Miranda Lawson is part of the reason Shepard survives getting spaced in Mass Effect 2. He can begin a romance with her following her Loyalty mission.

Though she can be a bit chilly upon first meeting her, Miranda Lawson becomes a close ally and friend to Shepard as the story progresses in Mass Effect 2. Miranda is a genetically modified biotic warrior and Cerberus Officer. She was also in charge of the Lazarus Project, reviving Shepard after the events of the Mass Effect 2 Prologue. She is an optional romantic partner for a male Shepard in Mass Effect 2, provided her Loyalty is secured and maintained.

Unlike most other Mass Effect 2 romanceable characters, Shepard will not need to recruit Miranda first, as she is with him from the start of the main campaign. In this particular romance arc, Shepard can choose to be honest about his feelings or to engage in banter to increase the romantic tension. Shepard will need to be sure not to take sides against Miranda or lose her Loyalty, or they will be locked out of pursuing her as a partner. If Miranda is loyal and survives the events of Mass Effect 2, she and Shepard can continue their romance to the end of Mass Effect 3. Here's how to begin a romance with Miranda in Mass Effect 2.

How to Begin a Romance with Miranda in Mass Effect 2

Almost immediately following the mission on Horizon, Shepard will receive word from Yeoman Kelly Chambers that Miranda and Jacob wanted to speak to him. He can find Miranda in her office behind the kitchens on the Crew Deck. She will ask for help protecting her twin sister Oriana from abduction by her father. Shepard will need to agree to help, then travel to Illium at some point to complete the Mass Effect 2 side mission Miranda: The Prodigal.

Miranda's Loyalty mission cannot be failed. Regardless of choices made during the mission, Oriana will be safe, and Miranda will pledge her Loyalty. Shepard will want to talk to her immediately following the mission for closure. There are no romantic dialogue options during this conversation.

Shepard can return to Miranda's office later and ask to speak with her again by selecting Can we talk. During this conversation, players should select the Paragon dialogue options until Miranda expresses that the only thing she can take credit for are her mistakes. Here, either the Paragon or Renegade dialogue option can lead to a romance. If Shepard chooses You're hard to compliment, he will encourage Miranda to give herself more credit and express that he admires her body and her mind. When she responds that she wouldn't mind him admiring her body, players can choose I'm admiring it now to have Shepard express his interest in her romantically. If Shepard instead chooses You're jealous, the two will competitively banter, and Shepard will have the option to kiss her.

Regardless of the path taken, Miranda will express that she needs time to think. After a few more missions, Shepard should go talk to her again. He will need to choose the Paragon or neutral dialogue options to reassure her that he has feelings for her and continue the romance. Otherwise, he can break it off during this conversation. Speaking to Miranda any more times after this conversation will consistently give Shepard the option to confirm his interest in her or break it off.

After Shepard completes Jack's Loyalty mission, the two women will fight in the Comm room. Shepard will either need to take Miranda's side, losing Jack's Loyalty, or resolve the argument without taking sides by using the Charm/Intimidate dialogue option, provided they have a high enough Paragon or Renegade morality score. If he takes Jack's side, he will lose Miranda's Loyalty, and the relationship will end permanently, even if he is able to regain her Loyalty in a subsequent conversation.

The next time Shepard talks with Mordin Solus, the professor will suggest he check for Cerberus listening devices before becoming intimate with Miranda. While not required, a similar scene with Mordin takes place for any Mass Effect 2 romance and can be a humorous reminder that others on the ship recognize the budding romance between Shepard and one of his companions.

Should Shepard follow all these steps, ahead of the Suicide Mission, Miranda will meet Shepard at the Combat Information Center and flirtatiously invite him to join her in the Engine room. If he agrees, the cutscene will shift to the Engine room where Shepard and Miranda spend an intimate night together.

It is important to keep Miranda alive during the Suicide Mission. Typically, she is a solid choice for the Fire Team Leader in both segments of the mission. Though she expresses interest in acting as the Biotic Specialist, she should not be given this role, or she or another squadmate will die. Shepard will also need to choose appropriate leaders for the other teams to prevent Miranda from being accidentally killed during other stages of the mission. During the final boss fight, it is best to leave Miranda behind on the defense team, as she makes a good contribution to the team's overall defense score and can help keep others alive.

Should Miranda survive the events of Mass Effect 2 and the player continues the game following the credits, they can talk to her again in her office to celebrate their victory against the Collectors. Later, Shepard can call Miranda up to his cabin, and the two can sit together, sleep together, or cuddle. Shepard can stand by and encourage Miranda as she grows into herself away from the influence of her father and The Illusive Man when the romance is continued to the end of Mass Effect 3.

Next: Mass Effect 2: How to Secure Tali's Loyalty

Mass Effect: Legendary Edition launches May 14, 2021 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, with forward compatibility for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.