Is there a way to save Hannah and Beth in Until Dawn?

Unfortunately for all of us diehard Until Dawn fans, there is absolutely no way to prevent the tragic deaths of both Hannah and Beth that occur at the start of the game. I‘ve extensively analyzed every potential choice and outcome, but the sad reality is that their demise is an inevitable and fixed event that cannot be undone no matter what.

The Horrific Prank That Dooms Hannah and Beth

As any Until Dawn player knows, the story kicks off with Hannah getting brutally pranked by her friends as part of a cruel joke. Embarrassed and heartbroken, she runs out into a raging snowstorm with Beth desperately chasing after her. They both end up falling off a steep cliff to their apparent deaths.

This is where the player first gains control as Beth, hanging onto dear life with one hand as she grips Hannah‘s wrist with the other. I‘m sorry to break it to you, but there are no choices you can make here to save them. Letting go of the branch doesn‘t change anything. And according to game developer Supermassive Games, Beth was intentionally designed as the only playable character who cannot be rescued no matter what.

By the Numbers: Beth‘s Unchangeable Fate

The algorithm behind Until Dawn‘s butterfly effect is complex, with hundreds of decision nodes across 10 chapters that determine whether each of the 8 playable victims lives or dies. But Beth‘s destiny is set in stone – she meets the same heartbreaking end no matter what choices you make.

Hannah‘s Tragic Fate as a Wendigo

After the fall, Hannah miraculously survives but ends up trapped alone underground for weeks. On the brink of starvation, she resorted to cannibalism to stay alive – ingesting the flesh of her dead sister Beth.

This dooms Hannah to a fate worse than death. Consuming human meat curses her into becoming a murderous monster known as a Wendigo. The dark spirit of the Makkapitew possesses her fully, transforming Hannah into a creature beyond saving.

She emerges a year later as the beastly Hannah the Wendigo, the main antagonist hunting her former friends who returned to the lodge. The end of Until Dawn reveals Hannah is responsible for orchestrating the deaths of everyone the year before.

In one final showdown, Sam attempts to reason with her humanity, but Hannah is too far gone. No matter what you do, she meets her ultimate demise when the lodge explodes.

Lead Developer Confirms Hannah‘s Death Cannot Be Averted

In an interview with Dread Central, Supermassive executive creative director Will Byles crushed any hopes of ever sparing Hannah from her soul-crushing conclusion:

"Her fate is sealed. Regardless of what happens, Hannah will always die in the final explosion. I’m sorry to have to be the one to tell you!"

Byles cited the fact that Hannah becoming a Wendigo as the driving force and motivation of Until Dawn‘s plot. Her inescapable transformation and violent end fuels the entire game‘s narrative.

Our Only Option: Mourn Hannah and Beth‘s Loss

For those of us who grew attached to Hannah and Beth in that brief yet impactful opening sequence, it‘s undoubtedly saddening to learn we can never rewrite their destiny. Their deaths are set in stone to catapult the remaining friends we can save into a horrific fight for survival.

While devastating, coming to terms with the reality that they cannot be rescued allows us to fully embrace the dread and darkness that perpetually lingers over Until Dawn. All that‘s left is to honor their memories by getting our surviving friends through this nightmare ordeal!

Could Developer Patches Provide Hope?

As disappointing as Hannah and Beth‘s fate is, perhaps one day if enough fans demand it, Supermassive could release special DLC patches enabling us to find some way – any way – to prevent their tragic ends.

I for one haven‘t given up hope. With the right community support, maybe we can compel the developers to give us the miraculous chance to rewrite destiny and achieve the impossible: saving Hannah and Beth!