So now that the EC  has been out and we got what we wanted, and by that I meant those people who actually like the original endings and not the 99% of us, it?s time to make a stand. Personally I still find the ending of Mass Effect a big joke, and a personal insult despite the 90+hours of gorgeous storyline that precedes it. The big problem for me is that both the horrible ending and the beautiful universe is done by the same company. (sad face) So how do I deal with the situation?

The original ending is such a nonsense thematically and contradicts in so many ways the spirit of the game that I have no choice than to REJECT it and come up with one of my own. So the next long wall of text will describe an ending which I devised and you can use in a somewhat D&D guided way if you feel like it?s a better ending than the original one.

DISCLAIMER: I have come up with this in about 30 minutes of pure imagination and it took me forever to write. I do not pretend that it doesn?t have plot holes, or that it will blow your mind off by its complexity etc. etc., it?s just the way I think the story should have ended. It?s my way to deal with the void that was left by the original one.

I try to  take into account your choices throughout the game and I remove completely the whole Bioware sequence on the citadel and the choices it offers. It draws a lot from the endings of the ME1, ME2 and DAO. You will need your imagination and some time to read through.

I hope you like it.

START HERE

1.

It starts with the VI explaining the catalyst in the end of the Cerberus Mission. The catalyst is still the Citadel itself. The VI goes on to tell that the races that devised the weapon against the reapers were always hurdled by the fact that reapers are so much more advanced than they are and to defeat them reaper technology itself needed to be used, and such a complex technology is unachievable in one cycle.

The story of the crucible begins when during one of the cycles there was an organic race so advanced that it knew about the reaper arrival long before the extinction began. They discovered a truly dead remains of the derelict reaper and understood that the citadel and mass effect relays were all parts of the same technology. They didn?t know about indocrination or whether they were hostile or not, but they started to be wary of using a technology above their level of comprehension and taking it for granted. They sought for a way to understand and disrupt this technology if necessary.

They started the crucible as the weapon that would destroy such reaper technology. They chose citadel as the source because it actually is reaper tech, as well as the center of the Mass Relay network and as usual the main hub of their civilization making it the obvious choice.

After a few cycles, ending with the prothean one, the final model of the working weapon has been devised using the data from multiple reaper invasions. It works very simply: once the crucible is attached to the citadel it uses its power and unleashes a pulse throughout the whole relay network and destroys the reaper signal, effectively wiping them out.  

2.

We now finish the Cerberus HQ mission and continue with the London mission up until the infamous Harbringer scene of the final assault.

You and your squad dodge the beam (or die if you can?t) and all 3 of you make it to the citadel. (as there is no loyalty in ME3 it doesn?t make sense to kill off any of your squadmates at this point) At some point during the run you see the beam heading in Anderson?s direction and hear static in your headpiece.

You?re beamed up and end up in a pile of corpses. The citadel has been retaken by the reapers and the keepers were once again indocrinated and now work throughout the whole station to make extra husks from human bodies. You tell Hackett that you?ve made but hear only static as the battle rages on and the crucible is close to docking with the yet-closed citadel.

You proceed to kill the newly made husks as well as the now-hostile keepers and make your way to the main console in the Presidium (the same one that saren used as it?s been shown to be able to open and close the citadel wings). You reach the council room and there....

The wings of the citadel start to open without you doing anything. Shepard tries to reach Hackett but hears only static. The Crucible docks.

You enter the Presidium and see that the husks around you are all docile. They don?t move or attack you. You ignore them and run towards the console only to see that the Illusive Man is there. He is the one who allowed the Crucible to dock.

3. FROM HERE ON THE MULTIPLE PATH STORY BEGINS BASED ON YOUR IN-GAME CHOICES

The Illusive Man smiles at you and welcomes you to the place of his triumph. He shows you a small object that he holds in his hand, the result of the work into controlling the reapers: a device that can take control of the indocrinated at short-distance. After the Cerberus HQ has been destroyed, the Illusive Man made a bold move and escaped to the Citadel. When the reaper forces attacked, they couldn?t kill him because they couldn?t approach him without being put under his control. At the same time, the power of the device being so limited he couldn?t take control of the entire station, just one - two rooms.

He proceeds to tell you that this device is the key to controlling the reapers. With proper input the impulse provided by the Crucible can be altered in conjunction with the Cerberus device to place them under his control instead of destroying them. That?s why he moved to the control room once the battle of Earth began and allowed the Crucible to dock.

He asks you to join him. Choose a) or b)

(Options begin. I try to be as coherent as possible but it may be rough for some. Hang in there! Use your imagination.)

a)   
You tell the Illusive Man that he can?t stop you and that the humanity will take its dominant place in the Galaxy only not under Illusive Man?s guidance, but Shepard?s. You have this option if the renegade score is high however you need to have almost maxed out renegade score for the Illusive Man to back down and willingly give the Cerberus Control Device to you. If you truly think you?re max RENEGADE go to R1) else read on.

If your renegade score is not that high he laughs at you and orders the husks under his control to attack you. Go to c)

b)   
You decline the Illusive Man?s offer once again and tell him that it?s wrong. If your Paragon score is almost at maximum, he sees the error of his ways takes his gun and shoots the docile husks under his control in the head. After this he destroys the Control Device. If you truly think you?re max PARAGON go to P1) else read on.

If your paragon score is not that high, the Illusive Man laughs at your sense of honour and unleashes the husks on you.Go to c)

c)  
You defeat the Illusive Man?s forces. It?s a standoff between him pointing a gun at you and you and your team - back at him. Now you get to choose between d) or e)

d)    
You tell him to give you the Cerberus Device. You can always choose this option. The Illusive Man looks at the device in his hand and tells you that there was only one man destined to have such power, and it wasn?t Shepard. He shoots himself and you take the device from his body. At any point in the conversation you can press the trigger and shoot the Illusive Man yourself. Now choose between f) and g)

e)  
You tell him that his way of thinking is wrong and controlling the reapers is never going to work. You can always choose this option. The Illusive Man seeing that it?s futile to fight you, throws the device on the ground, crushes it with his foot and then shoots one of your squad (not the LI) and then shoots himself not to see his plans go awry. At any point during the conversation you can take an aimed shot and shoot the Illusive Man?s hand with the device in it. He will get staggered, shoots one of your squadmates (not the LI), the device in his hand is destroyed and your surviving teammate finishes the job by killing the Illusive Man  Go to M1)


f)
You throw the Cerberus Device on the ground and destroy it. Go to M1)

g)
You decide to use the Cerberus Device and to control the reapers. If you saved the Collector?s ship go to i), if you didn?t go to h)

h)
The technology of the Cerberus Device is incomplete doesn?t allow reaper control, only husks. The Crucible is overloaded and explodes. The faulty pulse it emits destroys the relays. In one blinding flash the whole known universe including the Reapers is destroyed. Black screen. END HERE

i)
The sequence initiates and the reapers start shooting at the Citadel to prevent the pulse. If your military strength is below 2000 go to j), if it?s between 2000 and 3000 go to k) and if it?s 3000+ go to l).

j)
Reapers shoot and destroy the citadel before the Crucible may fire. Your war effort was insufficient. You die. Reapers win. END HERE

k) The Crucible fires the pulse. However seconds before the reapers shoot the citadel and blast the Presidium chambers. You try to escape the explosion but you get wounded by the debris. Your last squadmate/LI gets you out of the debris. The wound is fatal. You plead him to assume control and do what he can. At this point if your squadmate is the LI he/she kisses you. Then he/she goes to the console and as you die you witness the reapers leaving earth and flying into the sun.
You can now read the PARAGON ENDING STORIES

l) You assume control and reapers can?t damage the station. You can now choose to fly the reapers into the sun and read the PARAGON ENDING STORIES or promote the standing of humanity in the Galaxy and read the RENEGADE ENDING STORIES


M1)
Illusive Man is dead. The Cerberus device that could potentially control the reapers is destroyed. You approach the console and manage to contact Hackett. You tell him that the mission is a success and that you?re starting the pulse. The reapers are now starting a desperate attempt to shoot down the citadel before the Crucible can fire. You ask Hackett to defend the station at all costs. Evaluate your military strength. If your military strength is below 2000 go to M2), if it?s between 2000 and 3000 go to M3) and if it?s 3000+ go to M4)

M2)
Reapers shoot and destroy the citadel before the Crucible may fire. Your war effort was insufficient. You die. Reapers win. END HERE

M3) The Crucible fires the pulse. However seconds before the reapers shoot the citadel and blast the Presidium chambers. Your last squadmate or LI gets thrown out of the room and perishes. You can?t save him/her. You try to escape the explosion but you get wounded by the debris. You avoid being buried underneath but your wound is fatal.
You crawl back towards the control panel with a window overseeing Earth. As you die you witness the destruction of the Reapers as the signal spreads through the Mass Effect Relay network.
You can now read the PARAGON ENDING STORIES


M4) Citadel is unharmed from the last-effort reaper attack. The pulse is sent through the relay and you and your surviving teammate witness the victory against the reapers. If it?s your LI you look at each other but don?t kiss instead mourning the loss of your other teammate.
You can now read the PARAGON ENDING STORIES


P1)
MAX PARAGON ENDING. Be certain that it?s what you want.
You?re now at Crucible control. The Illusive Man is right beside you. The husks are dead and your teammates seize him and relieve him from his gun.
Hackett is online and you tell him that everything goes as planned. You tell him to protect the Citadel at all costs. You initiate the sequence.
The reapers in the last effort start shooting at the Citadel to prevent the pulse. If your military strength is below 2000 go to P2), if it?s between 2000 and 3000 go to P3) and if it?s 3000+ go to P4).

P2)
Reapers shoot and destroy the citadel before the Crucible may fire. Your war effort was insufficient. You die. Reapers win. END HERE

P3)
The Crucible fires the pulse. However before it can do so the reapers shoot the citadel and blast the Presiduim chambers. The Illusive Man gets thrown out of the room and perishes. You can?t save him. You try to escape the explosion but you get wounded by the debris. Your teammates are unharmed and drag you out. You know that the wound is fatal. You ask them to bring you to the console where you can have the last sight of your home planet.  As you die you witness the destruction of the reapers and the victory for all the alien races.
If your LI is in the squad he/she holds you as you pass and tells of his/her love for you. If it?s a woman, then she tells you that she?s pregnant. If it?s Tali she also removes her mask and tries to feel her skin against yours one last time.
End game stories begin.
You get a heroic burial on Earth. All your surviving squadmates make a speech. As the credits roll, Liara?s message to the stars plays again.
Read the PARAGON ENDING STORIES

P4)
Reapers can?t touch the citadel. As the signal propagates, the Illusive Man?s eyes flash. You realise that he sacrificed himself by destroying the Cerberus Indocrination Contol device.He smiles at you and tells you that you were right before he dies after having implanted himself with Reaper technology.
You witness the destruction of the reaper forces with your squadmates. This is the ultimate victory.
If your LI is in the squad you kiss. If it?s Tali she removes her mask for this.

End game stories begin.
You and your LI go to your LI?s home planet and establish a life there for a while. You help rebuild your LI?s planet and are also a member of the new council which now increased in size to include Krogan (if you cured the genophage), Quorian and Geth (depending on your resolution of Rannoch).
Read the PARAGON ENDING STORIES

When you zoom in and see the quality and abundance of small animations (grass, water, chicken etc). When you get into a dungeon with 4 people and get a mob of a 100 skeletons running against you and then everything explodes in various directions with particle effects and incredible physics engine you would understand why the textures are not so important.

Sure when you boot up the game and stand still from afar it might look hazy but this is once again Blizzard design decision. They never opt for realism and cutting-edge graphics because they get old fast. Artisitc approach and quality animations don't.