Mass Effect 4 Collectable Hints At The Return Of Commander Shephard

thegamer.com:

Mass Effect 3's ending is probably one of the most controversial to date, with developer BioWare going back to tweak the game's three endings and adding a fourth after the game launched to satisfy those unhappy. Ever since its release, fans have argued which ending is actually canon, with each of the game's four endings having radically different impacts on the galaxy. Whichever ending you think is more appropriate, it turns out the canon ending could be one in which Shephard is still alive.

First spotted by YouTuber MrHulthen (thanks VGC), a new N7 Day lithograph for Mass Effect 4 was recently revealed, although the lithograph's description was quickly changed after the previous description insinuated that Commander Shephard is alive and well.

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"Shephard's final quest may have ended the threat of the Reapers but at great cost including Earth itself," read the description. "While Shephard and the survivors are left to pick up the pieces, fans are left wondering what's next." The description has since been changed to remove any mention of Commander Shephard, but it does make you question whether this was an accidental oversight or a genuine hint that they might return.

Fans of Mass Effect will know that none of Mass Effect 3's endings really have Shephard walking away unscathed. In fact, the only two endings that don't have Shephard completely disintegrated are the "Destroy" ending and the DLC ending that lets players refuse to pick any of the three options given to them. Shephard's survival is teased at the end of the "Destroy" ending as his body can be seen twitching in a pile of rubble, so it's possible BioWare could be using this ending as a platform for