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[CosmicGnosis]

I noticed this a long time ago, and remembered it again during my current playthrough. The appropriately green meter that appears in the War Assets menu to represent your Effective Military Strength caps out at 2800, when Synthesis unlocks. It's not immediately obvious because the menu doesn't actually label it. I realized it when the meter was almost completely full at 2755, with just a sliver of gray left. 

 

So what are the implications? I think it's yet another piece of compelling evidence that Synthesis was intended to be the best ending, and that the (originally) inaccessible-without-multiplayer breath scene was simply an Easter egg intended to reveal that Shepard can survive in the Destroy ending, which would prove that Walters' pre-release statement that we did not need to play multiplayer to get the best ending was correct all along.

 

But some questionable writing and the unnecessarily ambiguous ending caused widespread confusion in the fanbase, which responded in a completely different way than had been anticipated. Now the fan favorite ending is Destroy, but I suspect that it was intended to be the worst ending, despite Shepard's possible survival. The pre-EC ending really makes Destroy sound utterly pointless; even the leaked scripts made it sound terrible, with Control at least giving Shepard a chance to solve things personally, and the "merge" choice being the best solution. The fan outcry made BioWare ironically compromise their artistic integrity by completely overhauling the message of the Destroy ending. Instead of being a total rejection of Reaper technology, and thus Reaper influence, at the cost of galactic civilization (mass effect technology is Reaper technology, by the way; people don't seem to appreciate this fact), the Destroy ending now has the galaxy rebuild the relays. Granted, I prefer this scenario, but it seems like Destroy has not only been sugarcoated, but completely rewritten to validate the fanbase's unanticipated interpretation of the entire ending scenario. 

 

I hope we learn the truth some day. I have a lot of questions.

 

And here is that referenced quote from Mac Walters:

 

"I’m always leery of saying there are 'optimal' endings, because I think one of the things we do try to do is make different endings that are optimal for different people, but I know what they mean, they’re talking about the gameplay optimal ending, and the single player has all of the assets that you need to be able to achieve that."

[Mcfly616]

You had to open this can of worms eh....

[CosmicGnosis]

It's been a while, and I'm in the mood. 

[StealthGamer92]

Synthesis is only the best on a player by player basis. I think it's best because it gives the best chance of longer lasting peace(because peace never lasts forever, period) occuring plus it seems like the "upgrade's" would either cure or speed up research of a cure for most if not all genetic defects deseases illneses etc.

[Larry-3]

Synthesis is the most difficult ending to unlock, unless you have all the DLC's. Also, almost everyone stays alive, the Relay's do not explode, and the octopus robots give everyone knowledge and information.

I like the Synthesis ending because everyone stops killing each other. I can deal with night vision eyes, glowing tree leaves, and synthetics with a heart; just stop the genocide.

[PCThug]

Interesting theory and one I could see being true. I think I find synthesis to be unsatisfying on a number of levels because it's presented as the idyllic choice. It feels phony. You remove the conflicts of the reaper war and organic life (death, disease, etc) and other conflicts will rush in to fill the void. The idea that synthesis would lead to lasting peace seems ridiculous.

 

I always thought Mass Effect was about different species working together, in spite of their differences in biology and culture. Sometimes it worked out, sometimes it didn't, depending on the choices we made as Shepard. And I find that to be much more interesting than "Now we're all the same!"

[Lavros]

I do think synthesis was passively pushed as the "best" ending because it looked as though everyone just came together at the end, but the message it sent was not a positive one for anyone who supports diversity.

 

My interpretation of the ending is that synthesis is the absolute rejection of multiculturalism and the idea that separate groups can coexist together in long-term peace. This applies to organics vs.organics as well as organics vs. synthetics. While the focus was on the organic vs. synthetic relationship, the final scenes from the synthesis ending glaringly point to homogeneity being the true solution to galactic conflict.  

 

This is why I find synthesis unsatisfactory as an ending. The "easy" route when dealing with multiple different groups in humanity's past was to suppress all but the dominate group and this ending is just an advanced version of that tactic. The act of forcing uniformity on the biological level on galactic civilization is not the act of a benevolent being but one who thinks of themselves as a god or beyond a god. Essentially it is something I would not be surprised for a Reaper to do.

[Mcfly616]

I really can't get with the mentality that 'Synthesis ruins diversity'. I view it as all cultures coming together into a single genetic framework. "Gaia" and/or "Galaxia" from Foundations Edge by Isaac Asimov. The ultimate union. The pinnacle of civilization. The cosmos is alive.

 

 

And it's not even my preferred ending.

[Soultaker08]

 

 

Lets beat these bones to dust

[Han Shot First]

Synthesis was intended as the ideal ending. It is evident not just by the EMS score to unlock it, but also by the fact that the Catalyst prefers it and that it gets an EC epilogue that presents the results as a utopia. That was a large part of many fans objection to it, in addition to being the most nonsensical and poorly written of three ending choices. 

[GreyWarden_Smith]

I picked Synthesis on my first PT (after playing multi-player to get 100% readiness) but haven't since as it is least favourite out of the choices that being said I don't like any of the endings. Its all "Space Magic" for Synthesis how can beam rewrite DNA all different species who will have different DNA how does the system know what to change & what to not change in each species and it means that the reaper force all become sapient being as-well (imagine a sapient banshee or husk). its is a idealistic choice which does result in true peace & a utopia which isn't a bad thing but it was approached in the wrong manner.

 

Destroy and Control "kinda" make more sense overall. I think I prefer control slightly overall just because its the most status-quo of the endings and don't want EDI and The Geth to be destroyed at the end. I picked it on my last play-through and was okay with the ending. I think Destroy is picked the most because the chance Shepard surviving and returning to friends and loved ones which players like which was cop-out especially since the destroy was the default unlocked with the other unlocked with better EMS.

 

In all I don't think about the endings when I play Mass Effect 3 or the series.

[themikefest]

Did you know that only 2600 ems is needed to get the green ending? If not, head to Earth with that number on your next playthrough

[AlanC9]

So what are the implications? I think it's yet another piece of compelling evidence that Synthesis was intended to be the best ending, and that the (originally) inaccessible-without-multiplayer breath scene was simply an Easter egg intended to reveal that Shepard can survive in the Destroy ending, which would prove that Walters' pre-release statement that we did not need to play multiplayer to get the best ending was correct all along.

I concur... but really, this was the sensible interpretation all along. The leaked script is absolutely unambiguous on the point.

The fan outcry made BioWare ironically compromise their artistic integrity by completely overhauling the message of the Destroy ending. Instead of being a total rejection of Reaper technology, and thus Reaper influence, at the cost of galactic civilization (mass effect technology is Reaper technology, by the way; people don't seem to appreciate this fact), the Destroy ending now has the galaxy rebuild the relays. Granted, I prefer this scenario, but it seems like Destroy has not only been sugarcoated, but completely rewritten to validate the fanbase's unanticipated interpretation of the entire ending scenario.

I think the big problem with that intent is that the idea that Reaper technology per se is bad was never widely accepted in the first place. Giving up the capabilities of the relays and mass effect drives is like giving up on atomic energy because of Hiroshima.

[AlanC9]

Did you know that only 2600 ems is needed to get the green ending? If not, head to Earth with that number on your next playthrough

Is that an EC change? Also, the Collector Base choice is said to lower thresholds. I haven't tested this because the way ME3 runs the checks is a PITA to test.

[themikefest]

Is that an EC change? Also, the Collector Base choice is said to lower thresholds. I haven't tested this because the way ME3 runs the checks is a PITA to test.

Yes to the extended cut

 

Don't know about the collector base lowering any threshold. All I know is when my ems is below 1750, I only get the destroy endiong since I destroyed the base in ME2

[Mcfly616]

Low ems Destroy. The most fitting end.

[DanishViking]

There is only 1 good ending ( DESTROY !!!!!)

[AlanC9]

Yes to the extended cut
 
Don't know about the collector base lowering any threshold. All I know is when my ems is below 1750, I only get the destroy endiong since I destroyed the base in ME2

Sounds right. I got choices at 1716, but I kept the base.

[TotalWurzel]

I'm with Spartacus' wife....KILL THEM ALL!

[MrFob]

Synthesis is only the best on a player by player basis.

There is only 1 good ending ( DESTROY !!!!!)

 
Haha, I hate to disagree with you guys and to pure oil into the fire but it s very clear what the best ending is. The developers themselves made it very clear. One need only to take a look at the game files with ME3Explorer's sequence editor:

 
This is a screenshot of the sequence that sets up the platforms that rise when certain endings become available. I color coded and encircled the important part (the names of the actual platforms) for your convenience but you can check it out in BioA_End002_Space.pcc.
 
So there you have it. According to the devs, Synthesis is the "Best Choice", while Destroy is the "Good Platform" and Control is the "Bad Platform". I hope that clears things up and will settle these disputes for good now?
 
Ah, who am I kidding.


EDIT: Corrected as I mixed up Destroy and Control in my original post. Now it is correct. Sorry for the mixup.

Modifié par MrFob, 11 avril 2015 - 01:26 .

[Han Shot First]

One of the flaws the devs made with the endings was in trying to present your original mission (destroying the Reapers) as being the worst choice. Considering destroy is the only ending that guarantees the security of galactic civilization for the foreseeable future (the others involve the Reapers hanging around), its objectively the best choice. Destroy is the only ending that results in a victory in the Reaper War. Control & Synthesis close the Reaper War with a stalemate at best.

 

The fans > lead writers on this one. 

[CosmicGnosis]

Wow, I didn't know they labeled them so explicitly within the game files. 

 

Well, there you go. As I suspected, the Catalyst presents the choices to you in order from worst to best. I think I can also forgive them now for the botched moral dilemma of the Collector Base decision in ME2, where the entire squad complained about keeping it post-Suicide Mission. This implies that BioWare decided to vindicate those who kept the base. 

 

Of course, the endings are more complex than this discovery suggests. Personally, I'm not sure if I prefer Renegade Control over Best Destroy. I'm also not sure if I prefer Best Destroy over Worst Control. I would probably prefer Renegade Control over Worst Destroy. So it's not that straightforward, but I only consider the best variants of each ending to be the viable choices.

[Mcfly616]

One of the flaws the devs made with the endings was in trying to present your original mission (destroying the Reapers) as being the worst choice. Considering destroy is the only ending that guarantees the security of galactic civilization for the foreseeable future (the others involve the Reapers hanging around), its objectively the best choice. Destroy is the only ending that results in a victory in the Reaper War. Control & Synthesis close the Reaper War with a stalemate at best.

 

The fans > lead writers on this one. 

 I don't recall "destroying Reapers" ever being declared as our original mission. I've heard squadmates and other npc's throughout the series talk of blowing them back to hell. But if I'm not mistaken, the goal was always stated as "stopping the Reapers". It was rather broad. Fans just went ahead and assumed destruction was the only way that would happen.

 

There's nothing "objective" about it. And in regards to the Reaper War, the results of a victory aren't necessarily better than a stalemate. Simply stopping them (no matter how it's achieved) may even be seen as a victory by some.

[StealthGamer92]

 
Haha, I hate to disagree with you guys and to pure oil into the fire but it s very clear what the best ending is. The developers themselves made it very clear. One need only to take a look at the game files with ME3Explorer's sequence editor:

 
This is a screenshot of the sequence that sets up the platforms that rise when certain endings become available. I color coded and encircled the important part (the names of the actual platforms) for your convenience but you can check it out in BioA_End002_Space.pcc.
 
So there you have it. According to the devs, Synthesis is the "Best Choice", while Control is the "Good Platform" and Destroy is the "Bad Platform". I hope that clears things up and will settle these disputes for good now?

 

Ah, who am I kidding.

i'm not talking about the "devs best ending", because their best ending was obviously Synthesis since it's hardest to get. High EMS Destroy was a treat but it was just an extended version of Destroy which was default ending. Alternate endings are not new ending but just variations on the original so I believe each ending should be rated by it's first version, leaving Synthesis as the best since it doesn't involve genocide or brainwashing the obviously sentient Catalyst and Reapers.

[StealthGamer92]

 I don't recall "destroying Reapers" ever being declared as our original mission. I've heard squadmates and other npc's throughout the series talk of blowing them back to hell. But if I'm not mistaken, the goal was always stated as "stopping the Reapers". It was rather broad. Fans just went ahead and assumed destruction was the only way that would happen.

 

There's nothing "objective" about it. And in regards to the Reaper War, the results of a victory aren't necessarily better than a stalemate. Simply stopping them (no matter how it's achieved) may even be seen as a victory by some.

Agreed, I heard people talking about destroying but Hacket and Anderson are most foccused on gallactic survival by any means neccesary more or less. That could go either way destroy, make peace, or even just forceing a retreat(highly unlikely as it is).