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[Obadiah]

...because the other two options for firing the Crucible so did not show everyone happy.

[Seival]

Some thoughts on post-synthesis human soldier appearance. Just finished painting it:

 

 

[Beregar]

Just went through the endings again and I always end up picking synthesis in the end. I can't help it. It's not the optimal solution but it's the best solution based on the data Shepard manages to gather through the game.

 

One thing that bothers me is that it wasn't clearly explained how the catalyst (the AI) is able to influence reapers and keep them in his control. Lore states that when species are processed their minds are uploaded into the new reaper frame. I've yet to find conclusive explanation how at least some of the processed minds didn't someday decide that it might be actually a bad idea to kill others. Especially their own species. I guess this is where the indoctrination steps in.

 

Destroy ending is impossibility for me based on limited data. Not only it would wipe out the Geth but also the Reapers. Let's not forget that Reapers are actually vestiges of ancient civilizations. Not only I would wipe out their possibly mind-controlled collectives but I'd also wipe out all they have achieved. All their scientific, cultural and political achievements would be gone like they never existed. Losing individuals is bad, wiping out species is worse, wiping out those species without leaving any sign they ever existed goes beyond sin. I'd be performing xenocide in a massive scale and then wiping out them from memory. That's worse than what the reapers were doing.

 

Control ending gives me mixed feelings. By choosing to control the reapers I'm no better than the reaper AI. Reaper AI preserved the species and their achievements but it also stole away free will from entire species. My issue here is that... well... what if reapers could be *freed* from their indoctrination. The assumption here is that processed minds are gone for good and need some collective AI to guide them but is this the case? Why would they be gone? We have a race of virtual aliens in the ME universe that prove virtual worlds can exist. There's potential here for "taking control only long enough to figure what is going on" but that feels a bit of a slippery slope. I'd pick this before destruction though.

 

Synthesis ending forces change on people's bodies and that's something I'm willing to force on people. I do not deny your mind is influenced by your body and influecing brain influences behaviour. At least it would suck to be without a body as it allows you to interact with the world and receive and process data - and you know, your mind couldn't exist without one. However for me body is merely a rig which houses the hardware which mind operates. Nothing in the synthesis ending implies that you lose your mind after your rig changes. Sure I force my will on body of every organic and synthetic creature but I don't force my will on your mind. Besides this seems to be the only ending where also reapers seem to be free by default. However I'm doubtful this would lead to the perfect harmony that was implied in the end but it gives the necessary freedom to grow.

[Farangbaa]

He doesn't have to control the Reapers as long as they believe in what they are doing... or don't think about it because it's just what they do. There's nothing that indicates they are aware of the Catalyst, there's no need to control them. Especially taking into consideration Sovereign's speach in which the Reapers seem to think they have no beginning nor end.

 

He controls them in as much as that they do what he wants them to do. I think that control is just an effect of being perfect in their creation/design: they do exactly as they should, and have always done so.

 

My point is there's no need for an active component of control as long as they do what they should. There's no indication whatsoever that any Reaper once thought: 'Well damn... why am I doing this? What's the point? Should I be doing this?'

 

This would also close the plothole of the Reapers needing a vanguard and the Keepers. In their world the Catalyst doesn't exist, and they are the source of the cycles.

 

oh... just like how the universe doesn't need God to actively work gravitational powers, the Reapers don't need the Catalyst to actively make them do what they do. (this is not saying God doesn't exist, btw)

[AlanC9]

No different from indoctrination in that aspect.

[Beregar]

Yeps and the "blindly doing the reaping" part bugs me. It pretty heavily implies there's a controlling force and the easiest answer is the indoctrination. I guess the mind upload comes coupled with a brainwashing but if they are brainwashed how does it *stay*.

 

Something (indoctrination?) seems to strip both free will and initiative to change from the Reapers and this seems to have remained so for millions of years. Considering that each reaper concists of billions of minds there should be a conflict somewhere, "voices in the head" so to speak. What makes them all harmonious?

[Farangbaa]

No different from indoctrination in that aspect.

 

Except that indoctrination is actively controling by changing one's thoughts. The Reapers don't need to have their thoughts changed cause they were created with them.

 

Or so I believe.

[Beregar]

Brainwashing. Indoctrination. Same thing. Something in the progress makes them single minded and allied with the Reaper agenda.

[JasonShepard]

Control ending gives me mixed feelings. By choosing to control the reapers I'm no better than the reaper AI. Reaper AI preserved the species and their achievements but it also stole away free will from entire species. My issue here is that... well... what if reapers could be *freed* from their indoctrination. The assumption here is that processed minds are gone for good and need some collective AI to guide them but is this the case? Why would they be gone? We have a race of virtual aliens in the ME universe that prove virtual worlds can exist. There's potential here for "taking control only long enough to figure what is going on" but that feels a bit of a slippery slope. I'd pick this before destruction though.

 

The slippery slope argument... doesn't sit well with me. So long as you are clear with yourself of what you are using Control for, and where you'd draw the line, I don't think a well-intentioned Shepard would become Emperor-Dictator of the Galaxy of Mankind! or whatever. Then again, I do seem to be more comfortable with Control than most people on BSN... (Is it still BSN? TBF? This forum? I give up...)

 

 

Yeps and the "blindly doing the reaping" part bugs me. It pretty heavily implies there's a controlling force and the easiest answer is the indoctrination. I guess the mind upload comes coupled with a brainwashing but if they are brainwashed how does it *stay*.

 

Something (indoctrination?) seems to strip both free will and initiative to change from the Reapers and this seems to have remained so for millions of years. Considering that each reaper concists of billions of minds there should be a conflict somewhere, "voices in the head" so to speak. What makes them all harmonious?

 

It's possible that the indoctrination used on Reapers is 'perfected' compared to indoctrination as it is used against organics. So no mental degradation, and no room for resistance. Your beliefs are overwritten, and your free will now follows your new beliefs (of Reaping). After all, when constructing a Reaper, there's plenty of opportunity for brain implants/mental-manipulation/focused-and-directed-indoctrination.

 

This does all depend on how the minds are uploaded. I'm personally of the belief that nervous systems are physically installed into the Reaper shell like circuit boards (since it's the best interpretation I can make of the "pumping genetic material into a Reaper" nonsense), but virtual mind uploading appears to have been the plan in ME2's original script. Either way, there's room for stuff much more intensive than simple exposure to Reaper artifacts.

[DoomsdayDevice]

Something (indoctrination?) seems to strip both free will and initiative to change from the Reapers and this seems to have remained so for millions of years. Considering that each reaper concists of billions of minds there should be a conflict somewhere, "voices in the head" so to speak. What makes them all harmonious?

 

A complete virtual reality within the Reaper, built from the people's collective minds and memories.

[Iakus]

A complete virtual reality within the Reaper, built from the people's collective minds and memories.

 

The Matrix? 

[SwobyJ]

Yeps and the "blindly doing the reaping" part bugs me. It pretty heavily implies there's a controlling force and the easiest answer is the indoctrination. I guess the mind upload comes coupled with a brainwashing but if they are brainwashed how does it *stay*.

 

Something (indoctrination?) seems to strip both free will and initiative to change from the Reapers and this seems to have remained so for millions of years. Considering that each reaper concists of billions of minds there should be a conflict somewhere, "voices in the head" so to speak. What makes them all harmonious?

 

The Catalyst/Intelligence is Reaper.

 

1. Intelligence is created by Leviathans

2. Intelligence uses Leviathan brutality to find solution

3. Intelligence creates Harbinger from Leviathans

4. Intelligence incorporates Harbinger's findings/essence into its decision making, and controls Harbinger's purpose in turn

5. More 'Reapers' are added throughout the Cycles, building up both a more perfect Cycle and a galaxy that may one day break/end the Cycle*

6. With ME2, the decision was to use Shepard as part of their experiments for a better Reaper

7. With ME3, the Harvest must continue, and Shepard (at the very least) was to be part of that.

8. With the Crucible integration, the Intelligence gains some extra awareness of the capabilities of this cycle, so it wants to show us the ways forward. If not, the conflict/Harvest will continue, and so will the Cycle (for at least one more round).

9. If you choose Control, you take the place of the Intelligence but keep its capabilities intact. You add that piece that didn't exist before - humanity. However, it is only a copy of humanity, and there exists a risk that the process will end well. We have to trust that the ShepardAlyst will take the information that the Reapers send him and interpret it in as close to a 100% accuracy-as-Shepard as possible

 

*And this would be the point. While the Reaper consensus seems to be that no one can stop the Cycle, the Intelligence's aim appears to be otherwise - to have a galaxy that may one day no longer require the Cycle solution. God exists to be overcome/replaced/one with, so to speak.

 

Networking has pluses and minuses. It tends to boil down to a consensus. If there are disagreeing programs/entities within a Reaper, they don't matter as long as they do not comprise the majority. They must do what they must do, because unlike the geth, the Reapers do not simply let disagreements be (like how they let the Heretic Geth go). The Reapers have a central authority that collects their intelligence and provides purpose for their giant calculating power and knowledge.

 

Reapers = Endless possibilities within a controlled framework (aka a collective will achieving miracles at the cost of freedom). Order.

Organics = Limited possibilities within a free framework (aka exclusive routes that Reapers could never take or understand). Chaos.

[BigglesFlysAgain]

Some disclosure first, the only synthesis I'm into is in cheesey 80's films. But I must say I'm fairly impressed by some of the interpretations of it i've seen here, and can respect how people into certain kinds of sci fi might find it an  interesting possibility.

 

Out of interest though, just as a chain of thought  on its own rather than ammunition in a war between endings...

 

Have people considered that enabling communication in itself (while retaining original free will) is not enough to prevent conflict on its own. My idea basicly comes from the success (and failure) of the internet in this regard. Obviously the internet is not as big as a development as synthesis would be (however it was implemented), but it is still a massive step up to what was available before.

 

Assuming censorship and subversion of the synthesis by authority was not possible which is a big problem for the original ideals of the internet, there would still be the issues of incompatible ideas. While superstition rumour and half truths still exist on the internet, its a lot easier to find out the facts about certain things. But in some cases the facts will facilitate more conflict rather than less. Perhaps in the 20th or 19th century somone would develop an irrational hatred of somthing from what they read in a newspaper, or heard discussed in the local pub, there was not much you could do to find out for yourself other than book passage on a ship to go find out. Assuming this happened today, and they choose not to take it at face value (which many still do) and they went and looked up the information themselves from a 100% reliable source. What happens if what they find is to them, is as bad or worse than what they heard. They then might develop what they consider a "rational" hatred of that thing, or at least a rational wariness.

 

People (humans) often choose to use new communication to find more people like themselves, rather than understand people unlike themselves. For example I don't post in the dragon age forums because I have no interest in dragon age, or finding out more about dragon age, while I have posted here in the mass effect forums because I want to talk to people (who like me) want to talk about mass effect. The internet is great for finding people with your own interests a beliefs, which is what many people use it for.

 

Take Cerberus for example, we can assume TIM, does not hate aliens in the traditionaly irational way, because they smell funny or look scary, or even because they speak a different language. He has the best scientists who can tell him everything about them if he wanted, and he's even happy to use them in his own plans (and if you believe  the shadow broker dossiers, for his own entertainment!). Its the potentialy negative effect on the human species that he fears. And while empirical comparisons between speicies are possible (lifespan, ground speed, energy proccessing efficiency, cultural achivements) thats not what drives his calculations. Its belief that humans deserve supremacy which drives his actions (which takes him down a terrible road).

 

Assuming Synthesis does not force infinite defference to other cultures and ideas (which would be changing free will) as some ideas will involve the forced replication of that idea at the expense of other ideas, and that there is no cosmic spark at the heart of all life and conciousness, that synthesis, like a emerald tower of babel can unlock (which could be one interpretation, of course) allowing all to shed their mortal trappings. That does not fit into the idea of preserving culture at all, as to become one you would have to shed your differences or at least ignore them.

 

 

PS.

The Asari can already link their minds with other organics in a more limited way, and its possible for them to have a negative experience while doing this (i.e the thorian) becuase what they see scares them as the mind is too different. What are the implications for this happening on a wider scale?

[JasonShepard]

I don't think many people here consider Synthesis as a 'happy future forever peace' ending. There will just be less of some of the old conflicts (organics and synthetics now being on an equal footing) and instead some new ones (who decided they had the right to meddle with my body?!). You're right that people are always different. Everyone is unique. That's something to be celebrated - but it comes with the cost that, no matter what, people will always disagree on something.

 

The world is never going to be perfect, and Synthesis won't change that. But more communication encourages more consideration of alternative perspectives, which will reduce how often those disagreements turn to violence. Even if people seek out perspectives similar to their own, those perspectives won't be exactly the same. Discussion and communication are healthy (which, incidentally, is why I support an open internet for the entire globe... but we're nowhere near that yet).

[SwobyJ]

Synthesis means that the freedom to be your (previous) self is denied.

 

This is true in the more real life models as well.

 

Thesis

Anti-thesis

Syn-thesis

 

Thesis is yourself - what you think.

Anti-Thesis is the Other - what lies in opposition to at least what you may think

Syn-Thesis is the rare combination of both - what exists in compromise and likely as a greater truth

 

You may think that someone has wronged you. To stick to this is to stick to your personal freedom the most, smart or dumb.

They may think they they were just trying to keep you from doing something stupid. To adjust to them is to sacrifice your freedom for their opinion to influence you.

But there may be a rare chance at both sides coming to a proper agreement that is separate from what either thinks. You may lose your freedom, but they may also have to change their position.

 

Synthesis is disturbing because anything of true peace is very very rare to witness, to the point of it feeling the most alien. People tend to either be in conflict or agree to follow laws, but not really just coexist - especially with an increasingly complex world over the decades/centuries.

 

Even in Synthesis, we only immediately 'solve' one conflict. But we still don't know what happens after, and how bad other results could be. Anything of peace may inevitably fall into some form of chaos and order, just as curing the genophage and upgrading the geth may fix some things, but open up a whole other can of worms. You want predictability, you go with Control (the enemy you know). Or Destroy, if you feel you got the guts. Synthesis is always something new and potentially scary.

 

That tends to happen when two opposing sides just drop their guns and armor and shake hands. "Now what?"

[teh DRUMPf!!]

 When people use the word "peace," it typically refers to a time when there are no wars being fought ("Pax Romana/Pax Augusta"), not the complete absence of crime or conflict. That's what I take it to mean in the Sync epilogue, that major conflicts don't really take place, because (organic) nations find more opportunity for enrichment in developing new technology or using said tech to solve problems. On a local level, though, I think there would still be problems that warrant your law enforcement and legal system to solve.

 

Like, I think you could tell many of the subplots in ME2 (recruitment and loyalty missions) in that setting.

 

It would also be interesting to see the effect of this ending's changes on these problems and solutions in subsequent ME titles. Sadly, I'll probably never get my wish, but I've taken it upon myself to make those stories (real project, though -- not even done with the first story).

[BigglesFlysAgain]

I'm not quite convinced it would practically work like that, though the idea is interesting.
 
Could you still have low levels problems, but avoid other internal problems like unrest and civil war? Where would individuals draw the line with "low level problems"? the problems of those in power are the same problems the common man has, just with more catastrophic consequences.

 

Assuming synthesis allows direct democracy, some people representing minority positions will always be disfranchised, and unless they can be like the geth and decide that a majority decision is always best overall and have no hard feelings even up to the point of really bad things happening to them.  Assuming people are changed to this extent, I can't see any interesting low level problems occurring, otherwise attempts at breaking away from larger collectives to form their own consensuses would be inevitable. 

 

 

I would say Synthesis would  solve some problems like tussles over territory and planets, as ideally, people would have no reason to take what did not belong to them, but also have no reason not to share with others, and help those in need, and have no hang ups about living near those that were different to them.

 

I don't see how individual corruption or crime can fit into this. If there is the possibility for individual failure, then its possible for individuals to fail as a group, which is the kind of the chaos the reapers complain about.

[Ieldra]

@Biggles:

I think many people misunderstand the nature of the problem the Catalyst tries to solve, though they can be excused for doing so since the story makes it appear simplistic when it isn't:

 

The problem the Catalyst simplifies as "synthetics will eventually wipe out all organics" is not a matter of violent confllct and Synthesis is not about removing the possibility of such as a solution. At least, that's what I figured since as you say, communication upgrades and enhanced augmentation won't be able to do this. These things may help, but they aren't a conclusive solution. Only mind control would do that, and that's why some interpretations of Synthesis say it's akin to indoctrination.

 

So what is the problem? It is, as I see it, an intrinsic power imbalance between synthetic and organic life. Synthetic life is more adaptable, can more easily live in environments hostile to organics, and can self-improve at an ever-increasing speed to a level of intelligence that appears almost godlike. While the latter may be speculative, that synthetics life is more adaptable is so obvious that some real-world experts claim that if we ever encounter extrasolar intelligent life, it will probably be synthetic. 

 

Now, if there is such a power imbalance, it doesn't need an extra level of genocidal conflict to result in the Catalyst's extinction scenario. This will happen as an automatic result of the way evolution works, as synthetic life does nothing more than what all life does - expanding across the space available, claiming all territory it can, adapting to environments where it can, and thereby, driving other species out, making them irrelevant and eventually go extinct. Compare it with the way humanity expands across the face of the Earth. Many species have already been made extinct, and we don't often even think about them because they're irrelevant to any of our sensibilities. Once synthetic life has advanced to the level indicated by the geth's Dyson sphere, organic life will be as irrelevant to them. If there will be conflict, it will be of the usual kind - intermittent and not driven by extraordinary hostility, just your normal conflict about resources and stuff. The difference is that synthetics will win every single time. There are no genocidal intentions needed in order for that to result, in the long term, in organic intelligent life being sidelined, made irrelevant, and eventually becoming either extinct or being preserved in a zoo by the synthetic rulers of the galaxy. 

 

The interesting thing about this kind of scenario is that it can easily be seen as unavoidable given certain starting conditions, an outcome determined solely by the basic nature of synthetic and organic life, something good intentions and diplomacy can't overcome even if applied on both sides, since the intrinsic power imbalance ensures that whenever peace is made, the organic side has to make more concessions than the synthetic side. This results either in slow, long-term descent of intelligent organic life, or if they realize what's happening, it will turn into a war for survival, and *then* the genocidal scenario will occur.

 

Now what does Synthesis do to prevent this? It removes the intrinsic power imbalance by doing two things: upgrading organics' built-in capabilties with synthetic technology and giving synthetics organic-like empathy so that they don't see organics as irrelevant any more. In fact, I find the latter much more problematic from a storytelling and philosophical viewpoint, since it sends the message that a mental setup which doesn't include organic-like empathy is not valid. Together with what happens in the Rannoch arc, it tells you that organic-like individuality is the model all intelligent life should follow, and that there is no room for true alien-ness. Granted, the geth and EDI appear to want this, but this is a drastic change from ME2.

 

Anyway, what this means is that a post-Synthesis scenario is not conflict-free, nor does it need to be. What it ensures is that the conflicts that do take place have less one-sided outcomes, so that the long-term trend is avoided. The post-Synthesis scenario is a golden age, no doubt, with the improvement in  communication and radical advancement driving many different developments, but there are new horrors to accompany the new wonders.

 

With regard to the presentation, I think that after the ending depression resulted in an overabundance of dark interpretations and an unwillingness of of many players to consider a good one, Bioware wanted to make it abundantly clear that this is a good outcome, and in the process some coherence was lost. And I can't really blame them, since any hint of something that mars the picture would've been taken up as evidence this is the worst thing that could happen. Look at the ITists, they still can't accept it at face value.  

[BigglesFlysAgain]

I had not really considered the threat of hostile indifference from powerful AI, rather than just extreme xenophobic tendencies, though the end result would be the same.

 

Ultimately there's a lot of ways the universe could end, nothing can last forever, a particularly hateful or fanatical organic species could make it its quest to wipe clean the galaxy as well, though they might not be as successful.

 

The main hmmm bits about synthesis, that are not based on  the philosophy of it, and ignoring any mumbo jumbo about how it might work, assuming it does not change the very nature of the universe, if new life organic life can still form from elements and chemicals after synthesis, there's no reason why non synthesis life can't develop, plonk together an AI and start the whole process off again, or, that Synthesis species can make a pure AI again, if they have the free will to.

 

Also there could always be intergalactic travelers that make the reapers look tame, assuming you believe that is possible to travel between galaxies. As all three solutions only affect our galaxy.

 

Then we get down to "its not meant to be a permanent solution", and I agree nothing lasts forever, and nothing is permanent, but if your going to push the rapture button, or uproot people on a quest to the promised land, you should probably be sure its a place worth going to first.

 

This is where my personal feelings come into it rather than more reasoned argument

 

If the Synthesis is the totalitarian hive mind, or unlikely paradise most people dismiss it as, I would never go for it no matter the cost

 

If its a more limited step up for species (not using the word evolution) that can secure their future in the expectation of further implacable AI coming out the woodwork, than thats something they can achieve for themselves in their own time if they so desire, there's no reason for one person to take a knee jerk reaction on it based on a short conversation with arguably flawed creations from definitely flawed creators.

 

They can always build another crucible if they so desire, or find a different solution like the virtual aliens, given they can apparently rebuild all other reaper creations. Maybe the chance to avoid the opinions and desires of anyone else but the player character is unique, but if people want to be left behind that should be their choice. (this bit is quite meta gaming, but you can't really not do that now)

 

 

Anyway, I'm slipping into ending debate territory, which I think some people do in the vain hope that if they argue hard enough, they might convince bioware to make it cannon, or something . At this point all they can learn (or want to learn) from their player base is don't put them in that position in the first place...

 

I don't believe the mass effect universe as we know it will continue in its current form at least, so to paraphrase that lego movie song...

 

"Everything is cannon! Everything is cool when its just your dream, Everything is cannon, thank you mass effect team..."

[Farangbaa]

What's really bothersome here that transhumanism (I equate this to synthesis) barely exists in the MEU. From what I recall it's supposed to be the year 2183.

 

Whether we meet aliens by that time or not, organics and machines will have merged to some extent (a little or a lot, maybe even completely) by the year 2100. 

 

Yet as far as I know, Shepard and TIM are the only transhumans in the game. (aside from the transturian Saren )

 

Note that I'm just pulling a random date out of my ass. It could very well be 2050. Point is, that by 2183, 'pure' humans, for lack of better wording, would be exceedingly rare and transhumans the norm. The opposite is true.

[Iakus]

@Biggles:

I think many people misunderstand the nature of the problem the Catalyst tries to solve, though they can be excused for doing so since the story makes it appear simplistic when it isn't:

 

The problem the Catalyst simplifies as "synthetics will eventually wipe out all organics" is not a matter of violent confllct and Synthesis is not about removing the possibility of such as a solution. At least, that's what I figured since as you say, communication upgrades and enhanced augmentation won't be able to do this. These things may help, but they aren't a conclusive solution. Only mind control would do that, and that's why some interpretations of Synthesis say it's akin to indoctrination.

 

So what is the problem? It is, as I see it, an intrinsic power imbalance between synthetic and organic life. Synthetic life is more adaptable, can more easily live in environments hostile to organics, and can self-improve at an ever-increasing speed to a level of intelligence that appears almost godlike. While the latter may be speculative, that synthetics life is more adaptable is so obvious that some real-world experts claim that if we ever encounter extrasolar intelligent life, it will probably be synthetic. 

 

Now, if there is such a power imbalance, it doesn't need an extra level of genocidal conflict to result in the Catalyst's extinction scenario. This will happen as an automatic result of the way evolution works, as synthetic life does nothing more than what all life does - expanding across the space available, claiming all territory it can, adapting to environments where it can, and thereby, driving other species out, making them irrelevant and eventually go extinct. Compare it with the way humanity expands across the face of the Earth. Many species have already been made extinct, and we don't often even think about them because they're irrelevant to any of our sensibilities. Once synthetic life has advanced to the level indicated by the geth's Dyson sphere, organic life will be as irrelevant to them. If there will be conflict, it will be of the usual kind - intermittent and not driven by extraordinary hostility, just your normal conflict about resources and stuff. The difference is that synthetics will win every single time. There are no genocidal intentions needed in order for that to result, in the long term, in organic intelligent life being sidelined, made irrelevant, and eventually becoming either extinct or being preserved in a zoo by the synthetic rulers of the galaxy. 

 

The interesting thing about this kind of scenario is that it can easily be seen as unavoidable given certain starting conditions, an outcome determined solely by the basic nature of synthetic and organic life, something good intentions and diplomacy can't overcome even if applied on both sides, since the intrinsic power imbalance ensures that whenever peace is made, the organic side has to make more concessions than the synthetic side. This results either in slow, long-term descent of intelligent organic life, or if they realize what's happening, it will turn into a war for survival, and *then* the genocidal scenario will occur.

 

Now what does Synthesis do to prevent this? It removes the intrinsic power imbalance by doing two things: upgrading organics' built-in capabilties with synthetic technology and giving synthetics organic-like empathy so that they don't see organics as irrelevant any more. In fact, I find the latter much more problematic from a storytelling and philosophical viewpoint, since it sends the message that a mental setup which doesn't include organic-like empathy is not valid. Together with what happens in the Rannoch arc, it tells you that organic-like individuality is the model all intelligent life should follow, and that there is no room for true alien-ness. Granted, the geth and EDI appear to want this, but this is a drastic change from ME2.

 

Anyway, what this means is that a post-Synthesis scenario is not conflict-free, nor does it need to be. What it ensures is that the conflicts that do take place have less one-sided outcomes, so that the long-term trend is avoided. The post-Synthesis scenario is a golden age, no doubt, with the improvement in  communication and radical advancement driving many different developments, but there are new horrors to accompany the new wonders.

 

With regard to the presentation, I think that after the ending depression resulted in an overabundance of dark interpretations and an unwillingness of of many players to consider a good one, Bioware wanted to make it abundantly clear that this is a good outcome, and in the process some coherence was lost. And I can't really blame them, since any hint of something that mars the picture would've been taken up as evidence this is the worst thing that could happen. Look at the ITists, they still can't accept it at face value.  

 

Except if organic life becomes truly irrelevant to these hyper-advanced synthetics, there will really be nothing to fight over.

 

Land?  Resources?  Synthetics wouldn't need what organics have.  They don't need garden worlds.  And can mine asteroids for what is needed.  And considering how really freaking big the galaxy (and beyond) is, there's plenty of room for all. 

 

Heck the Reapers spend most of their time just hanging out in dark space.

 

You rightly pointed out the risks of power imbalance.  However, your example reinforces that this power imbalance exists among organics as well.  The Council could just as easily (more easily, really) glass over Parnack as indict it to keep the yahg from leaving.  Wars to extinction or near extinction have already been fought in recorded history.  And then there's the Leviathans.  One-sided conflicts will always be with us.  Synthetics or no.

 

What's interesting is, at the time of ME3, the only synthetic life that sees organics are irrelevant are...the Reapers themselves.  They are the self-fulfilling prophecy.  They aren't the solution to the problem, they are in fact the problem.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

That was one problem I always had with the ending. I was a die hard ITist. Once you have that belief it is very difficult to shake any lingering doubt about the way the game ends. I still go back and forth with it. It was that shock of the Original Ending.

 

There are far more transhumans in the story than Bioware acknowledges. The conversation in ME1 about the invitro gene therapy there is a line that it is safer than any of the implants that Alliance Soldiers receive on a routine basis. Yet that is the only line in the entire trilogy that acknowledges it. Biotics receive biotic amp implants to augment their abilities. Quarians receive cybernetic implants before leaving on their pilgrimages.

 

I think my point is that they really didn't need to force the synthesis ending in the hamfisted manner they did. Synthesis was happening at a natural pace already, but no, it had to be made a reaper solution, and I think that's why it was rejected by a lot of players, myself included. 

 

Bioware needs to rethink the way they write endings.

[Iakus]

That was one problem I always had with the ending. I was a die hard ITist. Once you have that belief it is very difficult to shake any lingering doubt about the way the game ends. I still go back and forth with it. It was that shock of the Original Ending.

 

There are far more transhumans in the story than Bioware acknowledges. The conversation in ME1 about the invitro gene therapy there is a line that it is safer than any of the implants that Alliance Soldiers receive on a routine basis. Yet that is the only line in the entire trilogy that acknowledges it. Biotics receive biotic amp implants to augment their abilities. Quarians receive cybernetic implants before leaving on their pilgrimages.

 

I think my point is that they really didn't need to force the synthesis ending in the hamfisted manner they did. Synthesis was happening at a natural pace already, but no, it had to be made a reaper solution, and I think that's why it was rejected by a lot of players, myself included. 

 

Bioware needs to rethink the way they write endings.

 

Not to mention cloned and cybernetic replacement limbs and organs.  Even contentious debate over mental enhancements through drugs and cybernetics (going back to ME1)

 

I mean, why must trashumanism and synthetic life be limited to AIs?  The Sudham-Wolcott Genetic Heritage Act of 2161 indicates that hasn't (unless it's been retconned out of existence)  been totally disregarded.

[BigglesFlysAgain]

I think there is a lot of subtle implementation as others have said, gene therapy, biotics, and implanted tech to make omni tools and holo displays work easier. Its just in the universe they created people don't always overtly display this with chromed skulls, and robotic arms and laser eyes (ignoring renegade Shepard).

 

I'm sure its down to the fashion of the day, I think the transhuman early adopters would be keen to show themselves off in that way, and maybe people will follow their example with fake implants or something. And then a few years later not looking like a robot will be in again. Humans are fickle.

 

There are limits though, greyboxes are the controversy of the day (for humans) while salarians don't mind.

 

 

Also Biology advanced with technology, cloning limbs and organs is common, and will likely be a better option in terms of maintenance.

[Kel Riever]

@Julia:  Aside from the nonsense logic of Glowjob, it doesn't help that the Crucible is a magic want of Green, Red or Blue light. Nobody buys that green foo foo magic casts every leaf and person into glowy eyed, happy, half-Reapers.  It is a scene from Sleeping Beauty....you might as well have added three fairies flying around casting spells.  And no, it doesn't work even in a symbolic way, either.

 

Here's how to accept the Sythesis ending (or really any of them).  When Glowjob starts yammering his nonsense, turn off your volume.  Have someone else just push through the menu, because it doesn't matter what they pick.  Leave the room until the person pushing the buttons for you sees the big nonsense beam.  Walk forward and leap into it.  Make sure your volume is on when you do so you can be whisked away by the soaring music and visual effects.  When EDI starts speaking, turn off your volume again.  When it looks like a big screen shot with the camera heading to the sky, turn your volume on again and enjoy the crescendo.  Also turn off your volume again after the credits when the man talks to the kid about 'The Shepard '  <- Synthesis green