I checked Control, Destroy, and the new ending. Unfortunately, [spoiler]the starchild[/spoiler] is still in, but [spoiler]he's more articulate this time; it's more obvious that it's gone haywire, fulfilling its original programming in literal fashion at monstrous cost[/spoiler], which is good.
It still doesn't explain the consequences of Destroy well enough for me to predict what happens, but the explanation it offers is better this time: [spoiler]EMS matters because the Crucible is less damaged and therefore it can be more precise in the way it fries the Reapers[/spoiler], or something. I noticed [spoiler]EDI's name was listed on the memorial in the Normandy afterward, and there were no Geth in the ending montages[/spoiler], which is more consistent with what the Starchild says but also means the writers still don't seem to understand what synthetic life actually is. [spoiler]Shepard still walks forward into the explosion like a nincompoop, but starts breathing again at the end in an unidentified location full of rubble anyway, so what the fuck.[/spoiler]
I didn't view Synthesis because the explanation the Starchild offers for how it is possible or what will happen somehow even more illogical than before, only now with some meaningless psychobabble on top. I just assumed that Shepard's response was "That doesn't even make sense!" delivered with such force as to retroactively eliminate it as a possibility.
Destroy seems like the good ending, not least because it is the one that makes sense. [spoiler]In fact, if you choose the renegade response when the Starchild describes it, he makes it clear that what's happening is that Shepard is replacing the Catalyst as the entity that controls the Reapers, to do with as she sees fit[/spoiler].
The new ending is as abrupt and unsatisfying as the original endings used to be, but that's appropriate considering it's the Bad Ending. Actually, no - it still resolves more than the original ones did, as it does at least make clear the state of the galaxy afterward ([spoiler]The Reapers kill everyone but you leave enough behind for the next cycle to be the last one[/spoiler]). The Stargazer in this ending is different. (In fact, I think the Stargazer's lines have been edited down in all the versions.) The fact that this one is still better than any of the originals speaks volumes about how terrible the original endings were.
Afterwards, it no longer tells you to buy DLC, which is a plus.
Both Destroy and Control had [spoiler]the same generic montages of galactic civilization proceeding and the crew of the Normandy putting Shepard's name on the memorial[/spoiler], and while [spoiler]a few of the scenes differed, like the ones explaining what became of the Mass Relays and the Citadel, the largest difference between them was the voiceover[/spoiler]. They also depicted [spoiler]Sword fleet pulling once the Crucible had been activated, because the mission had been accomplished. The Normandy still lands on that one pointless planet, but then immediately takes off again so I don't even know why the fuck they kept scene[/spoiler].
The scene where [spoiler]the Normandy evacuates your squadmates during the charge to the beam, not a shuttle but the actual Normandy which was supposed to be guarding the Crucible at that point, and for some reason Harbinger doesn't blow it up[/spoiler] is dumb, but no dumber than I was willing to tolerate.
Ultimately, I say: it fixed the largest single problem with the previous endings, which was that they didn't include anything that felt final. Notably, it doesn't fix the second-biggest problem: [spoiler]while it did show what happened to the setting, it didn't show what happened to any of the characters, apart from the fact that they had a small funeral for Anderson and Shepard, and I guess Jacob is a teacher now[/spoiler]. If the original endings had been these, I'd have said "Well, that was kind of a weak conclusion that came out of left field a bit, and I've still got some questions, but I'm glad to have gotten there." I would not have said "What the fuck did I just watch, that's how they're ending their trilogy?" the way I did the first time.
Interestingly, in both endings [spoiler]the repaired Citadel was left in orbit around Earth[/spoiler], which strikes me as a really weird choice. Anybody else with me on that?
