I don't even think Anderson was even there. Unless Shepard was on Earth the whole time and Hacket seems to notice Anderson in the Crucible. It might have been ANDERSON that sacrifices himself in the cannon ending.
Mind defining points for the theory overall really go as follows. Locating any of the protein devices while exploring the landscapes in Mass Effect coming across the silver spheres is what I believe to be the initiation point of the *Leviathan* indoctrination but not the Reaper. Still impairing the efforts of the Reapers but not interfering with the ability for the leviathans to reemerge. From a common sense standpoint every one of the major decisions toward the end game and through the endings of Parts one, two, and three have their Paragon and Renegade options from a common sense standpoint swapped. In the first game the options are to save a single ship with important people aboard or save the entire Citadel from possible destruction. Billions versus thousands of lives at stake. Destroying the station depriving the Reapers of a new member of their number while also eliminating the puppets they have bioengineered since the last cycle. In contrast with leaving the puppets to run rampant and still interfere while granting Humanity and the current Cycles species at Large the ability to understand or begin to replicate the reaper technology. Then choosing whether to destroy the Reapers and all artificial intelligence as Renegade, choosing to maintain your personality but be integrated into the Reapers as Paragon. Or the unexpected option of evolutionary Unity between organic and synthetic. As a renegade it looks to be discouraging you from destroying the Reaper's outright. The unity ending seems to be undefined. But the listed Paragon ending would give the Leviathan and inroad to rest control of the Reapers through Shepherds influence and force of personality amongst their ranks. That's all I've got. Probably not enough to really base much on but that's how I see it.
I'm late af, but I think the room with the control panel was supposed to be the battle room. Why? On the ramp up to the room there's a tiny cigarette as a hint of what you're walking up on. Unfortunately, doesn't quite jive with TIM being a manifestation of Shep's morals
I know I'm...9 years late but Honestly, I think that even if the IT is wrong I think the conclusion that the ending is a dream is 100% true. Let me clarify: I don't mean it's necessarily a "it was all a dream" a.k.a. it didn't happen I would assume something like: When Shep reaches the beam their mind is sent to the citadel but their body is still in London. Maybe what we see in the illuisie man room is a test from the catalyst or something to test if we are suitable to "make the choice". There is too much evidence for something being up with that section between the beam and the catalyst meeting.
To date the BioWare team insists indoctrination theory is wrong, yet the anderson-IM-Shepard confrontation cannot be denied. The bullet holes cannot be denied. It's too deliberate.
The longer you watch this series of videos, the more frustrating it becomes. Very little understanding of any aspect of game development, so many bizarre points that don't prove what they're trying to prove, and refusal to consider other options. It was fun to take part in Indoctrination Theory a decade ago, but it does not hold up at all lmao.
Wow, nearly a decade later and I'm rewatching these videos thinking how the hell did I ever believe this theory? A lot of the evidence is hilariously bad. Though the answer is: it was fun. I had a blast back then connecting all these dots. Once the extended cut came out I didn't even think the ending was that bad but it was still fun to be a conspiracy theorist for a bit lol.
This is my white whale, this is my JFK conspiracy theory rabbit hole. After all these years I still cant get this theory out of my head. I always pick Destroy at the ending, convinced that Shephard is being indoctrinated and that he/she wakes up in the rubble...
dude forgot me3 was cooked in a goddamn 5000watt microwave in a fraction of the time of me2 or 1 like so many of his points fall apart when remembering they had no dev time
No, dude you are reaching so far. I appreciate the lengthy video. Shepard resisted indoctrination when he interfaced with the Prothean Beacon on Eden Prime. That was his/her catalyst and their quest. Every other interaction just cemented their will even stronger, especially after Ilos. I would love to put Bioware ahead of these claims, but honestly, it was damage control to give conclusive ending(s) to the series and nothing more. Honestly, I hope for a definitive tragic end to the galaxy where Shepard still lives and we can pick it up there for the next game with the stakes being decimated.
The original indoctrination theory, the very first one that was made while the Retake Mass Effect movement was rebelling against Bioware and EA to get the ending changed said that the reapers where trying to indoctrinate Shepherd from the beginning. The final sequence of the game was their final attempt and the make or break point for shepard. The trees and shrubs from shepherds Dreams are their prior to getting hit because the entire sequence is a dream. The dreams and nightmares shepard has been having are the reapers attempts at indoctrination. The boy at the beginning of the game was a hallucination and the key the reapers used to make shepard susceptible to indoctrination, which is why you don't see anyone try to help the kid. From that point on the reapers are trying to indoctrinate Shepherd. Throughout the entire game Shepard is fighting off indoctrination in dreams and hallucinations. By the time you reach the end sequence, his/her dreams are starting to merge with reality (which is why you see the trees and shrubs everywhere) When Harbinger hits Shepherd with the beam, this is the point where the reapers finally make a play to control Shepard having spent the entire game trying to make him susceptible to it. The entire of the game after the beam hits Shepard takes place in his/her mind.
11:07 Thank goodness he warned us to shake the grease off the bacon before eating three bacon egg and cheese sandwiches. Wouldn't want to have a heart attack.
I know this video is old as hell, but let me just bring 56:10 real quick here. Legion has as much of a soul as literally any organic race in the Mass Effect universe. This is a sci-fi game, souls are a religious belief, an interpretation of how individuals work, they're not a proven fact in the universe and, therefore, saying Legion has a soul is as valid as saying the same for anyone else in the series.
This theory is invalid for 1 reason. The reapers would not take any chance of being destroyed, just to indoctrinate Shepard, the risk is too high. Shepard was allowed on the Citadel because he could not be indoctrinated and was a special individual. He prooved that their methods are no longer working, so they needed him to make a choice and try a new more effective method for peace between organics and synthetics.
It's clearly not intentional but it can make for some decent headcanon. Correct or not, shep could still believe he's being indoctrinated and pick the ending accordingly. The armor change is funny though. It's pretty obvious that they didn't have a damaged armor model for every armor set in the game. They wanted ruined and broken gear with an arm uncovered and only made a single asset for it. Not that deep.
At least bioware came clean in 2021 “The Indoctrination Theory is a really interesting theory, but it's entirely created by the fans,” Hepler explains. “While we made some of the ending a little trippy because Shepard is a breath away from dying and it's entirely possible there's some subconscious power to the kid's words, we never had the sort of meetings you'd need to have to properly seed it through the game. We weren't that smart. By all means, make mods and write fanfic about it, and enjoy whatever floats your boat, because it's a cool way to interpret the game. But it wasn't our intention. We didn't write that.”
Y’all are reaching and overreacting. Recall when liara was mind melding with Shep? She was creating horcruxes. She made 2 and twice Shep died and came back. One at the start of ME2, and the second at the end of ME3. End of story. Also, who are you arguing with? People here believe you
I think even if the writers said they didnt intent on this. I can believe that you can subconsciously tie things together in your writing that ties together well. Clearly some devs (art, writing, sound) wanted to insert these elements and send a message. The meaning of a story can evolve over time, even when not thought about at the time of writing. Things become canon and not canon at a blink of an eye. This theory makes total sense, and can be legitimate in my eyes.
12 years ago and this theory still makes the ending of the game go from "wth?" to "whoa! Mind blown!" I'm hoping the new Mass Effect sequel (NOT Andromeda) in works picks up where ME3 leaves off, with Shepherd having overcome the indoctrination efforts and then joining back into the battle against the Reapers. It almost makes me think the game was unfinished on purpose because they had so much pressure to publish that they worked out among themselves, "we're going to end for now on indoctrination. A few might figure it out. We'll let them stew on it for awhile and pick back up where we left off when the studio is willing to let us make a sequel." I'll bet they never thought it would be over 12 years to get there. I just hope the new installment has at least the same level of pedigree that the first three did; story line, character development, graphics, game play, and hopefully a big satisfying conclusion.
