More stupid newbie questions: Mass Effect 3

Yes, I don't have my game in front of me right now, but those numbers look familiar.

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Thessia was heart breaking. I dearly want to rip evil!Keanu Reeves limb from limb, so I hope I will get that chance. My goody-two-shoes Shepard will probably choose some renegade option to get rid of him if that's available.

From a companion relationship perspective, I love that they showed concern for both Shepard and Liara. This is something I've felt was lacking in DAI, when few people seem to give a damn about the Inquisitor as a person (who, after all, did not sign up for any of that crap). As a whole, actually, Mass Effect seems to not suffer from many of the problems I have with DAI, even though I greatly prefer the fantasy setting. I hope Andromeda has not moved in a DAI direction with regards to writing and level design.

My next major mission is Horizon, but I have an N7 mission to hit before that (communications lab, I think). I have a sneaking suspicion that Miranda will not survive Horizon since she isn't loyal. Hopefully I'm wrong.

Yes, I did. Hope it will end up being helpful...he's starting to freak me out

Weeeeell, color me shocked. Miranda lived.

I love the Firefly/Serenity vibes I got from that whole mission. It's just too bad that Space Keanu wasn't around to kill.

Cerberus Headquarters is the next main mission I have, so...time for the party, once I've checked for Miranda's meetup.

The ending cutscene doesn't change... the premise that Bioware put into the DLC for playing after the ending is that it is a flashback.  Some people do like to head canon that it's a post war scene.

Didn't I tell you though... "the best" damn cutscene in the whole series 

Ah, ok...I think you might have said that earlier, actually, that it's all in headcanon even if you play the party later. I just hope the ending gives me enough hope to imagine a happy ending for Shepard. I did look up a very general list of the ending options that I will have, and I know the only chance for Shepard is to destroy the Reapers, even though Synthesis is maybe the best hope for the future of the galaxy? I imagine destroying the Reapers would also destroy the geth as well, which I'm not happy about, but what about EDI?

I'm about to fight Kai Leng, so I will get to the ending of the game later today, probably.

I don't know if that was the "best" cutscene since I haven't finished the game yet, but it's definitely one of the most memorable in any BW game I have played. So many feels. 

Oh, there are other good cutscenes, but they just don't fall into the play on words the way this "the best" one does.

You could write a book on the endings alone... I think many people here actually have TBH.  IMO, they can be interpreted in a lot of different ways and on a lot of different levels.  However, some people here disagree with that and insist that their way is the only way they can be interpreted.  However, do be prepared... this story is very much in the style of a Greek tragedy, not a Greek comedy. For an obvious "rainbows and smiles" ending, you'll need to install a mod (and there are those available). 

Personally, I'm OK with any of the endings.  I made my peace with all of them many playthroughs ago.  I do generally like the pre-Extended Cut endings better than the Extended Cut ones... They just leave more to my own imagination (including circumstances where Shep can survive).  The EC endings show images of the state of the galaxy afterwards; so my imagination can't just fill in its own ideas if I'm playing with the EC installed.  In some ways, I think it's sad that Bioware succumbed to the fan pressure and wrote the EC.  However, the "breath" ending you've been shooting for is only really available to me with the EC installed since I can't play any multiplayer due to my lousy internet connection here... and that mistake did need to be corrected.  All endings of a single-player RPG should be, IMO, available to all people who play single-player, not just ones that can supplement their experience with multiplayer, DLC or apps.

If your ems is low enough, the relays do explode even with the extended cut.
Take James. Earth is his homeworld. He will have a couple lines of dialogue.

themikefest Nothing is showing up in your post below my quote  Nevermind, it showed up. James sounds like a good pick, then.

@upupawayredux Ah, banshees don't phase me. Nothing phases me on casual! (Except for that reaper and its death laser, until I figured out what the hell I was supposed to be doing ) I don't think I've even needed med-gel for dozens of hours, now. I obviously need to raise the difficulty next time.

As for not letting the ending depress me...sorry, my imagination just isn't that good. The game needs to give me something to work with. My problem, I know.

Just walked into an area on the Citadel where I think TIM is up ahead, and decided I needed a short break. Those goodbyes from Garrus almost had me tearing up (meeting at a bar in Heaven...right through the heart, BioWare, and I'm not even religious). Liara's was very touching as well. I might play a male Shepard at some point in order to romance her.

Wish me luck with the ending!

Good. Having high reputation and choosing the blue each time you saw him is the only way that will happen otherwise you get an interrupt to shoot him

Will you do a new game plus? You can do some things differently that will lead to the same ending.

Good you finished your playthrough and got the ending you wanted.

I'm sure you know by now from playing ME2/3, there are many ways a person can do a playthrough to complete the games.

Looking forward to reading what you do when you start your trilogy run.

You can romance Liara as a female.

The ending will be fine.  Go with your gut on it but there's only one option that gives you the breath scene and allows you to headcanon a happily-ever-after with your LI.