Saddest Ending in Stanley Parable.

My attempt at "explaining" this ending:
The Narrator of The Stanley Parable never assumes that a third party is the one controlling Stanley. He believes that Stanley is the main character, unaware that Stanley's motivations and choices stem from the player controlling him, not Stanley himself. However, this is the only ending where the Narrator seems convinced that Stanley is controlled by a third-party player. Upon discovering this, he presents the player with a sort of instructional video, urging them to choose "correctly" and make responsible decisions. But if you think about it, doing "correct" choices and doing what is "expected of you" goes against the idea of liberating yourself from industrialist work-places--like sheep in a herd--which is the main message of this game (and the ending that the narrator is trying to lead Stanley towards) in the first place. It's precisely why the story seems to "fall apart" immediately. The player cannot make "correct" choices, as it would negate the essence of choice itself. Despite this, the Narrator still blames the player. After this, the Player is mysteriously teleported to a working story. It's not clear exactly what this is meant to signify, perhaps the Narrator tries to "restart" the story in an attempt to make it work. After getting to the Boss's office, The Player is asked to use a voice-recorder that is impossible to use (even with a mic enabled, lol. originally there's a pin-code). The Narrator blames the Player for trying to ruin his story on purpose, not realizing it's impossible to progress it. Finally, you get teleported above Stanley. No longer in control of him. You can derive many meanings from this, but the one that's most plausible is your association with Stanley, you, The Player, "controlling" him, has been removed. So now you stand above Stanley as he is left independent, appearing to stand completely still. Stanley is not able to take control of himself. He's not The player. He cannot decide to walk around, choose the door on his left, so he just stands there completely devoid of any sort of free will.
This message of The Stanley Parable, (aside from some of the quirky comedy) is quite simple. it's a candid deconstruction of work and modernization. A critique of humanity's trajectory within industrialism, how we seem to be reduced to peas in a pod, obediently executing commands and pushing buttons without meaningful engagement, and how we're expected to live like this, happily, for decades. The PowerPoint presentation in the meeting room makes this apparent. The ethos of the game undoubtedly underscores these societal critiques. you can ideologically disagree with it, of course, but I do believe this game has consistently implied this specific message.
The original ending, one that you're all probably familiar with, is Stanley "freeing himself", stepping outside after finally achieving freedom. But that ending is only achieved if you do everything the Narrator tells you. You're not actually doing anything out of your own volition, you are literally pressing buttons when you're told to just like Stanley. However, in this ending you actually do achieve freedom, you free yourself from Stanley. (it can be argued that the original ending is Stanley achieving freedom, this one is The Player achieving freedom). In all of my time playing this game and obsessing over it, this is the ending that's emotionally affected me the most. The idea of freeing yourself, understanding what motivates you to make the choices you make, or who controls you; these are the ideas that are presented in The Stanley Parable, and I think this is the ending where it's truly perfectly communicated.
It should be noted that unlike other endings, the credits actually roll up.

[@jman23bball13]

Ok I admit this is pretty sad ending but the saddest one is the one where stanley repeatedly jumps off a high place until he dies while the narrator begs him not to. I almost couldn't do it.

[@lhmw2288]

I was watching a video of someone doing that ending and I couldn't bear hearing the narrorator begging Stanly to stop..

[@zenyxcz4240]

True. Very very true.

[@Adovin]

can you link that video?

[@rizkyakbar1316]

Its the Zending

[@SheriffDuncanFlynn]

Both are really sad.

[@GORNK]

I love the broom closet ending, the broom closet ending is my favourite

[@parkerwebb7378]

Nah the suicide ending is best

[@estebson]

@OP Relly, mine too!

[@WarmRepeat]

I really like the broom ending XD

[@Anya_0971]

Ar-are you ok?

[@gtl609]

@@Anya_0971 lol

[@thatonepenguinyoumightsee7191]

I think this ending really shows the talent of the Narrator’s VA. He can switch from calm to angry to hopeless on a dime and his voice is just really nice to listen to.

[@justanotherhuman2246]

now he is sad :(

[@justsomeguy9322]

nah hes hopeless

[@criminallyautistic8372]

Kevan is wonderful

[@cixlo]

Bout to ai that man.

[@dvdsynth]

@@cixlo he’s said before that he’s not comfortable with his voice being used in AI, but I think that he takes requests and does commissions on Twitter just as any other artist does!

[@Andoxico]

What makes this the saddest ending for me is the fact that there are players out there who got this ending, closed the game, and never played it again, leaving the narrator waiting for Stanley forever.

[@vicentevierno446]

Bruh

[@TheDaibu]

OH NO

[@depressedkermit3752]

@@vicentevierno446 and why are you here?

[@artlover5060]

Dat some Black Mirror shit right there.

[@SaraK-dc1wu]

Art Lover true (bandersnatch?)

[@the-royal-chef]

“They always ask ‘who is the narrator?’ but they never ask ‘how is the narrator?’ “

[@freshswagga100]

I felt that

[@CometMothman]

*i felt that*

[@digiorno5600]

*I FELT THAT*

[@DustyFrawn]

I F E L T T H A T

[@hexagon8899]

taht tlef i

[@builttoscalevideos]

Given that Ultra Deluxe Edition is now out, I’d say the Skip Button is one to rival this ending. My heart broke when the narrator was just repeating “the end is never the end is never the end”

[@bumbabees]

honestly that one was almost as bad as that one ending where you repeatedly jump off a platform while the narrator begs you not to. I genuinely tried to wait for him before realizing I had to keep pressing the button. it made me feel so bad lol

[@SuperTrex1999]

I absolutely agree and I am fascinated with that ending and the Epilogue. The Anger and bitterness of the Narrator, forced to go through all that time alone.

[@usernamel4265]

@@bumbabees which platform though? ;;

[@jest5837]

That part specifically was just creepy to me, the sad part in that ending for me was when you kept skipping and the narrator saying how lonely he was.

[@mariostoynov]

@@bumbabees In that ending we break the narrators hopes of getting to stay there. In the new ending we break him.

[@warfsbubblegum]

I hate that the Narrator has so much hurt in us voice... It hurts my heart

[@0ING0_B0ING00]

The voice actor is so good at it, my heart literally hurt-

[@frozenfiredarknight3764]

this is why I like emotional actors. They are really good at giving us feels.

[@mrkitloin]

You should see the zending, so much emotion, the narrator was truly happy and you didnt want that for him

[@edibleorphans786]

It makes me want to cry like I will cry just- *cries* I feel so bad man. It’s just a character in a game. But that’s how you know it’s a good game. (And the voice actor) but seriously I want to cry.

[@janetrostock6476]

I almost cryed

[@pirilon78]

My interpretation of this ending is the narrator realises that its ok for Stanley to make the "wrong" choices because at least he's enjoying the narrator's story. It's better to let players play however they want rather than making them play a game they dont want to play. Sadly the narrator only realises it after he loses the player completely

[@NickJerrison]

It's not like he realizes it then, he always knew it. All the time he just wanted to have _a_ story to exist. But it can exist if Stanley makes a choice. And I feel like the whole point of this ending is an ironic play on the 'good' ending where you follow the Narrator and disable the mind control machine. These two endings are the key ones in this game. The 'good' ending is filled with irony. Stanley destroys the mind control machine and nobody would ever tell him again what to do, yet five seconds later he's told to go through the open door. Stanley is "free" and nobody would ever tell him again what to feel, yet we're told that Stanley felt happy immediately after. Nothing changed for Stanley. The only reason he even "broke free" was because he followed every single instruction, and he will keep doing so for the rest of his life. This ending is the complete contrast. It shows that the only way Stanley can be truly free is when the player isn't there to control him. That's why it's the true ending, the only one where he is truly free, and the only one where they actually have credits.

[@reislashbai]

the saddest ending in my opinion is the one where stanley literally kills himself so the narrator wont be happy what a heartless bastard

[@estebson]

You heartless batsard. -The narrator, Games ending

[@hopoffmydick9574]

nah, the saddest ending is the one where the narrator is all like "Stanley, why would you have a wife? Why would anyone care about you?" I don't remember all of it, but that part always stuck with me.

[@ThatSmartYoutubeUser]

Suicide ending

[@0ING0_B0ING00]

@@hopoffmydick9574 eh, not that sad to me, the narrator is a dick lol, but that's probably because of Stanley

[@llllavemder]

@@hopoffmydick9574 it’s also painfully ironic, because the narrator also says in that ending: ‘who’d want to commit their life to you?’ which..yikes lmao

[@afreakazoid4813]

I really cannot understand people who say that the Narrator is purely an asshole because of this ending, they're an interesting character with rapid mood swings and a fascination, borderline obsession with Stanley.

[@spencersim1809]

a freakazoid endings that justify that the narrator is an asshole: -The phone ending(where Stanley picks up the phone) -Explosion ending (where Stanley turns on the system) -Insanity ending -Cold feet ending(where Stanley exits the elevator before it moves and then dying instead of immediately dying) -(The ending where Stanley jumps out of the window.Stanley may deserves it but the Narrator chooses to be an asshole by annoying the Player)

[@manictiger]

Borderline Personality Disorder Simulator

[@depressedkermit3752]

a freakazoid A.W.P OPEN UP!

[@stuffedanimalwars7692]

Don’t forget that you don’t follow the narrator’s orders in those endings, so of course he’s going to be angry and not like you

[@can0cringe]

But But what about the -“Transition”- “Transcendence” (Is that what it’s called? I’ll go back and look.. Found it) ending? Damn, he got really pitiful real quick. lIke hOly fUck mAn iT’S sO sAD hE jUst waNtS tO bE hAPPy

[@insignia423]

"Oh shit I forgot to add animations to Stanley. I just had a meltdown for nothing"

[@BoatheadMan]

BRUH MOMENT

[@AdrX003]

KEK

[@hzdgudsidgyufo8700]

Imagine he adds the animations then acts like he didn't have a meltdown but his voice is all weary from sobbing

[@henrynelson9301]

I love how this game deconstructs the entire genre of “branching narrative” games where your choices don’t actually matter.

[@NatjoOfficial]

There are many sad endings in the Stanley Parable. For instance: -The one where Stanley commits suicide as a final act of defiance against the Narrator -The one where the Narrator decides to blow up stanley, leaving him trapped in a room which tricks Stanley into the hope of escape but there is none -The ending Stanley goes insane

[@EmperorZarikar]

Consider this: The Narrator is stuck there, waiting for Stanley to make a choice, despite the fact that Stanley is dead in this ending. Just an empty shell with no soul. (The soul being the player.) This means that the Narrator will wait there for eternity, forced to watch as his life's work becomes meaningless, as his only audience is dead. An eternity of ultimate suffering with no redemption.

[@alfamangle]

What about the red door ending? It was very sad.

[@kristeaaa]

@@alfamangle That's the one where Stanley commits suicide

[@EmperorZarikar]

@Optok Not really, there's no guarantee a new player will come based on the way the story is presented. Unless you count the scoreboard, but if we assume that was real and not the narrator trying to make Stanley feel bad, then a new player should have possessed Stanley immediately after you "died." Restarting the game won't bring in another player. Also, the rules of The Stanley Parable kinda change with each ending. The "bad ending" where the Narrator blows you up isn't consistent with the Narrator's personality in, say, the Suicide Ending.

[@SolarKid123]

The Museum Ending

[@mrmoviemanic1]

I think this is the saddest ending, from the pov of a game designer. And there love for there games and not being played by players and eventually forgotten. In many ways this is just depressing from a dream shattering perspective. Imagine if you will, you dedicate you're entire life for something and just when you have it all in place, it doesn't work for some reason, but you keep trying and trying to do something different but it doesn't work. It's heartbreaking.

[@preative8296]

Alternate: You're basically a Noob Game designer or some sort. You sucks at coding and stuff. Everything doesn't works how you wants. So you ends up basically doing an 'trial and error' thing and things doesn't works how you wants. You gets more and more depressed after each attempt and eventually gives up on your dream career of becoming a Game developer

[@BrimmFate]

In the new version, or maybe the old as well, in a separate ending the narrator explains that it can only exist in the story, at the end when Stanley left the narrator, the narrator mentioned it all being black, and them just having to wait for the next time they play the game. It makes this ending a lot sadder, because the narrator is probably stuck watching Stanley from that one room like you see in this ending, and can't move or do anything. It's just confined to that one space until Stanley makes the decision, alone

[@BasiliskDark536]

@@preative8296 is this a joke or are you a child?

[@blossomnosleep]

@@preative8296 totally missed the point bruh

[@greatwavefan397]

The credits also roll and we get a "The End!", so this might just be *the* true ending.

[@snoodless3180]

This one and the suicide ending had me in a dark place. I was so sad listening to the narrator begging Stanley to not jump. All because he wanted to be happy. And the thought of him losing Stanley was not possible because the game would just restart. But this ending leaves the narrator in despair because he thought that he had lost Stanley for good. When the character dies the game resets. But when the player dies nothing happens....

[@GumballMachinery]

Honestly, the apartment ending is one of the saddest for me. Just the idea that he might actually have a normal life for once, but then you watch it slowly and meticulously get stripped away from him. It hit hard the first time I saw it.

[@Naev0w0]

The sadness in his voice at the end is palpable and, personally however strongly I try to control my emotions when it comes to sadness, and especially empathetical feelings of sadness it just overwhelms me and I can't help but put myself in the narrator's shoes. Having constructed an entire world for Stanley, and a story all for him. Then after a series of frustrations and upsets with the player realize that your Stanley in the end does not exist anymore. He is just a shell, unable to do anything at all, much less make a decision. And the sadness that the narrator so clearly and believably conveys makes it one of the best performances ive heard in a long time.

[@juanvazquez5836]

I'm glad you could appreciate so much the narrator's voice actor work. I think he did a very good job too!

[@Ringohulk777]

I am apparently some kind of unemotional monster, because I was not emotionally affected at all.

[@Marc_W_McKinley]

Even i was heart broken that after all that the narrator was trying to help him and the player left the game and never played it again and the narrator would try to make everything correct just so he could get back to complete the story and giving them time to think. Only to not realise the player left forever

[@Marc_W_McKinley]

@Ties de Jong they may not cry by look But they are crying by mind

[@flatnose_freightliner420ga3]

I feel bad for narrator bc stanley is dead and narrator is sad bc stanley isn’t there

[@TheBestOfAll2010]

The stanley parable is not a game, you do not "win" or "lose" it, you simply experience it and holy shit is it worth experiencing.

[@LetsPlayCrazy]

It is a game tho. You still choose what path to go on. So is mario no game because its linear? It is a story driven, choicebased game. No idea how someone could say its not a game. :D

[@zacharyhollands]

You could see it as a challenge to try and break the story in every permutation possible, which would make it a game, or even a riddle to solve that becomes apparent once you've completed every ending. What I took away from TSP personally was that in a story about control and decisions, the only ending in which Stanley survived was the one in which he relinquished control and did exactly what was narrated every single time.

[@Bean_Soup]

A game isn't defined by its status of winning or losing. It's a mere expierience, that's all

[@edisonlane6921]

FUCH

[@osamafart]

Is it on ps4

[@eyedalehim]

Coming back after the new Stanley Parable re-release. In this ending, The Narrator just refers "You", The Player, the one who is controlling Stanley, the one who makes the choices, not Stanley himself, but when you are not controlling Stanley, he refers to "Stanley" instead, crying over that he just wants him to make a choice, Even if it is incorrect.

[@ramo5442]

looks like this video is in everyone's recommended again lol December 2018 edit: KZbin mass-recommended this to people once again which makes it 4 times since it happened! I'm glad people are finding out about this game since it's a treat but why this video in particular? I made it literally 3 years ago at 2 am eating spaghetti loops and not even recording the damn game properly, but I'd say this game deserves the attention it is getting. Play it!

[@Roescoe]

and now once again.

[@PierceMD]

@@Roescoe Funny how that happens.

[@Cowcow211]

And again

[@lorf8282]

and again lol

[@williamsmith6921]

Again

[@buttbutt6917]

The atmosphere of the game always made me uneasy (like the emptiness of it). Is it just me?

[@nickobrien1298]

You're not the only one. For me it's the narrator's voice mixed with the movement of the character...there's no sense of walking with the camera, just sliding around with terrible field of vision like a 90's screensaver. It is probably the worst migraine trigger I've ever experienced.

[@AndrooUK]

It's just you. You are a special and unique flower. You are the only one who played this game. Your decisions matter.

[@XboxSpide]

Butt Butt yep I always expect a scare

[@holyravioli5795]

Honestly its the lake of music, its eerie playing a game with no background music, it makes every sound so much more significant.

[@hillbillyhorse9674]

If the narrator wasn’t there the I would’ve been uneasy about it.

[@logicaloverdrive8197]

the saddest ending is the one where stanley just turns out to be insane

[@thejuggernaut5366]

What?

[@bobwilson679]

the juggernaut In that ending, Stanley slowly discovers that his entire reality is a figment of his own imagination/a dream, and that he can will himself to fly, to be in space, etc. He is amazed, then soon distraught, as he wants to return to reality. However hard he tried, he keeps just running around in circles, until he shouts, "PLEASE SOMEONE WAKE ME UP! MY NAME IS STANLEY! I HAVE A BOSS, I HAVE AN OFFICE, I AM REAL! PLEASE, JUST SOMEONE TELL ME I AM REAL! I MUST BE REAL! I MUST BE! PLEASE CAN ANYONE HEAR MY VOICE! WHO AM I! WHO AM I!" Then he dies. A woman names Maryella finds a man, who was previously heard screaming nonsense to himself, dead on the sidewalk. She briefly reflects that she is happy that she is normal and not crazy like this man (who is Stanley). She then calls an ambulance, and continues with her day.

[@ladylover1134]

Bob Willson that's more disturbing than sad, really. it has nothing to do with the overall story and it was probably just the narrator fucking with Stanley and the player, as he seemingly has the power to do so.

[@cachotognax3600]

I mean, you was fucking with the narrator by following his story to then bail out for no reason.

[@julianwilliams6479]

Avery Graham I was thinking that 2

[@ZacharyDietze]

Ultra Deluxe’s skip ending, bucket escape pod ending, and Epilogue: *Allow us to introduce ourselves…*

[@user_hat]

Also the skip button ending: *hello there*

[@jenthefoxgirl1170]

I'd say another contender for saddest ending is the happy-room/suicide-stairwell ending, the first time I came across that one I literally quit the game so I didn't have to do it, and I barely even did it the second time, with tears in my eyes. Both of these endings show that the Narrator is a genuinely good person, and will get torn apart by the death/unresponsiveness of Stanley. Though the Narrator can also be extremely dangerous when angry, going so far as to kill Stanley on some restarts.

[@Marigold11037]

Oooh shit can you elaborate on the endings where the narrator kills Stanley?

[@can0cringe]

Golden Galaxy Ghost : Not sure if you found out in a different comment, but. Here we go! 1) the Countdown Ending You/Stanley makes it to the Mind Control Facility. When given the “option” to disable the machine, You re-activate it. The Narrator adds in bombs that will go off in about four minutes because of this. He speaks to you the entire time, saying things like how dumb you look, running around, pressing buttons, as if they would work. There is no way to escape. 2) the Apartment Ending You/Stanley does everything the video up until unplugging the phone. Pick it up instead. A white light will engulf you and take you to your apartment. Surprise: you have a wife! Just joking. Boo! It’s just a female mannequin with a voice. The Narrator chides you for believing you even had someone who loved you. After you’ve stood in the apartment for a couple, words appear on the screen, telling you to press certain buttons. As you do, the room should change with each one. The Narrator should also be telling you a story. One about Stanley. Suddenly, your apartment is your office again. 3) the Games Ending This one is up for debate. You/Stanley ignores everything the Narrator says. Head to the warehouse, jump to the catwalk below, go through the blue door, blah blah blah. After completing a rating for the game, the Narrator shows you the Baby Game. You fail, since you don’t have four hours available. Or a key-bind. You’re then taken to Minecraft, then Portal (where, when you complete the first level, the Narrator lets the elevator go without you. Now you gotta jump into a hole.), and finally to the Half-Life mod version of the office building. The Narrator will end with dialogue of you walk to and back from Stanley’s old office. That’s a lotta words. Sorry for making it so long.

[@savo6070]

I knew someone who was very close to doing that to themselves at the time I was playing the game and I genuinely felt sick listening to the weakness and desperation in him. Kevin is in a league of his own on voicing the Narrator.

[@DevilishFox_]

i almost cried on this ending becausde he sounded like he was going to break down and start crying and it made my feel bad for kevin bright (the narrorator) so yeah

[@TylerYoshi]

His name is Kevan Brighting, actually.

[@onion6667]

yes. emotional

[@mr.gamagedon8392]

Very fucking emotional i cut myself with soap man

[@wetfart9813]

Kittyiscute82 because* narrator* me*

[@noatiendoboludos]

NARRORATOR

[@enderslayer958gamingvideos5]

I think that this isn't the saddest ending, its the REAL ending, as in, the true ending to this game. Basically, the player is 100 percent needed to make the story. The narrator doesn't realize it though, and assumes 'Stanley' is its own mind. So, when the Player leaves...the empty body of Stanley is left. The narrator may never realize Stanley is just a player. It's sad, but there are sadder endings. Like the one where the Narrator doesn't want to reset, but is forced to. Sorry to say this, but that ending almost brought me to tears.

[@XeonGame]

Enderslayer958 Gaming Videos! Where’s the one where you go insane or somethin

[@OpaqueDreamer]

That ending got me out of the game; I couldn't bare to hurt the narrator by jumping again, so I went to the starry place, let him be happy, logged out, and haven't played again since.

[@d4s0n282]

@@goldfish6525 that is the point of this game xD

[@TheRhetoricGamer]

i agree with@@OpaqueDreamer. The saddest ending is the one where you reset by killing yourself out of boredom. It's one of the few story paths that the narrator tries to make peace with you only for you to ruin it and leave him depressed that you rather die than continue playing his game. My playthrough was particularly depressing as I kept going back and forth to provoke more responses.

[@ollie7070]

ok but DONT TOUCHA THE CHILLDD

[@tidusmi2]

This ending feels like what a DM goes through in D&D when the players totally unravel the plot.

[@theoverseer393]

When you try to DM D&D but your players arent there

[@twighailey1967]

I almost cried this ending was so sad, I thought the narrator was going to die as a result of the game being corrupted, but in some ways this ending is even worse.

[@jpcurtis1835]

The most sad thing I thought was when he was ranting and he had to question himself on what to do. He is dictating the story and when he realized that he wanted the choice as much as the player does, and as much as he tried not to show it, he felt it.

[@roguishpaladin]

So here's the thing. When a person asks another person a question, person 1 often knows what they want person 2 to say and is hoping for a particular answer, but they want person 2 to give that answer out of freedom of will. The problem is when person 2 would not naturally give that answer, thus foiling person 1's hopes. Person 1 has two courses of action they may choose - they may either somehow influence person 2's answer, whether by force, bullying, or other manipulation, or they must resign themselves to person 2 not agreeing and accept whatever consequences exist to their own plans. Both are devastating in their own way.

[@InternalRevenueServices]

@@roguishpaladin It makes me wonder... is life really meaningless?

[@martijnvanweele6204]

The end is never the end is never the end is never the... *THE END IS LOADING...*

[@Russman25123]

martijn van weele lol

[@vintprox]

Designer's pun intended

[@iceler21]

End is never the end is never the end is LOADING ne-

[@thepumpkinwholikestocatchf9033]

@@iceler21 Narrator (Skip Button Ending): The End Is never the end the end is never the end is never- (Skip Button pressed)

[@feigi9263]

This isn't the saddest ending, the saddest ending is the one where Stanley goes home to his wife just for it to be revealed that Stanley doesn't have a wife, nor a life and is forced to go back to his office for an endless loop of Stanley closing himself off, doing whatever is asked of him, attempting to find true happiness but never finding it.

[@Dumpstergoblins]

what about the one where The narrator begs Stanley not to kill himself ?

[@karelsimek5871]

@No I agree this is saddest ending for me too

[@Dylanhennessy]

There's a new saddest ending in town and it's called The Skip Button Ending.

[@Stanley_owl]

Broke my heart 😭

[@shade_iguess]

it more or less was jaw dropping than sad for me, only time i could say that was when the narrator kept repeating “The End is Never The End”

[@kvn8907]

I took this ending as a criticism of one of the most common criticisms of video games: that they're not realistic enough. Sure, there's a huge span of what realism is, and a game like, say, ARMA is far more realistic than Portal. But no matter what the game, they're all still imperfect simulations. This ending shows what it would be like if the game actually treated you like a real person playing the game rather than a character in the game. "Oh, you're a real person, sitting at your desk playing this game? And you don't like the limitations imposed by the simulation? Well then, by all means, act like a real person. Speak to your computer monitor, even when the game isn't designed for voice recognition, and see how far that takes you."

[@vintprox]

Oh I really did it with hope that my integrated mic doesn't suck ass, but it all turned out a limitation of game itself. And I was like: "Huh! That's actually fresh 'cause they made me seem weird saying this code."

[@wheniwasfuckingmydogmycatc6322]

To critique the message of "Games are limiting and do not have enough ""free will"" is that if you did have free will...wellllll the possibilities are truly endless and therefore very expensive to stimulate every possibility. Sure there are games where everything is up to the player but role playing games are different because people PAY to be IN the shoes of a particular player in a unique storyline.

[@ramo5442]

***FOR ANYONE WONDERING*** at 7:20 and 10:07, the story was not ruined because I took the door on the right. it doesn't matter if i take the door on left the same things will happen, the same outcome, the same ending. Read the description if you want an explanation of the ending btw

[@Cheezepin]

f-five hours ago? an author post? on a video made in 2015? wow...

[@ramo5442]

lol yeah this video took off out of nowhere and it's in everyone's recommended and a lot of people were wondering

[@fandorgaming]

lol

[@fandorgaming]

its due relatable videos by pretty new video from JonTron

[@deadeyes2803]

Immortal .Pig i watched the new jon tron

[@dinonuggies9889]

If this is how the narrator acts when Stanley doesent do anything for a minute, then the skip button ending is far sadder. Someone did the calculation on how long Stanley was in the room and it was around 157 trillion years I believe. Basically Everytime Stanley pressed the button, the more time he would be in a coma like state were time would skip to him and he wouldn’t be able to hear the narrator, while the narrator didn’t skip with him. Stanley presses the button so many times that eventually the narrator stops trying to talk to Stanley even when he is awake. What’s even sadder is the narrator is trapped in a room with Stanley because he has to. But Stanley can’t even hear the narrator, so ultimately the narrator spends eternity alone in a decaying room that crumbles and turns into a void, an endless landscape, and in the end the button is broken. Leaving Stanley to be all alone for eternity, because the narrator gave up trillions of years ago to break through. The last words from the narrator were him chanting “the end is never the end is never the end is never the end” for ever. At some point you can hear an ambience of scream like noises from outside of your room. They could even be the narrators, if we assume he is the only person who can make noises. He’s been alone for trillions of years. Now completely lost. And now it’s the players turn to be alone. And all because they didn’t listen to the narrator when he told them to stop. All because the narrator wanted some players to be happy. The narrator had to live through those countless years. Alone.

[@cameradude478]

Crazy to believe the narrator is just a figment of stanley's mind

[@dinonuggies9889]

@@cameradude478 ya, mostly endings that end up with Stanley disobeying the narrator result in Stanley going crazy or becoming aware that there is some voice in his head. Unless we assume Stanley can’t think and the narrator just makes up stuff about what we are thinking.

[@cameradude478]

@@dinonuggies9889 stanley has some good humor

[@tapsip3759]

when you noclip out of the backrooms

[@jibbermorgan]

When I got this far in the game I was screaming "IM HERE NARRATOR GUY" His tone of voice is just so saddening

[@smiledotcom]

same same

[@jumanjicostco3248]

I'm pretty sure Stanley Parable is all about game designing

[@facundoreales9596]

Cassie Barns It's about te freedom in the games, i love it

[@xontinuity]

Yeah

[@Kserijaro]

Since video games are now playing gamers- handholding, guide lines minimaps and giant flashy prompts to "go there" and "press x to x" yeah. Game freedom has been lower and lower. It showcases how the gamers are turning into consumerist sheep, and devs are just creating safe-on-rails experience so they don't need to consider player agency. The game beyond tight corridor is just 2D props to keep u away.

[@JorgetePanete]

Kusariyaro freedom*

[@Gogglesofkrome]

@Kusariyaro I disagree that gaming as a whole has effectively turned into digital theme parks, as there are innumerable different categories of videogames that you can play that do not have the problem that you proclaim exists. All in all it depends on what you find enjoyable, be it interactive movie esque games which only allow for minimal influence on the story, or games that depend entirely on the user to make a story.

[@skreeus9714]

"The end is never the end"

[@fishactivation5087]

Is never the end.

[@luckguy7878]

Is never the end

[@mrkitloin]

The end is loading

[@minerman60101]

11:58 I love how even the subtitles are being condescending

[@VonPatti]

Woah I didnt even remeber that this awesome game exists

[@Little_Miss_Carrex]

VomPatti You deserve to go to hell because of forgetting But you deserve to go to heaven because you said it is awesome

[@szerencsefiai]

kayla roeten yay true

[@quandalliumfancyson3739]

NinjaRatchet RYNO but she said he also deserves to go to heaven not just hell

[@arecitem1811]

Communism Has Prevailed he means he will go in between

[@quandalliumfancyson3739]

Awsome Fox it was a joke about how earth is hell

[@spysoldierscout4562]

This ending shows us (At least I think so): The entire game is useless and irrelevant, if there is no player, that can make the decisions. And if there is no player, that makes decisions there is no story, that can be told.

[@bounceybombs]

SpySoldierScout Your commas are used incorrectly.

[@spazalicious5208]

brdn in haunted mansion the way he used his commas made the little reading voice in my head pause at incorrect times, so yes. That’s something good to focus on

[@Boomrainbownuke9608]

no it is not you have a problem

[@Boomrainbownuke9608]

i dont care about the way you think i should spell your i will spell it any way i want

[@Boomrainbownuke9608]

guidelines my fucking ass anyone can talk or write in any way as long you know what the fuck they are saying and if you have a problem with that go fuck yourself

[@alfiemillersharp]

Bravo to your description, that is very well-written and comprehensive. I agree.

[@AndrooUK]

04:41 "Thort." I didn't know that I'd been pronouncing it incorrectly for all these years.

[@afreakazoid4813]

"He understand that if I say to do something, there's a DAMN GOOD REASON FOR IT!" damn y'all.....the onion ninjas are here

[@botox.7136]

Maxine Wumbleguffin Rip only 1 like I'll change that

[@jonphung]

Maxine Wumbleguffin 8

[@kai-chan5327]

Jay from the kubz scouts

[@cash_..]

​@@kai-chan5327get ready and buckle up, cuz here we go

[@ara_chne]

This is actually the ACTUAL ending in the game. Thats why there are credits in the end.

[@MrDuck-po3wy]

Nope most ending I've seen has credits. Some (like Ester eggs endings) doesn't have credits. But there is no real ending because The End is never the End

[@neoscity3533]

EYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY that is a loading screen

[@paragon4770]

What about the Museum Ending?

[@bajszosjozsef4850]

I think the museum ending is THE ending.

[@zpwner383]

the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is never the end is

[@SatanosFr]

DAMN, The voice character of the narrator is so damn amazing. His emotion is everything

[@RAGE-OF-SPARTA-X]

I always do this ending after the nuclear explosion ending.

[@gtl609]

Personally, i do it after the broom closet ending

[@potato511]

6:40 CAUTION Do not lie if you are lying right now, stop. lol

[@oooof2996]

DANGER DANGER EVERYWHERE

[@CaptainDoomsday]

I still think the Zending is the saddest. "PLEASE, Stanley, no! Don't take this away from me!"

[@ianhillegonds227]

I got obsessed with this game for a day. I got this ending first on accident, and I thought they'd all be this good. I was shook

[@pelollo263]

The saddest ending in fact is the one where you jump of the stairs over and over again. It gets even sadder when you get back to the light show room every time you jump off, say "teasing" the narrator. Until he loses the hope.

[@bobwilson679]

The saddest ending is the ending where Stanley finds out that he is insane. In that ending, Stanley slowly discovers that his entire reality is a figment of his own imagination/a dream, and that he can will himself to fly, to be in space, etc. He is amazed, then soon distraught, as he wants to return to reality. However hard he tried, he keeps just running around in circles, until he shouts, "PLEASE SOMEONE WAKE ME UP! MY NAME IS STANLEY! I HAVE A BOSS, I HAVE AN OFFICE, I AM REAL! PLEASE, JUST SOMEONE TELL ME I AM REAL! I MUST BE REAL! I MUST BE! PLEASE CAN ANYONE HEAR MY VOICE! WHO AM I! WHO AM I!" Then he dies. A woman names Maryella finds a man, who was previously heard screaming nonsense to himself, dead on the sidewalk. She briefly reflects that she is happy that she is normal and not crazy like this man (who is Stanley). She then calls an ambulance, and continues with her day.

[@metro3041]

I thought she didn't call an ambulance?

[@reecewithers1548]

She didn't call an ambulance. she had a meeting to goto for her work and realised it's more relevant than he is, stanley (player) has no impact on her life, player is useless - a crazed maniac. She turns and walks away to her meeting which she must so desperately attend instead of calling an ambulance

[@bobwilson679]

Good to know. Thanks guys. I will have to replay that ending.

[@angelfallaicha]

That is the saddest ending for Stanley But the saddest ending for The Narrator is the part they were happy. And then Stanley dies The Narrator tries to stop him from doing it. He is not even pretending He wants to be happy with him He wants to stay in the place he was happy together But Thats The Saddest Only For Me And The 2nd Saddest Ending For me is yours 3rd Saddest Ending For me is this Is there actually a true ending

[@jovannimayo5322]

METRO i got that

[@crazyeddy98]

2 + 4 = fish, quick maffs

[@grumpygamer7992]

Every day mane on the block

[@brunogamesbr1]

smok trees

[@kermaldesign]

saw yor stan in the pokk

[@fxlizz_2166]

That man is a uckrs

[@thenightone6259]

When the ting went quack quack quack

[@I_need_a_name]

13:15 this part makes me cry

[@BestOnThursdays]

12:59 this is the ending you wanted future me

[@Music7Ada]

Anyone else think it was a joke and it would be the broom closet ending

[@ghostsalamander4870]

Billy's Channel I did

[@jeepercreepers9]

That endings my favorite

[@cactussenpai9625]

The broom closet ending was my favorite XD

[@imanoljesusdelpozo4907]

The broom closet ending is my favorite ending, I’m going to tell all my friends about the broom closet ending.

[@nd35780]

HAH!!!!! TAKE THAT, NARRATOR!!!!!!!!!

[@VarunGupta3009]

Why I think this is the true ending and was meant to be the true ending, and not the "Happy Ending" is because this game is all about choice. If you do whatever the narrator says, it could be, but almost always isn't, choice. And if you generally truly follow your choice, whether the narrator recommends it or not, you could get one of the 14 other different endings in your first playthrough. But in this ending, you always do the exact opposite of what the narrator says from the start of the story (except maybe step out of your office). Everytime you do have a choice, you choose what the narrator doesn't want you to, and when you don't have a choice, or when the narrator doesn't give you one (like when picking up the phone), you end up finding a way to do otherwise, and defy him. So, you just don't do as he wishes you to because he wants to show you HIS perfect happy ending... This game is all about YOUR choices, and not the narrator's, and his opinion shouldn't matter to you. You aren't playing the game for him, to get him to his perfect ending, or one of his other deserving endings, but to make him realize that he doesn't have control over you, that you are human, and that he cannot just force you to play as he wishes you to. And when the player spectates himself, it shows us how the narrator has lost his control over the player and how we are like puppets in his hands. And that's why I think the credits roll after this ending, because it defines the true meaning of this game. Free will and choice. Thank you!

[@superjonh1000]

Varun Gupta I see what you mean, but I don't think there's a "true ending" to this game. Considering the game is an analogy to life (at least is how I see) the point of the game is to show that some people might be happy following orders, going to college, marrying, living within society standards, and some other people aren't happy this way, therefore, there's no thing as true and/or happy ending. As the narrator likes to say, life is about the journey, not the destination. Every ending is a "true ending".

[@goldfish6525]

I don't like this explanation to why it might be the true ending because it makes the narrator sound like a villain. XD

[@millerk7456]

write a whole damn essay why don't you

[@blasfeliphimmelreich9323]

@@millerk7456 and you write nothing why don't you

[@XTREAMPlayzOfficialChannel]

Stanley are you there? If you’re there make a choice? Hello? Stanley? I’ll give you some time to choose? -Narrator 2013

[@Tr3v02]

The end with the credits it allmost made me cry because of the sadness in his voice ;-;

[@Jaytracker]

dude he actually sounded really emotional at the end that im cryong

[@DevilishFox_]

because he took the player out of stanleys body and made the player watch but without the player he cant do anything

[@justauser8224]

Kittyiscute82 wrong,that is the REAL Stanley (no hates) what I mean is that's Stanley not the player Stanley could only click button that's all he had in purpose in his life so the 2 doors choice was the first choice he did in his life so he doesn't know what to do he only could push buttons that's it so he stood there thinking how to solve it but eventually he died and the narrator left him

[@whathastheworldcometo5364]

Maahi 1130 wait how was it a choice for Stanley if the narrator said to go left, if he said go left wouldn't he be so used to obeying orders that he would automatically go left

[@KommissarBanx]

What has the World come to Because the first thing real Stanley learned was to push the button. Choosing a door is beyond his task, and as such he was unable to overcome it

[@buzzbuzz3232]

(yeah except that its called the `Not Stanely` ending *but that's none of my business* )

[@kkbeezy913]

Maahi 1130 Sorry I’m super late to this comment thread...but I like your interpretation of this..however if what your saying is true, the first choice he would have had to make would have been at the beginning where he had the choice to leave his office or not. Why wouldn’t this ending show you standing in the office, instead of at the doors?

[@TheXppp1]

4:3 aspect ratio is pretty sad, yeah

[@yaboichase147]

I think the saddest ending is the space ending Or what I like to call: The narrator’s worst day ever

[@dontquestionmyprofilepictu1177]

Stanley.exe has stopped responding

[@shxljo6609]

Wtf is your profile pic tho

[@smackhead]

I've run Linux for 20 years .. the only time I see 'not responding' is when I am forced to use Windoze at work. There is a reason the top 500 supercomputers on the planet run Linux, and M$ themselves use Linux for anything that requires stability :)

[@doctorhunter5553]

Well there is a moment where you have the choice to jump down from a hign ground as the narrator begs the player not to kill but until you make the choice.

[@jackawaka]

I watched a lecture and originally, they had the narrator tell the player to jump off, but people didn't enjoy obeying it, so they added it as a deviance from the path instead

[@deathcomet1834]

10:35 explains every adults life. Its truly tragic that we trap ourselves in a narrow 1 dimensional box of thinking. You hide that pain with happiness but all that does is add a bucket square in the middle of a neverending Ocean of dread. You can either empty that bucket back into the same Ocean or let that bucket sink down to the bottom. The end result is simply the same just a sad person withering away in pain they dont even realize. The end is never the end.

[@superpig2067]

Stanley did make a choice He choose not to choose

[@Japan-lq5ow]

this ending is called the Not Stanley ending if your wondering

[@ethanotoroculus1060]

You're*

[@AppleOfThineEye]

Oreo Grammar*

[@landonthielen7017]

Gremmar nazi

[@JorgetePanete]

Japan you're*

[@JorgetePanete]

Landon Thielen Grammar*

[@rhythmdbd]

All of his co-workers were gone. *W* *H* *A* *T* *C* *O* *U* *L* *D* *I* *T* *M* *E* *A* *N*

[@professorpyne]

SoToasty, it probably means they were never there in the first place. You can’t believe anything the Narrator says. He lies like the Devil. Probably is the Devil and all of us are Stanley.

[@amiratu5909]

Professor Pyne the narrator never actually lies. He made the world, he isn’t just a narrator

[@depressedkermit3752]

some funny commenter Stanley went to the meeting room. Perhaps he has simply missed the memo

[@AvoxionYT]

They left because Stanley is fat and ugly, got his job trough drug money and is addicted to drugs and hookers

[@mariotheundying]

The narrator killing them repeatedly and acting like nothing happened:

[@ifallintofantasy]

I love in 2019 we get new endings, i just hope the new endings come to my verison of the game and not just collection edition. I allready brought the game and played it again and again

[@foggypebble5159]

I knew which ending this was going to be before I watched it 😔

[@1pawelgo]

13:40 I've just noticed that programming was made by Jesus

[@jujureference8535]

It's Jesús. The pronunciation it's a bit different.

[@knocklesdont1805]

@@jujureference8535 no its jesus himself.

[@nomochord3364]

Knockles Dont seems like it, this is such a good game I wouldn’t doubt it.

[@vuedanto8576]

It's pronounced Hesos

[@mariotheundying]

@@jujureference8535 still jesus

[@ladsquadcentral5792]

No the saddest ending is when he finds happiness but then stanly kills himself 😭😭😭

[@ethanchaotic]

this one is more sad fucker

[@Victor-um9ce]

ethan are you serious?

[@ethanchaotic]

yes

[@CalamariMatoi]

ethan do you know what an opinion is, you fucking asshat

[@hikaridaruringen8090]

Saddest ending for me was in fact a Button Heaven

[@toast7578]

12:19 im not sure if they changed the bosses office purposefully for this part of the story, or did it get changed later to the red bosses room with a keypad?

[@hanac5586]

12:27 that shake of frustration lmaooo

[@asincereman5297]

The Real Person and The Suicide Endings are the most saddests.

[@FiveHeadzGaming]

Rest in prince sweet prince...

[@RonWolfHowl]

Rest in peace, sweet pea

[@mrbenz2017]

Ron Wolf lol adventure Time

[@Vakiuzo]

wait...

[@xxxhogmasterxxx7501]

7:58 that's a mood

[@RespawnJupiter]

"-be like Stanley. He actually knows how to do what I tell him too" wow he sounds like a parent that's upset that their child isn't more like their family member that's the same age

[@ShadowTheLight]

This and the suicide ending seem like the worst endings

[@jameslennonftw]

this video is just every RPG GM's life

[@jeremydiaz9642]

*_Legends say that the narrator is still waiting for Stanley to move despite being unresponsive._*

[@user-drdestiny]

I find interesting how in some endings the Narrator is a manipulative psycho control-freak but in other endings he's just a desperate man who wants the player to enjoy his creations.

[@nicklee3075]

I think the reason it ends like this is because he realizes yourw not atnaley and if he takes your embodiment out of stanley, 'stanley' can make choices on his own. So it shows you from outside the map watching the narrator beg stanley to do something, but this whole time, its truly been you. The narrator sounds so heartbroken because he thinks 'stanley' is gonna come back, but truly, he isn't.

[@elijahlewis5555]

"My goodness, is it 4:30? I'm supposed to be having a back, sack, and crack."

[@Sifi999]

I watched a video on this ending when i was younger and i cried i just cried about the narrator just wanting stanley to do anything but he cant he just sits there and i get so emotional watching it

[@LatteWiiU]

7:27 NOOO! why did you do that!?

[@da1118]

2 + 4 is fish, minus one that's fis quick mafs

[@wowwow7947]

everyday mans on the fish

[@da1118]

smoke seaweed

[@da1118]

Snipethemapples ok

[@LindenLounsbury]

See your fish in the park

[@LindenLounsbury]

That fish is an uckers

[@jaichwei307]

i think the suicide ending is the saddest one

[@vishalaradford9305]

Wtf is that pfp

[@juanvazquez5836]

I think your profile picture is the saddest ending

[@kirakoraawesome]

Same..

[@sorenspiller]

At he had the choice of suicide. He has no free will at the end of this one. That is sad.

[@happybrat8457]

I think this is the second saddest ending. This one, and the suicide ending. That one made me sad because the narrator sounded *so* desperate for Stanley to not kill himself and he is begging you, it almost made me cry but I kept going until I got the ending.

[@comet1718]

IM WATCHING IT KZbin, U HAPPY?

[@Skycstls]

At least for me, saddest ending in Stanley Parable was the coward ending, just by staying in your office you wont see ALL the possible things that can happen to you, they can be good, funny or bad, but at least you will keep moving on : )

[@pamisa-chan317]

When I played it for the first time, it was the ending I got because I had no idea how to control Stanley lol I thought I had to click in order to walk, but I just closed the door and then game over...

[@sarahdugmore7079]

This ending showed the clear relationship between narrative (The Narrator) and avatar (Stanley). Without the Narrator, the game is listless and undirected. Without Stanley, the game is unable to proceed. And the player is the link. The player, through Stanley, makes the choices that push the game onwards. The Narrator sometimes gets frustrated, because his story isn't playing out how he'd like, but he and Stanley are at their best when they are interacting. They cannot exist without each other, and they are indelibly linked, whether they like it or not

[@glorytoarstotzka330]

i absolutly love this game , im soo sad that there arent more endings and the gametime is 2 hours [without the baby ending which takes 4 hours]

[@thisuserdoesnotexist-ig3vf]

The part where it broke me is when the narrator helplessly asked for stanley to move or respond. His hopeless voice just made me so sad...

[@MyTACproductions]

That part at 13:08 always gets me.

[@ondrejsaska3201]

There is no true ending, every ending is the true one, that's what the game is about. :)

[@superjonh1000]

Ondřej Saska finally someone who gets it :D

[@juanvazquez5836]

There is no end. You can always restart and get a new ending. I think that's why the loading screen says "The end is the end is never the end is loading". It's half a meta joke/ half serious I think

[@mrkitloin]

I mean this one is the “true” ending, the whole game is about choices, the narrator lets you choose and the game works, but when choice is taken away from you, the game breaks. Plus its the only ending where the end credits scroll the normal way instead of in reverse

[@mrkitloin]

Also i think it may be a continuation of the confusion ending, the confusion ending restarted 5 times and this one restarts 3, in the 8th restart during the confusion ending, it says the narrator leaves and stanley dies, and what we see here is the narrator saying he will wait, probably give up and leave, and stanley will starve to death

[@VerySpicyHoney]

The escape pod ending would be the true ending. However, its impossible to get this ending as Stanley and the narrator both need to be there and you ditched the narrator back at the boss"s office.

[@fawnajohnson6130]

This whole ending is sad, but that quiet "Anything." fucking gets me

[@facelessfigure7985]

That *growl* he does when he says "I'm... I'm still here. In this pile of rubbish. With you. _YOU_ who thought you were so clever." That gave me chills when I first heard it. If that's not genuine anger, I don't know what is.