Saren Arterius is a turian Spectre, an elite operative who represented the Citadel council and operated above the law, and one of the two main antagonists of the first "Mass Effect" game . Saren was originally designed as an older, weaker character who is a powerful biotic. Saren's head design went through several iterations: the team experimented with structure, scarring, and decorations. His final appearance is similar to other turians but with a distinctive crest, and a lack of tattoos unlike most of his kind. It was intended for the character to show signs of severe indoctrination, yet does not look like an obvious monstrosity and is still able to blend into society. The character's final design incorporates a mechanical arm and some visible cybernetic features to reflect Reaper indoctrination.