#balak

Choice 1.

So there's nothing wrong with Cerberus and The Collectors, but I really feel like The Terminus Systems was wasted potential.

I recently replayed ME1, and this line of thinking really hit me in regards to the Terminus Systems. In ME1, the Terminus Systems are an extremely vague, undefined entity, but also a very important one. The ME1 codex mentions dictators rising and falling, with the species within the Terminus Systems constantly battling against one another. Not only is it not Council space, it's not human space--it borders but is crucially outside the human colonization efforts in the Attican Traverse. It's practically terra incognita, having been mapped by the turians via an interferometric array--which implies that they haven't really explored it much in-person. Nihlus and Captain Anderson mention in the beginning of ME1 that neither the Council nor the Alliance wants to get dragged into a war with "the species in the Terminus Systems." Hell, the main reason the Council doesn't let Shepard go to Ilos alone at the end of ME1 is to avoid conflict with the Terminus Systems.

From this it is not hard to guess that the Terminus Systems of ME1 were designed as a temporary blank spot that was going to be important for ME2 or ME3. They seem somewhat organized, and they are comprised largely of species we have not been introduced to yet. The Citadel species seem to have limited information about them. There's lots of potential with the Terminus Systems, then, for a hypothetical ME1 sequel. They can be an entity which might threaten Citadel space, or stymie Shepard's efforts to learn more about the Reapers. Conflict between them and the Citadel, or conflict between species within the Terminus Systems, may have to be navigated by Shepard in future games. Some of them might align themselves with the Reapers like the geth did. Entire new games could have introduced entirely new content for the player to explore.

Of course, what we end up getting for the Terminus Systems in ME2 is a Mos Eisley (Omega) and then . . .not much else. The region is mostly used for one-off recruitment or loyalty missions, and these tend to take place in isolated places. The Terminus Systems also seem to be entirely run by species we have already been introduced to (other than the lowly vorcha). It's a bunch of merc bases and Cerberus labs to raid.

In view of this, it seems so tragic that Bioware was forced to make a game taking place in a whole 'nuther galaxy a couple years ago. ME1 set up a framework that gave the ME2 and ME3 writers a lot of creative space, and then they wasted that space so thoroughly (ME2 by not really being about the Reapers; ME3 by making the game about a full-scale Reaper invasion that we can't stop) that the writers had to dodge away to Andromeda, and abandon the now-mangled framework that ME1 had left behind. I love the companion missions in ME2, but in a sense they were incredibly lazy. They took a blank space on the map and filled it with stuff like . . . a trash planet filled with human mercenaries, or a prison ship for Council species, run by a turian. None of these places had to exist in the Terminus Systems, except to cultivate the general "dark renegade" aesthetic ME2 was trying to go for.

With that out of the way, my pitch is that The Normandy is never attacked and Shepard's next mission is to infiltrate the Terminus systems.

Shepard has to fake his death, so a staged attack on the Normandy is orchestrated.

Shepard would be brought back as Solomon/Alison Gunn. Build up their own empire and slowly gain intel about what The Terminus Systems are planning, what Cerberus and the Shadow Broker knows and what the Terminus Empires know about The Reapers

Choice 3.

The thing that annoyed me most about ME3 is the fact that Harbinger is not the main threat. The Illusive Man is. Harbinger has been built up as the big bad since ME2. “YOU HAVE FAILED. WE WILL FIND ANOTHER WAY.” He says as he discards the Collectors. Then his speech to Shepard as the base blows up. “Human, you’ve changed nothing. Your species has the attention of those infinitely your greater. That which you know as Reapers are your salvation through destruction. You will surrender your potential against the growing void. We return, and you will rise. We are the harbinger of your perfection. We will bring your species into harmony with our own. Your species will be raised to a new existence. We are the beginning, you will be the end. Prepare for our domination. Prepare for our coming.” Then in Arrival, he came pretty damn close to unleashing quick subjugation and harvest upon an unprepared galaxy. Upon Shepard foiling his plans. “Shepard. You have become an annoyance. You fight against inevitability. Dust struggling against cosmic winds. This seems a victory to you. A star system sacrificed. But even now, your greatest civilizations are doomed to fall. Your leaders will beg to serve us. Know this as you die in vain: Your time will come. Your species will fall. Prepare yourselves for the Arrival.” The perfect final villain right? Unfortunately, Cerberus was more focused on than The Reapers. My problem with Cerberus and no Harbinger is Too many Cerberus, too few Reaper forces in plot. We fight Cerberus more often than the reapers. Hardly any boss fight and the one with Reaper Destroyer on Rannoch was more an interactive movie than fight. During the Horizon mission in Mass Effect 2, Harbinger was solidified as the Big Bad. It was menacing and ominous, with just the right amount of annoying. It taunted us throughout the game, telling us how insignificant we were, and how our actions were pointless. It was willing to posses drones through the Collector General to fight us personally, and when we killed the host, it tossed them aside. Harbinger even gave the typical “You haven’t seen the last of me!” villain rant. It made any fire fight frustrating, and that made me want to kill it even more; I hated Harbinger. Many games fail to do that. Harbinger was an enemy which I looked forward to defeating. I had the desire to annihilate. In Mass Effect 3, I got a codex entry and a cameo. Harbinger just swoops in at the last second and blows my friends and I to hell(and lets the Normandy save them), then flies off. Personally, I would have loved to hear Harbinger’s menacing monologue, it drove me on. I would have felt a deeper motivation to take the fight back to Earth if it told me how much destruction the Reapers were causing, how many lives were lost. I felt cheated when I got to the final mission, only to suddenly realize it was largely absent from the game. Harbinger has been replaced. Replaced by the Illusive Man and Kai Leng. The former is an old acquaintance, albeit one now controlled by the Reapers. The latter is a space ninja from a terrible book.

See also my pitch to make Harbinger the Big bad of ME3

Choice 6

This might just be me but I think Cerberus should have been on our side in ME3 and The Batarians should have been fighting for The Reapers. Makes sense Cerberus has just been a rouge organization doing what the job no matter what the cost(even if the cost is atrocities) and instead of indoctrinating themselves they could of studied it to make themselves immune to indoctrination and The Illusive Man's goal was to use any means necessary in order to destroy The Reapers. I also like the idea that you know you can't trust him, but he does get results. The Council and The Alliance are desperate, so they accept a partnership with Cerberus.

The Batarians have always held a grudge against The Alliance, The Council and would have wanted revenge for Bahak/ Viper Nebula. The fact that there are no consequences for what we had to do in Arrival from The Batarians just doesn't make any sense and you'd think this would give The Batarians the motive to turn to The Reapers. Hell in the Terra Nova DLC in Mass Effect 1 it seemed to me that Balak was already indoctrinated and Balak’s revelation of the “Batarian rebellion” makes it seem like they would be the perfect tools for The Reapers.

Balak will be the new Saren figure. If you killed Balak, then The Reapers would just bring him back. The first act of war for the Batarians was the destruction of the Viper Nebula, so their retaliation was killing Udina. Prior to the Reaper invasion of Earth, Udina would go to Omega to make peace talks with Aria. The Batarians attack and gain control of Omega, Aria is ousted(but saved by General Petrovsky) and Udina is executed live for the galaxy to see.

Because of Udina's execution and Anderson leading the resistance on Earth. The Illusive Man is now the Human Councilor. Miranda and Kai Leng would be squad members. Depending on if you gave TIM the Collector Base or destroyed it, he will either keep you in the dark or help you at every turn.

Think of the Cerberus War Assets

Cerberus Scientists

General Oleg Petrovsky

Collector Base

Cerberus Fighters

Cerberus Phantoms

Cerberus Engineers

We would get a big mission to deal with the Batarians, Priority:Khar'shan. If you do not deal with the Batarians, there will be major casualties. However half of the Batarian forces are not indoctrinated and just want to end the mistakes of their government and live. Balak wants to kill the rebellion of his people. Ironic. Somehow Balak has placed enough bombs on the planet to destroy everyone who is resisting Reaper indoctrination. We can either. Talk Balak out of it. Telling him to resist and fight for your people(which WOULD gain Balak as an ally) or talk Balak into killing himself. Or the true Renegade option is to kill Balak and order a strike that wipes out the Batarian forces, but sacrificing the Batarian Rebellion. The leader of the Batarian Rebellion would join your squad if Balak dies.

By the time we get to Priority Earth everyone is on the same page and united against the true threat, The Reapers. And it is Harbinger who is the final boss

Choice 8

I still don’t understand why there was never a Batarian squad member. There would be so much angst and conflict, especially if we are a Colonist Shepard and after Arrival. We would be coming to terms with the situation and overcoming our differences and the Batarian squadmember wanting to repent the sins of the Hegemony and hoping his actions could redeem his species. Maybe it could be Balak or a Batarian who is a Hegemony loyalist who wanted blood for Bahak system. Someone who holds a personal grudge against us and is only willing to join to make the Reapers pay in blood. But over time Shepard and said Batarian learns to overcome their differences and see each other as friend and works together to destroy the Reapers.

Choice 9.

Save or Sacrifice the Council is utterly pointless. You either have a band of useless assholes who refuse to help you or a band of useless assholes who have reason not to help you.

After doing a Sacrifice the Council Playthrough....I am just dumbstruck by the wasted potential.

In ME2 a lot of the Council Races despise you and humanity. Volus and other lesser races back Humanity The Council Races are even reported of having a Separatist like Rebellion. I mean I get it. We have bigger issues, but you're seriously telling me you're willing to throw all that storytelling out the window?

The Human Council I came up with

Chairman Udina or Anderson

Charles Saracino, Martin Burns(Saracino only if you endorsed him and chose Udina. Burns if you negotiated with Biotic Terrorists and chose Anderson)

Admiral Mikhailovich

Anita Goyle

With the Human Council, they pledge their full support and blessing to Shepard's venture against The Collectors. Anderson voices discomfort towards Cerberus, while Udina is curious to a dangerous degree and Mikhailovich urges Shepard to use them and tehn destroy them. Meanwhile Goyle has a fascination with EDI.(IYKYK)

We could play peacemaker. Trying to slowly ease a peaceful transition to the Council races, which causes Udina to call for Cerberus and after stopping the Coup, you can choose Udina's replacement instead of it never being brought up again or if you choose to enforce Humanity's dominion over the Council, this causes the Council Separatists to embrace The Reapers.

It's not perfect, it's honestly better than nothing.

Choice 10.

Throughout ME1 and ME2, there would be hints of the Crucible.

Anderson and Nihilus mentioning "Prothean databanks" that would take lifetimes to decrypt. I'd also have Anderson, Hackett and Udina hinting that they know how secretive and prideful the Asari are and have a hint they know their supremacy comes from the Protheans, they have a secret, "so do we" and make comments that what they have will give the Alliance an edge against the Turians. Then in ME2, The Illusive Man reveals he knows what the Alliance are hiding and insists he has the key they need to unlock it. You get a build up, you get a secret rivalry with the Alliance and the other races and with TIM and Cerberus holding the key to unlock the secrets of the Crucible.

Choice 11.

It bugged me to know end that all we get is Alliance and merc based weapons. We get like a few Turian, Asari and Krogan weapons and one Salarian based pistol. We should have a weapon of every weapon class for each race. Human, Asari, Turian, Krogan, Salarian, Batarian and so on.

Choice 12.

We should've gotten to see the other races as Husks.

Salarians, Drell, Hanar, Krogan, Quarian

Alternate Reaper Husks.

CODEX entries:

Reaper Salarian. Goblin:

The Goblin, named after the mischievous entity from folklore, is physically weaker than even basic human Husks. However, it makes up for it in tactical planning, surpassing even a Marauder or Collector. These Reaper units have built-in cloaks that allow them to traverse the battlefield in safety until they can strike their enemies from behind whilst they least expect it. In addition to this deadly ability, Goblins can shoot super-heated plasma at their opponents in a similar fashion to Alliance combat engineers to burn their enemies, as well as drain the kinetic barriers of their enemies to restore their own.

Reaper Asari/Salarian Hybrid. Gorgon:

Taking inspiration from the Greek myth, the Gorgon is a mix of Salarian and Asari that have been enhanced with Reaper nano-tech. As it’s namesake implies, the Gorgon is capable of stopping enemies in their tracks, though this effect is achieved through biotic Stasis fields cast from its claws. However, this isn’t all that the Gorgon is capable of. In addition to Stasis fields, Gorgons can throw out Reaper-made proximity bombs that explodes into a biotic wave that drains an opponent’s kinetic barriers and stamina whilst also increasing the Gorgons’ durability. As well, if allied forces come in too close, the Gorgon can either deter them with their claws or send out a wave of overloading electrical energy that can easily take out kinetic barriers and stun enemies.

Reaper Krogan. Berserker:

This husk variant is the result of converting a Krogan by the Reapers. Like the species they were created from, Berserkers are tough and fierce, having strong armor plating that can resist small-arms fire. They’re equipped with Reaper-made incinerators, which are designed to flush enemies out of cover and into the open. As a Berserker advances and the enemy is out in the open in close-quarters, they enter a “berserk” state, whereby it charges straight into its opponent in the hopes of bashing the unlucky soul with its head and fists. Additionally, if gunfire or tech/biotic abilities manage to damage their skin underneath their armor plating, Berserkers can partially heal themselves if given time, though it’s only a small portion & much slower than a Gargoyle.

Reaper Quarian. Witch:

Named after the famed cult entity, the Witch is the result of the unfortunate capture and conversion of certain Quarians by the Reapers. Designed with a support role in mind, Witches are equipped with bio-mechanical tools designed to repair sustained damage of nearby husks. It will generally avoid direct combat, but if given no other option, a Witch can lash out with its claws and send out two Reaper drones to assault its enemies with their miniature GARDIAN lasers.

Reaper Elcor. Behemoth:

The Behemoth is a Reaper creation, formed from an Elcor. Like Ravagers, Behemoths are artillery units, designed to thin out crowds and pierce defenses. However, instead of twin launchers, a Behemoth has a single large mass accelerator cannon attached to its back that fires off an extremely powerful round that can decimate even heavy vehicles such as a Mako tank. Unlike the species they are created from, Behemoths aren’t afraid to get in close to their enemies, raising their upper body to a degree almost never seen in regular Elcor in order to slam their forearms onto the opposition below.

Reaper Volus. Bloat:

The Bloat is a Reaper husk created from a Volus. Due to their unstable physiological structure and lack of any real physical prowess, Reaper nano-tech compensates by grafting a set of tripod legs to the base of the husk, allowing it to be mobile enough to pursue enemies. However, due to the instability of the internal organ systems with the process, Bloats are naturally primed to self-detonate upon close contact with opponents, making these units out as little more than suicide bombers for the Reapers. However, due to the powerful explosive radius of these detonations, it is advised to maintain a distance.

Reaper Elcor/Volus Unit. Battlewagon:

An evolution of the Behemoth and Bloat husk variants, the Battlewagon is a never-before-seen Reaper creation that differs from nearly all others. The most intriguing difference to normal Reaper forces is the non-grafted connection between the Reaperfied Elcor and Volus. Like the Behemoth, the Elcor in this unit serves as a heavy weapons-fire platform. However, unlike the Behemoth, instead of a single large cannon, there is a platform mounted on the husk’s back, which houses two built-in mass-accelerator machine guns taken up by less heavily Reaperfied variations of Bloats. The Elcor platform is used as a means of movement across the battlefield to allow the Volus to fire at enemy forces from the platform’s back with ease. With the 180 degree field of view of each gun and these weapon emplacements being positioned back-to-back, the Battlewagon is a force to be reckoned with.

Reaper Drell. Shade:

When the Reapers began harvesting various species throughout the galaxy to use as ground forces, the war-torn and resource scarce Rakhana provided an excellent site for the conversion of Drell into Shades. With these Reaper nano-tech enhancements, Shades are stronger and more agile than the species they reigned from, allowing them to be very flexible and acrobatic in physical combat. This agility is made even deadlier by the additional grafting of blade gauntlets onto their forearms, which they use to slash at enemies as well as focus pulses of biotic energy for ranged combat. In addition to this already deadly arsenal, Shades are capable of ejecting an enhanced version of their original dermal neurotoxin in a gaseous form if opponents manage to get the jump on them in close-quarters, disorienting them with its hallucinogenic effects, allowing for an easy escape or ambush.

Reaper Hanar. Ceph:

The Ceph is the product of Reaperfied Hanar. Due to the aquatic nature of Hanar resulting in required technological assistance, Reaper nano-tech improvises by using precise mass effect fields to allow these husks to hover above the ground, freeing up their movement. Naturally weak-bodied like the species they’re created from, Cephs rely more on getting up close and personal to their enemies to either strangle them with their tentacles or sedate them with powerful toxins to either be killed, harvested, or turned into husks without resistance.

Reaper Drell/Hanar hybrid. Chimera:

The Chimera, as the name implies, is a mix of species, specifically a Drell and Hanar, that have been converted by the Reapers. This particular creation has the lower limbs of a Drell and the upper body of both Drell and Hanar, bar the limbs of the Drell. With this configuration, this hybrid bypasses a Hanar’s natural inability to move on land by giving the creature the agile limbs of a Drell, allowing quicker movement. However, the added weight hinders this abomination’s ability to effectively leap and jump, limiting it to accessible ramps and walkways. Due to the lack of the Drell’s arms, the tentacles of the Hanar are used instead for grappling with opponents or spraying them with a neurotoxin that surpasses even that of a Shade or Ceph.

Reaper Pyjak. Imp:

This small husk of a creature is a Reaper conversion of a non-sentient species, a Pyjack. Extremely frail in overall structure, these units are designated mainly as scouting units with the intention of slipping into small areas of enemy complexes to inform other Reaper forces of enemy positions. Though they are merely scouts for the Reapers, they are not without defense, possessing a small mass accelerator gun in what was once its head that serves as a deterrent if it is cornered by allied forces.

Reaper Varren. Hellhound:

The Hellhound, as referred to by Alliance troops, is a product of Reaper conversion of a Varren. The nano-tech upgrades heighten their senses of hearing, sight, and smell, allowing them to detect enemy forces from a good distance away and even when they’re in very hidden locations. As well, Hellhounds possess a highly pressurized synthetically grafted jawline designed to crush armor. Additionally, like the Varren they once were, Hellhounds will hunt in packs, flanking opponents and covering any exits to secure the capture or kill.

Reaper Vorcha. Gargoyle:

A product of Reaper nano-technology, the Gargoyle is created from a Vorcha. Whilst similar to normal human Husks, Gargoyles are faster and more agile, being able to quickly run up to opponents to slash at them with their claws and dodge incoming projectile fire. As well, Gargoyles are very acrobatic, regularly leaping across great distances and jumping up to great heights. An additional ability that remains from their previous life as Vorcha is their extremely high cell growth due to their hyper-concentrated stem cell base. This natural feature allows them to quickly heal any damage sustained if given a few moments. Finally, the Gargoyle can spit a highly acidic liquid in close quarters if its claws aren’t enough, and this acid extends to their healing factor, preventing any close-quarter counter methods while they heal by way of acid spray from wounds.

Reaper Yahg. Golem:

The Golem is a large Reaper unit created from a Yahg. Due to their naturally aggressive demeanor and great size and strength, Yahg that have been converted into Golems pose a significant threat to allied forces. These units are equipped with arm-mounted cannons similar in principle to the main weapon of Reaper Destroyers and Capital Ships, but on a smaller scale, and are designed to flush hardened enemies such as Krogan out of cover and decimate kinetic barriers and armor. As well, due to their impressive stature, Golems have a tendency to advance on their enemies whilst hosing them down with their cannons, closing in to brutally beat down their opponents in close quarters.

Reaper Kalros/Reaper Thresher Maw. Typhon:

After her titanic battle with a Reaper Destroyer on Tuchanka, Kalros went into hibernation once again. Unfortunately, the Reapers took notice of this event and managed to capture and convert Kalros into a gigantic modified husk of her old self, the Typhon, a namesake fitting due to her stature as the largest organic to have ever existed to date. With these new upgrades, the Typhon was outfitted with a cannon similar to a Destroyer’s that was placed in the mouth region, as well as several smaller mass-accelerator emplacements running down the length of her body, all complimented by heavy armor plating across its body. Despite these enhancements, the Typhon retains the main style of attack as other Thresher Maws, rising up from below and utterly crushing any opposition. Allied forces are advise to steer clear of this massive monstrosity, and are ordered not to engage under any circumstances.

While the artist doesn't list a Reaperfied Geth, ME concept artist Matt Rhodes has a concept for a Reaper Drone. In my opinion, this would work perfectly for a Geth Husk