After reading most of the posts in this thread, I am almost convinced that the terrible ending was 100% intentional as it seems like almost everyone is ignoring all of the real problems of the game (removal of RPG elements, dumbing down the gameplay, and an insipid story) while they focus on the awful ending.
If true, it is actually quite brilliant as EA/Bioware already knew they were going to get a high metascore regardless of the game's quality so they dumbed down the series to lure in the unwashed CoD playing masses while hoodwinking the true fans by making them focus all of their energy on an ending so awful that it had to be planned.
As for the final part of the evil plan, it would seem that EA/Bioware will now move to placate the fans by changing the ending to something more appropriate while also getting a few extra dollars from DLC.
I'll give EA/Bioware the benefit of the doubt, and not assume the preceeding thought process went through their heads. I guess I just like to think of EA (the company that ruined more great series than I can count) as a bunch of incompetents, and not as a cold calculating cabal of executives vexing us with nefarious and convoluted schemes.
