If you can't solve a problem by looking at it directly, go backwards.
Or better yet, if you can't solve an ending by looking at what proves it, look at what disproves it, remove the impossible and what remains is the possible, no matter how improbable it may be.
(horrible mixing of holmes and someone else)
Let's try instead of giving evidence to "why the game ending was bad" or "it's indoctrination theory" to try and Justify all of the ending's problems.
Yes, let's do this bit of mental workout.
First off, the most easy one:
Joker escaping.
This is the easiest by far, since the Normandy is a sentient AI, it simply taps onto your communicator while you're going, hears you and ghostly kid talking refers it to jeff, and since jeff doesn't want to lose the Normandy it runs away far from the crucible.
This justifies TWO endings out of three. the blue and the red one are justifiable through this theory, the green one not so, since if edi is shown present it means the normandy wouldn't have sustained damage quantifiable for a retreat, but maybe edi tapped the comm till "You decide" jeff didn't want risks and began running away with his metallic lover.
Bringing everyone else with him.
Problem number two: loved one/final pushed one with joker on the normandy.
Well...they could have embarked on a first aid shuttle back on orbit. (do those exist?) it could be they took a lift and got back on the normandy, but it's improbable being it a warzone.
This is unjustifiable. The current ending is cracking.
Lets keep on the pressure with problem number three:
Shepard seeing the kid is justifiable, because, after all if the citadel is the ruler of the masters of indoctrination, if he can't open wide a mind and read through it like a book, he isn't qualified for the job. he chooses thus the one who could induce more pity/remorse on shepard. easy as pie.
Shepard's illusive man and anderson are justifiable too, the first one got on board with the remaining cerberus forces, right where the *choices* were, he tried controlling it, failed without dying, but the rest of his forces were pulverized. he escaped with what remained down to where shepard is.
captain anderson says he's behind you, now, since that beam is used to collect corpses and the citadel is big, maybe they placed anderson on another *cargo area* or maybe the beam itself makes the choice of where to put *the corpses* captain anderson is less wounded than you, so while you walk, he runs, and reaches the point before the citadel *rearranges itself* once more to allow you passage.
justifiable.
shepards chooses the destruction ending. everything goes on a boom red firework mode, yet, he lives.
...
shepard is, as can be noted by a full renegade implants, utterly synthetic in a long, long run. Anyone remembers the ME2 beginning movie? during the ME3 run, while edi hacks through, there are terminals available, narrating how of shepard, the only things which remained of useful was the brain.
miranda then scooped in bringing you back.
but it is highly reasonable to understand that most of shepard is synthetic, and by most, i actually mean "all that is needed for basic human functions".
yet, choosing destruction on high setting is the only thing that allows shepard, (or someone with a N7 armor) to breath.
he simply shouldn't. he should be dead. pulverized. he should be dust blown into space.
wherever or not he fell in the citadel or out of it and survived a planetfall, (which would kind of make him an ultimate badass mind you), how can he still breath and be alive? why won't he stay dead for harbringer's sake!?
unjustifiable, shepard should stay dead, dead, and dead!
finally, the post final run has shepard wielding an unending gun which shoots bullets, considering this type of slowmo was used on mars before (though with bullets) and considering small plants growing up behind shepard while he walk, it could be shepard is hallucinating due to damage taken, brain concussions and so on, and simply doesn't take notice of his gun's ammo. (recharging animation works, slow as the rest but it works)
little justifiable. not much but a little
now don't take this as a flame starter, but i want everyone who can to try and "justify" the ending. all the points toward the indoctrination theory must be justified in *some way*.
at least try. if one of them turns out impossible, we can at least have *hope*.
*And i still want to see my blue children with liara, this is commander shepard, and this is my favorite romance*