Matriarch Benezia

Matriarch Benezia  is a very powerful asari biotic and spiritual leader among her people. She is also Liara T'Soni's mother, though the two have not spoken in years. When the evidence that proved Saren Arterius was responsible for the Eden Prime attack also proved Benezia was working alongside him, it surprised those who knew her, as Benezia's actions seemed to be completely out of character.

History
Given her status as a matriarch, Benezia must have lived for almost a millennium. She is renowned and revered as a teacher of religion and philosophy. During the 'matron' phase of her life, Benezia had a daughter named Liara T'Soni. Unusually, Benezia mated with another asari, considered a faux pas in their society. (After discovering their ability to mate with any species, asari consider producing offspring with their own kind as wasteful because "nothing is gained" from pureblooded asari offspring.) Liara tells Commander Shepard that she doesn't know who Benezia chose as her partner; she and her mother never discussed Liara's second parent, and Liara believes Benezia may have been ashamed of her choices. She raised Liara alone - not an uncommon occurrence in asari society - and was amused when Liara chose to study Prothean archaeology, a minor rebellion against her forward-thinking mother.

According to Liara, Benezia feels that the asari should have a greater role in shaping galactic events. She is Saren Arterius' executor and a fellow Binary Helix investor.

Mass Effect 3
Benezia's unknown bondmate is revealed to be Matriarch Aethyta. If Shepard nudges Liara into speaking with Aethyta and overhears their conversations, it is discovered that Benezia and Aethyta were together for a hundred years until they began disagreeing over what path the asari should take; Benezia wished to do things the smart way but Aethyta simply desired to fight.

After the mission on Thessia, during which Liara learns that the asari government hid a Prothean beacon, which was the source of many of the asari civilization's advances, Liara wonders whether her mother was in on the coverup, and suspects that she regarded her career choice to study the Protheans as "such a joke." EDI, however, suggests that Benezia was motivated by a desire to protect Liara from the consequences should this come to light, and Liara thanks EDI.