Review: What the is the Indoctrination Theory?

Review: What the fuck is the Indoctrination Theory?

So, for whatever reason, I decided to research and look into what the truly hell is the “Indoctrination Theory”. With comments of what others have said, claimed, or believe, and with watching countless hours of merely opinionated video, I have whittled it down to ten statements. Theses ten statements will be my grounds on whether or not the “Indoctrination Theory” post and idea has some validity with in game, whether it is fan based conjecture or opinions, and whether or not it should be moved to the Fan Creation of Bioware’s Social.

Now, before I get a backlash of people wanting my head or something else entirely, I will say this.

I know that there is countless comments, opinions, and possible things that could have things that are valid that could support IT that I will be leaving out. I know that. I am merely going the top 10 statements of what I feel is important. I have gone through each of theses statements with a fact based eye, and an open mind. So, don't complain that I have gone through every one of the 2000+ post on the Topic post and validated everything, cause I won't and probably never. It would take too much time.

So yes, I know there will be opinions and such I leave out, and possible things that could validate IT. I know! So don't badger me for it.

So, with that said and done, you may read.

1. Star child say that Shepard will die if you choose Destroy: Invalid

Does this Statement support IT? No because for starters, the Star child never said anything about dying by choosing Destroy. He did say that if you choose Control or Synthesis you would, but not a word about Destroy.

Here is the proof.

Shepard:  What exactly will happen?

Star child:  Your crucible device appears to be largely intact.  However the effects of the blast will not be constrained to the Reapers. Technology you rely on will be affected.  But those who survive should have little difficulty in repairing the damage.  There will still be losses, but no more than has already been lost.

Shepard:  But the Reapers will be destroyed?

Star child:  Yes, but the peace won’t last.  Soon your children will create synthetics and the chaos will come back.

Overall/Assumptions: Now, we could assume Shepard was supposed to die in all possible endings. But since there is the infamous “Last Breath” scene that says otherwise, whether Shepard was to be killed off is up in the air. I say this because, with what is shown and in the endings, both Original and EC. There isn’t really enough evidence to say whether or not Shepard went up or not. Either way, its all up to what people can assume, believe and interrupt what really happened, and what could have happened.


2. Shepard’s Dreams/Nightmares of the Star child: Opinion

Does this statement support IT? Yes and no.

Yes: I say yes because if we understand the symptoms of indoctrination, Shepard has all signs of it. Hallucinations, nightmares, etc. Since Shepard is repeatedly seeing the Star child in his dreams, there is the chance that Shepard could be on his/her way to becoming indoctrinated.

No: I say no because there is the chance that it could be psychological, stress, Paranoid Personality Disorder, or something else entirely. Think about it this way, regardless of what background your character comes from. Shepard is the only one that can save the universe, the only one who has seen first hand the horrors of what the Reapers can do, the one who has the fate of trillions on his/her shoulders. That can be a bit overwhelming and stressful if you think about it.

Overall/Assumptions: When you boil it all down, this statement is just a matter of opinion. I say this because even though the game might make it feel and hint at the possibility of the beginnings of indoctrination, there still is that possibility that it could be something psychological. All that it comes down to is what players feel about what is happening to Shepard, whether its beginnings of indoctrination, psychological, or something else entirely.


3. Indoctrination the primary weapon? : Opinion

Does this statement support IT? No.

I say no, but I am a bit hesitant to say no because I wouldn’t say that Indoctrination is the Reapers first and foremost weapon. I would say that the Reapers first weapon of choice would be fear because what they bring to table is destruction and chaos. And through that, even though they claim to be “harvesting the knowledge of current cycle”, what they bring is the loss of hope, despair, and fear. Ones life, history, civilization even, could be whipped out in the blink of an eye.

An example to this is the Cold War. The United State and the U.S.S.R both had nuclear capabilities that, at the press of a button, could end civilization as we know it in seconds. As a result, people became paranoid with fear, and even some took drastic measures by creating their own death traps if you will, in their own back yards.

Overall/Assumptions: Now I know there will be some that will disagree with this but, if you take a step back and think about it at a different view, I think you could see what I am trying to say. Yet again, this is just a matter of what people believe and what they take away from the game.


4. Control: Domination or Submission? : Valid

Does this statement support IT? Yes

I say yes because it obviously shows and support the beginning or final steps of Indoctrination with the Illusive Man, but there is more to it than just that. The bigger questions is this: What does control truly mean? Domination or Submission? Lets forget everything that the Star child has stated and said and look at it this way.

Destroy: ensures that synthetic life is destroyed.

Synthesis: embeds Reaper code into everything and everyone.

And then there is Control. You don’t want to kill synthetics like EDI or the Geth, and you sure as hell don’t want Reaper code embedded into the one you love and others around the universe. So the next best opion would be to control the Reapers. Now, could Shepard want to truly dominate the Reapers and have them do his/her bidding? Possibly, but there the chance that since there is no other choice, Shepard is will to sacrifice his/her self and submit to the Reapers control.

Overall/Assumptions: Obviously a no brainier but kind of makes you wonder about the latter portion of things.


5. Synthesis: Power through knowledge, immortality, or best of both? : Questionable

Does this statement support IT? Undecided

I am really undecided with this. The only thing I see that would support IT would be the Reaper Code beigging embedded, which is a minor thing. Other than that, I really don’t see anything else.

Overall/Assumptions: If we take a step back and look at Synthesis in depth and ask the question of what is the true meaning of Synthesis, there could be many it could mean: Power through knowledge, power through immortality, or maybe even both. Consider the fact that the Reapers have harvested the knowledge of numerous cycles, and through that, in essence, immortality. With that said, would Shepard choose this? Possibly, considering the fact that the Reapers are practically immortal and host the knowledge of past cycles in their code. With that, not only Shepard could infact create a golden age of peace and wealth, a Renaissance if you will, but possibly even immorality could be reached. Overall, I didn’t see anything to prove or disprove IT, so I am undecided.


6. Destroy: The True Refusal? : Questionable

Does this statement support IT? Yes and No.

Yes: Because with the intent of the “Last Breath” was to give us hope, there is the chance that Shepard could have woken up near the beam, still in London, and having everything that we saw be just a dream.

No: Because there is that possibility that Shepard could have destroyed the Reapers and Synthetics, be somewhere either on the Citadel or Earth buried, and everything that we saw truly happened.

Overall/Assumptions: Now true this statement can both ways for Pro-Enders and IT-errs regardless of what could be added or taken away. The point is, what Destroy brings in my mind is the true refusal. Now what that could mean goes both ways. Refusing to let the Reapers live or refusing the Reapers indoctrination, regardless, it is a matter of opinion.


7. Mass Effect 2’s Ending Choices Reversed In Mass Effect 3? : Opinion

Does this statement support IT? No.

I say no because this statement is a matter of opinion. Starting with Mass Effect 2, if you choose to destroy the base, it is the right choice if you want to be a Paragon. On the other hand, if you want to keep the base intact, then you turn out to be a Renegade. Simply to understand. But in regards to the choices of Mass Effect 3, it all depends on what you the player believe is the right or wrong choice. Some people that are paragons will believe that Destroy is the true paragon ending and renegades will choose Control, and visa versa. All that matters is this: What you think is right, is probably the right choice, regardless of what ending you decide.

Overall/Assumptions: This statement really is what people think is the right choice. If you think that Control, Destroy, or even Synthesis is the right choice, regardless if there is the possibility of Indoctrination or not, and you the player feels that it’s the right choice? Do it.



8. Synthesis: Unnatural Evolution? : Opinion

Does this statement support IT? No

Again, this is a matter of opinion statement that someone posted. Now, there will be some that will claim that Reaper code embedding itself into everyone will support IT. But to me, I don’t see it. I don’t see how putting Reaper code into everyone across the galaxy, creating a new genetic life. I just don’t see it.

But, on regards to Synthesis being unnatural, lets look at it in a different light.

Salarians: Helped the Krogan by aiding them to become a weapon against the Rachni: Synthesis.

Asari: Helped anyone that they deemed capable of spaceflight: Synthesis

Protheans: Helped the Asari gain biotic abilities and protected there race from “cosmic events”: Synthesis

And with that, there will be opinions on this topic and things that prove in others opinions that I am wrong or right or something else entirely.

Overall/Assumptions: Overall, this is just a matter of interpretation, opinion, and what one believes and takes away from the game. Now, I am not saying that there could be things that support IT or even if Synthesis isn’t a unnatural evolution or not. Either way, at this moment in time, I just don’t see anything to either.


9. Leviathan’s Enthrallment: Valid

Does this statement support IT? Yes

Obviously, with that was said in game from the Leviathans, with what Leviathan Enthrallment being the beginnings of indoctrination. Yet with Leviathan Enthrallment, there isn’t any long term mental damage, only temporary memory loss.

Overall/Assumptions: Since the Leviathan stated that it their enthrallment was the beginning of indoctrination, it does support the possibility of IT.


10. Every proves/disproves IT? : Opinion

Now this is merely a matter of opinion. Yes, there are things that do support the IT. But there is equally as much things that can disprove it. What it really truly is just a matter of what people believe, assume, interrupt, etc. Some IT-errs need to get it through their head that not ever single opinion or assumption that you post is 100%. I have read some of those comments and almost half is not even proven and valid, its just what you believe.

There also could be other possible theories and possibilities out there, such as a psychological disorder or maybe even something else entirely. There is that possibility, regardless of what IT-errs say.

Final Words

Overall, there is a lot of things and opinions that I didn’t go through. And there will be those who will call me out on that and badger me to death. But there is the thing: I am not going to review every single damn post and comment that is either a opinion of something with the same possible fact that someone else wrote about or is just a opinion of something entirely speculative.

Now, let me get this clear: I am a Pro-Ender, and I personally believe that it is something psychological that Shepard is going through, regardless of what people say. That is what I believe, and will be adamant about it.

Now having gone through and read a good portion of what IT-errs believe and claim, going through countless hours of gaming to see what the things that they say could support it and such, I have come to my conclusion.

I will stay that there is some things that do support the possibility of IT. But, there are also some things that can disprove of it as well. Out of the 2000 plus posts and comments on the IT post, nearly half of those comments are opinions or are repeated claims that someone else posted only in different words. And because of that, that is why people dislike and hate it. Because the topic and posts are so damn confusing to understand and translate.

Now, if by chance, that IT-errs created a website, stated 10 or so things that support their claim in a way that makes sense and can be looked at by others while their testing those claims, and with that, posted other possibilities such as it being a psychological disorder, and stated the same amount of things that could support that, as well as possible others, then I think that it would get less hostilities. By making it a neutral ground that shows their evidence, along with other possibilities, I think people will finally understand that it is just a opinion, not a hundred percent thing.

Now whether or not it should be moved to the Fan Creation portion of the Social Forums, makes me conflicted. True there are some things that support the possibility of it, and I would say about 45%. I would also say about 45% as well for the possibility of it being psychological. The other 10% on the other hand I would say it either it’s something else entirely or something Bioware put it that we have yet to discover and would make us scratch our heads. But what makes me say that it should be moved to the Fan Creation is that there are so many opinions and so many confusing pieces that could be fan created or fan based conjecture. Either way, I really am undecided.

So, overall, Do I support IT with this post? No. Do I understand what they are trying to point out? Yes. But what it all comes down to is that if IT-errs want people to understand that it is just a theory, create a website that is neutral in all aspects. Have your claims and things that could back it and have other possibilities of things that it could be: (Psychological, Bioware’s “Indoctrination”, Mad Cows etc)

Furthermore, there is a question that Bioware has yet to give us the answer. True, we all got the “Indoctrination could be equally as possible as much The Literal Ending could be equally as possible.” But really, what is the truth. Was Shepard supposed to feeling the effects of Indoctrination or not? That is the question that we all deserve from Bioware. Now if in fact that Shepard was supposed to be beingging the stages of indoctrination, many will argue otherwise, like myself, and visa versa. Either way, it would be nice to know that it was meant for Shepard to be this or not, with out the “possibility of it”. That my dear readers and friends, will be our holy fucking grail. :D

In all, no I will not support the Indoctrination Theory and hold firm to my beliefs, but now I can understand what IT is: A mass post of opinions, assumptions, speculations, conjecture and some valid points that could support it. But there are things that disprove it as well. All in all, its just a matter of interruptions.