You’re standing at the edge of the world, staring at Adam, and you realize something’s off. Most players just breeze through the story, kill the big bads, and call it a day. But if you want the "true" conclusion—the one that actually feels like a resolution to Eve’s journey—you have to work for it. Honestly, getting the how to get secret ending stellar blade requirements met is less about being good at combat and more about being a completionist nerd for the lore.
It's called "Making New Memories." It is, by far, the most satisfying ending in the game. But man, is it easy to mess up. One wrong dialogue choice or skipping a specific side quest can lock you out for the entire playthrough. You'll know you're on the right track when a little icon pops up in the top right of your screen. That Lily bar? That’s your golden ticket.
The Lily Meter is Everything
Forget the skill trees for a second. If you want the secret ending, you need to obsess over Lily. There’s a hidden affinity meter for her that determines whether she joins you for a crucial late-game mission. If that bar isn't at 100% by the time you leave for the Orbit Elevator, you’re stuck with the standard endings. It’s that simple.
How do you fill it? You pick up data chips. You read posters. You talk to NPCs who look like they have something to say. Every time you pick up a piece of "humanity" or lore, you’ll see a small icon of Lily’s face appear with a percentage bar. That’s the game telling you you’re becoming more "human."
Basically, you need to explore. If you rush the main objectives, Lily stays a background character. If you take the time to look at the environment, she becomes the key to the final act. Most people miss this because they treat the game like a boss rush. Don't do that.
Eidos 9: The Point of No Return
This is the big one. If you hit 100% affinity with Lily before heading to the Spire 4 region, she will interrupt the travel sequence. She’ll ask to go to Eidos 9.
This is the secret area.
If you haven't done enough side content, you won't even see this prompt. You'll just fly straight to the end of the game. Eidos 9 is a gorgeous, flooded urban sprawl that contains essential story beats and, more importantly, the final bit of character development needed for the "Making New Memories" trophy.
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You have to go here. There is no way around it. If you skip Eidos 9, you are hard-locked into the "Return to Mother Sphere" or "Cost of Lost Memories" endings.
Side Quests You Can't Ignore
Not every side quest matters for the Lily meter, but some are non-negotiable. You want to focus on anything that involves the history of Xion or the nature of the Naytibas.
For example, the quest "Oblivion" is a must. It takes you into the flooded sectors and deals with the actual fate of the people Lily cares about. Same goes for "Look at Me." These aren't just filler; they are the mechanical triggers for her affinity.
- Collect the Data Chips: Every single one counts.
- The Posters in Xion: Don't just run past the walls. Interact with them.
- Talk to Kasim: The hair stylist has more depth than you’d think.
- Visit the Memorials: There are spots in the Wasteland where Eve can pay respects. Do it.
I've seen people get stuck at 99.8%. It’s frustrating. Usually, it’s because they missed a single corpse in the Matrix 11 sewers or didn't read a specific diary entry in the Great Desert.
The Decision at the Nest
Once you’ve cleared Eidos 9 and finished Spire 4, you’ll eventually reach the Nest. This is where the game asks you the final question. Adam will hold out his hand.
You have to Take His Hand.
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If you refuse him, you trigger a completely different boss fight and the "Return to Mother Sphere" ending. If you take his hand but didn't fill Lily’s meter, you get a bittersweet ending where things don't go great for your companion. But if you have that 100% affinity and you take the hand? That's the secret sauce.
Eve and Adam merge. The battle that follows is the true final test of the game. It’s a spectacle. It’s difficult. But it feels earned because you actually took the time to understand the world.
Why Most People Fail the Check
The biggest mistake is the "Point of No Return" warning. The game gives you a prompt before you head to the final area. Most players assume they can go back and finish Lily's bar after that.
You can't.
Once you commit to the final assault, the world state changes. Xion becomes inaccessible for most side activities. You need to have that bar filled before you step onto the ship with Adam and Lily. If you see the prompt and your bar is at 80%, stop. Go back to the Great Desert. Go back to the Wasteland.
Scour the ruins. Find the little glowing spots on the ground. It feels like a chore, but the narrative payoff in the secret ending is the only one that actually explains what the "Stellar Blade" really is. Without it, the story feels half-finished.
Specific Lore Drops to Look For
If you're hunting for that last 5%, look for these:
- The "Plastic Hearts" series of notes.
- The reports on the "Final War" scattered in the desert ruins.
- Anything related to the "Elder Naytiba" origins.
These carry more weight for Lily’s bar than generic items. You'll know it's working because Lily will often comment on what you've found. If she’s talking, you’re winning.
Combat Strategy for the True Final Boss
When you go for the secret ending, the final encounter changes. You aren't just fighting a monster; you're fighting a god-tier entity. You need to be fast.
The boss in the "Making New Memories" path has several phases that require perfect parrying. If you've been relying on dodge-rolling, you’re going to have a bad time. Stock up on WB Pumps. You’re going to need them. The boss has a move where they fly into the air and rain down golden spears—staying mobile is key, but you have to time your parries to build up your burst energy.
Use the Tachy mode sparingly. It’s great for invincibility frames, but the damage output is lower than a well-timed combo in Eve's base form. Save it for when the boss is at 10% health and goes into a frenzy.
Actionable Steps to Guarantee the Ending
To make sure you don't waste thirty hours of gameplay, follow this specific order of operations. It is the only way to be 100% certain you'll see the credits roll on the "true" version of the story.
- Clear Xion early. Talk to every NPC with an exclamation mark. Do the "Recruit Information" quests. They seem small, but they add up.
- Collect 100% of the memory sticks in the Matrix 11 and Altess Levoire sections. These are linear areas, so if you miss them, you have to backtrack significantly.
- Monitor the icon. Every time you pick up a document, look at the top right of the screen. If you don't see Lily's face, that item didn't contribute to the secret ending. Focus on the ones that do.
- Complete the "Enlightenment" questline. This is a series of data-driven missions that give huge boosts to Lily’s affinity.
- Check your progress before the Orbit Elevator. If Lily hasn't mentioned a "special place" (Eidos 9), do not proceed. Go find more data chips in the Great Desert.
- Take the Hand. When the final choice appears, choose to join with Adam.
- Win the Fight. Survive the final encounter to trigger the extended cinematic.
This ending sets up the potential for a sequel in a way the others don't. It transforms Eve from a tool of the Mother Sphere into something entirely new. It’s the most "human" moment in the game, and honestly, the only one that makes the grind worth it.
Make sure you’ve upgraded your Exospines to the max before the Nest. The difficulty spike in the secret ending boss is real. Focus on the "Reflex" Exospine to make parrying easier. You’ll thank me when the screen is filled with golden light and you have half a second to react.
Once the credits roll, check your trophies. You should see "Making New Memories" pop. If you got "Cost of Lost Memories" instead, it means you took the hand but your Lily meter wasn't full. If that happens, you’ll have to do a New Game Plus run to fix it. Don't be that person. Fill the bar.