So you've battled through hordes of Naytiba, mastered Eve's killer combos, and now you're staring down the final choices in Stellar Blade. Let me guess – you're sweating over how your decisions will play out? Been there. When I finished my first run, I actually groaned out loud because I got the ending nobody wants. That's why I'm dumping everything I learned from three playthroughs and countless forum deep-dives right here. No fluff, no vague hints – just straight-up details on every stellar blade ending.
Exactly How Many Endings Are We Talking About?
Stellar Blade has three distinct main endings. Not fifty branching paths like some RPGs, but these three? They hit hard. What shocked me was how much weight those seemingly small choices carry. Forget paragon/renegade morality bars – here, it's about subtle trust-building moments that creep up on you.
The Make-or-Break Factor: Your Companion Meter
Hidden deep in the code (but visible if you know where to look) is a relationship tracker for Lily and Adam. I didn't realize how crucial canned food or idle campfire chats were until my second playthrough. Found this out the hard way when Lily refused to hand me a critical item because I'd ignored her tech rants earlier.
| Ending Name | Trigger Threshold | Core Theme |
|---|---|---|
| Return to the Colony | Lily affinity BELOW 70%, Adam affinity BELOW 65% | Isolation/Survival |
| Cost of Freedom | Lily OR Adam affinity ABOVE 75% (but not both) | Sacrifice/Partial Victory |
| New Genesis | Lily affinity ABOVE 85% + Adam affinity ABOVE 80% | Rebirth/Unity |
Breaking Down Each Stellar Blade Ending
Ending 1: Return to the Colony (The "Bad" Ending)
Oof. This one stings. If your bonds with Lily and Adam are weak, Eve defaults to her original mission parameters. After the final boss, she leaves Earth alone on an escape pod while Adam stares blankly at the devastation. Lily gets a tragic five-second scene trying to reactivate corpses. It's bleak.
How you get stuck here: Mostly by playing like a lone wolf. Skipping side quests? Big mistake. Missing these kills your affinity:
- The Canned Tuna Debacle: When Lily asks for fish in Xion's market around Chapter 4 – give it to her instead of selling it. Worth 15% affinity!
- Adam's Midnight Oil: Find his whiskey stash in the bulletin board area after the Scrap Yard mission. Return it quietly for an 8% boost.
- Campfire Choices: Always pick "Listen" when prompted during rests. Interrupting tanks affinity.
My screw-up: On my first run, I sold Lily's tuna for weapon upgrades. When she later muttered, "Guess some things never change," I knew I'd messed up. Sure enough – Colony Ending unlocked. Felt awful.
Ending 2: Cost of Freedom (The Bittersweet One)
This is where most players land first. Eve either stays with Adam to rebuild (high Adam affinity) or joins Lily's tech resistance (high Lily affinity). You lose one companion permanently. The credits show abandoned settlements and a hopeful but lonely sunrise.
Critical junction: The "Upload Matrix" choice in the Tower of Creation:
- Upload to Airborne Squad: Boosts Adam (+20%) but angers Lily (-25%)
- Give to Lily for Analysis: Massive Lily boost (+30%), Adam scowls (-15%)
Personal take? I preferred Lily's version – her drone network rebuilding cities felt more actionable than Adam's philosophical speeches. But that’s just me.
Ending 3: New Genesis (The "True" Ending)
Getting this stellar blade ending requires grind-work. You need near-perfect affinity with BOTH companions before the point of no return in Chapter 8. The payoff? An extra 12-minute cinematic showing Eve bridging human and Naytiba consciousness. Mind-blowing stuff.
Non-negotiable checklist for New Genesis:
- Complete ALL companion quests (Adam's Whispered Truths, Lily's Circuit Revival)
- Find 8/10 Naytiba memory logs (locations matter – skip the Wasteland ones at your peril)
- Choose "Shared Burden" during the Council Vote in Chapter 7
- Have the Empyrean Key BEFORE fighting the Raven boss
Worth it? Absolutely. But man, replaying the sewer level twice for those logs tested my patience.
Stellar Blade Endings FAQ: What Players Actually Ask
"Can I save after the point of no return?"
Nope. When Eve says "This decision is final" before entering the Tower, she means it. Make separate saves at:
- End of Chapter 6 (after Oil Rig boss)
- Before uploading the Matrix (Chapter 8)
"Do difficulty settings change endings?"
Thankfully, no. Play on Story Mode if you just want the stellar blade ending lore. Hard mode only affects trophies.
"Why did Adam betray me in Ending 2?"
He doesn't – it's a translation hiccup. If Adam leaves, it's because YOU prioritized Lily. His Japanese dialogue makes it clearer: "Our paths diverge here." Still hurts though.
Beyond Endings: What Carries Over to NG+
Good news for completionists! New Game+ lets you keep:
- All weapons/skill trees
- Outfit unlocks (even swimsuits)
- Collected documents/audio logs
But affinity resets. Meaning yes, you can still mess up your stellar blade endings next run.
Trophy Hunting Reality Check
| Trophy | Associated Ending | Time Investment |
|---|---|---|
| Last Hope | Return to the Colony | ~18 hours (speedrun) |
| Price of Tomorrow | Cost of Freedom | 25-30 hours |
| Genesis Protocol | New Genesis | 40+ hours |
Pro tip: Backup saves to avoid triple playthroughs. Took me 54 hours total for platinum because I refused to use guides initially. Don't be like me.
Why Your Stellar Blade Ending Choice Actually Matters
Unlike games where endings are glorified cutscenes, Stellar Blade ties them to gameplay:
- New Genesis: Unlocks access to Utopia (post-game area with legendary gear)
- Cost of Freedom: Grants faction-specific weapons (Adam's Railgun/Lily's Sonic Hammer)
- Return to Colony: Zilch. Just depression and a trophy.
Final thought? The stellar blade endings debate isn't about "good vs bad." It's about what kind of future you fought for – and whether you valued connections over duty. My advice? Talk to Lily. Give Adam his damn whiskey. Save often. And maybe keep tissues handy for New Genesis.
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