User blog comment:Kaloneous/Mass Effect 3 Ending DLC Denied and PAX/@comment-4933332-20120412150411

From my position where they don't scrap the starchild, I strongly support the refusal option and I love this alternate ending http://arkis.deviantart.com/art/Mass-Effect-3-Alternate-Endings-SPOILERS-289902125

I believe it's will be dramatic story telling to make it so it's possible that the reapers do lose in the refuse option. Isn't one of the themes of the game of the idea of unity and building alliance. Wouldn't the refuse option of testing your ability to build alliance by taking on the reapers conventially and winning?

I'll add, there's nothing stopping the catalyst from leave shepard bleeding to death. If the catalyst never appeared as starchild to the catalyst. If you took too long to make a decision the crucible is destroyed and apparently the "reapers win".

So if the reapers wins by doing nothing. why didn't the starchild do nothing and let shepard bleed to death?

Maybe because doing nothing wouldn't result in reaper winning, maybe because the reapers fear the fleet could win or at the very least (in low EMs) will take out a lot of reaper ship in the process and this was their attempt to do a deal with Shepard to compromise and get their own victory out of it (such as wiping all synthetic life or finishing their goal in merging syntehtic life or setting up a reaper trap in getting Shepard to "control" the reapers'. ).

the present of the refusal ending actually removes a plot hole from the game

For those that say, it has been said many times we can't beat the reapers conventionally.

That is true. however that's a simple fix. If your EMS is like 5000+ have Hackett say before the priority earth mission being amazed by the size of the fleet and thinking maybe there is hope we can stop the reapers if the crucible doesn't work.

For people that say it weakens the Reapers as an enemy. the thing is, most of Reaper tactics are based on divide and conquer. blindsiding your targets through the Citadel, By coercing people into a trap with the relays, picking off the opponents independently and indoctrinating leaders to divide the nation. Reaper tactics has always been about subterfuge and divide and conquer. That has been the tactic, wouldn't it make sense from a narrative perspective that the reapers can be conquered by a united galaxy

this maurauder shields comic pretty much summarise it here http://koobismo.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d4u9uny Why go through all the effort to indoctrinate leaders and all the hidden subterfugewhen they are so sure they have won through strength of numbers. Maybe they do it because their strength of numbers aren't so invincible against a united galaxy. Javik mention that in his cycle the galaxy didn't unite to stop the reapers in a final combat and this could be the first time it happen.

Really for people say it weakens the reapers. Don't you think the idea where the only way to stop a villain is by the villain itself giving up and allowing you to destroy it makes the villain too powerful. If there is no way to stop the villain except for space magic, then that is a bad overpowered villain.