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When you play through the mission on Virmire in Mass Effect, you'll face a couple of choices with lasting consequences. Not only will you have to wrangle Wrex to keep him alive and on your side, but you'll have to decide which of two squadmates you permanently lose — Ashley or Kaidan.

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The decision you make will impact not only Mass Effect but both sequels as well. If you're trying to decide which character to save and which to sacrifice, we've put together a short guide on the consequences of each decision.

Updated April 15, 2023: We've updated this article to ensure all of the information is well presented.

Decision Point For Choosing Ashley Or Kaidan On Virmire

Mass Effect - Shepard, Kaidan and Ashley on Virmire

Once you reach the Salarian camp on Virmire, Captain Kirrahe will ask for one of your team to accompany him to divert the Geth's attention away from your own team. Both Ashley and Kaidan will volunteer. Don't panic — this isn't the decision point of who lives or dies, so send whoever you like.

Just remember, whoever you send will not be accessible to you for this mission, so don't send a character you would normally have accompanying you.

Ensure you destroy the Geth Flyers in the north of the map once your team and Captain Kirrahe's team move out. If you fail to do so, Captain Kirrahe will die.

The real decision point comes later, once you have set the explosives for Saren's base. Whoever you sent with Captain Kirrahe will send a message to say they are pinned down by Geth, so you leave the other character setting the bomb while you go and rescue the first.

However, the character with the bomb will message shortly afterward to say they are also being attacked. This is the crucial decision point.

Mass Effect - Shepard deciding to save Kaidan or save Ashley

Whoever you decide to rescue will survive Virmire, and the other will die, so choose wisely. Once you have made your decision, you will not be able to physically get to the character you have chosen to sacrifice.

Consequences Of Choosing Ashley Or Kaidan

A split image of Ashley and Kaidan from Mass Effect 3.

Mass Effect

  • Lost Gear: You will lose all gear and weapons equipped to whoever you choose to sacrifice, so strip them of any good stuff before you go to Virmire.
  • No More Romance: If you were romancing either Kaidan or Ashley and then choose to sacrifice them, naturally, this will end the romance or any possible future romances.
  • Party Role: If you're undecided about whom to lose, you should consider who offers a more worthwhile class for your needs based on your own class and party setup. You lose a Soldier if you sacrifice Ashley, and lose a Sentinel if you sacrifice Kaidan.
  • Survivor's Guilt: Once you return to the Normandy, you can speak with whoever you saved, and they will discuss your decision with you.

Mass Effect 2

  • Whoever survived Virmire will appear in a small role in Mass Effect 2, but they will not join your squad again, nor can they be romanced (regardless of whether you had previously romanced them).
  • If you romanced either Kaidan or Ashley in Mass Effect and they survived, a photo of them will be on the desk in your quarters. This will be turned face down should you go on to romance someone else.

Mass Effect 3

  • Whoever survived Virmire returns as an available squadmate. At first, this is for one mission only. However, depending on your choices made during this, they can either die, become a War Asset, or become a proper squadmate once again.
  • If you romanced Kaidan or Ashley and they survived, they will discuss their past relationship with you and even ask about who you romanced in Mass Effect 2 if you didn't stay faithful to them.
  • If Ashley/Kaidan becomes a permanent squadmate again, they will be romanceable once more, so you can either resume your relationship or start a new one with them if you haven't romanced them before.
  • If Kaidan becomes a permanent squadmate, he can be romanced by a male Shepard as well as a female Shepard this time.

Next: Mass Effect Legendary Edition Complete Guide And Walkthrough