Quote:
Originally Posted by LoweGear
There are survivors to rebuild, but they're not the ones who are fighting, and thus the conditions of "victory" can't apply to them. Rephrasing the above victory condition, "In a battle between the advanced sentient beings fighting against the Reapers, prevent the complete annihilation of the former.", which is what the entire battle is all about. And using the Crucible in all three available options does just that.
As to the "upkeep", the Reapers aren't mobsters demanding a monthly upkeep though. They're more like robbers who demand your money in exchange for your life - you make a one-time payment (in this case, Shepard and/or Synthetic Life), and then they'll leave you alone forever. Hell, in the case of the Control ending, the robbers can even be ordered to fix the window they just broke. Sure, I lost money, but I'm alive at least (this is actual standard advice police will give to someone in the event of a robbery).
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One time payment?
Complete destruction of an innocent sentient race is not a payment. Mutation of all life in the galaxy into the Reaper's image is not a payment. Having Shepard recruited into their ranks is not a payment.
That's called LOSING. "Do anything they want as long as they don't kill us" means you lost.
The Reapers are only truly defeated in the Refusal Ending. Not what I want, but I will take it. Because it proves that the Reapers ARE wrong, and that they have no moral mandate other than superior fire power. That they are crazy and nothing they say makes sense. So to follow their orders in any way is inviting insanity.