Destroyed those damn reapers.
Why?
Reapers in your games lived because you allowed it; they died in mine because everyone else demanded it.
And I'm damn sure everyone else is going to appreciate having Shepard directing the Reapers to rebuild everything and then protect them against any danger they might come across.
And I'm damn sure everyone else is going to appreciate having Shepard directing the Reapers to rebuild everything and then protect them against any danger they might come across.
It's a trap. You can't control the reapers because they already control you.
And I'm damn sure everyone else is going to appreciate having Shepard directing the Reapers to rebuild everything and then protect them against any danger they might come across.
The average person in the MEverse would not have the benefit of getting all of the dramatic insight into the reaper plot, so as far as John and Jane Doe are concerned, the reapers were killing them in droves and turning their brethren into horrible zombies, then suddenly stopped and started acting nice for some reason. For how long? Who knows? While there's f*ck-all they could do about the reapers' continued presence anyway, the idea that the reapers could protect them from whatever other horror the universe has to offer would likely be eclipsed by the idea that the reapers could just as well interfere with the goings on of regular life in extremely dramatic ways for maker knows why. The only thing that would really serve them well in the end is the complacency that comes with the regular pattern of the reapers not actually reaping people again.
I'll just paste and slightly edit a previous post of mine here since it answered the same question.
It's a trap. You can't control the reapers because they already control you.
And you control them right back.
Collective. Intelligence.
As far as I see it (when I look at Control literally), its a situation where we have a collective intelligence that can make better sense of things and have more programmed 'care' for organics (+ other synthetics in the Milky Way, depending on choices made in trilogy), compared to an Intelligence that existed nearly totally separate from organics and was hamstrung by Leviathan programming.
Does that mean that he's still controlled? Yes. But not in the direct definition of indoctrination. Instead, Reapers still send their intelligence to ControlShep, and he still makes decisions on that. If becoming an embodiment of information (which will always be limited, compared to the info, say, Synthesisverse can gain) is being controlled, then sure he is.
TIM couldn't do this because he was already changed to be someone under a control signal of the Reapers to the point of altering his identity. Shepard was not, though we could argue that the TIM confrontation scene had this to the extent of forcing him to move his body - yet TIM's ability there appeared more to be a form of biotics.
As a free willed organic that acted, even when Renegade, as the actual savior of the galaxy (though he can view himself as just a leader or soldier, the galaxy still eventually puts all respect towards Shepard), Shepard was the perfect candidate to take the place of the Intelligence. He was not controlled, he resisted control, so his 'superior organic code' was the best to act as a... ahem.. 'sovereign' entity. A (depending on POV) 'copy' of Shepard that would not just amorally take the intelligence of the Reapers and badly thought through programming and act on that, but one who, in a synthetic way, 'cares' for the galaxy and its safety and well being.
Is it the same thing as Shepard, the human person? No. And the galaxy may be losing out on the person who made the galaxy succeed against the Reapers, and you can headcanon how that may be a bad thing in the future. But it is still A Shepard and by all literal appearances, it is working for the betterment of both organics and synthetics (or at least organics under a guidance of synthetics for now). There may be a concern that this path trends the galaxy towards taking on (even if regarded as a 'purified form of') 'Reaper Tech' instead of any other chaotic development or the advancement of synthesis, and we're seen many of the complications of that, but especially on the Paragon path of the trilogy, we've seen a few examples of how 'Reaper Tech' need not be an absolute evil, but even a boon, even as it is always with the risk of greater disasters than if we didn't pursue it at all. "Nothing Good Came Out of Reaper Tech" is not what ME3 Shepard strongly believes unless he sticks to Renegade opinions the whole time - it was more of a ME1-ME2 thing and default opinion of his. People can change their minds.
And Paragon Shepard can do that at the 11th hour, from "We're not ready (to take the Reapers to dominate the galaxy for 'humanity' and even take them beyond the threats of the galaxy)" to "It seems we are ready (to use the Reapers to protect not just humanity, but everyone still alive in the galaxy, and keep the Reapers as a reconstructive and creative force in the galaxy, not a danger and weapon). And I'm ready to risk it." Shepard wasn't the one who wants human supremacy at any point - he's at most, like in ME1, a human protectionist or whatever. Something that changes in ME2, and is gone in ME3.
/literalism
/butIstillhavecrazytheoriesthatitisallalieoratleastamanipulatedtruthandshepardwakesup
The average person in the MEverse would not have the benefit of getting all of the dramatic insight into the reaper plot, so as far as John and Jane Doe are concerned, the reapers were killing them in droves and turning their brethren into horrible zombies, then suddenly stopped and started acting nice for some reason. For how long? Who knows? While there's f*ck-all they could do about the reapers' continued presence anyway, the idea that the reapers could protect them from whatever other horror the universe has to offer would likely be eclipsed by the idea that the reapers could just as well interfere with the goings on of regular life in extremely dramatic ways for maker knows why. The only thing that would really serve them well in the end is the complacency that comes with the regular pattern of the reapers not actually reaping people again.
I see that as more of a danger with a Renegade Shepard.
Paragon Shepard looks like he'd be more apt to having Reapers flee from organics at any danger until there is enough communication (and he won't be isolationist like the Geth were, or supremacy minded like the Reapers until now were) to establish more and more better connections. In fairly quick time (even with Renegade Shepard, though just with more of an ominous air that he may take more violent actions when deemed necessary), the galaxy becomes more used to the Reapers, even if not as embracing of them as in the Synthesis galaxy. Coexistence.
We're not allowed to know the thoughts and messages from the Reapers who are finding out that the Reaping Cycle is not inevitable anymore, and that there's all sorts of freedoms out there. For all we know, EDI can act as one of the examples of how coexistence and even close relationships with organics is possible. The wounds of the conflicts between the Reapers and Organics will be more deep than you or I could fathom, and we can assume there will be at least some rebellion, but in the literal view of Control, it doesn't look like a rebellion would even be allowed by whole other factions of organics. The rebuilding of the relays, Reapers openly sharing data (though I'd assume not every piece of their data like in Synthesis, but still a lot of data), and other reparations may go a long way in establishing a tolerance of Reapers (and they back in turn - like I mentioned, we don't know how these Reapers think anymore), an understanding of the Cycle that may increase understanding - even if strong disagreement with it, and eventually an acceptance. We don't get that in the short term (unlike Synthesis), but at least the galaxy is better equipped for that acceptance to happen one day. And of course, a gradual incorporation of safer uses of Reaper tech for the galaxy (very much compared to Cerberus and the Reapers prior), which could 'graduate' or 'ascend' organics to the level of not just being protected by Reapers in the future, but working alongside them. Not as husks (unless you regard any character with networked cybernetics in them to be a husk, which is up to you), but at least allies.
Hope. That's what its about. It presents itself, it is workable enough with the knowledge we can remember, and even get more of in DLC.
Synthesis is closer to outright Faith. There's nothing that outright indicates it'd work, but only a more irrational matching of information we can gain + belief in The Shepard.
FTR, I choose Destroy.
I'll just paste and slightly edit a previous post of mine here since it answered the same question.
I choose Control or Destroy. I like the potential of "Control". The AI concept is more versatile as a story for the future. In my canon, Shepalyst has a vivid understanding of the living Shepard's morals, and spends years rebuilding what was destroyed. But gradually, she purges her human memories in favor of heightened system processing, becoming more and more of the machine that made the Reapers. As her last action on a Reaper platform, she holds on to the memories of Shepard's LI and uses that as incentive to send the fleets flying into a star/black hole/whatever kills them. In a final moment of built-in self-preservation, the purged human data is updated to the Citadel which then forms a new AI with a prerogative to protect the Citadel, but has no data or memory of her old lover (and continues to search tragically for the missing pieces.)Being an AI in the Citadel just feels more right than being in a Reaper, since the Citadel essentially sounds like useless platform without the Reapers to use it. I'd like to think her function there is harmless, similar to the Keepers—to maintain and protect it. Perhaps a bit more evolved to protect the inhabitants as well. Like Batman.I just want the potential for her to meet EDI again in the future to have nice AI talks and exchanging-of-data. Plus, Avina was my favorite VI and now they can be buddies. I've always loved the concept of AI sentience and the ethics involved. Data was one of my favorite characters in Star Trek, .hack was one of my favorite game series and is centered around the birth of an ultimate AI. Let's not even get into Ghost in the Shell.My Shepard's continued understanding of the geth and EDI's plight was just setting her up to become the first AI derived directly from human thoughts and memories. If she's harmless and people are aware of her presence in the Citadel, it could help both organics and synthetics come to a better understanding of artificial intelligence and fix whatever it is the original Catalyst thought they were doing wrong.
Upper Response: "I won't let fear compromise who I am."
In my canon, my Shepard would never purge more of himself for the sake of better processing - not unless the galaxy was under the most dire threat, and even then, the point of Shepard (as an entity, not even 'human') seems to be that he has the 'code' to have the highest willpower that any human or seemingly any lesser organic may ever have (at least not for a longggg time - and with the ton of luck Shepard has). If ControlShepard can be trusted to be more of a 99.99% copy instead of a 7% (hi ShepVI...), then I'm 'okay' with thinking that your scenario won't happen.. at least with my Shepard. I'm more worried about a Renegade Shepard TBH, but at least the lengths it'd turn to to protect the galaxy may be explosively badass? Haha.
I think we can easily headcanon ControlShepard projecting/transmitting itself onto the Citadel to meet others. Yep, a more 'angelic' figure. Yep, 'unable' to establish the connections with others it once could. But at least it would be able to show others that things are okay and they can talk any time, even if it won't be exactly the same. Depending on Loyalty/LI/etc states, we can imagine different characters being more positive about this situation than others.
Yes (Literal) Control seems to have the greatest possibility of actual, developed understanding between organics and synthetics. Synthesis is the most immediate, and that may be argued about to be the least developed and thus will always carry its 'Borg/EvilReaperness' tone and attitude about things, no matter how it transcends otherwise. If Synthesis is 'inevitable', then Control seems to at least offer the chance of it being even better of a future than we're shown in ME3 Synthesis. Even if other events and things and deaths etc may happen in the meantime. For all we know, a Control Future EDI may not be like Synthesis EDI, as it decided to go along a whole other line of possibilities. This may mean anything really, but potentially a 'life' where she ends up feeling more individually fulfilled than the quick super bliss + TRANSCEND NOW of Synthesis. Perhaps instead of wanting a galaxy that quickly moves past the boundaries of the galaxy and mortality ASAP, players may want a galaxy that prepares itself longer for such an endeavor, knowing now that it is coming some time.
Upper Response: "I won't let fear compromise who I am."
In my canon, my Shepard would never purge more of himself for the sake of better processing - not unless the galaxy was under the most dire threat, and even then, the point of Shepard (as an entity, not even 'human') seems to be that he has the 'code' to have the highest willpower that any human or seemingly any lesser organic may ever have (at least not for a longggg time - and with the ton of luck Shepard has). If ControlShepard can be trusted to be more of a 99.99% copy instead of a 7% (hi ShepVI...), then I'm 'okay' with thinking that your scenario won't happen.. at least with my Shepard. I'm more worried about a Renegade Shepard TBH, but at least the lengths it'd turn to to protect the galaxy may be explosively badass? Haha.
If Shepalyst is capable of maintaining their human ideas and morals without any complications, I wouldn't mind a future where my Shepard stays as a Reaper either. But maybe I'm more pessimistic, because having a mind that can literally process a million things at once... would drive any human part of me crazy. 
My canon is sort of assuming that everlasting control over an AI mind capable of processing so much would begin to turn her over-analytical and hyperlogical. She'd begin to slip, but she would recognize it in time to prepare a counter-measure. The remaining data that forged her new AI wouldn't include the Reapers' design or original programming to harvest. It's like the argument of EDI and the Normandy - on a different platform, she wouldn't have the same prerogatives and wouldn't be regarded as the same EDI. The Citadel wasn't a platform created with offensive capabilities (as far as we know), so Shepard's AI would adjust accordingly as a more passive protector, guide, or even mentor.
Perhaps I'll develop it so that there's a more reasonable explanation as to why her human memories are being purged... like a virus, or something else.
But yes, a guardian figure presiding over the Citadel was my train of thought. I'd love to know how our old companions would react to a reproduction of her thoughts and memories made into an AI. 
If Shepalyst is capable of maintaining their human ideas and morals without any complications, I wouldn't mind a future where my Shepard stays as a Reaper either. But maybe I'm more pessimistic, because having a mind that can literally process a million things at once... would drive any human part of me crazy.
I believe Shepard would suffer from a decreasing ability to relate to normal humans and one day fully lose his connection to humanity, kind of like Dr. Manhattan.
I believe Shepard would suffer from a decreasing ability to relate to normal humans and one day fully lose his connection to humanity, kind of like Dr. Manhattan.
I know its semantics, but he's already lost his connection. What he'd be losing in your example, is even the facade of connection.
And we can only hope that the galaxy has been uplifted and uplifted themselves to the point of taking over from him, instead of really losing out and suffering from this.
What I meant by that is that he would slowly stop caring about others.
Dr. Manhattan's last connection to humanity was Laurie, but after their relationship ended he left Earth saying "I am tired of Earth, these people. I'm tired of being caught in the tangle of their lives." He shows apathy towards humans.
My Shepard, after rebuilding everything, watching over the galaxy, helping solve conflicts and etc, would one day start showing apathy towards the many and would leave them or would stop interfering with them. Maybe sometime after his friends die, especially Kaidan. This would be a slow process, but it would happen imo. (I didn't go into much details because that would've been a pretty big post.)
What I meant by that is that he would slowly stop caring about others.
I know. Semantics. I just felt like typing. 
) told me that "you can destroy the reapers but organics would create synthetics again hence chaos" I ain't buying it the freaking GETH WAR was ended allowing their creators to join them peacefully I call that catalyst BS and he knew Shepard would rape his sorry little home to pieces... yes there was a war with synthetics like the Geth but everyone learnt from it... although EDI and the GETH where wiped out we can rebuild them again with our previous experience and stuff. It's like making me choose to save my pc because my pc which I built told me it has a soul rather than saving my mother, my PC insisted to fuse them together with my mother dahell.... a corrupt data is a corrupt data freaking REFORMAT. Then the last part of the ending... how the hell did shepard survive another re-entry? She took another deep breath which obviously points out she is alive.
I chose the Destroy ending because my Kairla Shepard is a "humble" soldier ; not a messiah, not the leader of mankind, and certainly not the toy of the Reapers, she cannot make any other choice and stay true to herself. She just, well, does her job.
Yesterday I saw a Farscape episode where the hero John Crichton is stuck in a strange place in space with Starchild an old mysterious entity... the place is collapsing and the hero's destiny is at stake, he has the power to change reality and the old man is telling him how important it is, that he has to serve a greater cause... and here is his answer !
If only we had THIS ! 
Even though my ending is buged, black screen in the middle of the ending, i choosed control ending.
Seems to be the best for me.
Destroy, well if i choose that, i would have destroyed the Geths as well.
Synthesis, looks for me like brainwashing the people, making them into something they probably don't want to be and they would be immortel, i think that would be a problem on the long run.
Refuse, don't have to say much, this would mean you lose.
Control, this ending is the only one without anything negative, Shepard controls the Reapers so they became friendly and actually help the people, no other species has to be sacrificed, people are still what they are and not some kind of a mix between organic and synthetic.
I guess you can't import the ME3 save to ME4 and they start something completely new and i guess if they choose one ME3 ending for ME4 it would be the destroy ending.
The first ending I made was destroy... that kid probably built by the leviathen (i only read it online I have no more money for DLC's
I chose MEHEM.
I rejected that crappy reality and substituted my own.
You know what they call that in real life Psychological terminology?
Insanity.
You know what they call that in real life Psychological terminology?
Insanity.
No. Insanity is accepting what we were given. But nice to see you're still butt hurt after our last spat.
Blue = Hal 9000
Green = What is this? I don't even...
Red = Frak...
You can't rebuild AIs. No matter what you do, everytime you will try to rebuild EDI with whatever you can recover from her, it will make a new AI with a new personality. Its been confirmed in the Codex.
That is true for EDI. EDI is a 'blue box' AI and depends on a continuous series of quantum state changes in her processing core. Interrupt that state, and she changes. The memories might remain, but the personality will be different. And given she was physically built around the Reaper cyberwarfare computing module, well, it's a good probability the hardware's a total loss too, after that purely Reaper component's burnt out in Destroy.
The Geth, however, are *purely software*. They do NOT depend on a 'blue box'. As long as there's one surviving backup somewhere, the Geth can easily be restored.
On the ending:
What's the mission? The mission is "Stop the Reapers once and for all."
What is the criteria for choosing? "Does this choice stop the Reapers once and for all, with certainty?"
Control: "Reapers still exist. Reaper decision-making process changes, but does it change enough? Is there enough certainty that this choice will fulfill the mission? No."
Synthesis: "Reapers still exist. Moreover, everyone is plugged into the Reaper data network. Does this choice stop the Reapers once and for all with certainty? The catalyst still exists. No."
Refuse: "Not a choice. Does not fulfill the mission."
That leaves only one answer.
No. Insanity is accepting what we were given. But nice to see you're still butt hurt after our last spat.
Ah, but you're still hurting over the ending. I imagine that's got to hurt a lot worse than the non-existent pain of mine of your headcanon.
And that will hurt forever I imagine.
So much so that you have to deny it exists.
That is true for EDI. EDI is a 'blue box' AI and depends on a continuous series of quantum state changes in her processing core. Interrupt that state, and she changes. The memories might remain, but the personality will be different. And given she was physically built around the Reaper cyberwarfare computing module, well, it's a good probability the hardware's a total loss too, after that purely Reaper component's burnt out in Destroy.
The Geth, however, are *purely software*. They do NOT depend on a 'blue box'. As long as there's one surviving backup somewhere, the Geth can easily be restored.
On the ending:
What's the mission? The mission is "Stop the Reapers once and for all."
What is the criteria for choosing? "Does this choice stop the Reapers once and for all, with certainty?"
Control: "Reapers still exist. Reaper decision-making process changes, but does it change enough? Is there enough certainty that this choice will fulfill the mission? No."
Synthesis: "Reapers still exist. Moreover, everyone is plugged into the Reaper data network. Does this choice stop the Reapers once and for all with certainty? The catalyst still exists. No."
Refuse: "Not a choice. Does not fulfill the mission."
That leaves only one answer.
I rather doubt that they'd leave any synthetics post-destroy. It defeats the purpose of that ending. So I think you can safely say that the Geth have been entirely wiped out. The combined pulses from the relay bursts expanded on the entire galaxy as their area's of effect combined (and likely superceded the bounds of the galaxy for some distance).
Also, stop the reapers =/= destroy the reapers.
As you say, your goal is to stop the Reapers.
You do that in control. You do that in syntheis. You do that in destroy.
That leaves 3 possibilities for solutions.
Saying you don't do that in control and synthesis is saying that you're denying the game. You're lying.
I rather doubt that they'd leave any synthetics post-destroy. It defeats the purpose of that ending. So I think you can safely say that the Geth have been entirely wiped out. The combined pulses from the relay bursts expanded on the entire galaxy as their area's of effect combined (and likely superceded the bounds of the galaxy for some distance).
Also, stop the reapers =/= destroy the reapers.
As you say, your goal is to stop the Reapers.
You do that in control. You do that in syntheis. You do that in destroy.
That leaves 3 possibilities for solutions.
Saying you don't do that in control and synthesis is saying that you're denying the game. You're lying.
He's not lying. The problem is that those other choices leave far more dangerous outcomes.
With Blue Shepard dies and becomes the modern day version of Orwell's Big Brother with abilities that make him omniscient and practically the strongest being in the universe. We don't know anything about the technology, whether it will backfire, whether he will just go rogue and turn into a dictator or what. And frankly no man deserves that kind of power and because the machines that allow this to work were built by lifeforms they are just as flawed. The risk is not worth it by a longshot and it's the same mistake TIM made but on a far greater scale.
But green is even more dangerous. I am supposed to believe that a giant green laser is going to change the DNA of LIVING creatures and make them into some other lifeform regardless of genetic code, medical complications and any number of practically infinite variables that would make this utterly fail? That green laser is going to solve every discernable medical issue possible in one fell swoop? We have people down here that are allergic to peanuts for crying out loud and this is supposed to go through without a hitch? There's a bigger chance that the thing just kills everything off.
And what is this "human essence?" Do you buy it at the Home Depot and install it on your friendly neighborhood Geth? What does a robot or AI know about "human essence?" Did Einstein forget to discover the formula for how to make it into a cool beverage for the Geth to drink? I'm sorry but this is space magic full stop and there's no way I could let this go. It was a nice try to get some transhuman themes going but no one short of The Maker could pull something like this off...
If the green laser could blow up AI shackles that made the Reapers and AI do bad things or fire some giant EMP that would completely disable AI and give people a chance to reprogram them to be good maybe it could work but "synthesis" is just too big a leap.
He is completely lying. Suffice to say that any attempts to really undermine any of the endings falls under the realm of headcanon. I understand distaste for it, but in universe, they all work, 100%.
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