On this page you’ll find details for your first visit to the Citadel in Mass Effect 3. You’ll travel to the Citadel immediately after finishing the mission Priority: Mars.

When you arrive, Ashley/Kaiden will be carted off and you’ll be pestered by Captain Bailey, an old friend who will tell you the Council’s expecting you before mentioning you probably have time to go visit Ashley/Kaiden, first. Respond with “That’s a good idea.”, as buttering up Ashley/Kaiden is more important than the inevitably hostile political wrangling that awaits you with the Council.

Huerta Memorial Hospital¶

After Captain Bailey leaves, it’ll be time to put into practice whatever you told him. In this case, we’ll be visiting our wounded comrade in Huerta Memorial Hospital, first. Visiting Ashley/Kaiden regularly until they recover will go a long way towards repairing your relationship, and if you regain their trust you may be able to resolve an encounter later in the game without bloodshed, reacquire the services of Ashley/Kaiden as a squadmate, and perhaps open (or reopen, as the case may be) the door to romance. Obviously if you don’t care about any of this, or are devoted to being a complete Renegade whatever the costs, you can just ignore Ashley/Kaiden for the rest of the game. On the other hand, if your position as a Renegade can be tempered by practicality, or if you just want to avoid burning bridges, you’ll be nice to Ashley/Kaiden and visit them regularly.

Anywho, when you’re back in control you’ll find yourself just south of the “Security Checkpoint” on the “Normandy Dock: Bay D24”. Pass through the blue laser security grids to reach the elevator and take it to “Huerta Memorial Hospital”.

When you arrive, make your way north through the first room, pass through two doors, then continue down a hallway to the north and pass through the first door to the right, where you’ll get to speak to your fallen comrade. Pick the Paragon option (upper right) to pass on some good vibes, then leave.

Recruit Doctor Chakwas¶

Return south to the first room just off the elevator, where you’ll find Doctor Chakwas and Doctor Michel, provided the former survived Mass Effect 2. If so, you can get her back on the Normandy simply by stating “You belong on the Normandy.”. No fuss, no side mission, no quid pro quo - Chakwas is just the best.

After that, you can seek out Dr. Michel in the same area and talk to her for some Reputation.

Finish up this area by checking out the Sirta Supplies store terminal:

You probably don’t need anything here yet, but expanding your stock of Medi-Gel won’t hurt anything, if you wish.

Citadel Embassies - Side Missions¶

When you’re done in Huerta Memorial Hospital, return to the elevator and ride up to the Citadel Embassies. Once there, take a left and head to the end of the lobby to find a volus talking to a turian and human, claiming to have lost a “Prothean Obelisk” that may have helped with the war effort. This starts the side mission [Shrike Abyssal: Prothean Obelisk].

The Citadel is one of the primary side mission hubs in Mass Effect 3, and you should consider visiting it after every core mission (any mission with the word “Priority” in the title) to pick up any new side missions. These can typically be found by talking to NPCs or overhearing conversations. Checking your private terminal on the Normandy can also yield new missions, among other sources.

Instead of having to do all the leg-work yourself, we’ll keep you informed about what new missions can be started whenever applicable, and where you can start them. It’s worth noting that some missions are timed, and it’s a good idea to try to complete them as soon as possible to avoid missing them. Perhaps contradictorily, some missions can’t be started immediately after you obtain them, as they require access to new systems, which are usually unlocked by completing core missions. The aforementioned [Shrike Abyssal: Prothean Obelisk] mission can not be completed at this time, but it’s not imminently going to expire, either.

Meet the Council¶

With that done, head to the section of the lobby to the right of the elevator and go up the stairs you’ll find here to reach a hallway lined with offices. The first office to your left belongs to Commander Bailey, who is busy arguing with Khalisah al-Jilani… a tabloid reporter whom Shepard may have had a contentious past with. It’s not a bad idea to pop in and pay them a visit to get the ball rolling on a third encounter with al-Jilani.

The third door down this hallway (second on the left) leads to the “Spectre Office”, which you need not bother with just yet. Instead, enter the first door on the right, beyond which is the “Earth Councillor’s Office”. Entering will trigger a scene that sets up the next few core missions; despite the sham alliance humanity is part of (not to be confused with the Systems Alliance, which is the centralized government through which humanity participates in said sham alliance), each of the other Council races are content to secure their own borders rather than attempt an unified resistance.

After the meeting predictably achieves nothing, you’ll get a small gesture of unity from an unlikely source: the turian Councillor, who recommends that you help the Turian Empire by rescuing one of their Primarchs. The Normandy is a ship uniquely qualified for such extraction missions, after all, and only by helping the other Council races can the foundation for reciprocity be laid. This starts the core mission Priority: Palaven.

Oh, and you’ll also be given your Spectre status back. Hooray…

Spectre Office¶

While you can technically leave the Citadel now, there are still a few things worth doing before getting back to the business of saving sentient organic life in the galaxy.

First visit the previously-neglected Spectre Office, wherein you’ll find a “Spectre Terminal”, where you can occasionally find useful intel. Right now you should have the two messages “Welcome” and “Quarian Fleet Intel”, the latter of which hints at things to come.

Next to this terminal you can find the Spectre Requisitions terminal, which allows you to purchase expensive arms:

Finally, you can go through a side door to reach the shooting range, where you’ll have ammo and targets provided for your testing needs. There’s also a Weapon Bench in there, so you can swap out gear and mods. Might not be a bad idea to save, test any guns you buy, then reload if you don’t like how they perform.

War Assets on the Citadel¶

Leave the Spectre Office and make your way to the elevator. Nearby you should spot Khalisah al-Jilani, who is willing to risk another interview with Shepard. Talk to her and you’ll find her as provocative as ever, ultimately giving you a Renegade interrupt. If you can’t restrain yourself, you’ll find that al-Jilani came prepared, so be ready for her and hit a second Renegade interrupt shortly after the first. Alternatively, if you avoid attacking her you’ll get a Paragon interrupt after the first Renegade interrupt expires, which will lead to you acquiring Khalisah al-Jilani’s services as a war asset.

Next, seek out James to the left of the elevator, whom you can talk to for some Reputation points. Not much of consequence, really.

Next, take the elevator down to the “Normandy Dock: Bay D24” level and seek out a woman named Diana Allers, who is busy pestering soldiers. When you talk to her, she’ll identify herself as a war correspondent and try to talk her way onboard the Normandy. If you allow her to join, you’ll gain her as a war asset. She’s also a possible romantic option, for what that’s worth.

Finally, at the T-intersection near the door to the Normandy you’ll find a turian soldier talking to his asari wife. Get close to them until they start talking, and when they stop, return to the elevator, ride to a different part of the Citadel, return and repeat to get them talking again. Do this several times until they start repeating themselves, then return to the Spectre Office and examine the “Spectre Terminal”, which now has a new entry: Partner Benefits Increase. You apparently have the power to authorize this, and doing so will earn you another war asset, although this one won’t appear immediately.

With that, you’re done on the Citadel. Return to the “Normandy Dock: Bay D24” and board the Normandy, where you’ll get more scenes. The events on the Normandy will be covered on their own page.