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[Batarian Master Race]

 
The Catalyst directly stated that it embodies the collective consciousness of the Reapers. They consent to Control. I don't know where we get the idea that they're being forced into slavery. The Reapers work as a cohesive unit--it's how they live, like having many arms and one brain. They are sentient, but they are still synthetic and have to function as their units were designed. Shepard can't change how they were designed, EXCEPT in Synthesis, but it also requires altering all organic life as well, which Shepard never received (nor will receive) consent for.

 

Alternatively, in Control, s/he can accept it as a different way of life and try to reach a compromise with the Reapers, which is an ultimately "Paragon" decision. The same can be said for Destroy, because it gives retribution to the centuries of organics who suffered at the hands of the Reapers, regardless of their reasoning for doing it. Really just up to personal interpretation.

In Control, their AI is being upgraded in their eyes to fit a new scenario and contribute to their cause of establishing peace among organics and synthetics. Shepard isn't above the Reapers like some dictator. They may not even be the "Reapers" or Shepard anymore. They could be a newly merged entity that has gained a prerogative that doesn't involve mass genocide on either side. Regardless, Shepard offers a useful contribution to their "equation", especially if s/he established peace between the geth and the quarians.
 
It's beneficial for both organics and synthetics. Like the others, it's a decision made for the galaxy, not the individuals (not debating how Shepalyst may or may not threaten the galaxy in the future, because that relies on headcanon.) They were free to make their own choice, and they chose Shepard. Otherwise, they would have just killed him/her.
 
I know this isn't a thread about the control ending... just felt I should share all of the evidence showing they are always willing participants, regardless of Shepard's decision to destroy/control/synthesize.

 

I have a number of problems with this interpretation. If the Reapers are fully willing to do whatever Shepard says, why must Shepard upload themself into a new AI? Why can't Shep just boss the Catalyst around?

 

Collective consciousness can be many things. (For example, it can be awesome boss battle music.) The Catalyst says it's the collective consciousness of the Reapers, but does that mean it's made up of each of the reapers' individual minds, or that it merely can see into the minds of each of the Reapers, and control them if needed? If it were the former, how did the Catalyst exist before the reapers? And if it's the latter, the Reapers aren't consenting; it's forcing them to agree to the decision Shep and Starjar make.

 

 
They are sentient, but they are still synthetic and have to function as their units were designed. 

 

Just like the Geth did, and like EDI did.

 

Oh, wait, no, both the Geth and EDI went against their original programming as a part of becoming truly sentient.

[Dantriges]

I have a number of problems with this interpretation. If the Reapers are fully willing to do whatever Shepard says, why must Shepard upload themself into a new AI? Why can't Shep just boss the Catalyst around?

 

I find this interpretation a little problematic, too. I know that the Catalyst said that, but he also said two other thing that would contradict that, unless it´s some weird stuff above our intellect level. And he draws a distinction between itself and the Reapers later.

 

Funny. Considering that Harbinger was your biggest fan in ME 2, Shepard joining the collective would be a mission accomplished in this interpretation. And if they consent to it of their own free will, consent can also be withdrawn. So some funny idea as food for the debate. Did Shepard actually surrender in this interpretation? Thanks for the voluntary upload, we wanted to catch you for months.

[Kynare]

I have a number of problems with this interpretation. If the Reapers are fully willing to do whatever Shepard says, why must Shepard upload themself into a new AI? Why can't Shep just boss the Catalyst around?

(In my opinion) because their intent (come ME3's ending) is to understand organics, which is why they state Synthesis as their ideal solution. They won't understand if they're just following orders, and they will never rise above "just machines" if they don't strive to learn more. "Organics seek perfection through technology, synthetics seek perfection through understanding." I always saw Shepalyst as a form of synthesis, but only with two entities, Shepard and Catalyst, rather than the whole race. It turns into a synthetic being that is fully capable of understanding the relationship between organics and synthetics, and the reason for why organics fight and why synthetics rise against their creators.

The Reapers always had the knowledge of life from previous harvests, but they never showed indication that they could interpret it from an organic's point of view until the Catalyst merged with Shepard and adopted his/her ideals, morals, beliefs and memories, forming a true AI rather than one who only thought in equations and stuck avidly to the same pattern for centuries.

Collective consciousness can be many things. (For example, it can be awesome boss battle music.) The Catalyst says it's the collective consciousness of the Reapers, but does that mean it's made up of each of the reapers' individual minds, or that it merely can see into the minds of each of the Reapers, and control them if needed? If it were the former, how did the Catalyst exist before the reapers? And if it's the latter, the Reapers aren't consenting; it's forcing them to agree to the decision Shep and Starjar make.

I don't really have answers for that. I think it's the former, because that's how I interpret "collective" to mean. Plus, Starkid uses terms like "we", as did Harbringer and Sovereign, which suggests they always worked on the same train of thought even though they identified as different entities. Maybe the Reaper operations all came from the same AI (Catalyst), but sectioned themselves off into different processes in order to work more efficiently, like Legion did.

In anything, the fact that you can "cut the head off" and kill all Reapers by destroying the Catalyst's chamber suggests that maybe Catalyst is the only process that controls the Reaper fleets, and there were never any separate processes that didn't originate directly from the Catalyst. That, or just a huge design flaw.

Regardless, I still think that Shepard choosing "Control" just gives them new directive and understanding, rather than force them to do something they don't want to. I think they're more capable than the geth when it comes to reaching a broad consensus.

Just like the Geth did, and like EDI did.

Oh, wait, no, both the Geth and EDI went against their original programming as a part of becoming truly sentient.

Indeed. Hence why Synthesis is their ideal solution. It evidently isn't possible for the Reapers to go against their design unless they Synthesize. However, it would be at the cost of a very massive change in all organics and established forms of life, which is something else a Paragon Shepard may be against.

Control isn't the most ideal scenario for the Reapers in terms of resolving intergalactic peace. But it can still be a compromise that gives them the knowledge and understanding of organic lifeforms, adjusts their methods and doesn't alter the galaxy in such a massive, unpredictable way.