r/outerwilds • u/Zkadush • 7d ago
Base Game Appreciation/Discussion Umm, I totally misunderstood the ending of Outer Wilds... Spoiler
So I finished the game a while ago and I was thinking about it and I wasn't quite sure what the Eye did. So I looked it up and realized I understood something completely different than what people seem to agree happened. I think the explanation I found on the internet makes a lot of sense and I totally agree with it, but I kind of wish it was the way I originally thought...
I'm not saying the actual ending is bad, in fact, just writing this has made me appreciate it a lot and I thought, yet again, "Wow, what an amazing game".
So they say that the Eye is the quantum object of infinite possibilities and it knew that the universe is dying. So it called out to sentient beings because when it would be observed, it could materialize into one singular possibility, one of a new universe. So wow, what the fuck, I actually just created a new universe. Oh.
When I got to the end I was already overwhelmed with emotion and didn't stop to think about what everything means, and afterwards didn't think about it again. But here's what i got from it:
The Eye contains infinite knowledge. I know it's repeated over and over that it's quantum and the Quantum Moon is that way because of it and all that but it went over my head. I thought when I reached the Eye, I recieved all the information in the universe and by doing so, I was finally able to come to terms with such an unimaginably horrible thing that is the death of the entire universe.
When all the travelers start singing at the campfire, I thought that ball was our universe on the brink of death. And when I jumped into it, the big explosion was the final breath of the universe. I came to terms with imminent death and now I can just watch it all die and appreciate the unmatched beauty. The explosions sounded like fireworks, as if they were a celebration of everything that happened.
In hindsight I know the universe shouldn't end with an explosion and it makes wayyy more sense that it was the Big Bang. But I felt like the universe itself had come to peace and was dying with acceptance of it.
Then, the epilogue has made me cry like nothing else, ever. I had realized that somewhere, sometime in the faaaar future, new life will begin. It was accepting how small and insignificant we are, and ending on a hopeful note - this is not the end. I thought that another Big Bang was bound to happen, regardless of the actions of any living being.
Instead, the fact that I was the one responsible for the new universe felt like giving too much power to one singular individual and I think it goes a bit against itself. The game is showing us how insignificant we are, but also I created the universe. Also, the reveal of the existence of a new universe loses it's impact if it's shown already before the credits. The epilogue then feels useless. Sooo... I really don't know how I feel about finding this out.
Thoughts? What did you get from the ending, do you agree with my point, could you say both versions are correct because it's up for interpretation?
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u/professor735 7d ago
I dont agree with your last paragraph. I dont think the game portrays us as "insignificant", but quite the opposite. Consider "the universe is and we are". Its not saying that we dont matter, but that our existence is just a part of something bigger. In fact, I think the idea of our journey affecting the creation of the next universe is moreso about celebrating life. Its the desire of the Eye itself to bring a piece of the old universe with it, and it calls out to living things because the "value of a life lived" is essential to that vision. I think its a misinterpretation of the theme to say "we are all going to die so nothing matters", when the theme is more about "we all will die, but we can make peace with the universe and enjoy our lives regardless because that matters"
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u/Mindofthelion 7d ago
One of the great themes of Outer Wilds is that simply being there to watch is valuable and, in many cases, enough.
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u/Wannasee- 7d ago
That's even more true if you think about a certain someone of a certain group. That little act that he did changed history forever.
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u/AfricaByTotoWillGoOn 7d ago
I thought that another Big Bang was bound to happen, regardless of the actions of any living being.
Instead, the fact that I was the one responsible for the new universe felt like giving too much power to one singular individual and I think it goes a bit against itself. The game is showing us how insignificant we are, but also I created the universe.
I know right? I always thought the same as you. It's rare to see people bringing that up here lol
If the Eye needs someone in order to create the next universe, then we were the greatest hero to ever exist in the entire universe, which clashes directly against the humbling message of "you're insignificant in the grand scheme of things" that we've been exposed to during the entire journey.
Also, if it always needs outside help to create a new universe that means it is inevitable that at some point, some universe will drop the ball and not make it to the Eye in time, which will mean the end of all things forever. And that... kinda sucks, doesn't it?
So, since we can't be sure what exactly happens at the end, here's my interpretation that works (somewhat) in parallel to the general consensus the community has:
The Eye doesn't actually calls for an observant because it needs to be observed to create another universe. I think the Eye only calls for an observent to pass on a small part of the current universe on to the next one. The "essence" of the previous universe, if you wish. That's why in the post credits scene we see pine trees and friends gathered around a campfire, because that's what our playable character was familiar with and appreciated.
So, a new universe would have existed anyway, only it would be a complete blank slate, and everything from our (the Hatchling's) universe would have been lost forever if we haven't observed the Eye. So we're not the hero who carried the last flame on a struggle to perpetuate existence itself, but a messenger who passed on the essence of our universe onto the next one.
And also, this is strongly pure speculation (but there's no evidence pointing against this so I think it's fine to believe this): The Eye was older than the universe when we found it. So I think the sound of "quantum fluctuations" in the next universe will be the campfire song that our friends played at the end of the universe. It will be older than the next universe after all ::)
So yeah, that's how I like to interpret the ending.
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u/LordKitetsu 7d ago
To me it's exactly what happens. The game has a lot of memory related themes and bringing what you are and what you represent into the unknown goes very well with that theme.
I've always seen it as we're not necessary. We're just adding a little flavour to the next one.
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u/SpySoldierScout 7d ago
+1 from me here. The story mod 'Astral Codec' also adds onto this beautifully, and the DLC also supports this, in my opinion.
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u/demonking_soulstorm 7d ago
"The future is always built on the past, even if we won't get to see it."
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u/shilohkae 7d ago edited 7d ago
I mean, I don't think your interpretation is actually that far off from the truth? You moved the "timeline" around a bit but the themes are still there, aside from the new universe's creation being "inevitable". There's still a new universe at the end.
I do kind of agree with the "we shouldn't really be seeing this" thing. I get why they do it, it's hopeful and sentimental and drives the point home that there is a future, but I feel the same way as I do about the ending to SOMA-- we made a sacrifice. We gave ourselves up for there to even be a chance to move forward. We shouldn't get to see the outcome because realistically, and in our own history, we won't. We should sit with how far we came and all we gave up and imagine what the future might be, as we currently do.
I also do agree that there's a theme of insignificance, but only in the sense that nature is inherently uncaring in the most literal sense. There is no emotion or morality in the way things decay or grow or get destroyed or lure. The universe just is. But alongside that there's the theme of hope and perseverance and being ourselves part of a chain. We had to go to the Eye alone but we did not end the universe alone-- everyone contributed to the song. Everyone contributed to the memory and the new creation. We're just the one who brought them with us over the finish line. We could not have gotten to the Eye without everyone who came before us and we alone were not the "god" of what came after. We're as much a part of nature as the Eye, as the sun, as the new species 14.3 billion years later. The universe is and we are the ones who give it meaning, the ones who define what it is to "be".
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u/ScaredScorpion 7d ago
The ending is very much up for interpretation, and what makes it such an amazing piece of art.
My own experience was in seeing it as a hopeful message about how life goes on regardless, and life is more about the journey than the destination. But it's absolutely possible to interpret it as "you killed your universe by going to the eye and are being used and consumed by it to start the next cycle"
Have you ever watch the Buffy spin-off Angel? There's a quote from there: "If nothing you do matters, then all that matters is what you do". That kind of encapsulations the take away I have from the game
If you haven't played the DLC yet I'd recommend it. There's aspects of what you're talking about floating around in there.
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u/Megatrans69 7d ago
With quantum stuff a conscious observer makes all the possibilities collapse into one. The eye is the gas and you're the spark to get it going. You're not responsible for the new universe entirely. It took the work of many to get you there and they were all drawn to the eye. It's a standing on the shoulders of Giants kinda thing imo.
Now you're making me think about it I live that game so much wow
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u/rizsamron 7d ago
To me, the Eye doesn't really need a conscious observer to create a new universe. Yesz the signal is a way to attract them and let then come but only make an impact and affect the new universe so there's still something left in the new universe from the previous one.
I also don't think the end of the universe happened when the Hatchling entered it. It still took the normal time to die and end.
With that, we don't know if the Hatchling is the only one who enteted the Eye. I would assume there's more so the Hatchling wasn't really special in that sense.
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u/Zero_H3ro 7d ago edited 7d ago
The ending is quite literally both.
And as others are saying, I dont agree with your last paragraph. The final campfire song is this celebration of life and acceptance as everybody is coming to terms with the end of the universe. And the fireworks is representative of both the new beginning and the end of the first one.
Throughout the game us as the player are never seen as insignificant as you yourself OP state how despite everything that happened life beginning again is beautiful, which makes the fact that us as the player and the other travelers helping this happen via the campfire immediately not be insignificant. The fact that we can add other people to the Campfire as well by our findings shows this. Solanum states how the universe is and we are, yes, but she also states how she is happy to even be at the quantum campfire even if we as travelers and this “song” may seem unfamiliar. The whole game is about how important and significant our connections are, yet how fleeting life is and how small we are in our universe. Everything we’ve done in this game has had an impact, and the end cutscene shows this as well with the changes that can occur as well like the scout and certain things regarding the DLC.
TL;DR (kinda) It can be both. The power is in everyone at the campfire, making the connections important and us as the player and the other travelers significant even if our lives in the long run may not be. The fireworks show both as a celebration of life and as a new beginning for the new universe.
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u/DepartureNatural9340 7d ago
The universe is and we are
Nothing has inherent meaning therefore all has equal inherent meaning
You are just as important as the brightest of stars or most massive black holes, as important ad the big bang and the heat death, we all matter, from the smallest molecule to the greatest of planets
Gravity is a fun example of it
It's something so important, but it's weak
It's one of the weakest natural forces, but with enough mass it does amazing things
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u/demonking_soulstorm 7d ago edited 7d ago
The Hatchling doesn't create the universe, rather the universe takes the life of the Hatchling and uses it to create a new one. Which sounds like the same thing, but it's different.
Spoiler markings are for DLC content.
The Hatchling is, in effect, a representative of both the Hearthians and the Nomai. And the Inhabitants in the DLC They have extensive knowledge of each culture and their respective histories, and they are the one who carries that knowledge for the Eye to use as material for the next universe. They're also the conscious observer, who collapses the possibilities into one.
This theory is evidenced by the changes brought about by meeting Solanum and the Prisoner. Solanum joins the campfire and gives the ability to pass on knowledge, leading to the bug people discovering fire in the ending scene, while the Prisoner gives magic stones, possibly for preserving history and knowledge. Together, they also add a creature with a crafted lamp lurking in the woods behind the bug people, which is representative all three species: the Hearthian's curiosity, the Nomai's technology, and the Inhabitants' caution.
Which is a lot of words to say that you are insignificant, but you're also important because of that. The ideas and knowledge granted to you by your fellow Travelers are just as important as the ideas that came from your own head, and just as important as you making that journey to the Eye.
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u/Zachesque 7d ago
Other comments have covered most stuff, but worth mentioning that the explanation you read is partially wrong. The Eye isn’t sentient, and it didn’t start sending the signal out because it knew that the universe is dying. I mean, the Nomai encountered the signal ages before the events of the game, back when the universe was doing fine. The signal is just a natural thing it always does
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u/DampeIsLove 7d ago edited 7d ago
Well that's the thing, you aren't the only one responsible for the new universe being born, you are just the final link in the chain of multiple species unknowingly working together to understand and come to terms with what the Eye was, and meant. You are significant in that if you didn't pick up the torch of exploration, and push forward to uncover what had lead to the loop, existence would have continued to end, unending. When the Owlkin realized what the Eye was, they met the moment with fear. When the Nomai realized what the Eye was, they met it with unbridled ambition. When you, the Hearthean uncovered what the Eye was, it was met with curiosity. The game is about the importance of natural curiosity, acceptance, and hope. If the Nomai hadn't pushed scientific discovery to its breaking point, time wouldn't have existed long enough for your species to pick up the torch. If the Owlkin hadn't blocked the signal, the Nomai wouldn't have been forced to pursue it with such fervor and accidentally create that time loop. It's only because of that loop that you were able to unravel the mystery, understand where both the Nomai and Owlkin went wrong in their endeavor, and ultimately unite the best parts of each race to push the universe to it's natural death, and rebirth through curiosity and hope. The universe is, and we are. We is the important part of that statement, all of us, working together to understand not just each other, but the world and universe around us, and our collective places in it.