Nier: Automata doesn’t just offer a story — it presents a labyrinth of choices, rewinds, philosophical loops, and layers upon layers of consequences. With 26 different endings (yes, one for every letter of the alphabet), it’s part meta-commentary, part madness, and completely unforgettable.

Whether you're here because you hit Ending E and don’t understand what just happened, or you stumbled into Ending G by accident after walking away from 9S mid-mission, this guide is your map through the madness. We’ll walk you through every single outcome from A to Z, helping you decode the deeper meanings, boss fights, and gameplay quirks behind each one.

There are five main endings (A–E) that tell the core story, and 21 additional joke, failure, or alternative endings that riff on your choices. Some are hilarious. Others are bleak. All are distinctly Yoko Taro.

You don’t need to restart from scratch to get them all — the game encourages multiple playthroughs, letting you keep progress, weapons, and your save file as you shift perspectives between 2B, 9S, and A2.

Ending A: [the flowers for m[A]chines]

Unlocked by completing the game as 2B. This is your introduction to the world, but it’s also a slow burn that masks heavier existential themes. The emotional beats between 2B and 9S come to life here, especially during the final boss sequence with Engels.

Ending B: [or not to [B]e]

You now play as 9S, re-experiencing the same events but with a twist — hacking reveals more truth than combat ever could. This playthrough adds emotional weight to moments previously glossed over. It also sets the stage for the infection arcs and the story of Devola and Popola.

Ending C: [meaningless [C]ode]

After playing both routes, you enter the final act. During the chaotic climax, you must choose between A2 and 9S. Choosing A2 means you're playing as A2 in the final boss fight, battling a corrupted 9S. Her arc of redemption begins to close here, confronting everything from vengeance to empathy.

Ending D: [chil[D]hood’s end]

If you pick 9S instead, the tables turn. The boss fight has you challenge A2. 9S, burdened by the logic virus and grief, spirals into madness. The scene closes in tragedy, emphasizing how revenge consumes everything.

Ending E: [the [E]nd of YoRHa]

This unlocks after completing Ending C or D. In a rare moment of player agency, the game offers you a choice: sacrifice your save file to help other players during the final credits-shooting sequence. The quest "Emil's Determination" echoes this theme — loss, choice, and legacy. It's not just the final ending. It’s the emotional crescendo of the entire journey.

Ending F: [mission [F]ailed]

Fail the mission to reach the factory in time as 9S. It’s abrupt but a nod to the game’s tight scripting. Procrastination is not tolerated.

Ending G: [hun[G]ry for knowledge]

Walk away from 2B when you're told to regroup. A meta joke — your curiosity is punished with a tongue-in-cheek game over.

Ending H: [a mountain too [H]igh]

Activate self-destruct in the Bunker. Short, shocking, and grim. Consider it a warning about what not to press.

Ending I: [no [I] in team]

Kill your partner during the Copied City event. It breaks the narrative flow and earns you a swift ending.

Ending J: [bad [J]udgment]

Abandon the city defense objective. Machines overrun everything. You watch as your absence seals the region’s fate.

Ending K: [aji wo [K]utta]

Eat a mackerel from the item list. The game explains your system couldn't process it. You die. It’s played completely straight.

Ending L: [reckless bra[V]ery]

Charge into a battle without support. Essentially a death-by-hubris scenario.

Ending M: [break ti[M]e]

Remove your OS chip. This chip literally runs your system. Pull it out, and you collapse.

Ending N: [not so [N]eutral]

Kill a non-hostile machine. The act backfires and ends your run.

Ending O: [just y[O]u and me]

Trigger self-destruct at an inappropriate time, like inside the Resistance Camp.

Ending P: [corru[P]tion]

Let 9S fall to logic virus infection. It ties into the deeper theme of decay and loss of self.

Ending Q: [qui[Q] pro quo]

Betray a key ally mid-mission. It ends the scenario abruptly.

Ending R: [the [R]ight thing]

Abandon the battlefield. Your retreat is viewed as desertion.

Ending S: [city e[S]cape]

Leave Pascal behind during his pivotal quest. The consequences are both gut-wrenching and immediate.

Ending T: [fa[T]al error]

Fail a hacking segment by doing nothing. The error terminates your session.

Ending U: [deb[U]nked]

Destroy the Bunker. It's the end of command — and you with it.

Ending V: [the [V]irus]

Fully succumb to the logic virus, much like 9S' late-game descent.

Ending W: [broken [W]ings]

Fail the prologue flight section. A fast ticket back to the title screen.

Ending X: [time to rela[X]]

Nap during an urgent mission. Your sloth is punished with a mocking farewell.

Ending Y: [head[Y] battle]

Kill a key character too early in the game, derailing the storyline.

Ending Z: [over[Z]ealous]

Start a fight in the Resistance Camp. They’ll end it — permanently.

Ending E is the intended canon. It’s about forgiveness, sacrifice, and rebirth. It also nods to your relationship with Devola and Popola, whose fate ties into the game’s meta-narrative. You can’t reach it without truly understanding the weight of your choices — especially as 9S, whose descent into grief is painfully real.

The decision to delete your save file at the end is more than symbolic — it’s a sacrifice meant to aid others. The message? Even in a world built by machines, empathy matters.

Nier: Automata is not just a game about androids. It’s about rebirth, recursion, and the cost of empathy. Every ending, no matter how brief or absurd, adds color to the world Yoko Taro built. Whether you’re hacking enemies or bracing for a brutal boss fight, the game constantly questions your role as both player and participant.

Every arc — from the quest "Emil Determination" to the haunting descent into logic corruption — is a lesson in humanity wrapped in digital skin.