Control & Synthesis
Out of all the changes made with the Extended Cut DLC, the ones we were absolutely not expecting were the fate of Shepard/humanity flat out confirmed by the developers’ new epilogues. No longer would fans worry about whether or not Shepard really did achieve his goal of putting an end to the cycle of death and life that the Reapers had upheld. And as for the Indoctrination Theory, well it’s downright impossible to justify believing that, now that the story’s writers went and showed that Shepard really was choosing the fate of galactic life.
And all in all, his decisions turned out for the better. Sure he wasn’t able to see the future that he made possible – not in his current form of existence, anyway – but the advancements and betterment of all that came as a result more than justifies the loss of any one man or woman. As the guiding force behind the Reaper consciousness, the army of machines was tasked with defending and protecting the sanctity of sentient life – a new breed of Shepard-controlled terminators, if you will.
As for synthesis, well considering that the result of merging synthetic and organic life was the recovery and height of Krogan society, infinite knowledge granted to any who sought it, and the manpower necessary to do away with war and rebuild the galactic community, that’s a good trade. It also makes the love affair between Joker and EDI far less disturbing. Okay, a little less. Whichever of the two were chosen, Shepard was now able to not just sacrifice his life to preserve and enrich it for all eternity, but the player could see the terrific impacts his sacrifice really had. A more satisfying ending in terms of player impacts there is not.
What We Hoped For:
It’s hard to say if conclusive proof that Shepard really did make the right call is what fans really wanted. If it really is the case that four out of the five possible endings showed that the player won the day and all lived happily ever after, one could make the case that all endings are equally meaningless. We’re not making the case that there should be more opportunity to fail, since seeing our previous decisions justified was a major weight off our shoulders.
But perhaps we didn’t realize just how important the element of doubt was in the mystique of Mass Effect 3‘s ending. Obviously we didn’t want our Shepard to have been tricked into thinking he could control or advance the Reapers, only to play right into the enemy’s hands. But not knowing for sure was… well, better than a science fiction, fairy tale ending. But it’s not the fact that Shepard was right that bugs us, but who else was as well.
Quite simply, the Control and Synthesis endings both prove that the Illusive Man and, to a lesser extent, Saren were completely right. After the first game had Shepard up against a madman corrupted by the thought that life could learn from what the Reapers had to teach, it turns out he wasn’t so crazy after all. And after two games of fervently denying the Illusive Man’s claims that the Reapers could be controlled, it turns out he was right all along as well. By extension, the showdown that had Anderson and the Illusive Man killed was completely pointless. Anderson died to keep humanity sacred, when joining the two life forms worked out better for everybody.
BioWare did answer most of the questions about Shepard’s fate, even explaining that his amalgamation with the Reaper consciousness spawned a new entity, led by his former self’s morality and will. But exactly what the change meant for organic life and synthetic is never explained in anything more than shallow pseudo-scientific references. The only real justification given is that ‘people use technology for everything,’ and ‘machines have never known what it is to be alive.’ That motivation, and a conclusion showing that both sides can get along is all that’s ever provided.
Exactly what organic and synthetic beings would grapple with when combined seems like a theme the developers of Mass Effect would at one time have been all too happy to explore. As it stand though, that will have to be done elsewhere. And for that, we can’t help but disappointed for the missed opportunity.
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Fair enough. Initially, I had no problem with the original endings but the more they played in my head the more annoyed I got. The new epilogues have, shall we say, not got me wanting to make love to Bioware again but at least whisper goodnight before we fall asleep. I also can’t help thinking that future DLC will also add to the direction the endings took and by the time it is all done people will give Bioware one more run at finding the mojo they once had pre EA. Why these weren’t the original endings in the first place though is the question I will hold onto. I’m all for clever, but you have to be clever to do clever.
No mention of Miranda though. Surely her ass warranted an epilogue scene?
And if I die, I’ll die knowing I did everything I could to stop you.
Refusal ending is only ending.
I see the refusal ending as purely giving up. I will never choose it for that reason, but that’s just me.
Instead of throwing the three endings together at the very end they should’ve branched the game into three directions. One way allowed you to side with the illusive man, that would lead to either control or synthesis. Another way would have you siding with the alliance doing the whole crucible thing that would lead to destroy. Refusal would be available to anyone regardless of war assets.
I felt the illusive man was correct all along. The aliens only helped humanity after Shepard took care of all their dirty laundry.
Besides that in 50 years time krogan will have conquered the galaxy just based on demographics. That is if you cured the genophage.
The krogan only tried to conquer the galaxy last time because they were advanced too quickly technologically by outside forces. They’re more structured and mature now, so they won’t just blindly blood rage their way through the other races anymore. Wrex has enough foresight to prevent that from happening even if there was a minority movement.
Besides, even if they tried, whatever scraps of the turian fleet that are left could defeat the krogan and their…complete lack of a navy.
Headdesk
It completely fixed what was there, in my opinion. I would still have preferred a retcon, but it’s much better than it was. The only thing I’m seeing a problem with is the destroy ending having both the memorial scene and the “breath”. Wouldn’t they have, you know, checked for survivors in his last known location before declaring him dead? But other than that, I’m very happy with what was added.
I still have a lot of confusion about the ending. I appreciate BW for making the extended cut, and somewhat admitting the mistakes they have made by changing elements of the original ending (how did squad-mates returned to the Normandy; Mass Relays not exploding anymore; Normandy engines didn’t blow up…)
first of all, I will say that I really like the Indoctrination Theory, and I still think it is true. I think that BW are saving their cards close regarding the full events of the ending, by their statements shown in the AngryJoeShow there is clearly more than what we got about the end, and it was before they announced the Extended Cut DLC so I don’t think it was about EC.
1. In the destroy ending, crew members act as if Shepard is dead. Hackett also mentions that they will remember those who sacrificed themselves. There isn’t any slide show or statement that speaks about the possibility that Shepard is alive. And, he clearly is – given the breathing shot at the very end. There is absolutely no way that nobody in the galaxy found him up on the Citadel when they repaired it (if the ending we saw was true). And if Shepard breathing shot was on Earth, then it’s clearly part of IT, and we got one more battle to do.
Any end in which they reunited with Shepard, who is still alive, after what we saw, and that they assumed he was dead at the time, is unacceptable. BW always said there won’t be an open ended finish, and Shep breathing shot is pure “watch out – there’s going to be a sequal!” moment. why would they put it otherwise if there isn’t anything else to come?
2. I think that the child is an hallucination right from the start, and especially in the air vent scene. I mean:
Why would a normal child say to a soldier “you can’t help me”, with such determination?
How did he just disappear from there?
Why didn’t Anderson notice him at all?
What’s with the Reaper sound when Anderson interrupts Shepard’s dialogue with the child?
Then, if the child is an hallucination, what is it?
why would the “catalyst” (if true), do this to Shepard?
why try to break Shep’s spirit?
I really can’t see any argument stronger than that it was an indoctrination attempt.
I saw people saying that the EC “killed” the IT, but the main themes of IT are still there. I think the EC deals with stuff that weren’t logically possible so no one could even believe that the previous endings could be true, but I think IT is still there, and if not, I’d like to hear answers about the stuff that still doesn’t fit to the game and it’s lore.
And no future DLC spoilers in the comments please (Leviathan and such)…
Also, I was pretty disappointed with the new refusal ending, closure-wise.
only “So be it” > “the cycle continues” > fade to future.
Didn’t we earn the right to at least see the galaxy and our squad-mates make the final effort? it’s not like BW had any trouble with death scenes in the past.
The whole new refusal ending just didn’t feel right. It’s more of an easter egg than a true ending in my opinion.
just give us the option to throw Anderson or the Illusive man into the beam and let us skip off into the sunset with Garrus or something, is it really to much to just have one happy ending?!? We have like 7 sad tragic bittersweet endings to go off of!!! Just make one near impossible to get happy ending PLEASE!!!!!!!
Now that the new DLC made the ending more bitter sweet that just bitter, I can see myself playing all 3 games again, but I will wait till the next batch of DLC comes out before I do another play through. Refusal ending is interesting.
In my original playthrough, after talking to Star Kid I shot him.
With the extended DLC this means I lose. Through-out the first and second games my instinct always played true.
So I guess I lose. Saves money on DLC :0)
Except the DLC is free. LOL?
I liked that they patched up some of the really lazy narrative (although the plotholes were simply too big and stupid to be fixed) one thing I still despise above all else is the ridiculous forced space jesus’ification of Shepard.
Would it have killed them to have a more overt survival ending for Shepard, possibly coming with a setback?
Id have happily seen Shepard trade some of the “victory” in one that is barely that to be able to survive with his friends and his romance, Liara. After all the rampant stupidity and nonsensical plot devices that built up, I just wanted to see Shepard get something of a LIFE. Even if it is a life in a blasted out ruin of a galaxy that wont be fully rebuilt even in an asari lifetime, its at least one he can share with those important.
But I guess ideas like that got lost in the see of trendy “downer endings” for a series that it doesnt work with.
Seriously, I dont know what asshat at Bioware decided to saturate the game with pathetic “war is hell”, “the reapers are unbeatable” crap, but did they actually even play ME1?
Of course thats ignoring the fact that ME1 was a straight up space opera RPG shooter. ME2 was the halfway house which started to introduce the puerile grimdark, and ME3 was a near enough full blown grimdark TPS fest.
The ending was good but they could of done more with that. For instance if you were able to save the quarians and the geth you can prove the star child that he is wrong that both organics and synthetics can live in peace just as option to save all. Bioware could of made ten different endings there are so many ways you could ended that story from you living or dying. My choice was to destroyed the reapers, why would I control them that ending didn’t make any sense if the illusive man couldn’t do it how could Shepherd do it when the illusive man was just as strong and convincing as Shepherd.I wish they had more back story for the illusive man he was a very interesting character and also i am satisfied by the question of knowing about the reapers i was hoping for that and what was interesting when the star child said the crucible was made by someone you dont know that could play another role of you finding out about that in another mass effect game or even a novel i was curious about how that plan to make the crucible came about. And also i love the flash back they had of all the people who died in your game from second to the third one i give them props for that. But overall the ending was good but could of been better.
Endings aside I had issue with the entire plot of ME3. Enjoyable yes however the storyline just made me angry. Kinda like watching the walking dead and wondering why people listen to rick grimes at all?
Frankly, I am pleased with the new endings. They addressed many of the things that I was disappointed about and gave me a real conclusion to Shepard’s story. It was also nice to know that sacrificing one of the coolest characters in gaming was not in vain.
SPOILERS!!!!!Personally i’m proud of bioware for providing us with as much closure and content as they could with the limited time they had before fans gave up. All 4 endings have their pros and cons, such as Geth and EDI gone in the destroy ending, but with Shepard alive with a high enough EMS. But as Bioware stated the endings are supposed to be bittersweet, and even though the results are shown in a slideshow, i think the diversity of you’re choices work well and they covered as much as they could.
But if theres some things i do not really like, its the fact that the Control and Synthesis ending seeming to have a better result than the destory or refusal ending. the reapers really help in restoring galactic civilization, while in destory it seems a lot harder to resore peace in the galaxy. and i hate the fact your EMS counts for nothing in the refusal ending, i would like to have an ending with a high emough EMS= defeating the reapers (even if Hackett said there is no way to beat Reapers in a battle).
But i guess its whatever suits you and what you want your Shepards legacy to go down as in History. even if you lose in your cycle, well done Bioware for giving us that little bit more to make the endings that much batter.
i mean better…^
I’m just mad that there’s absolutely no way for Shep to save humanity and then live happily ever after with the love she’s cultivated through three games. This is fantasy, not reality. I feel like I wasted my time.
Wtf is this? When was this ever a problem of the ending cutscene? (okay, yeah, it was still terrible)
The issue is that our previous actions did f*ckall to impact the ending, instead we just got Door 1 2 and 3 to choose from.
And seriously, wtf is with you saying “The cutscenes are different depending on the final choice” da faq? They’re the same aside from the chara ters glpwing red, glowing yellow, or nt glowing at all,and the YOU made the assumptions in your atupid article.
the endings sucked, for all this time played, i would like to see Shepard finish alive, if you romanced Miranda and talk to her in the vid com on your way to pick the final squad she says that if you survive you should find her. it would be nice to see an ending with shepard either getting a big old award from the alliance and settling down with who ever and maybe show him/ her with kids or something. something that would give the players a sense of accomplishment for kicking ass and making it through, people play these games to feel good, even thought its not real to succeed feels good.