This is the WORST ENDING to Mass Effect 1 Legendary Edition

So I finished another playthrough of Mass Effect 1 this week and I got what I believe is the worst ending possible in the game.

RARE ME1 SCENE - WREX ARGUEST TO SAVE THE COUNCIL

MASS EFFECT 1 - WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU LET THE COUNCIL DIE?

0:00 Introduction
0:26 No Redemption for Saren
2:38 Sacrificing the Council
6:12 Defeating Sovereign
8:50 Still Alive, Baby!
10:32 Udina Selected to Chair All-Human Council
14:19 Why this is the Worst Ending to ME1

Before we wrap up, let’s briefly discuss why I think this is the worst ending to the game. Let’s start with Saren. He’s obviously the big bad we were chasing the whole game but when we spoke to him on Virmire - we learned his motivation was to save organic life by creating an alliance with the Reapers. He wasn’t simply on a power trip or trying to become a god or some cliche like that. He saw the visions from the Prothean beacon and believes the Reapers are too powerful to defeat.

This doesn’t justify his actions but puts them into context. During this final confrontation there is an opportunity to help Saren realize how badly he’s messed up. He’s too far gone to resist Sovereign’s indoctrination completely because he stupidly installed an implant to “strengthen his resolve.” But the ending where Saren shoots himself is the best ending for him in my opinion because in his final moments he refuses to continue doing the Reapers bidding.

As for the Council, many players might see the deaths of the original Council as a good thing. And there are some compelling reasons to make this argument. The original Council was incapable of responding to the crisis and did not take Shepard’s claims seriously for pretty much all of the game.

However, an ending where an all-human Council is put into power - especially one led by Udina - is the worst outcome. It’s not the same as selecting a Human to lead a new multi-species Council. In the short term humanity could hold great political power on its own. But in the long run? The turians, asari, salarians and more are not likely to accept an all-human Council for long - which will make it difficult to build alliances and respond to crises in the future.

[pyramid_stiff]

Yes, this is definitely the worst possible ending. Seeing Urdnot Wrex, the future leader of his clan and of the Krogan people in that hideous armour is in fact a tragedy.

[emperorvader]

You gave Wrex that armour, that’s already the worst ending.

[psychedelicsunshine]

Shepard: nice, I got control
Kaiden:

[awesomehpt]

The worst ending is when you don’t take Garrus with you.

[CyberController-]

When people say Udina was indoctrinated during ME3, I just point them towards this ending. Udina's always been power-hungry, Cerberus gave him the chance to act on it.

[JPS]

This ending had the Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine vibes going.

[artsq]

0:29 I can alredy see awrex is alive. If Uncle Wrex is here, it cannot be called worst ending possible :)

[ADL]

"In this video we're going over the worst ending in Mass Effect 1"
[Wrex in Phoenix armor]
Me: you monster...!

[jamiexxi]

The asari reacting to “commander, they’ve closed the channel” is so damn sad.

[EvilPaladin]

I didn't even KNOW that there was a boss fight with a living Saren.
I thought that he ALWAYS killed himself.

[EvilPaladin]

It's strange seeing Wrex being the voice of morality in this situation.

[ckotherletters]

When Anderson says "Good God, Shepard! How can you even say that!?" I wanted him to shout "That's not how I taught you!"

[mattmacaulay]

The all-human council is also never really brought up again, to my knowledge. By ME3, the council is back to being multi-species. Kind of defeats the point of a renegade play through of ME1.

[Ultra_Hlebus]

Worst ending: Saren becomes first human counselor

[ADL]

seriously tho, this ending would be viable if taking it meant that the galaxy was more prepared. Even the human only council is like "nah Shepard was crazy reapers don't exist."

[TrueTgirl]

"The original council was incapable of responding to the crisis-" Nah don't let em off that easy they could have done practically anything and they did nothing. I usually save them because doing so is a step in the right direction for galactic/inter-species unity, but on a personal and professional level, fuck 'em.

[Killzoneguy]

The thing that really annoys me about this ending though is that it really doesn't amount to much. A human dominated Council has massive implications for Galactic politics, and its just... never dealt with again. Besides a few news snippets, throwaway lines, it never comes up again. The Council returns to being a multi-species effort.

I really feel like this choice should have impacted the series going forward more. Or at the very least been much more visible. Perhaps added or changed missions in ME3.

[MrNicoJac]

This is not THE worst ending.
Wrex still lives.
(and you let Garrus join you)

[psychedelicsunshine]

I've never done a renegade run, but this ending really has a lot of badass implications for how the rest of the series could run. Unfortunately the rest of the series plays out almost the exact same. The final paragon convo with saren will always be a fantastic villain conflict

[hj-hvrt]

I always interpreted/justified the "sacrificing the Council" option as focusing all fire on Sovereign rather than letting the Council die for being jerks. Though I guess those are two different choices in the dialogue wheel, even if they do have the same outcome. That's why I chose that on my first blind run of ME1 even though I was mostly Paragon for the rest of the run.