Mass Effect 2: How to Attract Morinth's Attention

During Samara's loyalty mission in Mass Effect 2, Shepard needs to get and keep Morinth's attention. Players can easily fail if they aren't careful.

Throughout Mass Effect 2's second act, players will need to recruit more squadmates to build their team against the Collectors and complete each new squadmate's loyalty mission. While on Illium, players will recruit Samara, an Asari Justicar. Shepard will need to convince Samara to turn herself in to Illium's law enforcement, and they will need to finish her mission against the Eclipse mercenary gang for her. Once they do, she will take a new oath, the Third Oath of Sublimation, allowing Shepard's orders to override her code as a Justicar. This does not make her loyal, however, and players will need to help her track down her daughter, Morinth, a powerful and violent Asari Ardat-Yakshi, a kind of succubus.

During Samara's loyalty mission, Shepard will need to enter the Afterlife nightclub on Omega in the VIP section. They will need to proceed into the club alone and manage to attract Morinth's attention, essentially making themselves her next target, so they can get her alone and Samara can stop her. There are several opportunities for this mission to fail if Shepard is not alluring enough, both when initially getting Morinth's attention in the club and when talking to Morinth in her booth. Players will need to be careful to choose the correct actions and dialogue options. If Samara's loyalty is not secured, there is a chance she will die during the Suicide Mission, or she is guaranteed to die in Mass Effect 3, so it is important for players to succeed during this mission. Here's how to get and keep Morinth's attention during Samara's loyalty mission, Samara: The Ardat-Yakshi, in Mass Effect 2.

How to Get Morinth's Attention in Mass Effect 2

Once inside the VIP section of Afterlife on Omega, players will need to have Shepard complete three activities successfully to attract Morinth and get her to ask them to join her. There are several to choose from, and three include morality points for players looking to maximize their Paragon or Renegade score.

Morinth is attracted by displays of bravado or charm, particularly if Shepard inserts themselves into a potentially violent situation on principle. When trying to get her attention, players will need to focus on these displays. The activities are:

• Prevent the death of an undercover journalist: Talk to Horftin, the human smoking a cigarette, then talk to the gang leader, Florit, and use the dialogue option that includes "terminal," followed by the one that includes, "eternity."
• Stop a Turian from soliciting an Asari dancer: Intervene when the Turian Meln talks about acquiring Hallia for more than a dance.
• Dance with Waera: Talk to the Asari on the dancefloor and use the Paragon dialogue option to dance with her. Earns Paragon points.
• Insult Verf: Challenge the trash-talking krogan at the bar to a fight outside. Note Shepard will not actually have to leave the bar or fight the Krogan, as this option will get him to back down.
• Intimidate Vertin and Huck: Find the two Turians in the corner of the bar discussing plans to mug someone. Shepard can either intimidate them to engage in a quick bar fight and earn Renegade points, or convince them to leave. Players should not bribe them.
• Buy the club a round of drinks: Talk to the bartender, Edwin. If Shepard has a high enough Paragon score, they can convince him to serve a round of drinks on the house for some extra Paragon points. If not, Shepard can offer to buy the club a round. They won't lose credits for selecting this option.

If players somehow fail to make an impression on four activities, the mission will automatically fail. Morinth will leave, and players will not secure Samara's loyalty.

How to Keep Morinth's Attention in Mass Effect 2

Once Morinth invites Shepard to join her in her booth, players will need to choose conversation topics that will hold Morinth's interest and compel her to invite Shepard up to her apartment. Players will need to focus on the clues they have received about Morinth during Samara's loyalty mission, particularly when investigating the death of Nef and while walking around the bar. They will need to have Shepard express confidence and a taste for violence, and they should ask Morinth about her love of music and art and name-drop things she likes based on Nef's journal entries.

For guaranteed success when speaking with Morinth, players can choose the following dialogue options:

• Travel: Talk about enjoying the danger, then select the option to say power is its own reward
• Music: Talk about the band Expel 10, experience with drugs, and either new drug interests or name-dropping Hallex.
• Art & Vids: Talk about the violence depicted in them, and name-drop Vaenia and Forta.

It is important to avoid topics related to family and justicars, as this will immediately link to Samara and tip Morinth off. Players can use the Paragon or Renegade conversation options open to them, which should help ensure success. Choosing moral replies doesn't necessarily mean players will fail the mission, but it can be more difficult to hold Morinth's interest using these, and players have more opportunity to fail.

Once players have Morinth's undivided attention, they will head up to her apartment to continue to the last part of the mission. If players fail, Morinth will return in Mass Effect 3 as a Banshee.

Next: How Mass Effect Legendary Edition Is Dealing With Mods

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.