Depending on the player’s actions in the first game, either Ashley or Kaiden will be present in Mass Effect 3. But just because one of them made it off Virmire doesn’t mean they’re out of the woods yet.
Partway through Mass Effect 3, Cerberus manipulates the Survivor into preventing Shepard from completing their mission. This can potentially lead to the Survivor’s death, based on a variety of factors. This guide will explain the hidden mechanics of how to save the Virmire Survivor in Mass Effect 3 and Mass Effect: Legendary Edition.
The outcome of the final confrontation is determined in large part by the Survivor’s Trust in Shepard. Like the mechanics for making peace between the Quarians and Geth, the game measures trust through a hidden score invisible to the player. Shepard can gain a maximum of 8 points throughout the trilogy. The following two sections explain how to raise and lower the Survivor’s Trust.
Mass Effect 1 + 2
Unlike Wrex, Garrus, and Tali, neither Ashely nor Kaiden have a personal quest in the original Mass Effect. There are only two factors in the first game that effects the Survivor’s actions in Mass Effect 3. The first and most significant is Romance, which grants 2 points of Trust with the Romanced character. However, Shepard loses both points if Romancing someone else in Mass Effect 2, so it’s not a helpful strategy unless the player wants to romance them anyway.
The other important factor is what happened to the Council at the end of the first game. Saving the Council adds 1 point of Trust while letting them die costs 1. This is true regardless of the Survivor’s opinion on the decision itself.
The player may also want to complete all the optional objectives and disable the alarms on Virmire. While this doesn’t directly affect the score, it has knock-on effects in Mass Effect 3. Alternatively, try keeping Thane alive in Mass Effect 2, as it has a similar outcome.
Mass Effect 3
Ashley or Kaiden will confront Shepard for working with Cerberus during Priority: Mars early in Mass Effect 3. Choosing the Paragon dialogue option reassures them, adding 1 point of Trust, while the Renegade choice deducts 1 point.
After the mission, Shepard has multiple opportunities to visit the Survivor while they’re recovering from their injuries. The first visit, when they are unconscious, doesn’t count. The second visit grants 2 points, while the third visit grants an additional 1. If Shepard romanced then cheated on Ashely or Kaiden, refusing to admit it or apologize during the second visit deducts 1 point.
The following two significant events happen during Priority: The Citadel II. If Shepard saved Thane or Captain Kirrahe in their respective games, they rescue the Salarian Councilor from an assassin. Otherwise, Cerberus frames Shepard for the murder, reducing Trust by 2. Shepard can gain the final point by lowering their weapon during the confrontation at the end of the mission.
Outcome
The Survivor’s level of Trust will result in one of the following three situations:
- Less than 0: The Survivor is automatically hostile.
- 0-3: The Survivor is distrustful.
- More than 3: the Survivor automatically trusts Shepard
If it’s in the 0-3 range, Shepard needs a high Paragon/Renegade score to convince the Survivor to stand down. If Trust is less than 4 and Shepard does not or can not reason with them, the Survivor dies. Either Shepard kills them with a Renegade interrupt, or someone else shoots them during the confrontation. If they die, Ashley or Kaiden’s last words will change depending on their level of Trust.
Mass Effect 3 is included in Mass Effect: Legendary Edition available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.