Endings

Attention! Spoiler ahead! This article contains plot information that may spoil major story aspects for the reader. Read at your own risk!

There are two Endings for Metro 2033, and two endings for Metro Last Light, both based on the moral choices the player makes throughout the game. For Metro 2033 there is an Enlightened Ending where Artyom makes a decision of saving or destroying the Dark Ones, and a Ranger Ending where Artyom simply destroys them by the orders of Hunter. For Last Light, there is the C'est La Vie Ending in which Artyom and the Rangers sacrifice themselves and D6 to save the metro, and a Redemption ending in which the Baby Dark One brings the surviving Dark Ones to help save Artyom and the Rangers and turn the tide of the battle.

In the Novel

 See also: Metro 2033 (Novel) 

In the Metro 2033 novel, Artyom realizes that the Dark Ones are not as hostile as he had originally thought, and actually would assist humans in surviving the harshness of metro life, as they were - as the book says - "someone who could help establish communications between their deaf and blind elder brothers -- with people". As the realization dawns on Artyom, so does the fact that he cannot do anything to stop the missiles, as they are a last thought going through his head. The 'Ranger' ending is considered the canonical ending as it is very similar to the novel.

Metro 2033

Ranger - Destroy the Dark Ones

“	A wise man once said, "He who leads a war for the love of his fellow man, will defeat his enemies." I led my war protecting my family and friends, protecting my home - the Metro. We had won. But to this day I wonder: When we burned the Dark Ones from the face of the earth, was something lost as well...?	„
— Artyom's Concluding Words

If Artyom does not obtain enough positive moral points for the 'Enlightened' ending, or decides not to shoot the guidance system, the 'Ranger' ending will be shown. It simply ends in Artyom, having faced and killed the Dark Ones in a mental battle, coming out of the dream, and sitting back to watch as Botanicheskiy Sad is bombarded by missiles. The game ends with a short glimpse of Artyom's face as he watches the earth being scorched for a second time. Artyom's monologue shows his conviction that he had destroyed the Dark Ones out of the love for his fellow man - yet is already beginning to doubt his actions.

Enlightened - Spare the Dark Ones

The contents of this section are non-canonical. Due to either narrative retcon or other continuity changes, the contents of this section are no longer considered part of the main Metro 2033 canon.

“	H.G. Wells once wrote, "If we don't end wars, wars will end us.". And somehow, I stopped my war. At the time, I couldn't say what had made me spare the Dark Ones. But, I came to realize that the strange visions that haunted my journey were their attempts to reach out to us. I don't know if I was the first to communicate with them, but I will not be the last. And the future--our future--stretches before us like an endless Metro tunnel.	„
— Artyom's Concluding Words

If Artyom obtains enough positive moral points for the 'Enlightened ending then instead of allowing the guidance system on top of the tower to guide the missiles and ultimately destroy the Dark Ones, Artyom awakens several seconds earlier and the player is presented a choice. As Artyom comes out of the dream, a quote from Khan is heard, and he sees the Dark One laying below the guidance system, reaching for it, trying to stop it - all the while still repeating the message of: "...we want peace...". The player then has about 20 seconds to make the choice in destroying the guidance system and stop the missile strike. In it, the Dark Ones of the surface praise Artyom's wisdom and mercy - Artyom's own monologue giving hint as to his own feelings of how war had already destroyed the world once, and he wasn't ready for it to do so again. Concluding that the future of humanity, and the Dark Ones, stretches beyond them - like an endless metro tunnel.

This ending is apparently no longer considered part of the Metro 2033 canon as Metro: Last Light (and the novel, Metro 2034) picks up after the 'Ranger' ending.

Video, English dub

Ranger ending

Enlightened ending

English / Russian Differences

• The English version of the enlightened ending has no last phrase: "И может быть, однажды, мы заслужим свет в конце этого тоннеля" — "And maybe, sometime, we will deserve the light at the end of this tunnel". In the Russian version this phrase is spoken, but not subbed, making this near last sentence almost forgotten.
• In a similar fashion, in the first ending the English version of the Ranger ending has a last phrase, beginning from "But to this day I wonder" that doesn't exist in the Russian version.
• H.G. Wells is not mentioned in the Russian version. Instead "A wise man once said" is used in both endings.

Metro Last Light

Contrary to 2033, in Metro Last Light many fans believed that both endings were good, in-part because the C'est la Vie ending had a far more heroic spin to it than the Ranger ending did. It is possible to know which ending will occur at the end of the Polis level, just before the end of the level. As Artyom and the Little Dark One board the train in Polis to D6 and Anna stares at Artyom, the Little Dark One will say that he will ask his kin to aid the Rangers in the battle if enough moral point have been earned. If not, he will say that he has to save his family.

C'est la Vie

 

In the standard, or "bad" ending to Last Light, C'est la Vie, the Rangers are overrun by the Red Army. Miller, down for the count, is approached by a gloating Korbut, who then turns to address Artyom. It is too late however, as Artyom, ordered by Miller, engages D6's self-destruct system.

The final cutscene Artyom stands alone on the platform and closes his eyes as the explosion begins. In a tunnel vision, Artyom sees the saluting Rangers, flashes of his childhood, Anna, the saluting visages of Hunter, Uhlman, Khan, Miller, Alex, and, apparently Bourbon, too. His mother's words, "don't be afraid, there's nothing to be afraid of now" echoes in his head as D6 detonates. The Red army, trapped and panicked, breaks rank as fire tears through their numbers and engulfs Metro 2 in an inferno.

The scene cuts to years later, with Anna giving the story to her and Artyom's son, about how his father saved the metro. When prompted, she speaks of Artyom's bravery, and of the leaving of the Dark Ones and their promised return one day.

Redemption

 

In this ending, just before Artyom sets off the explosives to destroy D6, the Little Dark One stops him, and he and his kin (the Dark Ones trapped in D6) save Miller, Artyom, and the rest of the Rangers, and kill Korbut and the Red Army by hypnotizing them to attack each others and Korbut is personally tore apart by the Baby Dark Ones. The Dark Ones are shown materializing near all the Reds, usually with their hands or hand out. After this, several scenes play out in a spinning metro tunnel cutscene section, with Artyom, in narration, providing more information about the aftermath of the victory against the Reds. Uhlman is revealed to have died, "like most of the Spartans". Miller is then shown in a wheelchair having lost his feet in D6's defense, and is revealed to have taken charge of the Polis guards. Next, Artyom says that Khan just disappeared after the battle. Artyom then says that Khan once told him that, "What if this little Dark One is the last of the angels sent to save us?" He then expresses that, "The fact that the little one came back and brought his kin... Maybe that was the pardon and salvation... For me... For the Order... For all of us in the Metro? The last light of hope in this kingdom of darkness.

Artyom is then in a field with the baby Dark One and the other Dark Ones, and the little Dark One tells him that it will be better if they go away, but that they will come back one day. Artyom then expresses that he knows that they will meet again, and that he thinks they really were sent to save them, "Maybe we did earn forgiveness."

This ending is considered canon as Metro 2035 and Metro Exodus follow this ending.

English / Russian Differences

• Korbut says different reasons for D6 defence: in English he asks whether it was for Polis station or the Council, and in Russian he states that is was stupid stubbornness.
• Next phrase: English states "All are cleansed by the fires of Revolution!", while Russian proclaims widespread saying that "Revolution will justify everything".
• In C'est la Vie mother says "there's nothing to be afraid of now" in English and "there's nothing to be afraid, my dear" in russian.

Moral Points

Throughout the game the player will be given chances to obtain moral points, which accumulate to determine the ending that will be played. These moral points can be anywhere from giving ammunition to the poor, talking to certain people, doing what certain people ask, moving towards the dark ones in dreams, not stealing ammunition and supplies, etc. The screen will flash a bright blue and the player will hear water dripping whenever they acquire a positive moral point.

When the player acquires a negative moral point they'll hear a darker sound and the screen will drop in color and lighting for a moment.

Negative points can also counteract the positive points, if for example the player refuses to help people, they'll obtain a negative point. Other ways to gain negative points are to steal, to not listen to certain NPCs, disturbing the ghosts in Metro 2033 - shooting them, attacking a child while in the dream on Dead City 1, not listening to Bourbon when he tells Artyom to hide, shooting at friendly mutants, etc.

Related Achievements/Trophies

	Enlightened	20
	Find the truth.

	If It's Hostile, You Kill It	20
	Become a true ranger.

 

	C'est la Vie (Achievement)	Gold Trophy - 80
	Destroy D6

	Redemption (Achievement)	Gold Trophy - 100
	Save D6

Trivia

• Khan will drop hints to Artyom to be especially careful of the moral behavioral choices he makes throughout the game, most notably during their encounter at Sparta.
• If one listens to some of the conversations by the Nazis in Metro 2033, they can hear one Nazi speak about a legend that the Dark Ones only want peace with the humans.
• The story of Last Light confirms that Ranger ending is canon choice for Metro 2033.
• In the 'Enlightened' ending, if the player decides to save the dark ones and shoot down the guidance system, though accidentally shoots at the dark one lying on the steps, they can simply walk up to the guidance system and push it down using the "Interact" button.
• "C'est La Vie." means "That's life."or "Such is life!" or "It is what it is!" in French. It is sometimes used as an expression to say that life is harsh but that one must accept it.
• Hunter, along with Khan, Ulman, and Melnik can be seen giving Artyom an honor at the end of the C'est la Vie ending.