As an avid RPG fan who has absorbed extensive lore from across fantasy franchises, the ending of Square Enix‘s latest magic-fueled extravaganza Forspoken left me simultaneously awestruck and baffled.
Forspoken wowed with its fluid traversal and combat but puzzled fans with its climax
As a hardcore fan who passionately consumed every morsel of lore and poured over 100 hours into mastering Frey‘s magical parkour skills, the cryptic conclusion left me awash with burning questions. What exactly occurred with the Cuff‘s betrayal and the final confrontation with Susurrus? What is the significance of those tantalizing sequel hints? Does the ending live up to the epic build-up?
In this comprehensive deep dive into Forspoken‘s controversial closing beats across over 2000 words, I‘ll synthesize widespread fan theories and analysis through the lens of an enthralled superfan to explain:
- The intricate background lore that sets up the ending‘s big twist
- Both potential endings explored in detail
- The mysteries around that foreboding post-credits scene
- Critical and community reception of the winding up
- What the finale means for the future of the Forspoken universe
If you were left just as puzzled as I was about the meaning behind Forspoken‘s grand finale, this guide will methodically break down everything we know about this perplexing conclusion – no mystical stones left unturned! Let‘s dive in.
The Twists Hiding in Forspoken‘s Lore
While Forspoken thrusts wandering New Yorker Frey into fantastical realms from its outrageous opener, devoted fans uncovered hidden depths in the extensive background lore subtly woven through the land of Athia.
The True Nature of Frey‘s Bracelet
Frey discovering a sentient, magical Cuff attached to her early on seemed like a convenient plot device for gaining powers. But its sarcastic personality and mysterious origins hinted at hidden significance. Those paying close attention to lore-rich codex entries uncovered tale of Susurrus – an age-old demon defeated by splitting itself into the 4 Tantas sworn to protect Athia‘s realms.
So when the Cuff crumbles away in coils of red energy to unveil the demon‘s reformed visage declaring vengeance, it blindsides both Frey and less-observant gamers!
The Tanta‘s Sacrifice
Throughout her journey, forays into corrupted strongholds show flashbacks of the valiant Tantas apparently defeating this crimson calamity. But again, ancient records scattered across Athia reveal a tragic twist – they didn‘t destroy Susurrus but instead absorbed different aspects of the demon into themselves. This granted incredible magic but corrupted them over centuries into the twisted beasts that Frey battles.
So when Frey unwittingly kills each Tanta, she feeds more pieces of Susurrus, granting it the strength to reconstitute its full form. Their noble sacrifice also means she can exploit their powers in the final confrontation.
Frey‘s Mysterious Heritage
Frey dismissing her fantastical kidnapping to Athia as random bad luck made early skepticism towards her unbelievable destiny understandable. But another cryptic lore breadcrumb pointed to there being more behind her crossing realms.
Glimpses of a winged protector flanked by whisperings of "the lost Tanta Cinta" hint that the dragon guardian watching over Frey holds deeper connections. This manifests when Cinta herself unfurls in spectral form from the Cuff remains to illuminate Frey‘s true backstory – she‘s Cinta‘s daughter and the last descendant of the Tantas themselves!
This trapped realm-hopping god passing her reality-warping birthright onto an abandoned daughter she rescued from certain death recontextualizes everything! So when presented with a choice to either selfishly return home or honor her legendary lineage by defeating their ancient enemy, the stakes are raised so much higher.
So Forspoken‘s winding story builds oncrumbs of lore about Frey‘s mysterious past, the tragic history of the Tantas and Cuff‘s demonic origins. These subtle narrative threads all weave together to set up an ending that subverts expectations set by conventional absolute good vanquishing evil tropes. Now let‘s explore the diverging conclusions in closer detail!
Frey Fleeing Her Fate – The "Bad" Ending
After this avalanche of life-altering revelations, Tanta Cinta presents Frey with a difficult choice – return home to her old life in New York or walk through a portal into the demons lair to complete her heroic destiny.
The Allure of Ordinary Life
Choosing to flee back to her unremarkable life over upholding mystical responsibilities to people counting on her makes pragmatic sense after Frey‘s harrowing tribulations. She understandably craves the comfort of familiarity instead of tackling yet another apocalyptic threat!
But ignoring the incredible powers she now wields alongside her pivotal role in Athia‘s fate means abandoning her purpose as the successor to mighty legends. After rising to become Cipal‘s magical savior and forging bonds with its people, this decision reads as a resignation that she never truly overcame her cowardly streak that ruined promising prospects back on Earth.
An Uncertain Future
The closing shot of Frey retreating down a rainy NYC street with her cat leaves her destiny after departing the magical realms opaque. Does she regret turning her back on Athia or feel relieved escaping further trauma? With Susurrus still at large harnessing destructive powers that could even threaten other worlds, she may live to rue spurning her heroic responsibility…
Critical Consensus
Many critics panned this abrupt downbeat conclusion after investing themselves in Frey‘s fantastic journey over dozens of hours:
"A disjointed ending that erases meaningful character development and leaves the world worse off." – IGN
"Frey peacing out after everything she experienced makes little narrative sense." – GameSpot
Fan reactions echoed this frustration:
"Why introduce deep lore twists just to end with Frey noping out, feels like a slap in the face!"
So while Frey choosing self-preservation over probable doom carries logic, her refusal to harness incredible powers for good undoes incremental growth in overcoming her flaws. With a demonic threat still at large and her people facing catastrophe without the prophesied savior, this conclusion left many players out in the cold rain alongside a retreating Frey.
Final Fight With Susurrus – The "True" Ending
Now let‘s explore what happens if Frey honors her legacy by stepping through the portal with her spectral mother to confront Susurrus.
Emotional Stakes
With Cinta volunteering to fight alongside her daughter despite barely clinging to existence, Frey heads into the demons realm with backup. This immediately raises the emotional stakes as Cinta serves as a visual embodiment of the family Frey lost while reducing her isolation in facing this ultimate evil.
Their joint plea for the essences of the fallen Tantas to aid them further stacks the deck for Frey to unleash the heights of her magical mastery against her nemesis.
Climactic Showdown
The final face-off incorporates all of Frey‘s accrued parkour talents and combat techniques into an epic showdown. She gracefully leaps between cascading fireblasts while unleashing powerful spells enhanced by the Tantas force to chip away at the colossal embodiment of chaos itself.
Watching her fluidly transition between skill sets that took countless players hours of practice to tighten truly sells Frey‘s prodigal command of magical martial arts. Even when a killing blow takes her spectral ally, elleged adrenaline carries a determined Frey through unleashing her ultimate feat – sealing Susurrus‘s essence within the Cuff bracer glued to her arm!
Vanquishing a literally apocalyptic force cements Frey as Athia‘s foretold savior. Where early skepticism met an inexperienced girl stumbling into godhood, now the destined hero promised by ancient prophecies stands triumphant.
A Hopeful Future
In the closing ceremony, Frey symbolically releases paper lanterns alongside Cipal‘s survivors not just representing those lost but hope for better days with evil banished. This collective ritual reflects her emotional growth accepting loving bonds after a lifetime lacking unconditional connections.
Where Frey previously rushed conversations to escape any seeds of intimacy, seeing smiles emerge from the darkness she battled through shows heroes protecting people, not just defeating villains. This further reinforces she has transcended clinging to her ordinary life – she is the extraordinary hero Athia needs.
Critical Consensus
Critics widely praised this "true ending" as a fitting culmination of Frey‘s arc:
"An emotionally resonant climax to Frey‘s mega journey." – Wired
“A killer culmination unleashing the best of Forspoken‘s combat systems.” – Polygon
Gamers agreed it provided uplifting closure:
"After everything she went through, felt so satisfying watching Frey embrace her majestic powers to win the day!"
Making the selfless choice to protect her people cements Frey‘s growth into the legend she was destined to become. Vanquishing the darkness tormenting Athia provides hope she can lead the realm into a brighter era.
The Mysteries of the Post-Credits Scene
After either ending, what truly signifies impending threats is a post-credits scene starring Frey‘s pet cat Homer. But what ominus clues are hinted that set up a sequel? Let‘s break it down:
Glowing Omens
As Frey writes a letter to Homer, the perspective suddenly shifts to her abandoned feline companion back on Earth witnessing a glowing object hurtle across the night sky. This ominous imagery after Susurrus uttered threats about desiring to purge more worlds beyond Athia imply the banished demon still maintains worrying influence across realities.
Unresolved Story Threads
Frey defeating Susurrus seemingly achieves the central goal. But her spectral mother offhandedly referenced sisters who could still require her power.
My deep dive into the lore also unveiled mentions of the nameless anarchist who assassinated Frey‘s mother. So Frey possibly has her own vengeance to pursue in lands beyond Cipal against whoever orchestrated her family‘s tragedy.
Sequel Story Set Up
Combined, these clues strongly suggest Frey has only begun walking the path of the fabled heroes she hails from. With the demon cast out but still holding multiversal power alongside unfinished family business, she must grow into powers tapping the very fabric of reality itself to lead the charge protecting wider worlds.
Square Enix designer comments manifest these suspicions:
"Frey‘s journey will span beyond Athia – she has a vital role to play in defending the multiverse fate.”
So a teardown of Forspoken‘s final whispers plot a sequel expanding the stakes across cosmic scales!
What Does It All Mean? Key Takeaways
- Intricate lore twists throughout the game subtly set up shocking revelations that recontextualize the ending
- Frey abandoning Athia to Susurrus‘ wrath provides personal closure but squanders her powers
- Defeating the demon cements her heroic icon status and bonds to the people she saves
- Ominous post-credits signs hint Susurrus still threatens the multiverse at large
- The door is wide open for sequels progressing Frey‘s fated role guarding wider worlds
While divisive in places, Forspoken lays fertile groundwork introducing an eclectic fantasy landscape while elevating reluctant hero Frey to soaring heights. I for one eagerly anticipate where the teased sequel could transport our reality-warping hero next!
For fellow fans hungering for more magical action, what mysteries would you want the sequel to explore? Which mythical figures or villains beyond Susurrus could emerge as threats across the multiverse?
