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Should You Jump or Save Emily? A Deep Dive into Until Dawn’s Crucial Choice

The question of whether to jump to safety or save Emily during the perilous radio tower collapse in Until Dawn is a critical decision that significantly impacts the storyline. The short answer? Always save Emily, unless Matt does not possess the flare gun. This choice, while seemingly simple, has nuanced consequences that extend beyond the immediate moment and ripple through the narrative, affecting character relationships and even the final credits. This article will dissect this pivotal decision, explore its outcomes, and answer frequently asked questions to help you navigate this tricky moment in the game.

The Immediate Impact of Your Choice

The initial decision point arrives as the radio tower begins to crumble. Matt, caught on the structure with Emily, has a split second to decide. Do you prioritize your own survival by jumping to safety, or do you risk your life to attempt to save Emily?

Choosing to Save Emily

Recommended Action: Consistently choosing to save Emily is the generally advised path. It leads to a scenario where both Matt and Emily can survive the tower’s collapse. Crucially, it sets up later events that can either benefit or further endanger Matt, based on whether you secured the flare gun earlier.
Flare Gun is Key: Successfully saving Emily the second time requires specific conditions; Matt must have the flare gun. This allows Matt to shoot a target with the flare gun, ensuring a successful rescue.
Relationship Dynamics: Opting to save Emily enhances her relationship with Matt. However, Emily’s personality might lead her to be quite opinionated on whether he saved her effectively and how long he took.

Choosing to Jump to Safety

Survival, but Separation: If you choose to jump to safety, both Matt and Emily will survive the tower collapse but they will be separated.
Emily’s Discontent: Leaving Emily behind will likely cause tension. She will be notably upset with Matt when they reunite at dawn, potentially affecting their interactions further into the game.
Potential for Death: While jumping ensures Matt’s survival in this immediate scenario, there is some ambiguity surrounding Emily’s fate if he doesn’t attempt to save her at all.

The Flare Gun’s Significance

The flare gun is a vital piece of equipment that greatly impacts Emily’s survival, particularly during the conveyor belt sequence.

Emily’s Fate Without the Flare Gun

Inevitably Bitten: If Emily does not have the flare gun, she will inevitably be bitten by a Wendigo during her escape on the conveyor belt. This bite has severe ramifications on her overall survival.
Matt’s Limited Options: If Matt doesn’t keep the flare gun and chooses to try saving Emily twice on the radio tower, this will result in Matt’s death.

Emily’s Fate With the Flare Gun

Successful Escape: If Emily possesses the flare gun, she can use it to successfully escape the Wendigo on the conveyor belt without being bitten.
Shooting the Flare: Choosing to shoot the flare gun will give you the opportunity to escape unharmed. This ensures Mike has nothing to be aggressive with her about, sparing her a potential death.

Long-Term Consequences and Butterfly Effects

The choice to jump or save Emily is not an isolated incident. It triggers a series of butterfly effects that influence the narrative’s direction and character interactions.

The “Let em in” Trophy

Not Shooting Emily: If Mike does not shoot Emily after her bite, this triggers a Bronze Trophy opportunity. This decision heavily hinges on whether Emily was bitten, which is directly affected by the flare gun and tower decisions.
Relationship Dynamics: How you handle this situation can drastically alter relationships between characters, creating either conflict or potential loyalty.

Character Survival

Matt’s Later Death Opportunity: If Matt survives the tower collapse and the mines, he has an additional opportunity to die later in the story.
The importance of your choices: Every action you take impacts character survival making each decision a pivotal one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify the intricacies of the choices surrounding Matt and Emily in Until Dawn:

Can Emily avoid being bitten? Yes, Emily can avoid being bitten if she has the flare gun and successfully uses it on the conveyor belt to fend off the Wendigo.
What happens if Emily keeps the flare gun? If Emily keeps the gun, she will have the option to either stow it or use it to protect herself.
Did Hannah eat Beth? Yes, a month after falling off the cliff, Hannah eventually succumbed to hunger and consumed Beth’s remains, which resulted in her becoming a Wendigo.
Can you save Emily without the flare gun? No, Emily will always be bitten if she does not have the flare gun. Matt also will die if he attempts to save her twice without the flare gun.
What is the bad ending of Until Dawn? The worst ending occurs when all characters, except Sam and Mike, are dead, leaving them as the sole survivors within the lodge during the final sequence.
Can you save both Ashley and Josh? You cannot save both in the initial scene, but you can keep them both alive mid-game by making certain choices throughout. However, in the ending, Josh will not survive.
Who has the worst death in Until Dawn? Deaths vary in brutality, but some of the most notable include Ashley being tricked, Chris losing his head, and Josh’s head being crushed.
What happens if I don’t shoot Emily? If you don’t shoot Emily after being bitten, you will unlock the “Let em In” Bronze Trophy.
Who is the most loved character in Until Dawn? Chris is often cited as a very likeable character because of his willingness to risk his life for others.
Does Josh turn into a Wendigo? Yes, Josh is turned into a Wendigo as a result of Hannah, his sister, dragging him back to her lair and forcing him to eat human remains.
Can Chris shoot himself in Until Dawn? Yes, Chris can choose to shoot himself, shoot Ashley or not shoot at all.
Does Emily always get bitten in Until Dawn? Yes, unless she has the flare gun and uses it correctly.
Why does Emily push Ashley in Until Dawn? Emily pushes Ashley to save herself; she did not have killing her in mind.
What is Emily’s GPA in Until Dawn? Emily mentions that she has a 4.0 GPA, highlighting her intelligence.
Who is the easiest to save in Until Dawn? Ashley is considered the easiest character to save due to the options for her being less complicated than others.

Conclusion

In Until Dawn, the decision to jump to safety or save Emily during the radio tower collapse has significant and lasting consequences. Consistently choosing to save Emily, while ensuring Matt possesses the flare gun, provides the best chance for survival for both characters and leads to a more compelling narrative. Understanding these choices and their intricate outcomes is crucial to effectively navigating the treacherous path of Blackwood Mountain and ensuring the survival of as many characters as possible. The game rewards thoughtful decision-making, so proceed with caution, and prioritize the survival of your chosen characters while creating a unique narrative.

Should you jump or save emily?