Throughout the course of the Mass Effect trilogy, players are given the opportunity to recruit two different Krogran to become part of Shepard's crew: Wrex in Mass Effect 1 and Grunt in Mass Effect 2. These characters have vastly different backstories and personalities, and depending on Shepard's choices, both can have a strong presence in later parts of the series. But which of the two is the better companion?
Players can encounter Wrex on the Citadel in ME1, during Shepard's first visit. There, he can team up with Shepard to take down an agent of the Shadow Broker, Fist. From there, they're given the option of letting him become a part of the Normandy's crew up. Wrex remains with Shepard until the mission on Virmire, where players may be forced to kill him if they haven't leveled their charm or intimidate skills high enough. If Wrex survives the encounter, he reappears in both ME2 and ME3 as the leader of his clan, though his role in Mass Effect 3 is significantly larger.
Grunt can be recruited to accompany Shepard on the suicide mission in Mass Effect 2. Players first encounter him as a tankbred creation of Warlord Okeer, meant to be a perfect specimen of the Krogan species. If Shepard chooses to free him from his tank, they can earn his loyalty to ensure his survival through the ending of ME2. Although Grunt makes an appearance in ME3, provided he's still alive, his role in the game isn't as extensive as Wrex's. Both companions also appear later on in the Citadel DLC.
Why Wrex Is The Better Mass Effect Companion
One of the major differences between Wrex and Grunt in Mass Effect is their age and experience. Grunt, when Shepard first encounters him, is only weeks old at most. His growth inside the tank lead to rapid development compared to standard of his species. Although he was provided with memory imprints of Krogan history, his personal experience is nearly nonexistent at the start of the game. By comparison, Wrex is hundreds of years old, and Shepard can talk to him about his personal experience on his homeworld and his time spent as a mercenary. In certain interactions with other crewmates, Wrex seems to take on almost grandfatherly role, particularly in regards to Tali. Compared to the rest of the Mass Effect 1 Normandy crew, who are all relatively young, Wrex's age sets him apart as a unique and interesting character to interact with.
Wrex also holds viewpoints that set him apart from many other Krogan characters featured in the series, showing more interest in the long-term survival and growth of his species than the narrowminded fighting prioritized by others. By the events of Mass Effect 3, Wrex has taken up a diplomatic role - or as close to diplomacy as Krogan are capable of getting - in his negotiations regarding Krogan involvement in the war. He's responsible for pushing for the cure of the genophage, something that he actively fights for in both ME1 and ME2 as well. His friendship with Shepard proves to make him a loyal ally both in combat and in politics. Although the development of Shepard's relationship with Grunt is an endearing aspect of the franchise, Wrex's bonds and accomplishments make him the best Krogan companion in the Mass Effect series.