The romance between Shepard and Garrus Vakarian tends to be a fan-favorite. Players can begin pursuing the turian vigilante in Mass Effect 2.

Former C-Sec officer-turned-vigilante Garrus Vakarian is one of Shepard's most loyal squadmates from the start of the Mass Effect trilogy and, though he was not a romance option in the first game, fan interest prompted BioWare to give him a romance arc in the sequels. Garrus is often considered among the best Mass Effect squadmates, and, like other fan-favorites Tali'Zorah vas Normandy, and Liara T'Soni, his romance tends to be a popular choice. Garrus' romantic arc is exclusive to a female Shepard, and there are a few missions players must clear and conversations Shepard and Garrus must have to trigger it.

As with romancing many of the companions in Mass Effect 2, Shepard will need to find and rescue Garrus on Omega to recruit him, then secure his loyalty before any romantic options will become available. Additionally, Garrus' insecurities tend to get in the way of his feelings for Shepard, so she will need to check in with and reassure him of her interest. Even though Shepard is involved with Garrus, he will not be automatically protected from harm during the Suicide Mission, so players will need to do their best to keep him alive or risk cutting the romance short. If Garrus survives the events of Mass Effect 2, players can continue the romance into Mass Effect 3. Here's how to begin a romance with Garrus in Mass Effect 2.

How to Begin a Romance with Garrus in Mass Effect 2

During Act One of Mass Effect 2, Shepard will receive four Dossiers from The Illusive Man about potential members of the team to recruit. One of these, Dossier: Archangel, will bring Shepard to Omega, where three mercenary gangs plan to team up to take down an unknown turian vigilante. Of course, Shepard comes face-to-face with Garrus again. Garrus is the first member of the original squad that Shepard can recruit, but she will need to help him against the mercenaries first.

Once Garrus is aboard the Normandy SR-2, Shepard can speak to Yeoman Chambers. She will mention feeling empathetic toward Garrus and wanting to reassure him following the events on Omega. Shepard can respond I feel the same way, to which Kelly will reply that they would make a cute couple.

Sometime after the mission on Horizon, Kelly will mention that Garrus wants to speak to Shepard. Talking to Garrus after this point will activate his Loyalty mission, Eye for an Eye. During this mission, Garrus sets out to kill the man who betrayed him and got his whole team on Omega killed. This is one of the few Loyalty Missions during which Shepard's decision does not affect the outcome; whether Shepard allows Garrus to take the shot or stands in his way long enough to make him reconsider, he will be Loyal as long as the mission is completed. It is also not possible to lose this Loyalty later.

Following Eye for an Eye, Shepard can stop by the Main Battery to talk with Garrus again. She should choose the Just want to talk dialogue option. Garrus will thank her for her help and reaffirm his Loyalty to her. During the conversation, he will express not knowing how to prepare for the mission, as turians deal with stress differently from humans. Shepard can probe, at which point he will share a story about sparring with a recon scout serving in the turian military with him to relieve stress. As it becomes apparent there was more to this encounter than fighting, Shepard can choose the flirtatious lines We could ease stress together, then Not what I meant to trigger the romance.

In a subsequent conversation, Garrus will suggest Shepard could "find something a little closer to home." She can choose I like you, Garrus to reassure him. Following this, both questions, You're sure about this? and When do we do this? will also be worth asking for a little more flirtatious and heartfelt dialogue.

If Shepard began romancing Thane Krios or Jacob Taylor in Mass Effect 2, Garrus will mention not wanting to jeopardize the mission with a love triangle. Shepard will need to make a choice and commit at this point if she wants to continue the romance.

The next time Shepard talks with Mordin Solus, the professor will also offer advice about human-turian relationships, as he does with any alien Shepard chooses to romance. While not required, this scene can be a humorous reminder that others on the ship recognize the budding romance between Shepard and her companions.

Should Shepard follow all these steps, just before the Suicide Mission, Garrus will meet her in her cabin with a bottle of wine. While he rambles, Shepard can choose to take the Paragon interrupt to tease and reassure him. He will confess wanting "something to go right" for once. The two will share an intimate moment in front of the fish tank before the cutscene fades to black.

It is important to keep Garrus alive during the Suicide Mission. Typically, he is a solid choice for the Fire Team Leader in both segments of the mission. Shepard will also need to choose appropriate leaders for the other teams to prevent Garrus from being accidentally killed later in the mission. During the final boss fight, it is best to leave Garrus behind on the defense team, as he contributes a lot to the overall defense score and can help keep others alive.

Should Garrus survive the events of Mass Effect 2 and the player continues the game following the credits, they can talk to him again in the Main Battery. Later, Shepard will have the option to use the Intercom in her cabin and call Garrus up to the room. The two can sit together, sleep together, or cuddle. The romance can continue to the end of Mass Effect 3.

Next: Mass Effect 2's Jack Was Originally Pansexual & a Female Shepard Romance Option

Mass Effect: Legendary Edition launches May 14 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, with forward compatibility on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.