What Happens If You Walk Away At The End Of Far Cry 5?
If you choose to walk away and spare Joseph Seed at the end of Far Cry 5, he will allow you and the other members of the Sheriff‘s department to leave peacefully. Seed touches his forehead to yours and says you are now part of his family. As you drive away, the Sheriff says they will be back to save the people still under Seed‘s influence.
In-Depth Comparison to Other Endings
The walk away ending provides an interesting counterpoint to the other two potential endings in FC5:
Resist: Joseph Seed is arrested, but nuclear war breaks out confirming his prophecies. You and other allies fight to survive as long-term implications are left unclear.
Secret: Attempt to arrest Joseph in opening scene fails, jump forward to nuclear apocalypse where you must fight again.
The table below compares key outcomes across all 3 endings:
| Ending | Joseph Seed‘s Fate | Hope County‘s Fate | Your Fate |
| Resist | Arrested then set loose | Nuclear war | Unclear, fight to survive |
| Secret | Remains free | Nuclear war | Become soldier in war |
| Walk Away | Remains free | Cult control | Exiled but promised return |
After the Credits
Unlike the resist ending with its post-credits scene, if you walk away there is no clear indication of what happens next after the credits roll. The fate of Hope County, Joseph Seed, and cult control remains ambiguous rather than definitively leading into New Dawn. As the Sheriff promises, it seems you and allies plan to return someday.
Implications for Hope County
With the Sheriff exiled and no further resistance, one can presume Joseph Seed tightens his grip on Hope County along with the brainwashed cultists who helped facilitate his rise to power. The bombs never fall, but civil liberties are undoubtedly restricted under his fanatical rule. However, some citizens manage to escape indicating the collapse is not yet total.
Analysis of Joseph Seed‘s Character
Joseph extending an olive branch rather than demanding your death does suggest a level of benevolence contrary to typical cult leader behavior of eliminating opposers. This offers further complexity in analyzing his character − is he genuinely open to peace and coexistence, or simply hoping to quietly neutralize the last remaining threat? His final words warning of a "coming collapse" intimate he remains committed to his prophecies regardless.
Theories Around Joseph Seed‘s True Nature
If Joseph is indeed ominscient of coming nuclear catastrophe yet opts not to eliminate you, perhaps he realizes a caretaker will be needed to protect people in the aftermath. His insistence you are "family" could be precursor to a proposition for you to lead his followers in rebuilding society after the bombs fall.
Other theorists postulate Joseph engineered the nuclear war himself to fulfill his visions, and the walk away ending delays rather than prevents this outcome. However, definitive proof of this is lacking.
Ultimately Joseph Seed‘s motives at the end remain nebulous – is he a knowing prophet, an instigator of apocalyptic demise, or dangerously delusional regardless of good intentions? The walk away ending offers little concrete evidence to make a conclusion.
Why This Ending Isn‘t Canon
Despite offering the only definitive chance for survival, Ubisoft has confirmed the walk away ending is not considered the true ending, nor is it canon to the overall Far Cry arc leading into New Dawn. The reasoning is unclear, however allowing Joseph Seed uncontested control of Hope County offers minimal narrative progression. It also denies definitive player victory over the key antagonist.
A Passionate Gamer‘s Perspective
As a dedicated FC enthusiast replaying FC5 numerous times, I‘m still conflicted regarding the implications of walking away. On one hand, you seemingly submit to tyranny yet also expose Joseph‘s grandiose ambitions if he doesn‘t demand your death. You survive alongside fading hopes of rallying future resistance. These unresolved ambiguities around Joseph‘s motives and the overall futility of sparing a bully continue puzzling me years later. I often argue both sides playing devil‘s advocate!
What do you think – were we right to show Joseph mercy? Should canon have gone this route? It‘s these open-ended uncertainties that ensure the Far Cry series retains its rightful place as my favorite open-world saga. Let me know your thoughts!
