Mass Effect 3 Endings Guide for PC, PS3, Xbox 360 (2024)

Mass Effect 3 has a reputation for giving players “one ending,” but the reality is more complex: there are multiple end sequences, each shaped by what you carried over from Mass Effect 2, how your earlier story events resolved, and—most importantly—your final Effective Military Strength. This guide breaks down how the endings work, what determines which version you get, and what to expect from each outcome (including the hidden option).

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This page of the Mass Effect 3 wiki guide covers the game’s endings in detail, including what each one is, how they differ, and what is required for each outcome and its variants. It also includes an opening spoiler-free portion, followed by deeper sections where all spoilers are listed.

Looking for something specific? Click the links below to jump to…

Spoiler-Free Zone
- How Mass Effect 3’s Endings Work (Spoiler-Free)
- End Game Charts
  - End Game Chart – Legendary Edition (spoilers hidden)
  - End Game Chart – Original Extended Cut (spoilers hidden)
  - End Game Chart – Original 1.00 Release (spoilers hidden)
- Extended Cut Epilogues
SPOILER ZONE
- How Mass Effect 3’s Endings Work
- Every Ending Outcome

How Mass Effect 3’s Endings Work (Spoiler-Free)
End Game Charts
- End Game Chart – Legendary Edition (spoilers hidden)
- End Game Chart – Original Extended Cut (spoilers hidden)
- End Game Chart – Original 1.00 Release (spoilers hidden)
Extended Cut Epilogues

End Game Chart – Legendary Edition (spoilers hidden)
End Game Chart – Original Extended Cut (spoilers hidden)
End Game Chart – Original 1.00 Release (spoilers hidden)

How Mass Effect 3’s Endings Work
Every Ending Outcome

How Mass Effect 3’s Endings Work (Spoiler-Free)

Mass Effect 3 has nine distinct endings. That number comes from three major decisions, where two of those choices branch into two variations and the last one branches into three variations—plus one additional hidden ending that is only available in the Extended Cut and the Legendary Edition.

Your options and their variations are shaped by three key factors:

The big choice you made at the end of Mass Effect 2 – If you started Mass Effect 3 without using the Genesis 2 DLC, this decision is carried over for you (unless you’re playing the original 2012 release, where you can still choose).
The fate of a character from an earlier section of the game – Depending on what happened to them, certain EMS thresholds for specific outcomes become harder to reach.
Your Effective Military Strength – This is the strength of Shepard’s forces built up throughout the campaign. In practice, it’s your total War Assets value after applying a penalty based on the Galactic Readiness Rating. The EMS needed for a given ending changes depending on whether you’re on the original release, the original release with Extended Cut DLC, or the Legendary Edition.
- The Readiness Rating starts at 50% by default. In the original release, you can raise it by playing the multiplayer mode, the Mass Effect Infiltrator mobile game (iOS), and using either the Mass Effect 3 Datapad app or the N7 HQ website. In the Legendary Edition, you can’t influence this value directly, but the game adjusts the numbers to account for it.

The Readiness Rating starts at 50% by default. In the original release, you can raise it by playing the multiplayer mode, the Mass Effect Infiltrator mobile game (iOS), and using either the Mass Effect 3 Datapad app or the N7 HQ website. In the Legendary Edition, you can’t influence this value directly, but the game adjusts the numbers to account for it.

End Game Charts

This section lists three End Game Charts that show the ending options and what they lead to. If you don’t want to see specific outcomes ahead of time, the results are hidden behind spoiler-style text.

In each chart section, bold formatting is used to highlight what changed compared to the outcome listed above it.

End Game Chart – Legendary Edition

The chart below covers your ending choices and their results for the Legendary Edition version of the game. It’s broadly similar to the Extended Cut version of the original release, but it uses much higher EMS requirements.

End Game Chart – Original Extended Cut

The chart below covers your ending choices and results for the original 2012 version of Mass Effect 3 when playing with the Extended Cut DLC installed, including the Wii U Special Edition.

End Game Chart – Original 1.00 Release

This chart covers your ending choices and results for the original 2012 release of Mass Effect 3 played without the Extended Cut DLC. Because of that, it cannot be used for the Wii U Special Edition, since the Extended Cut DLC is already installed there.

Extended Cut Epilogues

If you own the Extended Cut DLC (it is always installed for the Wii U and Legendary Editions), then after the Normandy scene on the forest world, you’ll get an epilogue that summarizes how Shepard’s actions across the trilogy played out (including the Crucible choice).

Below are the topics that epilogue can cover, but note that some of them may not appear depending on which characters are available and/or what Crucible selection you made.

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How Mass Effect 3’s Endings Work

In total, there are nine different endings in Mass Effect 3:

The Destroy ending, consisting of four versions.
The Control ending, consisting of three versions.
The Synthesis ending, with only one version.
The Refusal hidden ending.

Which endings and variations you see depends on four factors:

Effective Military Strength (applies to every ending except Refusal)
Collector Base choice (only relevant at low EMS)
Shepard’s dominant morality (Control ending only)
Admiral Anderson’s fate (non-Legendary Destroy ending only)

Effective Military Strength

The biggest driver of your ending variation is your Effective Military Strength. This number is the final output of the “Galaxy at War” system. Here’s how it’s determined:

Step 1: Total Military Strength – Throughout the story, Shepard gathers War Assets, made up of people, ships, technologies, and resources. Each of these has a strength rating, and many can be adjusted up or down based on your actions elsewhere. These ratings are added together to form a Total Military Strength value.
Step 2: Galactic Readiness – Total Military Strength is modified by Galactic Readiness, which represents how prepared Shepard’s forces are for the final assault. By default, Galactic Readiness is set to 50%. You can raise it by playing the Multiplayer mode, playing Mass Effect Infiltrator, using the Mass Effect 3 Datapad iOS app, or using the N7 HQ website. As of 2021, only Multiplayer and N7 HQ remain available for the original release of Mass Effect 3.
Step 3: Effective Military Strength – Galactic Readiness determines your final EMS value. For example, if Total Military Strength is 400 but Galactic Readiness is 50%, then Effective Military Strength becomes 200. EMS influences the Crucible’s condition when it docks with the Citadel, which in turn affects what options Shepard can choose and how damaging the outcome’s effects will be.

Low EMS – Collector Base Choice

The second factor is your choice at the Collector Base in Mass Effect 2, but this only matters if your EMS is extremely low:

For the Legendary Edition: 3199 or below.
For the original Extended Cut: 1599 or below.
For the original release: 1749 or below.

If your EMS is in the low range for your version, your earlier Collector Base decision determines which ending you can access:

If you chose to Destroy the Collector Base, your only ending option will be Destroy. If you started Mass Effect 3 fresh without using the Genesis 2 DLC comic, this is the option you’ll see. You can confirm it because you will pass through the Reaper Human Heart during “Priority: Cerberus Headquarters”.
If you chose to Spare the Collector Base, your only ending option will be Control. You can confirm it because you will pass through the Reaper Human Brain during “Priority: Cerberus Headquarters”.
If you exceed the minimum EMS threshold above, both options unlock. In that case, your Collector Base choice won’t matter.

Shepard’s Dominant Morality (Control only)

The third factor is Shepard’s dominant morality, but it only affects the Control ending. In that ending, portions of Shepard’s narration change depending on your Paragon-to-Renegade balance.

If Shepard has primarily Paragon morality points, the Control ending narration states Shepard is leading a future with limitless possibilities, acting as an altruistic guardian for the Milky Way.
- If your Paragon and Renegade points are roughly equal, the final line changes from “save the many” to “protect the many,” while the rest matches the Paragon version.
If Shepard has primarily Renegade morality points, the Control ending narration states Shepard is leading an army that reflects strength, determined to destroy anyone who threatens the Milky Way.

If your Paragon and Renegade points are roughly equal, the final line changes from “save the many” to “protect the many,” while the rest matches the Paragon version.

High EMS – Admiral Anderson’s Fate (Destroy only)

The fourth and final factor is what happens to Admiral Anderson in your recent confrontation with The Illusive Man. This only applies to the Destroy ending in non-Legendary Editions.

If you select the Destroy ending, then with a very high EMS rating, Shepard will survive the Crucible’s firing.
However, if Admiral Anderson was executed personally by the Illusive Man, Shepard needs an even higher EMS rating to survive.

If you’re playing the Legendary Edition, this doesn’t matter! Shepard will always survive the Destroy ending regardless of what happens here.
If the Illusive Man knocks Anderson to the ground and you ignore the Renegade Interrupt to shoot him, Anderson will be executed. In that scenario, for Shepard to survive the Destroy ending you’ll need:
- Extended Cut – an unknown value, but it’s presumed to be around 4100+ EMS
- Original release – 5000+ EMS
If you use the Renegade Interrupt to shoot the Illusive Man, or if you avoid the setup where he prepares to execute Anderson in the first place, then for Shepard to survive the Destroy ending you’ll need:
- Extended Cut – 3100+ EMS
- Original release – 4000+ EMS
If you choose Control, Synthesis, or Refusal endings, Shepard will not survive the Crucible’s firing no matter what you did before.

Extended Cut – an unknown value, but it’s presumed to be around 4100+ EMS
Original release – 5000+ EMS

Extended Cut – 3100+ EMS
Original release – 4000+ EMS

This guide section explains every ending outcome, including the hidden Refusal ending, and how they change based on your total EMS.

Destroy Ending Explanation

The Destroy ending is treated as the first option. You reach it by taking the right-hand path, then manually firing your pistol at the Power Conduit four times.

Most players will find Destroy available alongside the Control ending. But if your EMS is extremely low and you want Destroy to be your only option, you must have chosen to destroy the Collector Base in Mass Effect 2, or used the Genesis 2 DLC comic (or started Mass Effect 3 fresh without using the comic).

Here’s what happens regardless of your EMS rating:

The Crucible Wave wipes out all synthetic life, including the Reapers, the Geth (if they survived “Priority: Rannoch”), and EDI.
The Citadel and Mass Relays always take severe damage in this ending.
In the Extended Cut, the epilogue is narrated by Admiral Hackett.

Here’s what happens only if your EMS is high or very high:

The Normandy takes little damage, letting Joker and your two most-favored squadmates exit the ship.
In the Extended Cut, Admiral Hackett’s epilogue is the most upbeat.
In the Extended Cut, the Normandy is shown lifting off into the sky.
Shepard is shown taking a final breath in one last shot. If Anderson was executed by the Illusive Man, this requires a very high EMS rating (except in the Legendary Edition).

Here’s what happens only if your EMS is moderate or low:

Earth’s buildings are damaged by the Crucible Wave, but the people survive.
The Normandy takes some damage, yet Joker and your two most-favored squadmates can still leave the ship.
In the Extended Cut, Admiral Hackett’s epilogue is bleak, though still carrying hope.
In the Extended Cut, the Normandy is shown undergoing repairs.

Here’s what happens if your EMS is very low:

Everyone on Earth dies from the Crucible Wave.
The Normandy is heavily damaged to the point that its doors won’t open, trapping the crew inside until they die.
In the Extended Cut, Admiral Hackett’s epilogue is short and especially grim.
Because the Normandy was badly damaged and trapped the crew, there is no Normandy epilogue scene, even in the Extended Cut.

Control Ending Explained

The Control Ending is the second option. You choose it by taking the left-hand path and moving toward the two electric handles—the scene plays automatically once you get close.

For most players, Control will be available next to Destroy. But if your EMS is extremely low and you need Control to be your only option, you must have spared the Collector Base in either Mass Effect 2 or the Genesis 2 DLC comic.

The Crucible Wave brings the Reapers under Commander Shepard’s command, with Shepard replacing the Catalyst AI as the Reapers’ directing mind.
In the Extended Cut, the epilogue is narrated by the new Shepard AI. The tone changes based on whether you leaned Paragon or Renegade, with a mixed approach altering a line from the Paragon version.
Outside of becoming the new Reaper AI, Shepard never survives this ending.

Here’s what happens only if your EMS is moderate, high, or very high:

The Normandy doesn’t suffer much damage, allowing Joker and your two most-favored squadmates to exit the ship.
In the Extended Cut, the Normandy is shown taking off into the skies.

Here’s what happens only if your EMS is low:

Earth’s buildings are damaged by the Crucible Wave, but its people survive.
The Normandy takes some damage, yet Joker and your two most-favored squadmates can still exit the ship.
In the Extended Cut, the Normandy is shown undergoing repairs.

Lastly, here’s what happens if your EMS is very low:

Earth takes massive damage from the Crucible Wave, but its people remain unharmed.
The Normandy takes heavy damage to the point where its doors won’t open, trapping everyone inside to their deaths.

Synthesis Ending Explained

Synthesis is the third option and it’s unlocked only with a very high EMS value:

Legendary Edition – 6,200 EMS
Extended Cut – 2,800 EMS
Original release – 2,800 EMS

To choose it, walk Shepard up to the white beam projecting from the Crucible between the other two options. With an EMS high enough for this, the key outcome is that there are no variations: compared to other endings, you’re assured of no negative galaxy-wide effects.

Here’s what happens in the Synthesis ending:

All organics and synthetics have their core matter transformed into a fusion of both. As a result, the Reapers stop their killing and become new allies, sharing millennia of knowledge with the galaxy.
Earth and its inhabitants are not destroyed by the Crucible Wave.
In the Extended Cut, the Citadel and Mass Relays are damaged but remain intact.
The Normandy crew survives. In the crash site scene, Joker and EDI depart the ship alongside your most-favored squadmate.
In the Extended Cut, the epilogue is narrated by EDI, and the Normandy can always leave the crash site.

Refusal Ending Explained

The Refusal ending is special because it’s the only one that’s completely hidden. It can only be reached if you have the Extended Cut DLC, meaning it’s available on both the Wii U Special Edition and the Legendary Edition.

Here’s how to trigger the Refusal Ending:

While speaking with the Catalyst, after it presents every ending option, choose “I reject these choices!” and then “You are wrong”. Shepard tells the Catalyst they fight for the right to choose their own fate in the face of the Reapers, and the Catalyst shuts down as Shepard’s forces are destroyed.
If you don’t do the above, you can still trigger this ending after talking to the Catalyst by shooting at it with your pistol. This jumps straight past Shepard explaining their reasoning to the Catalyst, ending on “So be it”.

Regardless of which trigger method you use, you’ll then see a scene with Liara’s time capsule device explaining the Reapers and the Catalyst. The Stargazer scene at the end also changes: instead of the elderly man, a female figure speaks about the next cycle’s victory over the Reapers.

Post-Credits Scene

You can watch the credits or skip to see the final scene no matter which ending you get. This scene is always identical except for the Refusal ending route described above—where it features a woman instead of an elderly man.

Want more Mass Effect 3 help? Check out the following pages:

Legendary Edition Changes
How-To Guides
Key Choices and Consequences
Romance Guide
Walkthrough
Side Missions

Mass Effect 3 Endings Guide: How Your Choices and EMS Decide the Final Scene

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How Mass Effect 3’s Endings Work (Spoiler-Free)