Mass Effect 4 | The STARGAZER Theory Explained & Could He Return?

[@dextergrif1052]

It’s amazing that the male Stargazer is played by Buzz Aldrin. One of the men that landed on the moon and opened human minds to the wonders of space and is the reason that Sci-Fi became so popular in the first place makes a cameo appearance in a game all about the future of space travel and the wonders and dangers of it all. It’s literally perfect.

[@the.evilducky]

He is a lovely person too, he belonged to a country club my parents worked at in the 80s when my mom was pregnant with me. Him and his wife got me a really beautiful designer dress I still have. He even paid my mom's electric bill when my dad spent all the bill money. 10/10 made me cry when I heard his voice.

[@DrumToTheBassWoop]

Fuck off, a person that's actually been to space. :0

[@justaguy9416]

I always took the "one more story" line as there will be one more game about Shepard but that could just be wishful thinking lmao

[@lep2525]

I hope so lol. Shepard's story isn't finished imo.

[@justaguy9416]

@@lep2525 I don't think it is either lol with the destroy ending he/she survives I wanna see what happens next

[@GothicElf68]

@@justaguy9416 I feel the same way. It would make sense that after saying there is at least one more story about Shepard that we should get to see it.

[@chromlowell7976]

Shepard is dead and his story was complete anyway. The one more story was about DLC and future playthrough telling us it never really ends until we stop talking about it.

[@justaguy9416]

@@chromlowell7976 idk man I don't think he was dead you see him take a breath and they were talking about "the Shepard" so it wouldn't make sense for him to say one more story and completely switch the main protagonist of said story lol. That's just how I interpreted it and if they make destroy ending canon then Shepard isn't dead unless the story takes place way into the future. It could be wishful thinking on my part but in my opinion they tried a ME story without Shepard and we all know how that turned out haha so why not go back to what works.

[@editorrbr2107]

I always thought the stargazer was just showing that life did in fact go on. They did rebuild. The Galaxy survived and began thriving again.

[@anthonypuk5190]

My issue with the Stargazer being Joker is because he said "it all happened so very long ago" and "some of the details have been lost in time" which just makes me think this is at minimum a century after Shepard's choice. Likely a lot more, like centuries would be my guess. Humans only live to 150 if they're lucky so I just don't see how that could be Joker.

[@kanewilson8624]

Actually according to an interview with BioWare, the StarGazer cutscene (no matter the variant) takes place 50,000 years after Shepard had died.

[@goodmusic4673]

I think the scence with the woman who looks like an asari is an alien race that has developed after the fall of the asari etc and was able to defeat the reaper thanks to Liara and her info boxes. At least what she says sounds very much like it.

[@Gerargo150]

yes. they are alien from the next cycle.

[@anvime739]

Yes they should not be asari because the reapers would have destroyed them. Unless they succeeded on hiding unlike protheans did.

[@Maples01]

Yep, the next cycle defeats them

[@gwendolynsnyder463]

So the Destroy ending also destroyed all advanced organics?

[@goodmusic4673]

@@gwendolynsnyder463 what are you talking about ? ist about the shepard refused to do anything and left ending

[@downhillfellas5572]

I had always assumed the Stargazer was just a symbol. Only someone that was there every step of the way could truly tell Shepherd’s story. The game player is the Stargazer.

[@jamesbutler9771]

Or he is the devs and we are the child listening to the story they made (mass effect)

[@preston7795]

I just like the idea of playing as Liara for the opening mission finding the last thing you needed to try and replicate what Cerberus did with rebuilding Shepard but this time he’s more synthetic and shepherded launched hundreds of years after the war has to struggle with what has become of the galaxy and himself along with why he’s back. I just see the series always be in Shepard’s shadow if he’s not in a game.

[@wintertrooper7918]

Can't we let Shepard just have his retirement

[@darthnox7958]

@@wintertrooper7918 not without his bro vakarian

[@wintertrooper7918]

@@darthnox7958 uncle garrus the oh so wonderful influence on young impressionable children

[@Jedi_Spartan]

1:14 Why is it that on my playthroughs Javik always exits after the love interest regardless of how much I use him? 3:49 I'm less sure of that because (even before the next Mass Effect got announced) I always associated the way they spoke about Shepard to be a way of implying that it's so long after the Reaper War that beyond Asari and Krogan that knew them like Liara, Wrex and Grunt, records of Shepard's exploits had become so old that they left room for interpretation in certain cases or outright became legends.

[@MrHulthen]

Javik is a true survivor ;)

[@LostCauseRT]

@@MrHulthen he damn didn't survive a mass extinction to die in the next one lol

[@MrTankFodder]

I always use Tali and Garrus regardless of the mission unless the game forces me otherwise, just finished my second playthrough and Tali + Garrus walked out. Just choose them for every mission and you should see your squadmates come out.

[@LostCauseRT]

@@MrTankFodder I choose based on the influence of it, for example if it's a mission which includes reaper stuff or related to the past cycle I'll choose Javik and Liara, if it's related to palaven/fleet stuff, I'll choose garrus etc..

[@Vesp3r1987]

I think that the stargazer scene was supposed to tease a new begining and possible new game. Maybe we will get to play as a grownup version of the child. it could make a nice tie up with the original trilogy.... i mean the child was fascinated by Shepard's story. And maybe the child will find Liara and go on a quest to find out what really happened and possibly stuble upon a new enemy. Its also worth noting that the child is shown from afar and we cant quite tell if its a boy or a girl...

[@GTAVictor9128]

Good point, although the voice does sound like that of a boy (the same boy Shepard saw on Earth, prolly reused voice actor because it's not easy to hire child actors), the stargazer does refer to them as "My sweet". And since it isn't that uncommon for games to use a young girl voice for a young boy character or vice versa (due to the aforementioned point), this does leave the possibility that the child could be either a boy or girl. Another point no-one seems to mention: the Asari stargazer sounds like Samara to me.

[@hoplitethirtynine1487]

I think originally, the Stargazer scene was put in just to demonstrate that the Reaper era was at an end and that cycle was over. However, it is possible that the devs may choose to build on the Stargazer scene in the sequel to the trilogy. Another thing occurs to me. If Joker is the old man in the main three endings, then it is possible Liara could be the adult in the Refuse ending.

[@monarchschwoop52]

I doubt she would have lived that long, but it’s a nice idea

[@joenesvick7043]

What if the next Mass Effect doesn't follow a canon ending, what if we can have three different ways to play it (oh I said three because I doubt Refusal would get to continue, like the dying ending of ME2) Imagine a scene where Liara talks with a reaper controlled by Shepard Imagine a scene were they mentioned Shepard surviving, even if she/he dissappear decades later so no one can witness old age passing Imagine everything just having a certain glow which might not be too hard to emulate for the duration of the game Also, apparently Liara can die it Mass Effect 3 during that run. It never happened to me, don't like having unfinished quests so I handed everything in, but imagine a scene where they mentioned finding her in some wreckage because you can say she didn't die if nobody checked her pulse: Hawke: "Sister Leliana of Lotherine, I heard you died." Leiana: "Perhaps the maker believed it wasn't my time" Fans: "Bull's hit!" Writer: "Didja check her pulse?" Fans: "I cut off her head!" Writer: "You should've checked her pulse"

[@Spider_cholo]

I always wondered about the “stargazer” because at the end he says I’ll tell another story about Shepard later, so I never understood if that meant like Shepard lives or dlc before he dies

[@TVideoCZ]

I think the Stargazer scene is set around the next cycle meaning 50 000 years in the future just to show that the life continues without the Reaper threat.

[@bronwynecg]

My headcannon is the reason Mass Effect 3 ended so “badly” was because the stargazer HAD NO IDEA what happened to Shepherd after they got beamed up to the station (the trilogy essentially being the story being told to the child) and basically bullshitted that part …. That’s my theory and I’m sticking to it….

[@hawk66100]

In my head movies.

[@mrdinosaur7690]

I honestly have no idea how they can move forward with the series without retconing the ending and that may be the only way they can

[@bronwynecg]

@@mrdinosaur7690 my other headcanon is Shepard’s clone will **possibly** have a role in next Mass Effect if you chose Synthesis or Control cause come on: if Cerberus could put ShepPrime back together from falling through an atmosphere, surely they can sew ShepClone back together from slamming into that building. ShepPrime starts if you chose Destroy ending 😜👍🏽

[@Noschool100]

I always assumed the female version was just the next species cause the Normandy should still be in the sol system if you refuse.

[@MrHulthen]

Good point!

[@shadowlord1418]

but she clearly looks asari

[@Noschool100]

@@shadowlord1418 idk, maybe they just didn't feel like making a new model for a 10 second clip of a small black silhouette, or maybe they didn't and she coincidentally looks like one. Whatever the reason it makes no sense for her to be asari, like who is she decended from that wasn't wiped out from the reapers? How did that happene when no other cycle was able to preserve enough of a pop to rebuild, the way she talks about the war it is more distant and less personal than the old man who we do know desended from survivors, if people did survive why randomly change it to some asari talking just for the refusal ending, What purpose does that surv?

[@shadowlord1418]

@@Noschool100 because they won the war

[@Noschool100]

@@shadowlord1418 how? Plus why show liara's info caches if they won? Why not show the old man again?

[@juzoli]

I think it is all coincidence, especially the ones based on background features. It doesn’t meant these are not good ideas though, which might be even considered for ME4.

[@smj1195]

I was wondering if Liara was actually looking for Alex Ryder and found his N7 Helmet. In Andromeda we never go back to the planet where he died.

[@humansvd3269]

Never played Andromeda. Nice to know the Mc dies.... again.

[@LinayatIlyas]

​@@humansvd3269Alex isn't the MC he's the father of the main character.

[@Aedryel]

An interesting concept, but 1.) I suppose Joker with his Vrolik's syndrome wouldn't last long without a properly equipped medical facility, let alone reach grandpa age where osteoporosis would make short work of him. 2.) Any human male from the crew or descendant of the crew could be the Stargazer 3.) Joker wouldn't refer to Shepard as "the Shepard", and saying nonsense about details lost in time, since he knew him firsthand.

[@GTAVictor9128]

The Asari stargazer sounds a lot like Samara to me. And since the child's gender is left ambiguous, could this child be the future ME4 protagonist?

[@kirashepard5942]

I thought it could also be an elder Liara

[@ThaiBhat]

I doubt it would be, they couldn't explain it if you choose Morinth. We'll they could buy it wouldn't wash.

[@Aerophina]

Doubtful that this scene has any meaning at all really. The ending was a rushed clusterfuck, only thing that explains it is indoctrination theory but EA has backpeddled from it, despite it clearly being intended when the game was being developed.

[@freemanthedelphox6249]

My head canon is that both versions of the Stargazer scene's take place at roughly the same time, being when the next Cycle would have happened. It would make sense for the Refusal one, since they wouldn't have said they didn't need to fight unless the Reapers already showed up

[@ldoc3988]

I think he's just intended to be the Epilogue Guy, but I'd love it if they retcon him into being joker or a grandkid or anyone really. Would be a nice little tie-in

[@wintertrooper7918]

I assumed he was some old guy in the distant future not anyone in particular

[@DOOMSDAY500]

Man I freaking love the music that was playing when joker is navigating Normandy away from the blast

[@janeshepard9549]

I won't be surprised if Joker's grandaughter showed up as a cybernetic pilot.

[@LostCauseRT]

I'd love to have Shepard in ME4, if he/she survives the last attack having 7800 WA ofcourse

[@bronwynecg]

My other headcanon is Shepard’s clone will *possibly* have a role in next Mass Effect if you chose Synthesis or Control cause come on: if Cerberus could put ShepPrime back together from falling through an atmosphere, surely they can sew ShepClone back together from slamming into that building. ShepPrime starts if you chose Destroy ending 😜👍🏽

[@JimmyMFP]

Stargazer sounds like a very elderly Adm. Hackett. I would also say that it is interesting that the stargazer is on a snowy planet, or snowy area of a given planet, when we also see that the search party is also in a snowy planet / area of a planet in the ME4 trailer, with Liara and the downed Reaper.

[@LastValkirian]

i still think the control ending is possible though unlikely, since several reapers were destroyed before you go to the citadel it makes it possible for them to still be lying around after the war. i don't think the stargazer is joker as he says "the Shepard" and the joker you see in the game wouldn't do that, also the implication is that its a very old story like a sci-fi version of something like king Arthur "Shepard and the knights of the Normandy". i dont want shepard to come back as anything more than lore or passing comments/memorial really, a new protagonist facing some new threat either hidden until or unleashed by the destruction of the mass relay network as they try to put the mass relays and the galaxy back together to subdue or destroy the new threat. or something.

[@bokvarv1926]

[@networkjunkie3953]

Interesting, never seen the scene with the Asari and the kid. The one with Buzz however, the kid asks to hear another story about "the Shepard" and Buzz says "OK, one more". We may not get our Shepard in the next game, but I believe there is a strong chance of playing a descendent of Shepard. Or at least one of the crew's descendents.

[@Pir-o]

Never thought of it before but now that I'm hearing it, he kinda sounds like an old version of The Illusive Man. Tho that wouldn't make much sense. But my old theory was that the kid will be the protagonist of ME4

[@brandonvladovic2839]

The stargazer is clearly an elcor that adopted a human child after undergoing trans-species surgery 42 years after the events of Mass Effect 3.

[@w3ndigogames]

So good to be back and I really like the Stargazer as a character, who is he? I have no idea. Maybe Joker, but he walks normally so maybe old man Shepard? But he shows up even if Shep is a woman so… maybe it’s Shepard’s son who’s telling their grandchild about their parent’s adventures across the galaxy.

[@lep2525]

That is a very interesting theory

[@69Kazeshini]

it would have to be an adopted son or surrogate because the way the mass effect games are built they provide players the opportunity to romance anyone. so if someone romanced liara then shepherd cant have a son only daughter, same for tali and garrus. Miranda is infertile so that means your stuck with Kaiden, ashley and jack.

[@vlover15OO]

For future characters id just like to see aliens that have different opinions about the destroy ending and that are interesting. Give us more cultural experiences. I wanna learn what Quarian music sounds like or salarian art looks like. Give me simple plot and complicated characters

[@d1nesh._223]

Joker in his old age would surely need a wheelchair

[@aguspuig6615]

damn buzz be sounding like TIM

[@birkenfeldjohn]

Great video my friend!!!!! Time will tell.

[@joeymendez1442]

Ahh yes The Stargazer being Joker the Normandy's funny pilot I thought we have dismissed that claim

[@MrDusty515]

It’s definitely a possibility, hopefully we get some level of clarification from BioWare and some more information regarding the next Mass Effect.

[@christianburnett236]

After thinking about it I feel like it's Shepard. The way he talks, and after hearing something similar For one he knows things that only Shepard; would know or a close friend that knew such background information about missions when working close to Shepard. I never said I was right, but just made the most sense.

[@MrGabyGaming]

The part that an asari shows up as the stargazer i did not know and its a good theory.. i can't wait for more official news from bio i hope we will get some new stuff to talk about until the end of this year.

[@methatperson]

Before the extended endings, my thought was that the stargazer and child were descendants from those who crash landed with the Normandy and got stranded there for life. Basically, the story of the “Shepard” was an origin story for that people group to explain how they got there and where they came from - like an ancient mythology. Obviously, the extended cuts don’t align with that, part of the reason I prefer the original ending edit. The stargazer scene makes more sense without the extra explanations and repairing of the mass effect relays.

[@69Kazeshini]

even without the extended cutscene there's not enough people on the normandy to maintain a population, that child would die alone on that planet or if they keep making children over time they would all be inbred.

[@danrob31]

Given if synthesis ending is chosen we still see the Normandy on the same planet and we also see it take off from the planet it is more likely it’s not a “crash” landing I think there are some holes in your theory. Lots of planets in ME have multiple “moons” so it’s probably just a nice way to tie up the ending.

[@Egi67]

I just finished a last another playthrough on hardcore and Ashley. It makes full sense the stargazer adult is really Joker as it's seams is the same planet where SR2 crashed. So here is one of views: As we saw on cut scene John Shepard survived the destroy ending, crashed on to Earth which is faraway from planet where is SR2. Ashley not putting his name on to wall on Normandy. As being going with Ashley this time, she is the one who walk out from SR2 with Joker and Javik, so make sense the kid on stargazer scene is her son and Johns (Miranda can't be as she can't have a child, ME2 dossier). In next ME the relays possible will be rebuild and travels reestablished and Liara reaches the planet and searches for kid, finding the piece of N7 helmet. Of course the timeline it's not clear how the SFX craft is suits in this all, but "smells" on new war between Quarrians and Geths in future as Geths did got Reaper upgrades. How far in future not clear, as depends are Andromeda will be included in next ME or not. This is my thoughts, but maybe is nonsense.

[@JonMcMenamin777]

Yeah, it is just randoms gazing at the stars, the elders passing on the lore, which emphasises the effect Sheppard had on the Milky Way

[@sbloke1876]

What I always thought would have beeN cool is if the Normandy and crew because of the the wake of the ship and the blast they got sent back in time before the creators of the reapers are even about and after Edie seeing everyone die and then being on her own for so long makes her go nuts when the reapers are being created it’s her who sets them down this path and the hole time the reapers are doing there thing she’s up to something in the shadows waiting knowing that the reapers will lose and when so that she can move on to the next step in her plan Well I thought that would of been a good way to go anyway 👍🏻

[@danteishimura9189]

With the trilogy now available for the pre gens and current gens, it could be at some point that they release a next gen update for the PS5/Series X and PC similar to how they did for ME and ME2 to then follow into (or help sell) the sequels. So no canon ending may be needed in that Cerberus had the tech to remake Shepard, so whats to say they didn't have all his info to make a perfect clone, but then update his memories to current date. This would make sense for the ending where you see his body twitch, for the synthesis ending they would have to do a whole new clone, and then for the paragon ending perhaps they make a new clone because CyberShep has gone all super godlike and is now telling people how to do things instead of guiding them. As for the stargazer ending. I simply think its set way, way, waaaaaaaaaaaaay into the future and its simply a grandfather who for instance could be a soldier or something in say... Mass effect 6. He got to grow old and then reflects on the man that was Shepard. Similar to the ending of Saving Private Ryan and the look back scene. Personally I think Mass Effect 4 is a massive mistake. They're now doing the worse thing you can do in story telling and thats listening to the fanbase. Take gameplay and mechanic advice from fans, but don't let them write the story. If they felt like Andromeda was a huge mistake, then all they had to do was start a new game in a different galaxy/timeline, maybe making a reference point or something and then just move on. I think Mass Effect 4 is going to be a complete kick in the teeth to both devs and fans and will most likely make the trilogy pointless.

[@darren5777]

The stargazer scene gets me every time

[@DarKGameR177]

Thanks for sharing this one bro 👍

[@RodrigoSantos-fy2ch]

I believe in slingshot theory, but not about stargazer. There's something to adjust, like time spending to travel to reach Andromeda, and somehow finding the Riders.

[@julicool1852]

Mr. hulthen been a while..your theory is amazing..!!..

[@luisemoralesfalcon4716]

Plot twist: it's Shepard or someone else close to Shepard that survived the war.

[@WinteringHeart]

I always thought the planet the Stargazer is on and the planet the Normandy crash lands on are one in the same, but I didn’t attach any significance to it. Just figured it became colonized after the Normandy crew “discovered” it. Also I love it when you show yourself more in videos. I hope this doesn’t make you uncomfortable, but you’re really cute and I like seeing that handsome face.

[@shaenni9122]

I still hold by that Shepherd wouldn't choose the destroy ending. Specially after not sacrificing people, working hard to get quarian/geth peace, helping Edi become more (human) etc etc. Destroy ending only works for people that had a renegade biased character and didn't care or help the geth and quarians and help Edi become more. Shepherd definitely wouldn't choose control.. Synthesis is the best ending. Everyone survives and peace is achieved. The only other ending that would work the absolute best is one of the indoctrination ending theories. With the correct indoctrination theory ending the last half hour to 45 min of mass effect 3 could of been a hallucination or test in Shepherds mind. Maybe a test by the starchild to see if Shepherd can be trusted to not destroy or control the reapers. Just my thoughts.

[@chromlowell7976]

Mass Effect 5, it’s 634+ years later. Joker is dead. Unless synthesis expands lifespans THAT much

[@zaguar3153]

I think sci-fi illustrators just like imagining multi-planetoid planetary systems because they look cool. The tidal forces of such systems would wreak tectonic havoc on their worlds, IMHO.

[@finalfant111]

People are saying that Shepard can only come back if they make the destroy version cannon. I disagree. In the Destroy we say him "die" only to find out he had a breath at the end. In the control, he is actually still alive. It plainly said that he would be alive just not "aware". The same goes for the synthesized version, his essence is used to bring bring all organics and synthetics into one being. Essentially making everyone one hive mind. The way I see it, in ME4 (or 5 if MEA is considered 4), if you chose destroy, then Shepard's body is found, and just repaired just like Cerberus did. If you chose control, I think they will find a way of creating a vessel for Shepard to put his consciousness in. In the Synthesize, it will be similar to the control, except that since his memories are synthesized into everyone, they just recreate his mind into a synthetic vessel. His origin, or the "How", for the new game will just depend on which ending you chose, while the reason, or the "why" for bringing him back will be the same. The "Who" will depend on your Love interest and decisions made in the previous games. The "When" I suppose is left up to interpretation. I think a good chunk of time would need to pass to even have a reason to get him back. The fact ME4 recent trailer shows Liara still, It is a safe bet it will be within her 1000 year lifetime. The way the bring Shepard into the new time will again depend on the "How". If destroy, then they just find him, bring him back, then freeze him in a cryopod like they did for the Andromeda folks (Javik tech). For Control and Synthesis, he is "immortal", so it is just a matter of when they are ready to bring him back. The last ending is a "Joke" ending and is irrelevant.

[@rickhunter8484]

Love the music during the stargazer scene with the wolves howling in the background. And Joker is the Stargazer? Hmm maybe. And i never actually saw the end with the asari since the refusal ending is so damn dark

[@GothicElf68]

I saw the refusal ending on my first play-through on accident. What I THOUGHT I was refusing was the synthesize option as that was the last to be explained before I chose. So, I did not understand why it did not allow me to go to the place to start the destroy option. Also, I was baffled at the was mention of Liara's archives, because I realized this meant the Reapers won. I did it twice before I realized that I was refusing to make any decision at all. I had to go and fix it by loading my save prior to Shepard getting beamed to the citadel.

[@sebastianp4411]

@@GothicElf68 I "accidentally" shot on the catalyst on my first playthrough and triggered the refusal ending not knowing, that this ending exists :D

[@ksunofficial]

I'm not exactly sure if that can be Joker, Considering humans don't live very long and joker was very sick to begin with so he wouldn't have a long lifespan. We have to analyze how much time has passed since the Fall of the reapers and the stargazer scene.

[@GamingSpoiler]

"Yes but some of the details were lost in time" If that was Joker then he wouldn't be saying that, he would be saying: "Yes, I was there, I saw it with my own eye"

[@pavo1394]

I think the ending as originally planned had the crew marooned on that planet and that the Stargazer was an ancestor of the crew.

[@darthachref6195]

maybe liara is trapped in that planet and smile because she's been saved by our new main character and his companion, here is a interesting scenario : rex or reav trying to search for the normandy crash site for a long time and ask our new character (the human in the teaser) to help him search that planet so that's how we find liara and add here to our crew since she is the only one can live for hundreds of years if the destroy ending canon and EDI destroyed but why they would search for the normandy all this years what you think about it?

[@lauragarcia4037]

That would be a nice way of introducing a new person or element or even a known character and keeping it within the story line..? Idk..nice work tho xo

[@DeathstroketheTerminator]

I don't think ME4 plays in the far future those wrinkles on Liaras face is probably due to the cinematic trailer having way more detail. Shepard looked completely different in the cinematics for 2 and 3 than he looks in the game, also he was in his thirties and while humans can live up to 150 years he already had wrinkles, so I don't see it as a sign that we see that Liara seems to have some but simply that the graphics have improved on the last ten years.

[@chrism.7166]

Joker's limp was pretty noticeable. That old man's walking fine. And advanced technology couldn't fix Joker, so starting from scratch on an unknown planet doesn't support that theory. Andromeda came out and everyone started saying the little boy was Ryder. But again, if you finish with destroy, it'd take centuries to achieve the level of tech that's in Andromeda. Not 30 or 40 years. I always thought it was descendants of the survivors.

[@SeverusHunt]

In fact, the developers said that the scene with Stargazer 50,000 after ME3

[@MrEyescream]

Objection! 3:42 in my oppinion, this can not be joker, since the "stargazer" walks properly. Joker walks ,because of his Vrolik syndrome, already bad, and i think it would not get better in old age. To round this up, the "Asari Stargazer" remembers shepards storys from the archives. Im sure this is Liaras "suprise" where she stores blueprints and stuff and "write shepards name in the stars". So, the reaper are history, as told by the "Archives". No survivers ,like Liara, tells them about it, so the archive must be very old. Liara was/is jung, and she is not there and the Archive is already old. Taht would mean the Reapers are already gone for at least thousend years. 5:57 we just Asume its a snowy, cold climate but we dont know, it could also some sort of Dust or even polls (we where in ME1 on a Planet with HUGE polls, as the kodex tells). But they dont really look like they are wearing thick cloth or freezing, more like a stroll in the woods. Sure, plants with no leaves and it seemed white, but this could also be just plants who never have leaves and it just looked white because of the moon alignment. maybe thats why they are out, all few years the moons align and everything looks white. And to the Number of moons, i think in the Mass Effect universe, nearly every planet we visited had multible moons so i dont think this is reliable.

[@samlopezvelazquez]

If joker managed to get out of the galaxy in time could he save EDI? But would that mean that some reapers were able to escape as well?

[@marekwojcik7153]

um... correct me if I'm wrong, but don't we later see the Normandy lift off and fly away from the planent it crashed on during the epilogue. I have a memory of seeing that. If that's so, that kind of throws a wrench into this theory, because why would joker and some crew members randomly choose to remain behind on some planet when they know they can go home?

[@LordFafnirGaming]

Admiral Hackett sounds like Optimus prime when he's narrating the ending

[@Booshwong]

I don't think joker would ever say "my sweet" though. I feel like, bioware just gives ambiguous endings with their games. They did the same thing with like never winter, I think.

[@haydenzufelt6899]

One thing im confused on is how would if they are searching for shepard that he would end up on a completely different planet than earth. Specially how the destroy ending gives us the scene of shepards breastplate rising as if they take a breath. Why would liara be on a different planet than what shepard's body is suppose to be on?

[@mattwheatley6877]

So I have my own thoughts now it might be a little wild. And I would love if you did a video on it. What if that child is shepherd and liaras child assuming that thier romance is cannon. And that is why she is searching for him in the next game. Also if this is the case being part asiri could allow for the longer life span. Maybe the new protagonist in the next mass effect is thier child. I mean since romance is possible in the game a child would be possible. Also remember liara tells shepherd that in the first game

[@BOhl]

The Stargazer speaks like the stories happened WAY longer ago than just a few decades. How do important details get lost in time over decades when they can freeze people or preserve info boxes for 50k years? Nah, that’s the next cycle if the reapers won or time of what would’ve been the next cycle. I’m 100% sure. Also: Doesn’t that kid sound exactly like the kid on earth / the Starchild in the infamous final scene?? That always boggled my mind! 🤯

[@Th3_HP]

KZbin, im disappointed that this didn't appear in my recommendations and in order to find the video i had to check the channel itself... stupid KZbin

[@lauragarcia4037]

Maybe Andromeda mission gets found out by the Milky Way races at some point after the war, maybe there's a link to it? Idkidk

[@josecastillo5079]

Im pretty sure the landscape Liara is walking on is also a dead reaper. Doubt Joker is the Stargazer

[@Aerophina]

Theories are fun but when games/movies actually come out we find out that about 98.9% of all theories were wrong. I don't think this scene in question has any special meaning for reference.

[@scottfree6479]

Notice the reaper in the backdrop to Liara’s search.

[@P3891]

Who is the stargazer? It’s Mr. Hulthen of course how else would he know the stories that he’s covered on his KZbin channel 😂

[@mlabrant]

Are we able to discern the trajectories that the Normandy may have traveled without a Mass Effect relay and where this system may be?

[@katsinky5762]

Didn't the Normandy take off again after the crash landing? On mine it did.

[@tjvan679]

My only counter-point is that during the extended endings, the crew of the Normandy does actually get off the planet. The ship leaves and they don't stay. Joker could have returned to the planet of course, but this is all just speculation ^^ I would love it if it turned out to be Joker. He's one of my favorite characters, but unfortunately i myself disagree with the theory. I simply think so much time has passed that Joker would be long gone at that point. Wonderful video all around!

[@TrumanBurbankFE]

No, the Stargazer clip was just a bonus cameo to get an infamous astronot on to a science fiction game.

[@eaglegundam1873]

the note i got that i didnt notice before was that they said was only a few shepherd storys and said they would tell one more will this mean the 4th one be the final shepherd story

[@masterblaster3508]

I mean it sounds fun in all but a big problem is the records are lost over time and it happened so long ago. My theory to add to this is ME4 takes place a few years after the events of ME3. It isn't that hard to believe Earth is plunged into a ice age given how bad Earth was hit by not just the Reapers but every shot that missed a Reaper that hit Earth. A reason why Liara looks older could be due to stress, the camera angel. We also got to be real eith ourselves that while Bioware knowns how marketable Shepard and crew are. I don't think they want to risk having the state of the galaxy be so many years into the future where our squadmates are old etc. Not to mention having a child is good only for Liara for fem shepard can't have a child if she was dead or is barely alive in high EMS ending Destroy. So i highly foubt we will play as an Asari child of Shepard for that wouldn't market well to many fans. At least for Destroy ending it can carry on with the added weight of it being the highest ending to unlock after Synthesis ending. Plus ME3 choices of Control and Synthesis could be valid in one way Shepard could have dealt with the Reapers but then again so could have refuse ending. Yet like ME2 ending Shepard can fail do reality is from a personal belief about the goal to defeat/kill the Reapers it would be that Destroy is the 1 more story for Shepard. For the Child wants to know another story about "the shepard"

[@vyn8594]

Gotta love how we make up these cool theories only for the actual stories to be child-reading level in the final product.

[@domjonah4329]

i thought they fixed the Normandy and took off with it? i swear there was a scene after they hung Shepards plaque that the Normandy had been repaired and took off again. Damnit if i have to play another round of Mass Effect because of this..........

[@cooperjordan1554]

I just want a conclusive end to shepherd's story if we don't play as them then let us play as their kid! They have legendary edition to pull a save from, can be the same way they tell which ending to use

[@cooperjordan1554]

Could be like cyberpunk 2077's plot you get there different "lifestyles" and that comes with three different starting locations, weapons, skills, teammates and quests

[@PhunkyMunky10]

Mmm… Looking at the ME3 ending and the kid with the adult… the planets looks entirely different from each other. Sure, there’s the two celestial bodies, but the trees and terrain, not to mention the snow, look so completely different from the jungle-like environment when Joker is stepping out of the Normandy. And with the destruction of advanced technology, it seems unlikely that they would have terraformed the planet… not saying anyone is suggesting that, I’m just putting it out there.

[@adamlee5124]

I've always assumed it was Joker and just made sense

[@ajaniglasper3955]

Maybe she's looking for an emergency codex sorta deal for rebuilding relays and stuff

[@RocktheHitman]

If they don't go with shepherd for the next one it could be that young child is the protagonist for the next game they could be setting up for a new hero which would make extremely good sent if they want to give it play Kid A background story that he was told Legends and stories of the past

[@msutter117]

I’m actually hoping that we can choose which ending is canon if the ending isn’t made to be something we can’t do in 3. If you choose control you can see reapers in the background and the geth. If destroy is chosen as canon by the player you never get to interact with the geth at all or see a reaper. That’s my hope even if the reapers seem are purely cosmetic in this hypothetical, especially with control shepherd if paragon uses the reapers to rebuild everything destroyed by the reapers and acts as a guardian for the galaxy.

[@harel70]

Another problem with the destroy ending is that the citadel is destroyed and millions of people die as a result.

[@msutter117]

@@harel70 That’s one mystery I think might be tricky to answer. If it’s destroyed where is the galaxy’s center? With control it’s easy, the citadel. With Destroy idk. They might do an Andremeda and say they made a new citadel but that feels lazy like there’s no lasting consequences on that ending for it.

[@harel70]

@@msutter117 I have a lot of problems with the destroy ending. It feels like the renegade ending, while control is the paragon ending. In destroy, the mass relays explode, wiping every lifeform in its vicinity, add the destruction of the citadel, and we have an insane amount of casualties. Too many for a paragon Shepard, in my opinion. In control, on the other hand, nothing is demolished, and it spares a lot of lives. Shepard said that he will save the galaxy no matter the cost, and control fits this statement, in my opinion.

[@msutter117]

@@harel70 Yeah, I see the argument there. Paragon shepherd would choose the path that would result in victory with less life lost. Plus there’s a key problem of really only the reapers know how to build mass relays. I agree with the allusive man on one thing. Destroy is costly and drastic without nuance. You could I guess justify destroying the geth but they’re sentient now. That’s like killing an entire organic race. Plus destroying the geth means a new synthetic race that’s likely to be hostile can take its place. Logically control in my opinion is better overall.

[@vyn8594]

Has anyone noticed how this kid doesn’t really have the body of a kid. Proportions look like those of a small adult, not those of a child. Back in the day i liked to think thats actually a robot, a new AI, created by humans to a fresh start of organics and synthetics in the galaxy.

[@kungfuhavok2]

I think that Joker could very well be the Male StarGazer. But I am pretty sure that the female Stargazer is Samara because she sounds like plus you have Liara at the end on the holo. But I hope that whatever they are going to do with Mass Effect 4 I hope they answer the question of what happens to Shepard because he/she could have lived for that long since they are human unless they cloned he/she or the clone survived and some how got full memories of Shepard after being kicked off the ship or it's a new clone. Or Mass Effect 4 doesn't do a time to keep Shepard a live in the game which would be crazy and cool but wouldn't give us anything new or something to start the next Generation fan base but what do I know I am the only one on earth who truly loved the Andromeda story and Still want the DLC and I wanted a second Andromeda or at lease something to tie the games completely together since there is no Ark mission in the Mass Effect Legendary Edition that I was miss-lead to believe on youtube that was great but I was angry as hell when I couldn't do the mission. Been all over PS store for a DLC for that also that doesn't exist. Thanks for your time. Ecko Fang Greywolf is out! Ecko Fang Greywolf is my stage name my real name is James Williams Jr. Prefer EFC though.

[@joseventura4634]

Joker definitely is the Stargazer, about the planet it can be assumed to be the planet of the crash… Poor Edi she goes down with the reapers… RIP Anderson RIP Dr. Mordin I didn’t save you

[@reaper9390]

Fun fact if you play all the different ending choices one of the "Stargazer" will be female. Can't remember wut choice it was for me but out of all 4 endings 3 male 1 female

[@Jedi_Spartan]

It would have been funny if the stargazer models were changed to Yahgs.

[@reaper9390]

🤣

[@GTAVictor9128]

Did you watch the video? It indeed shows that if you choose the refusal ending, the stargazer is an Asari.

[@stakeaphobicz498]

Have you considered the stargazer may be on the citadel which could be orbiting earth still?

[@shanethewatcher6163]

How can there be more stories of the Shepard if they don't canonize the extended "Shepard lives" ending? Like, many more stories

[@juzoli]

More stories doesn’t mean later stories. It might be stories about his N7 training, preME assignments, Citadel DLC.

[@shanethewatcher6163]

@@juzoli you're completely right. Honestly, I think bringing him back full swing would cheapen a lot of the moments that occurred during the original trilogy. It's a really emotional experience for a whole lot of players. I'm sure Bioware has made some of us shed a tear or 2. That would kind of lessen all of that

[@juzoli]

@@shanethewatcher6163 Agree, a legend should stay a legend. Maybe some mission about investigating some rumors about his fate, or something like that.Or a quick cameo towards the end as on old man, like when we find Yoda:)

[@shanethewatcher6163]

@@juzoli maybe he'll show up as a squadmate. That would be hella funny. It'd be super complicated to implement, unless they just have him keep the helmet on. Kind of like how KOTOR treated Odor Candoris

[@katytavegia8661]

The only issue is, they repair the ship and fly away, so even if they crashed, they aren't stuck there.