Far Cry 4‘s Canon Ending: Pagan Min Names Ajay King
As confirmed by the recent Far Cry 6 DLC, the canon conclusion to Far Cry 4 is the ending where tyrant Pagan Min unexpectedly names protagonist Ajay Ghale the rightful monarch of the embattled nation of Kyrat. He then vacates his dictatorial rule, leaving Ajay to deal with the aftermath.
The Story So Far…
For context, here‘s a quick recap of how we got to this pivotal moment (spoiler warning!):
- Ajay returns to his ancestral homeland to fulfill his mother‘s dying wish to have her ashes scattered next to his half-sister Lakshmana.
- The country is engaged in a violent civil war between "Pagan Min" and the rebel Golden Path militia.
- Ajay meets leaders of the resistance like Sabal and Amita, reluctantly joining their mission.
- After an attack goes awry, Ajay comes face-to-face with Pagan Min at the tyrant‘s palace.
Up to this point, the player expects they will have to confront and overcome Pagan, the campaign‘s central villain. But that somehow doesn‘t happen…
The Shocking Twist
As Ajay holds Pagan Min at gunpoint, Pagan reveals that Ajay‘s father originally sent his mother to spy on Pagan. But instead she fell deeply in love with the eccentric autocrat.
Their forbidden romance produced a daughter, Lakshmana. But she was sadly killed in the early stages of the uprising by Golden Path militants.
Both Ajay‘s parents were left devastated. His father continued waging war against Pagan until his death. But after Lakshmana‘s loss, Ishwari fled back to America heartbroken.
Despite past bloodshed, Pagan Min grew to care for Ajay as the son he never had. And because Ajay is the heir of Mohan Ghale, Pagan insists he is the legitimate King of Kyrat by bloodline.
Therefore, instead of dying as expected, Ajay watches dumbfounded as Pagan relinquishes control over the nation. He leaves to make his long-desired escape from leadership, confident Ajay will rise to fill the throne.
This Sets Up the Final Act
Ajay taking Pagan Min‘s place as monarch certainly fits his prophesized destiny according to Golden Path mythology. It casts events in a new light compared to the standard rebel victory ending.
As one Kotaku journalist theorized:
"Were you ever the good guy in Far Cry 4 at all? Or just a dangerous idiot stumbling through a civil war in a country you didn’t understand?"
Perhaps Pagan Min wasn‘t entirely misguided in his extreme methods. At least Kyrat remained unified under his clearly-defined leadership compared to the chaos left behind.
| Ending Choice | Eventual Ruler | Stability Result |
|---|---|---|
| Pagan Min Exiles Himself | Ajay Ghale | ????? |
| Golden Path Victory | Sabal / Amita | more civil war |
With Pagan gone, Sabal and Amita bitterly resume their fragmented resistance. Meanwhile, Ajay is the supposed heir but seems unprepared to mediate their rivalry and establish control.
The cancelation of Far Cry Primal left this cliffhanger unconcluded…until the Far Cry 6 DLC reaffirmed Pagan bowing out to let Ajay rule. Suggesting that this was indeed the path forward.
Understanding Amita vs Sabal
Choosing either Sabal or Amita to lead the Golden Path impacts their future governance but not the scene with Pagan. Still, it‘s worth highlighting their contrasting styles briefly:
Amita
- Focused on radical modernization through drug money, technology
- Uses authoritarian tactics and brainwashing to achieve her agenda
- Eliminates traditional gender roles against the population‘s will
Sabal
- Devoted to preserving Kyrat‘s religious and cultural roots
- Forcibly institutes spiritual customs like banning contraception
- Also adopts an aggressive militant posture to dominate dissent
| Amita | Sabal | |
|---|---|---|
| Pros | Economic Growth | Cultural Preservation |
| Cons | Oppression | Theocracy |
Neither seems ready to accept Ajay as the centrist and rightful mediator Pagan Min believes him to be. Which sets up an intriguing continuation of civil tensions between old and new.
The Significance of Far Cry 6
While it was strongly hinted that Pagan Min naming Ajay the successor was the implied finale for Far Cry 4, some fans still debated which outcome should be considered canon.
The Far Cry franchise had not directly revisited Kyrat‘s power dynamic in subsequent titles like Far Cry 5 and New Dawn. Leaving lingering questions.
Far Cry 6‘s Pagan Min DLC multiplayer expansion finally cemented this as the true chain of events. In the DLC mission "like a smoking barrel" we catch up with Pagan years later as he reflects somberly on Lakshmana‘s death saying:
"…my only child, and heir to the throne of Kyrat, was taken from me."
Clearly he still believes wholeheartedly that Ajay was the rightful heir who he allowed to assume control by departing himself.
We have to assume things didn‘t quite stabilize given Pagan laments being doomed to "rule countries destined to fail". But he doesn‘t regret his choice to walk away and let destiny take its course with Ajay steering Kyrat‘s future.
The Overarching Narrative
Looking at the Far Cry saga holistically, Pagan Min resigning to Ajay continues the central themes of:
- Protagonists fighting to overthrow tyranny in exotic lands
- Charismatic villains with depth beyond mere conquest and madness
- Moral ambiguity where resistance leads to more Inner turmoil
As one Reddit analyst suggests:
"It seems totally fitting for Pagan‘s character to just claim Ajay is the rightful heir and let him deal with the mess. We think the point is to show how complex these conflicts are."
Rather than a cliched triumph over the villain, Ajay‘s ascension shows the remnants of division and his own doubts about through what means power should now be harnessed.
Final Summary
In closing, Far Cry 6 cements that the canon series ending is Pagan Min relinquishing control of Kyrat to Ajay Ghale due to his family lineage. This passing of authority leaves Ajay struggling to reconcile the competing interests of the Golden Path while bearing the weight of leadership over a volatile nation.
It‘s a fittingly unconventional conclusion that eschews standard good/evil binaries in favor of reflecting the layered chaos that often emerges in times of crisis. Much like the real world, there are no easy answers.
That is the narrative ending that Far Cry 4 leaves us with the ponder as we await the next chapter in the saga.
Let me know your thoughts in on this iconic and hotly debated series moment! Do you think Ubisoft made the right choice? What do you predict happens next for Kyrat?
