Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty Endings Guide: Navigating the Espionage Labyrinth
So, you’ve plunged back into the neon-drenched, rain-slicked streets of Night City with the Phantom Liberty expansion. You’ve navigated the treacherous web of espionage in Dogtown, forged a fragile alliance with the enigmatic FIA agent Solomon Reed, and witnessed the raw, desperate power of Song So Mi. Now, you stand at the precipice, facing a choice that isn't just about life or death, but about loyalty, sacrifice, and the very soul of V. The decisions you make in the final moments of this spy-thriller are some of the most gut-wrenching in the entire game, leading to profoundly different conclusions.
This comprehensive Phantom Liberty endings guide is designed to walk you through every path, every consequence, and every heartbreaking nuance. We'll unravel the threads of this complex narrative, ensuring you understand the weight of each choice and how it shapes the fates of V, Songbird, Reed, and even the future of Night City itself. Forget the simple binary; this is a moral quagmire, and we're here to be your guide.
The Crossroads: The Tower Mission
Everything converges on one critical moment during the mission "The Killing Moon." Song So Mi, the brilliant but compromised netrunner you've been trying to save, has laid her cards on the table. She confesses her betrayal—the cure was never for both of you; the Neural Matrix can only save one person. She’s desperate, in excruciating pain, and begging for your help to reach the evac shuttle at the top of the ruined spaceport, Luna.
It is here that Solomon Reed, your steadfast and duty-bound handler, contacts you. He presents the alternative: honor your original contract with the FIA. Betray Songbird, secure the Matrix for the NUSA, and he promises you a guaranteed, if different, path to survival.
This is your irrevocable fork in the road. Your choice to side with Song So Mi (The Songbird Path) or side with Solomon Reed (The Reed Path) splits the narrative into two primary branches, with the Reed path itself offering a further, critical subdivision. Let's break down all three conclusions.
Ending 1: The King of Wands (Siding with Songbird)
This path is defined by empathy and a commitment to seeing your original promise through, even in the face of betrayal. You choose to help Song So Mi reach the shuttle, fighting through MaxTac and NUSA forces.
- The Climax: The journey to the shuttle is a frantic, high-stakes battle. You see Songbird's raw power unleashed as she cripples the pursuing forces. Upon reaching the shuttle, you have one final, quiet moment with her. She is frail, barely conscious, but expresses a profound, sorrowful gratitude. You place her in the capsule and send her on her way to the Moon, where the mysterious Mr. Blue Eyes has promised her a cure and asylum.
- The Outcome for V: So, what happens to V? In the short term, you are left in Dogtown. You receive a final message from Songbird, a heartfelt "thank you" and a data shard. This shard contains the access codes to the Cynosure core, which holds a significant amount of eddies—a financial reward, but not a cure. Your search for a cure for V's relic malfunction continues, leaving you to pursue the base game's endings. You have not solved your central problem, but you have freed a tormented soul.
- The Fates of Others:
- Song So Mi: She presumably reaches the Moon. Her fate is left ambiguous, but there is hope. She is free from the NUSA, the Blackwall, and her physical pain. This is her best chance at a real life.
- Solomon Reed: You directly defy him. In the ensuing chaos, he is critically injured or potentially killed (off-screen), a casualty of his unwavering loyalty to a government that sees him as a tool. This ending is a definitive rejection of his worldview.
- Thematic Weight: This is the "freedom" ending. It prioritizes liberation from oppressive systems—be it the NUSA, the FIA, or the slow death of the Relic. It’s a bittersweet victory; you save a friend but remain on the clock, your own survival uncertain.
Ending 2: The King of Pentacles (Siding with Reed - The "Cure" Path)
This path is the embodiment of pragmatism and loyalty to a cause. You choose to honor your deal with Reed and the FIA, betraying Songbird at the last possible moment.
- The Climax: You incapacitate Songbird, and Reed arrives to secure the Neural Matrix. The scene is tense and somber. Reed stabilizes Songbird, not out of compassion, but to secure the asset. He thanks you for your service and promises to uphold his end of the bargain.
- The Outcome for V: This is the only path in Phantom Liberty that provides a definitive cure for V. You are whisked away to a top-secret FIA medical facility. The procedure is a success; the Relic is deactivated and removed. However, the cost is staggering. The surgery and the two-year coma that follows result in severe, irreversible neural damage. You wake up to a world that has moved on without you. Your cyberware is now completely inert; your body rejects any new implants. The legendary mercenary V is gone, replaced by an ordinary, vulnerable person. You are cured, but you have lost the very thing that made you a legend in Night City.
- The Fates of Others:
- Song So Mi: Her fate is dark. She is taken into NUSA custody, her consciousness likely imprisoned in a "cage" to be studied and weaponized. She is a tool once more, her hope extinguished. In a final conversation, a heavily medicated and broken So Mi can either forgive you or condemn you, depending on your dialogue choices.
- Solomon Reed: He survives and is reinstated as a senior FIA agent. He expresses a twisted form of gratitude, believing he "saved" you both in his own way. He offers you a desk job, a hollow consolation prize for the life you lost.
- Thematic Weight: This is the "cost of survival" ending. It answers the question, "Can V be saved?" with a resounding "Yes, but..." It explores the theme of identity and what we are willing to sacrifice for mere existence. Is a life without the ability to fight, to use chrome, to be V, really a life worth living?
Ending 3: The King of Swords (Siding with Reed - The "Kill Songbird" Option)
This is the darkest and most brutal conclusion, a path of cold, hard closure. It begins identically to the King of Pentacles path, but diverges at a critical juncture.
- The Divergence: After capturing Songbird, Reed's team is ambushed. Songbird, in a last-ditch effort, seizes control of the complex's security and tries to escape, forcing your hand. You and Reed pursue her through the crumbling facility. In the final confrontation, Reed is incapacitated, and you are left alone with a desperate, cornered Song So Mi.
- The Climax: Songbird, connected to the system, makes a final plea. She begs you to kill her, to end her suffering and prevent her from being used as a weapon ever again. You can choose to follow Reed's original plan and try to subdue her, or you can grant her wish. Choosing to end her life is a moment of profound mercy—or cold pragmatism. You put a bullet in the server, severing her connection and ending her torment.
- The Outcome for V: The reward is identical to the King of Pentacles ending. You receive the FIA cure, endure the two-year coma, and wake up as a mundane, de-chromed individual. The solution to V's biochip problem is achieved, but the emotional toll is even heavier.
- The Fates of Others:
- Song So Mi: She is dead. Freed through death, the only true escape she could find from her endless cycle of exploitation.
- Solomon Reed: He survives, but is emotionally shattered. He confesses that he saw Songbird as the daughter he never had, and your action, while necessary from a operational standpoint, has destroyed him. He is a hollow man, left with nothing but his duty.
- Thematic Weight: This is the "tragic mercy" ending. It is about making the hardest choice to end someone's pain, even if it means carrying that burden yourself. It provides a clean, definitive end to Songbird's story at the cost of your own humanity and Reed's spirit.
Which Phantom Liberty Ending is the Best?
There is no single "best" Phantom Liberty story conclusion. The genius of this expansion lies in how it personalizes the idea of a "good" ending.
- If you believe in freedom at any cost and value Songbird's liberation over your own immediate cure, The King of Wands is your path.
- If you are a pragmatist who values survival and honoring contracts, and can accept a life without the edge that defined you, The King of Pentacles provides a clear, if somber, finale.
- If you believe that some fates are worse than death and want to grant a final mercy while still securing a cure, The King of Swords offers a tragic but resolved conclusion.
Ultimately, your choice reflects what you, as V, value most: the freedom of a kindred spirit, the certainty of survival, or the grim finality of a mercy kill. Each path leaves a different scar on the world of Night City and on the soul of your character, making the Phantom Liberty ending choices some of the most memorable and impactful in any modern RPG.
