Doctor Verner: or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love

Doctor Verner: or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Retcon

 

Here are my "epilogue slides" for the various choices and sidequests upon beating ME3. Keep in mind, I'm of the opinion that the series needs one cohesive theme, and I've basically reworked the plot of ME2 and ME3 to reflect that. I'll explain briefly.

 

In my fantastical, idealized Mass Effect series, the entire thrust of the series is devoted to answer the question, "where does humanity fit with the galaxy at large?"

 

The first game pretty much plays into this theme without much revison. Either Shepard can save the council, earning humanity a greater role in the galaxy, or replace them with a human council for greater human influence/dominance. Playing up Cerberus' role would be a must though, as they'd serve to play the "human dominance" side to the Alliance's "peaceful cooperation".

 

The second game would revolve around building a new squad after the first Normandy is lost in a heretic Geth attack, deciding whether to join Cerberus or rejoin with the Alliance when you're rebuilt by the  "true" Geth, and solving the problems of the genophage and quarian/geth conflicts.

 

The last game doesn't have any "big choices" moment. Rather, it's one big series of payoffs based on your choices and sidequests in one and two.

 

I'll stop explaining and get to the actual fucking choices now.

 

The Council:

 

If Shepard chose to save the Council, and chose to remain a member of the Systems Alliance:

 

In the wake of the Reaper's defeat, the Council began the long, arduous process of rebuilding. The Systems Alliance, having not only lent key support in critical battles but also spearheading the Crucible project that ultimately ended the Reaper threat, proved it was truly worthy of it's place on the Citadel council. No longer was humanity considered a mere token member; rather, humanity's councilor enjoyed as much sway, if not more, than even the asari.

 

If Shepard chose to save the Council, and chose to join Cerberus in preparing for the Reapers:

 

The end of the Reaper war ushered in a new wave of human expansion and growth. Following the devastation and reclamation of Earth, the Council granted exclusive colonizing rights to humanity for what once had been the Batarian Hegemony. Humanity's representative on the Council would serve as the voice of a new era of exploration and recovery, for all of Citadel space. With the death of the Hegemony, surviving Batarians begrudgingly bowed to the Council's proclamations, and never fully recovered what they had lost in what was called "The Human Colony Blight".

 

If Shepard chose to let the Council die, and chose to remain a member of the Systems Alliance:

 

With the Reapers dead, the Systems Alliance quickly re-established control of the Citadel, and once more installed interim human representatives to guide the galaxy to stability. While some Council races grumbled in discontent, their efforts to rebuild their battered and terrorized worlds occupied them for a time, until new Citadel Council members could be elected. Humanity was given a modicum of respect following this period, as even the Turians acknowledged that Humanity's swift command of the Citadel likely prevented mass chaos.

 

If Shepard chose to let the Council die, and chose to join Cerberus in preparing for the Reapers:

 

With the destruction of the Council, and the death of the Reapers, humanity stood in a prime position to control what was left of the galaxy. Seizing control of the Citadel, and by extension, the Mass Relay network, humanity established a firm grasp of the galaxy. In the years following the ascention of humanity to the new ruling race of the galaxy, colonies sprouted across neumerous garden worlds in the Attican Traverse, former Hegemony territory, and even several Terminus Systems. Humanity looked to the future, and the future looked bright indeed.