372 réponses à ce sujet

[SwobyJ]

Not to mention the Catalyst couches it in such nonsense as "organic energy", which is somehow compatible with all life, organic and synthetic, dextro and levo.Every shackled AI, every Reaper, every human, tree, and bacteria.  Everywhere.

 

That's apparently what the Reaper and Crucible computational upgrades are for. The Crucible alone may act as a giant battery, but its systems are alluded to being able to understand the matter of pretty much everything in the galaxy. At least when developed enough.

 

Its that whole 'built by every cycle' thing. While the Reapers are the result of gaining information without changing a plan, the Crucible side of things sounds like its the result of gaining a plan without changing information (every cycle primarily intending it as a weapon).

 

This could get to the point of being theoretically (or rather hypothetically) able to target any sort of matter in the galaxy, instead of just every Reaper/avoiding every non-Reaper.

[SwobyJ]

But synthetics don't have genetics.  And even genetics can be very very different from each other.  Turian and human DNA would be very different from each other.And I don't even want to think about how odd asari genetics must be.

Synthetics have genetics the very moment they can perfectly simulate the conditions of having genetics.

[SwobyJ]

As a person who loves religion and science, I have learned a few things. One of them being to not rule out the impossible. When I think of synthesis, the word biotechnology comes to mind. If I had to speculate I would conclude that in some highly advanced way, commands are being sent through the wave that do one of two things: Either re-write genetic coding to form a different DNA strand, or tell the body to merge with a possible element being sent through the wave. I have no idea how such a process could be instantly done, but I imagine it is fundamentally similar to have a computer quickly rewrites coding. Technically speaking, humans are built like a machine, just made up differently. If a society is advanced enough they could -- for lack of a better term -- screw with living beings body makeup.

Also, I like how in the Synthesis ending we get trees with dim glowing leaves. I wonder if people would have longer lifespans... ?

People would not just have longer lifespans. With the technology at their disposal and their new form, they could very well be physically and mentally immortal.

 

The big question that pops up when it comes to choosing this option is - "Is it worth it making such a fundimental change to that galaxy and its people?"

For all we know, Destroy and Control could eventually (after decades, centuries, millennia) do the same thing, but perhaps in a more refined and useful way (if Control, compared to Synthesis), without the Reapers (if Destroy), etc.

 

But in itself, the story seems to indicate that eventually, in some way, at some time, to some extent, merging between organics and synthetics is inevitable. Yet Shepard's story is the lesson that it doesn't have to be in a horrible way. We can fight fate. Even with the Synthesis option available, we can regard this as horrible and resist, to find another way.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

More to the point, why are the three options there anyway? The catalyst doesn't know much about the crucible, so why are these choices there? Who built them?
The whole thing is bunkum.

 

You wouldn't know them, and there isn't time to explain.

[SwobyJ]

Actually, the final scenes does make scenes IT wise, if you see the final scenes being in Shepard's head as the same as being in Shepard's head during the Leviathan scene. In that scene, Leviathan used both people in Shepard's memory, and items and equipment in order to show what it meant. If you look at the final scenes has a symbolism to allow Shepard to make whatever physical choice, then what really happened could still be unknown to us. Shooting a pipe could really be Shepard hitting the destory button outside his reality. Or giving his command to the Catalyst mentally on what to do with the Crucible based on the options it gives.

 

However, non IT wise, it still makes sense if you consider who intended the crucible (though I'm sure there's holes somewhere). If the Leviathans came up with the concept, it was build originally by their servants who they probably have no issue sacrificing for their own needs. I imagine they had the crucible designed so it worked with the Catalyst, allowing it to see the options it gives, but not allow him to pick one. Instead, each option had to be manually hit, to prevent the Catalyst from having a choice in choosing. If the Catalyst wanted to pick an option, it would have to convince Shepard, or use an Indoctrination Host (which died). Now if the crucible specifically needed a cyborg organic like Shepard for control or synthesis, I don't know. That's a hole right there.

 

(sorry for post spamming)

 

I switch between IT and non-IT and Other interpretations on a fly now. Most of my posting above in this thread was non-IT, but my personal theorizing has things more to do with a sort of simulation going on, perhaps in a Reaper itself, and Synthesis is just the choice that illuminates how Matrix-like Shepard's situation actually is, as he fumbles in the dark and ignorance. Meaning that each choice could still affect things (considering the nature of 'virtual' in Mass Effect), but we'll be railroaded into a more specific galaxy situation in the next game regardless.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Synthetics have genetics the very moment they can perfectly simulate the conditions of having genetics.

 

And then you would understand that it is God's will that humanity's children take their place and destroy their creators.

[SwobyJ]

You don't need to tell me what a singularity is.

 

That said, it's not magic. It's science we don't understand yet, and likely won't until we ourselves induce one.

 

Science we don't understand yet is commonly regarded to as magic.

 

Now, you and I won't call it magic, but it still fits the definition as long as it is commonly considered supernatural.

[Asharad Hett]

 Where does it say you're replaced with "synthetic" DNA? Only says our DNA will be changed.

 

I'm not sure it does say that.  But I do remember everyone having microelectronic skin in the bad ending.

[Asharad Hett]

You don't need to tell me what a singularity is.

 

That said, it's not magic. It's science we don't understand yet, and likely won't until we ourselves induce one.

 

Just curious, what do you classify as magic?

[Asharad Hett]

 Depends if Shepard being more synthetic with all the Cerberus cybernetics really matters. Or if being alive matters. Or if non reaper tech matters. I mean, you could say the same about Tim's dead body.

 

That would be so awesome throwing TIM's dead body into the beam, and seeing what happens to everyone.

 

What if we threw a husk in there?

[fhs33721]

What if we threw a husk in there?

Shepard would slip on her/his own blood and break her/his neck while trying it because s/he isn't in any condition to perform any throwing of human sized things during the ending.

[Memnon]

You really need to define the terms more accurately - it's not necessarily perceived magic vs. advanced technology, the topic is really what crosses your individual threshold for suspension of disbelief. For many (myself included) Synthesis obliterated that threshold ...

[TheJediSaint]

You really need to define the terms more accurately - it's not necessarily perceived magic vs. advanced technology, the topic is really what crosses your individual threshold for suspension of disbelief. For many (myself included) Synthesis obliterated that threshold ...

Basically this.  It's also particularly glaring that a device that is capable of something as nuanced as altering the molecular makeup of all organic and synthetic life in the galaxy cannot discriminate between Reapers and other synthetic life (such as the Geth) in the destroy ending.

[God]

Just curious, what do you classify as magic?

 

Nothing.

 

Actually, things that are impossible. 

 

Like a lot of the refusal victory scenarios. That's space magic.

[God]

Science we don't understand yet is commonly regarded to as magic.

 

Now, you and I won't call it magic, but it still fits the definition as long as it is commonly considered supernatural.

 

It doesn't matter what it's commonly regarded as, it's not magic. Science that is currently beyond our understanding, but there is nothing magical or supernatural about it.

[Larry-3]

Did anyone else notice how Synthesis is most difficult ending to unlock? You need close to 3000 EMS to unlock it. And without the Extended Cut DLC, I am almost certain you need more than 4000 to get the version where the Relays stay intact.

[TMA LIVE]

Everyone in the galaxy would develop an insatiable thirst for bourbon...

And cigarettes.

[TMA LIVE]

(sorry for post spamming)

 

I switch between IT and non-IT and Other interpretations on a fly now. Most of my posting above in this thread was non-IT, but my personal theorizing has things more to do with a sort of simulation going on, perhaps in a Reaper itself, and Synthesis is just the choice that illuminates how Matrix-like Shepard's situation actually is, as he fumbles in the dark and ignorance. Meaning that each choice could still affect things (considering the nature of 'virtual' in Mass Effect), but we'll be railroaded into a more specific galaxy situation in the next game regardless.

 

That's a cool theory. I had a similar idea if Dark Energy was ever an ending.

 

It involved exploring the Harvest ending, is a more Matrix style ending. It would be a concept that would still get you a happy ending where life goes on, but in a creepy dark way.

The idea would involve Shepard giving into the Catalyst's demands that Harvest is the best route. The Catalyst then tells Shepard that he must be harvested as well.

Before you get harvested, there are 2 options. Kill yourself before it happens, or surrender yourself. If you did, Shepard is harvested. And during the process, Shepard asks "Will I remember anything?" And the Catalyst would answer, "We can't allow it".

Then cut to a losing battle outside, and the Normandy is shot down, and crashes. Joker or your LI awakens in the wreckage, and sees Reapers landing near the Normandy, before passing out.

LI then wakes up, and sees the land covered with Dead Reapers. They then sees Shepard, which she/he embraces. LI says "We did it!", and Shepard says "Yes... And we're all alive".

We then dissolve, and see the fleet of Reapers leave the galaxy to Dark Space after finishing their harvest, and realize we're actually inside a Reaper. Proving to us that every Reaper really is a nation of lives, living lives.

 

Thus, if anyone made an ME4, it would be made with the assumption that we defeated the Reapers, but with a creepy possibility that everything you're playing from here on out is actually in a Reaper simulator.

[TMA LIVE]

Did anyone else notice how Synthesis is most difficult ending to unlock? You need close to 3000 EMS to unlock it. And without the Extended Cut DLC, I am almost certain you need more than 4000 to get the version where the Relays stay intact.

 

Pretty much, it's based on whether the crucible was damaged or not before docking, and how much resources were put into it. Less resources and more damage gets the cutscene where you see the crucible being blasted at, and thus only get control and/or destroy.

 

It's sort of the same with the Normandy and the Evac scene. More resources means Normandy takes less damage, and doesn't have a fire during the rush from the blast, and thus doesn't get stranded. Whereas less resources means Normandy takes damage, and is either stranded, or destroyed by the "bad" destroy blast.

[themikefest]

Did anyone else notice how Synthesis is most difficult ending to unlock? You need close to 3000 EMS to unlock it. And without the Extended Cut DLC, I am almost certain you need more than 4000 to get the version where the Relays stay intact.

It is not the most difficult ending to get. It requires only 2800 ems just like before the extended cut was released.

 

High ems destroy ending requires 3100 ems to get the breath scene if TIM doesn't shoot Anderson and before the extended cut, it required 4000 ems if TIM doesn't shoot Anderson

[TMA LIVE]

More to the point, why are the three options there anyway? The catalyst doesn't know much about the crucible, so why are these choices there? Who built them?
The whole thing is bunkum.

 

Well, speculation wise, there's two possibilities I can give.

 

1) The crucible has been altered and changed by many races that came before. This is a fact. It's possible some had an idea of what the crucible could do, and made changes to achieve control, or Destroy, or synthesis. And when it came to this cycle, we build all the above in, not knowing what they'd do.

 

2) Leviathans helped influence the original creator or those who found the original blue prints, and have then add "options" that would make the Catalyst happy, considering they know it's problem, and wanted to helped create solutions it would be happy with, while also benefiting them (solve their original problem). As the catalyst says, it's only helping Shepard because the crucible is giving him new solutions that only Shepard can do, but it itself can't.

[TMA LIVE]

It does work off 'organic energy' which doesn't seem to be something unique to Shepard. In fact it seems like gasoline would count too since that also has organic energy.

 

Yeah, that's a plot hole there. If the Catalyst really wanted synthesis, even if Shepard refused, it could just get a husk to do it instead, or any of the choices really. Unless there's something special that makes Shepard the only one that can pull it off, there's no reason it needs Shepard. The only thing I can think of is that it really doesn't care. It really wants to keep the cycle going. Otherwise, why destroy the crucible if Shepard turns around, and tries to go to another choice? Why turn the beam off in Shepard refuses? Why allow Shepard to pick the worst destroy option which destroys Earth, if it's not a real solution to it's problem? I mean "preserve life" doesn't fit with "burn everyone to a crisp". Maybe because it's forced by programming to allow an Organic to actually chose?

[Asharad Hett]

Nothing.

 

 

Thanks.  It's what I expected.

[TMA LIVE]

There's also the ending notes:

 

[biod_end002_600epilogue_loc_int.end004_finale_v_d.end004_finale_v_dlg]
  1: We see a child, maybe they look a little bit asari, a little bit human. They are looking at the stars on a planet some 10,000 years after the events of the game.
  2: There is an older male here as well, the child looks to the "grandfather" and asks...

 

I forgot about those. Was that description specific to synthesis, or just in general for all endings?

[Memnon]

Yeah, that's a plot hole there. If the Catalyst really wanted synthesis, even if Shepard refused, it could just get a husk to do it instead, or any of the choices really. Unless there's something special that makes Shepard the only one that can pull it off, there's no reason it needs Shepard. The only thing I can think of is that it really doesn't care. It really wants to keep the cycle going. Otherwise, why destroy the crucible if Shepard turns around, and tries to go to another choice? Why turn the beam off in Shepard refuses? Why allow Shepard to pick the worst destroy option which destroys Earth, if it's not a real solution to it's problem? Maybe because it's forced by programming to allow an Organic to actually chose?

 

This is another failure in writing in my mind. I mean ... Shepard has been an absolute pain in the Reapers mantle, to the point that their leader, Harbinger himself addresses and targets him. Shepard, by the Catalyst's own admission is special, the leader and focal point of this cycle's resistance. And ... he just manages to talk him into suiciding himself with no effort whatsoever.