Mass Effect 3 $$(ENDINGS SPOILERS)$$

[Reverend]

Not to mention the third Mass Effect novel, which showed Cerebus being dealt a massive loss, and they made it sound like the Illusive Man was on the run to his last hiding spot and without resources anymore...

Another oddity about Cerberus was their determination to kill Shephard? Um, why? I gave their 'man' the damn collector base and was with him all along with his quest to make humans the all conquering race. And for no reason at all he wants me dead!
That's gratitude for you...

Actually, although they did say "Cerberus is out to kill Shepard" before the game was released, that's just not borne out by events. Perhaps at one point Kai Leng was supposed to specifically go after Shepard (I believe there's some concept art of him in Shepard's cabin) but in the final game Shepard just repeatedly stumbles across their operations. TIM even tell Kai Leng that killing Shepard isn't a priority target.

 

[PsychoPere]

A teaser trailer of concept art for the upcoming Paragon Lost anime film is now available.

Perhaps at one point Kai Leng was supposed to specifically go after Shepard (I believe there's some concept art of him in Shepard's cabin) [...]

Yep, in the concept art he's crashing through a window directly onto Shepard's bed.

 

[HotRod]

A teaser trailer of concept art for the upcoming Paragon Lost anime film is now available.

Perhaps at one point Kai Leng was supposed to specifically go after Shepard (I believe there's some concept art of him in Shepard's cabin) [...]

Yep, in the concept art he's crashing through a window directly onto Shepard's bed.

Which would have been awesome. Always thought we could have used a little combat onboard the Normandy. Give those Marines guarding the War Room something to do besides gossip.

 

[Reverend]

^Agreed and I was disappointed that it wasn't realised in the game...but then how do you handle close quarters combat with Kai Leng? As the two fights you have with him prove, the mechanics just aren't well suited for a character that specialises in CQC. The best you can do is quicktime or slow-mo events and that's not terribly engaging.

 

[CaptJimboJones]

Well, I finished my first playthrough last night. I went with the "synthesis" ending, and Joker and EDI survived, which seemed to perfectly match the choice, since they were a human/AI couple to begin with. The synthesis option reminded me a bit of Star Trek:TMP when Decker and Vejur joined, or 2001: A Space Odyssey when David Bowman transformed into the Starchild. It felt very "science fictiony" and seemed unusually brave ending for an action video game.

I had religiously stayed away from spoilers, but couldn't help be aware of the massive outcry among the fanboys, the complaints to the FCC, the threats of lawsuits, etc. Given that I was expecting something really, really bad.

And frankly I thought the ending was fine. Probably not how I would have ended it if I was the developer, but hey, I'm not the developer - they're the ones who are telling the story and they have a right to end it how they want.

It reminds me of the screaming and gnashing of teeth over how the Dark Tower series ended, or how nuBSG ended. First world problems indeed.

 

[Reverend]

^Have you read the earlier posts in this thread at all? You may be happy with the ending you got, but the thing is, everyone got the same damn ending. Nothing you do matters as everything from Cronos Station onwards plays out the same. The *only* difference is what colour the space magic of choice is. Add to that the plot holes, poor execution and total lack of closure and the fan outcry might not seem so unreasonable.

Don't get me wrong, some nutters took it *way* too far, but then don't they always? None of it however negates the fact that the ending was piss poor in concept and execution.

 

[Jeyl]

And frankly I thought the ending was fine. Probably not how I would have ended it if I was the developer, but hey, I'm not the developer - they're the ones who are telling the story and they have a right to end it how they want.

Could you explain how you thought the ending was fine? I've honestly thought long and hard about how this ending works, but I come up with nothing.

- Why is the Catalyst using the image of a dead kid?

- Why is it ok for Shepard to confide in this entity that's responsible for countless deaths over billions of years?

- How come the Catalyst comes to the conclusion that Synthetics will destroy all organic life when the synthetics we have both a semblance of individuality and morality? Why would every single one of them decide that the genocide of ALL ORGANIC LIFE is the right thing to do?

- Why does the Catalyst tell Shepard to wake up when she's already awake?

- If the created will always turn on their creators, why does this synthetic being create synthetics? Always is a very absolute term.

- If the Catalyst was the one who created the Reapers, the Citadel (he freaking resides on the bloody thing) and the Mass Relays, why is it that Sovereign and Saren needed to go to the Citadel in order to turn the station into a Mass Relay for the Reapers to come through? Are you honestly telling me that the Catalyst, the creator of everything that's responsible for the cycles of genocide can't even make the Citadel do what it was designed to do? How is it that the Protheans can manipulate the Keepers with only their knowledge and the Catalyst can't?

- Why does the Catalyst just give up on the cycle solution just because Shepard is the first organic in his presence? Shepard is only there because the Catalyst brought Shepard to that level via magical elevator, and Anderson beat her to it.

- If Synthetics destroy all organic life, why would there be any reason to destroy anything else? This whole controlling "chaos" as the Catalyst puts it seems to be flawed considering that if Synthetics have no masters or organics to destroy, things wouldn't be chaotic anymore.

- If the Reapers are supposed to be doing us a favor, why not just have them say that instead of quibbling threats and snide comments about how imperfect we are and that our destruction is inevitable?

- Why is the Catalyst using the image of a dead kid?

- If the Catalyst doesn't want Shepard to use the red option, why is it there to be an option?

- Why is the Catalyst using the image of a dead kid? (did I ask that one already?)

- Why is the Catalyst using the image of a dead kid?

 

[Jeyl]

I went with the "synthesis" ending, and Joker and EDI survived, which seemed to perfectly match the choice, since they were a human/AI couple to begin with.

It's nice knowing that of all the romances in the entire franchise, the only one that matters in the end is the celebrity couple. I'm so happy the jerk who caused Shepard's death in ME2 and makes direct jokes towards species who are being murdered by the millions gets his happy ending.

 

[Jax]

It's nice knowing that of all the romances in the entire franchise, the only one that matters in the end is the celebrity couple. I'm so happy the jerk who caused Shepard's death in ME2 and makes direct jokes towards species who are being murdered by the millions gets his happy ending.

How on earth does Joker cause Shepard's death in ME2? and Joker uses humor to diguise pain, oh no EVIL MAN.

 

[superdeluxe]

And frankly I thought the ending was fine. Probably not how I would have ended it if I was the developer, but hey, I'm not the developer - they're the ones who are telling the story and they have a right to end it how they want.

It reminds me of the screaming and gnashing of teeth over how the Dark Tower series ended, or how nuBSG ended. First world problems indeed.

Except they flat out lied to the consumers, who then sprung 60-70$ to buy something, So yes, If people are displeased and wanted to voice that displeasure, it should be their right.

 

[Camren]

The "synthessis" ending is the worst ending for me. I don't know why it's considered the 'best' option. I'd sooner destroy synthetics or control the reapers than transform all the beings in the galaxy into some organic-synthetic hybrid. Why would anyone want to force other innocents into becoming some freaky, partly cybernetic creatures?
It might have been the best option had Shepard ended up living AND the mass relays surviving but neither happens. The results are the same as the red and blue options, only the consequences are far worse IMO.

 

[Jeyl]

How on earth does Joker cause Shepard's death in ME2? was he flying the collector ship or maybe he created the Reapers who created the collectors

He refused to abandon ship. Shepard could have gotten to the escape pods with Liara, Kaiden or Ashley if Joker only followed orders. Instead, Joker tried in vein to save the ship and Shepard had to haul him to the escape pod.

Joker uses humor to diguise pain, oh no EVIL MAN.

When the pain is failing to save a race, you're not going to disguise it by making a joke about that said race. And really, what the heck is wrong with dancing? They were told by the council that the Reapers didn't exist, so they were just going on with their merry lives and making a living. And when they're trying desperately to protect their home world from the Reaper invasion, and Shepard fails to help them, Joker makes a joke about them. How is that not insensitive, especially when one of your most important squad mates is an Asari??

 

[Jax]

The writers made it clear Joker humor after the Asari homeworld mission (if you had the conversation) was in part to try and help Shepard who nearly snapped with the pressure. As for ME2 Joker staying at the controls long as he did probably kept the ship intact long as it did allowing everyone to escape. Based off your logic why not pin the blame on the Admiral who sent Shepard to that sector on that day?..The Collectors killed Shepard.

 

[Jeyl]

The writers made it clear Joker humor after the Asari homeworld mission (if you had the conversation) was in part to try and help Shepard who nearly snapped with the pressure.

By making fun of the people Shepard failed to protect. That's like having one of your friends make a joke about another friend who is losing his fight with cancer by joking how he should have chewed bubblegum instead of smoking cigarettes. You don't joke about things like that. Especially when you tried to do something about it.

As for ME2 Joker staying at the controls long as he did probably kept the ship intact long as it did allowing everyone to escape.

How does flying in a different direction in the vacuum of space help keep the hull integrity on a space ship more solid? Was there wind in space that was tearing the ship apart? If Joker's actions did indeed help get the crew in escaping, why is there no mention of that? I think you're giving Joker way too much credit.

 

[Jax]

I think you're giving Joker way too much credit.

And I think your looking for any nitpicking reason to hate on Joker for some reason, has Seth Green wronged you in real life

 

[ATimson]

He refused to abandon ship. Shepard could have gotten to the escape pods with Liara, Kaiden or Ashley if Joker only followed orders. Instead, Joker tried in vein to save the ship and Shepard had to haul him to the escape pod.

Shepard chose not to abandon ship, though. She could have left Joker there easily enough.

 

[Jeyl]

Shepard chose not to abandon ship, though. She could have left Joker there easily enough.

Goes to show who's the more heroic one.

 

[Reverend]

Yeah, the idea that Joker got Shepard killed is ludicrous. Is it possible that if Joker hadn't have stayed at the helm Shepard might have gotten into an escape pod? Sure, but then it's equally possible that the ship wouldn't have lasted as long as it did without him at the helm and Shepard would have been dead anyway.

It's also worth considering that the collectors didn't just show up out of random chance (though how they found the Normandy with the stealth systems active is still a bit of a mystery.) They were there to capture or kill Shepard. If they thought she'd gotten out on an escape pod, then they might have targeted and destroyed them too.

It's possible that the *only* reason Joker, Chakwas, Liara, Ash/Kaiden etc. survived at all is because the collectors saw Shepard's flailing body burning up in that planet's atmosphere.

 

[Jeyl]

And I think your looking for any nitpicking reason to hate on Joker for some reason, has Seth Green wronged you in real life

No. I just don't like the character. He's selfish, arrogant and doesn't quite get the big picture.

Joker: Hell yeah, I joined Cerberus.

You mean the same organization that lured alliance soldiers into a trap which left no survivors (unless you were a sole survivor), and murdered a high ranking alliance officer when he discovered their vile experiments? I'm surprised he didn't make a joke about missing them in ME3.

 

[bullethead]

And I think your looking for any nitpicking reason to hate on Joker for some reason, has Seth Green wronged you in real life

No. I just don't like the character. He's selfish, arrogant and doesn't quite get the big picture.

Joker: Hell yeah, I joined Cerberus.

You mean the same organization that lured alliance soldiers into a trap which left no survivors (unless you were a sole survivor), and murdered a high ranking alliance officer when he discovered their vile experiments? I'm surprised he didn't make a joke about missing them in ME3.

I'm not surprised he joined Cerberus, considering that he stated that the Alliance grounded him, depriving him of his livelihood, while Cerberus gave him an opportunity to fly and help stop the Collectors.