Slay the Princess Endings
Slay the Princess, crafted by indie developer Black Tabby Games, quickly rose to prominence as a major hit in 2023. This visual novel deeply integrates player decisions, significantly influencing the story’s direction with numerous possible endings. While a single run-through might take about five hours, fully exploring every narrative possibility could take weeks.
A comprehensive list of all main endings is presented here. Minor changes that result from in-game decisions are covered in the primary discussion, but major divergences from the typical endings are analyzed separately, presenting a variety of scenarios for exploration.
Good Ending
Secure this ending by entering the cabin at the outset of Chapter 1 and eliminating the Princess without any dialogue or investigation of her body. Accept any rewards offered by the Narrator.
This ending, though straightforward to obtain, may be the most unrewarding. Terminate the Princess at the beginning of Chapter 1 without engaging in any conversation, and find yourself confined to an endless void by the Narrator. Isolated with only your thoughts and the cabin, time loses all meaning.
This scenario culminates when the Hero, unhappy with the perpetual void as his reward, demands something more valuable. The Narrator responds by offering a simple crayon drawing in recognition of your efforts. While amusing, a more significant prize would have been more satisfying. Luckily, the game allows for save reloads to explore alternative outcomes.
It’s (Not) Tough To Be A God
Consent to the Shifting Mound’s offer after delivering her five vessels.
Presented as a romance story, Slay the Princess naturally steers its endings toward romantic themes. You and the Princess, originally two halves of a single whole, are given the opportunity to reunite from the Shifting Mound after you bring her five vessels. You have the choice of accepting her offer immediately or taking some time to reflect before reclaiming your divine heritage.
Achieving the “No Ends” achievement is feasible regardless of the path you choose to take to this conclusion. If you choose to confront Shifting Mound and subsequently surrender, you will gain the “Through Conflict” achievement.
The Five Stages
Repeatedly bypass the cabin in Chapter 2, making this choice five times in succession.
By consistently refusing to fulfill the Shifting Mound’s request for vessels, you trigger her progression through the five stages of grief, each reflecting on your steadfast denials. She probes your intentions but takes no action to stop your decisions. This conclusion brings a poignant mix of sorrow and reconciliation; while you grapple with the recurring loss, forgiveness emerges from her, hinting at a mutual dissolution into the void where a subtle possibility of unity exists.
A New Dawn
Give the Shifting Mound the required five vessels, confront the resurrected Princess, and accept the Hero’s offer to lead you to her core for the final act.
Initiating the Princess ending mobilizes the Shifting Hill to summon every Princess from your past encounters, each one trying to keep you from your deadly intent. Remaining resolute leads to the finale “A New Dawn.” This finale is laden with regret; freeing yourself from endless cycles and igniting a new universe occurs at the loss of an integral part of your being. The resulting reality, devoid of death and change, is unsettling, marking a profound, tragic conclusion that resonates with the essence of horror.
A New Dawn (And Everyone Hates You)
Follow the steps to the New Dawn ending but repeatedly assert “it’s the end for you, but not for me” during interactions in the void.
This twist on the “New Dawn” ending deepens the emotional toll, isolating you amidst a choir of scornful voices. Your path involves consistently countering the Voices each time you face them in the void after various routes. While the Hero facilitates your path to the climactic choice, he offers no solace as the voices intensify their rebukes. This ending, born from your drastic choices, fittingly culminates in enduring their harsh criticism—a stark penalty for the path you’ve chosen.
Reset The World
Deliver five vessels to Shifting Mound. Attempt to defeat the reformed Princess. Take the knife offered by the Hero’s Voice and consider the Princess’ request to reset everything.
When you approach the Shifting Mound core, a dialog with the Princess will open, allowing you to consider her future. If you hold the knife, you are faced with the choice of destroying the Princess or initiating a world reset, which sends you back to Chapter 1. Choosing the reset is beneficial for taking alternate storylines in later playthroughs. Shifting Mound changes its challenge based on the Princesses you’ve encountered previously, customizing each playthrough to display different variations of this outcome.
Leave The Cabin Together
Give the Shifting Mound five vessels and face the reconstructed Princess. At the heart of the Mound, opt not to take the knife. Engage in a discussion with the Princess, which reveals the possibility of leaving together.
Choosing not to seize the knife while at the Shifting Mound’s heart leads to a meaningful exchange with the Princess. Your dialogue uncovers your hesitations about ending her life and your dread of the divine duties ahead. The Princess, empathetic and insightful, proposes an escape from the confines of the game. Leaving with her offers a more nuanced and tender conclusion than ascending to godhood together, as both characters forsake their familiar realms for an unknown future filled with infinite possibilities.
Stranger Ending Variations
Initially reject visiting the cabin in Chapter 1 to meet the Stranger, then decide to visit in Chapter 2. Continue towards one of the endings: New Dawn, Leave the Cabin, or Reset.
Choosing not to pick up the knife at the beginning of the game subtly alters your ending. Encountering the Stranger early in the game unlocks distinct conclusions and dialogues.
In scenarios where the Shifting Mound typically resembles the Princess, the Stranger offers a more profound understanding of the Mound’s character. Due to her layered personality, the Stranger embodies a diviner version of the Princess, retaining a divine aura through to the end of the story, no matter the choices made.
