User blog comment:Sevofthesands/mass effect 3 DLC ideas/@comment-24174486-20120707145329

I think it would be interesting to have DLC where Shepard finds something that allows the armies of the galaxy to have an edge over the Reapers without the Crucible—perhaps a new superweapon or advanced technology to improve their ships' weaponry and defenses. While it would factor in as a War Asset for the three main ending choices, for the Refusal ending it could allow the armies of the galaxy to defeat the Reaper fleet at Earth without using the Crucible. Seeing that they can defeat the Reapers without the Crucible, the galaxy is driven to fend off the Reapers with conventional warfare, eventually winning the war. Of course, there would be a heavy cost: many lives would be lost, many worlds would be ruined, and it would take a long time for the galaxy to recover with the loss of lives and the Reapers, but the Reapers would be defeated without the Crucible.

I wouldn't choose that option, but it would be an interesting addition to the endings. (It'd also pacify the people who felt that Refusal was just a slap in the face from BioWare; I feel that the Refusal ending is a perfectly logical consequence of abandoning the Crucible when you know that the Reapers are winning, but others expected for some reason that they'd get a come-from-behind victory after the weapon the galaxy had placed their hope and resources into failed to work.)