TL;DR
- Phantom Liberty features multiple branching endings with significant narrative consequences
- Your choices during key missions directly determine which ending path becomes available
- One specific conclusion provides the most satisfying resolution to V’s overarching story
- The expansion’s finale can unlock additional content in the main Cyberpunk 2077 campaign
- Strategic decision-making and proper preparation are essential for achieving desired outcomes
Discover the diverse narrative outcomes available across both the Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty expansion storyline and the core game campaign. Your journey through Dogtown presents multiple branching paths that significantly alter your experience.
The Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty expansion delivers several distinct conclusion possibilities. Mission sequences dynamically evolve based on your strategic decisions and dialogue choices, with one particular resolution offering the most emotionally complete closure for protagonist V’s character arc. This comprehensive Phantom Liberty endings guide examines the pivotal choices you’ll encounter, plus how the expansion’s climax can unlock an entirely new narrative thread within the main storyline. Be advised that this content reveals significant plot developments that are best experienced firsthand.
Your approach to major story missions creates permanent branching points that lock or unlock specific ending possibilities. The most significant decisions typically occur during character interactions with key figures like Solomon Reed and Songbird, where your chosen allegiances reshape available narrative paths.
Common mistakes include rushing through dialogue options without considering long-term consequences or failing to complete specific side objectives that influence ending availability. Advanced players should focus on building trust with central characters through consistent decision patterns, as relationship meters often determine which conclusions become accessible. Most players report spending 3-5 hours navigating the critical path decisions that lead to different endings.
To maximize your chances of achieving the ideal ending, prioritize completing specific side missions before advancing major story beats. The ‘Firestarter’ mission represents the most significant branching point, where your choice between supporting Reed or Songbird creates entirely different narrative trajectories.
Preparation is crucial – ensure your character build is optimized for the expansion’s increased difficulty. Many players find that specialized weapon loadouts and strategic class selections significantly impact mission success rates. Allocate approximately 20-25 hours for a completionist playthrough aiming to experience all major ending variations.
The Firestarter mission represents the pivotal crossroads in Phantom Liberty’s narrative, where your allegiance choice fundamentally reshapes the remaining storyline. This single decision not only determines which finale missions you’ll experience but also dictates which iconic weapons become available. Strategic players should create multiple save files before this mission to explore different outcomes without replaying extensive content.
You face two mutually exclusive paths at the mission’s climax:
- Support Songbird’s escape: “I’m with you.” – This aligns you with the rogue netrunner seeking freedom from NUSA control.
- Assist Reed’s capture operation: “One more second…” – This maintains your loyalty to the FIA agent and the established government.
V and Songbird take on an army of hostiles.
Choosing to help Songbird escape in Firestarter unlocks The Killing Moon finale, where your objective shifts to securing her passage to a lunar medical facility. During the transit sequence, disturbing revelations emerge about Songbird’s true motivations, suggesting she may have manipulated V primarily to secure her own survival rather than mutual benefit.
Multiple interaction points present critical choices:
- Carry Songbird to safety: “Time to go” or “Wake the hell up”
- Contact Reed for extraction: “Reed will take care of you.”
A crucial decision must be made.
What happens if you defend Songbird
Achieving this ending requires carrying Songbird toward the escape shuttle, triggering an inevitable confrontation with Solomon Reed. The standoff mechanics introduce immediate lethal consequences for incorrect choices:
- Approaching Reed too closely results in instant death – maintain distance during dialogue
- Persistent refusal to comply with his demands leads to combat initiation
- Only the “Draw Weapon” prompt allows you to eliminate Reed and continue
Successfully dispatching Reed enables Songbird’s departure but permanently closes V’s cure opportunity. You’ll return to Night City with only the base game endings available. Reed’s iconic Pariah pistol becomes available for looting from his corpse.
Left: A final confrontation with Solomon Reed; Right: Watching the shuttle take off with Songbird in tow.
What happens if you give up Songbird
Surrendering Songbird to Reed unlocks Phantom Liberty’s exclusive main campaign conclusion. Multiple surrender methods achieve this outcome:
- Initiate contact with Reed while still in the train car system
- Select the specific dialogue option: [Holster weapon] “All yours, but you’ll help me live on.”
- During the platform standoff, consistently choose compliance responses
Reed transports Songbird to NUSA custody, honoring his commitment to secure V’s treatment. This bypasses the traditional Nocturne Op55N1 mission chain entirely.
Reed captures Songbird.
Supporting Reed during Firestarter initiates an entirely different narrative branch featuring two distinct missions with unique gameplay challenges. Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos requires neutralizing MaxTac security forces, while Somewhat Damaged presents survival horror elements against the Cerberus security system.
This path offers exclusive equipment opportunities:
- Erebus iconic weapon blueprints – A powerful Blackwall-integrated firearm
- Militech Canto Mk6 cyberware schematics – Advanced netrunning capabilities
The climax in Cynosure’s core presents Songbird in a vulnerable state, requesting termination. Your response determines the final outcome:
- Execute Songbird immediately
- Grant mercy through sparing – Additional dialogue options appear if you hesitate
You can kill or spare So Mi.
What happens if you spare Songbird
Choosing compassion triggers Leave in Silence, transporting Songbird to NUSA medical care. President Myers personally awards recognition, though early campaign oath requirements remain ambiguous.
Critical dialogue sequencing:
- Respond to Myers: “What now? What about the help I was promised?” – This ensures your cure remains prioritized
- Coordinate with Reed during the evacuation sequence
- Witness Songbird’s medical transport departure
Songbird, weakened but alive, will be airlifted to safety.
What happens if you kill Songbird
Terminating Songbird progresses through similar cinematic sequences but with dramatically altered emotional context and practical consequences.
- Reed expresses profound grief over failing to rescue his protégé
- Myers revokes her cure promise since the primary objective required Songbird alive
Reed is distraught since he was unable to rescue Songbird.
Following either path’s completion triggers a waiting period where Reed contacts V about the promised cure. The timing remains deliberately vague – most players report needing to advance time through multiple in-game days before receiving the crucial communication.
Meeting location varies by narrative branch:
- Songbird escape path requiring surrender – Through Pain to Heaven mission at a gas station
- Reed capture path requiring mercy – Four Score and Seven mission at Dogtown’s basketball court
Both routes converge at Who Wants to Live Forever, directing you to Misty’s Esoterica rooftop – the familiar location from the base game’s critical decision point.
Critical warning: This sequence functions as Phantom Liberty’s definitive point of no return. While you may continue exploring Night City indefinitely beforehand, once you initiate contact with Reed, the ending sequence becomes irreversible.
Same rooftop; new point of no return.
Phantom Liberty’s exclusive conclusion delivers profoundly mixed emotional resolution. While V achieves biological survival, the cost fundamentally transforms their identity and capabilities.
Key outcome elements:
- Complete elimination of Soulkiller and Johnny Silverhand’s engram
- Surgical removal of all combat cyberware – attempting to use implants risks fatal neural feedback
- Solomon Reed extends employment opportunities within the FIA, which V consistently declines
- The medical procedure induces a two-year comatose state, creating significant temporal displacement
Awakening reveals dramatically altered relationships with former companions:
- Judy Alvarez – In romanced FemV playthroughs, the relationship has ended, with Judy married to another partner
- Panam Palmer – Complete communication breakdown; Mitch explains your disappearance emotionally devastated her
- Kerry Eurodyne – Currently touring Europe with no availability for reconnection
- River Ward – Criminal entanglements and dangerous affiliations have developed
- Viktor Vector – Your ripperdoc maintains ongoing plans despite the circumstances
Best girl Judy got married.
V’s return to Night City culminates in poignant reunions that underscore their transformed existence. The legendary mercenary survives but can no longer function in their former capacity.
Final encounters with key figures:
- Viktor Vector – Diagnostic attempts confirm irreversible neural damage
- Misty Olszewski – Now appearing more confident and resilient, she provides philosophical guidance
Post-credits sequences reveal additional narrative threads:
- Mitch reinforces the permanent estrangement from Panam
- Rogue Amendiares permits Afterlife access but cautions against diminishing your established reputation.
- Goro Takemura reveals the failed Arasaka coup attempt – without V’s assistance, Hanako perished and Takemura faces false murder accusations
- Solomon Reed confirms Songbird’s survival but expresses regret over their fractured relationship
The ultimate resolution presents V as biologically intact but professionally obsolete – a formerly exceptional operative reduced to ordinary civilian existence.
Viktor (left) and Misty (right) can only offer advice as V starts a new life.
This comprehensive examination of Phantom Liberty’s conclusions provides the strategic foundation for your decision-making. Was this resolution satisfying for V’s character journey, or does it leave narrative potential unexplored? The judgment remains yours to make.
Additional adventures await throughout Dogtown’s treacherous districts in Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty. For advanced tactical guidance and equipment optimization, consult our Weapons Unlock guide and comprehensive Complete Guide to maximize your gameplay experience.
Cyberpunk 2077’s Firestarter mission represents one of the most significant branching points in the Phantom Liberty expansion, forcing players to make a choice with far-reaching narrative consequences. This decision determines which of two completely different final acts you’ll experience, each with unique missions, character interactions, and ending variations. Understanding the implications before committing is crucial, as this choice locks you into a specific storyline path that cannot be reversed without reloading a previous save.
The central conflict revolves around whether to assist Songbird in her escape attempt or side with Reed to capture her. This isn’t merely a moral dilemma but a structural division that shapes your entire experience with the DLC’s conclusion. Players should consider their character build, preferred gameplay style, and narrative preferences when making this choice, as each path offers distinct challenges and rewards.
Strategic preparation before reaching this decision point can significantly impact your experience. Ensure your character is adequately leveled, with optimized cyberware and weapon loadouts suited to either stealth-oriented or combat-heavy approaches. The difficulty spike in subsequent missions varies considerably between paths, making proper preparation essential for success.
Selecting to defend Songbird initiates The Killing Moon storyline, focusing on extraction and evasion rather than direct confrontation. This path emphasizes stealth mechanics, environmental navigation, and strategic positioning over brute force combat. You’ll navigate through heavily fortified areas while protecting a vulnerable ally, requiring careful planning and execution.
What happens if you defend Songbird
Choosing to protect Songbird leads to an intense escape sequence through Night City’s underground infrastructure. This route provides exclusive access to covert cyberware upgrades and specialized stealth equipment unavailable in the alternative path. You’ll face relentless pursuit from NCPD max-tac units and corporate security forces, creating sustained tension throughout the mission chain. The narrative focuses on themes of betrayal and survival, with several key revelations about the Blackwall and AI entities.
What happens if you give up Songbird
Surrendering Songbird to Reed’s team triggers a different narrative branch within the escape path, where you become complicit in her capture. This decision leads to unique dialogue options and character interactions that explore the moral complexities of your choice. While you avoid the most challenging combat encounters of the full defense route, you’ll miss out on certain narrative payoffs and character development moments. This middle-ground approach provides a less combat-intensive experience but sacrifices some emotional resonance.
Mission Strategy: The Killing Moon path benefits significantly from invested points in the Cool attribute tree, particularly stealth-related perks. Optical camo cyberware becomes exceptionally valuable, along with quickhacks that can disable surveillance systems and distract enemies. Planning escape routes in advance and utilizing the environment for cover are essential tactics for success.
Opting to help Reed capture Songbird initiates the Somewhat Damaged storyline, which shifts focus to investigation, pursuit, and direct confrontation. This path features more traditional combat scenarios but introduces unique mechanical challenges related to tracking and containment protocols.
What happens if you spare Songbird
Choosing to spare Songbird during the capture mission leads to a complex moral dilemma with significant narrative consequences. This decision affects your relationship with key characters and determines which ending variations become available. You’ll gain access to specialized military-grade equipment and combat cyberware, but face ethical challenges that test your character’s principles. The spared Songbird route provides crucial intelligence about corporate conspiracies that remains hidden in other paths.
What happens if you kill Songbird
Eliminating Songbird represents the most definitive conclusion to her storyline, providing immediate resolution but closing off certain narrative threads. This choice yields unique weapon blueprints and immediate monetary rewards, but may have long-term consequences for your standing with various factions. The emotional weight of this decision resonates through subsequent interactions with other characters, particularly those with personal connections to Songbird.
Combat Optimization: The Somewhat Damaged path heavily favors builds with strong Body and Reflexes attributes. Smart weapons and projectile launcher systems prove particularly effective against the specialized enemies encountered. Investing in defensive cyberware and health regeneration capabilities will significantly improve your survival chances during the more demanding combat sequences.
The conclusion of the Phantom Liberty storyline introduces a new point of no return that diverges from the base game’s critical path. This structural innovation allows players to experience a self-contained narrative conclusion while preserving their progress in the main campaign. Understanding this mechanic is essential for players who wish to experience both the DLC and base game endings without conflict.
The new ending ‘Things Done Changed’ reflects how your decisions throughout the expansion have altered Night City’s power dynamics. This conclusion provides unique insights into the future of the city and its inhabitants, with variations based on your choices during the Firestarter decision and subsequent missions.
Epilogue: Returning to Night City after completing the Phantom Liberty storyline introduces new dialogue options, vendor interactions, and world state changes. Certain areas become accessible or restricted based on your allegiances, and new side missions may appear reflecting the narrative consequences of your choices.
Common Mistakes to Avoid: Many players underestimate the permanent nature of the Firestarter decision and proceed without adequate preparation. Others fail to recognize that certain gear and cyberware perform better in specific storyline paths. Planning your build around your intended choice significantly improves the gameplay experience and reduces frustration during challenging sequences.
Advancing through the Phantom Liberty storyline requires patiently waiting for Solomon Reed to contact you regarding potential treatment options. This waiting period lacks specific timing, often necessitating skipping forward multiple in-game days through resting or time progression mechanics. Once Reed finally reaches out, you’ll need to travel to one of two distinct locations depending on your earlier narrative choices:
Both narrative branches converge at the Who Wants to Live Forever questline, directing you to the rooftop above Misty’s Esoterica. Veteran players will recognize this location from the base game’s finale planning sequence against Arasaka Corporation.
Critical Warning: This segment functions as an irreversible narrative checkpoint. While you can freely explore Night City’s districts beforehand, contacting Reed summons a NUSA medical transport that immediately transitions to the new conclusion sequence.
Identical rooftop setting; different permanent consequences.
Strategic preparation is essential before proceeding: complete unfinished side missions, upgrade equipment, resolve outstanding character interactions, and ensure your save file reflects your desired game state. Many players regret rushing this transition without proper groundwork.
Phantom Liberty’s new conclusion delivers emotionally complex results. Here’s the comprehensive breakdown:
- Judy – In our female V playthrough with completed romance arc, the relationship has dissolved over time, with Judy now married to another partner.
- Panam – She refuses communication entirely. Post-credits dialogue with Mitch reveals your vanishing emotionally devastated her, with firm requests for no further contact.
- Kerry – Currently touring European venues with no availability for reunion.
- River – Involved in criminal activities that placed him in dangerous situations with powerful adversaries.
- Viktor – Your trusted Ripperdoc appears to have developed alternative solutions…
Pro tip: Consider creating a separate save file before the rooftop decision to experience alternative endings without replaying extensive content.
Action Checklist
- Complete all major side missions before the ‘Firestarter’ operation to unlock additional dialogue options
- Save your game before critical story decisions to experiment with different outcomes
- Focus on building consistent relationships with key characters through aligned decision patterns
- Consult our complete gameplay guide for advanced combat strategies
- Create multiple save files before Firestarter mission
- Choose Songbird allegiance for The Killing Moon path
- Complete Somewhat Damaged for exclusive Erebus weapon blueprint
- Achieve the new main game ending by surrendering Songbird to Reed
- Wait 3-5 in-game days for Reed’s cure call
- Save your game before the Firestarter mission to preserve decision flexibility
- Optimize your build for either stealth (Cool attribute) or combat (Body/Reflexes)
- Acquire mission-appropriate cyberware: Optical Camo for escape path, defensive systems for capture route
- Complete side content and upgrade your gear before proceeding with the decision
- Experiment with both paths in separate playthroughs to experience all narrative content
- Skip 3-5 in-game days to trigger Reed’s call
- Complete all side content and companion missions before the rooftop
- Create backup save file at Misty’s Esoterica before proceeding
- Prepare emotionally for permanent relationship changes and cyberware limitations
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