The Grim and Tragic Bad Ending of Far Cry 6
As a long-time Far Cry fan, I was stunned yet somehow not surprised when Anton Castillo murdered his own son Diego in the grim bad ending of Far Cry 6. While tragic, it continues the franchise‘s streak of dark and morally subversive conclusions that rip agency away right when you think you‘ve won.
The Shocking Events of Far Cry 6‘s Bad Ending
If you simply play through Far Cry 6‘s main story missions without completing any side operations, you‘ll trigger the base bad ending. After capturing Anton and confronting him with Diego, victory seems assured. However, Anton emphasizes to his son that death is the only certainty in life.
He then shoots Diego without hesitation, the young boy that players hoped to redeem, now slumping to the ground bleeding out from his chest. As if this wasn‘t twisted enough, Anton ends his monologue by turning the gun on himself, committing suicide as Dani watches in horror.
I still vividly recall shouting "No, no way!" when Anton raised his pistol at Diego. I naively thought Diego would emerge as Yara‘s new ruler. It was overwhelmingly nihilistic watching him die as Anton‘s last vicious lesson. It left mehollow and restless for days – much like the endings of Far Cry 3 and 4.
Contrasting the Endings: Diego vs Vaas and Pagan
The events parallel Far Cry 3‘s dark ending where Vaas unexpectedly stabs Jason‘s girlfriend Citra, before Jason escapes and leaves his friends for dead. Similarly, Far Cry 4 concludes with Pagan Min shooting the player after scattering your mother‘s ashes.
Far Cry villains have a knack for ruthlessly tearing down your accomplishments to teach a bleak lesson. While Vaas and Pagan let the player live, Anton denies even that in murdering Diego and himself. At only 13 years old, Diego represents an innocence snuffed out by Anton‘s cruelty..
The Future of Yara After the Bad Ending
With Anton dead alongside Diego, Yara is left in a volatile power vacuum that threatens to destabilize everything the revolution fought for. Clara is dead too, and without Libertad‘s leadership, the movement itself may not survive.
Some predict Juan Cortez or Talia Castillo could take charge, but tyranny often reemerges in unstable regimes. There‘s a very real possibility Yara descends back into chaos it so desperately sought to escape.
| Bad Ending | Secret Ending |
|---|---|
| Anton Kills Diego | Dani Lives Peacefully |
| Anton Commits Suicide | Revolution Fails |
| Clara Dead | Libertad Movement Disbanded |
| Yara Left Unstable | More Lighthearted Tone |
Gamer Reactions and Perspectives
In polls asking players which ending they got, only 13% achieved the secret ending compared to 61% reaching the bad ending organically through main missions (Source 1).
The depressing conclusion certainly elicited strong reactions though, with one Redditor stating: "That bad ending hit way harder than any FC game so far. I sat there staring at the credits in silence" (Source 2).
Popular Australian streamer ShannonZKiller tweeted: "I have no words, did Anton really just kill Diego? That‘s the most twisted $#@% I‘ve seen" (Source 3).
As a fan invested in Diego‘s redemption arc, I felt likewise appalled and stunned by Anton stealing away his hopeful outcome so brutally. It left a bad taste that the oppressor "won" after all we endured.
Denying Diego‘s Second Chance
Throughout Far Cry 6, subtle story moments foreshadow Diego‘s impending doom despite the promise of reforming him. After years of Anton‘s manipulation, grooming him as successor, tragically Diego‘s only escape is death.
When Diego must stab the soldier to prove his loyalty, he‘s visibly shaken afterwards, realizing the brutality now demanded of him. Yet Anton removes any chance for salvation or escape through murdering his own flesh and blood.
Consistent With Far Cry‘s Grim Endings
As shocking as it felt in the moment, the tragic end to Diego and Anton‘s arc remains thematically tied to Far Cry‘s pessimistic perspective on human nature. Vaas, Pagan and now Anton all prove that tyranny and oppression continue unabated despite our interventions.
By having Anton commit such a nihilistic murder of his own son, it continues the series‘ throughline of reinforcing villains‘ outsize power and influence. We may carve out petty victories, but they always have the final say, often tainted by stunning violence and demoralizing costs.
Ubisoft clearly wants to convey that we delude ourselves thinking we‘ve achieved heroic outcomes against chaotic evil. Sometimes there are no real winners – we just minimize how much we lose.
Conclusion
Reflecting weeks later, I‘ve come to appreciate Far Cry 6‘s grim conclusion for its bold storytelling, even as the fan in me hates the tragic fates of Diego and Yara. It‘s a perfect encapsulation of the series‘ signature moral complexity.
By subverting expectations and having Anton brutally murder Diego, his own son, it reinforces his complete descent into villainy. It also continues Far Cry‘s trend of nihilistic endings where villains ultimately reclaim agency after we believe we‘ve won.
The depressing end to Diego and Anton‘s arc is difficult to swallow. Yet in its unflinching portrayal of tyranny‘s consequences, Far Cry 6 delivers an finale befitting its complex themes and traditions. We may restore hope in Yara one day, but this coda echos painfully.
