Commander Shepard is the protagonist of BioWare's Mass Effect series, which began in 2007 and follows a human soldier leading a crew against galactic threats. The male version of the character is voiced by Mark Meer, whose performance helped make Shepard a defining video game hero. Short voice clips from the trilogy circulated on soundboards and in fan videos as players quoted favourite lines and recreated mission moments. The voice remains popular because it is instantly recognisable to gamers, carrying the authority and science-fiction tone of the series in just a few seconds.