Miranda Lawson

Miranda Lawson
Mass Effect character
Miranda Lawson in Mass Effect 2
First appearance	Mass Effect Galaxy (2009)
Voiced by	Yvonne Strahovski

Miranda Lawson is a fictional character in the role-playing video game series Mass Effect by BioWare. In it, Miranda is an officer of the pro-human group Cerberus, first appearing in Mass Effect Galaxy and then serving as a squadmate in Mass Effect 2. In addition to these, the character also makes an appearance in the Mass Effect: Redemption comic series, in Mass Effect 3 (provided the player does not import a save where she dies), and in issues 5, 6, 8 and 9 of the Mass Effect: Foundation comic series. She is revealed to have been genetically designed by her father (Henry Lawson) to be perfect, and ran away from home to join Cerberus.

Yvonne Strahovski voices Miranda and provided the model for her. Like Strahovski, Miranda was originally blonde but the character was changed to have black hair to complement her "femme fatale" look. Camera angles and shots were employed to emphasise her sexuality. David Kates composed her theme for Mass Effect 2.

The character was well-received, with Strahovski being nominated for "Best Performance by a Human Female" in the Spike Video Game Awards. Her design came into attention; however, 1UP.com's Ryan Winterhalter criticised the game's numerous camera shots of her behind, something David Silverman defended due to her character.

In Mass Effect 2, Lawson is revealed to be a high-ranking operative of the pro-human organization Cerberus, and has been genetically altered for superior intelligence and physical traits. She is shown to be a capable leader, exemplified with her being one of the few members of the squad who can successfully lead a fireteam in the final mission without anyone dying, despite feeling she does not command respect like Shepard does. Lawson is leader of Cerberus' Lazarus Cell, tasked with reviving Commander Shepard. Aboard the Normandy, the player's spaceship, she is Shepard's second-in-command and Executive Officer, and files mission reports directly to the Illusive Man.