Mass Effect 3 ending SPOILERS!

[Lunar Templar]

snip

happy ending? its my understanding that the reapers are intent on destroying pretty much everything. what makes you think, that with the price of failure being the total destruction of galactic civilization, your going to walk away clean, let alone at all. the set up present is not one where you can avoid casualty's, you just have to plan around them and hope your not boned in the end.

Spoiler

the relays are fucked in every ending, as is the Normandy and Shepard

i rather like the endings my self, take balls to end a story on that kind of sour note

 

[Korten12]

snip

happy ending? its my understanding that the reapers are intent on destroying pretty much everything. what makes you think, that with the price of failure being the total destruction of galactic civilization, your going to walk away clean, let alone at all. the set up present is not one where you can avoid casualty's, you just have to plan around them and hope your not boned in the end.

Spoiler

the relays are fucked in every ending, as is the Normandy and Shepard

i rather like the endings my self, take balls to end a story on that kind of sour note

Happy =/= Everything is all right. You can still have things be happy but still screwed up. In this ending, you didn't get an ounce of things at least being better. In fact it almost seems worse.

 

[synobal]

snip

happy ending? its my understanding that the reapers are intent on destroying pretty much everything. what makes you think, that with the price of failure being the total destruction of galactic civilization, your going to walk away clean, let alone at all. the set up present is not one where you can avoid casualty's, you just have to plan around them and hope your not boned in the end.

Spoiler

the relays are fucked in every ending, as is the Normandy and Shepard

i rather like the endings my self, take balls to end a story on that kind of sour note

Happy =/= Everything is all right. You can still have things be happy but still screwed up. In this ending, you didn't get an ounce of things at least being better. In fact it almost seems worse.

Really? I felt that the Synthesis ending was really very hopeful. In fact all three really do seem some what hopeful, though some more than others.

 

[Dylan Mah]

You know, I am hoping, really really hoping to God that BioWare made these endings as bad as they did to kill the series and keep EA from milking it.

 

[SajuukKhar]

I promise im trying to be cordial, but that in no way deals with everything the quoted poster stated. Furthermore i have made several points that you seem to have ignored, but since i have your attention lets try again.

Ok lets break this down. Im honestly not trying to be antagonistic, im just trying to see what you and your peers see. I enjoyed the game too much to hate it, but i need to make sense of this and you all seem to get it so help me get it.

1- if the point of the gaurdian/catalyst etc is to maintain organic life by culling it whenever it reaches a certain point, why did it not destry the relays eons ago if that seems to be the "only way" that this society will set its own destiny.

2- How could an ending that would clearly lead to the death and struggle of several main characters and entire races (as stated from the quoted poster) be seen as palatable for even the "good" ending.

3- What about the significant plot holes involving the normandy, why it was in the middle of a relay jump and why certain people get off. The clear Deus ex Machina that is the star child and its unexplained/unfathomable powers that could be fairly described as space magic( one wave engulfs the entire galaxy while at the same time merging synthetic and organic life...?)

4- What about the general lack of content for the ending in that the cinematic and aftermath is highly abbreviated and (at least in my opinion) really is not befitting to end a 3 game epic. It is completely accurate to say that all you get is Shepard's ending sequence, 3 variation of the reapers leaving/dying/stopping, jokers race against the relay, and 3 variations of the normandy opening up with different combinations of who comes out. I know that the ending is meant to be ambigous, but how is that appropriate for this type of game/story?

Please try as you may to address ALL of these and if you say you already have be so kind as to link to your post. I just want to see where you are coming from. Im going to be honest, it seems like you are avoiding any arguments that do not coincide with your opinion of the games ending. I am willing to admit that on several levels it does work/make sense, but on far too many levels, it does not. You seem a bit one sided in your analysis which comes off a bit fanboyish which hurts the credibility of your opinion.

1. As the catalyst mentions when Shepard gets there it cannot do the things Shepard can or enact the choices that Shepard can make.

The Catalyst was limited in options and as it stood destroying the relays would have left the galaxy in such a state that a race could develop synthetic life, which could then eventually make its own Mass Relay like system and spread across the galaxy destroying all organic life.

The relays were necessary because
1. They forced organic civilization down a predictable path which made the easy to control and kill
2. It allowed the reapers a significantly easier time at destroying civilization faster so that they couldn't make synthetic life
3. Keeping the relays up meant The reapers had full control of them instead of letting the races build their own relay system which the Reapers may not have the same ability to turn on and off as they can with their own.
.
.
2. One of the biggest points of the series was self-sacrifice. Shepard died to free the galaxy from the cycle, Mordin may die in curing the genophage freeing the Korgan from countless more deaths Legion may die uniting the Geth and Quarrians ending a long and needless war. All of their deaths helped save so many people.

Beyond that while, yes, they will have to struggle, they can now make their own path, and go their own way. How is being able to do what YOU want insted of what someone else set out for you not a good ending?
.
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3. I guess the Q from Star Trek, and The Ancients from Stargate, are all Deus Ex Machinas also?

Just because a race has technology so far beyond us we don't understand it =/= it is a Deus ex Mahinca. This is a sci-fi series were people use dark energy to lift object in the air, this is a sci-fi series were there is an entire race of females who propgate by doing a vulcan mind meld.

If the star child is really irking you this much how did you stand the rest of the series?

As for The Normady, they specifically mention that they plan to help the Sword team, which is the space armada team, explaining why they are in space, and the cutscene shows them going into the relay trying to escape the giant beam of death coming out of the Citadel.
.
.
4. How is it not appropriate?
-The Reapers were destroyed/merged/controlled
-The civilizations of the galaxy are freed from continued technological and societal enslavement
-You crew survives and made a colony
-The stargazers showed that civilization will go on regardless of the lack of relays
It gives considerable hope for a future made by each species and not some predetermined one set upon them by being who only wish to destroy them.

 

[Lunar Templar]

snip

happy ending? its my understanding that the reapers are intent on destroying pretty much everything. what makes you think, that with the price of failure being the total destruction of galactic civilization, your going to walk away clean, let alone at all. the set up present is not one where you can avoid casualty's, you just have to plan around them and hope your not boned in the end.

Spoiler

the relays are fucked in every ending, as is the Normandy and Shepard

i rather like the endings my self, take balls to end a story on that kind of sour note

Happy =/= Everything is all right. You can still have things be happy but still screwed up. In this ending, you didn't get an ounce of things at least being better. In fact it almost seems worse.

true, but i think it something every one needs to get over, not every thing ends the way we think it should, nor dose every game need a happy ending. i haven't nor am i a going to play ME3, so this is all going to be going off what i gathered from spoilers, so, feel free to backhanded me and call me a retard if I'm wrong, I'm a big brony, i can take it.

1) the relays are broke: but their are countless people of numerous races still alive, and i'm willing to bet a fair share of scientists and there's in all likely hood a blue print or some thing similar some one saved when the shit and fan got together.

2)

Spoiler: The Normandy is now Gilligan's Island

: could be worse, they could all be dead, like they are in one ending

3)

Spoiler: Shepard is forever alone

: again, he could be dead, like he is in one ending

like i said, i like these endings, it's ballsy. sides, you know there's gonna be an ME4 where the status quo is restored

 

[Korten12]

This is how I wished it had ending. Well not exactly but imo better then the actual ending.

 

[theonecookie]

snip

happy ending? its my understanding that the reapers are intent on destroying pretty much everything. what makes you think, that with the price of failure being the total destruction of galactic civilization, your going to walk away clean, let alone at all. the set up present is not one where you can avoid casualty's, you just have to plan around them and hope your not boned in the end.

Spoiler

the relays are fucked in every ending, as is the Normandy and Shepard

i rather like the endings my self, take balls to end a story on that kind of sour note

Happy =/= Everything is all right. You can still have things be happy but still screwed up. In this ending, you didn't get an ounce of things at least being better. In fact it almost seems worse.

true, but i think it something every one needs to get over, not every thing ends the way we think it should, nor dose every game need a happy ending. i haven't nor am i a going to play ME3, so this is all going to be going off what i gathered from spoilers, so, feel free to backhanded me and call me a retard if I'm wrong, I'm a big brony, i can take it.

1) the relays are broke: but their are countless people of numerous races still alive, and i'm willing to bet a fair share of scientists and there's in all likely hood a blue print or some thing similar some one saved when the shit and fan got together.

2)

Spoiler: The Normandy is now Gilligan's Island

: could be worse, they could all be dead, like they are in one ending

3)

Spoiler: Shepard is forever alone

: again, he could be dead, like he is in one ending

like i said, i like these endings, it's ballsy. sides, you know there's gonna be an ME4 where the status quo is restored

Its not that its a downer ending or that i think it should of ended like X or Y its that this ending in the context of mass effect

1 doesn't belong it doesn't gel with the rest of the game from a story telling point of view

2 Is lazily written due to a giant space wand that makes the bad men go away

3 Its full of plot holes the reaper motivations make no sense

 

[synobal]

This is how I wished it had ending. Well not exactly but imo better then the actual ending.

I'm surprised so many people are annoyed with the destruction of the Mass Relays, the destruction really is a good thing. From a story telling point and logically. It keeps post war, conquering of other species by races that were not as hard hit in the reapers invasion from occurring.

With the destruction of the relays each race has maybe a century or more (my guesstimate) to recover from the invasion.

 

[Korten12]

This is how I wished it had ending. Well not exactly but imo better then the actual ending.

I'm surprised so many people are annoyed with the destruction of the Mass Relays, the destruction really is a good thing. From a story telling point and logically. It keeps post war, conquering of other species by races that were not as hard hit in the reapers invasion from occurring.

With the destruction of the relays each race has maybe a century or more (my guesstimate) to recover from the invasion.

And if the Relays are kept... THEY CAN ACTUALLY GET TO PLACES TO ACTUALLY FUCKING HELP PEOPLE! Seriously, destroying the relays make so many choices voided. Out what was the point of saving the Quarian Homeworld if many of them will never see it as they're stuck on Earth?

And plus considering that the ending did imply that civilization continued, it showed that they weren't space faring anymore.

How can places recover without aid? How can the Krogan's get back to their homeworld? Or the Quarians? Asari? Turians? Espicially the Asari and Turians who worlds were burning.

 

[Lunar Templar]

Its not that its a downer ending or that i think it should of ended like X or Y its that this ending in the context of mass effect

1 doesn't belong it doesn't gel with the rest of the game from a story telling point of view

2 Is lazily written due to a giant space wand that makes the bad men go away

3 Its full of plot holes the reaper motivations make no sense

*shrugs* I'd have to play it comment further, but that's not going to happen so here's where i have to bow out

 

[eventhorizon525]

This is how I wished it had ending. Well not exactly but imo better then the actual ending.

I'm surprised so many people are annoyed with the destruction of the Mass Relays, the destruction really is a good thing. From a story telling point and logically. It keeps post war, conquering of other species by races that were not as hard hit in the reapers invasion from occurring.

With the destruction of the relays each race has maybe a century or more (my guesstimate) to recover from the invasion.

The thing is, none of the races really escaped being hit hard by the reapers, particularly if you got everyone to bring their fleets to the final fight. All of the major military forces would be decimated and in tatters anyway. That would leave the races little way to really start a war with each other, and furthermore, any peace and good relations built up between the races would fade should the relays go down. People aren't going to as easily remember Captain So-and-So who did the good faith gesture when you haven't seen that other race in at least a century.

Really though, this ending just comes across as Bioware wanting to reset the universe, so any continuation is free from this series and particular techs. Honestly, I would feel better about the endings if A) the Citadel-AI didn't show up in the form of that kid and B) the ending videos, which are meant to portray radically different approaches to dealing with the reapers weren't pretty much the same save for some color swapping. The latter just comes off as Bioware being lazy with the videos, and that puts it in a rather bad light.

 

[Korten12]

1 doesn't belong it doesn't gel with the rest of the game from a story telling point of view

2 Is lazily written due to a giant space wand that makes the bad men go away

3 Its full of plot holes the reaper motivations make no sense

So true. I love it how the one reaper of the Quarian homeworld basically said: "You can't comprehend our reasons."

Then when you learn of it. It's like it was written by some five year old and the only reason they said we can't comprehend it is because they didn't want everyone to find out how stupid the reason was.

 

[SajuukKhar]

And if the Relays are kept... THEY CAN ACTUALLY GET TO PLACES TO ACTUALLY FUCKING HELP PEOPLE! Seriously, destroying the relays make so many choices voided. Out what was the point of saving the Quarian Homeworld if many of them will never see it as they're stuck on Earth?

And plus considering that the ending did imply that civilization continued, it showed that they weren't space faring anymore.

How can places recover without aid? How can the Krogan's get back to their homeworld? Or the Quarians? Asari? Turians? Espicially the Asari and Turians who worlds were burning.

Well
1. There are many Quarrians on the homeworld, those who didn't make it back KNEW that the war with the Reapers, and the battle for Earth was probably a one way trip, and that they would probably have died. It was something they would have come to accept beforehand, and the fact that SOME didn't get to the homeworld doesn't negate the fact that MANY did.

2. The ending showed they are not space faring now, but that doesn't mean they wont be again one day. Also that was of the Normandy colony, a small colony without access to factories like earth would have. for all we know by the time of the stargazer Earth has already rebuilt enough to colonize toe solar system again.

3. How can the homeworlds of the races rebuilt without aid? the same way civilization was built on them before access to space travel.

 

[synobal]

This is how I wished it had ending. Well not exactly but imo better then the actual ending.

I'm surprised so many people are annoyed with the destruction of the Mass Relays, the destruction really is a good thing. From a story telling point and logically. It keeps post war, conquering of other species by races that were not as hard hit in the reapers invasion from occurring.

With the destruction of the relays each race has maybe a century or more (my guesstimate) to recover from the invasion.

And if the Relays are kept... THEY CAN ACTUALLY GET TO PLACES TO ACTUALLY FUCKING HELP PEOPLE! Seriously, destroying the relays make so many choices voided. Out what was the point of saving the Quarian Homeworld if many of them will never see it as they're stuck on Earth?

And plus considering that the ending did imply that civilization continued, it showed that they weren't space faring anymore.

How can places recover without aid? How can the Krogan's get back to their homeworld? Or the Quarians? Asari? Turians? Espicially the Asari and Turians who worlds were burning.

You seem to be operating under the assumption that the entirety of each race was in the Sol system at the time. While it might be true that most of the military assets were in sol system (or might not of been) there were certainly noncombatants left alive on the home worlds and various colonies of each race. Including the Quarians.

The absence of a huge military force for every race, while they recover is likely to be a good thing in the long run I think. There had been a significant destruction of the power bases of each civilization in the game, and when ever that happens a vacuum occurs and it attempts to be filled.

Likely if the militaries had stayed around they would of fractured into a lot of smaller group all vying for leadership of their particular race or planet.

 

[KingofMadCows]

Yeah, guys, I have to agree with the people defending the endings. While not what most people were expecting, the endings were kind of perfect in their own way. It shows that the galaxy is once and for all free to rebuild, restart, free of the Reapers influence. And as the cutscene with the stargazers showed, civilization did continue, they did rebuild, and they're starting space travel on their own, without the tech left behind by the Reapers.

I understand the disappointment and rage though. It all stems from this: it's because there were no epilogues, no explanation as to what happened to all those characters that you spent so much time getting to know and love. And I am disappointed with this as well, but you just have to sit back and hope BioWare releases some sort of patch or DLC that gives epilogues for everyone.

But the ending contradicts what happened in "The Arrival" DLC. The destruction of the Mass Relay in "The Arrival" unleashed enough power to destroy a solar system. If all the Mass Relays are destroyed, then every solar system with a Mass Relay is also destroyed.

Also, the synthesis ending makes no sense even with Mass Effect's magic science. How does the radiation magically rewrite everyone's DNA to contain synthetic components without killing them?

The good parts of ME3 are great but bad parts of ME3 reminds me of a lot of the dumbest stuff in Star Trek. The way they wussified the Reapers is a lot like what Voyager did to the Borg. They built them into this massive unstoppable force but had no idea how the heroes were going to beat them so they dropped their IQ by about 90%. The whole synthesis ending reminds me a lot of terrible episodes like "Genesis" and "Threshold" where the "science" part of "science fiction" is screwed up to such an unbelievable extent.

 

[feeqmatic]

1. As the catalyst mentions when Shepard gets there it cannot do the things Shepard can or enact the choices that Shepard can make.

The Catalyst was limited in options and as it stood destroying the relays would have left the galaxy in such a state that a race could develop synthetic life, which could then eventually make its own Mass Relay like system and spread across the galaxy destroying all organic life.

The relays were necessary because
1. They forced organic civilization down a predictable path which made the easy to control and kill
2. It allowed the reapers a significantly easier time at destroying civilization faster so that they couldn't make synthetic life
3. Keeping the relays up meant The reapers had full control of them instead of letting the races build their own relay system which the Reapers may not have the same ability to turn on and off as they can with their own.
.
.
2. One of the biggest points of the series was self-sacrifice. Shepard died to free the galaxy from the cycle, Mordin may die in curing the genophage freeing the Korgan from countless more deaths Legion may die uniting the Geth and Quarrians ending a long and needless war. All of their deaths helped save so many people.

Beyond that while, yes, they will have to struggle, they can now make their own path, and go their own way. How is being able to do what YOU want insted of what someone else set out for you not a good ending?
.
.
3. I guess the Q from Star Trek, and The Ancients from Stargate, are all Deus Ex Machinas also?

Just because a race has technology so far beyond us we don't understand it =/= it is a Deus ex Mahinca. This is a sci-fi series were people use dark energy to lift object in the air, this is a sci-fi series were there is an entire race of females who propgate by doing a vulcan mind meld.

If the star child is really irking you this much how did you stand the rest of the series?

As for The Normady, they specifically mention that they plan to help the Sword team, which is the space armada team, explaining why they are in space, and the cutscene shows them going into the relay trying to escape the giant beam of death coming out of the Citadel.
.
.
4. How is it not appropriate?
-The Reapers were destroyed/merged/controlled
-The civilizations of the galaxy are freed from continued technological and societal enslavement
-You crew survives and made a colony
-The stargazers showed that civilization will go on regardless of the lack of relays
It gives considerable hope for a future made by each species and not some predetermined one set upon them by being who only wish to destroy them.

Ok... thanks for responding but i still have to disagree with you on a lot of levels.

1- Why? Why is it possible that the catlyst can through "space magic" merge all synthetic and organic life but not on its own come to the conclusion that destroying the relays was the best way to accomplish its goal. That is really weak writing. Why would it be ok with killing trillions of lives for the sake of "order" but not allowing said lives to seek their own destiny by removing the reaper interference.

Furthermore, how does destroying the relays further its goal? I mean what is stopping people from eventually creating their own relays (which they hint at trying to do anyway) If he is trying to prevent the inevitable why would he allow shepard to reset the cycle when it is still going to end up at the place of "chaos" except now without the reaper oversight. By keeping the relays around the reapers are creating their own self fufilling prophecy. It doesnt make sense.

2- Sacrifice i give you. I was sad when Mordin and legion died, but their sacrifices mean much less given that the end results were rendered highly moot by the destruction of the galactic community. Now all of the sacrifices seem bland and pointlessly melodramatic in the face of the end result. Furthermore they dont present the ending events as sacrafices but as the idea for new beginnings. YOU are interpreting sacrafice based on your want to make sense of things, but in the end where you see Garrus, or Tali or a bunch of other getting out on a garden planet he is clearly smiling not wondering where he will get the proper food to feed himself. There is clearly no explanation of how the Quarian fleet will make it home on the OTHER SIDE OF THE GALAXY after finally liberating it. These are just a few parts that are not sacrifices but holes in the plot. Now if this were just one of the endings then it would be cool but ALL of the endings lead to a variation of this situation. And again, my point is that they gave the player all of these option that are traditionally supposed to lead to a good ending, and EVERY OTHER BIOWARE GAME has the same mechanics where the choices you make lead to logical and clear results based on the players desires, but this time they chose to stick solely with the authors vision. This is not how you tell an interactive "choose your own adventure" story. This will not led to multiple play throughs in order to see what happens as in DAO, KOTOR, ME2, and countless other non bioware games like Infamous. They knew what the players would want and instead of giving them variety they gave them what they wanted for us. Not cool.

3- I am not truly abreast of Star Trek and I know Jack about Star gate, but if Q and the Ancients were used as last minute plot developments to explain something with major build in a long running story with absolutely no preparation, hint, or indication that they existed until the last moment then yes they are Deus Ex Machina. The kid is a Deus Ex Machina. There is no indication where he came from, his motives are illogical, and his powers are unexplained. Again i wouldnt even care if the players choices still mattered despite the Deus Ex Machina, but using a plot hole to pidgeonhole a stories ending into bitter sweet is even more infuriating.

Furthermore, before the battle every single one of my team mates is on earth how did they manage to get into the ship after the reaper battle really started. why would they do this? Why are some people stating that some of the same people on their squad that seeming got blasted by the reaper lazer also managed to get onto the ship no more than 10 min later in the middle of this huge galactic fight. Also, why/how could they have possible gotten to the relay in such a short period of time. The Relay is behind pluto, I dont know how fast the Normandy goes but they would have had to fly out of battle, pick up at least 3 crew mates, fly back through the battle and fly to pluto to hit the relay in a matter of 10-20 min right after I get beamed up to citadel. Sorry you gotta admit that is outright nonsense.

4- It is not befitting of the aftermath of an epic trilogy. This is just a matter of opinion, but for me it was very much a let down considering the ending to the first two and and the ability to get some ending dialogue.


Which brings me to another point. It destroyed the mass effect universe. The only thing they can make in this games universe are prequels which considering the end result really wouldnt garner much attention from me and plenty of other gamers. They would have to greatly change the games ideology because there is no point in choice if the things you choose all lead to the same result.

 

[SajuukKhar]

But the ending contradicts what happened in "The Arrival" DLC. The destruction of the Mass Relay in "The Arrival" unleashed enough power to destroy a solar system. If all the Mass Relays are destroyed, then every solar system with a Mass Relay is also destroyed.

Also, the synthesis ending makes no sense even with Mass Effect's magic science. How does the radiation magically rewrite everyone's DNA to contain synthetic components without killing them?

The good parts of ME3 are great but bad parts of ME3 reminds me of a lot of the dumbest stuff in Star Trek. The way they wussified the Reapers is a lot like what Voyager did to the Borg. They built them into this massive unstoppable force but had no idea how the heroes were going to beat them so they dropped their IQ by about 90%. The whole synthesis ending reminds me a lot of terrible episodes like "Genesis" and "Threshold" where the "science" part of "science fiction" is screwed up to such an unbelievable extent.

The Mass Relay in Arrival had a fully working element zero core, the relays at the end of Mass Effect 3 had used up all their energy with their pulse waves that enact whatever choice you made.

why do people constantly ignore the glaring difference?

 

[theonecookie]

This is how I wished it had ending. Well not exactly but imo better then the actual ending.

I'm surprised so many people are annoyed with the destruction of the Mass Relays, the destruction really is a good thing. From a story telling point and logically. It keeps post war, conquering of other species by races that were not as hard hit in the reapers invasion from occurring.

With the destruction of the relays each race has maybe a century or more (my guesstimate) to recover from the invasion.

Well i guess we can agree on one thing.

Personally I would have had the relays feed the crucible not the other way around and then have it go off like a bomb destroying the earth the reapers and the fleets you had assembled

Personally I think it hits all the bases for a good renegade ending not too sure how it would work for paragon though

 

[synobal]

Also, the synthesis ending makes no sense even with Mass Effect's magic science. How does the radiation magically rewrite everyone's DNA to contain synthetic components without killing them?

I personally find it amusing that people keep throwing around the word 'magic' like it is some how a valid argument to what happened at the end of ME3

Check out Clarke's 3 laws [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarke's_three_laws] specifically the third one and finally take a look at the man whose those laws are named after.

Mass Effect didn't preform some sort of genre breaking feat when they came up with the synthesis ending. It is completely valid and its insulting to keep saying 'magic energy' seriously.