The Citadel: Lockdown

1. Grounded by the Council

After finishing Therum, Feros, Noveria, and Virmire, use the Normandy's Galaxy Map to receive Joker's message, then report to the Citadel Council Chambers. Speak to the Council and Ambassador Donnel Udina; you can select Charm or Intimidate dialogue options or vent your frustration for morality points, but Udina will inevitably ground your ship regardless of what you say.

Tip: Reaching maximum persuasion rewards during dialogues across this visit requires 8 Charm or 7 Intimidate points.

2. Debriefing Aboard the Normandy

Head back to the Normandy Docking Bay to find your ship grounded, then speak with your active romance partner in the captain's cabin or comm room for an intimate conversation. Your private moment is soon interrupted by Joker, who relays an urgent summons from Captain David Anderson requesting a clandestine meeting.

3. Final Shopping Tour

Before heading to your rendezvous, tour the station's merchants to purchase all remaining equipment, manufacturer licenses, and inventory upgrades. Visit the C-Sec Requisitions Officer in the C-Sec Academy for master gear, browse Delan's stock at the Presidium Emporium, trade with Expat in the Upper Markets, purchase rare stock from Morlan in the Lower Markets, and obtain Medi-Gel capacity upgrades from Dr. Chloe Michel at the Med Clinic.

4. Handling Wards Requests

Make your way through the Upper Wards and the alleyways around Flux to resolve any pending civilian matters. Speak with Charles Saracino regarding his Terra Firma rally—choosing to endorse him gives Renegade points, while declining or condemning his rhetoric awards Paragon points. Nearby, talk to the withdrawal-afflicted Alliance negotiator Elias Keeler: you can supply him with Mental Polish for Renegade points, or convince him via Charm or Intimidate to enter treatment for Paragon points.

5. The Jailbreak Plan at Flux

Enter Flux Nightclub and sit with Captain Anderson at a booth to discuss how to bypass the lockdown so you can reach Ilos. You must choose how Anderson overrides the systems: send him to hack Ambassador Udina's office computer in the Presidium to safely disable the clamps after knocking Udina out, or order him to storm Citadel Traffic Control in the C-Sec Tower, where he headbutts a guard but takes a gunshot wound from responding officers.

Tip: Directing Anderson to Udina's office keeps him completely safe from injury.

6. Breakout Through Perimeter Control

Return to the Normandy Docking Bay and pass through the airlock to board your ship. Joker executes the getaway sequence past Citadel perimeter control, successfully freeing the Normandy so you can set course for Ilos.

The short version

What matters

• Visiting Dr. Chloe Michel, Delan, Expat, Morlan, and the C-Sec Requisitions Officer to purchase all remaining capacity upgrades, top-tier master gear, and manufacturer armory licenses before plotting your escape.
• Choosing whether Captain Anderson hacks Udina's terminal or attacks Citadel Traffic Control, as this decides whether he remains uninjured or gets shot.
• Completing 'Citadel: Our Own Worst Enemy' with Charles Saracino and 'Citadel: Negotiator's Request' with Elias Keeler in the Upper Wards for Paragon or Renegade points.

Common mistakes

• Boarding the Normandy without finishing open Citadel side quests; once the escape cutscene plays, you can never return to the Citadel on this playthrough.
• Sending Anderson to assault Citadel Traffic Control instead of hacking Udina's office terminal, which needlessly causes Anderson to get shot by security forces.

What you can skip

• Trying to persuade the Council or Udina to change their minds in the briefing room, as the lockdown outcome is mandatory and completely unavoidable.