Mass Effect 3 saw the return of Omega's pirate queen Aria T'Loak. Commander Shepard first encountered Aria on the Citadel, where she'd been forced to take up residence in the lounge of the Purgatory nightclub. Cerberus had overtaken the Omega space station to give themselves easier access to the Omega 4 Relay, where they'd been farming whatever Reaper tech they could get their hands on from the Collector Base.
Vengeful as ever, Aria asked Shepard to meet up with her outside the Citadel where she proposed a partnership. In exchange for helping her reclaim her throne on Omega, she would lend whatever resources she could muster for the war effort to take back Earth and stop the Reapers. Given Aria's previous indifference towards Shepard, this promised to be an uneasy alliance because of Aria's tendency to take control. However, Aria promised one thing above all: when it came to battle strategy, Shepard made the calls.
Mission: The Assault on Omega
Aria made it abundantly clear from the gate she wanted Shepard only, no squadmates. Rendezvous with Aria's Fleet in the Widow system of the Serpent Nebula. After boarding the ship, take a moment to allocate squad points to Aria, as she becomes Shepard's primary squadmate for the mission. Take a moment to upgrade or reassign her weapons and add mods.
Hear out Aria's strategy for the assault on Omega, standing behind her as she speaks to General Petrovsky, the Cerberus agent in charge of Omega. Then, prepare for the attack. This results in complete loss of the ship, with everyone forced into escape pods. After crashing the pod in the hangar, the real battle for Omega begins. There are numerous Cerberus enemies in the area, including Troopers and Centurions. Take them out, grab the two med-kits in the area and advance into the next battle.
Along with Troopers and Centurions, there are also Guardians in this room. Battle through them and head toward the pile of crates at the end of the room to pick up the Assault Rifle High-Velocity Barrel mod and 3,000 credits worth of salvage. Get into the elevator and travel to the next level toward the Defense Systems. Cerberus Engineers set up turrets here, so take them out quickly while they are working.
After clearing them out, examine the computer terminal on the right wall, then bypass the door leading into the defense controls. Take out enemies in this area, then head to the control panel to disable the guns taking out Aria's ships. Upon spotting the surveillance cameras, Shepard can earn Renegade points for shooting it, but now Petrovsky knows their plan. Hit the medical station for XP and grab the med-kit, then head into the next battle. Clear the garage of enemies, grab 3,000 credits from the nearby wall safe and head out into the streets.
Mission: The Streets of Omega
Take note of the strange forcefield on the other side of the garage and into the streets. Pick up 1,500 credits next to the dead Batarian and the Pistol Heavy Barrel mod, then examine the Cerberus VI to learn more about the lockdown. Hop over the crates and into the next battle, then head toward the elevator. After exiting, grab 2,250 credits and move on to the rendezvous point.
Watch as one of Aria's Vorcha allies approaches the forcefield and sizzles to dust before encountering a new enemy: Cerberus Rampart Mechs. After taking them out, examine the forcefield with Aria before heading toward a secret passageway. Pick up the Shotgun High-Velocity Barrel and hit the medical station before proceeding into the hidden parts of Omega.
Shortly after entering the passageway, Shepard and Aria encounter Nyreen Kandros. She becomes a squadmate, so take a moment to assign her powers before diving into the next battle. Pick up salvage, worth 3,000 credits, scan the PDA for another 2,250 credits and grab the N7 Valkyrie Assault Rifle before bypassing the door. There is a weapons bench to equip Nyreen with better weapons. Descend the tunnel to the ladder. Climb up and hit the medical station, then prepare for another Cerberus battle with plenty of Rampart Mechs and an ATLAS Mech.
After taking them out, grab the two med-kits before Bray points out a Cerberus Engineer jamming the cannon controls. Destroying the target triggers another ATLAS Mech to take down before shifting focus to the cannon controls and activating them to launch into a cutscene that will lead to setting up Aria's bunker.
Mission: Recruit the Talons
Inside Aria's bunker, there are a couple of side-quest missions assigned by allies. Aria wants to recruit the Talons and use them as cannon fodder. Nyreen disappears from the scene before Aria and Shepard head into the tunnels. Navigating the tunnels, there is a jammed lift control. Take out the explosive crates on the lift to free it, then use it to grab the Assault Rifle High-Velocity Barrel mod. Return to the path and enter the airlock to access the vents. Grab the datapad worth 1,500 Credits and hit the medical station before proceeding into Talon territory.
The Talons are in an all-out war with Cerberus, which leaves many dead or wounded along the way. Stopping to help the wounded grants XP and encourages the Talons that survive to follow Shepard later. Battle through Cerberus enemies, including Rampart Mechs, Troopers, Combat Engineers and Centurions. Down the rampart, bypass the door and enter a cutscene with Nyreen reappearing to rescue Talons from Cerberus interrogation. She reveals that she's the Talon Leader and rejoins the squad.
Before moving towards the exit, grab the Shotgun High-Velocity Barrel mod, a datapad worth 1,500 credits and the Phaeston. Take the elevator, emerging into another battle with multiple Rampart Mechs. Take them out, salvage the datapad for 1,500 credits and pickup the med-kit near the burning shuttle. There is another med-kit on the left, so grab it and head into the next elevator. The ride is cut short by Cerberus, so shoot the elevator control to release the ladder and climb up into the shaft. Pick up the datapad worth 1,500 credits and go down the ladder to the bottom of the shaft to reach the door.
There are multiple enemies in the area outside the Talon base, with Cerberus dropping off more. Take them out and head towards the door in the back to pick up the Sniper Rifle Thermal Scope. Then, bypass the door, which signals multiple waves of Cerberus troops while waiting for it to open. On the other side is a med-kit to grab and an elevator leading to the Talon Outpost.
Grab the Shotgun Omin-Blade mod before wandering the outpost. The dialogue here reveals information about the Adjutants: Cerberus agents mutated by Reaper Tech. Talk to Nyreen to trigger Aria's speech, then prepare to defend the outpost. First, Shepard and Aria head to the landing pad to take out the enemies there before joining Nyreen and the Talons to defend the front doors. After clearing the attack, everyone returns to Aria's bunker to rally for the final assault.
Mission: Infiltrate the Eezo Mines
Take a moment to speak with Nyreen, then head out the doors into the processing plant. This area is lit only by Shepard's flashlight, and the objective is to reach the power. Follow dead bodies until seeing a figure leaping across the overhead pipes; head in that direction. Follow the glowing red power lines to the control room. Drop down the ladder and restore the power, then battle the first Adjutant in the area. Kill it and bypass the door to return to the cargo lift.
Approaching the lift to activate the elevator triggers several more Adjutant battles, so take them out and escape into elevator once the area is clear. Enter the mines and head across the catwalk, picking up a med-kit before advancing towards the PERSONNEL ONLY sign. Grab the Assault Rifle High-Velocity Barrel and prepare to battle through multiple Cerberus agents while trying to reach the maintenance area.
Bypass the gate to the maintenance area and pick up the Pistol Heavy Barrel mod, then head down the ladder, battling Cerberus all the way. Go left to the Triage Area, salvage the tools for 1,500 credits and grab the Sniper Rifle Thermal Scope before heading up the ladder. Go to the lift and take it up, disposing of the Rampart Mech at the top before grabbing the Shotgun Omni-Blade. Turn left for the Chakram Launcher assault rifle, then head through the PEDWAY ACCESS door. There is a med-kit and some salvage to grab here before moving on to the reactor.
Petrovsky puts a barrier up around the reactor, which Aria uses her biotics to force open. While she's doing this, Nyreen and Shepard must protect her from multiple waves of Rampart Mechs. Once she's opened a hole, only Shepard can crawl through to the reactor. Inside the core, Shepard faces a Renegade decision to either shut down life support on Omega to disable the barriers, or to reroute the barriers, potentially killing Aria. Ignoring the Renegade interrupt and choosing the Paragon option allows Shepard to quickly reroute power, saving everyone.
Mission: Take Back Omega
As Nyreen leads her people, Shepard and Aria go to Afterlife and disable the bombs outside. There are multiple item pickups along the way, as well as numerous Cerberus enemies. Upon reaching the access panel, Shepard must disable all four bombs while Aria holds off the Rampart Mechs. After Aria shuts down the remaining fan, jump the gap and bypass the door. Grab the Shotgun High-Velocity Barrel and proceed.
Fight through the Gozu District, battling Cerberus Troopers and picking up salvage and loot along the way. Discover that Nyreen has headed to Afterlife on her own, which prompts Aria to move quickly. Nyreen is killed, fueling Aria's rage and sending her rampaging into a trap. This battle is timed, and there are multiple, dangerous enemies in the area while Shepard rushes around disabling the pylons holding Aria prisoner.
Move quickly, sneaking when possible, to free Aria before the clock ticks down. Once she is free, she rejoins the fight. Aria and Shepard finish off Cerberus before dealing with Petrovsky, who surrenders. Depending on Shepard's morality, Aria can be convinced to either kill or spare Petrovsky, though even if she spares him, she'll still rough him up a bit before turning him over. Back on her throne, Aria and Omega must pick up the pieces of their broken space station -- but she will lend her aid against the Reapers.
