones and Captains can deploy Seeker Swarms to slow player movements. Likewise, the playable Awakened Collector Adept can also deploy Seekers in the same way. In some stages, a large indestructible Seeker Swarm will slowly drift around the battlefield, damaging players and enemies alike.