Summary
Undertaleis widely known for its impressive gameplay varietyand decisions that have consequences. As the player is thrust into the Underground as a lone child, it is up to them whether they want to solve conflict through fighting or talking. The two endings that have been getting the most attention are genocide and pacifism, opposite extremes on the spectrum, but they are not the only outcomes the game offers.
If the player chooses to experiment and kill some monsters, while sparing others, they will get a neutral ending based on their choices.Allneutral endingsfollow the same structure: After defeating Asgore (and Photoshop Flowey, if this is the first run after a true reset), the player supposedly leaves the Underground and later receives a phone call from Sans that goes over the current state of the realm. With that in mind, these are thebest neutral endings inUndertale.
8Dog Ending
Toby Fox Takes The Reins
If the player only kills the game’s four bosses, while sparing everyone else, this is the ending they will get. Sans will inform them that a strange dog rose to power in the vacuum that emerged. All it does is sleep on the throne throughout the day and this seems like a good arrangement, with the monsters being happy with their new way of life.
This is largely a joke ending for a specific condition the player is unlikely to get on their first playthrough. The dog is a recurring character in the game, acting like a mascot and a representation of the creator, Toby Fox, in the game’s world. The ending doesn’t hold any emotional weight, but it’s good at getting a chuckle out of the player.
7Leaderless Ending
Underground In Ruin
This is the first ending that the players who chose to kill everyone but are unaware of the game’sintricacies necessary for achieving the genocideending are likely to get. It has a very bleak phone call with Sans saying that the Underground is a quiet place with no one to fill the power vacuum, leaving the realm leaderless.
It is the most depressing neutral ending, and shows how much the player’s actions affected the people of the Underground. Sans has nothing but disdain for the player, and everything around this ending is designed to be unsatisfying. It works well, motivating players to seek another, more peaceful path on their next playthrough.
6Undyne Ending
A Militarized Underground
If Toriel is gone, Undyne takes the throne. As noted by Sans, her goal is the same as Asgore’s, but she is much more determined to achieve it, feeling no guilt nor any sense of mercy towards humans. She expands the royal guard, preparing an entire army to storm the human world once she and her people are free.
The tone of this ending is quite dark and somber overall, but it can change depending on who the player spared, specifically what they did with Papyrus. If he is alive, he will greet the player and warn them not to return, and if he’s dead, Sans will make an eerie remark about Toriel’s demise and how he suspects the player.
5Toriel Ending
Near-Pacifist
This is the first ending players aiming for pacifism are likely to get. Striving for a true pacifist ending without beating Photoshop Flowey once, this ending is theclosest to pacifist. It results in no one’s death but Asgore’s, prompting Toriel to leave her hiding and claim her place as the queen, becoming a benign and noble ruler.
In this outcome, all monsters are warm towards the player character, as they have very fond memories of them. Depending on whether players befriended Undyne and Alphys, they will be a part of the call as well. This ending is conclusive and leaves the player mostly satisfied, but Flowey still hints at the possibility of there being more.
4Mettaton Ending
A Glittery Paradise
This is an ending that the player might get on their first playthrough, as Toriel and Undyne are tricky to spare. In a call from Sans, he and Papyrus (if alive) will tell the player about Mettaton becoming the new ruler of the Underground. He quickly implemented changes, turning the entire realm into a place of worship for himself.
This ending mixes the sense of Mettaton’s usual playfulness and lightheartedness and the sense of dystopian dread that has overtaken the Underground. The people who refuse to worship their new ruler are quick to disappear, and the sentiment of getting outside the Underground is suppressed to maintain Mettaton’s power.
3Papyrus Ending
A Naive King
If the player kills every boss but Papyrus, this will be the ending they get.Its atmosphere is somber and tragic, as, despite the murders the protagonist committed, Sans doesn’t suspect them due to his brother’s survival, and is quite warm towards them. This might make the player feel guilty for their actions and decide to take a more peaceful path.
The star of this ending and the new tragic king is Papyrus. He becomes the Underground’s ruler in the absence of anyone more qualified. He doesn’t realize Undyne is gone, as Sans keeps telling him she and others are away on a long holiday. Papyrus maintains faith in the player and does his best to be a fair and kind king.
2Alphys Ending
The Shy Scientist Steps Up
This is a very rare ending and arguably the hardest one to achieve. This is the only neutral ending the player can achieve after fighting Undyne in the Genocide route. Sans refuses to talk to the player outright, but he gives the phone to Alphys, who shows a new side to her character as she’s forced to step out of her shell.
Alphys was responsible for evacuation and had to hide monsters in the true lab, leaving her no choice but to unveil her secrets and amalgamates. Despite this, the monsters accept her as their new ruler. It didn’t come easy to her, but she was more than willing to guide monsters into a new era of growth and restoration.
1Vanquished Queen Ending
Abandoning Peace
This is one of the more complex and variable neutral endings, which shows the agency of different monsters, making it engaging and adding replay value. If the player spared Toriel but wasn’t as peaceful in other cases, Toriel will be overthrown and exiled as the public refuses to accept her sympathy towards the human.
If Undyne is alive, she will lead the revolution and become queen in place of Toriel. If she’s dead, the Underground will be leaderless. Sans will move in with Toriel, and depending on what the player does with Papyrus, Sans will either be warm and welcoming or hateful and tell the player never to return to the Underground.
