That's a nice head canon but really, there is not much in the lore to support it.
This being the Council's secret "preservation of civilization" plan would make them look slightly less blockheaded; but I suspect that Azarhal might be correct. This sounds like an exploratory mission. I'm not yet convinced that it's linked to the Reaper invasion. I'd say I'm feeling 50/50 on it, seeing the possibilities in either direction.
Also, it wouldn't be "the elites" that were sent. Sure, some elite douchebags would find their way aboard the project. The real focus, though, would be on making sure every single member could contribute needed skills and healthy genetics. They have to colonize a galaxy. Everyone needs to contribute essential skills, and ideally nearly everyone should be a breeder. (I know the last part will make some scream and wail and make silly claims of cloning technology, which the council races simply don't have.)
BS - a Krogan WARLORD (on his own - more or less) made Grunt (and in doing so produced an "army" of Krogan rejects - if that's not cloning (or at least artificial gestation of embryos!) I don't know what is) using cloning tech (it wasn't working perfectly, but well enough I suppose!), hell the guy mixed the DNA of great Krogan from the past to make the best Krogan possible (except he either couldn't or didn't want to give him biotics!) so I'd say that's pretty advanced (not only that: Saren was trying to clone Krogans, too - I know you could argue that he had Sovereign to help there 
)
Also: Why clone somebody if you can just take fertilized embryos with you? (an incubator/artificial-womb shouldn't be above what the council can build, I mean scientists are working on this RIGHT NOW and we aren't even having any FTL capability yet, much less colonized the solar system! Also this is IMHO nearly a must to keep genetic diversity up and produce a high number of people in as short a time as possible when you have your industry etc. up and running (so that you can make those wombs/incubators!)
ps: I am one of those screamers (don't want children - wouldn't even if humanity would die out (unless - condition! - I wouldn't have to take care of them!))
Well one does, at least... But yes. This fits fine with an interspecies effort, but the rest is pure speculation on the part of the OP based on the idea of some form of shadowy secret elite that we've never been so much as introduced to in passing in the games.
Hey,
it could have been a SPECTRE initiative (they have got a LOT of authority and ressources after all)...I mean they have access to all the evidence so they'd likely believe Shepard (particularly after it gets out that the Collectors are genetically Protheans!) 
Note: That would fit with the "elite" bit (SPECTREs would select only the best to send and they would have enough pull to get those people, too and SPECTREs are of course alse "the elite" themselves!)
Assuming that the ARK departs in the post ME1 timeframe. My own ARKCON headcanon is that the project was undertaken by a co-operative effort from major Corporations of all species, not military or political entities like the Council. My candidate for the Human ARK would be Eldell Ashland Energy who have decades of experience in the effective colonizing of space
Makes no sense, at least not in light of trailer evidence: N7 isn't a company and they'd not work with the private sector IMHO (they are special forces, not company guards!)
Ok, firstly sorry for that many posts from me (I forgot you could chain quotes...haven't been here in a while!)
You may be correct as maintenance will surely be an issue over supposedly hundreds of years. I doubt this would be possible without AI piloting and monitoring of critical & life-support systems and scheduling of personnel to exit cryo for routine duties.
Well, a VI (or AI - I mean we know that not only Cerberus but the STG also dabbled in that (then again they thought about uplifting the damned Yagh...so what don't they dabble in that's illegal and very very dangerous?)) could do that job (as could the Geth if they are actually along!)
I have a wild theory who build the arks. There is on faction in the ME-Universe which has no economical or financial system so they have basically communism and can throw all resources into one project. They don`t have to feed workers or they´r families. And they know for sure the reapers are coming. And they are, as we learned in ME3, not the organics-slaying monsters as the Quarians described them.
The Geth.
ps: look at the arks-ships colour-scheme.
Possibly, possibly - that would be something and it would show that it's not a conspiracy (and with the Geth operating outside of any treaties etc. they might actually have the ressources (and technology!) to pull this off!)
Yeah, without getting into exactly who it is specifically, who says they aren't?
I can't really accept that it was a council initiative. If they had faced facts and genuinely believed in the Reapers, the Milky way would have been much more prepared for them. If it was council, Anderson would have known and he clearly didn't. Some rich third party group is believable however.
Not that this wouldn't make sense (it would also explain why they aren't jumping at the chance to help Shep with that crucible of his/hers - they have something much more important (and with a better chance of working!) to finish!)
Talking about Eldfell Ashland specifically, Jonah Ashland, the boss of the company is definitely still in the Milky Way as we can meet him in ME3's Citadel DLC. Could of course be someone else though.
As for the council, I don't know, I can see them (even Anderson) not telling Shepard as s/he was very exposed to the reapers at all times and technically always in danger of being indoctrinated.
Sure, it could be some backroom corporation (and when we start talking about those, Cerberus has to jump to the forefront of course, so please please no) but the fact that almost all MW species seem to be present makes me think it's more likely that it's a wide spread political movement that coordinates this and the most likely candidate there would be the council.
Corporate effort? Then why the different races (unless: One corporation couldn't manage it all and they needed the technical expertise, ressources etc. of others)
I'd feel a bit better if it WAS a backup plan. The one thing that's always annoyed me the most is that our entire ME3 plan is "Shepard, Crucible, ??? Profit" as a galaxy. I hope there were some plans we didn't hear about because we were busy doing Shepard things for the Crucible, because that would be less moronic than "EVERYONE DEPEND ON SHEPARD."
Indeed, it would make me think the council is less stupid than I think they are (I still hate that you couldn't tell them "I told you so" and extort a few things from them for not believing you!)
Their nor evil, their not good, just logic. We never had a hint at their real numbers. And they knew for sure the reapers would come, way before Shep. So they reached the consensus that this galaxy would go down the drain. No organic even grasped the enormous dimension of the coming tread.
So they build the ark-ships hidden in their space. No council, no Shep, and no reaper got a hint of the project.
The Geth are the only faction that could hide such a gigantic project
The Geth are the only faction that had enough time to get this done
The Geth are the only faction that is free from economic boundary's
The Geth are the only faction that had an early contact with reaper tech.
The Geth are the only faction that looses nothing by loading the arcs with all species from the milky way
I think the picture of an AI inevitably going berserk against its creators is BS. It would rule an empty, boring world. Maybe the Geth see organics as some kind of substrate or catalyst to grow on and learn. New experiences and knowledge come from interaction and different viewing angles. So it would be pretty stupid for advanced AIs to dust off alone.
Might be and I agree, why would an AI wipe us out (unless - like with the Geth - it's self defense? What would it do with vast emptiness without people around? Start having pets...hell, maybe we would be seen as kind of retarded pets, but I don't think a true AI would kill us just for existing!)
Since it was confirmed the Ark leaves before Reaper invasion, it's getting clear IMO that Bioware will set up the Ark project to be as "civilian", driven by scientific research and inconsequential to Shepard and his anti-Reaper mission throughout ME1-3 as possible. Otherwise, it begs the standard issue question of prequels/interquels as to "why wasn't it ever mentioned and significant?". While military assistance will obviously be involved, I think they will write the Ark initiative with a genuine intention of surveying other galaxies rather than any less or more secret escape plan B from the Reapers.
Not before the invasion, last we know is we leave before the final battle/before the ending(s) of ME3
Civillian research doesn't warrant sending N7 (they'd send soldiers, sure - but not elite soldiers that are more usefull elsewhere!), not even recent graduates or newbies!
They got the enhancements later in ME3, at the time of the split they were still equal. The non-heretics had just to send some mobile platforms with replicating tech and mining equipment to some uncharted systems. They don´t have to breed, they can just multiply their numbers as fast as the raw materials can get extracted.
And for accepting the arks: Take it or die. What would you do?
And here is some interesting stuff to read about the "many races could have easily do all the things" :
Indeed, so it's plausible
I'd take the Arks, but then again: I never hated the Geth - not even in ME1, I kind of pitied them for being Sovereign's thralls (kind of like I pity religious zealots - which wouldn't stop me from killing them if they threatened mine or somebody elses life!).
I mean I'd take the Geth (some of them) along if it were up to me, even if they didn't build the Arks (who else to keep an eye on the systems inside of the ships and make repairs in flight? (ok: Quarians, if you really need to wake an organic from stasis - but I don't think the Geth can't handle most technical problems!) Oh and keep an eye on the correct course etc.)
Ok, firstly sorry for that many posts from me (I forgot you could chain quotes...haven't been here in a while!)
Merely speculation at this point. The fleets orbiting what appears to be earth in peacetime would lead you to believe it was post ME3 but that might be misdirection... those images could well pre-date the reaper invasion. The two years between ME1 & 2 in the immediate aftermath would give the council races enough time to plan and construct and orchestrate the exodus of the galaxy with our 'essential personnel' and most advanced technology' ahead of the reaper invasion. If the ark was built pre-reaper invasion during the cover-up it would need a valid cover story - we may have seen some of this 'propaganda' featured in the marketing so far.
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