Mass Effect 3 has four endings: Destroy, Control, Synthesis, and Refuse. The first three are the choices offered at the end, and the fourth is what happens if you turn them all down. Each one then plays out in different versions depending on your war assets and your earlier decisions.
The Legendary Edition uses the Extended Cut as standard. BioWare says “the Extended Cut ending is now the game’s default finale,” so there is nothing extra to download. This page explains the endings themselves, so expect spoilers for all of them.
The Four Endings at a Glance
| Ending | How you pick it | The Reapers | Synthetics | Shepard | Narrator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Destroy | Right path, shoot the conduit | Destroyed | All die, including the geth and EDI | Can survive with a high total | Hackett |
| Control | Left path, use the terminal | Commanded by Shepard | Survive | Gives up their body | Shepard |
| Synthesis | Center path, add your energy | Stop fighting and help rebuild | Merged with organic life | Does not survive | EDI |
| Refuse | Turn down the choice, or shoot the Catalyst | Win | Unchanged | Dies with everyone else | Liara’s recording |
Destroy
Shepard fires into the conduit and the Crucible’s blast kills every Reaper, along with all other synthetic life. That includes the geth and EDI, even if you made peace on Rannoch.
It is the only ending with a hint that Shepard lives. With a high enough total, a final shot shows Shepard breathing in the rubble, and a crew member at the memorial holds the name plaque without placing it. Our guide to the best ending covers how to get that version.
If your total is very low, Destroy also kills almost everyone on Earth, and it may leave the Normandy’s crew unable to walk away from their crash.
Control
Shepard gives up their physical body to become the mind directing the Reapers, and ends the war by ordering them to stop. Shepard narrates the closing scenes, and the tone shifts with your Paragon or Renegade standing, from a guardian’s promise to something colder.
Nothing synthetic dies here, so EDI and any surviving geth are fine. The price is Shepard, plus whatever you make of leaving the Reapers in existence under one mind.
Synthesis
Shepard adds their own energy to the Crucible, and the blast merges organic and synthetic life everywhere. The Reapers stop fighting and help rebuild, EDI narrates, and the closing scenes show her with Joker.
This is the last ending to unlock, at about 6,200 Total Military Strength. Our war assets guide has the full list of thresholds.
Refuse
The Extended Cut added this one. You can refuse in the conversation with the Catalyst, or shoot it instead of picking a path. The Reapers win, and the epilogue is a message Liara left for whoever comes next.
There is a catch if you want to see it. Reloading the final autosave removes the Catalyst from the scene, so you cannot refuse from there. Make a manual save well before the end if you plan to see it. This ending also skips the Legend and Long Service Medal achievements.
What Changes Within Each Ending
Your total is the biggest factor, since it decides what you are offered and how much damage follows.
| Your total (Legendary Edition) | What you see |
|---|---|
| Under about 3,200 | One option only, with massive damage |
| About 3,200 to 5,199 | Destroy and Control, with damage that eases as the total climbs |
| About 5,200 and up | Destroy and Control, with minimal damage |
| About 6,200 and up | Synthesis joins the list |
| About 7,400 to 7,800 and up | Destroy can show Shepard alive |
At the low end, your Collector Base choice decides which option you get: kept means Control, destroyed means Destroy. A new game with no import and no Genesis choice lets you pick between the two.
Earlier decisions show up in the closing slides. The epilogue includes people and species you helped or lost, so what carries over between games really does show here. So do who survived the suicide mission and your romance, who is usually the one at the memorial.
The three main endings share two moments. The Normandy comes down on an unknown planet, and a short stargazer scene plays after the credits.
How to See More Than One
You do not need to replay the game. After the credits, you return to a save from just before Priority: Cerberus Headquarters, so you can finish anything you missed and play the ending again.
Faster still, load your last autosave near the end and walk a different path. Only Refuse needs an older save, for the reason above.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many endings does Mass Effect 3 have? Four: Destroy, Control, Synthesis, and Refuse. Each has variations based on your total and your choices.
Which ending is canon? The game does not name one. EA closed BioWare in October 2026 and dropped its early Mass Effect project, so no follow-up has settled the question.
Does Shepard survive any ending? Only Destroy can suggest it, with about 7,400 to 7,800 Total Military Strength.
Are the endings just different colors? Not in the Legendary Edition. The Extended Cut’s added scenes and narration make each one play out differently, even though the choices are still color-coded.
Is the Extended Cut included? Yes. It is the default ending, so there is no separate version to get.
Does the ending change if you skip the earlier games? Yes. A new Shepard usually has a lower total and fewer characters in the closing slides, which limits what you see.
Can you avoid choosing? You can, but refusing means the Reapers win, and the next cycle has to finish the job.