Wanderstop tells the story of Alta, an undefeated fighter who finally loses a match, thus sending her into a spiral of self-doubt and denial. On a journey to regain her abilities and confidence, she eventually winds up working at the titular Wanderstop tea shop alongside its owner, Boro.
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Throughout her time as a brewer of tea, Alta will meet a variety of customers, serve them drinks, and learn about them. Eventually, Alta’s journey will come to an end, but what exactly that ending means could be open to interpretation. Below, we’ll do our best to explain the ending of Wanderstop.
The Ending Of Wanderstop
In the game’s final chapter, Alta once again sits down to reflect at the shrine, her mind turning toward the forest and the “other” version of herself. She asks if her other self is there, and if she could earn her trust.
Then, Alta finds herself with Boro sitting at the same bench she always wakes up at, but this time the tea shop is gone from the clearing. After a short conversation, the credits will roll, before both Alta and Boro fade away.
So, what does this mean? Where do Boro and Alta go? Before we can answer these questions, we’ll need to understand why Alta was brought there in the first place.
Why Is Alta Trapped In The Forest?
On her quest to regain her abilities, Alta attempts to find Master Winters, who is said to live in the forest. However, upon finding Master Winters, she refuses to train Alta. Alta retaliates by attacking the mentor; realizing what she had done, Alta flees, and eventually finds herself in the clearing with Boro.
Upon trying to leave the clearing, Alta finds that she is unable; her sword is unusually heavy to the point where she can no longer lift it, and staying in the forest for too long causes her to pass out. Effectively, she is trapped in the clearing.
However, the reason she is trapped isn’t any malevolent force, but Alta’s own mind. The forest is capable of both altering its appearance to suit an individual, as well as imposing physical limitations on that individual. In an effort to cure herself, Alta’s subconscious has set her on a path of healing that involves working at the Wanderstop.
Along this path, Alta makes efforts, some of which are directed by the player, to take her time and think about a life outside of fighting. Eventually, through a series of cycles that involve the clearing rearranging itself, Alta comes to the end of her journey, and thus the end of her healing.
While she may not be entirely “healed”, her subconscious has deemed her efforts sufficient; communicating this to the forest releases the spell that keeps her there, allowing her to move on.
Where she moves on to is up for debate, however. Whether she returns to being a fighter, gives up fighting entirely, or something else entirely, isn’t exactly the point of the game’s ending. Instead, the journey that Alta takes to get there is what is meaningful.
Alta is a very results-oriented person, and sees each action she takes as something to gain from. However, part of her healing process is learning when to put this thinking aside, and instead not focus on anything at all. Boro’s entire ideology is one of boredom; being bored means living a life of comfort.
Ultimately, Alta is dealing with burnout; after being at the top for so long, she comes crashing down and becomes completely lost. In that sense, Boro is the absolutely perfect person to come across, as his whole life revolves around taking one day at a time, knowing how to relax, and generally taking it easy, the complete opposite of Alta.
The reason Boro is always there after the clearing changes is because he is essential to her recovery. And, after making tea with him for so long, Boro’s way of life eventually rubs off on Alta, and she finally learns how to be bored. With that, she is able to leave the clearing and return to her previous life, having gained something valuable.
Where Does Alta Go?
Alta’s final destination after the end of the game is left for you to decide. By the end of the game, Alta says she simply wants to go home, and through a dialogue option, you can say whether she will become a fighter again or not, or if she doesn’t know yet.
Whether she returns to her life as a fighter, retires for good, or takes up some other profession is entirely for you to decide. All that matters is that she was able to move past her defeat, understand herself better, and hopefully move forward with greater insight.
Are There Multiple Endings?
No, there is only one ending in Wanderstop, regardless of your actions and conversations through the game.
However, there is a slight difference in the final scene depending on your choice in the final conversation. When Boro tells you that it’s up to when you move on, you can either choose to stay for a few more minutes, or that you’re ready right then.
If you choose to stay, the credits will play with Alta and Boro sitting on the bench. After the credits, Alta will stand up, and both will fade away. If you instead choose to leave immediately, Alta will stand and the two will fade, then the credits will play.
Ultimately, this difference has no impact on the actual story of the game, except maybe to further highlight Alta’s impatience.
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