The End of the Raid: Unraveling the Endings of Tomb Raider Games
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The endings of Tomb Raider games are as varied and exciting as Lara Croft’s adventures themselves, often involving climactic battles, narrow escapes, and the lingering promise of future expeditions. While each game concludes with a specific narrative resolution, the core experience is about witnessing Lara’s growth as a survivor, an archaeologist, and a hero. Generally, the endings involve defeating the primary antagonist, securing the artifact or treasure at the heart of the story, and barely escaping a collapsing location. The emotional impact and specific circumstances, however, differ significantly from game to game.
Decoding the Grand Finale: A Look at Common Endings
Across the franchise, certain themes and tropes recur in Tomb Raider endings. Let’s unpack those before diving into some specifics:
- The Showdown: Most games culminate in a final confrontation with the main villain. This is rarely a simple button-mashing affair; it tests the player’s mastery of the game’s combat and puzzle-solving mechanics.
- The Escape: Lara often finds herself racing against time to escape a crumbling temple, collapsing tomb, or exploding facility. This adds a layer of tension and requires quick thinking.
- The Acquisition: Ultimately, Lara either retrieves the artifact or ensures it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. Sometimes, she sacrifices the artifact to prevent catastrophic consequences.
- The Introspection: Endings frequently include a brief moment of reflection for Lara, hinting at the lessons learned and the path forward.
- The Teaser: Many games end with a tease for a future adventure, leaving players eager for the next installment.
Exploring Key Endings
Let’s look at a few examples of how this works in practice.
Tomb Raider (2013)
The rebooted Tomb Raider (2013) concludes with Lara defeating Mathias, the leader of the Solarii cult, during a fierce storm on Yamatai. She prevents him from sacrificing Sam to the Sun Queen Himiko, thereby freeing the island from its supernatural curse. The ending emphasizes Lara’s transformation from a naive young woman into a hardened survivor, embracing her destiny as a Tomb Raider.
Rise of the Tomb Raider
In Rise of the Tomb Raider, Lara confronts Konstantin, the leader of Trinity, in the Lost City of Kitezh. She ultimately destroys the Divine Source, a powerful artifact that grants immortality, preventing Trinity from exploiting its power. The ending shows Lara embracing her Croft legacy, dedicating herself to uncovering the truth about her father’s research and Trinity’s global conspiracy.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider
Shadow of the Tomb Raider, the final entry in the Survivor trilogy, sees Lara facing Pedro Dominguez (aka Amaru), the leader of Trinity’s High Council. She attempts to prevent the Mayan apocalypse by taking the dagger needed to restore balance, and after several battles, she finally sacrifices the dagger in its correct location. Doing this reverses the apocalyptic events she helped trigger, as she learned that the box should never have been opened to begin with. The ending is bittersweet, as Lara grapples with the consequences of her actions and acknowledges the heavy burden of her destiny. The post-credits scene hints at a new adventure, solidifying her commitment to the Tomb Raider life. Some players discovered an “unofficial” ending by playing the game before the day-one patch, which led to alternate scenes after the final credits.
Tomb Raider I (1996) & Anniversary
Tomb Raider I, and its remake Tomb Raider: Anniversary, conclude with Lara defeating Natla, the primary antagonist, within the fiery depths of a volcano. She escapes as the volcano erupts, sailing away on a boat, leaving the perilous adventure behind her. This iconic ending solidified Lara’s status as a fearless adventurer.
The Power of Narrative
Ultimately, the endings of Tomb Raider games are crucial for solidifying the narrative arc and leaving a lasting impression on players. They serve not only as resolutions to specific conflicts but also as pivotal moments in Lara Croft’s ongoing journey.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How many endings does Shadow of the Tomb Raider have?
Shadow of the Tomb Raider technically has two endings. One is the official ending that plays after you beat the game, watch through the credits, and watch the cutscene that plays afterwards. The second “unofficial” ending is played by doing the exact same thing but by not having the Day 1 patch installed on your game.
2. Can you still explore after beating Tomb Raider (2013)?
Yes, after you beat the main story in Tomb Raider (2013), you can continue exploring the island, finding collectibles, completing challenges, and finishing any side missions you may have missed. You can use fast travel to quickly move between base camps.
3. What happens when you get 100% in Rise of the Tomb Raider?
When you achieve 100% completion in Rise of the Tomb Raider, you’ll unlock an achievement or trophy. You will also have access to the Thunderclap Shotgun. Note that collectibles in the Baba Yaga DLC do not count towards the main completion percentage.
4. How did Lara survive the sacrifice in Shadow of the Tomb Raider?
In Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Lara doesn’t die during the sacrifice. The sacrifice removes the power of the box out of her, because she was able to resist it.
5. What is the longest Tomb Raider game?
Based on average completion times, Tomb Raider 3 is one of the longest games in the series. Other long games in the franchise include Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation, Tomb Raider (1996), and Tomb Raider 2.
6. Is Shadow of the Tomb Raider the end of Lara’s story?
No, Shadow of the Tomb Raider is the end of the Survivor trilogy. The story of Lara Croft continues in other games, comics, and media, exploring new adventures and challenges for the iconic Tomb Raider.
7. What to do after finishing Rise of the Tomb Raider?
After completing the main story in Rise of the Tomb Raider, you can engage in various activities, including spending credits on card packs, obtaining and trying different outfits, completing all DLC, experiencing Endurance Mode, collecting all artifacts and monoliths, upgrading your skills and weapons, playing Lara’s Nightmare, and completing challenge tombs.
8. Did Lara cause the tsunami in Shadow of the Tomb Raider?
By trying to prevent Trinity from getting the dagger, she inadvertently triggered the Mayan apocalypse in Shadow of the Tomb Raider. The box should have never been opened, leading to earthquakes and other natural disasters. This sets the stage for the game’s central conflict and Lara’s quest to undo the damage she caused.
9. What happened to Lara’s mother?
Lara’s mother, Amelia Croft, disappeared in the Himalayas during Lara’s childhood. In some timelines, she vanishes after encountering a mystical artifact. She later reappears as a thrall in Helheim, having been transformed by supernatural forces.
10. Why did Lara take the dagger in Shadow of the Tomb Raider?
Lara took the dagger to prevent Trinity from acquiring it and using its power for their own purposes in Shadow of the Tomb Raider. However, her actions inadvertently triggered the Mayan apocalypse, setting the stage for the game’s central conflict.
11. How many secret tombs are there in Tomb Raider (2013)?
There are seven optional Tombs in Tomb Raider (2013). Completing them unlocks a Treasure Map (or partial treasure map) for areas on the island.
12. How long does it take to 100% Tomb Raider (2013)?
Achieving 100% completion in Tomb Raider (2013) typically takes around 21 hours, depending on your play style and familiarity with the game. Focusing only on the main story takes about 11 and a half hours.
13. What game should I play after Tomb Raider?
If you enjoy the Tomb Raider series, Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a good choice. Its third-person action-adventure gameplay, puzzle-solving, and archery elements are all similar to the Tomb Raider franchise.
14. Does Tomb Raider have a timeline?
Yes, the Tomb Raider games are linked by a narrative timeline split into three distinct parts: the original timeline from 1996-2003, the Legend trilogy (Tomb Raider: Legend, Anniversary, and Underworld), and the Survivor trilogy.
15. What are the themes explored in the endings of the Tomb Raider games?
The endings of Tomb Raider games explore themes of personal growth, sacrifice, confronting destiny, and the consequences of one’s actions. The games delve into the burden of responsibility that Lara takes on as a protector of artifacts and an adventurer constantly facing world-ending threats.
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