The "Canon" Ending of V's story in Night City

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It would not surprise me if they go with the questions IF they bring V back as the main character in the next game. For me it seems unlikely tho unless the game is about finding a cure. Curing V off screen feels kinda iffy :)

If they do that i would hope V isent the main character in the next game but might be in it. Either as a legend that owns afterlife or so on depending on ending... (could even be the next Adam smasher if you whent the corpo route) That way every ending could be cannon even the gun option. Perhaps as a tragic tale too not grasp for too much..

I kinda liked the way Bioware handled the main protagonist in the Dragon age games. There there in the other games but mostly as lore in the world. In DA3 your former warden from DAO can have multiple roles depending on choices. KOTOR is also a pretty cool way of doing it imo.
 
It would not surprise me if they go with the questions IF they bring V back as the main character in the next game. For me it seems unlikely tho unless the game is about finding a cure. Curing V off screen feels kinda iffy :)

If I ever did a sequel, I'd probably have them wake up on a table and be told they're healthy! I'd later reveal that the V is actually a clone of the original V with their Engram having been uploaded somehow.

And then just leave the existentialist question floating whether they're actually V or a copy.
 
If I ever did a sequel, I'd probably have them wake up on a table and be told they're healthy! I'd later reveal that the V is actually a clone of the original V with their Engram having been uploaded somehow.

And then just leave the existentialist question floating whether they're actually V or a copy.
That does sound quite possible. I would prefer a sequal too be about finding the cure but i guess it would be kinda odd too do with all the diffrent endings. It would have too have several locations in it unless they can do another montage so everybody ends up on the same path :D
 
I mean if V offs themselves, I doubt that ending will be considered canon.
So long as Disney doesn't get their hands on the franchise at least.
They'd just be like: ooh it was a dud, V didn't really off herself.. and very carefully use the 'blackscreen' as V passing out from the shock of anticipation.

But in all honesty: I believe both the following:
- Every ending can be a canon ending. Personally I would like to bring in a caveat that this should be: If you choose V to live. Because Johnny will most likely have different morals and concerns AND (as I understand) no need for a cure of sorts, because the Relic was basically terraforming V's body for him. He's the "alien for whom the planet was being prepared".
Continuing the trail of thought however, In either the Star, the Sun (and yes: even:) the Devil you can have V go off in search for a cure/remedy that treats the braindecease and give her her full non-restricted life back.
Ofcourse, I'm not blind to the Arasaka-situation between Devil and Star/Sun, but lets just say that these can be fixed in some create way. There's other predators in the waters after all, or alternatively Arasaka might be stronger to recover. While it would make more sense that the status quo of Star/Sun will be result, good writing could do both ways.
After that however, all paths can lead to the fabled Crystal Palace, and many speculate and theorize such already. Star-ending-V's would find a way there though the Nomads, Sun-ending-V's have their contact through the mystery-man and Devil-ending-V's have Arasaka.
Ofcourse this all goes with the widely theorized setup that Crystal Palace is where its at, but given a lack of any other indication... well, y'know.
So, long story short: I can see all 3 V-lives endings ultimately end up in a similar situation.

- Star Ending is canon. For pretty much all the same reasons as highlighted in OP, I also believe (and like to think) events could unfold in such a way. The main drivers here for me are, V has large family of Nomads, who in their turn have contact with yet again another powerful group AND they have acquired both a big tank and lots of materials from their raid, giving them litteral room to maneauver (also mean this geologically)
This, together with the depicted sun-ending: heist of the space-casino, it feels like the sun-ending setup is far more prone to just go wrong from the sheer premise, leading me more so to believe Blaze of Glory does indeed apply here.


As I have pretty always played a Nomad V who left her family for Night City, hoping to make a big name for herself, only to witness the lie Night City really was and returned to her roots with another Nomad clan... going full circle, closing the loop I like to think Star is indeed the path my V would canonically take.
 
I mean if V offs themselves, I doubt that ending will be considered canon.
Even so, V has visited the cyberspace by then.
Some shadow entity might have snatched their copy. Or, connected to the chip and soulkilled V as they pulled the trigger.

A reboot is easy. The prob is finding resources to generate content that comes after that and make it all the same a profitable product. If you pump in, say, 10M bucks, you'll have a sequel on a silver plate.

--

Not yet convinced that a reboot can fly? Just remember how it went with Blazkowicz In The New Colossus. Doubt CP2077 works with less advanced tech.

 
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Hey, now that I think about it... like I said, I always go for Nomad ending, and the credits messages that other characters send to V... the way they talk, quite a lot of time has passed since V left NC with the Nomads.... and yet, V is talked about like he/she is still alive. Misty says: "We haven't seen each other for so long". Maybe that CDPR's subtle way to say that V is still alive. I mean, All Along the Watchtower takes place a month after Mikoshi, so V apparently has five months left (or a bit more), and yet... V is apparently still alive. There's hope for him/her, I guess, then.
 
The endings can all potentially lead to a "Cure", they can all potentially be cannon, even if V dies. With the exception of the suicide ending, that has no shot of being cannon, it does not make V a legend no badass final mission, it does not leave the door open for Johnny in V's body to do anything, and it does not leave the door open for V to come back alive. So that ending is out as cannon.

While the sun ending feels the most "Hopeful" sort of V doing what they can to survive, with friends, maybe they find a cure, but if they don't, they're going to enjoy the life they have left. And sure, someone COULD help them who isn't necessarily tied to Araska, but it also seems unlikely. Also with the Sun ending, IF V is the protagonist again, why would they Return to night City? sure you could think of reasons, rumor of a cure, A friend needs help, or I'm sure something else a much more creative writer could think of.... But then doesn't the return undercut the peace V finds when leaving the city?

You could argue with the Casino heist that while to some it may feel like V isn't looking for a cure anymore, they're out to be the biggest legend they can be before time runs out. BUT I'd argue MR. Blue Eyes, and his connection to projects linked to changing the human brain, AI constructs, Personality Constructs, mind control, memory manipulation, etc..... May possibly make him and whatever his organization is revealed to be (if it ever is) the best shot V has for surviving. Plus, we don't know what V asked for in return for the job. Making The "Secret" ending a possible "Cannon Ending" It keeps most of V's allies alive, sets up a potential new ally who can cure them (maybe), and leaves things open for V to return (Maybe).

At the end of the day though, it's very possible they either leave it open ended and don't choose a cannon ending, or they choose the one that is most practical for the sequels story needs. There is a real chance that they intended this as a one-shot story and "Your Ending" is your ending, SO the staff may not even currently consider any ending cannon. I think if there is a decision to make one ending definitively cannon it will probably end up being a practical one. Of course, I could be wrong, and there may be a right answer we just don't know it yet :shrug:
 
The endings can all potentially lead to a "Cure", they can all potentially be cannon, even if V dies. With the exception of the suicide ending, that has no shot of being cannon, it does not make V a legend no badass final mission, it does not leave the door open for Johnny in V's body to do anything, and it does not leave the door open for V to come back alive. So that ending is out as cannon.

While the sun ending feels the most "Hopeful" sort of V doing what they can to survive, with friends, maybe they find a cure, but if they don't, they're going to enjoy the life they have left. And sure, someone COULD help them who isn't necessarily tied to Araska, but it also seems unlikely. Also with the Sun ending, IF V is the protagonist again, why would they Return to night City? sure you could think of reasons, rumor of a cure, A friend needs help, or I'm sure something else a much more creative writer could think of.... But then doesn't the return undercut the peace V finds when leaving the city?

You could argue with the Casino heist that while to some it may feel like V isn't looking for a cure anymore, they're out to be the biggest legend they can be before time runs out. BUT I'd argue MR. Blue Eyes, and his connection to projects linked to changing the human brain, AI constructs, Personality Constructs, mind control, memory manipulation, etc..... May possibly make him and whatever his organization is revealed to be (if it ever is) the best shot V has for surviving. Plus, we don't know what V asked for in return for the job. Making The "Secret" ending a possible "Cannon Ending" It keeps most of V's allies alive, sets up a potential new ally who can cure them (maybe), and leaves things open for V to return (Maybe).

At the end of the day though, it's very possible they either leave it open ended and don't choose a cannon ending, or they choose the one that is most practical for the sequels story needs. There is a real chance that they intended this as a one-shot story and "Your Ending" is your ending, SO the staff may not even currently consider any ending cannon. I think if there is a decision to make one ending definitively cannon it will probably end up being a practical one. Of course, I could be wrong, and there may be a right answer we just don't know it yet :shrug:

I agree with all of this.
 
I agree with all of this.
Yea i kinda do too, they can pretty much do anything since the world has so many solutions to this problem. johnny is alive? or dead? or just a construct? A copy? Vs damaged brain is uncureble? cureble? Its a money issue? or not? Its kinda frustrating me tbh with all the tech they have in this world, feels like it gets ignored at times just for the story too move the way its supposed too move ^^
 
Yea i kinda do too, they can pretty much do anything since the world has so many solutions to this problem. johnny is alive? or dead? or just a construct? A copy? Vs damaged brain is uncureble? cureble? Its a money issue? or not? Its kinda frustrating me tbh with all the tech they have in this world, feels like it gets ignored at times just for the story too move the way its supposed too move ^^

To be fair, I don't mind it being incurable but if that's the story then they needed to lay the seeds there much earlier.
 
Same, dont really like the no real choice in it tho. Should be a way too solve it imo but im guessing its not Cyberpunk then ^^

I feel like they could have given a bit more freedom for the story for example. Like "The Devil" may actually have V survive free and clear but the price is betraying Johnny and others you care about.

Stuff like that.
 
The canon ending is whichever one you the player decide to pick is best for your character, there is no right or wrong to that choice.

I've got a street kid that cleared everything in watson, never did the heist and is happily just fucking about being noone special, that is that characters canon ending.

I got a nomad who left there clan, made it to NC, decided it wasnt for them and just wanders alone, that's there canon ending.

Just because there is end/endings to the game doesn't mean i choose to pick any of them choices for my characters, the "canon" ending is what i decide it is.
 
The canon ending is whichever one you the player decide to pick is best for your character, there is no right or wrong to that choice.

I've got a street kid that cleared everything in watson, never did the heist and is happily just fucking about being noone special, that is that characters canon ending.

I got a nomad who left there clan, made it to NC, decided it wasnt for them and just wanders alone, that's there canon ending.

Just because there is end/endings to the game doesn't mean i choose to pick any of them choices for my characters, the "canon" ending is what i decide it is.
That's right. No such thing as canon in an RPG
 
The tarot cards in the Sun ending are: Strength, Emperor and the World. While, Misty's reading does lean into "blaze of glory" these aren't negative cards. Strength in particular is a good card to get and it implies overcoming challenges.


Maybe that human factor is Rogue and Weyland or maybe V themself.

This is a second time you're making a very similar thread, and I'm still unsure why you're insisting that only one ending could be made canon or continued in a sequel when people had discussed and theorized many times how multiple endings could be used as starting points. Not everyone picked Panam's ending. Plenty of people didn't.

As far as I'm concerned, either as many as possible endings get accounted for or none at all.

As a professional tarot card reader, let me say the associations they did with the cards are amazing and mostly spot on per they traditional symbolic interpretations. I even wrote an article covering 6 or 7 of the cards and the locations you find them at and why they are accurate being there. That said, the star most people think as the most positive when the card in tarot isn't the 'best' or even one of the best, more a middle of the road card depending on context. But one of the core aspects of its meaning is "hope" yet "uncertainty" and that ending is all about both of those and little else.

What I like is the sun ending seems really self destructive and arrogant of V and the sun card is as a whole the most positive card in the deck. However in that case V is giving into the worst aspect of the positive parts of the sun. strength, power, ego, fulfillment, success. He's blinded by his need to be the best, just like David was, he's tossing all the good things in his life away like his lover.

Over all so many layers they used of the tarot in the game it blows my mind how mostly accurate they were in the use.
 

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As a professional tarot card reader, let me say the associations they did with the cards are amazing and mostly spot on per they traditional symbolic interpretations. I even wrote an article covering 6 or 7 of the cards and the locations you find them at and why they are accurate being there. That said, the star most people think as the most positive when the card in tarot isn't the 'best' or even one of the best, more a middle of the road card depending on context. But one of the core aspects of its meaning is "hope" yet "uncertainty" and that ending is all about both of those and little else.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! Very interesting to hear about this kind of stuff from someone who knows it.

I never played the Star ending myself, but from what I watched of it on Youtube, Misty's reading for that one is: the sun, lovers and another one that I don't remember. As you mentioned the most positive card in the deck is mentioned in the nomad ending.
Screenshot 2022-11-29 055128.png

What I like is the sun ending seems really self destructive and arrogant of V and the sun card is as a whole the most positive card in the deck. However in that case V is giving into the worst aspect of the positive parts of the sun. strength, power, ego, fulfillment, success. He's blinded by his need to be the best, just like David was, he's tossing all the good things in his life away like his lover.

Over all so many layers they used of the tarot in the game it blows my mind how mostly accurate they were in the use.
I think the Sun ending is an interesting and fine ending in itself, I'm just disappointed that it's the "best" option people who wanted their V to stay in Night City get. I would have liked the "V spends their renaming six months with their friends in NC" kind of ending. I guess the Devil ending is kind of like that, but most of the voicemail messages are recycled so it feels a bit incomplete.
 
I also should point out and be remiss as a tarot reader if I didn't. Misty is only using the major Arcana. Which are 22 of the 78 cards in a tarot deck. (A trad tarot deck is made up of 2 decks actually major arcana what we see in the game, and minor arcana. The minors are cousins to todays poker deck. 4 suits, ace to 10 and 4 court cards per suit.) I mean I get why they did it that way to simplify the tarot. The issue is with just major arcana you are only dealing with the big gun, in your face issues that are mostly unavoidable. (major arcana cards generally represent events, people, etc you can't avoid, past the point of no return to do that) where the minors are the nuance, events, people that you still have a chance to change course with). Considering V's situation just the majors do make sense, and in the context of the game works. But in the real world while you can do a reading with just them it's hard. VERY hard IMO. As again you are loosing a lot of the nuance of the situation w/o the minors.
 
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