Let’s talk about one of modern RPGs’ most legendary challenges: unlocking Cyberpunk 2077‘s secret ending. This is a wild solo raid on Arasaka Tower, a real test of your build and nerves. The path isn’t obvious. It depends on very specific choices and a little patience. I put this guide together from my own playthroughs to cut through the noise and give you a direct route to unlocking (Don’t Fear) The Reaper.
We’ll cover the required side jobs, the exact conversation with Johnny and that agonizing rooftop wait. Don’t forget to visit my main Cyberpunk 2077 hub.
Requirements for unlocking (Don’t Fear) The Reaper
Unlocking this ending depends entirely on your relationship with Johnny Silverhand, but not in the way most people think.
It’s about one crucial conversation and finishing Johnny’s personal quests, rather than filling a relationship bar. Miss a step, and this playthrough loses the option permanently.
Required Johnny Silverhand quests
Before you even think about heading to Embers and the point of no return, finish a specific chain of side jobs. They lay the groundwork for the secret ending.
- Tapeworm: Straightforward, because it’s woven into the main story. You’ll receive it automatically as you progress.
- Chippin’ In: The most important quest in the chain. It unlocks after Tapeworm and contains the crucial conversation that determines everything.
- Ghost Town: When choosing an ending on the rooftop, wait a few minutes before picking Rogue’s option so Johnny can propose a solo assault.
The oil fields conversation with Johnny Silverhand
During Chippin’ In, you’ll visit the oil fields with Johnny. This is the moment of truth. Your dialogue choices unlock the ending, rather than your overall friendship percentage. It works even at 40%. What matters is respecting Johnny, rather than simply agreeing with him.
❗Here are the lines you need to choose:
- “The Guy who Saved My Life.” You can choose any option here, but this one fits best.
- “Nah, fucked that up too.”
- “What do you want from me?”
- “OK. But as second chances go, this is your last.”
The critical lines: “Nah, fucked that up too,” “What do you want from me?” and “OK. But as second chances go, this is your last.” Get these wrong, and you can say goodbye to this playthrough’s secret ending, unless you’re on PC and willing to use console commands.
Additional lines that usually follow this:
- “You were a real dick in the beginning.”
- “When you said you let down your friends…”
- “Smasher biz really got to her.”
- “Yeah, I’ll call Rogue.”
The console command method: sometimes works
For PC players who missed the right dialogues, there is a solution through console commands:
- Install Cyber Engine Tweaks from GitHub.
- Unpack your files in the Cyberpunk 2077/bin/x64 folder.
- Launch the game and open the console with tilde (~).
- Enter: Game.GetQuestsSystem():SetFactStr(«sq032_johnny_friend», 1)
- This will set the necessary friendship flag with Johnny for a secret ending and could solve the problem.
How long do you wait? The five-minute rule
Once the preparations are done and you’ve reached the finale’s rooftop with Misty, the crucial moment arrives. Johnny presents your options.
Here’s the final step:
- When Johnny asks what you want to do, choose Rogue’s option: “Think you and Rogue should go.”
- Now for the strange part. Don’t confirm or select anything else. Put down your controller or take your hands off the keyboard.
- Wait about 5 minutes to unlock the ending.
After the wait, Johnny reacts to your indecision and suggests a new plan: a head-on attack on Arasaka Tower with just the two of you. He’ll say something like, “It’s hard to choose which friend has to die, huh?” That’s your cue. Choose “Let’s hear this plan”, and (Don’t Fear) The Reaper begins.
Common problems and misconceptions
There’s a lot of outdated information going around this ending, so let’s get this straight.
The 70% Johnny relationship myth
Let’s settle this. You do NOT need a 70% relationship with Johnny. That was a longstanding myth from early versions of the game. The community has confirmed that the oil fields conversation is the real key. Choose the right lines, and the percentage doesn’t matter.
What if the secret ending won’t trigger?
If you’re sure you chose the right lines but the ending won’t trigger, especially after Phantom Liberty, something may have gone wrong. The game can glitch. More commonly, though, you accidentally pressed something during the five-minute wait. Any input blocks Johnny’s script and leaves you with the standard endings.
What makes this ending so special?
Why bother? There are story and gameplay reasons. The mission title references Blue Öyster Cult’s classic about love and death’s inevitability, fitting V and Johnny perfectly.
- No companions die: Going alone keeps your friends and allies safe. Rogue and Saul, if you were considering the Aldecaldos route, survive.
- The ultimate test: This is unquestionably the game’s hardest fight. Your health keeps decreasing. Die at any point, and the credits roll immediately. No checkpoints. It’s a genuine suicide run.
- Same final choice, different route: At the end, you’ll still make the same decision about V’s fate as in the other main endings leading to The Sun or Temperance achievements.
There’s no exclusive weapon or loot, but you get bragging rights.
Is this ending worth the effort?
Unlocking (Don’t Fear) The Reaper is more than a checklist item. It feels like the culmination of V and Johnny’s complicated relationship, a final wild act of trust and rebellion. The five-minute rooftop wait is perfect: quiet reflection before total chaos.
I think it’s worth getting this ending, although the implementation leaves a strange aftertaste, especially the 5-minute waiting window.
If you want Night City’s toughest fight and a spectacular send-off for Johnny Silverhand, this is the route for you.
I think the ending is worth getting, though its implementation leaves an odd aftertaste. That five-minute wait is practically impossible to discover unless you fall asleep or wander off to make tea. I’d rather it depended on Johnny’s approval percentage than on oddly mandatory replies and a strange waiting period.
Frequently asked questions
Why won’t the secret ending trigger despite a high relationship with Johnny?
The secret ending has nothing to do with your relationship percentage. That number is misleading. It unlocks only through three specific oil fields replies during Chippin’ In: “Nah, fucked that up too,” “What do you want from me?” and “OK. But as second chances go, this is your last.” Even a low percentage works if you chose those lines. Miss one, and the route is closed.
How long do you really have to wait on the roof?
Wait about 5 minutes after selecting the option to go with Rogue. Don’t touch the controller or keyboard. Just wait in silence. Eventually Johnny speaks and proposes another plan. If he doesn’t, you didn’t unlock the ending during Chippin’ In.
The secret ending is too hard. How do I beat it?
It’s designed as a suicide mission. Your maximum health is reduced and keeps declining. Die, and the credits roll, with no checkpoints. You need a strong build to survive. Consider a durable shotgun setup or a fast Sandevistan/melee build. Second Heart and Biomonitor are essential cyberware to give yourself a chance. Don’t attempt it without a high level and optimized equipment, preferably around level 50.
I did everything right, but it won’t trigger. Is it a bug?
It’s almost never a bug. Usually, you missed one of those exact dialogue choices mentioned earlier. A single wrong answer blocks access. PC players who think all is lost can use Game.GetQuestsSystem():SetFactStr(«sq032_johnny_friend», 1) as a last resort to set the required flag manually.
What happens if I die during the ending?
If you die, it’s game over. The game treats it as though you chose suicide on the rooftop. You’ll see the death screen, followed by heartbreaking voicemails from your friends and then the credits. You can’t respawn or resume from a checkpoint inside the mission. You’ll have to manually load a save from before the finale.
Do I need every side quest to unlock the secret ending?
No. You only need Johnny Silverhand’s quest chain before crossing the point of no return at Embers. The required quests are Tapeworm, Chippin’ In and Blistering Love. Other side jobs, such as Panam’s storyline or various gigs, don’t affect access to this ending.
