There’s two ways Bioware could go with this ending outcry:
indoctrination theory and retconning or fixing the ending.
I’m not particularly an indoctrination theorist per se. I
just think it’s the best way for Bioware to salvage themselves and their
reputations. Honestly, I’m not sure what the hell just happened, period.
So firstly, let’s say the indoctrination theory is true:
Shepard comes to in a makeshift medical center (ala the
beginning of ME2). Two medics are discussing luck – Shepard was only thrown by
the beam, not hit, s/he was pulled out of the epicenter when guards spotted
him/her attempting to drag his/herself out of the rubble, only suffered
blast-related injuries, etc. Shepard sits up in a bit of a fog, and someone
tries to fill him/her in – Hammer was devastated by Harbinger, Anderson pulled
them back out to regroup and/or make another push.
Shepard would obviously be confused, potentially based on
the ending selection: the Reapers are still here? Did it work? Are the relays
destroyed? And so forth. Medics try to explain, but since Shepard’s not an
idiot s/he’d eventually figure it out – she just beat the Reapers in her head.
S/he would refuse to stay down and would proceed to find
Anderson. Anderson would be with the rest of his/her squad, trying to figure
out their next move. He would explain that the ward arms have somehow opened,
allowing the Crucible into place, but that the Sword and Crucible guard fleets
(I’ll call them Shield to keep with the naming convention) are taking losses.
Shepard, both because of the indoctrination dream and
probably just figuring on it because that’s the way his/her life goes, would
have an inkling that the Illusive Man is probably involved. S/he’ll say that
someone needs to get to the beam to ensure that the Crucible fires and the ward
arms don’t close again. Maybe Hackett says that the Crucible isn’t firing, I
don’t know. Shepard would offer to lead the push with a few squad members,
because a smaller squad would be harder to notice. Anderson agrees. Since he’s
leading the resistance force on the ground, he’ll stay behind as it wouldn’t
make sense for him to go in case Shepard fails to make it again.
Shepard et al. make a run to the beam, while most of Hammer
creates a distraction to draw away enemy attention.
Here, perhaps the boss fight with Harbinger that people
want? Maybe through a Harby-controlled Banshee, or a repeat of Marauder Shields
our hero? Shields go down, Joker kill-shots with fighter help? I don’t know, or
care. But I’m going to assume this doesn’t happen here. You’ll see why.
Anyway, Shepard makes it to the beam, defeating heavy zerg-rushing
along the way. They’re zapped to the Citadel, to a point on the Presidium. At
this point, it would make sense for them to head to Citadel Tower – to reopen
the Master Control Panel Saren had tried to utilize. The Presidium would be
full of husks and human remains, but possibly the Citadel Defense Force Shep’s
been bolstering, fighting back against Reaper forces. Bailey tells him/her to
hurry, that they’ll hold as long as they can.
Once they reach the top of Citadel Tower, they find the
Illusive Man at the console already trying to activate the Catalyst so he can
control the Reapers (this is logical. Why get the Crucible to interface with
something other than an already
familiar piece of tech?). A discussion similar to the one already done would
commence, with these as final options:
Paragon:
Talk down to suicide, ala the ending we have.
Renegade:
Shoot.
Immediate
Renegade Interrupt: “I don’t have time for this shit,” *bang*
Right Top:
Attempt to talk down, leads to a fight with indoctrinated TIM directing Reaper
forces.
Right
Bottom: Attempt to intimidate down, leads to fight with indoctrinated TIM
directing Reaper forces.
This would be along with a timer, ticking off EMS score.
Shepard would, of course, win, and make it to the control
panel. At the last second, an explosion knocks the team back. Out emerges
Keeper 20, controlled by Harby (or another Reaper if we do the first boss
fight).
A discussion with a clearer outlining of the Reaper goals
would occur here – to combat an influx of dark energy? Built by an omnicidal AI
that saw organics as a lesser lifeform and hated them and wanted to kill them?
Constructed by Davros when the Daleks kept failing to kill the Doctor (just
kidding, though epic crossover is epic)? Built by a race of organics terrified
of organic death due to a looming cosmic threat, i.e. a sun going supernova,
which then got out of hand (my favorite)? Who were the first species subjugated
– the Keepers? – and so forth.
Harbinger berates Shepard for a lack of foresight – what happened
to us will happen to you, your actions doom the entire galaxy, you are
foolishly holding onto past ideals, etc. Likely, Harby would mention that Shepard
would be a good “potential” control system or something, for the human Reaper
that is likely being constructed somewhere. Shepard would again have four
options:
Paragon:
Explaining why Harby is wrong (Quarian-geth war, EDI, if synthetics are the
problem; the ability of species to determine their own paths; the idea that the
Reapers’ job is done, etc)
Renegade: “I’ve
had enough of your . . .” *bang* (I have little experience with Renegade) or
intimidates Harbinger with something.
Top Right:
Leads directly to a Keeper zerg rush between Shepard and the panel.
Bottom
Right: Same.
Either way, they’re zerg rushed by Keepers – the type of
response (Para, Rene, Top, Bottom) determining how many actually are there
(e.g. renegade responses = more Keepers). Eventually they’re defeated, and
Shepard makes it to the Control panel. This time, Harby itself appears in the
window behind the Council platform, zeroing in on them and readying a beam to
take out Shepard et al. permanently with allied fleets trying to buy you/the
Crucible time and stop it. Here is where EMS can come in.
Low EMS:
Shepard doesn’t have time to press the activation key, because Harbinger is not
delayed enough. Harbinger kills Shepard et al, and cycle continues.
Middle EMS:
Shepard makes it to the button but Harbinger manages to fire before it’s
destroyed, and Shepard and party dies.
High EMS: Shepard’s fleets distract
Harby long enough for the Crucible to work, and Harbinger is destroyed before
it can fire.
This
should be hard to achieve, and illustrate the highest level of galactic
readiness. For example:
If
the Crucible number of specialists/resources is high: The Crucible destroyes
all Reapers. If it’s middling: some are destroyed, but ones in other systems
merely have their shields disabled permanently. If it’s low: the Crucible
backfires and destroys everything in the vicinity.
Alternatively,
only the Reapers at Sol could be destroyed; others could just have their
shields permanently disabled and need to be taken down manually.
There would be a cut scene of the above, then a fade to
black.
After that would be the epilogue. Things to address, and
likely in this order: the people on the Citadel, the quarian-geth war, the
krogan/salarians/turians, the Alliance/humanity, crewmembers, squadmates (dead
and alive, i.e. memorial of Legion on Rannoch or what happens to Kolyat), and
finally Shepard and the LI.
If the worst ending (Reapers Win!!) is achieved: In another
50,000 years the Reapers return to face another unprepared galaxy, complete
with new Reapers from the last cycle. The newest non-Destroyer Reaper is known
only by its selected Reaper name: Shepard.
Now, if indoctrination is wrong, I have less of a way to
salvage this. So let’s see:
1. A refuse option is added: Shepard refuses Starchild and
relies on the allied fleet. Highest EMS: Reapers are defeated, albeit with
extreme losses. Low EMS: Fleets are destroyed, and the cycle continues.
2. Shepard finds a fifth option: This could be anything,
from reprogramming the Crucible if they happen to be particularly tech savvy,
to berating the Godkid, to logic bombing it (“seriously, does this make sense?”),
to convincing it that all options are obviously wrong and thereby it should do
as s/he tells it.
3. Starchild is lying about the destruction option in order
to dissuade Shepard from choosing it. In this case, the genocide of non-Reaper
synthetics and the relays is an active falsehood.
Either way, the relays are not destroyed and nor are
synthetics, no matter what option is chosen. An epilogue in the same vein as
above is had, and there is much rejoicing (yay.).
Honestly, like I said, indoctrination theory makes this more
salvageable for Bioware, because it merely involves creating new content rather
than editing existing content (which, for someone who has absolutely no idea
how to make a video game, seems easier). It also allows for people who liked
the ending to keep it (by ignoring the DLC) and those of us who didn’t like it
to be satisfied with more information. Plus, it makes Bioware look like an evil
genius who had this planned all along – insert evil laugh here – and has their
shit together, thereby helping their reputation.
This idea is free of charge, Bioware. Now shut up and take my money. :)
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