Very important question
Andromeda Initiative launched in late 2185, and Mass Effect 3 ended around the middle\late 2186. As far as we know, almost all endings includes the explode of relays. If we assume that the time inter...
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@Farrago96 wrote:
Andromeda Initiative launched in late 2185, and Mass Effect 3 ended around the middle\late 2186. As far as we know, almost all endings includes the explode of relays. If we assume that the time interval between the departure of the Andromeda Initiative and the ending of Mass Effect 3 is one year, it turns out that Arks have flown only 4200 light years, it is very small (The Initiative reached the Andromeda galaxy in 600, and the distance from Earth to Andromeda is 2520000 light years, it means that Arks Speed = 2520000/600= 4200 light years per year (in fact, as we learn from the game, this flight took more time then 600 years, it means that the speed be smaller)). It follows that Arks will move from the last Mass Relay only at 4200 light years. As we know, the exploding Mass Relay covers a very large area. In General, for the one year, moving with a speed of 4200 light years per year, they would not have left the radius of explosion. But what we see in Andromeda? Artificial Intelligence still on the ship is quite lively, which means that this is not Destroy Ending. Alive creatures and Artificial Intelligence not merged, nobody glow green, that means this is not Synthesis Ending. It remains only to Control Ending, because if even the Mass Relays are destroyed in this ending too, but it has no effect on Synthetic and Alive creatures and this is what we see in ME: Andromeda.
So it means that canonical ending of Mass Effect 3 is the Control Ending? Or Shepard chose to "continue the cycle" ?
Neither. A thing you forgot to take into account here...
The explosion of the Batarian relay was because it was neither controlled nor anticipated by the system/makers of the relays. The relay also was 'hot' - it was just used so the energies involved in powering it up and down hadn't the chance yet to dissipate in the way the relay normal controls it. Both the unmitigated impact of the asteroid as well as the active energy output of the relay contributed to an volatile mix which had enough kinetic energy to blast away the whole system.
In comparison, the ending of ME3 (including Destroy) utilized an controlled signal, including in Destroy an (if I were to guess) special destruction protocol. Completely different from the violent impact of ME2: Arrival.
DragonOfNRVNQSR, Yes, I didn't meant an explosion like "destructive explosion of the Batarian Relay in ME2: Arrival", I meant radius of energy waves, which were created by exploding Mass Relays in end of ME3. Sorry for the misunderstanding with word "Explode".
During the prologue, there is a data pad on the floor before you enter the tram. It says that 200 years? don't remember exactly, that the sensor arrays were knocked out. The next line says repair failed. Does not say what did this. If the wave of energy was following us, it would be interesting.
So the sensor arrays were down 400, could of been 300, years before the Hyperion arrived.
chrissyce1123, and this datapad have information about "anomalous readings" in 2186, maybe this is about "Reapers arrival" in beginning of 2186, or maybe is about of "energy wave" in the end of 2186, It's a shame that Logs shows only the year, not more specific date.
Also, what happened in 2497?
