Is the 'Legend' ending actually the worst ending?

[Markus Reese]

First, apologies if is a well known or already discussed theory. I tend not to lurk in meta discussion forums and not heard this in casual.

So with my last playthroughs, I have begun to try and piece together shards and events in the world. I dont like online researching to be told for most part and put off doing so in CP2077 because of the way all shards dump together.

However because of this, and just catching random youtubes on topic, I caught a lot more details on the Peralez missions and neural reprogramming. How much of the story has AI infiltration from Voodoo boys prophecies to their neural reprogramming with a van that has no driver.

Overall, it is a core theme of the 2077 and the threats from beyond the wall being a bigger overall story than even Relic and Mikoshi.

This leads us to the "best?" ending? You are a legend. Top of Night City! Leader of afterlife. As Delamain puts it, limitless wealth essentially. We meet Mr Blue eyes who hires us to rob the Crystal Palace! Greatest heist o all time with epic music and visuals! First time did this felt like a god as got it with Reaper on hardest difficulty!

Well... Two nights ago, became legend again. But now saw with different eyes. Details with Garry. Peralez. Mr. Blue eyes seemingly always connected. Little shard with mystery and conspiracies. Maelstrom actions. The rings.

But then cause was more detailed focus, I listened to details of heist and what Blue Eyes was looking for. Intel. Intel on the wealthiest and most powerful people of fine detail.

I had a WTF moment.

Our final and greatest heist just handed the world over to the AIs.

[Zebedee]

Possibly. Depends on how the AI links back to Night Corp. I see a Neuromancer theme running from Dorsett through to the heist ending, or at least a sly little wink towards it, which could make Mr.Blue Eyes a shell controlled by an independent AI. (The whole Wintermute/Armitage thing.)

But... there's nothing to say that it is an independent AI. In fact, Dorsett's shard has the mind altering AI stuff under Night Corp's 'control'. Which would fit a few other little threads which might hint towards it being Night Corp making their own power play (against Miltech and Arasaka) to reclaim control of Night City using their AI, both in politics and on the streets.

It's all been left very deliberately ambiguous in places.)

[Grobut]

Let's see here: V basically learns nothing and doesen't have an arc, just continues "trying to be a legend" like at the start of the game, Judy/Panam will dump you because you care more about the next big job than them, you're no closer to finding a cure, and your final big heist looks more suspect than a fat guy in a trenchcoat but no trousers.

Yeah, it's a pretty crap ending.

[Markus Reese]

River Romance to. Doesnt leave but has the drift apart with River wanting to stay loyal. I assume Kerry leaves to tour but have not seen that one for this end choice.

You are closer to finding a cure though. At least that is a primary reason V takes it. My guess is perhaps it is implanting V into a new body. Essentially a new malfunctioning biochip process I suspect. While Alt does fry Mikoshi, I do not see that as being the true case.

It actually leads me to a new ponder of something I might have forgotten. Why does Alt even care? Just to get the engrams?

I honestly ponder about a forthcoming AI war. Off topic though.

But yeah, other than becoming legend, it is a crap in all other aspects. Though I guess for an edgerunner? That is their meaning in life.

... I wonder what the ending is like if you have no romance. Probably same without the interactions I suspect.

[Zebedee]

Background lore, although it's a few decades out of date from 2077 and not clearly referenced in game, is that Alt is creating safe havens for engrams and independent AI outside of corpo control. So, yeah, freeing the engrams seems a strong enough motivation on its own. Obviously that's where V or Johnny will end up too. Perhaps Delamain too.

[Silverbane7]

Originally posted by Zebedee:

Background lore, although it's a few decades out of date from 2077 and not clearly referenced in game, is that Alt is creating safe havens for engrams and independent AI outside of corpo control. So, yeah, freeing the engrams seems a strong enough motivation on its own. Obviously that's where V or Johnny will end up too. Perhaps Delamain too.

I always rp that my main V tells Delamain "when you get out past the Blackwall, look for someone goes by the name Alt. She's probably the best chance you've got out there, Del" when I finish that questline lol.

[Zebedee]

Originally posted by Silverbane7:

I always rp that my main V tells Delamain "when you get out past the Blackwall, look for someone goes by the name Alt. She's probably the best chance you've got out there, Del" when I finish that questline lol.

When they were making the game they did consider linking up the outcome of Delamain's quest line to what happened with the Voodoo Boys and events spinning off from that, so you're very much not alone in seeing how that story could ripple on through.

Del's an interesting contrast. Just a personal thing but I've always reckoned part of the reason why the Mr.Blue Eyes theories are where they are for so many is because otherwise there's an absence there of actively evil(?) AI away from Del's split personality (which are almost caricatures anyway).