The Citadel at the end of Mass Effect 3 (spoilers)

[XMark]

Are we to assume that all the 13 million people living on the Citadel died at the end of Mass Effect 3? From what I understand, the Illusive Man snuck onto the Citadel somehow, and called the Reapers over. Considering that they wouldn't be able to defend against even one Reaper without Shepard shutting its shields off, seems to me that the Reapers would have just torn through the Citadel defenses like tissue paper, then swarmed the Citadel with ground troops and blasted the ships of anyone trying to run away.

And if by any chance anyone on the Citadel managed to hide and survive, they'd die in the ending explosion... or if they didn't get killed in that explosion they'd get sucked out into space when the technology that holds the atmosphere in place shuts down. So all those people on the Citadel that you helped out, the grieving widows, the refugees, everyone at the memorial wall, all of C-Sec, all the ambassadors, captain Bailey... yep, they're all Reaper chow.

 

[Zhukov]

Yup.

That's all reasonable to assume. However, we don't know either way. The only concrete indication of bad shit going down in the citadel is the pile of bodies when you arrive.

Although it's worth noting that if you choose the control ending (blue cupcake) then the citadel isn't destroyed.

Yet another thing the endings failed to give closure on.

 

[Saviordd1]

This is why I pray that the indoctrination theory is correct.

Just

Keep

Praying

 

[Whitbane]

You gotta just stop thinking and choose the prettiest colour when the ending comes around.

That's all I did, anyways.

 

[Jodah]

I think it's time for me to start making a list of all the shit wrong with the ending. This will be number 45312.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

Although it's worth noting that if you choose the control ending (blue cupcake) then the citadel isn't destroyed.

Nope. In the blue cupcake ending, it just closes up and floats there in space, stuffed prow to stern with horribly mutilated dead bodies, needlessly creepy Keepers, and at least one ghostly, tow-headed little kid spouting confounding exposition.

 

[XMark]

That's all reasonable to assume. However, we don't know either way. The only concrete indication of bad shit going down in the citadel is the pile of bodies when you arrive.

Those bodies were only human. The Citadel was mostly other alien races. The bodies were just the ones recently beamed up from Earth.

 

[ShadowsofHope]

Actually, everyone on the Citadel that did not escape at the last moment before the Reapers came for it is dead in every ending due to the Reapers attacking it in the end, and especially in destroy. This has already been confirmed via twitter from Bioware.

I'll try to find the image if I can.

 

[spartandude]

This is why I pray that the indoctrination theory is correct.

Just

Keep

Praying

is it me or is it rather depressing when the idea that the ending never happened and that we werent sold an incomplete product is more comforting and a better ending than the one we got?

 

[The Forces of Chaos]

This is why I pray that the indoctrination theory is correct.

Just

Keep

Praying

is it me or is it rather depressing when the idea that the ending never happened and that we werent sold an incomplete product is more comforting and a better ending than the one we got?

This also means Shepard is still fighting the Reapers.

 

[MASTACHIEFPWN]

This is why I pray that the indoctrination theory is correct.

Just

Keep

Praying

Shepard's just going to wake up in his bed right before they assault the Cerberus base...

Please... Please god just let it all be lies!

 

[George Francis Gaspar]

That was my first question....how did the Illusive Man take over the Citadel when he failed the first time?!?

 

[Slycne]

Also a 17 billion ton space station crashing into Earth will do way more damage than the Reapers ever could. Force = Mass X Acceleration. I actually looked it up and in addition to the massive impact, large objects like that will also rip holes in the ozone layer. So if by chance you survived that you'd get cooked with radiation.

You saved Earth!... but not really.

 

[Risingblade]

So that's why the reapers left the citadel alone for so long! Have all the survivors gather in one location then boom!

 

[Frankster]

It's what I've been assuming up to this point anyways.

Kelly, Conrad, Bailey, the Council, that teen girl who lost her parents talking to that turian officer on lower levels, EVERYONE on the citadel died horrible deaths when the reapers came to the citadel courtesy of TIM's tipoff.

 

[karloss01]

I think ME3 does require a "you fucked up" ending which would trigger if you didn't both massing any forces and would end the game when Harbinger comes down and swats the ground forces. just have shepard die on the battlefield having emergancy first aid performed on him/her.

then possibly harbinger speaking about how you fucked up and how they were right about you fighting the inevitable. otherwise its "you win regardless of humanity's ending condition".

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

So all those people on the Citadel that you helped out, the grieving widows, the refugees, everyone at the memorial wall, all of C-Sec, all the ambassadors, captain Bailey... yep, they're all Reaper chow.

I assumed that the Reapers only bothered to capture the Presidium. I mean, the Wards (ie, everyone living on the arms) would be worthless to the Reapers. Thus, if you choose Control (which I did) then there are probably 10 million survivors on the Citadel...

However, in ME3, you only ever visit Presidium levels. So yes, everyone you actually get to meet on the citadel in ME3 is probably dead from Reapers, yes.

 

[Slycne]

I assumed that the Reapers only bothered to capture the Presidium. I mean, the Wards (ie, everyone living on the arms) would be worthless to the Reapers. Thus, if you choose Control (which I did) then there are probably 10 million survivors on the Citadel...

I would think it more likely that they indoctrinated the whole station and then fed them into the ground war on Earth.

 

[Jack and Calumon]

Also a 17 billion ton space station crashing into Earth will do way more damage than the Reapers ever could. Force = Mass X Acceleration. I actually looked it up and in addition to the massive impact, large objects like that will also rip holes in the ozone layer. So if by chance you survived that you'd get cooked with radiation.

You saved Earth!... but not really.

My god... I thought the ending was depressing enough already and you give me this? Brilliant!

Guess I'll take Wrex up on that offer of living on Tuchanka. Kalros would be more preferable than unfiltered sun radiation destroying the ecosystem... and an enormous crater where England used to be.

Calumon: I'll make a statue for the chip shops...