***OFFICIAL*** Mass Effect 3 Thread (1 Viewer)

[thecatch]

I liked in one of the Youtube videos the explanation of how synthesis is an absolute BS choice, as well. Really? They want you to synthesize organics and synthetics? Kind of like husks right? Riiiigght.

Thank you.

 

[Insein]

All I want is for Hudson to explain what he wasa trying to convey when he wrote the endings. Thats all. There's no "open to interpretation" from this ending. Either its ID theory or its very lazy writing.

Why is ID theory better? What do the ending scenes mean if it was ID theory? Joker is indoctrinated if it is synthesis? Why? ID theory doesn't work IMO unless there are a ####load of cut-scenes coming up that show what happens when Sheperd is and is not actually indoctrinated.

ID theory states that Shepard is fighting off indoctrination all throughout the game. The dreams, the headcahes, the stress is all wearing him down. Harbinger is trying to turn him just like he did Saren and other powerful individuals in order to help the Reapers easier assimilate the organics. The final showdown takes place in shepard's mind according to the theory. Anderson represents the part of his mind still resistant while the illusive man represents the part that is already controlled by Harbinger. By choosing the destroy option, you fight off their control and retain your mind waking up in the real world where the fight is still presumably going on. The control and synthesis options are both what the Reapers want. turning organics into synthetic combinations like we've seen all series. All just a theory that fits well with a lot of features from all 3 games.

Watch this. Explains the whole theory with only evidence from the games (and DLC) themselves.

 

[Insein]

I also don't understand the "laziness" gripe. Even if you hated the ending, it's a little ridiculous to think Bioware put all of this time, effort, and money into the project, only to say, "Screw it, just throw something together real quick" for the ending. It kind of throws your credibility into question on the rest of your complaints.

Its lazy because Mass Effect 2 had a ridiculous number of endings that differed from each other depending on how many loyalty missions you did, how much you upgraded the normandy and what characters you chose for each job. Their previous game showed what could be done and they said, nah screw that, we're going with something simple and if it makes no sense, oh well its our game not the players.

Huh?

Research all the endings you could get with Mass effect 2. You'll see.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

ID theory states that Shepard is fighting off indoctrination all throughout the game.

If it's true, then the Prothean VI on Thessia would have detected it in him. Instead, it only flips out when Kai Leng shows up.So that theory is bunk.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

I also don't understand the "laziness" gripe. Even if you hated the ending, it's a little ridiculous to think Bioware put all of this time, effort, and money into the project, only to say, "Screw it, just throw something together real quick" for the ending. It kind of throws your credibility into question on the rest of your complaints.

Its lazy because Mass Effect 2 had a ridiculous number of endings that differed from each other depending on how many loyalty missions you did, how much you upgraded the normandy and what characters you chose for each job. Their previous game showed what could be done and they said, nah screw that, we're going with something simple and if it makes no sense, oh well its our game not the players.

Huh?

Research all the endings you could get with Mass effect 2. You'll see.

I have. The only difference is who lives/dies, including Shepard and whether or not you keep/destroy the Collector base.

 

[Insein]

ID theory states that Shepard is fighting off indoctrination all throughout the game.

If it's true, then the Prothean VI on Thessia would have detected it in him. Instead, it only flips out when Kai Leng shows up.So that theory is bunk.

Fighting off indoctrination. He's not indoctrinated yet. "Indoctrinated presence detected." Not "Reapers are trying to indoctrinate someone here but they are fighting it off." That's why you have the final battle. Its the reapers forcing the issue on shepard to either give in or fight it off once and for all.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

ID theory states that Shepard is fighting off indoctrination all throughout the game.

If it's true, then the Prothean VI on Thessia would have detected it in him. Instead, it only flips out when Kai Leng shows up.So that theory is bunk.

Fighting off indoctrination. He's not indoctrinated yet. "Indoctrinated presence detected." Not "Reapers are trying to indoctrinate someone here but they are fighting it off." That's why you have the final battle. Its the reapers forcing the issue on shepard to either give in or fight it off once and for all.

Like we've said all along - If it works for you...

 

[Insein]

I also don't understand the "laziness" gripe. Even if you hated the ending, it's a little ridiculous to think Bioware put all of this time, effort, and money into the project, only to say, "Screw it, just throw something together real quick" for the ending. It kind of throws your credibility into question on the rest of your complaints.

Its lazy because Mass Effect 2 had a ridiculous number of endings that differed from each other depending on how many loyalty missions you did, how much you upgraded the normandy and what characters you chose for each job. Their previous game showed what could be done and they said, nah screw that, we're going with something simple and if it makes no sense, oh well its our game not the players.

Huh?

Research all the endings you could get with Mass effect 2. You'll see.

I have. The only difference is who lives/dies, including Shepard and whether or not you keep/destroy the Collector base.

And yet way more choice than ME3. Go figure. They had a lot more work go into each scene for the characters death and survival than it took to change the colors on the catalyst explosion.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

I also don't understand the "laziness" gripe. Even if you hated the ending, it's a little ridiculous to think Bioware put all of this time, effort, and money into the project, only to say, "Screw it, just throw something together real quick" for the ending. It kind of throws your credibility into question on the rest of your complaints.

Its lazy because Mass Effect 2 had a ridiculous number of endings that differed from each other depending on how many loyalty missions you did, how much you upgraded the normandy and what characters you chose for each job. Their previous game showed what could be done and they said, nah screw that, we're going with something simple and if it makes no sense, oh well its our game not the players.

Huh?

Research all the endings you could get with Mass effect 2. You'll see.

I have. The only difference is who lives/dies, including Shepard and whether or not you keep/destroy the Collector base.

And yet way more choice than ME3. Go figure. They had a lot more work go into each scene for the characters death and survival than it took to change the colors on the catalyst explosion.

Way more? The only differences are which characters you see die when. BFD.

 

[Insein]

ID theory states that Shepard is fighting off indoctrination all throughout the game.

If it's true, then the Prothean VI on Thessia would have detected it in him. Instead, it only flips out when Kai Leng shows up.So that theory is bunk.

Fighting off indoctrination. He's not indoctrinated yet. "Indoctrinated presence detected." Not "Reapers are trying to indoctrinate someone here but they are fighting it off." That's why you have the final battle. Its the reapers forcing the issue on shepard to either give in or fight it off once and for all.

Like we've said all along - If it works for you...

But its not open for interpretation. the DLC will give an answer to what is right. Either ID theory is right or the lame ending is right. Either way, I want to hear hudson say what he meant. He owes us that at least.

 

[Insein]

I also don't understand the "laziness" gripe. Even if you hated the ending, it's a little ridiculous to think Bioware put all of this time, effort, and money into the project, only to say, "Screw it, just throw something together real quick" for the ending. It kind of throws your credibility into question on the rest of your complaints.

Its lazy because Mass Effect 2 had a ridiculous number of endings that differed from each other depending on how many loyalty missions you did, how much you upgraded the normandy and what characters you chose for each job. Their previous game showed what could be done and they said, nah screw that, we're going with something simple and if it makes no sense, oh well its our game not the players.

Huh?

Research all the endings you could get with Mass effect 2. You'll see.

I have. The only difference is who lives/dies, including Shepard and whether or not you keep/destroy the Collector base.

And yet way more choice than ME3. Go figure. They had a lot more work go into each scene for the characters death and survival than it took to change the colors on the catalyst explosion.

Way more? The only differences are which characters you see die when. BFD.

And what I did in the game decided that. So my actions caused their deaths or saved their lives. Thats the BFD. In ME3, my actions mean NOTHING!

 

[Andy Dufresne]

But its not open for interpretation. the DLC will give an answer to what is right. Either ID theory is right or the lame ending is right. Either way, I want to hear hudson say what he meant. He owes us that at least.

No it won't. It will show you what happened to the people after the war is over but you're not going to get an expanded answer to the ending.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

And what I did in the game decided that. So my actions caused their deaths or saved their lives. Thats the BFD. In ME3, my actions mean NOTHING!

And what you do in ME3 determines what you see as the outcome of your choices in that game too. Link

 

[Insein]

And what I did in the game decided that. So my actions caused their deaths or saved their lives. Thats the BFD. In ME3, my actions mean NOTHING!

And what you do in ME3 determines what you see as the outcome of your choices in that game too. Link

Come on Dufrense, you're being obtuse. Is it deliberate?

 

[Andy Dufresne]

And what I did in the game decided that. So my actions caused their deaths or saved their lives. Thats the BFD. In ME3, my actions mean NOTHING!

And what you do in ME3 determines what you see as the outcome of your choices in that game too. Link

Come on Dufrense, you're being obtuse. Is it deliberate?

Not in the slightest. You're the one saying that you had so many more choices in ME2 than ME3 and it's just not true.Having different characters die in the same way is so much more than having different results of three different ending choices? I'm being obtuse?

 

[Mad Cow]

And what I did in the game decided that. So my actions caused their deaths or saved their lives. Thats the BFD. In ME3, my actions mean NOTHING!

And what you do in ME3 determines what you see as the outcome of your choices in that game too. Link

Come on Dufrense, you're being obtuse. Is it deliberate?

Not in the slightest. You're the one saying that you had so many more choices in ME2 than ME3 and it's just not true.Having different characters die in the same way is so much more than having different results of three different ending choices? I'm being obtuse?

LOL at Andy missing the reference.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

And what I did in the game decided that. So my actions caused their deaths or saved their lives. Thats the BFD. In ME3, my actions mean NOTHING!

And what you do in ME3 determines what you see as the outcome of your choices in that game too. Link

Come on Dufrense, you're being obtuse. Is it deliberate?

Not in the slightest. You're the one saying that you had so many more choices in ME2 than ME3 and it's just not true.Having different characters die in the same way is so much more than having different results of three different ending choices? I'm being obtuse?

LOL at Andy missing the reference.

No I got it. It's just been beaten to death so I play it straight.

 

[Mad Cow]

And what I did in the game decided that. So my actions caused their deaths or saved their lives. Thats the BFD. In ME3, my actions mean NOTHING!

And what you do in ME3 determines what you see as the outcome of your choices in that game too. Link

Come on Dufrense, you're being obtuse. Is it deliberate?

Not in the slightest. You're the one saying that you had so many more choices in ME2 than ME3 and it's just not true.Having different characters die in the same way is so much more than having different results of three different ending choices? I'm being obtuse?

LOL at Andy missing the reference.

No I got it. It's just been beaten to death so I play it straight.

That sounds like an Andy that let the prison get the best of him to me. :(

 

[Insein]

And what I did in the game decided that. So my actions caused their deaths or saved their lives. Thats the BFD. In ME3, my actions mean NOTHING!

And what you do in ME3 determines what you see as the outcome of your choices in that game too. Link

Come on Dufrense, you're being obtuse. Is it deliberate?

Not in the slightest. You're the one saying that you had so many more choices in ME2 than ME3 and it's just not true.Having different characters die in the same way is so much more than having different results of three different ending choices? I'm being obtuse?

LOL at Andy missing the reference.

No I got it. It's just been beaten to death so I play it straight.

Having those characters live or die shaped your game going forward. What you did during ME3 had negligible difference on the ending you got. And whether or not Earth was destroyed, devastated or saved means little when you have a victory fleet of hundreds of different races stuck in your system that will now fight over who gets what. I really feel like I won. Hudson basically stated to the people, no matter what you do everyone's ####ed. Its just to what degree and how long you live for thats undecided. Maybe that was his intention.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Having those characters live or die shaped your game going forward. What you did during ME3 had negligible difference on the ending you got. And whether or not Earth was destroyed, devastated or saved means little when you have a victory fleet of hundreds of different races stuck in your system that will now fight over who gets what. I really feel like I won.

Hudson basically stated to the people, no matter what you do everyone's ####ed. Its just to what degree and how long you live for thats undecided. Maybe that was his intention.

I find that exceptionally cynical. I prefer to think that Shepard showed them that they could figure things out together. That they were better off united than at war.And again, the idea is that rebuilding won't be easy, but at least it's a rebuilding and not a starting over. And over. And over...

 

[IvanKaramazov]

Having those characters live or die shaped your game going forward. What you did during ME3 had negligible difference on the ending you got. And whether or not Earth was destroyed, devastated or saved means little when you have a victory fleet of hundreds of different races stuck in your system that will now fight over who gets what. I really feel like I won.

Hudson basically stated to the people, no matter what you do everyone's ####ed. Its just to what degree and how long you live for thats undecided. Maybe that was his intention.

I find that exceptionally cynical. I prefer to think that Shepard showed them that they could figure things out together. That they were better off united than at war.And again, the idea is that rebuilding won't be easy, but at least it's a rebuilding and not a starting over. And over. And over...

If that was really what Bioware was thinking, maybe they could have shown us a little cutscene of the various races rebuilding earth instead of the Grandpa ending and the pitch for DLC.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

"#### you, #### you, and #### you! Who's next?"

/comingtoamerica

 

[Leeroy Jenkins]

"#### you, #### you, and #### you! Who's next?"/comingtoamerica

Mama call him clay, ima call him clay.

 

[Pick]

Playing ME2. Nearly have the whole crew together and loyalized. Why so many crew? Seems redundant. I'm sure it's to make the story move along better. When I choose my sqadmates it just seems like a crapshoot.

Enjoying the combat (veteran) and the need for tactics (flanking and being flanked; taking cover). Kind of tough to not be a soldier. I like the sniper and AR. I went Vanguard but when I rush in I usually get owned.

 

[Insein]

So Pax didn't really clear anything up. They had lower members of the dev team answer questions as best as they were assigned to. Hudson didn't show. When asked for clarity on the endings they said that the Extended cut will be out in the summer but that the current endings will not change. when asked directly if the indoctrination theory is a possible answer for the endings, they said that players should interpret the endings however they see fit.

That to me is bull####. This is not some open to interpretation ending. It is or it isn't what we saw. This is like going all the way through the Star Wars Trilogy and right as Vader's making his ultimate decision to either follow the emperor or throw him down the shaft, we get a cutscene of the death star exploding and Lando crashing on some distant planet as the credits roll.

At least they were smart enough to make the DLC free.

 

[Leeroy Jenkins]

So indoctrination theory assumes that Shep is hit by the Reaper laser, and is possibly mortally wounded and unconscious, correct? And then everything after that laser is in Shep's mind; the husks, marauder shields, the citadel and bodies, Anderson, illusory man, the kid and the choices, right? And the choices are not literal. Rather they are regarding Shep's mind. So Shep is never on the citadel. And the crucible and catalyst is never used. So then what actually happened after he was or was not indoctrinated? Who got onto the crucible? We are led to believe all of Hammer was killed. And why would Harbinger want to indoctrinate a near dead Shep at that point anyway? Not buying this theory at all.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

So indoctrination theory assumes that Shep is hit by the Reaper laser, and is possibly mortally wounded and unconscious, correct? And then everything after that laser is in Shep's mind; the husks, marauder shields, the citadel and bodies, Anderson, illusory man, the kid and the choices, right? And the choices are not literal. Rather they are regarding Shep's mind. So Shep is never on the citadel. And the crucible and catalyst is never used. So then what actually happened after he was or was not indoctrinated? Who got onto the crucible? We are led to believe all of Hammer was killed. And why would Harbinger want to indoctrinate a near dead Shep at that point anyway? Not buying this theory at all.

I find it less credible now than I did the first time I encountered it, but you have to admit that everything that happens after the laser is pretty surreal and sort of goofy if you take it literally. Riding up to the catlyst on a beam of while light? Come on.

 

[Leeroy Jenkins]

So indoctrination theory assumes that Shep is hit by the Reaper laser, and is possibly mortally wounded and unconscious, correct? And then everything after that laser is in Shep's mind; the husks, marauder shields, the citadel and bodies, Anderson, illusory man, the kid and the choices, right? And the choices are not literal. Rather they are regarding Shep's mind. So Shep is never on the citadel. And the crucible and catalyst is never used. So then what actually happened after he was or was not indoctrinated? Who got onto the crucible? We are led to believe all of Hammer was killed. And why would Harbinger want to indoctrinate a near dead Shep at that point anyway? Not buying this theory at all.

I find it less credible now than I did the first time I encountered it, but you have to admit that everything that happens after the laser is pretty surreal and sort of goofy if you take it literally. Riding up to the catlyst on a beam of while light? Come on.

That was the plan all along though. Getting to "the beam".

 

[Insein]

So indoctrination theory assumes that Shep is hit by the Reaper laser, and is possibly mortally wounded and unconscious, correct? And then everything after that laser is in Shep's mind; the husks, marauder shields, the citadel and bodies, Anderson, illusory man, the kid and the choices, right? And the choices are not literal. Rather they are regarding Shep's mind. So Shep is never on the citadel. And the crucible and catalyst is never used. So then what actually happened after he was or was not indoctrinated? Who got onto the crucible? We are led to believe all of Hammer was killed. And why would Harbinger want to indoctrinate a near dead Shep at that point anyway? Not buying this theory at all.

I find it less credible now than I did the first time I encountered it, but you have to admit that everything that happens after the laser is pretty surreal and sort of goofy if you take it literally. Riding up to the catlyst on a beam of while light? Come on.

That was the plan all along though. Getting to "the beam".

ID theory was the only thing that made sense. Everything leading up to it and ultimately what followed made absolutely no sense. Building the crucible having no ####### clue what it was, what it did or how to use it was obviously a desperate move. The explanation being that the Reapers or rather the starchild that uses the Reapers as his toys to carry out his self-given mission of preserving the galaxy, actually designed the crucible to stop his own cycle of necessity makes no sense whatsoever. It wouldn't make sense if the speech was given by harbinger but it makes even less sense given by this brand new character that takes the form of the child that haunts your dreams throughout the game. Next is the Illusive man. The Illusive man makes his own goals clear by stating that he wants to control the Reapers. However we learn at the end that he is the one being controlled by them which means they wanted him to believe that he could control them. That is one of the choices to make at the end after which we are led to believe that Shepard was indeed capable of controlling the reapers somehow through space magic. So Cerberus was right? Everything they stood for and fought for was right in the end? That was the paragon (blue) choice after all. Finally we have the choices themselves. If the Reapers, or the Starchild who supposedly controls them, has had this plan to control the galaxy for eons and it has been working for them, why design a crucible to mess that all up? Then why give the crucible the choice to take over control of the Reapers, destroy them or make them meaningless by merging all organic and synthetic life together (which is a ridiculous idea in and of itself)? The joker scenes are just too insulting to one's intelligence to believe and are self explanatory IMO. If you have no problem with them, then you are probably happy with the ending as it is and don't need to worry about an explanation. What gave me hope for the ID theory was the layered suggestions they provide you throughout all 3 games. Also the way that indoctrination seems to be the preferred weapon of the Reapers to subdue their key enemies gave credence to theory even more. All the key figures taken down, Saren, Benezia, Illusive man, Kai Leng, Udina and all the other key political figures or scientists were all taken down by indoctrination rather than killed. They were used by the Reapers to create discord within the organic species and weaken their defenses making them easier to assimilate. Shepard was targeted early on by Sovereign as a key figure to turn to their side. Saren explained that they would find a place for him if he joined their cause. Every time Shepard led a key victory against the Reapers, it only increased their obsession with turning him. They needed to turn him so they could use him to break the resolve of the galaxy and complete this cycle's end. At least that was the theory. Its looking less likely that that was the intent of the ending though. Instead we got some convoluted mess of bizarre ideas that have no place in the Mass effect universe unless we suspend all common sense. Thats why I'm very disappointed. I enjoyed the Matrix ending more than this.

 

[Leeroy Jenkins]

Yea, the joker scenes don't work at all with ID.

I think that control or destroying the reapers were both false choices. Making either of those does not guarantee or mean the end of the cycle. Only synthesis and combining synthetic and organics in a new DNA and EDI and joker acting as an Adam and eve would break it. Granted, the other potholes still exist and the ending is sloppy regardless, but I think that is what's right.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

So indoctrination theory assumes that Shep is hit by the Reaper laser, and is possibly mortally wounded and unconscious, correct? And then everything after that laser is in Shep's mind; the husks, marauder shields, the citadel and bodies, Anderson, illusory man, the kid and the choices, right? And the choices are not literal. Rather they are regarding Shep's mind. So Shep is never on the citadel. And the crucible and catalyst is never used. So then what actually happened after he was or was not indoctrinated? Who got onto the crucible? We are led to believe all of Hammer was killed. And why would Harbinger want to indoctrinate a near dead Shep at that point anyway? Not buying this theory at all.

I find it less credible now than I did the first time I encountered it, but you have to admit that everything that happens after the laser is pretty surreal and sort of goofy if you take it literally. Riding up to the catlyst on a beam of while light? Come on.

How is it any different than the Conduit or the Mass Relays?And Insein, your arguments get less cogent all the time. The Reapers/Catalyst didn't design the Crucible. The Protheans did.And what the IM was right about was that the Reapers could be controlled. But not by someone indoctrinated like the IM was but someone like Shepard who was, you know, NOT indoctrinated?

 

[Leeroy Jenkins]

So indoctrination theory assumes that Shep is hit by the Reaper laser, and is possibly mortally wounded and unconscious, correct? And then everything after that laser is in Shep's mind; the husks, marauder shields, the citadel and bodies, Anderson, illusory man, the kid and the choices, right? And the choices are not literal. Rather they are regarding Shep's mind. So Shep is never on the citadel. And the crucible and catalyst is never used. So then what actually happened after he was or was not indoctrinated? Who got onto the crucible? We are led to believe all of Hammer was killed. And why would Harbinger want to indoctrinate a near dead Shep at that point anyway? Not buying this theory at all.

I find it less credible now than I did the first time I encountered it, but you have to admit that everything that happens after the laser is pretty surreal and sort of goofy if you take it literally. Riding up to the catlyst on a beam of while light? Come on.

How is it any different than the Conduit or the Mass Relays?And Insein, your arguments get less cogent all the time. The Reapers/Catalyst didn't design the Crucible. The Protheans did.And what the IM was right about was that the Reapers could be controlled. But not by someone indoctrinated like the IM was but someone like Shepard who was, you know, NOT indoctrinated?

The protheaans did not design the crucible. It was pieced together by each cycles dominant species and somehow passed along while subsequent species added to it or expanded their knowledge about it.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

The protheaans did not design the crucible. It was pieced together by each cycles dominant species and somehow passed along while subsequent species added to it or expanded their knowledge about it.

Right. And the final design being built was the Prothean one.The larger point being that it wasn't a Reaper design.

My link

 

[Pots]

Andy, the ending was a huge disappointment.

 

[Borat]

Andy, the ending was a huge disappointment.

To you, maybe.

 

[Insein]

So indoctrination theory assumes that Shep is hit by the Reaper laser, and is possibly mortally wounded and unconscious, correct? And then everything after that laser is in Shep's mind; the husks, marauder shields, the citadel and bodies, Anderson, illusory man, the kid and the choices, right? And the choices are not literal. Rather they are regarding Shep's mind. So Shep is never on the citadel. And the crucible and catalyst is never used. So then what actually happened after he was or was not indoctrinated? Who got onto the crucible? We are led to believe all of Hammer was killed. And why would Harbinger want to indoctrinate a near dead Shep at that point anyway? Not buying this theory at all.

I find it less credible now than I did the first time I encountered it, but you have to admit that everything that happens after the laser is pretty surreal and sort of goofy if you take it literally. Riding up to the catlyst on a beam of while light? Come on.

How is it any different than the Conduit or the Mass Relays?And Insein, your arguments get less cogent all the time. The Reapers/Catalyst didn't design the Crucible. The Protheans did.And what the IM was right about was that the Reapers could be controlled. But not by someone indoctrinated like the IM was but someone like Shepard who was, you know, NOT indoctrinated?

No they didn't. http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Crucible

It is unknown who initially began the development of the Crucible. Countless different species obtained and made contributions to the design over the course of millions of years, but none successfully deployed it before being wiped out by the Reapers. The latest species to try, the Protheans, were able to construct the Crucible, but before they could deploy it infighting broke out between those who wanted to use it to destroy the Reapers and a faction that believed they could use it to control the Reapers. The Protheans never had the chance to activate the Crucible, but its schematics survived in a Prothean archive on Mars for the next 50,000 years.

Looking at the scene again, the catalyst doesn't say he invented the crucible. He says he created the Reapers and the Citadel. The crucible changed him into offering these 3 choices. Still makes no sense whatsoever. A forced solution for a lazy writing team? What purpose do these choices have? You can not control the Reapers. They said so themselves. Yet now you can control the Reapers. Destroying the Reapers in one fail swoop also seems unlikely but more belieavble than control. Synthesis is the most unbelievable ending out of the 3. Space magic turns everything in the galaxy into a homogeneous DNA type thus making every single being the same and eliminating diversity. So because we're all the same we should have peace? Yet all the races have fought civil wars at some point over dumb ideas. Why would this not happen again? These "choices" don't make any sense in the context they are presented. Hopefully the DLC clarifies something, anything.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

So indoctrination theory assumes that Shep is hit by the Reaper laser, and is possibly mortally wounded and unconscious, correct? And then everything after that laser is in Shep's mind; the husks, marauder shields, the citadel and bodies, Anderson, illusory man, the kid and the choices, right? And the choices are not literal. Rather they are regarding Shep's mind. So Shep is never on the citadel. And the crucible and catalyst is never used. So then what actually happened after he was or was not indoctrinated? Who got onto the crucible? We are led to believe all of Hammer was killed. And why would Harbinger want to indoctrinate a near dead Shep at that point anyway? Not buying this theory at all.

I find it less credible now than I did the first time I encountered it, but you have to admit that everything that happens after the laser is pretty surreal and sort of goofy if you take it literally. Riding up to the catlyst on a beam of while light? Come on.

How is it any different than the Conduit or the Mass Relays?

I was talking about the part where Shephard basically dies with Anderson on the crucible, and then ascends to heaven, er I mean the catalyst / star child on a beam of white light. That was cheesy if it was anything other than an illusion.

 

[Insein]

So indoctrination theory assumes that Shep is hit by the Reaper laser, and is possibly mortally wounded and unconscious, correct? And then everything after that laser is in Shep's mind; the husks, marauder shields, the citadel and bodies, Anderson, illusory man, the kid and the choices, right? And the choices are not literal. Rather they are regarding Shep's mind. So Shep is never on the citadel. And the crucible and catalyst is never used. So then what actually happened after he was or was not indoctrinated? Who got onto the crucible? We are led to believe all of Hammer was killed. And why would Harbinger want to indoctrinate a near dead Shep at that point anyway? Not buying this theory at all.

I find it less credible now than I did the first time I encountered it, but you have to admit that everything that happens after the laser is pretty surreal and sort of goofy if you take it literally. Riding up to the catlyst on a beam of while light? Come on.

How is it any different than the Conduit or the Mass Relays?

I was talking about the part where Shephard basically dies with Anderson on the crucible, and then ascends to heaven, er I mean the catalyst / star child on a beam of white light. That was cheesy if it was anything other than an illusion.

There's also the fact that all they did was place the crucible onto the Citadel and shepard opened the arms. They didn't do anything else. It all just... happened.

 

[Insein]

Another side note, if that truly was the ending, then our final boss battle was a 10 minute conversation with the illusive man and the child. The last enemies we fight are 3 husks and Marauder Shields. What a complete let down to Shepard's tale if this is the way it goes out.

 

[Leeroy Jenkins]

Another side note, if that truly was the ending, then our final boss battle was a 10 minute conversation with the illusive man and the child. The last enemies we fight are 3 husks and Marauder Shields. What a complete let down to Shepard's tale if this is the way it goes out.

To me that is the weakest complaint. The series wasnt really about boss battles. It was about choices and relationships. Our choices were weaker that maurader shields mom.

 

[Pick]

How does this nuke gun work in ME2? Most times it just hisses at me and the one time I got it to go off it killed us all.

Also, wife caught me messing around with Jack in Engineering.

 

[Leeroy Jenkins]

How does this nuke gun work in ME2? Most times it just hisses at me and the one time I got it to go off it killed us all.Also, wife caught me messing around with Jack in Engineering.

Jack is hot. My lady was giving me #### for trying to bang aliens so I went "just friends" this game with all of them. Who has time for these needy #####es anyway while the reapers are trying to extinguish organic life?

 

[Thunderlips]

How does this nuke gun work in ME2? Most times it just hisses at me and the one time I got it to go off it killed us all.Also, wife caught me messing around with Jack in Engineering.

Jack is hot. My lady was giving me #### for trying to bang aliens so I went "just friends" this game with all of them. Who has time for these needy #####es anyway while the reapers are trying to extinguish organic life?

Man's gotta bang.

 

[thecatch]

Marauder Shields has killed me 3 times in a row on insanity. What a beast.

 

[Thunderlips]

One of the things I'm not understanding from a lot of the "anti-ending" internet (not necessarily here) crowd is the whole "Man...the Relays are destroyed, Earth's destroyed, the Quarians and Turian are going to starve and the whole universe pretty much sucks" complaint about the ending. I don't get that. What did they expect from the mother of all wars?

 

[Pots]

Reading the last few pages of this thread is like watching a political debate with 4-5 people who 'get it' and 2 who just argue whatever is brought up just to keep the status quo.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Another side note, if that truly was the ending, then our final boss battle was a 10 minute conversation with the illusive man and the child. The last enemies we fight are 3 husks and Marauder Shields. What a complete let down to Shepard's tale if this is the way it goes out.

You think THAT was the final boss battle?

Reading the last few pages of this thread is like watching a political debate with 4-5 people who 'get it' and 2 who just argue whatever is brought up just to keep the status quo.

Funny. I feel the same way.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

Another side note, if that truly was the ending, then our final boss battle was a 10 minute conversation with the illusive man and the child. The last enemies we fight are 3 husks and Marauder Shields. What a complete let down to Shepard's tale if this is the way it goes out.

When you stop and think about it, the entire trilogy was one long, simmering buildup to Shephard's final confrontation with Maurader Shields. All the training, team-building, etc. came together in that one critical moment.

 

[Insein]

Another side note, if that truly was the ending, then our final boss battle was a 10 minute conversation with the illusive man and the child. The last enemies we fight are 3 husks and Marauder Shields. What a complete let down to Shepard's tale if this is the way it goes out.

When you stop and think about it, the entire trilogy was one long, simmering buildup to Shephard's final confrontation with Maurader Shields. All the training, team-building, etc. came together in that one critical moment.

Indeed. If you read Marauder's wiki background, he had been preparing for years for that final confrontation.

 

[-arcK-]

Ok, was way behind all you guys and had to avoid spoilers up until now. Just finished a few minutes ago and I'm still in a state of disbelief. I feel like I just got bukkaked.

Spoiler

Wait... I was supposed to make a choice, so I walked into a beam and the ending started.

Looked it up and apparently there were blue/red options as well... Nice. Very intuitive. Not.

So I meet up with energy kid, freefall into the light, then everything blows up, and finally Joker and EDI hug in the jungle. WTF