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Gigi-FenixPhoenix — Commander Shepard Control
Published: 2012-08-31 18:57:00 +0000 UTC; Views: 30230; Favourites: 647; Downloads: 315
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Description
Fifth installment in the Commander Shepard series. This is control. I feel that the quote used sums up the ominous tone of Shepard's speech. Shepard has become something akin to a Omnipotent Goddess.I feel that this ending, however, would become a vicious circle. Stripped of emotions and the chaos of humanity (organics) she might end up picking up where the catalyst left and send the reapers out to harvest one more time. Or worse, she might end up coming up with a worst solution (destruction of the species that wish for too much power, perhaps?).
Then again, things might end up well with Shepard as the Universe' guardian, but I think that eventually the utopia she wishes for will crumble on the wake of organics' ambition.
*After talking with some of you through the comments on the other artworks, I realized that I had forgotten to include an interpretation for the option of "refusal" (where you decide to shoot the catalyst), so I'll also be doing that one.
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Shepard Series
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gigi-fenixphoenix.deviantart.c… Commander Shepard -- Doubt
fav.me/d5hsspg Commander Shepard -- Resolution
gigi-fenixphoenix.deviantart.c… Commander Shepard --Synthesis
gigi-fenixphoenix.deviantart.c… Commander Shepard --Destroy
Commander Shepard --Control
Commander Shepard --Peace
fav.me/d5bu4m8 Commander Shepard --Regrets
gigi-fenixphoenix.deviantart.c… Commander Shepard -- Refusal
BONUS:
gigi-fenixphoenix.deviantart.c… Wallpaper
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The Shepard Files
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*the first link would be the fanfic, the second the image that goes with it
[ONE] Colonist fav.me/d5ekxy7 gigi-fenixphoenix.deviantart.c…
[TWO] Colonist/Sole Survivor gigi-fenixphoenix.deviantart.c… gigi-fenixphoenix.deviantart.c…
[THREE] Spacer
[FOUR] Spacer/Ruthless
[FIVE] Earthborn
[SIX] Earthborn/War Hero
Related content
Comments: 156
I like to joke that "Control" is the best ending because it's the only one where everyone lives (well, everyone still alive at that point anyway). In "Destroy", EDI and the Geth bite it (especially jarring if you went to such trouble to make peace with the Quarians), and in "Synthesis", Shep dies. But in "Control", he/she gets to live AND become Emperor-For-Life of the galaxy as a reward for all his/her troubles, so everything is fine. That, and I like the idea of Shep using Reaper tech to try and reunite with his/her love interest - that would be ... interesting ... 
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I'm working on a fanfic to this effect, actually. It's quite fun.
Highlights: Shepard redecorates Harbinger, and adds a throne room for their 2.0 body. The throne room includes dramatic lighting presets (in fact, it has a dedicated AI for managing lighting for dramatic effect), acoustics tuned for optimum amplification of manic laughter from the throne, and a goblet dispenser built into the throne so they always have something to hold villainously.
(Shepard decided that if they were going to be the robot overlord of the galaxy, they were going to do it in style.)
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shepard dont live in controll, their body is destroyed and and their mind is "uploaded" into the reaper network, the voice isnt shepard, its an AI based on Shepards thoughts and ambitions, its without actual emotions, it only follows what Shepard thought is right, which is why i think its so disturbing...
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How is the uploading process different from the "real" Shepard getting a new body, and what makes you think that the AI version doesn't have "actual emotions"? (Actual question. I don't know what the difference is.)
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Ssshh! Don't ruin my perfect ending of Shepard being the Immortal God Emperor of the Galaxy.
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I didnt mind the ending much until we see the ai talking in the extended cut...it makes it seem so wrong and the sad thing is that Shepard just cant seem to get a happy ending after all the shit they went trough...and the synthesis one, i hated it then when edi stared talking saying she was alive...it didnt seem so bad but...ugh so deep Dx i dont get why people disslike the ending as it is now, its deep and difrent, but theres no nice little bow to tie everything and theres no overall happy ending, just the lesser of all evils...im sticking with the destroy ending cause im selfish and wanna see shepard have some sort of future, not to mention we were supose to destroy all reapers, i dont trust the other endings keeping the reapers in line.
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Fair enough. To each their own. I just think all three endings suck anyway, so that's why I personally headcanon'ed each ending into something better. My logic is that just because something isn't shown doesn't mean it can't be. A lot of fans still buy into the Indoctrination Theory, but I just prefer my versions of the ending:
Original Destroy: EDI and Geth dead (thereby completely negating any time or effort you put into EDI's story arc or into making Geth-Quarian peace plus players often forget that Shepard will only live if they have an XBOX Live account that enable them to play enough multiplayer to get the Galactic Readiness up OR scanned every last planet in the galaxy, which can be quite tedious.
My Headcanon Destroy: similar to the MEHEM (Mass Effect Happy Ending Mod) ending - Shepard lives, EDI and Geth are repaired later on along with the Mass Relays and Citadel.
Original Control: as you described.
My Headcanon Control: as I described - Shepard becomes the Immortal and Eternally Awesome God Emperor of the Galaxy; also, can still interact with his/her Love Interest by uploading into a robot body.
Original Synthesis: "space magic" somehow makes everyone happy and peaceful and ends all conflict.
My Headcanon Synthesis: I wasn't able to headcanon this one away, so I just let this one slide. I agree with you that the EDI narration makes this one a little more palatable though.
Anyway, like I said, to each their own. I just feel that we fans deserve something a little better than what we got given how much of our time and money and good faith we invested into Bioware.
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with extended cut you only need 3.1k galactic readyness on all platforms, i got the omega dlc and leviathan which gives like 400 each, i ended up with 3.7k in the end.
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Well, yeah, but DLC costs more money.
Anyway, we each have our own opinions, and we shall leave it at that. By the way, nice gallery you have!
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its worth it, theyr very fun, leviathan is some major backsory and give aditional dialogue at the end with the catalyst, and omega helps Aria take back omega, its like the shadow broker dlc from mass effect 2, the story will be abit difrent if you dont do it though, and you meet Nyreen, and you find out how sadistic Aria is : x
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personally, I always find myself to find this ending the better choice for the outcomes of the galaxy. I mean, you deastroy the reapers, and they're gone. But what happens if you destroy all the technology in the galaxy? All dextro species will have trouble going home, I guess :/ expecially the quarians. That's my thought, maybe I'm not seeing something here. And I have a little headcanon of Shepard visiting in a dream his/her loved one just one time.
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I think they fixed it in the extended ending so that at least the relays don't get totally destroyed, making it easy for the species to fix it. I am not sure how the destruction of technology can come about, given that the knowledge of how it came to be would still be available by some. Enough people could just rebuild everything. Granted, it may take a few years, but it's doable.
However, I agree with you this seemed the only choice where everyone lives. Except that if you ended with a renegade Shepard, her words are very ominous at the end, hinting at perhaps a new Reaper Era lead by Shepard herself. Would be an awesome idea if this was the "cannon" ending, since we could have Shepard become the antagonist of feature Mass Effect games (a la Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader style).
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I still don't have the balls to make a full renegade Shepard, but I'm curious about other outcomes for your choice of words and acting, so I try to get the bars even.
If I'm correct the space portals get destroyed. Either they're going to rebuild them after the war, or someone will run out fuel in order to get home, and that's just sad.
Nah, I had Alex Mercer as villain in Prototype 2 and it wasn't as great as I expected. I can't really imagine Shepard becoming evil, ruining all he/she did to save the galaxy. I imagine Shepard to be a figure more like the Outsider ( if you ever played Dishonored) after the paragon Control ending. But I must agree, I watched a video with the renegade ending and Shepard's final speech was very strong in the control ending.
In my opinion, it would be better a whole new cast. Mass Effect is perfect as it is, and I'm afraid that dragging out old characters won't really do any good, if they're going to be part of the team.
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I read somewhere that originally, Shepard was supposed to have been indoctrinated (they even had some concept art showing this) and either Alenko or Ashley (depending on who was alive) would be forced to kill you. So the game would come back full circle, to when you had to kill Saren, who was indoctrinated.
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Yeah, I know about the indoctrination theory. Some people still think that it's a true fact and Shepard had been indoctrinated since the death of Saren.
As far as I know, Bioware had not confirmed it, but neither they denied the theory. For this, I feel free to believe Shepard wasn't indoctrinated and this is just a theory some people have.
I don't quite like it though. Gone through too much shit in the game to believe it was for nothing more than a delusion. I'f find that a bit...disappointing, after playing a trilogy.
It would have been a great idea if the Mass Effect saga would have been a single movie ( a sci fi version of Shutter Island, to say ). But for a game where the main character overlays to the player to the point the game shapes on your choices? Nah, it had to happen earlier and with less amount of things and consequences going on the way. :/
On the other side, it might be like a metaphor to whoever is too much into videogames, and the way one's mind relates to such a fictional world just happens to be a self-centered aberration
However, it remains a great game. Indoctrination or not 
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Haha that's true. I quite like the indoctrination theory because it's a sobering thought. The idea that these threat (reapers) are so incredibly powerful, that even your character (the beacon of hope!) cannot destroy them! However, it's also quite tragic and grim. I loved Saren's character precisely because he was a legend --a hero-- who fell so low it hurt. Especially when you make him realize this and he takes his own life, the last sane act of a man who went insane, sort of thing.
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Personally, my femShepard found a way to reform her soul into a new body, though maintained control of the Reapers, and then chucked all the reapers into a star. Or maybe that is just my wishful thinking.
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Haha that would have been an awesome ending! Now if only we could save Anderson too...
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Nah, to me Anderson just past out, he would be found later and get medigel. He retires from the service, instead focuses on rebuilding earth, Miranda becomes the new human councilor.
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I love the idea, I will think so as well. He woke up like nothing 
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My Shep went up with Mordin, provided a biotic barrier to shield him from the explosions, and then biotic charged him and her self out of there when the cure was deployed. Thane still dies for my head canons though.
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Haha that's awesome! Mordin doesn't deserve to die, indeed! Because he is just awesome and simply wanted to move to a beach!
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gorgeous colours! The control ending was the saddest by far!
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It was a bittersweet ending for sure. Shepard managed to get everyone the closest thing to a perfect happiness, but dies in the process. A true hero, I would say.
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yeah I always thought it was he ideal ending other than destroy because Shepard's conscience can stick around to protect everyone but the real shep is gone forever. So I definitely agree that it was bittersweet
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This piece is very majestic. And her face expression... Definitely this would be the one she looked in my imagination if she would stay in her body.
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Yes, when I got this ending I had been playing a renegade play through and her speech at the end, chilled me. I could see some corruption taking place and, in the long run, she might very well continued the cycle. It was almost: either you all fall in line, or I'll rip you out of my way!
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Yeah, definitely, that sounded threatening. But maybe the fact that she was an organic once and fought for freedom would help her not to become a ruthless dictator. Especially with that lines, where she promised never to forget people who fought and died to make the galaxy peaceful.
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That's true. I did see the video (in youtube) of the ending if you had played paragon. The speech at the end changes in important ways. Instead of being aggressive/threatening about what would happen if order is not kept, she becomes defensive/warnings. So I feel like a Paragon Shepard that chose control, might keep her humanity about her and rule magnanimously.
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I haven't seen Paragon Control ending by far. And somehow I always tend to choose Destroy. Now I guess the other choices can turn out into very interesting things.
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Check it out in youtube. The speech is very similar, but some words change radically, making it less ominous and more... harmonious and full of hope, i think.
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Thanks, I will definitely check it out!
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your great artwork along with the quotes you choose give the image depth. Its very haunting, yet beautiful. Great job.
As for the endings, i feel like no matter what you choose there's some sort of drawback. Making it, in essence, a choiceless choice. No matter what Shepard chooses there will be consequences. Sadly.
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Thank you very much! I'm glad you liked them. And I agree, all the choices are shades of gray. Right until the very end, Shepard was never given a break :s. But this is what made the character so special. The fact that, despite it all, she/he kept moving forward into the unknown.
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See, I always saw the "control" ending as a way to destroy the reapers without destroying the geth or EDI. Gain control, find a way to fix the relays, then direct all the reapers to the nearest black hole or star (in an uninhabited system). But I guess that's just me.
Anyway, lovely image.
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Thank you very much! I'm glad you like it!
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I think that you suggestion that control!Shepherd may apply his/her morality to the Reapers' mission is all too probable. Let the species that reaches for power with no care for those in its way beware... for the harvest may yet begin again.
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Indeed, I think it is inevitable that Control Shep would eventually follow the logical route of the starchild reapers.
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It seems each ending would lead to an unfathomable future for who wants to live forever or who wants to find their lives cut short by design?
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I thought that all endings had something positive to them. Control leaves a shadow of doubt, especially if you're Renegade. It just might come crashing down spectacularly, but if it doesn't, then the galaxy will be protected by the might of the Reapers forever. And I think that, since Shepard was so singular, she's the only one capable of controlling the Reapers without becoming corrupted. I still prefer Synthesis, though. I wasn't willing to sacrifice the synthetics that had already suffered so much, or the friends I'd made, or the people who were learning to overcome their differences to stand up for each other in the face of extinction. And Synthesis (to me at least) represented the possibility of transcending the limits of organic and synthetic life to create a better galaxy for everyone, one that would never again need to suffer from a war in such scale. My Shepard found peace in that and could finally rest.
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Thank you! I drew the synthesis version thinking pretty much along the same lines you did. Where Shep wasn't willing to sacrifice anymore than she already had. Yet, someone rose a point in the comments that I hadn't consider then. She said that she wouldn't want to chose synthesis just because it made her wonder if the Husks would remember who they were. If that was so, then their existence would be nothing short of nightmarish. Which is true. Even if they don't remember who they were, but become capable of thought, then they might just suffer.
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Hm, that's a good point, but for one, I don't think she considered all the details, and for the other, maybe the "transcendence" I imagined helped the husks overcome the suffering of their condition. Or maybe they were 100% Reapers after all, so they'd only lose their thirst for destruction. If they did turn back into their former species, well... sucks to be a Brute, or a Praetorian, or a Cannibal, or a Scion.
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Pretty husks would stay husks, maybe with feelings, but even still their "soul" is already erased by dragon's teeths so...
Another point I saw was that Synthesis prevents all species from future evolution, since it is "the final stage". Interesting point of view even if I maintain that being alive is evolving. Learning, loving, living is evolution. As long as the reproduction still remains, they will still evolve.
However, no thoughts on that "possible immortality" EDI speaks of à the end.
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I don't think she'll be a problem. Weather it's the original Shepard or not, it's obvious she still feels. She'll be much better than the Catalyst because she was alive.
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Perhaps, but looking back at her memories devoid of her actual feelings might corrupt her as well. Just think about it. Do you still feel the pain of heartbreak when you think back on your very first boyfriend? Or is it really a sense of detachment and indifference what comes over you? It might be the same for Shepard, maybe not immediatedly, but a thousand years later. After all, she's immortal.
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Well think of it this way. She's not the catalyst. She isn't bound by its programming to prevent AI wars. So basically the only guidance she has is her past experience. And despite what she says in the end, I can't imagine that god mode Shepard wouldn't be the least bit cautious about the Reapers.
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Well, the reapers she can control. So the ones that would act unpredictable would be the organics. Those are the ones she would have to keep an eye on. Especially the salarians. Seems to me (due to their short lifespan) that they might be the first to want to overthrow Overlord Shep.
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Well that's just it. She was once an organic. I don't think any AI in Mass Effect could say the same. She isn't capable of looking at it through pure logic. She'll know how they'd react to her actions, why they'd react that way, and remember when she did the same.
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It would be a question unanswered forever, lol. That's what we get with such a vague ending
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Personally, I think in the control ending scenario Shepard doesn't fundamentally change the Reapers' nature by taking the reins. Chances are that by uploading her mind and memories into their control hub she taught them synthetics and organics can coexist peacefully, so they will take action against advanced civilizations only if the conflict reignites. In essence, it's like she turned the Darkspawn into Grey Wardens.
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