Summary
Few games have managed to capture the sheer sense ofexistential dreadand existence likeCyberpunk 2077. The Game is a constant reminder of mortality, and with the protagonist, V, desperate to cure themselves of an illness that’s slowly killing them, not every ending can be a happy one.
Something thatCyberpunk 2077does so well, is to offer a sense of freedom, an important number of decisions made by the player to forever alter the lives of V and certain companions in Night City. One of the endings players can obtain is The Star, which features V leaving Night City for good alongside the Aldecaldos.
Updated on July 10, 2025, by Jake Fillery:Cyberpunk 2077 is all about trying to find more time to save V. With V and Johnny Silverhand’s lives entwined, and their fates to become one sealed, the two rule-breakers must do everything they can to win against the seedy corporations of Arasaka. There’s one ending in Cyberpunk 2077 that is often seen as the best and most hopeful. That being The Star, which involves V riding off into the sunset with a new family, sense of purpose, and hope for a potential future outside of Night City, hopefully, a way to get rid of the Relic. Yet, with the release of Phantom Liberty, and another potential ending path for V, why does The Star still remain one of the definitive endings for Cyberpunk 2077?
12Power Of The Basilisk
During the questline involving the Aldecaldos, V will help steal a Basilisk, which is a two-seated hovertank from Militech. This is quite the weapon and one that not everyone is just going to own or have parked in their garage. The Basilisk is extremely powerful thanks to its weaponry and tinkering by the Aldecaldos, and now that V and Panam are piloting it to pave the way for a brighter future for their Nomad clan, things are looking up.
The Aldecaldos won’t have to hide as much or be threatened by corpos, law, and other Nomad clans. The Basilisk will see to it that they will be protected, and they can steam through anything that tries to stop them from living the life they deserve. The linking nervous systems from driving the Basilisk is also an added treat for Panam and V.
11Better Than The Alternatives
There are over 6 endings inCyberpunk 2077, including thenew ending forPhantom Liberty. With these endings, many of them don’t spell good news for V, depending on how players view it themselves. V either dies becomes a nobody, or waits in Arasaka storage. None of the endings seem satisfying and allow V to move on with what time they have left. They all end in the same fashion, out of luck or out of time.
By taking The Star ending, V is going down a path freshly forged. No longer is V going to follow others, or try and be something that they are not. They aren’t going to continue their life as a Night City Legend, nor will they bend to corporations or the United States government. Instead, they will leave it all behind to forge a new beginning and place their ending into the hands of themselves and family.
10V Disappears As A Night City Legend
Since The Star ending involves V leaving Night City, many are left wondering what happened to one of Night City’s best mercs. V would’ve had a good relationship with many Fixers, and Rogue would still be alive totell the tale of Vif they went with The Star ending. All of this street cred makes for exciting stories that the Afterlife will share about V, and how they managed to forge a legend that started when they first broke into Arasaka Tower and ended when they raided it once again, armed to the teeth.
When V departs Night City for good, they are leaving behind the legend, and allowing Night City to remember them as someone deserving of a drink at the Afterlife, right up there on the shelf with Johnny Silverhand and David Martinez. With this ending, V won’t just be a merc, and they won’t be a relic of their past. They leave a lasting impression.
9No More Violence
If players commit to The Star ending, then violence is a way of the past. There will be no more spilled blood on the quest to become a Night City Legend or any more lives put in danger in an attempt to find a cure for V’s terminal illness. The lack of violence makes The Star a peaceful ending, and a fitting conclusion for the protagonist and the people they love.
It’s no secret thatCyberpunk 2077is littered with violence, and the game will have players drowning in blood and torn limbs among the chaos and violence in Night City. Leaving that all behind in The Sun ending means a fresh start and a peaceful resolution.
8Finding Love
This one is mainly just for those with a male V, but it’s an important notion. ThroughoutCyberpunk 2077, players will develop a relationship with Panam. This can be a friendship, or something more. For the more rewarding players, this intimate relationship of lovers helps to make the game feel more real, and Panam’s dedication to V becomes all the more serious when his illness affects him more and more.
The fact that in Night City of all places, V can find a love that he will run away with, is a beautiful concept in itself. It brings light to the fact that Night City is what the citizen makes of it, and how they choose to fight it. V finding love is a poetically beautiful change from the chaos.
7Acceptance With Loved Ones
By the time the ending rolls around, V has long since accepted the fact that they may only have a few months, or weeks, left alive. They have resided in that fact and accepted that they won’t be alive for much longer. However, V knows that they will not die alone, or in some random gutter, forgotten in Night City like the rest of them.
V knows that if and when they die, they will be surrounded by loved ones and friends. People who admire V and want to be with them for as long as they can before they pass. V has found a newfamily with the Aldecaldos, and with it, they can move on from Night City and all its evils.
6A Chance Of Hope
If there’s one thing to note about Panam, it’s how stubborn she is. Panam is extremely determined and will go to any lengths to see her goals met. Her latest goal will be to fix V. Throughout the game, there are many alternatives that V could take after Arasaka. Perhaps the future of V lies in another country, with another Corpo.
Since V and the Aldecaldos leave Night City, they could be venturing to new locations to find a way to fix V, some of the technology that Arasaka used was stolen by Storm Tech, so perhaps a raid is due so that V can have their life back on track.
5Side Quests Paid Off
Completing side quests in video games often nets the player some good rewards, but in the case ofCyberpunk 2077, it unlocks an entirely new ending. All the missions with Panam and the Aldecaldos are optional, meaning that players do not have to complete them to complete the game. However, in doing so, they will unlock The Star ending.
By locking this endingbehind side content,Cyberpunk 2077emphasizes the importance of decisions and relationships. Those who choose not to engage with the Aldecaldos will miss out on perhaps the most beautiful endings that V can obtain.
4Leave Night City Behind
One of the best things about The Star ending is the fact that V will finally leave Night City. This city is famous for being nothing but trouble. People will step on each other, kill each other, and have their souls and lives torn apart by Corpos. V makes the right decision to leave Night City, even if it is all they have ever known.
In leaving Night City behind, V is engaging in a good ending, because there is nothing for them inNight City but painful memories, dead loved ones, and a dream that has long since passed. V doesn’t need to be a Night City Legend to have a good life.
3Saying Goodbye To Johnny Silverhand Forever
Depending onhow the player felt about Johnny Silverhand, this may not be one of the best reasons The Star ending is the best, due to how much players adored Johnny Silverhand, his charisma from Keanu Reeves, and his detailed philosophy. However, this is the best outcome for V and Johnny. V gets to move on with his life, and Johnny gets to see what is beyond the Black Wall with Alt.
It’s a peaceful ending for both characters, who get to shake hands and go on with their lives. V got what they wanted, their own life back, and Johnny got what he wanted, which was to reunite with his girlfriend Alt Cunningham. Although both endings may result in their death, there’s peace in that. No one gets a happy ending in Night City.
