Thanks to a recent developer update from Toby Fox himself, Deltarune Chapter 3 appears to be just around the corner. Chapter 1 was first released in 2018, with Chapter 2 following a few years later in 2021. Chapter 3 is a long time coming, and its predecessors certainly gave it a tough act to follow. On the flip side, they have also given Deltarune Chapter 3 the perfect opportunity to do just that.
Both chapters of Deltarune have been well received, and there is still a long way to go until the game is complete. On the road to the full seven chapters, Chapter 3 would be a good time to start tying up loose ends. While there isn’t yet a solid picture of what the full story of Deltarune will look like, one potential candidate for Chapter 3’s final boss could provide the perfect climax for the first half.
Related
What to Expect From Deltarune Chapters 3 and 4
Deltarune creator Toby Fox recently announced his progress on Chapter 5, here’s everything to expect from the upcoming release of Chapters 3 and 4.
Deltarune Chapter 3 Has the Perfect Candidate for a Final Boss
Deltarune Chapter 3 Has Big Shoes to Fill
Despite being a follow-up to Undertale, Deltarune is a distinct subversion compared to everything that came before it. This works to its benefit for the most part, and each of the new characters it has introduced has made a splash in their own way. Deltarune hasn’t slacked on the gameplay front either, with its combat system receiving massive praise from the very beginning.
In keeping with a precedent set by Undertale itself, Deltarune‘s boss fights have become a major part of this appeal. Similarly, the boss battle of each Chapter so far has been a solid finale in its own right. Furthermore, each final boss has sufficiently closed out the themes of its respective chapter, and one character could potentially fill this role to impressive effect.
Deltarune Started a Clear Trend with Final Boss Battles
Chapter 1 of Deltarune concludes with players facing off against King, who is one of the de facto rulers of the Card Kingdom. Of course, the Card Kingdom is only one section of the broader world, but working within this somewhat limited space has rarely caused issues for the game. Likewise, it may have helped Deltarune to give better shape to the eventual end of this first arc.
Chapter 2 of Deltarune closely followed this example, with players now tackling Queen as the final boss. It’s unclear if King and Queen are on good terms or not at the moment, but their relationship is clearly established otherwise. If Chapter 3 were to continue this trend, then there is an obvious path forward.
Deltarune Chapter 3 Can Flip the Game’s Story on Its Head
Assuming Deltarune Chapter 3 uses an existing character for its final boss, Lancer is most definitely the best candidate for the role. As the child of both King and Queen, Lancer can meaningfully carry the torch they lit in previous Chapters. More importantly, though, Lancer has an established relationship with the player and their party. Lancer started as a minor antagonist, but became a tentative ally. Lancer’s role as a comic relief character made this seem almost inevitable, but Chapter 3 can go on to subvert this dynamic yet again.
Chapter 2 already threw some players for a loop by bringing Noelle to the forefront, when she had previously been a background character. Lancer has always had a little more prominence than the average background character, but a role as a main antagonist would definitely raise him to the next level. In fact, Lancer’s ties to the beginning half of the game would make him the perfect character to bring this chapter of Deltarune to a close.
Lancer flipping from comic relief to final boss would not only be possible; it would be effective as well. Lancer’s relationship with King and Queen already makes him a likely option, but his friendship with the main heroes is a potential source of drama that is simply too good to pass up. While it’s possible that Chapter 3 will opt for an entirely different option, or simply introduce a new character as Chapter 2 did with Queen, capitalizing on the set-up of the story so far seems to be the perfect way to take Deltarune into the future.
The award-winning indie RPG, UNDERTALE, expands the series with a brand new game…in a different world! Create your own avatar, meet strange friends, and jump into the darkness. The first two chapters are free, so what are you waiting for? And more (paid) chapters will come out as soon as we finish them, so keep an eye out! For years!
- Released
- October 31, 2018
- Developer(s)
- Toby Fox
- Publisher(s)
- Toby Fox
- Engine
- gamemaker
- ESRB
- t