Unraveling the Threads: How Many Endings Does Assassin’s Creed Odyssey Truly Have?
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Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, with its sprawling open world and rich narrative, presents players with a wealth of choices. These decisions, seemingly minor at times, have profound consequences that lead to a complex web of possible outcomes. So, the burning question remains: how many endings does Assassin’s Creed Odyssey have? The answer, in its most direct form, is that there are nine distinct endings in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, each branching from specific decisions made throughout the main story and its associated storylines. It’s not simply a matter of “good” or “bad;” the game offers a nuanced spectrum of conclusions, emphasizing player agency and the impact of their choices. While these nine endings are primarily concerned with the culmination of the cultist plot, your family’s fate, and the wider ramifications of your actions, they are deeply intertwined with the game’s core narrative.
Understanding the Endings: Beyond a Simple Number
While nine is the technical number of endings, the game’s narrative complexity goes further. These endings are shaped by three interconnected storylines: the main odyssey, which concerns the protagonist’s personal journey, the cultist storyline, focused on dismantling the shadowy organization, and the family storyline, centered around your protagonist’s relationships with their immediate family.
The game deliberately blurs the line between a single definitive ending, instead providing a range of concluding scenarios that reflect the specific journey each player takes. Some players might focus on keeping their entire family alive and reconciled, while others may prioritize eliminating the Cult of Kosmos at any cost, even if that means sacrificing family relationships. These priorities will directly shape the ending you receive.
The Spectrum of Endings: Good, Bad, and Everything In Between
Within the nine distinct possibilities, many players categorize the endings into broad buckets: good, neutral, and bad.
The “Good” Ending: Family United
The best ending, and what most players consider the most satisfying and positive, is the one where all of your family members are alive and united. This typically means Myrinne, Nikolaos, Deimos, and Stentor are all living and reconciled with the protagonist (either Kassandra or Alexios), with yourself alongside them, gathered together as a family. This outcome is notoriously difficult to achieve as it demands very specific choices throughout the game.
The “Neutral” Endings
There are multiple outcomes that fall into this category. In these endings, you may have succeeded in eradicating the Cult of Kosmos and achieved some level of reconciliation, but at the cost of one or more family member’s lives. For example, Deimos might not have been saved, or Stentor may have been killed.
The “Bad” Endings: Isolation and Loss
The worst endings typically depict the protagonist returning home alone, having failed to save family members or experiencing their deaths due to player choices. This often involves the deaths of key characters like Myrinne, Deimos, Nikolaos, and Stentor. These endings are usually characterized by a feeling of loss and isolation.
Key Choices That Impact the Endings
Several crucial decisions throughout the game have a significant impact on which of the nine endings you will achieve. Here are some of the most significant:
- Nikolaos’s fate: Deciding whether or not to kill Nikolaos in “The Wolf of Sparta” is crucial. Killing him will prevent you from getting the best ending.
- Myrinne’s promise: Promising Myrinne that Deimos can be saved in Chapter 6 is vital for a positive resolution.
- Nikolaos’s intervention: Convincing Nikolaos to intervene with Stentor in “The Last Fight of Aristalos” affects Stentor’s eventual outcome.
- Stentor’s survival: Choosing not to kill Stentor in “The Conqueror” allows you to pursue a positive family ending.
- Deimos’s Manipulation: Persistently convincing Deimos that they are being manipulated by the cult, starting in “The Battle of Pylos,” is key to saving them.
- Aspasia’s Fate: Whether you decide to kill or spare Aspasia influences the long term implications of the Cult of Kosmos, but does not directly affect the family ending, rather its impact on the lore.
The Cultist Plot and Its Impact
The Cult of Kosmos storyline is also a significant factor in how your playthrough concludes. While a perfect family ending can still be achieved without eliminating all cult members, most players prefer a complete cult eradication to achieve a sense of closure. How you deal with them as well as the other characters within that specific plot impacts the final conclusion of that story arc within the nine endings.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is There A True Canon Ending to Assassin’s Creed Odyssey?
Yes, the canon ending of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is that Kassandra (the female protagonist) is reconciled with Myrinne, Nikolaos, and Stentor, with Deimos deceased, and Aspasia alive. The novelization offers a variation but the main story beats remain.
2. How Do I Get the Best Ending Where Everyone is Alive?
Achieving the best ending requires making specific, often challenging, choices:
- Do not kill Nikolaos.
- Promise Myrrine that Deimos can be saved.
- Convince Nikolaos to intervene with Stentor.
- Do not kill Stentor.
- Start convincing Deimos they are being used by the Cult.
3. Can I Play After the Ending?
Yes! New Game+ allows you to start a new playthrough with all your previously earned experience and equipment. You can still explore the open world and do side quests after finishing the main story.
4. Who is Deimos If You Play as Alexios?
If you choose to play as Alexios, Kassandra becomes “Deimos,” the brainwashed sibling. Canonically, however, Alexios is the “Deimos”.
5. Who is the Cultist King?
Pausanias is revealed to be the cultist king.
6. Does Killing Aspasia Affect the Ending?
Killing Aspasia will erase the Cult of Kosmos, but sparing her will lead to her forming the Templar Order, significantly impacting the Assassin’s Creed universe’s lore. However, it does not impact your family ending.
7. Is There a Bad Ending I Should Avoid?
Yes, the bad endings result in the loss of most or all of your family members. The worst being one where the protagonist has dinner alone, signifying complete family loss.
8. What Happens If I Say I Killed Nikolaos?
If you claim to have killed Nikolaos, you will lose your chance at the best ending.
9. Is There a Level Cap in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey?
Yes, the level cap is 99, although this can take a while to achieve.
10. Do Romance Options Affect Endings?
While romance options do add depth to the game, they do not directly impact the nine major endings. However, certain characters will react differently to your romance choices.
11. Do All Choices Matter in Odyssey?
Not all choices have major impacts on the primary ending, but they do affect character relationships and other smaller story elements.
12. How Long Does it Take to 100% Complete the Game?
Achieving 100% completion in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey typically takes around 143 hours.
13. Was Stentor a Cultist?
While not explicitly stated, clues suggest Stentor may have been being groomed to join the Cult, or may have been aware of their existence.
14. Who is the Real Father of Alexios/Kassandra?
Pythagoras, the great Greek philosopher, is their biological father.
15. How Do You Upgrade the Spear of Leonidas?
To upgrade the spear, you must collect artifact fragments from defeated Cultists.
Final Thoughts
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey offers a profound experience with its intricate narrative and branching storylines. While nine is the magic number of endings, understanding how they’re shaped and what choices influence them allows players to tailor their journey and achieve the most personally fulfilling conclusion.