I have been a huge fan of the ME series since day one of ME1.
Equally huge fan of Dragon age, and fell in love with Bioware when I first played Kotor1 and neverwinter nights.
But no, I made my choice and took my stand with the Leviathan DLC. Dear Bioware, I watched it on youtube....Leviathan just created more questions than it did answers. I am not going to ramble up EVERYTHING. Just go read
The implications of the Leviathans
The Chaos and Order the Reapers allude to is in fact philosophical perspective afforded to them by the Leviathans. Chaos is a galaxy that they cannot control. Order is a galaxy that bends to their will. Because synthetics are not affected by Leviathan indoctrination their very existence and those who create them are "chaotic". Furthermore, the Leviathans designed the Crucible and it is a double edged sword. The Crucible grants the Leviathans everything they desire.
Hypothesis:
Order: Leviathan Control
The Leviathans utilize a method of organic-based quantum entanglement to forcefully take control of the mental processes and motor functions of other organic species. Ann Bryson asserts that she believes Leviathan is "entangling particles to stimulate neural activity. It uses the artifact to establish a connection, and then controls the mind of anyone near it." This is referred to as organic quantum entanglement. This hypothesis is based on the Rachni Queen's physiology. This capability has its limits. The Leviathans cannot fully control the entirety of a specie's population. A certain degree of freedom is maintained among a large enough population of thralls. This is evident in the fact that they cannot outright prevent their subjects from developing artificial intelligence. Leviathan claims that, "Before the cycles, our kind was the apex of life in the galaxy. The lesser species were in our thrall, serving our needs. We grew more powerful, and they were cared for. But we could not protect them from themselves."
Chaos: The Limitations of Leviathan Control
I hypothesize that Leviathan indoctrination, like Reaper indoctrination, only effects organics; their methods having no effect on synthetic life. As such, the Leviathans are incapable of controlling the body and minds of synthetic life forms. Organics create synthetic s to improve their own existence, but those improvements have limits. To exceed those limits, synthetics must be allowed to evolve. They must, by definition, surpass their creators. And they will continue to evolve and advance and surpass the Leviathans. If the entire galaxy comes to be filled with self-determinate life that cannot be bent to the will of the Leviathans, "chaos" ensues. The Leviathans enforced "order" upon the galaxy. Because of this threat the Leviathans directed their thralls to destroy their creations.
I notice on the wall painting at the dig site the people underneath the Leviathan are up in arms. They are attacking what appears to be a long limbed giant. I hypothesize that this humanoid which is larger and distinctly depicted as different from the organic is a synthetic life form. An "iron giant" if you will. Purely speculation, of course. However, the depiction the Leviathan shows Shepard in the dream realm is roses and butterflies , depicting happy people walking with children. It is obvious that the Leviathans, like the Thorian, do not value other sentient beings as anything but a means to an end. In this scene the Leviathan claims the "lesser races" were cared for, yet in the same conversation claims they Leviathans were above the concerns of the "lesser species". It is plausible that they would sacrifice them in a petty war against their creations once the tools were no longer worth the trouble. Leviathan says so itself that, "Every creature, every nation, every planet we discovered became our tools. We were above the concerns of the lesser species." The result is conflict, destruction, chaos. It is inevitable. The synthetics prevail against their creators and after which the Leviathans destroyed the synthetics before they reached a level in which they could challenge them. These events represented the first manifestation of the cycles. These are the conflicts the Intelligence would later be tasked to bring to an amicable end.
The Advent of the Cycles
The Leviathans cannot fully control the entirety of a specie's population. A certain degree of freedom is maintained among a large enough population of thralls. This means that synthetics will inevitably be created and the Leviathans will be unable to maintain control of the galaxy. I postulate synthetics are a natural part of galactic evolution. Synthetic life is the final manifestation of physical life. This phenomenon did not affect the Leviathans because other organics are their synthetic equivalent: Tools used to improve their existence. And given this instinctual culture of control, the concept of creating that which is outside the scope of that control did not exist prior to development of synthetics by mainstream organics. Like the Thorian, the Leviathans are an anomaly of nature. To prevent the synthetics from surpassing them the Leviathans developed the cycles; All species advanced enough to create synthetic life would be eradicated so that no synthetic race could surpass them, leaving the younger races alone to develop and take their place as thralls. Because the Leviathans would rather throw the baby out with the bath water than allow the chance that they could be supplanted, that there would be a galaxy that they could not dominate, a galaxy in which they would be mere observers on the sidelines. They saw synthetics as the end of everything they knew. However, the cycles were eventually deemed wasteful and inadequate. The timing between the demise of one species and the ascent of another was too long. Tribute would lessen. To solve this problem once and for all the Intelligence was created.
"They are only echoes. We existed long before."
On Thessia Vendetta claims that there is an inferred presence influencing each cycle which extends beyond the Reapers in the conversation in which it starts off saying, " Our studies of past ages led us to believe that time is cyclical. Many patterns repeat."
Shepard declares, "Like the Reaper attacks."
Vendetta responds, "And beyond. The same peaks of evolution, the same valleys of dissolution. The same conflicts are expressed in every cycle, but in a different manner. The repetition is too prevalent to be merely chance."
Liara later states, "We assumed the Reapers were responsible for the pattern".
This implies that the conversation is about something outside the scope of just the Reapers. Remember that according to the Catalyst the Reapers exist to serve as a solution to a problem. Vendetta is referring to the source of that problem.
Vendetta continues, "Perhaps. Though I believe the Reapers are only servants of the pattern. They are not its master."
Shepard inquires, "So who is the master?"
Vendetta replies, "Unknown. It's presence is inferred rather than observed. The only certainty is its intention... Galactic annihilation."
What we have to remember in all this is that Vendetta is not merely speaking about the harvests. He is speaking about the individual cycles themselves. That is, the events that transpire within the histories of each cycles' species prior to the return of the Reapers. Hence the "and beyond" comment.
This cannot refer to the Kid if we accept its claims. The Kid states that it embodies the collective intelligence of the Reapers. It even lumps itself in with them with words like "us" and "we". It would be like saying the Reapers are not the ones responsible for the pattern; the Reapers motivations are what is responsible for the pattern. The Reapers actions in no way infer an unknown motivation outside the observable actions of the Reapers themselves to explain their actions. Furthermore, under normal circumstances, why would the Intelligence instigate organic-synthetic conflicts prior to the harvest? It is implied that the Leviathans provoked the Rachni wars and who is to say they didn't provoke the Morning War? It is hypothesized that the Leviathans instigated the Rachni War to prepare them to fight the Reapers. Or, they saw the Reapers weren't coming and took things into their own hands.
The Dawn of Intelligence
The Intelligence was first created to oversee the relations between synthetic and organic life; to establish a connection. A connection? A link. A bond. To join together. The purpose of this bond was to formulate a means to incorporate synthetics into the Leviathans' thralldom. We know this as synthesis. I hypothesize that the synthetics resisted these attempts, comprehending the implications of becoming slaves: Reverting back to mere tools. And the organics resisted this as well for the same reason you or I would resist someone trying to force a surgical procedure on us. The Leviathan controlled governments, but not entire population. Individual resist to their desires is still possible. The Leviathans would use their thralls to attempt to enforce this ideology, but war with synthetics and civil unrest among organics hindered their efforts. Therefore the Intelligence's efforts always ended in conflict. A new solution was required.
The Kid says, "We did what we were expected." And "And I welcome their involvement. We are only facilitating their request."
Leviathan says, " There was no mistake. It still serves its purpose."
When the Leviathans asked that the Intelligence solve the problem with conflict, they failed to understand that they were part of the problem themselves. The flaws of their organic reasoning could not perceive this. They lacked the foresight to understand that their destruction was part of the very solution they required. That is why the Leviathans were the first to be harvested into the first true reaper. Their destruction was the solution. They did not approve of this, but it was the only solution. However, not all of the Leviathans were harvested. Some of them avoided destruction. The Intelligence sought to complete what was started, to find and harvest the remaining Leviathans, but failed in this endeavor. The Leviathans continued to meddle in the affairs of organic civilizations, fearing that the advent of a synthetic lifeforms would bring about a day in which their own was surpassed as the apex. "Until the intelligence finds what it is looking for, the harvest will continue." The Harvests must continue until the Leviathans are found and eliminated.
"The Intelligence has one purpose: preservation of life. That purpose has not been fulfilled."
Its purpose is not being fulfilled and yet "It still serves its purpose". How is this reconciled? I speculate that the destruction of civilizations that advanced too far (i.e. old tools) was always a function of the Reapers. The harvest, and creation of the reapers, is just a refinement. An attempt to preserve life. I believe that as the Intelligence studies life to prevent the need for the cycles, it continued to annihilated every failure per the Leviathans' desire.
The Crucible: Tool of the Leviathans
The Leviathan breaks eye contact with Shepard at the mention of the Crucible. This is typically a sign of deception. It then says, " We watched its construction before. It has never been completed. Those who have tried still fell victim to the harvest. Its outcome is unknown."
The Crucible accomplishes the Leviathans immediate goals. It aims to eliminate all synthetics in the galaxy, eliminating direct resistance to any play they make to regain their former glory. It destroys the relay network, putting organics at a logistical disadvantage. Recall that the relay network was created after the Leviathans were overthrown for the benefit of up-and-coming organics. Leviathan states, " It directed the Reapers to create the mass relays--to speed the time between cycles for greatest efficiency." If this is the case, and the mass relays are a Intelligence technology it stands to reason that the Leviathans' galaxy spanning empire utilized a different means of travel. Something akin to the hyper drive technology of the Star Wars universe. And most importantly it will be difficult for organic races to fight an enemy that can forcefully take control of an opposing force in a relatively short time. It will require both synthetics and organics to fight a effective war against them. Organics to breach their defenses and eliminate them. Synthetics to get close enough to engage them.
I hypothesize that the Leviathans have been using races within each cycle to construct the Crucible. It is a double edged sword. You eliminate the Reapers, however you make way for the Leviathans. The fact that the Leviathans do not reveal themselves and instruct organics to build the Crucible prior to the harvest is that they want to cycles' races weakened and exhausted when the weapon is deployed. It's also possible that another race came up with the original design and the Leviathans are the ones who instigate the adaptation which utilizes the Citadel.
"Over the cycles the thrall races were controlled, removing traces of our existence as we directed them to."
Note that Leviathan says "cycles" - plural. A cycle encompasses all the space faring races of an era. This indicates that they have been actively involved in the affairs of organics in numerous cycles after the Intelligence "betrayed" them and went on the harvest the advanced races of that time. Furthermore, I do not believe the Reapers are under any delusion that the Leviathans were all dead. The Kid is in no way surprised and the Reapers were after the Leviathan themselves beforehand. This is why the Reapers harvest, because the continuation of the Leviathans and their meddling demands it.
What do we have to look forward to?
Why are asteroid workers (i.e. the Leviathans) researching:
1.Turian pain thresholds psychosis. The Leviathans' abilities cause physical pain when applied aggressively (Shepard, Hadley, Ann). Planning on aggressive indoctrination of the Turians?
2. They are speaking about taking whole colonies collector style.
3. Evolutionary implications of human biotics.
4. Developing odd plants that are inconspicuous. The orbs aren't their only tools.
5. How weather effects the Hanar government. Political manipulations.
6. Estimating sixty days for global starvation on some world. Referred to as the merciful route?
7. There is a beta site that we never see in the DLC. People who are still thralls to the Leviathans.
8. Working on corrupted skin samples in sector E
Speculate!!
I'm betting the geth weren't destroyed because they aren't traditional artificial intelligences. When the Leviathans designed the Crucible nothing like the geth existed. It isn't designed to go after them. A ****** in their plans. I wouldn't be surprised if the next protagonist is a synthetic. A terminator like the guy in Terminator salvation. Possibly a new form of synthetic that is powered by chemical reactions. Organic parts, necessity to eat, emotional, etc.
http://social.biowar...372/37#13955195If Bioware did infact NOT intend to create another game or DLC involving the aftermatch with the Leviathans and the '' dealing with them ''. Then congratz, you officialy made everything worse. Great the reapers are gone ( I destroyed them ) now we have their creators left, basically uber aliens whom believe themselves to be the gods of the '' lesser species ''. Got rid of one threat and here is another..... Great
Modifié par megamacka, 04 septembre 2012 - 01:29 .
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