Why I feel the Indoctrination Theory works. [Spoilers probably]

[DrgoFx]

So I just finished Mass Effect 3, I'll be killing myself about this later, but I'll just go ahead and say this. If we assume for a moment that this was Bioware's plan all along, not the colored explosions but rather the Indoctrination itself, then the signs, the reasoning, they all work...I feel as though there's too much evidence to support the theory than outright toss it aside. Why does Shepard's eyes not become the way they are when you choose Destroy? Why does Shepard have a blood wound in the same place Anderson has it? Why does Harbringer just leave with you still alive? It's not like that's a special easter egg, the camera makes sure you, the player, sees it. Why does the little boy have a mixture of his voice and both Shepards? Why does the Illusive man not take over the conduit after he defeats Shepard?

There is a chance Bioware did this on accident, but that seems like a very slim chance to me...If you play the ending with a sharp mind, it all makes sense...all the evidence is there. If this really was Bioware's plan, then I'd hate to say it but I think they were hoping for some more observant fans.

Now there are questions left after this. Why the multi-colored explosions as the only difference? Why the DLC as "the real ending?" I would take the oppertunity to point a finger and say EA. I don't know the specifics, but judging the industry, EA wanted money, Bioware wanted to do this amazing factor where there is the indoctrination and the endings were even on the disk, but after the Indoctrination...most likely EA was just like "So it's done now? Cool. Ship it out." Once Bioware explained their plan to EA, EA probably just said "Will the ending is already there. Make the Epilogue like a new title or something." So my guess is the only way Bioware could give us what we wanted, and still have the funding to do so, is through DLC.

For the colored endings...I don't know really. I'm guessing there was a cut in cost maybe. Maybe something to further push for this DLC endings. Even before the indoctrination theory, all the twitter feeds were filled with Bioware employees stating they couldn't reveal anything about the ending to keep it spoiler free. If Bioware really wasn't planning for this theory, then I can say this: Use it. Unless you can bring something better, fucking use it.

This is all things I've concluded, as someone who went into the last minutes with the theory in mind, not seeing anything before hand. The theory really makes sense and it's not true, then someone REALLY dropped the ball. I don't mean a rushed ending written, I mean someone slipped on a wet floor, fell out of the top floor of a sky scraper and plummeted into a man hole with said ball.

 

[RJ 17]

So I just finished Mass Effect 3, I'll be killing myself about this later, but I'll just go ahead and say this. If we assume for a moment that this was Bioware's plan all along, not the colored explosions but rather the Indoctrination itself, then the signs, the reasoning, they all work...I feel as though there's too much evidence to support the theory than outright toss it aside. Why does Shepard's eyes not become the way they are when you choose Destroy? Why does Shepard have a blood wound in the same place Anderson has it? Why does Harbringer just leave with you still alive? It's not like that's a special easter egg, the camera makes sure you, the player, sees it. Why does the little boy have a mixture of his voice and both Shepards? Why does the Illusive man not take over the conduit after he defeats Shepard?

There is a chance Bioware did this on accident, but that seems like a very slim chance to me...If you play the ending with a sharp mind, it all makes sense...all the evidence is there. If this really was Bioware's plan, then I'd hate to say it but I think they were hoping for some more observant fans.

Now there are questions left after this. Why the multi-colored explosions as the only difference? Why the DLC as "the real ending?" I would take the oppertunity to point a finger and say EA. I don't know the specifics, but judging the industry, EA wanted money, Bioware wanted to do this amazing factor where there is the indoctrination and the endings were even on the disk, but after the Indoctrination...most likely EA was just like "So it's done now? Cool. Ship it out." Once Bioware explained their plan to EA, EA probably just said "Will the ending is already there. Make the Epilogue like a new title or something." So my guess is the only way Bioware could give us what we wanted, and still have the funding to do so, is through DLC.

For the colored endings...I don't know really. I'm guessing there was a cut in cost maybe. Maybe something to further push for this DLC endings. Even before the indoctrination theory, all the twitter feeds were filled with Bioware employees stating they couldn't reveal anything about the ending to keep it spoiler free. If Bioware really wasn't planning for this theory, then I can say this: Use it. Unless you can bring something better, fucking use it.

This is all things I've concluded, as someone who went into the last minutes with the theory in mind, not seeing anything before hand. The theory really makes sense and it's not true, then someone REALLY dropped the ball. I don't mean a rushed ending written, I mean someone slipped on a wet floor, fell out of the top floor of a sky scraper and plummeted into a man hole with said ball.

I know you took all the time to write that up and everything, but it really would have been much simpler to just post this video which explains everything and essentially proves the Indoctrination Theory. The only reason it's still a theory is because Bioware hasn't come out and said "Yeah, that's exactly what we were doing."

 

[duedmen]

For me I believe in the indoctrination theory as well with the good destroy ending being you beat indoctrination and recover "Hence the secret scene" the somewhat god being Shepherd beats it but is mentally scared by it and vaporize being Shepherd beats indoctrination but dies in the process. With control you lose to indoctrination and become like Saren or the illusive man a reaper spy. and with synthesis Shepherd becomes the brain power of human reaper. The kid is obviously Harbinger trying trying to use Shepherd conscious to push him trying to make the Illusive man look correct and ideal and Anderson ignorant and destructive I think this ending was put in place until they could in a patch or the like come up with a full ending to the sires but this is all just a simple theory.

 

[The Forces of Chaos]

Although I feel the indoctrination theory may be credible, this would prove that Bioware has released an incomplete game to the public. I.e. it ended on earth and Sheppard had a dream, please buy more DLC to find out what happened to the reapers, outcome of the battle and all your forces.

Don't get me wrong I want the endings change as much as anyone, but shouldn't they have just held back release a bit in the first place ? I mean they apparently did so they could add in the multiplayer.

 

[duedmen]

I agree what they should have done is take the extra 2 months if there had been a part with the true endings after this part this part might actually be remembered as a highlight of the game but using it as a clif hanger just destroyed its meaning and dirtied it into a cheap ploy

 

[VonKlaw]

Although I feel the indoctrination theory may be credible, this would prove that Bioware has released an incomplete game to the public. I.e. it ended on earth and Sheppard had a dream, please buy more DLC to find out what happened to the reapers, outcome of the battle and all your forces.

Don't get me wrong I want the endings change as much as anyone, but shouldn't they have just held back release a bit in the first place ? I mean they apparently did so they could add in the multiplayer.

As I've said before on the numerous threads this has come up in, either

a) Bioware released the game with the indoctrination in mind, in which case the ending making sense comes at the cost of them deliberately releasing an unfinished game

or

b) Bioware released a game with a lazy, unoriginal ending with more holes than swiss cheese, and are now desperately trying to fix it by copying a relatively good idea off someone else.