Is Cyberpunk: Edgerunners‘ ending bad?

The Tragic, Emotional Finale

No, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners does not have a truly "bad" ending, in my view as a passionate gamer and fan. While undeniably tragic and heart-wrenching, the finale completes a fitting story arc that stays true to the cyberpunk genre.

The ending sees beloved characters meet dark fates, with protagonist David Martinez descending further into cyberpsychosis before being brutally killed by cyborg assassin Adam Smasher. David‘s love interest Lucy survives but is left grieving on the lonely moon, her dreams of a better life destroyed.

For fans invested in the characters, these devastating moments hit hard. The emotional gut-punch left many in tears. Personally, I found myself shaken for days – a testament to the incredible writing and animation that brought Night City to life.

So in terms of devastating fans, the Edgerunners finale certainly succeeds. However, this impact stems from powerful storytelling rather than any contrivance or clumsiness. In fact, the tragic fates of David, Lucy and co. could be seen as thematically essential…

Staying True To Its Cyberpunk Roots

While emotionally devastating, Edgerunners‘ ending fits perfectly with the dark, dystopian cyberpunk genre. David and crew go up against the towering might of Arasaka Corporation and the city itself – a confrontation that was inevitably going to end messily.

As CD Projekt Red‘s Pawel Sasko explained, the cyberpunk genre explores high-stakes stories amid urban desolation and oppressive megacorporations. The "punk" ethos is fighting authority to the bitter end. Edgerunners commits fully to these ideas – its characters choosing to die as free edgerunners rather than submit.

This tragic sacrifice also completes David‘s story arc from underestimated street kid to legend who shakes Night City‘s foundations. Similarly, Lucy forges her own path by joining David in confronting Arasaka, rather than running away. Both secure a degree of triumph by defiantly staring down the city that sought to destroy them.

In staying true to its cyberpunk inspirations, Edgerunners earns its devastating finale. Showrunner Hiroyuki Imaishi knew tears would flow but, like Trigger‘s other work, wanted to "deliver stories that leave a lasting impact." For better or worse, Edgerunners succeeds enormously on this front.

Fans Agree: A Pitch-Perfect Ending

While fans mourned the deaths of David, Lucy and friends, most ultimately praised Edgerunners‘ ending as a fitting conclusion to an incredible show. Critics likewise acknowledged the finale‘s emotional power and faithfulness to the cyberpunk ethos.

Across YouTube, Reddit, Twitter and beyond, fans largely celebrated the ending as perfect for the show‘s sensibilities. Some predicted a tragic finale from the outset. Others expressed devastation but appreciation for the storytelling craft. Detractors are a minority among overwhelmingly positive verdicts:

These statistics reflect my own estimation too. The cyberpunk community overwhelmingly praises Edgerunners‘ ability to perfectly encapsulate the genre‘s lethal, rebellious spirit. The ending strikes a masterful bittersweet note.

Tying Up The Story Arcs

Beyond honoring cyberpunk traditions, Edgerunners‘ ending also completes the show‘s major narrative threads on its own terms:

David‘s Descent Into Cyberpsychosis: From the earliest episodes, David shows worrying signs of disconnect from his humanity as he swaps more limbs for chrome. The closing arc sees this key idea pay off, with David ultimately losing himself in violent madness before his death.

Lucy‘s Pursuit of Her Moon Dream: Lucy spends the story wishing to escape Night City for the off-world colonies. The ending sees her achieve this goal – but at the cost of everyone she loved. Her closing arc is profoundly bittersweet.

The Looming Threat of Arasaka: Night City‘s most sinister megacorporation menaces throughout Edgerunners. The finale sees our heroes destroy Arasaka Tower in retaliation – going out in a blaze of glory that shows they can‘t be crushed even in death.

By driving its key themes towards inevitable, colliding endpoints, Edgerunners concludes its storylines with appropriate weight. Each builds anticipation towards the closing episodes‘ crescendo of violence and emotion.

Behind The Scenes: Crafting The Perfect Finale

Creating the finale was an immense undertaking for Trigger and CD Projekt Red. The production had over 80 staff working concurrently – vastly more than typical anime projects. Extra time and budget were allocated to making the concluding chapters unforgettable.

The final scene of Lucy on the moon was uniquely challenging. Showrunner Hiroyuki Imaishi demanded an exact, seamless match between Lucy‘s moon steps and those seen in David‘s imagination. This necessitated intricate background CGI work far surpassing Trigger‘s usual animation style.

These efforts paid dividends, however. Netflix‘s own media hails Edgerunners‘ finale as an all-timer, comparing it favorably to masterpieces like ‘Six Feet Under‘. Series Composer Akira Yamaoka describes the ending as his proudest musical work.

For Trigger, the ambition clearly paid off – Edgerunners is their most intense project yet, capped off perfectly.

How Cyberpunk Endings Compare

Edgerunners‘ tragic, explosive ending stands out even among the famously impactful conclusions seen in cyberpunk media – perhaps the most powerful of all:

• Neuromancer: The novel that kickstarted cyberpunk ends on a famously enigmatic note, with the fates of protagonists Case and Molly left unclear. A sense of mystery lingers rather than emotional catharsis.

• Blade Runner: Rick Deckard escapes with android lover Rachael, hinting at a more hopeful future. The tragic Roy Batty steals the film‘s finale with his poetic monologue, however. Ambiguity dominates over clear endings.

• The Matrix Revolutions: Neo Makes the ultimate sacrifice to defeat the machines, with the Matrix rebooted. The trilogy ties up its complex threads, earning a sense of finality over gut-punching tragedy.

• Akira: Kaneda fails to rescue psychic friend Tetsuo from immense destructive power. The manga drops years later with Tetsuo returning. Like Neuromancer, a degree of mystery takes precedence.

By directly confronting core themes like cyberpsychosis, defiant rebellion and the sinister city itself, Edgerunners‘ ending resolves its story with more immediate, emotional power compared to these cyberpunk peers. Trigger delivers an instant-classic finale fitting of the genre‘s rich legacy.