Every Mass Effect Romance Option, Game by Game

Mass Effect's romance options are the crew members and allies that Commander Shepard, and later Ryder in Andromeda, can fall for: three in the first game, six main options plus a few side ones in Mass Effect 2, around a dozen in Mass Effect 3 and ten in Andromeda. In the trilogy a romance carries forward with an imported save, so a relationship started on the first Normandy can still matter at the end of the Reaper War. This page goes game by game and character by character. It is about the story, not a dialogue walkthrough, and it spoils all four games. For the wider cast, see every Mass Effect squadmate. (Mass Effect; Mass Effect 2; Mass Effect 3; Mass Effect: Andromeda)

Mass Effect#

The first game has three full romances, all with squadmates. Each one builds through conversations after missions, comes to a head when the Council grounds the Normandy, and ends with the partner visiting Shepard's quarters on the way to Ilos. Shepard can also spend a night with the asari consort Sha'ira on the Citadel, but that is a single encounter rather than a romance. The plot is on the Mass Effect story page. (Mass Effect)

Ashley Williams#

A human Gunnery Chief from Eden Prime, romanceable by a male Shepard. She teases him about falling for a soldier under his command and leans on poetry to say what she can't. On the way to Ilos she tells Shepard he makes her feel good enough after a career of being passed over. On Virmire Shepard can only save her or Kaidan, so leaving her behind ends the romance with her death. If she lives, she turns up on Horizon in Mass Effect 2 angry that Shepard is with Cerberus, then sends an apologetic message. In Mass Effect 3 the romance can be rekindled, and she calls Shepard out if he took up with someone else in the meantime. See Ashley Williams. (Mass Effect; Mass Effect 2; Mass Effect 3)

Kaidan Alenko#

A human biotic Staff Lieutenant, romanceable by a female Shepard in the first game. He blames himself for the beacon on Eden Prime and almost kisses Shepard during the lockdown before Joker interrupts. The same Virmire choice applies. A surviving Kaidan meets Shepard on Horizon in Mass Effect 2, can't accept her working with Cerberus, and later writes to say the night before Ilos meant everything to him. In Mass Effect 3 he becomes a romance for either a male or a female Shepard, rekindled or started fresh after he is hurt on Mars, with a drink at Apollo's Cafe on the Citadel as the turning point. See Kaidan Alenko. (Mass Effect; Mass Effect 2; Mass Effect 3)

Liara T'Soni#

An asari archaeologist, romanceable by either Shepard, and the only first-game romance with new romance scenes in Mass Effect 2. If Shepard courts her alongside Ashley or Kaidan, the two confront Shepard and force a choice. In Mass Effect 2 she has handed Shepard's body to Cerberus and is hunting the Shadow Broker on Illium. Lair of the Shadow Broker lets Shepard end the relationship or recommit, and Liara knows if Shepard has strayed. In Mass Effect 3 she is the Shadow Broker herself, joins on Mars, and either Shepard can romance her there even if they never got together earlier. See Liara T'Soni. (Mass Effect; Mass Effect 2: Lair of the Shadow Broker; Mass Effect 3)

Mass Effect 2#

With an imported save, Shepard's first-game partner can't join the squad but keeps a photo on the cabin desk. Shepard can stay faithful, in which case Shepard looks at the photo on the way to the Omega 4 Relay, or start something new and turn the picture face down. The six main romances are with recruits, three for each gender, and each one opens up after the character's loyalty mission and ends with a scene before the relay. Only one can be active at a time. The plot is on the Mass Effect 2 story page. (Mass Effect 2)

Miranda Lawson#

A genetically engineered human Cerberus officer, romanceable by a male Shepard after he helps protect her sister. If Shepard sides against her when she clashes with Jack, the romance is over. Before the relay she invites him to the engine room. In Mass Effect 3 the relationship continues only if it was active at the end of Mass Effect 2: she confesses she once wanted to put a control chip in Shepard's rebuilt brain, and they share an intimate moment at one of their meetings on the Citadel. She can die at Sanctuary on Horizon at the hands of Kai Leng if Shepard didn't warn her about him or never earned her loyalty. See Miranda Lawson. (Mass Effect 2; Mass Effect 3)

Tali'Zorah#

A quarian engineer from the first game, romanceable by a male Shepard. Her immune system is the obstacle: before the relay she arrives having taken antibiotics and herbal supplements so she can take her suit off. In Mass Effect 3 the romance carries on only if it came over from Mass Effect 2, and Shepard has to invite her to the cabin before the battle for Rannoch. If Shepard sides with the geth and the quarian fleet is destroyed, she takes her own life, romance or not. If she survives, a photo of her unmasked face sits in Shepard's cabin. See Tali'Zorah. (Mass Effect 2; Mass Effect 3)

Jack#

A human biotic convict, romanceable by a male Shepard. She can be talked into casual sex early on, but that closes off a real romance. If Shepard is patient she opens up about the people who used her and the partner who died for her, and comes to him before the relay. Siding against her when she clashes with Miranda ends it. In Mass Effect 3, now teaching at Grissom Academy, she meets Shepard at the Purgatory bar on the Citadel. Before the final assault she tattoos his back so his body can be identified whatever happens. See Jack. (Mass Effect 2; Mass Effect 3)

Jacob Taylor#

A human Cerberus operative and former Alliance soldier, romanceable by a female Shepard, and the only option that has to be flirted with before his loyalty mission. He sneaks into Shepard's quarters before the relay. The romance doesn't carry into Mass Effect 3: Jacob has moved on with the Cerberus scientist Brynn Cole, who is expecting his daughter, and asks Shepard whether she expected him to wait forever. See Jacob Taylor. (Mass Effect 2; Mass Effect 3)

Garrus Vakarian#

The turian vigilante Archangel, romanceable by a female Shepard. Neither of them is sure a turian and a human can make it work, and he frames it as wanting a few moments for themselves before the suicide mission. In Mass Effect 3 it continues only if started in Mass Effect 2. He takes her to the top of the Presidium to shoot cans with sniper rifles, the same outing a friend gets but with romance lines, and on Earth he jokes about retiring with her somewhere warm and tropical. See Garrus Vakarian. (Mass Effect 2; Mass Effect 3)

Thane Krios#

A drell assassin dying of Kepral's Syndrome, romanceable by a female Shepard. He calls her "siha" and, before the relay, admits that he is now afraid of dying. In Mass Effect 3 he is in hospital on the Citadel, and Shepard can still spend time with him there, but the romance can't go further. During the Cerberus coup he is run through by Kai Leng defending the salarian councillor, and he dies with Shepard and his son Kolyat praying beside him. In Citadel, after his memorial service, Kolyat passes on three video messages Thane recorded for Shepard. See Thane Krios. (Mass Effect 2; Mass Effect 3; Mass Effect 3: Citadel)

Kelly Chambers#

The SR-2's yeoman and psychologist, romanceable by either Shepard alongside the main options. Flirting, a dinner before the Collector attack, and getting the crew out of the Collector base alive lead to her dancing for Shepard in the cabin after the suicide mission. In Mass Effect 3 she can be rekindled on the Citadel if Shepard forgives her for reporting to the Illusive Man. If Shepard doesn't tell her to change her identity, Cerberus kills her. See Kelly Chambers. (Mass Effect 2; Mass Effect 3)

Samara and Morinth#

The asari justicar Samara returns the feelings of either Shepard but turns them down because her Code comes first, stopping just short of a kiss. In Mass Effect 3 she reminds Shepard to spend their time with those who care for them, and in Citadel an unattached Shepard who tried before can try again at the apartment. Her daughter Morinth, if she replaces her mother after the loyalty mission, offers herself to Shepard after the suicide mission. She is an Ardat-Yakshi, and accepting kills Shepard. (Mass Effect 2; Mass Effect 3; Mass Effect 3: Citadel)

Liara also returns in Lair of the Shadow Broker, covered above. (Mass Effect 2: Lair of the Shadow Broker)

Mass Effect 3#

Most earlier romances can be continued, some new ones open up, and the last chance to commit is before the assault on Cronos Station, where the partner spends the night with Shepard. On Earth they share a last conversation, and with the Extended Cut, a partner wounded beside Shepard on the run to the beam is put on the Normandy with a goodbye. The final flashback when Shepard uses the Crucible is of the love interest, who later places Shepard's name on the memorial wall, or holds back if Shepard survived the Destroy ending. The plot is on the Mass Effect 3 ending page. (Mass Effect 3; Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut)

Returning romances, covered above, are Ashley (male Shepard), Kaidan (either), Liara (either), Miranda, Tali and Jack (male Shepard, only if carried over), Garrus (female Shepard, only if carried over) and Kelly (either, only if carried over). Thane's and Jacob's stories close instead. (Mass Effect 3)

Steve Cortez#

A human Alliance shuttle pilot, romanceable by a male Shepard. He is grieving his husband Robert, lost to the Collectors, and Shepard can help him find closure at a memorial wall on the Citadel. A dance at Purgatory becomes a kiss, and he spends the night before Cronos Station with Shepard. If Shepard never talks him into visiting the memorial wall, he dies when his shuttle is shot down on Earth. See Steve Cortez. (Mass Effect 3)

Samantha Traynor#

The Normandy's human comm specialist, romanceable by a female Shepard. A game night of holographic chess in the cabin turns into her borrowing Shepard's shower. Later she talks about wanting a house, a dog and two children, then admits she wasn't joking. A male Shepard gets the chess and a polite hint that he isn't her type. See Samantha Traynor. (Mass Effect 3)

Diana Allers#

A human war correspondent for the Alliance News Network, romanceable by either Shepard. After her interviews, ending with the one about Rannoch, she makes a move. It is a fling with no love scene and no commitment. See Diana Allers. (Mass Effect 3)

James Vega and Javik#

In the Citadel add-on, an unattached female Shepard with a strong friendship can spend one night with James Vega or the Prothean Javik after the party. Neither is a full romance. (Mass Effect 3: Citadel)

Mass Effect: Andromeda#

Andromeda has no carry-over. Ryder, the human Pathfinder, can romance squadmates, Tempest crew and people met in the Heleus Cluster, and each romance runs through its own personal missions. Romance doesn't change the main story, though a committed partner such as Liam asks to meet Ryder on the bridge before the assault on Meridian. Some characters, such as Lexi, politely turn Ryder down. The plot is on the Andromeda story page. (Mass Effect: Andromeda)

Cora Harper#

A human biotic trained with asari commandos, romanceable by a male Ryder and gently uninterested in a female one. She tends plants in the Tempest's bio lab and tells him she dreams of a rose garden in Heleus, and later invents a lighting fault in his quarters as an excuse to be alone with him. See Cora Harper. (Mass Effect: Andromeda)

Liam Kosta#

A human crisis-response specialist, romanceable by a female Ryder. A male Ryder is turned down kindly. For their date he recreates the freefall jump they made on Habitat 7 the day they met, finished with a heart-shaped cloud. Afterwards he talks about marrying her. See Liam Kosta. (Mass Effect: Andromeda)

Suvi Anwar#

The Tempest's human science officer, romanceable by a female Ryder. She opens up over Earth tea in Ryder's quarters about leaving her family behind, and later shows Ryder her simulation of the building blocks of life in Heleus. See Suvi Anwar. (Mass Effect: Andromeda)

Gil Brodie#

The Tempest's human engineer, romanceable by a male Ryder. His best friend Jill asks Gil to father her child and co-parent with him and Ryder, and after the Archon's defeat he announces she is pregnant. Gil has no article on this site yet. (Mass Effect: Andromeda)

Pelessaria B'Sayle#

Peebee, an asari Remnant enthusiast, romanceable by either Ryder. She first suggests something casual in the zero-G escape pod she lives in, which Ryder can accept even while seeing someone else. If Ryder wants more, she eventually admits she wants to be more than friends and more than lovers. See Peebee. (Mass Effect: Andromeda)

Vetra Nyx#

A turian smuggler, romanceable by either Ryder. After Ryder helps save her sister Sid, she takes Ryder climbing at the Sulfur Springs on Kadara, then burns the steak at a surprise dinner and tells Ryder she loves them. See Vetra Nyx. (Mass Effect: Andromeda)

Jaal Ama Darav#

An angaran resistance fighter, romanceable by either Ryder. At launch he was a female Ryder option only, and a later update opened him to a male Ryder. He takes Ryder home to meet his family on Aya and shows them the room he grew up in. See Jaal Ama Darav. (Mass Effect: Andromeda)

Reyes Vidal#

A human smuggler on Kadara, romanceable by either Ryder. The romance runs through his jobs on Kadara until Ryder learns he is secretly the Charlatan, which Ryder can forgive or treat as a dealbreaker. See Reyes Vidal. (Mass Effect: Andromeda)

Avela Kjar and Keri T'Vessa#

Avela Kjar, an angaran historian on Aya, is a romance for a male Ryder. Keri T'Vessa, an asari reporter, is a fling for either Ryder and doesn't mind if they are already with someone. Neither has an article on this site yet. (Mass Effect: Andromeda)