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Starfield takes some wild twists and turns by the time you reach the end of the story. As the race to assemble the artifact draws to a close, the Starborn, known as the Hunter, launches an attack on Constellation. During this quest, you face a difficult decision, and your choice determines which of your companions lives and who dies. There’s a good argument for each companion, but many players will ultimately wish to save Sarah. She’s the leader of Constellation, a romance option, and a capable ally, all of which are good reasons for wanting to ensure her survival. Here’s everything you need to know to save Sarah.
Defending the Lodge in High Price To Pay
Four NPCs can be in jeopardy during High Price to Pay: Sarah, Barrett, Sam, and Andreja. Given that these are the four most pivotal NPCs throughout the main quest, it’s clear that Bethesda wanted to put such a difficult choice in players’ hands. Of the four possibilities, only two are at risk during any given playthrough. Which two you’ll need to choose between depends upon the choices you’ve made along the way and the relationships you’ve formed. Everything will be different after this mission, one way or another.
When you receive word of the Starborn’s imminent attack, you will be forced to choose between defending the Lodge or defending the Eye instead. There are Constellation members at both locations, and choosing to defend one means the other must go without your support. If you decide to protect the Lodge, the Hunter will attack you there, seizing Walter first. The Hunter is a difficult opponent regardless of your build, and even if you manage to beat him, he will flee to fight another day. The best you can do is help your fellow Constellation members escape with the artifact before making your way to the Eye.
Defending the Eye in High Price To Pay
If you choose to defend the Eye instead, you’ll arrive to find Vladimir and one of your companions badly injured. Had you chosen to protect the Lodge, this other injured companion is the one who would have died. In your absence, the Hunter attacks the Lodge. When you return, you will discover that whichever companion you chose to leave behind perished in the attack. You will then have to retrieve Noel from the Well before escorting her back up to the Eye.
Starfield chooses which companions to jeopardize based on your relationships, so there are two ways to save Sarah’s life. Of your four main companions, the two with whom you have the strongest relationship are the ones whose lives will be threatened. Therefore, it’s possible to guarantee Sarah’s safety simply by ignoring or upsetting her enough previous to High Price to Pay. For obvious reasons, that’s an unsatisfactory solution in a game this immersive, and most players will want to pursue other solutions, which brings us to the second way to save her life.
How To Save Sarah
Which companion accompanied you during the previous mission, No Sudden Moves? That’s the character with whom you have the second strongest bond. That automatically makes them one of the two in jeopardy during High Price to Pay. They will be at the Lodge with you during the start of the mission. If that person is Sarah, your mission is simple: stay and defend the Lodge alongside her, and she will live. Unfortunately, doing so will doom whoever is at the Eye when the Hunter attacks. You don’t have long to make your choice.
If your relationship with Sarah is the strongest, she will be at the Eye instead. To save Sarah’s life, you’ll need to journey to the space station. That means leaving your companions at the Lodge to fend for themselves. Doing so means that whichever companion accompanied you for No Sudden Moves will die instead. It’s a difficult decision, with important consequences whether or not you choose to enter New Game Plus. That said, the game’s unique approach to NG+ means some outcomes aren’t what they appear to be. Whether you choose to save Sarah or allow her to die, Starfield’s story will continue to unfold in new and surprising ways.
