Bethesda’s space epic, Starfield, enables the romancing of four core characters in the game, leaving an important choice in who to select as a partner. Each romantic relationship in Starfield stands on its own, with each displaying a level of vulnerability and character growth. With unique romance questlines that require the completion of multiple missions, deciding who to settle down with can be difficult for some.
While it’s more than possible to romance several Starfield crewmates up until a certain point, eventually, a decision must be made on who to spend eternity traversing the universe with. Knowing how all the different romances pan out and the pros and cons of each romantic endeavor includes completing a multitude of companion-specific quests, so knowing which relationships are possible and the details of each is helpful.
[Warning: The following article contains story spoilers for romances in Starfield]
4 Sam Coe
Sam Coe’s romance option would be lackluster if it weren’t for the heartfelt and touching interactions with his daughter, Cora Coe. Much of Sam’s romance quests involve Cora somehow, usually rescuing her from some sort of trouble she’s gotten into. Indeed, a relationship with Sam Coe involves a true marriage of families, which includes the entire Coe dynasty and, most importantly, a healthy guardian relationship with Cora. For those who love mentoring and raising kids, the Sam Coe romance option is the way to go.
However — out of all the crew in Starfield, Sam is certainly the character with the most solid moral compass. Those who enjoy living on the gray fringes of the Settled Systems by lying or looting won’t have a good time having Sam tag around for most of the playthrough. Like most Bethesda games, the world in Starfield isn’t always black and white. Many decisions often hinge on doing something at least slightly morally questionable, but unlike other companions — who may accept morally ambiguous decisions if it means benefiting the greater good — Sam is pretty steadfast on where he stands with decisions.
The commitment ceremony scene between Sam and the character culminates in his hometown of Akila City, where tenuous familial bonds are mended, and Sam opens up in a way that feels authentic and moving. For some, this may be the strongest romance, which just goes to show how well-crafted the core romantic relationships in Starfield truly are.
3 Sarah Morgan
Sarah is core to the story’s narrative and is certainly a viable romantic interest in Starfield. In many ways, it even feels like the developers had her in mind as the game’s “true” romance. While she has her own biases and moral compass, it almost feels like it might be too easy to romance her. The key to romancing Sarah includes being curious and resolving tense scenarios diplomatically. While some may blast their way through every conceivable scenario, many will try to resolve or diffuse disagreements or situations via dialogue options on a first playthrough, which are all things Sarah likes.
This is also the case with curiosity, as the player’s first playthrough will likely result in them being generally pro-Constellation and more interested in space exploration. While the romance with Sarah isn’t void of interest and is certainly a compelling narrative, in many ways, it lacks the gravitas or true emotional change that occurs with other crewmates in the game. That being said, there is certainly an obvious through line with the narrative arc and character growth regarding Morgan, which unveils more about her background and story.
The Sarah Morgan romance culminates in a short ceremony with Sarah’s mother, Abigail. Sarah gives a heartfelt speech, diverging from her typical analytical view of the scenario. This act of affection and emotional tenderness helps solidify this romance option. Like all romance options in Starfield, a relationship with Sarah Morgan is actually quite fulfilling.
2 Barrett
Barrett is one of the first companions players will meet in Starfield but takes a quick hiatus from the game until the character resumes the main Constellation questline. If the choice is made to take Barrett as a companion for missions, a deep, humorous, and often tender relationship begins to form between the protagonist and jokester turned explorer. As a companion character, Barrett makes for one of the more agreeable crewmates Starfield, as he often views scenarios and situations in varying degrees of gray.
This enables a wide gamut of choice selection, and unlike Sam Coe — who may chastise the player for certain actions — Barrett typically supports and goes along for the ride. Similar to all members of Constellation to some degree, Barrett is a lover of exploration and discovery and gets excited at the prospect of a new scientific adventure. If the relationship is taken one step further, and commitment is in the stars, Barrett will start to open up about his past and sad backstory. This adds a deeper element to the otherwise wise-cracking companion and helps flesh him out as a fully realized character with true regrets.
While many characters in Starfield have their own dark pasts, Barrett’s history is arguably the most compelling. Regardless of whether the romantic path is taken with Barrett, he will always be supportive and helpful. Known throughout most of the campaign as the wide-cracking explorer, the emotional walls Barrett puts up to keep things light slowly come down to expose a more tender side to him. While the romantic scene with Barrett at the end is certainly the most underwhelming, it doesn’t detract from the great relationship built throughout the game.
1 Andreja
When it comes to breaking down emotional walls and forming a true connection with someone who may hail from different cultural beliefs (unless the Serpent’s Embrace trait and religion is selected at the start), Andreja has arguably the most transformative relationship questline in all of Starfield. Initially met fairly early in the main Constellation questline, Andreja is a hardened member of the team who would often prefer to vaporize enemies rather than talk them down. As a worshiper of The Great Serpent and member of House Va’Runn, Andreja was raised on the cultural fringes of The Settled Systems.
While at once a predominant religion, House Va’Runn fell out of favor but remains an important aspect of Andreja’s storyline. While there is a moment in the romance where it feels like Andreja might be pushing her beliefs on the protagonist, boundaries are still respected, regardless of her fervor for her religion. What makes her romance so great is the character growth that’s exhibited throughout the game’s narrative and the support that both the protagonist and Andreja show each other over time. Breaking down her hard exterior to reveal a softer side is something that feels like it takes work, but is worth the payoff.
Andreja relationship culminates in perhaps the most unique commitment ceremony in the game, which is a commitment based on compromise, one of the core tenets of a real-life, long-lasting relationship. In the end, she admits that a House Va’Runn commitment ceremony wouldn’t be right, as it doesn’t fit the protagonist’s belief system, so instead, she shows a gesture in the only way that she knows how — hunt down aliens. Though it might not result in the most tender of romantic conclusions in Starfield, it’s arguably the most fun, and Andreja proves that she’s a challenge worth pursuing.
