What is the perfect squad status at the end of the game

Question

Everyone deep down wants to make sure their entire squad survives. So assuming that you go through the minimal losses throughout the series as in:

• Only losing Kaiden/Ashley on Virmire (Wrex survives)
• Getting all DLC characters (Zaeed, Kasume)
• Waking up Grunt and Legion
• everybody surviving the Suicide Mission (Squad only, looking for playable, not Normandy Crew).

Who will be left alive at the end, even if they are not part of the playable squad in ME3? And how do you keep them alive?

Answer 1

Lots of spoilers here, so be warned.

Here's where you find everybody

• Thane will die regardless due to his advanced Kepral's Syndrome. However there is a way you can avoid Thane's death but know that another character will die in his place (Video). You can view the details in the question, Can I change what happens to Thane?.

• Mordin will die curing the genophage. I've heard that the only way around this is to not have Wrex survive Virmire, and also have the female Krogan die.

• Miranda can die. Here's how to avoid it.

• Legion will die. Either he's killed or he sacrifices himself. Tali can die in the same mission if you side with the Geth. You'll need to save the pacifist Quarian admiral, and have a high paragon to save her. I've also heard that you might have to have imported a loyal Tali from ME2 as well.

• Samara can die as well. A high paragon and an interrupt saves her.

• Grunt will die when you meet up with him if you try to save the Rachni Queen and he was not loyal from ME2.

• Kaiden/Ashley can die when trying to save the council from Cerberus. Again, high paragon and an interrupt save him/her.