I think that's also a big flaw with the ending, if the interviews where Swen said the choice has to feel like a sacrifice is anything to go by. It doesn't feel like much of a sacrifice, considering most players will get the chance to either trust the Emperor with it or have Orpheus deal with it. If the task obligatorily fell to you or any of your (willing?) party members it'd feel different, or if you had any reason to give a lot of gravity to Orpheus being transformed, such as playing as a rebel Gith Tav.