[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] ajw34307 So here's what the Catalyst tells us when we ask how Synthesis will work: [quote][i]"Your organic energy, the essence of who and what you are will be broken down and dispersed."[/i][/quote] Wait a minute, how do you alter the DNA of every living organic being in the galaxy to instantly turn them into half-robots using the power of Shepard's "organic energy", whatever that is, and vice-versa with synthetics?[/quote] Mass Effect has always contained some ´space magic´, as some people like to call it. Reaper tech such as the Mass Relays, indoctrination and even the reapers themselves are shrouded in mystery. Considering the Crucible was just a power source, who knows what it was capable of combined with the Citadel, which is a reaper construction. If this giant installation can turn everyone into a half-robot, then why not? It's science fiction, there's no need to over-analyse it! 90% of the stuff you see in SF stories are full of nonsense to begin with. [quote][b]Posted by:[/b] ajw34307 [quote][i]"Synthesis is the final evolution of all life."[/i][/quote] What does this even mean? What about Mass Effect 2 where Harbinger says: [quote][i]"Evolution cannot be halted, progress cannot be stopped."[/i][/quote] With this in mind, how can there be a final stage of evolution? Harbinger states that evolution is a never-ending road we're constantly going down but the Catalyst sure throws that out of the window. And, if both organics and synthetics used to evolve, why don't the organic-synthetic hybrids too? And you can't finalize the evolution of all life, and even if you could, doesn't saying that synthesizing everyone was the final step in their evolution directly contradict what EDI says later in the epilogue? [/quote] The Catalyst mentioned that it had tried the concept of synthesis before but it had failed. I can only imagine that the reapers and the catalyst had given up on that concept during the events of ME2. The Crucible however, gave the catalyst new means for achieving this sort of stuff [quote][b]Posted by:[/b] ajw34307 [quote][i]"We may transcend mortality itself to reach a level of existence I cannot even imagine."[/i][/quote] How can she not imagine a level of existence she's already supposed to be at? Synthesis is the FINAL evolution of life, how can they transcend that? [/quote] I can't really bring anything into this but mind that these visions contradict because they were expressed by different characters. The only one who mentioned anything about the final evolution of life was the catalyst. Perhaps EDI is nuts or the catalyst is not all-knowing. The catalyst is revealed to be an AI after all, not a supernatural godlike being. Several people have noted that the catalyst's stance on synthetics vs organics was pretty narrow-minded because the peace between the geth and organics had proven otherwise. [quote][b]Posted by:[/b] ajw34307 Furthermore... [quote][i]"I am alive."[/i][/quote] OK, sure you are EDI, we've known that one for a while now. Oh, you mean [i]now[/i] you're alive? As in, the entire point made by ME2 and 3 about synthetics being just as valid-a-form of life as organics was what, bollocks? Didn't you say you were alive back when we were saying goodbye on Earth? Oh, that's right, you did: [quote][i]"Jeff was the one who allowed me to think for myself. But only now do I feel alive."[/i][/quote] So what is it with this implication that you needed to become partly organic in order to become a... 'real girl'? [/quote] EDI mentioned she felt alive back on earth, but in my opinion she only gained an understanding of human emotions but she could not actually feel them. I think this because she didn't really behave out of her usual robotic and static character when she said this. The EDI in the synthetic ending in vastly different in my opinion. The way she emotionally reacts to Shepards plague being put on the memorial has such a strong contrast between the 'back on earth EDI' and present EDI. [quote][b]Posted by:[/b] ajw34307 Next she says this sentence: [quote][i]"As a galaxy, we can now live the lives we have wished for, taking our first steps into a new and wonderful future, where organics and synthetics can coexist peacefully."[/i][/quote] Ok, how exactly can "organics and synthetics" coexist in any way when there are no actual organics or synthetics anymore? The whole point of Synthesis is that it does away with this barrier and EDI even says later that the lines between organics and synthetics has gone - so what was the point of this piece of dialogue? But more importantly, the implication that the only possible way you accomplish lasting peaceful coexistence between two different groups is by making them more like each other (without their consent no less!) is a beyond -blam!- up idea that has brought us so much pain and all kinds of pure horror throughout history that I have many, many issues with it being presented so lightly and cheerfully here. [quote][i]"As a galaxy, we can now live the lives we have wished for."[/i][/quote] What galaxy are you talking about there EDI, 'cause it sure as hell isn't the one I've just spent 3 games in. No one wished for that. If you went around the galaxy asking people, from turians to asari, how they'd feel about being transformed into some half-organic-half-synthetic form of life without their consent, I pretty guarantee you that the great majority of them, if not all of them, would be strongly against the idea. How many people were happy with the way they were? How many of them had religious or philosophical beliefs that'd make them consider being something like this abomination? How many of them would say they'd rather die than become some organic-synthetic hybrid? Mordin in ME2 on Collectors becoming organic/synthetic hybrids: [quote][i]"No soul - replaced by tech!"[/i][/quote] I could go on here, but I hope I've made the point that thematically Synthesis is 110% wrong and the very idea that Shepard would even consider it, let alone choose it when we spent the whole of ME1 fighting against it is an enormous insult to the series - especially given how contradictory it is.[/quote] The way of life of every being in the universe remained mostly intact. The organics were in no way 'abominations' like husks! I my opinion, Bioware did this very subtle by showing how organic tissue was covered in green hue. I didn't see any human arms replaced with metal tentacles or Turians with wheels instead of feet EDI specifically mentioned in during the epilogue that both synthetics and organics benefited from the Synthesis. Synthetics gained emotions and organics lost their organic weaknesses. Sure I don't speak for every organic being in the galaxy, but you don't either. It was ultimately Bioware's call to decide that every being accepted the synthesis. That line about organics and synthetics coexisting which you thought was bogus, is a good one. I believe that's the only thing that Bioware missed out on. I hope I brought some valid arguments to this discussion.