During the 2020 Game Awards (December 10th), the first teaser trailer for the next mainline entry in the Mass Effect series was released. Before this announcement, the series had been on ice for a little over four years, ever since Mass Effect: Andromeda failed to perform well critically. At just under two minutes long the relatively short teaser for Mass Effect 5(?) gave fans a lot to unpack. I had planned to do a trailer analysis much earlier but just wasn't feeling motivated until the remastered trilogy reignited the spark. We'll start off with a breakdown of the trailer and then get into some thoughts and theories.
0:03 - The opening shot is of two galaxies: the Milky Way Galaxy and the Andromeda Galaxy. Project director Michael Gamble stated via Twiter, "We show both for a reason." Could this mean the Milky way races travel to Andromeda? Or does Ryder use Andromeda tech to get to the Milky way?
0:08 to 0:51 is a recap of events, from the first moon landing (1969) to the First contact war (2157), Humanity becoming a member of the Citadel (2165), Ark 6 leaving (early 2186), the Reaper invasion (late 2186), and finally the Crucible post-fire:
Break-down:
- (0:08) - "We know now that in the early years of the 20th century, this world was being watched."
- A quote from the 1938 novel, "The War of the Worlds" by H.G. Wells.
- (0:15) - "Eagle, Houston. You're a Go for landing. Over."
- The 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing.
- (0:21) - "Arcturus Station, unknown vessel approaching. We need First Contact protocols."
- The start of the 'First Contact War' between the Humans and the Turians. Arcturus is the headquarters of the Alliance Navy, conveniently located at the nexus of several mass relays. It used to guard the mass relay leading to Earth before it was destroyed by Reaper capital ships.
- (0:27) - "Humanity now stands as partners of the galaxy."
- The end of the 'First Contact War'. Humans have joined the other races.
- (0:30) - "Ark 6 is away, godspeed."
- The missing Quarian ark (Keelah Si'yah from the Andromeda Initiative) was the last ark to depart the Milky Way, just barely escaping as Reapers entered the local star cluster. The Quarian ark sent out a distress call before vanishing, warning the Andromeda Initiative to stay away because of some threat.
- There is conflicting information about the Ark numbering. The Quarian ark may have actually been Ark 5, which would make Ark 6 a complete mystery. Is there a hint of something bigger here?
- (0:40) - The debris appears to be a destroyed Mass relay from the ending of the third game and the audio indicates a Reaper invasion. A very clear Reaper boom is heard at 0:44.
- (0:47) - "Is anyone receiving this? We've lost contact."
- Likley a post-ME3 moment when all of the Mass Relays were destroyed, leaving the Milky Way races cutoff from each other. Every ending did eventually repair the damage - "Control" and "Synthesis" with Reapers, and "Destroy" with the collective efforts of the Milky Way races.
- (0:53) - "Godspeed" (almost inaudible)
- Heard over comms the very first time Ryder takes off in the Tempest ship. Michael Gamble has stated that this was "Intentional".
1:02 - There are at least 3 moons visible and one appears very large in the sky at 1:21. Liara is not on Earth.
1:07 - Liara walks across a dead(?) Reaper. Her robes vaguely resemble the ones worn by Matriarch Benezia (her mother). Some fans think Liara looks older in this scene, possibly in her Matriarch stage, which begins at around 700 years of age but can start earlier.
1:11 - An N7 armor piece is retrieved. Does it belong to Shepard? Alec Ryder? Someone else? Is there a deeper meaning behind the N7 piece or was Liara just reminiscing?
1:19 - Three figures are visible. The bulkier of the three figures could be an angara, a krogan, or a turian. The more slender figures could be salarian, drell, or human. The "Mudskipper" (ship? base?) is clearly visible in the background. Is there a reason we're shown this ship instead of the Normandy or Tempest?
The Mudskipper concept art depicts three moons in the sky, with one appearing very large just like in the trailer. There is no ice, however. Is this the same planet as the one shown in the trailer and if it is, does it have anything to do with the terraforming system of Andromeda?
The appearance of two galaxies at the very start of the trailer - the Milky Way in the forefront and Andromeda in the background, seems significant. Project director Michael Gamble has said fans should "wait and see"; that both are shown for a reason. This leads me to believe the next Mass Effect game will bridge the Andromeda and Milky Way galaxies, possibly through the use of Remnant or Reaper technology. Such a feat could also be accomplished (theoretically) with a wormhole or perhaps that mysterious sixth Ark comes into play somehow. And let's not forget that the Milky Way races have had 600 years to advance while the Initiative was in transit to their new home in Andromeda. Of course, it's equally plausible the two galaxies are a red herring, a nod to the saga so far, and the next title will be a direct sequel to only one of the two galaxies. I have some musings on a direct sequel, but feel free to skip right to the "One More Story" section if that sort of thing doesn't interest you.
A Milky Way Sequel
Returning to the Milky Way will be problematic because choice and consequence was a big part of the experience. Player decisions made in one game would carry over to significantly impact the events of the sequels - from anything as small as loosing a squad member forever to whole races going extinct. This is likley why we only see Liara in the trailer - she was the only original squad member guaranteed to be alive in Mass Effect 3. Given the average lifespan of an Asari is one thousand years (Liara was only 106), this places the trailer anywhere from just after the ending to Mass Effect 3 to hundreds of years later. But time alone won't be enough to offset the impact left by Shepard's choices:
Rachni: Shepard could kill or spare the Rachni Queen in ME1 and ME3. If the Queen was spared, is she still living peacefully? Do the Milky Way races ever come to trust her race in light of the aid they rendered against the Reapers? What if the Breeder (Rachni Queen clone) was spared? Is she now causing trouble for the galaxy? The Rachni Wars illustrated how alarmingly powerful, hostile, and adaptive the Rachni can be.
Krogan: The race stands a good chance of recovering, assuming the Genophage was cured and Wrex and Bakara are still around. Do they manage to avoid overpopulation? Do they reclaim any of their pre-genophage culture or do things fall apart? Wreav would likley lead his people into another rebellion, especially if Bakara did not survive.
Geth and the Quarians: The Geth help the Quarians adapt to a life without suits, provided peace between the two races was secured. Do the two manage to cooperate post-Reaper invasion, or does the conflict resume? Worst case scenario, one race (depending on who Shepard sided with) goes extinct. What is a world without Geth like? What is a world without Quarians like?
Leviathans: The ancient race that created the Catalyst AI and served as the basis for the Reapers. Will the self-proclaimed "apex race" try to reclaim their status or will they remain as the bogeyman in the background? The Leviathans are capable of enthrallment (a form of indoctrination) and at least one of them is capable of space flight.
Mass Effect 3's color coded endings will arguably be the biggest hurdle to clear. Andromeda tried to circumvent the long-standing consequences of the ME3 endings by starting fresh in an entirely new galaxy. Perhaps BioWare has found a way to pull off a narrative that takes into account all of the future implications and variables of each ending, but I doubt it; too much is effected. The Milky Way races have had their lives, and possibly minds, altered too severely. In all likelihood, one of Mass Effect 3's endings is going to have to become canon, but it's completely up in the air as to which one that could be. Some of my thoughts:
"Synthesis"
This option was the hardest to unlock - available at 2800+ military strength, and was favored by the Catalyst.
Green Ending: Shepard dissolves his/her body in the Crucible to create a new hybrid "framework" for organic and synthetic life. The process ends the conflict between synthetic and advanced organic civilizations that the Reapers were created to stop.
Summary: Synthesis is arguably the best ending morally, in that it preserves the largest number of lives. Everyone (except Shepard) survives, including the Reapers and undead husks. Disease is cured, lives are extended (possibly indefinitely?), and everyone understands each other. Although, the ending is eerily unclear as to how much free will or individuality everyone retains.
Logically and thematically, Synthesis is the worst ending. It forces major genetic and cultural changes on an entire galaxy without consent and relies on the idea that organics and synthetics need to be altered to achieve peace, even if Joker/Edi get together or Shepard had managed to unite the Geth and Quarians, demonstrating that peace without "Synthesis" is possible. The Reapers were not gods (highlight to read - they are organic/machine creations of an AI - the Catalyst) and their purpose is flawed.
My Thoughts: Synthesis is as close to a perfect, happy ending as you can get in ME3. But a happy ending where all organic races are peacefully coexisting with machines, husks, and Reapers doesn't really lend itself well to a sequel. The universe is boring when everyone gets along, and from what little we see in the trailer, the Reapers do not appear to be alive, nor does Liara have glowing green eyes or circuitry in her skin.
"Control"
This option was unlocked at 1750+ military strength and was favored by the Illusive Man. If the Human-Reaper was saved in ME2, this ending will always be available, regardless of total military strength.
Blue Ending: Shepard dissolves his/her body so that a copy of their mind can be integrated into the Reapers. Shepard-Reapers then assume a sort of stewardship of the galaxy.
Summary: Control is a good outcome in that everyone (except Shepard) survives and doesn't have any major genetic changes forced upon them. The Reapers remain as guardians of the galaxy (paragon) or as ominous leaders (renegade). Control has a lot of variables that leave the future uncertain. Commanding the Reapers comes with a lot of power - power that can corrupt. Should one person rule over an entire galaxy and make decisions that effect so many different species? Just how much control does Shepard even really have over the Reapers, and how much is an illusion? The Illusive Man thought he could control them, but succumbed to indoctrination. The Catalyst says Shepard can command them, but this is coming from the AI that created the Reapers and already has control over them. There is also the question as to how much of the real "Shepard" even remains. Human Shepard is dead, and digital Shepard no longer has any connection to organic life. So while the Reapers are peaceful now, whats to stop that from changing?
My Thoughts: The snow covered reapers in the trailer appear to be derelict. It's possible they could be in some sort of "rest mode", but if that were the case I suspect the Reapers would be sitting idle out in dark space; not on an ice planet.
"Destroy"
This option is always available and was favored by Anderson and Hackett.
Red Ending: Shepard kills all Reaper based synthetic life in the Milky Way. Everything that was destroyed in the war is eventually rebuilt (high EMS).
Summary: Destroy is generally regarded as the worst ending morally because it demands the largest number of sacrifices - a big sticking point for fans, particularly in regards to the fate of EDI and the Geth race. However, "sacrifice" is a theme featured prominently throughout ME3: Eve, Legion, Mordin, and Thane all sacrifice themselves for a cause. Even EDI says she would die if it would save Joker. And missions like the one on Rannoch, highlight how saving the largest number of people in the moment (the crew instead of Admiral Koris), is not always the best move in the long run.
Thematically and narratively, Destroy is the best ending. By uniting the Geth and Quarians, Shepard demonstrates that coexistence between organics and machines is possible without intermittent genocide (Reapers), babysitting (Control), or becoming a pseudo-cyborg (Synthesis). The whole purpose of ME1 and ME2 was to stop the Reapers. Shepard may have even blown up a Collector Base in ME2. The entire galaxy rallies around the Reaper's destruction in ME3, and Destroy is the only ending that doesn't compromise with the Catalyst. It kills the Reapers, let's Shepard live, and in this way "Destroy" is the most complete rejection of the Catalyst.
My Thoughts: Destroy feels like the most plausible cannon ending. Not only did Shepard have a chance to survive in this ending, but it put a definitive end to the Reaper threat. BioWare's latest art book, BioWare: Stories and Secrets from 25 Years of Game Development, also includes concept art of a Mass Relay being rebuilt in the architectural style of the Systems Alliance with Cerberus(?) colors. The "MR7" could mean there is more than one.
UPDATE: Bioware's 2021 N7 Day post indicates "Destroy" was the most commonly chosen ending by players (45%), followed by Synthesis (30%), Control (17%), and Refuse (8%).
Andromeda Redux
Unpopular opinion - Andromeda deserves a second chance. Many of the issues fans had with the new galaxy were technical or story-related rather than setting-related, thanks in a large part to a turbulent development cycle with a new team and a new studio that had to scrap up to six new species and restrict story elements due to budget constraints and mismanagement. This resulted in players having only a single cluster within Andromeda to explore and two (technically one) new alien races to encounter. Despite its stumblings, Andromeda established a strong foundation in a new galaxy for future titles to build from, and left no shortage of unresolved Heleus Cluster mysteries to resume:
Phoning Home: The Nexus communication beacons to the Milky Way have "gone unanswered". The Initiative has access to QEC systems, which should allow for near-instant communication between Andromeda and the Milky Way, assuming both ends are functional. Did the system not survive the Reaper invasion, or is there some other reason no one is answering?
The Benefactor: The mysterious figure that bankrolled the Andromeda Initiative remains a mystery. The (now dead) Jien Garson expressed concerns over the Benefactor's motives for funding the project: "I hope it's all for good, but... I have my doubts." Alec Ryder expressed similar concerns in his audio logs and pondered why the Benefactor would continue to hide now that they've reached Andromeda.
Jien Garson: The Initiative's founder was murdered under peculiar circumstances. Why was she killed and by whom? Her killer is still on the loose.
Kett: What will the Kett do now that their Archon is dead? Will the Primus reach out to the Kett Empire on Sarhesen?
The Jardaan: The Jardaan and the monolithic terraforming network they created may be of interest to Liara - the Shadow Brokers were in contact with Alec Ryder. We still do not know who the Jardaan were or how and why they built the network. Why create the Angara? Were the Reapers aware of the Jardaan's existence? There is an interesting theory about the Jardaan, synthetics, and Angaran reincarnation worth checking out - The Jardaan Ascension Theory
Scourge: Who unleashed the Scourge - a system-spanning field of destructive dark energy, and why did they target the Jardaan? Could this could be a reworked version of the unresolved "Dark Energy" plot from Tali's recruitment quest in Mass Effect 2? The idea behind the scrapped plot was that "Biotics", which use the same energy as the Mass Relays, were warping the universe. This was also the original motive for the Reapers culling the galaxy of advanced organic species every 50,000 years. The Mass Relays were built by the Reapers to speed up the advancement of organic civilizations, bringing them to harvest sooner while also concentrating colonization efforts around the Mass Relays, making it easier for the Reapers to find populated clusters. BioWare's writers never fully fleshed out the idea and ultimately took Mass Effect 3 in a completely different direction.
The trailer doesn't make it clear who the cast or protagonist of the next entry could be. Liara will probably have some role to play, but not as the protagonist. The Mass Effect games have always been about creating your own character (unless you count Galaxy and Infiltrator). I would love to have one of the less represented races as a crew member - a Batarian or Volus Biotic God. As for the protagonist... its hard to say. BioWare is either going to have to start fresh again or play it safe with an established character.
Shepard
The N7 logo is so closely tied to Shepard that the armor piece in the trailer could signal the return of the beloved character, or at the very least a cameo appearance similar to Hawke in Inquisition. But how could this be possible? There are three possibilities:
1. Survived; as human (Destroy ending) / as Reaper (Control ending).
3. Cloned... again.
The first two are the simplest solutions, and assuming there is access to Shepard DNA they could, theoretically, bring Shepard back again the same way they did the first time - a Lazarus 2.0. However, the project is expensive, risky, time consuming, and morally questionable. I just can't see anyone justifying the expense right after a galaxy wide war that cost so many lives. Neither the Alliance nor the Galactic Council were on board the first time; it was a shady organization that took the initiative. But hey, Liara is the Shadowbroker. Maybe shes got connections that could make it happen.
Shepard has also been cloned once before - in order to have a "backup" to use for "spare parts" in the Lazarus project. The clone was identicle to the real Shepard in every way except personality and experience. The clone had no friends, identity of their own, or purpose in life and became resentful of the real Shepard. The possibility exits that Shepard could be cloned again, or maybe the original clone never died - he fell from a great height but his/her death was never actually seen. A clone could explain away any differences between the Trilogy Shepard and ME5 Shepard. Maybe the N7 armor in the trailer is being used to stir memories in the clone, and came from the planet real Shepard fell-to/died-near in the opening of Mass Effect 2. Of course this is wild speculation.
Resurrecting the Commander would be an easy way for BioWare to gain back the goodwill of fans after Andromeda and Anthem failed to perform well, but personally, I would hate to play as Shepard again. We had our time with Shepard and it was awesome. Now, let them rest. According to producer Michael Gamble in a 2011 interview, the trilogy was always meant to be Shepard's story: "After this [ME3], Commander Shepard's story is complete"; they didn't plan for future appearances. It's possible things have changed since that interview, but I also don't trust BioWare to do right by Shepard. BioWare as it exists now is not the same company that made the Mass Effect trilogy.
Ryder
I think many of the issues with Ryder's character come down to the writing itself, like the strange quips during the first encounter with the Archon that ruin an otherwise tense scene. The potential is there, but the setup is poor. It would be interesting to see Ryder a few years older, a little more experienced. I am willing to give BioWare a chance at redeeming this protagonist.
New Main Character
Will there be a new Main Character? Perhaps someone scouted by Liara T’Soni for a team fighting against a new threat, be it Leviathans, Dark Energy or Kett. A choice of playable race and background would be a welcome change to BioWare's "human centric" storytelling, as well as add replay value. This route would take more effort than a human only story, but it isn't like BioWare hasn't given players a choice of playable race before - both the multiplayer for Mass Effect and the Dragon Age series have given players a choice of race. The Human, Asari, Batarian, and Drell could probably use the same armor sets. The alien races are also "easier to animate than the humans", according to animator Jonathan Cooper.
I have seen a lot of talk around the web about the possibility of having a new protagonist be the offspring of Shepard and... ugh, no, just no! Shepard had no children and may have been in a relationship where it was biologically impossible for them to have one with their significant other. There is also no good reason for a new protagonist to have any biological relation to Shepard. Being related to Shepard won't make the child (or grandchild, or great grandchild, or whatever) a stand-in for the real Shepard.
Closing
Thanks for reading! Obviously, these are just my observations and speculations based on a single teaser trailer for a game still in the pre-production phase, so don't take any of it too seriously. Even if the trailer is full of hints according to BioWare, I understand it's meant to excite fans about the next entry first and foremost, and not to provide any hard details at this stage. BioWare had done something similar during Andromeda's pre-production phase and a lot changed over its five years of development, the bulk of which was completed within the last 18 months before release.
BioWare has been in a bad spot lately, and based on the quality of their latest titles I won't be rushing out to buy their newest game releases. I remain hopeful however, that they'll be able to turn things around. Time will tell. In the meantime, I still enjoy speculating about the future possibilities of their franchises. It will be interesting to see whats revealed down the line - how much was guessed right or wrong.
First posted to videogamegeek.com
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