The ending of Persona 3 Reload, explained

Person 3 Reload is a long game with an emotional ending – made more emotional by the sheer amount of time you spend in this world and with these characters. If you know the real ending of the game, you might still be watching the credits and wondering, wait, is there something I could have done differently?

In this Person 3 Reload guide, we walk you through the ending of the game, the fate of the game’s protagonist (Makoto Yuki), what influence you have on the outcome (if any) and how it all ties into Episode Aigis — the upcoming epilogue expansion.

(Spoiler warning: This post contains major spoilers for the real ending of Person 3 Reload and some minor spoilers for “The Answer” epilogue of Person 3 FESwhich will be recreated in the upcoming version Episode Aigis DLC for Person 3 Reload. If you want to stay as spoiler-free as possible, bookmark this guide and return to it as soon as you see the credits roll. In the meantime, check out our guides for classroom responses and social link requirements.)

Is the main character dead at the end of Person 3 Reload?

Image: Atlus/Sega via Polygon

Yes. When the main character falls asleep in Aigis’ lap, while all his friends run to the roof of the school, he dies. This happens regardless of whether you choose the “….” option or the “Close them” option, when the game indicates that your eyes feel heavy. The blue butterfly fluttering away is meant to symbolize the character’s death at that moment.

Okay, but how do we know? Certainly? Well, that answer comes – funnily enough – from the game’s epilogue expansion called “The Answer”, which is part of Person 3 FES. That expansion is not part of that Person 3 Reloadbut it’s coming in september 2024 when the Episode Aigis DLC.

In “The Answer” – and probably Episode Aigisbased on how faithful Reload it’s over Person 3 FES – you play as Aigis a few weeks after the Leader character’s graduation and death (which the game explicitly mentions). If you look back at the final battle against Nyx, the main character uses the Universe Persona to perform the Great Seal ability. The cost of casting Great Seal is equal to the leader’s maximum health, indicating that he gave everything to stop Nyx.

The death is A small a little more complex than that, but we’ll leave it up to you to discover those answers Episode Aigis. For now, just trust that – unless Atlus makes an absolutely massive change to the story – the Leader is dead.

Can you save the leader? Person 3 Reload?

Image: Atlus/Sega via Polygon

No, technically. While you can choose to get the bad ending Person 3 Reload and killing Ryoji in December, it’s clear that everyone on Earth will eventually die in that reality – even if you never see it. So that everyone else can survive Person 3 Reloadthe leader must give up his own life to stop Nyx.

Sacrifice is part of the main storyline of Person 3 Reload, with many players losing loved ones through heroic moments of sacrifice. Yukari and Mitsuru’s fathers are both great examples of this theme at work. By dying for his friends and the world, the protagonist’s death completes the theme of sacrifice.

Enjoy the beautiful final moments of the game, knowing that you did nothing wrong here. You have the good – albeit bittersweet – ending to the game.