A few notes about the conversation with Bakara on the Normandy:
As much as I believe they really were lazy with female aliens and that's why they hid her face, I really find the clothes she's wearing absolutely gorgeous. @bronzeagelove have you ever analyzed it? What do you think of it?
and I'm VERY interested about krogan shamans. I wonder how their religion might evolve. Bakara believes wisdom comes from pain and everything we know about shamans has to do with their resilience.
She gave the crystal she found during her rite to Shepard. "Take it as a reminder, Commander. In the darkest hour, there is always a way out."
This is such a great and touching moment because she recognizes pain in Mordin, but she must recognize it in Shepard as well. And I don't feel like the gift is a thank you, I think it's more of a "go on and don't be scared" gift, and that's something utterly selfless.
It's also very interesting because I’m not sure Bakara identifies with one specific clan like other krogan do. When Shepard asks her about helping a rival clan, she says (and I'm quite amused) "Rivalries are the invention of the males."
To me, it means she considers herself the shaman of everyone, meaning by giving the gift to Shepard, she acted as shaman. Shepard became a part of her clan. It's also likely that she acted as shaman during the experiments and helped the other female krogan - probably to the point of ignoring her own pain. More than that, as they all started to die, Bakara as shaman was the one to eulogize them and make sure they would be ready to enter the Void. It was her role, on top of being sick and almost dying. She's remarkable.
"The youngest one, Kurn, was the last to go. But she knew she would enter the Void free of this curse--and then smile when she looked down upon the children of Tuchanka. Her spirit will be the midwife to my firstborn."
I'm always a bit curious about their concept of life after death, btw. I wish we knew more about the Void. And of course, spirits. I think their version of spirits is different from the one turians have.
