I think the problem a lot of people had with the endings is that regardless of what you have done, you never get to challenge the basic logic on which the Catalyst bases its arguments.
In some ways, choosing Destroy does do that since you are willing to gamble that it is wrong and it is not inevitable that synthetics will destroy organics. The real irony of the situation is that you are likely to be far more confident of this if you managed to broker a peace between the Geth and the Quarians and have had a positive relationship with EDI (I'm assuming that it is possible to antagonise her even though I have never done so). Yet in choosing Destroy, you include your allies in the destruction.
Whilst the dialogue varied according to whether you were paragon or renegade, Control did seem to be an endorsement of the Catalyst's logic, even if it rejects the harvesting part of it. However, it was something that Shepard may have categorically rejected at the end of ME2 (if they destroyed the Collector base) and only 5 minutes before had likewise rejected in their conversation with TIM, so it did seem a rather hypocritical surrender to both the Catalyst's and TIM's logic.
Synthesis does seem an ultimate win for the Catalyst and by implication the Reapers. The Catalyst designed them to do its will. For countless cycles its will was for advanced species to be harvested. However, Shepard had presented it with a new option, to alter every single living organic species into an organic/synthetic hybrid, thus removing their need to develop technology that might destroy them and putting them into sync with the synthetics that already existed. "We are your salvation through destruction". It was just an alternative form of harvesting since organic life no longer exists. If anyone doubts this, just look at the leaves. I am inclined to agree with the posted above, that the reason EDI is so gushingly enthusiastic is that the very thing has happened that she predicted, her programming/thinking has been altered. However, when I chose synthesis before the EC and saw Joker's eyes, that was enough to jolt me into realising that I had been suckered by the Catalyst (and the bright white light that reminded me of Liara's last vision with me). The EC and EDI's dialogue only made it worse.
So, yes, all the endings are discomforting, but only Destroy feels like victory to me, even if a rather bittersweet one. Unlike the ending to ME2 it doesn't send me away on a high, just satisfied. It probably helps though to play through all 3 games at once because then Sovereign's and Harbinger's arrogant speeches are much fresher in your mind and so the determination to rid the galaxy of them for good, much more focussed. Don't forget, if you choose Refuse, then the Catalyst no longer sounds like a child but Harbinger.
Modifié par Gervaise, 14 décembre 2013 - 01:03 .
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end in the extinction of organic life.
