Should I Shoot Chris or Ashley? Navigating the Cruel Choice in Until Dawn
The chilling horror game Until Dawn often forces players into excruciating decisions, none perhaps as gut-wrenching as the choice presented to Chris in Chapter 6: shoot Ashley or shoot himself. This isn’t just a moment of gameplay; it’s a pivotal crossroads that dramatically alters character relationships and sets the stage for the rest of the game. So, the burning question remains: should you shoot Chris or Ashley?
The short answer, strategically speaking, is neither. However, Until Dawn doesn’t offer a ‘no shoot’ option directly. The game is designed to make you feel the pressure of choice. Ultimately, your decision hinges on whether you prioritize a relationship boost between Chris and Ashley. If you don’t shoot Ashley, their relationship is maximized, regardless of its prior status. Shooting Ashley, on the other hand, plummets their relationship to zero.
Understanding the Consequences
This scenario is a classic example of Until Dawn’s butterfly effect system. Your seemingly small decision here reverberates through the narrative. But it’s vital to know the immediate impact:
- Shooting Ashley: Their relationship is destroyed. While this might seem like the worst outcome, the game does not punish you further for this decision in any direct manner.
- Not Shooting Ashley (Effectively Choosing to Shoot Yourself): This action maximizes the relationship between Chris and Ashley. In this scenario, Chris does not actually die, he is spared. Chris is forced to shoot someone, and by “shooting” himself, he effectively shoots no one.
It’s important to note a crucial butterfly effect update: regardless of who you choose to shoot (or not shoot by “shooting” yourself), the immediate result of the events ends up the same in the following chapter. In essence, you don’t get penalized with immediate character deaths for either of these actions; that’s decided later by your other decisions.
Weighing Relationship Value
The primary factor influencing your choice here boils down to your value of the Chris-Ashley relationship.
- If you’re aiming for a strong bond between these characters, the best strategy is to have Chris aim the gun at himself, making the choice as though he is choosing death over harming Ashley.
- If you don’t particularly care for this relationship, shooting Ashley has no gameplay impact beyond reducing the numerical value in their relationship.
Beyond the Immediate Choice
While the relationship meter is affected, consider this from a narrative and thematic standpoint:
- Sacrifice vs. Self-Preservation: The choice forces you to grapple with the characters’ motivations. Does Chris value his life over his relationship?
- Guilt and Trauma: This scene contributes to the overall theme of guilt and the psychological toll of the night’s events.
Ultimately, the decision on whether to shoot Ashley or yourself is personal, dictated by how you play the game. There is no correct answer, but weighing the pros and cons of this particular decision is important for getting the ending you want.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further clarify the ramifications of the choice, as well as some related gameplay elements:
1. What happens if you choose not to shoot Chris?
It’s impossible to prevent Chris from getting infected; he turns into a Wendigo before The Quarry game begins. You can save Chris in Chapter 9 with specific choices, but this could lead to the deaths of other characters.
2. What happens if Chris shoots Ashley?
Their relationship drops to zero. There isn’t any immediate consequence beyond the broken relationship.
3. What happens if Chris doesn’t shoot Ashley?
Their relationship is maximized, regardless of its previous status. He is technically choosing to “shoot” himself, and is spared in this scenario.
4. Should Chris save Josh or Ashley?
If Chris saves Ashley, his relationship with Josh drastically decreases. If he saves Josh, the relationship with Josh slightly increases. This choice does not have any bearing on the rest of the game outside of these relationship changes.
5. What happens if Ashley follows Chris?
If Ashley follows Chris (when they are separated exploring), Ashley confirms his suspicions and slips into a space. If Sam was caught by the Psycho, a dummy is in Sam’s clothes with dead pigs.
6. How do you avoid the trap with Chris and Ashley?
You are supposed to get captured here, so there is no avoiding the trap. There is a choice later between shooting Ashley or “shooting” yourself in this scene, but either choice results in you surviving until at least the next chapter.
7. Can Ashley use the scissors?
Yes, if you previously obtained the scissors, Ashley can use them to defend herself against the Psycho, but she will get a black eye as a result.
8. Can Chris and Ashley both survive Until Dawn?
Yes, Chris and Ashley can both survive, as long as you make specific decisions throughout the game, specifically during the final sequences at the lodge.
9. What happens if you choose Ashley instead of Josh?
Josh dies either way. It is revealed to be a prank later by Josh, so he gets out unscathed, although he might feel betrayed by you for choosing Ashley over him, and make snide remarks later.
10. Can Ashley and Josh both survive the saw trap scene?
No. The saw kills Josh no matter what. You cannot choose both, but Josh did set up the trap as a prank, so is not actually injured or killed.
11. Who is the killer in Until Dawn?
The masked man is revealed to be Josh, orchestrating the events at the lodge for revenge of his sister’s deaths.
12. How do you get the best ending in Until Dawn?
To achieve the best ending where everyone survives, Matt, Jessica, and Josh need to be alive at the end of chapter 10, and Sam, Mike, Chris, Ashley, and Emily all need to be present at the lodge during the final sequences.
13. Should Mike shoot Emily?
Shooting Emily will unlock the “Exorcism of Emily” trophy. If you don’t, you unlock the “Let eM In” trophy instead. If Mike spares Emily, Ashley and Sam will find out about the wendigo bite.
14. How do you get Ashley out of hiding?
Once you clear the path, call her down from hiding and guide her to the next area.
15. Does Josh turn into a Wendigo?
Yes, if you find Josh’s diary, the Wendigo will spare him for being her brother, but drag him into her lair and he will turn into a Wendigo himself.
Conclusion
The choice of whether to shoot Chris or Ashley is more than just a decision in a horror game; it’s a complex moral question designed to make you think about relationships and consequences. Your choice here affects their bond, and ultimately plays into the various endings available in Until Dawn. There’s no right or wrong answer, and that’s what makes the game so compelling. Consider the narrative, relationships, and your desire for a good or bad ending, and you will be able to navigate this challenging scenario in your preferred manner.