Scott Ryder appears in Mass Effect: Andromeda (2017), part of BioWare’s sci-fi RPG and third-person shooter series. In the context of Mass Effect’s romance system, Scott qualifies as a bisexual character because, as the player character, he can form romantic relationships with either men or women. This makes him one of the franchise’s central examples of bisexual inclusion. If instead the player chooses Sara Ryder as the protagonist, Scott still exists in the universe as her twin brother and plays an active narrative role, appearing in dialogue sequences, missions, and emotional moments that enrich the story’s sense of family and shared purpose.
Before the events of Andromeda, Scott is the younger twin child of Alec and Ellen Ryder, born in 2163 aboard the Citadel. He and his twin sister Sara received informal combat and exploration training under their father, a decorated N7 operative. Scott later joined the Systems Alliance military and was stationed near Relay 202 in the Arcturus sector, where he developed a reputation for curiosity, independence, and occasional impatience with authority. When Alec left the Alliance under controversial circumstances, both twins joined the Andromeda Initiative, drawn by its promise of discovery and renewal beyond the Milky Way.
During Andromeda, Scott’s life changes irrevocably. He and Sara enter cryosleep aboard the Ark Hyperion as part of the Initiative, a one-way mission to colonize the Andromeda galaxy. Upon arrival, a catastrophic event damages Sara’s stasis pod, leaving Scott to awaken first. Following their father’s death, he inherits the title of Pathfinder, tasked with exploring new worlds, uniting alien civilizations, and ensuring humanity’s survival in uncharted space. Through alliances with the Angara and conflict with the Kett, Scott evolves from a young soldier into a leader defined by empathy, resilience, and hard choices.
When Scott is not the player-controlled character, he remains a full participant in the story. The non-playable twin can be interacted with in key sequences and even becomes the focus of missions to secure their safety and recovery. His continued presence highlights the emotional bond between the twins, providing narrative depth and continuity regardless of which Ryder leads the mission. Mass Effect: Andromeda treats both siblings not as alternate versions of one hero, but as distinct individuals whose intertwined fates help anchor the story’s human dimension within a vast and alien frontier.