In Mass Effect 2, my Shephard was brought back to life by Cerberus because TIM knew that only Shepard could stop the Collectors. The Council didn't want to help him, and so it was up to him to go out into the galaxy, assemble a team, and do what the galaxy was waiting for him to do. The thing no one else could do. And he did. But even then, he knew his task wasn't finished. He knew something worse was on the way. The Reapers were coming.
In Mass Effect 3, Shepard is re-instated, both as an officer in the Alliance military, and as a Spectre. Again, Shepard was tasked to do what no one else in the galaxy could do. Once again, the Council wouldn't help him, and so it was up to him to gather the species, to convince them all to fight for survival. He defied the odds, he brokered peace with the Krogan (cured the Genophage, despite the please of the Sularians). He brokered peace between the Geth and the Quarians. He convinced a Prothean that the 'primitive races' could make a difference.
In London, Shepard did what it seemed no one else could do. He got through the defences on the ground, and through whatever odds, he made it to the Citadel (assuming of course that the explosion right before it did not start a dream/hallucination). Shepard made his way to the final encounter with TIM, because thats what Shepard was supposed to do. For the past 2 games, Shepard's purpose was for this moment. He was brought back from the dead, because no one alive could do what Shepard was needed to do. This was it. This was his moment. And once that moment is passed, so is the reason for Shepard's being. He may survive (if you are lucky enough), but the galaxy is safe, and he can retire (or whatever happy ending you want.). But for me, Shepard needs to die, the hero that he/she is, fulfilling his destiny and completing the cycle of his second life.
This leads me to believe something else about the endings. That in fact the ending IS a dream/hallucination, in Shepards own mind. That the reason we get a singular ending with a colour difference is because Shepard has to die, and as far as the rest of the galaxy knows, Shepard dies completing his destiny, and removing the Reaper threat. Everything that happens on the Citadel from that 'moment where the game went to hell' is only known to Shepard...which could explain a few things. It would explain why his squad mates arent with him. It might explain why everything has that dream-state feel to it. It might explain why he suddenly does not have his armour or weapons with him. Because everything from that moment is in Shepards head.
Inside the Citadel, Shepard chooses how to fulfill his destiny, but he must fulfill it anyway. Shepard himself is the Catalyst, not the creepy god-child. No one else would have been able to do this, which is why the entire galaxy hinged on Shepard's actions. In a way, it could be why no one knew what the Catalyst was. It was Shepard. Without him, the Reapers win. The endings are the same, because no matter the method Shepard dies, that is how people outside the Citadel would have witnessed the event.
With this in mind, do I need new ending choices? No, not really. It would be great, and one option could be Shepard lives through the experience (thus the scene with his armour taking a breath, if you get that ending). But I think what would really make this work better would be a simple epilogue. Something that shows the aftermath. To quote another sci-fi tv series, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the final episode did a very nice job of what I would like to see. Take 5, maybe 10 minutes, and show what the survivors of the war do. The Quarians/Geth perhaps plannign to assist with repairs. The Turian Primarch talking about how the rebuilding of Palaven will begin.Or the fact that Javik, a real living Prothean is still alive....they could simply have a conversation with some of the primary characters, and Javik, deciding that they ahve the means to try and re-create the Mass Relays. A living Prothean, combined with the technology of the other races....which could set the tone for future adventures.
Anyway, that's my thoughts on the whole situation, and I appreciate you taking the time to indulge me. Quite therapeutic, really
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