ShadowsofHope said:
Alternatively..
"So be it!" The catalysts voice is intermixed with that of Harbingers as it fades, sounding both enraged and disappointed as it fades away. Only one phrase is uttered with certainty in it's wake as though a lingering memory."The cycle continues"
As the rooms lights fade and everything powers down...a renegade prompt appears that, after pressing it, causes shepard to hail Admiral hackett
"Admiral are you there?"
"Shepard!?" The voice is surprised but also anxious."What's going on? The crucible isn't working...Also we just picked up a large spike of energy."
"Admiral..do we still have enough ships in space" Shepard asks, sounding surprisingly nervous.
"Barely, the reapers are giving us a fight but..we still have more then enough to fight them off a bit longer. Why do you ask?"
Shepard sighs, expression soon becoming quite serious."I need you to blow up the Citadel"
"WHAT!?" Admiral Hackett is naturally quite shocked by this suggestion, almost angry."Commander..you can't be serious"
"I am, this is the only way now"
"Commander...you're asking us to destroy the very center of all galactic civilisation, a monument to all sentient races and the home of millions. I'm going to need a damned good reason to order our fleets to perform such a reckless action"
-If paragon option is Chosen
"Don't you think i know that?" Shepard seems quite to be almost accusing of Hackett."But...we have no other choice, this is the only way to stop them"
"Commander.."
"Hackett, i'm tired of this" Shepard winces, seeming to be getting weaker."I...no, me and my crew spent the last three years fighting to stop them. We saw them abduct colonies, waited for them to take earth, We...failed to stop them burning Thessia. It's our duty to put an end to this" Shepard sighs."If we don't, then every race is going to die: Quarians, Turians, Asari, Salarians...everyone. Everything we've done won't mean a thing, because the A.I running the reapers is on board this station and unless we destroy it the reapers will keep on fighting" Shepard gives another sigh."Give the order Admiral, tell them...to lock on to my vital signs...and end this, on our terms not theirs"
"...Ok Commander" The scene then turns to the ships of the various races as they hear this message, many naturally with mixed reactions.
"This is Admiral Hackett. All ships are to open fire and destroy the Citadel, the Reaper control A.I is located on the citadel. I repeat....destroy the citadel"
"What do you think you're doing!?" The Catalyst once more appears, it's voice again an angered mix of itself and harbinger."A solution was offered and you denied it. I offered you choices, and you squandered them.."
"They were your choices, not ours. I said i would end this on my terms, not yours..." Shepard cracks a final defiant smile."We're ending this cycle. Permenantly"
"DEFEND ME!" The catalyst's voice rings out to the remaining reapers."DEFEND THE CYCLE!"
The ending at this point depends on the galactic readiness rating: If too low, the assault fails and shepard dies of blood loss. If high enough, they are successful in blowing up the citadel (and subsuquently shepard in the process). Soon clips of the reapers deactivating and falling are shown, not unlike in the destroy ending as the other races cheer at their victory. Show montage of rebuilding races and monologue from Hackett about success and how the reapers were finally defeated and that, for the first time in millenia, the galaxy was able to decide for itself.
Roll Credits
---
If renegade option was chosen
"Oh for god sakes Admiral, just listen to me! The whole reaper armada is being controlled by an A.I that's been laying dormant in the citadel for centuries..the citadel is what's controlling the reapers!" Shepard sounds surprisingly angry, even hurried."We finally have a chance to blow these bastards to hell, and if you don't do it...then i'll damn well find a way to do it myself!"
"Commander.."
"Look, we can sit here discussing this as much as you damn well want and let our ships get blown to hell, or we can end this! Negotiations with this thing failed...now we do it our way"
"Commander, we're going to need something to target" Hacketts words are spoken as Shepard spots the Catalyst reappearing.
"I think i got a way to fix that. If i can get it to react to stimulai it should create a surge of energy like you picked up before: Tell the troops to lock onto that and hit it with everything you've got"
"...Alright Commander"
"Why do you continue to fight? You had the choice to stop the cycle and you dismissed it.." The catalyst returns to it's normal, neutral tone of voice whilst shepard approaches it
"Choice? Just like you gave the Densorin a choice?" Shepard sounds surprisingly sarcastic as they say this.
"That...does not have anything to do with current events"
"Ok, what about the Protheans? Did you give them a choice when you enslaved their race, forced them to murder each other for the sake of your cycle?"
"They had reached the height of their development and would have-"
"What about the humans on Horizon, did they get a choice when you melted them down? Did the Asari on Thessia get a choice when you set their world on fire? Or how about the Geth when you programmed them to terrorise the known galaxy?"
"We-" The catalyst's voice sounds strained.
"And what about that kid who's skin your wearing? Didn't think i would remember him did you? I still remember one of your reapers blowing him and countless other innocent lives to pieces" Shepard kneels down level with the catalyst, their voice laced with anger and hate."Why should i take the choice offered by a Genocidal liar? You murdered more then the last five wars combined...more then any war against synthetics or organics"
"OUR PURPOSE IS BEYOND YOUR COMPREHENSION!" The voice of harbinger is once more mixed with the boys, which sounds much more angered."We were wrong to select you, we thought you would be more...co-operative"
"I guess you didn't get the memo: I want the reapers scrapped"
The catalyst seems to be overcome by static briefly before speaking in a more condemning tone."Your hands are not without blood on them. [The catalyst will list various renegade major story actions if they were taken, if not they simply don't appear]. Your argument is hypocritical"
"I don't deny that. I did what i had to, but you still seem to think you're saving us...let me ask: Did any of them ever say 'Thanks for saving us Catalyst!' Did any of those races ever want to be destroyed? You say you're saving us, then prove it...play any audio logs of the Reaper attacks on the Densorin and their 'ascendance'"
"W-what?" The catalyst seems stunned at this.
"Do it!"
The log starts to play, with it consisting of horrified screams of pain and terror.
"Densorin!"
"But-"
"PLAY IT!"
The log plays the same thing
"Protheans!"
Shepard continues to force it to play logs until it eventually reaches modern races, forcing it to replay what it overheard from Thessia, Earth, and even what was said by terrified colonists during the capture by the collectors on Horizon. All the logs have the same message, until finally
"Enough!" The Catalyst declares, sounding almost pained as it's form turns a bright green."I've heard enough"
"Shepard, the energy source started fluctuating again. We have a clear target!" Hackett says over the radio
"Then start firing!"
"...Ok Commander" The scene then turns to the ships of the various races as they hear this message, many naturally with mixed reactions. "This is Admiral Hackett. All ships are to open fire and destroy the Citadel, the Reaper control A.I is located on the citadel. I repeat....destroy the citadel"
"We...were trying to save them" The catalyst mutters in defeat, looking at shepard."The cycle was meant to protect them"
Shepard simply turns away, obviously sick of talking to the catalyst as they take the elevator back down."This won't solve the problem: The created will always rebel against the Creator. How do you intend to solve a problem we failed to rectify?"
Shepard looks back."That's for us to fix"
The ending at this point depends on the galactic readiness rating: If too low, the assault fails and shepard dies due to a missed shot hitting where they are on the citadel and consequently blowing shepard up. If high enough, they are successful in blowing up the citadel.
The citadel soon starts exploding around shepard as they make their way to the teleporter, going at a fast limping pace and just barely managing to avoid being obliterated by debris as they return to earth if Readiness high enough.
As Shepard returns to earth, they begin to lose consciousness: If they have a Love interest, they are caught before they fall by them and helped back into a nearby transport. If no Love interest is found, they are found by either Wrex, or if Wrex is dead Grunt, leading to this line of Dialogue.
"Shepard" Wrex/Grunt says with an impressed tone and chuckle, while Shepard rests a hand on their shoulder before replying weakly.
"Wrex/Grunt.." They pass out shortly after before being taken to a transport.
If Wrex and Grunt are both dead and no LI is taken, Shepard is simply saved by a faceless alliance soldier with a helmet and taken to a transport.
Soon clips of the reapers deactivating and falling are shown, not unlike in the destroy ending as the other races cheer at their victory. Show montage of rebuilding races and monologue from Shepard about success and how the reapers were finally defeated and that, for the first time in millenia, the galaxy was able to decide for itself. The final shot is of Shepard, sitting up on a hospital bed before every squad member still alive walks into the room. The scene at this point varies:
If the player has an L.I, they go over to Shepard and embrace them, the scene soon fading to black after.
If the player has no L.I, then it shows the entire squad Saluting Shepard while Shepard smiles proudly at them.
Roll Credits.
