

Through these circumstances, a new antagonistic force could come to power, or some remnant of the Reapers could still need to be stamped out. This would mean that the Reaper threat has been eradicated and that no new race of machine-human hybrids has arisen. Related: Mass Effect Trilogy's Best Romance Optionsīecause Shepard can only live via the Destroy ending of Mass Effect 3, their inclusion in Mass Effect 4 would rule out the Synthesize and Control endings. Choosing the Synthesis option results in a new race emerging, one that is a blend of human and synthetic, ushering society into a strange, mysterious era. Control is another option, which sees Shepard assume complete authority over the Reapers, using them to repair the damage done to Mass Relays and human settlements. The first option is Destroy, which wipes out all synthetic life in the galaxy, causing widespread suffering but effectively eliminating the Reapers. The ultimate showdown with the existential Reaper threat turned out to be much less focused on combat than some anticipated, with Shepard interfacing with an ancient consciousness and choosing between three major options, which is part of what made some players feel that Mass Effect 3's choices didn't really matter. Much ink has been spilled about Mass Effect 3's controversial ending, with many criticisms being raised regarding its lack of consequence, restrictiveness, and anti-climactic nature.
