Dishonored's ending is already great. It's a twist with a revenge arc that really scratches an itch for me. But I've been brainstorming about an alternate ending and I'm recording it here to get it out there. And it all starts with one thing:
Corvo rejecting the poisoned drink in low chaos.
Let me elaborate.
Samuel plays a pivotal role in the latter third of the game, and I think he could get even more involved. He mentions to a weakened Corvo that he was forced to poison him under duress from Havelock, Martin and Pendleton. Get this: in low chaos, before Corvo steps into the pub, Samuel pulls him aside and admits what he'd been made to do. Says that after the care Corvo took in sparing as many people as possible, he couldn't let it go unsaid. So Corvo rejects the drink, the Loyalists (here on out representing Havelock, Martin and Pendleton) turn openly hostile, and Corvo, Samuel, Callista, Piero and Emily have to escape somewhere. The Loyalists then each get their own elimination missions, Emily is coronated, and Daud is hunted down professionally with the finances and manpower of the Empire's government.
What elimination missions would the Loyalists have?
Havelock: Still running the pub, he's commanded what force he still has over the military to hunt you. You've got to infiltrate the Hound Pits Pub, find him, and kill him.
Nonlethal: Under Review
Martin: Having retreated to the Office of the High Overseer and modified it in a similar fashion to how Burrows modified Dunwall Tower, Martin is living in a world of paranoia. Pretty much High Overseer Campbell II: Electric Boogaloo.
Nonlethal: Steal and burn the Little Black Book, therefore abolishing the control Martin had over the Overseers. He's imprisoned.
Pendleton: His life hasn't changed very much; aristocrats tend to avoid unpleasantries when they can. Infiltrate Pendleton Manor and assassinate him.
Nonlethal: Similar to the bank heist in DotO, you've got to break into the separate building the Pendleton family uses to store its wealth and destroy or empty it, financially pulling Pendleton down from the aristocracy and socially ruining him. He now holds very little social or political power.
And then, of course, Emily's coronation, and a duo of missions hunting Daud, making for a total of twelve missions.
None of this is fully worked out yet. If you've got ideas, I'm all years.