Forspoken, the sprawling open world action RPG released earlier this year, enthralled players with its beautiful fantasy setting and thrilling magical combat. However, many fans were left confused or dissatisfied by the game‘s abrupt ending. This article will provide clarity by analyzing the context around Forspoken‘s two possible conclusions, addressing unresolved questions, and speculating on what the endings could mean for the future of the franchise.
The Story That Sets the Stage
In Forspoken, players take on the role of Frey Holland, a young woman from New York City who is mysteriously transported to the magical land of Athia. Upon her arrival, a sentient bracelet called the Cuff binds itself to Frey. This bracelet enables Frey to cast spectacular spells and traverse the fantasy landscape with superhuman parkour moves.
Over the course of her journey across Athia, Frey discovers that the Cuff is actually a conduit linked to an ancient demon named Susurrus. In the backstory, Susurrus had possessed a trio of powerful sorceresses known as the Tanta Sisters. It amplified their magical abilities at the cost of corrupting their minds. The Tantas eventually turned on each other as chaos gripped the land.
Frey further learns that her own mother was one of the Tanta Sisters, Tanta Cinta. This revelation explains Frey‘s innate magical talents. Yet it also connects her to the fallen legacy of the Tantas.
As Frey prepares to confront Susurrus, the spirit of Tanta Cinta appears. Cinta reveals Susurrus‘s plan to return to power through the Cuff that has bonded to Frey. She then gives Frey a profound choice. Frey can either return home to New York City or stay to fight against Susurrus – a battle that will determine Athia‘s future.
Ending 1: Frey Returns to Her Old Life in New York
If players choose to have Frey walk through the portal back to New York City, she finds herself suddenly wandering the streets of her familiar neighborhood. The scene suggests Frey has picked back up with her normal life, still clutching her cat Homer.
This ending provides a sense of closure regarding Frey‘s personal arc. Her time in Athia has come to an end, and she is back home in the real world. Yet Forspoken‘s central conflict remains ominously unresolved. Susurrus is still poised to menace Athia, with the people of that land lacking a magical protector.
While this conclusion resolves Frey‘s journey, it leaves players feeling unsatisfied about the hanging plot threads regarding Athia‘s fate. After investing dozens of hours in Forspoken‘s world and characters, an ending where the primary villain remains undefeated feels anticlimactic. Frey almost simply gives up on her responsibility as Athia‘s champion. So while tidy in wrapping up Frey‘s character, open questions around Susurrus‘s threat undermine this ending.
Ending 2: Frey Defeats Susurrus and Becomes Cipal‘s Guardian
However, if Frey commits to confronting Susurrus, she plunges into a raging magical battle for Athia‘s future. Her mother Tanta Cinta appears in her dragon form to fight alongside Frey against their shared nemesis. But after Cinta falls in combat, a desperate Frey manages to land crippling blows on Susurrus.
Frey defeats Susurrus by siphoning away some portion of its essence into her Cuff bracelet, now renamed Vambrace. This victory is celebrated by the people of Cipal, who embrace Frey as their magical guardian. They launch lanterns into the sky as Frey writes a letter to her cat Homer, suggest she will someday find her way back to New York.
Yet the subsequent scene shows Homer staring up at a bright blue beam of light radiating down from the heavens. This suggests Susurrus has regenerated enough power to continue posing a looming threat.
While questions remain, this conclusion provides more resolution around the core conflict with Susurrus. Frey achieves victory and a sense of purpose by committing to defend Athia as her inheritance as a Tanta. The titular Forspoken pledges herself to safeguarding Cipal in a position of honor. So there is a degree of narrative closure.
However, the ominous beam of light foreshadows lurking perils to come. Fans have speculated it may signify Susurrus setting its sights on Earth as its next target. This tantalizing cliffhanger strongly hints at a direct sequel. So while satisfying many expectations of climatic final boss battle, the ending leaves doors open for more of Frey‘s story to be told across potential franchise installments.
Unanswered Questions and Theories Around a Forspoken Sequel
Forspoken‘s endings contain narrative gaps that spark inevitable theories among fans, anticipating what a sequel could cover. Key unresolved story threads include:
The Motives of the Cuff – Why did this object, which served as Frey‘s constant companion, ultimately betray her? The revelation that the Cuff was a tool of Susurrus all along catches both Frey and the player by surprise. Its deeper motivations could be explored in a subsequent adventure.
The Origins of Susurrus – The mythic backstory of this demon is vague. Its history intertwined with the Tanta Sisters provides rich territory for more lore. Whether Susurrus ever fully meets its demise also remains unspecified.
Meaning of the Ominous Beam of Light – Fan theories range widely on the potential meaning behind the atmospheric beam glimpsed in the final cutscene. Is it Susurrus regaining its full strength or projecting power towards Earth? This intense cliffhanger moment drives anticipation for a sequel centered around Susurrus as the key antagonist.
Followers of Forspoken have unpacked many clues around an unrevealed history between Susurrus and Frey‘s mother Tanta Cinta. Their intertwined fates may factor heavily into adventures beyond the debut game‘s endings. Additionally, Frey‘s newfound role defending Cipal offers groundwork for evolving threats in an endangered Athia.
Summing Up Forspoken‘s Uneven Endings
Forspoken falters in sticking the landing with perfectly coherent endings to satisfy all players. Unanswered questions dangle, hinting at unfinished business for characters like Susurrus and Frey herself. While the option to simply return to New York ties up loose ends regarding Frey‘s journey, it makes for an underwhelming resolution regarding the conflicts centered in Athia.
Meanwhile, the canon ending where Frey defeats Susurrus delivers that cathartic showdown. Her victory liberates Cipal from evil and lifts her status as their champion. Yet the minacious atmosphere lingering via the beam of light signals further trials ahead for our magical hero.
Ambiguous elements to these endings reflect dissent among the game‘s development team on what shape Forspoken 2 might take. The door has been left wide open for direct sequels to continue exploring Athia and the bipolar fates of Frey in New York City versus her preordained calling as a guardian sorceress. Fans await whether loose plot threads get woven into an epic tapestry across future franchise titles. But for now, the uneven endings provide both closure and perplexing new mysteries in equal measure.
