BioWare Confirms What You Want To Know About The “Red Ending” Of Mass Effect 3

12 years ago

July 2, 2012 at 9:30 am

The red ending. Is it canon? Who’s to say? It’s the only ending that differs greatly from the others and that’s for one major reason.

Shepard lives.

Until now we all thought we knew. There’s that final scene that isn’t present in any of the other endings. The camera pans up to find shepard buried in the ruins of London, and then right before the scene ends – he gasps for air and the credits roll.

But was it his last gasp? Or the first of many? Does Shepard actually live at the end of the, “Destroy” ending or will fans just be left with even more questions?

Well, BioWare’s Tully Auckland has cleared the matter up once and for all:

You may notice that in the “Shepard lives” ending, the love interest hesitates to place Shepard’s name on the wall, and instead looks up as though deep in thought. This is meant to suggest that the love interest is not ready to believe Shepard is dead, and the final scene reveals they are correct. As the Normandy lifts off, there is hope that the love interest and Shepard will again be together.

So there you have it. Shepard is indeed alive at the end of the “Destroy” ending. But what does this mean? Is it the canonical ending? Will we ever see Shepard again? Does any of this matter? Why did nobody care that Weyland was alive at the end of Prometheus?! I want answers!

Mass Effect 3: BioWare Confirms Shepard’s Fate in Red Ending [Gameranx]

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49 responses to “BioWare Confirms What You Want To Know About The “Red Ending” Of Mass Effect 3”

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TUALMASOK

July 2, 2012 at 9:43 am

No one cared that Weyland was alive at the end of Prometheus because by that point everyone was so jaded that they had paid to see a confusing jumble of good ideas reduced to a pile of poo by Ridley Scotts deluded ego.

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1. Jordaan Mylonas
  
  July 2, 2012 at 9:51 am
  
  +1
  
  Reply
2. Shepard
  
  July 2, 2012 at 10:20 am
  
  Yeah spoiler warning would have been nice, im still yet to see Prometheus you turd.
  
  Reply
3. Banefire
  
  July 2, 2012 at 10:37 am
  
  +2
  In fact if i didnt know better id say Mac Walters wrote for Prometheus as well. Anyone who thinks that movie was anything but a failure of epic proportions needs professional help..
  
  Reply
  1. Matt Dive
    
    July 2, 2012 at 11:45 am
    
    -3
    
    I liked Prometheus a lot.
    
    Reply
  2. MickWounds
    
    July 2, 2012 at 2:04 pm
    
    yeah sorry, i forgot your opinion is all that counts and anyone who has a different opinion needs professional help.
    
    Reply
4. alinos
  
  July 2, 2012 at 1:51 pm
  
  Eh until the directors cut comes out i’m not willing to blame it solely on scott.
  
  There is a fight scene missing near the end. Coupled with the fact that several scenes which explain other scenes were apparently cut in order to please the studio overlords.
  
  But then knowing that it was one of the idiots who wrote lost who penned the script it was never going to end well.
  
  Reply
Cannon

July 2, 2012 at 9:48 am

I thought the endings made more sense, it can’t all be candy and cakes in the end. It filled in the right amout of plot holes while leaving it open for minor things for others. I remeber Bioware have said they will make more games in the Mass Effect universe just no longer about Shepard so who knows if we dont see hints in them.

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Foggy

July 2, 2012 at 9:52 am

Really considerate of you to put a spoiler for a completely unrelated movie which is still showing in cinemas at the end.

I was looking forward to seeing that.

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Jeremy

July 2, 2012 at 9:53 am

SPOILER ALERTS YOU ARSEHATS! Seriously! It’s clear that there will be ME3 spoilers, but Prometheus spoilers as well? FUCK!

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1. Foggy
  
  July 2, 2012 at 10:02 am
  
  Couldn’t agree more, serious fuckwit behaviour.
  
  Reply
2. PuppyLicks
  
  July 2, 2012 at 10:46 am
  
  +1 to this.
  Come on, this is basic level internet courtesy stuff here.
  
  Reply
Rize

July 2, 2012 at 10:07 am

Can we get this fucking article a spoiler alert in the banner? I could care less about opening it to read, but when there’s spoilers on the front page???

What the fuck.

Seriously.

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Dire Wolf

July 2, 2012 at 10:24 am

I’m going to echo everyone else here in my anger over the posting of Prometheus spoilers.

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Bato

July 2, 2012 at 10:27 am

Someone please smack the author of the article for his inconsiderate spoiler of a completely unrealated movie.

I was looking forward to watching Prometheus… was.

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1. Batguy
  
  July 2, 2012 at 10:40 am
  
  Not defending the action of including this in the story, but a) this spoiler is such a minor detail that I had to think about who Weyland was and why I cared (I didn’t) and b) the movie is ordinary.. but if you wanted to see it, go see it safe in the knowledge that this article is not going to alter your enjoyment in any way.
  
  But still, yeah, there’s was absolutely no need to write that sentence in a completely unrelated article.
  
  Reply
  1. alinos
    
    July 2, 2012 at 1:55 pm
    
    “Yeah, well, that’s just, like, your opinion, man”
    
    Seriously it doesn’t really matter if the movie is the biggest pile of turd ever made. spoiler is still a spoiler. The fact that it’s attached to the alien franchise of which weyland-yutani corp is such a large part will make it important to some.
    
    Reply
2. Banefire
  
  July 2, 2012 at 10:42 am
  
  Calm down, you realise that he is alive very early on in the terribly written narrative. All the author has accomplished id to save you 2 hrs of your life and $20. Seriously you will thank the Dave Oshry once you see it on a friends copy of the dvd in 6 months.
  
  Reply
Moloko

July 2, 2012 at 10:32 am

It’s pretty much your own fault if you haven’t watched the movie that’s been out for a month.

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1. PuppyLicks
  
  July 2, 2012 at 10:54 am
  
  Statute of limitations on spoilers should be about six months to be fair
  
  Reply
2. Foggy
  
  July 2, 2012 at 10:58 am
  
  It’s an issue which is easliy avoided with a small amount of consideration.
  
  You’d have to be a fucking idiot not to realise that posting a random line spoiling the end of a currently showing movie in a completely unrelated post was going to annoy a few people.
  
  The fact that more people have posted on here about the spoiler than the actual content of the story is a testiment to that. The funny thing is all this bloke has to do is re-post news from other sources for a living, maybe he should just post a link to the Bioware forum next time if he can’t provide even a basic level of commentary without being a moron.
  
  Reply
Starcalibre

July 2, 2012 at 10:33 am

Well, the horse is out of the barn door now. Darth Vader is Luke Skywalkers father. Soylent Green is people. Snape kills Dumbledore.

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1. Jo
  
  July 2, 2012 at 10:38 am
  
  Vader is Luke’s FATHER?! You monster!
  “Runs off crying”
  
  Reply
  1. AlexPants
    
    July 2, 2012 at 10:53 am
    
    Soylent green is Dumbledore’s father?!
    
    Reply
Matthew K

July 2, 2012 at 10:34 am

Well since I’m the only person here who isn’t interested in Prometheus, I might actually comment on the article.

I think the “breath” ending that gives us the possibility that shepard was alive was pointless in the original ending and is equally pointless now. The hesitation on the part of the love interest to put the name plate on the memorial was a nice touch, and frankly I would have been happier they added that if the took the *gasp* bit out. It’s nice to think Shepard is still out there, alive, possibly going to recover, but unless there’s a Mass Effect 4 or similar that explores this, confirming it with the tiny bit of video is just… aggravating. I guess it is kind of needed because in the original cut it’s less clear that the “destroy” ending is the only one that doesn’t explicitly destroy Shepard (it’s only hinted that it might and you’re left to assume all three choices result in death).

But still. I generally like the endings, pre- and post-extended cut, but that one thing is my least favourite part.

Reply
1. PuppyLicks
  
  July 2, 2012 at 11:03 am
  
  Synthesis was my favourite ending, felt like the best way to move forward in my opinion.
  
  Reply
  1. Matthew K
    
    July 2, 2012 at 11:35 am
    
    I consider Synthesis to be my “true” ending, but I have a friend who calls it Communist propoganda.
    
    Reply
2. Peacemaker
  
  July 2, 2012 at 1:39 pm
  
  the sacrifice was way to great to justify destroy for my ending the second time around. still don’t like any of the endings but chose control. synthesis just didn’t sit well with me, must be my scientific way of thinking. i felt that if they wanted an option where shepard survives, they didn’t try hard enough. it was a cop out to be honest. felt tacked on then, and still feels tacked on now.
  
  Reply
Thom

July 2, 2012 at 10:42 am

Report button people – use it!

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attila

July 2, 2012 at 10:53 am

I am going to add to the internet rage of the prometheus spoiler – wtf?

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That Teemo

July 2, 2012 at 10:55 am

Hitler dies at the end of WW2

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Roh

July 2, 2012 at 11:04 am

SPOILER ALERT FOR THE CRY BABIES.

OK but… Weyland ISN’T alive at the end of prometheus??, the engineer smacked him up like a proverbial bitch, the ship crashes and the girls pisses off to another planet with davids head (that somehow manages to keep functioning even after being ripped from the body, unlike bishop who gets ripped in half and pretty much carks it). If you are talking about when weyland is revealed to be alive after the girl does the surgery, yes agree it’s weird no one gives a shit, but no one seemed to care about ANYTHING that happened in that movie, like they all had gold fish brains capable of only remembering the last 5 seconds.

That film was a massive mess, what a waste of time/money/effort/talent.

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Femto

July 2, 2012 at 11:38 am

Don’t mention Prometheus I was just starting to forget it. funny plot hole vid http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-x1YuvUQFJ0&feature=youtu.be

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1. Roh
  
  July 2, 2012 at 12:37 pm
  
  That was everything i was thinking while watching it, but I have even more gripes than that, I could only suspend my disbelief so far.
  
  Reply
angryspoiledreader

July 2, 2012 at 11:42 am

S-P-O-I-L-E-R A-L-E-R-T!!!!!!!!! Some people haven’t seen Prometheus you know!!

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jesse

July 2, 2012 at 12:53 pm

so, starchild says destroy ending will kill shep because he’s part synthetic, yet it’s the one ending where he lives…

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1. Matthew K
  
  July 2, 2012 at 1:33 pm
  
  Actually, Starchild only points out that Shepard is partly synthetic. He never says he’ll be killed.
  
  Reply
2. JezzK
  
  July 2, 2012 at 2:05 pm
  
  *Spoilers*
  (Only for ME3, I would comment on Prometheus but someone beat me to it…)
  
  I’ve given up on trying to make sense of the ME3 endings.
  They were poorly conceived and even more poorly written. So, “meh.”
  (Also, in defence of some of the writers: http://www.gameranx.com/updates/id/5695/article/mass-effect-3-writer-allegedly-slams-controversial-ending/)
  
  The only saving grace with regard to the extended cut endings was the new ‘rejection’ ending which I personally really liked. It was punchy and I felt that the voice acting was perfect for that scene. They could even have still made a sequel after that because Liara’s recording could have been the ‘backup’ plan they never needed. (i.e. They actually won the war)
  
  What would have been better however, is to have a number of endings that completely branched out so that most people could have found something they were content with – not the Blue, Red, Green rubbish.
  
  Oh well, Casey Hudson said he wanted to generate discussion in the community… careful what you wish for…
  
  Reply
3. Spook_05
  
  July 2, 2012 at 5:04 pm
  
  If you talk to EDI on the Normandy she talks about transhumans. She also states that Shepard is ‘fully human’ with cybernetic implants as his/her brain is still organic . In one of the codexes the term ‘synthetic’ is apparently the alternative term used for ‘artificial intelligence’.
  
  Reply
Infrasound

July 2, 2012 at 1:32 pm

lol at the prometeus stuff, what the orig post about it said isn’t actually true? LOL at all the people who think the movie is ruined, its not, there is NO way what that post up top said could be true,

also you got the wake up ending with all three colours on a second playthrough? Or am i missing something.

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1. Matthew K
  
  July 2, 2012 at 1:35 pm
  
  You only get the ending where Shepard “might” be alive if you have an EMS above 5000 and you choose the destroy ending.
  
  If your EMS is below 5000 you don’t get the added scene.
  
  If you pick Synthesis or Control, Shepard gets disintegrated.
  
  Reply
Khar

July 2, 2012 at 2:25 pm

Destroy is justice, all you hippys get the fuck out..

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hydrakana

July 2, 2012 at 3:29 pm

Hate people who moan about spoilers, stfu already.

Reply
1. Joshy206
  
  July 3, 2012 at 12:34 am
  
  Yeah, how dare they get angry about someone telling them something that happens at the end of a movie they were looking forward to without warning?!
  
  Reply
JB

July 2, 2012 at 5:09 pm

Liara hesitated to put my name on the wall, but Liara wasn’t my love interest. The sexy Yvonne Stra- miranda, was.

Although there is a nice pic of her staring longingly I suppose.

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Joshy206

July 3, 2012 at 12:33 am

It’s an obvious and minor spoiler that didn’t shock a single person in the cinema, but still, the movie just came out. Ridiculous.

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Ruddaga

July 3, 2012 at 1:01 am

To all the people screaming spoiler alert… Prometheus is a terrible movie… Which has been out for a month now. Obviously you’re not that keen on seeing it so why jump up and down about a comment which doesn’t ruin the plot at all.

Reply
1. [Razor]
  
  July 3, 2012 at 3:43 am
  
  I finally had an opportunity to see it tonight, since my friends have been unavailable and money has been an issue. It’s never as simple as “YOU HAVEN’T SEE N IT YET SO OBVIOUSLY YOU DON’T WANT TO” so don’t act like it is.
  
  Personally I found Prometheus to be a fantastic film. Not quite as good as Alien/s but definitely an intense ride. I’m honestly surprised at all the hating I’m only seeing on the internet.
  
  Reply
Rich

September 19, 2012 at 2:47 pm

Weyland lives? You mean Weyland of Weyland-Yutani Corp? The one that’s in ALL of the Alien movies? How weird.

Reply

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BioWare Confirms What You Want To Know About The “Red Ending” Of Mass Effect 3

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49 responses to “BioWare Confirms What You Want To Know About The “Red Ending” Of Mass Effect 3”

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