Dead Space Ending

[Evil Tim]

Now, knowing this leaves the game with some gaping plot holes.

You forgot 'anything involving the Valor.'

It is explicitly stated that the Marker was communicating with Isaac, not the Hive Mind. The Marker itself is a sapient entity. The bit where "Nicole" needed protection while she opened the door is easily explained: the door was never locked in the first place. The whole thing was just the Marker manipulating poor Isaac.

Then how come fakey Nicole can die? Why do the Necromorphs attack her if she isn't there? If they're fake Necromorphs, why do they drop real, usable ammo and powerups?

I was always under the impression that the person opening the door was Kendra; she does later comment on how delusional Isaac is, after all.

As for the military ship: in the intro to the game, a single necromorph is able to take down the two marines accompanying the crew in a matter of seconds. They don't have Isaac's plot armor.

They also don't have the personal infinite-use Stasis devices the military do. How's a single Slasher supposed to take anyone by surprise in super slow motion?

The majority of the necros infesting that ship came in from the Ishimura after the first one slaughtered the marines who opened the escape pod (or it opened on its own after docking; kind of stupid, but plausible) and then went through the ventilation ducts to get to the bridge. Cliff racer things come in and start humping corpses left and right.

Nope, it's firmly established that the whole ship was under attack before it hit; that's why it hit.

 

[TsunamiWombat]

SPOILER **************************** SPOILERS ***********************
Did anyone else notice that in the video in which Nicole kills herself, the room she is in looks very similar to the ship you end up on in the last chapter?

Spoiler

It IS the ship you end up in, the thing that attacks you is the Necromorph made from her corpse

 

[L3m0n_L1m3]

I thought Dead Space was a good game. Sure, it wasn't really scary, but it did have a few moments where I jumped, the atmosphere was chilling, gameplay was above average, and it did have that awesome HUD system. Definitely a game I'll have to play again sometime.

 

[Code Monkey]

Yeah... I never understood the plot at all.
Here's the plot, from the way I saw it:


"Were on a ship!"
"Holy shit, monsters!"
"Go fix this."
"Go investigate this"
"Go kill this"
"Go play an annoying asteroid minigame"
"Go on this ship"
"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM THAT SHIP"
"Look, a big spinny thing"
"Go move the spinny thing from one end of the ship to the other."
"HAHA! Turns out I'm eveil!"
"URK! I am dead"

*Isaac kills big wormy thing*
*Issac gets pwned by dead chick*
*Credits*

 

[squid5580]

Still doesn't answer how SHE OPENED THE DAMN DOOR!!!!!!!!

The bit where "Nicole" needed protection while she opened the door is easily explained: the door was never locked in the first place. The whole thing was just the Marker manipulating poor Isaac.

What he said.

That makes even less sense. Oh this big powerful force is manipulating him to get this marker to the planet. Then in it's infinite wisdom decides "heh heh heh watch this I'm gonna make him think the door is locked so it slows him down. And this imaginary locked door will hold everything back as well. I hope he doesn't open it when he thinks it doesn't open otherwise we will be mincemeat."

 

[Automated]

A possible suggestion for where Isaac needs to defend Nicole as she is opening the door.
Nicole is dead : Fact
Isaac is starting to lose his mind e.g. random messages from nicole on the intercom.: Fact
Isaac is a mute : Fact

Now picture the scene where isaac has to defend nicole from necromorphs. Insert a random, most likely female, member of the crew. Now that person would try to help isaac out in some way, one could think "hey, i can't get to the door over here so i'll open it for you" Now isaac is mute at this point while believing that this new person is nicole in his decaying mental state, so he just nods his head or stands still or whatever he does. The person on the other side then goes "alrighty cover me while i open it". Isaac agrees. Once the door is open and she can't do anything else she could have easily said something like "I'm gonna get out of here while they're gone, good luck". While isaac in his mental state watches as 'nicole' leaves then sets out to go do whatever it was that needed doing

Just a thought

 

[bodyklok]

Now, knowing this leaves the game with some gaping plot holes. The part where you're protecting Nicole from necromorphs makes no sense at all with this revelation. For the addition off one cheap scare the ending makes even less sense. Not to mention why necromorphs are attacking Isaac in the first place all the time if Isaac is just a tool for it to return the marker.

Many of these questions have been answered but a few remain so allow me to sum it up for you.

The Hive mind drove people mad so they'd kill themselves.
The Marker drove them Mad so they'd stop the Hive Mind.
When Isaac arrived the Marker made him see his wife so that he'd do a couple of fetch quests and repair the ship in order to stop the Hive Mind.
The reason those Necros could attack Nichole is because the marker can't intervene directly so it must of animated a corpse and then cast illusion on it so it didn't look all wired and shit. That's just about the only logical explanation I can think of.
On the shuttle you seem to get attacked by a necro which looks like Nichole, according to the developers this isn't a actual necro but just Isaac gone crazy because of the Hive Mind (or just having a shit day) just like the rest of the crew.

The whole idea was 'ohhhh horror!'

 

[JaymesFogarty]

This is what I think the, "protect Nicole," thing was all about. She was definitely a hallucination, brought on not by the Marker, by Issac's hysterical desire to see her again. (This theory about Issac hallucinating is backed up by the bit in Chapter 2, when the locker door creaks open.) The door was never locked in the first place, it was only his mind that was keeping him there. Also, what's to say that he didn't hallucinate the necromorphs that attacked her. Another thing that supports this is that at the end, when Issac is trying to get into the shuttle, it is locked, but opens after a few seconds. This could be his realisation that it was not his fault that she died, and that he must survive.
This links in to my second theory, which is that Issac was crazy that whole time. I think that he had watched the whole Nicole video before even approaching the USG Ishimura. He edited it, and made himself forget about it, as the realisation that Nicole was dead would just break him. (Similar to Silent Hill 2.) That hallucination would give Issac the relief of saving Nicole, as he could not accept that she was dead. The crew members from the Kellion, Kendra and Hammond, are real for very little of the game. I think that the whole crew dies on that ship very early on, as you are first separated from them. They continue to appear in hallucinations as symbols for Issac's madness, (Hammond represents Issac's strong will and determination to carry on, Kendra represents Issac's regret and anger at himself for not being able to save Nicole. Even doctor Klein (I think) is representative of Issac's innocence and good-nature, and his SPOILERS***************************************************SPOILERS
death near the end is symbolic of Issac's need to punish himself for not saving Nicole.

 

[squid5580]

A possible suggestion for where Isaac needs to defend Nicole as she is opening the door.
Nicole is dead : Fact
Isaac is starting to lose his mind e.g. random messages from nicole on the intercom.: Fact
Isaac is a mute : Fact

Now picture the scene where isaac has to defend nicole from necromorphs. Insert a random, most likely female, member of the crew. Now that person would try to help isaac out in some way, one could think "hey, i can't get to the door over here so i'll open it for you" Now isaac is mute at this point while believing that this new person is nicole in his decaying mental state, so he just nods his head or stands still or whatever he does. The person on the other side then goes "alrighty cover me while i open it". Isaac agrees. Once the door is open and she can't do anything else she could have easily said something like "I'm gonna get out of here while they're gone, good luck". While isaac in his mental state watches as 'nicole' leaves then sets out to go do whatever it was that needed doing

Just a thought

I have been thinking about it and maybe it really was Nicole. She really isn't dead as in 6ft under worm food dead. She had enough sense to make it to the escape ship (the only one I might add) when it appears she offed herself in her room. And she didn't attack Issac the moment he got on the ship. So maybe she was able to keep hold of her humanity long enough to help him out. And the others attacked her because they recognized her as as not quite one of them. That she wasn't part of the hive.

 

[Ziltoid]

Still doesn't answer how SHE OPENED THE DAMN DOOR!!!!!!!!

The bit where "Nicole" needed protection while she opened the door is easily explained: the door was never locked in the first place. The whole thing was just the Marker manipulating poor Isaac.

What he said.

That makes even less sense. Oh this big powerful force is manipulating him to get this marker to the planet. Then in it's infinite wisdom decides "heh heh heh watch this I'm gonna make him think the door is locked so it slows him down. And this imaginary locked door will hold everything back as well. I hope he doesn't open it when he thinks it doesn't open otherwise we will be mincemeat."

I was under the impression that the only one that wanted the marker put back was Isaac, and that the necromorphs and the Hive Mind (I think that was what it was called) never wanted it put back. Also the girl that came to the Ishimura with you was having hallucinations as well, she said she saw her brother which she said was impossible. It seemed to me that the necromorphs had turned the ship into a new home, and that they didn't want the marker to leave.

 

[squid5580]

Still doesn't answer how SHE OPENED THE DAMN DOOR!!!!!!!!

The bit where "Nicole" needed protection while she opened the door is easily explained: the door was never locked in the first place. The whole thing was just the Marker manipulating poor Isaac.

What he said.

That makes even less sense. Oh this big powerful force is manipulating him to get this marker to the planet. Then in it's infinite wisdom decides "heh heh heh watch this I'm gonna make him think the door is locked so it slows him down. And this imaginary locked door will hold everything back as well. I hope he doesn't open it when he thinks it doesn't open otherwise we will be mincemeat."

I was under the impression that the only one that wanted the marker put back was Isaac, and that the necromorphs and the Hive Mind (I think that was what it was called) never wanted it put back. Also the girl that came to the Ishimura with you was having hallucinations as well, she said she saw her brother which she said was impossible. It seemed to me that the necromorphs had turned the ship into a new home, and that they didn't want the marker to leave.

Well according to the anime prequel the marker repulsed the necromorphs. Although the theory is the marker was somewhat sentient itself. Based on what we know of Issac I don't think he really cared about getting the marker to the planet. His only concern seemed to be Nicole and survival.

 

[Ziltoid]

Still doesn't answer how SHE OPENED THE DAMN DOOR!!!!!!!!

The bit where "Nicole" needed protection while she opened the door is easily explained: the door was never locked in the first place. The whole thing was just the Marker manipulating poor Isaac.

What he said.

That makes even less sense. Oh this big powerful force is manipulating him to get this marker to the planet. Then in it's infinite wisdom decides "heh heh heh watch this I'm gonna make him think the door is locked so it slows him down. And this imaginary locked door will hold everything back as well. I hope he doesn't open it when he thinks it doesn't open otherwise we will be mincemeat."

I was under the impression that the only one that wanted the marker put back was Isaac, and that the necromorphs and the Hive Mind (I think that was what it was called) never wanted it put back. Also the girl that came to the Ishimura with you was having hallucinations as well, she said she saw her brother which she said was impossible. It seemed to me that the necromorphs had turned the ship into a new home, and that they didn't want the marker to leave.

Well according to the anime prequel the marker repulsed the necromorphs. Although the theory is the marker was somewhat sentient itself. Based on what we know of Issac I don't think he really cared about getting the marker to the planet. His only concern seemed to be Nicole and survival.

I definitely agree that Isaac's primary motive was to find Nicole. And that is pretty interesting I always thought that the Marker was important to the necromorphs as a whole (Now for some reason I am starting to wonder how intelligent the Necromorphs are, in the game they seem like mindless killing machines, but it would be interesting if their intelligence is explored in the sequels.) Is the anime any good? I love the game but I have been wary of the movie. It sounds like it would give some interesting backstory.

 

[SonicKoala]

This is what I think the, "protect Nicole," thing was all about. She was definitely a hallucination, brought on not by the Marker, by Issac's hysterical desire to see her again. (This theory about Issac hallucinating is backed up by the bit in Chapter 2, when the locker door creaks open.) The door was never locked in the first place, it was only his mind that was keeping him there. Also, what's to say that he didn't hallucinate the necromorphs that attacked her. Another thing that supports this is that at the end, when Issac is trying to get into the shuttle, it is locked, but opens after a few seconds. This could be his realisation that it was not his fault that she died, and that he must survive.
This links in to my second theory, which is that Issac was crazy that whole time. I think that he had watched the whole Nicole video before even approaching the USG Ishimura. He edited it, and made himself forget about it, as the realisation that Nicole was dead would just break him. (Similar to Silent Hill 2.) That hallucination would give Issac the relief of saving Nicole, as he could not accept that she was dead. The crew members from the Kellion, Kendra and Hammond, are real for very little of the game. I think that the whole crew dies on that ship very early on, as you are first separated from them. They continue to appear in hallucinations as symbols for Issac's madness, (Hammond represents Issac's strong will and determination to carry on, Kendra represents Issac's regret and anger at himself for not being able to save Nicole. Even doctor Klein (I think) is representative of Issac's innocence and good-nature, and his SPOILERS***************************************************SPOILERS
death near the end is symbolic of Issac's need to punish himself for not saving Nicole.

I really like your analysis, but in my opinion, you're giving this game WAY more artistic credit than it deserves. I'm almost positive that all of the main characters were real and they died when we saw them "officially" die, and Issac seeing Nicole was nothing more than a hallucination brought on by the marker (you know, as the evil chick at the end explains). This game is as far from creative or artistically significant as you can get - it's a cliched sci-fi game which rips off countless sci-fi movies. Really, an analysis like that is fitting for Silent Hill 2, but Dead Space? No way.

 

[squid5580]

Still doesn't answer how SHE OPENED THE DAMN DOOR!!!!!!!!

The bit where "Nicole" needed protection while she opened the door is easily explained: the door was never locked in the first place. The whole thing was just the Marker manipulating poor Isaac.

What he said.

That makes even less sense. Oh this big powerful force is manipulating him to get this marker to the planet. Then in it's infinite wisdom decides "heh heh heh watch this I'm gonna make him think the door is locked so it slows him down. And this imaginary locked door will hold everything back as well. I hope he doesn't open it when he thinks it doesn't open otherwise we will be mincemeat."

I was under the impression that the only one that wanted the marker put back was Isaac, and that the necromorphs and the Hive Mind (I think that was what it was called) never wanted it put back. Also the girl that came to the Ishimura with you was having hallucinations as well, she said she saw her brother which she said was impossible. It seemed to me that the necromorphs had turned the ship into a new home, and that they didn't want the marker to leave.

Well according to the anime prequel the marker repulsed the necromorphs. Although the theory is the marker was somewhat sentient itself. Based on what we know of Issac I don't think he really cared about getting the marker to the planet. His only concern seemed to be Nicole and survival.

I definitely agree that Isaac's primary motive was to find Nicole. And that is pretty interesting I always thought that the Marker was important to the necromorphs as a whole (Now for some reason I am starting to wonder how intelligent the Necromorphs are, in the game they seem like mindless killing machines, but it would be interesting if their intelligence is explored in the sequels.) Is the anime any good? I love the game but I have been wary of the movie. It sounds like it would give some interesting backstory.

It is the entire story of the ship before you arrive. You will see a few familiar scenes like when the captain bites it. It is gory as hell but not deep in the story dept. if you know what I mean. There is some animated comics that were on XBL before it launched that are the story of the colony (so the prequel to the prequel) but I dunno if you can still access them. Maybe on youtube.

 

[ShadeOfRed]

Issac is crazy. The marker made him crazy.
Have you ever spoken to someone who's crazy? They don't make a lot of sense. Why would a game told from a crazy persons view need to be completely solid?

 

[JaymesFogarty]

This is what I think the, "protect Nicole," thing was all about. She was definitely a hallucination, brought on not by the Marker, by Issac's hysterical desire to see her again. (This theory about Issac hallucinating is backed up by the bit in Chapter 2, when the locker door creaks open.) The door was never locked in the first place, it was only his mind that was keeping him there. Also, what's to say that he didn't hallucinate the necromorphs that attacked her. Another thing that supports this is that at the end, when Issac is trying to get into the shuttle, it is locked, but opens after a few seconds. This could be his realisation that it was not his fault that she died, and that he must survive.
This links in to my second theory, which is that Issac was crazy that whole time. I think that he had watched the whole Nicole video before even approaching the USG Ishimura. He edited it, and made himself forget about it, as the realisation that Nicole was dead would just break him. (Similar to Silent Hill 2.) That hallucination would give Issac the relief of saving Nicole, as he could not accept that she was dead. The crew members from the Kellion, Kendra and Hammond, are real for very little of the game. I think that the whole crew dies on that ship very early on, as you are first separated from them. They continue to appear in hallucinations as symbols for Issac's madness, (Hammond represents Issac's strong will and determination to carry on, Kendra represents Issac's regret and anger at himself for not being able to save Nicole. Even doctor Klein (I think) is representative of Issac's innocence and good-nature, and his SPOILERS***************************************************SPOILERS
death near the end is symbolic of Issac's need to punish himself for not saving Nicole.

I really like your analysis, but in my opinion, you're giving this game WAY more artistic credit than it deserves. I'm almost positive that all of the main characters were real and they died when we saw them "officially" die, and Issac seeing Nicole was nothing more than a hallucination brought on by the marker (you know, as the evil chick at the end explains). This game is as far from creative or artistically significant as you can get - it's a cliched sci-fi game which rips off countless sci-fi movies. Really, an analysis like that is fitting for Silent Hill 2, but Dead Space? No way.

Yes, I suppose so. I think playing Silent Hill 2 has made me too lenient towards some game plots. I should be more critical, and say, "the story in Dead Space is not bad in any way, or good." After all, unless you can be abstract-minded in the extreme about this story, there are just too many contradictions to make an properly informed and thought about opinion.

 

[Hithel]

Isaac being crazy could cover up a lot of plot holes. Granted that would work, but it would turn the plot from being a swiss cheese into lazily, badly written one.

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

My theory is that none of it ever happened and Isaac is just locked up in some ward. The game made no sense since we saw that the necromorphs make corpses while the bat versions made necromorphs. If we are to believe that Isaac wasn't insane from the begining then how did one necromorph manage to necro an entire military ship without a bat thing?

Can you elaborate a little bit? I don't really get what you're driving at. But the Ishimura is definitely not a military vessel and it's safe to say that more than one necromorph was active on the ship.
There's actually a comic that deals with the backstory on youtube.

Basically, the removal of the marker unleased the necromorphs in the first place. A security patrol from the Ishimura was planet side and found everybody was dead or at least missing. The wife of the team leader (a research scientist planetside) committed suicide shortly thereafter (she more or less cut off her own head with a futuristic bone-saw). Desperate to save her (her head being attached by nothing more than strands of skin at this point) he goes back to the Ishimura.

The Isimura determined at this point a full plentary quarntine is the best way to contain the problem. They attempt to deny landing to the craft but it makes it aboard anyway. The corpse lady becomes the first necromorph on the Ishimura, converts the security team leader and both make their escape.

The captain on the vessel, a religious zealot rapidly losing touch with reality (thanks to the presence of the Marker) ignores the problem for a time. Insanity begins running rampant as reports of failures keep security and maintenance occupied. Much of the crew is quickly consumed and converted.

The chief security officer on the ship stages a number of bold expiditions into the bowels of the ship in an attempt to rescue threatened crew members and things go poorly. After trial and error they determine the best way to kill Necromorphs is dismemberment and they ditch their firearms for plasma cutters and see the first successes. As they themselves suffer from insanity and are always outnumbered the losses mount. The security chief determines the best way to solve the dilemma is to launch a warning beacon.

Eventually in the effort only the security chief remains. She launches the beacon by attaching it to a piece of cargo and opening an airlock she occupies. This final moment takes place a few hours before the player arrives.

The entire back story is delivered by the Dead Space: Extraction movie. It's terribly violent and speeds through the plot far to quickly and as a stand alone product it's certainly a terrible failure. It works well enough at establishing just how the Ishimura ended up in it's current state however.

 

[Rock Beefchest]

i think your being a bit dramatic with the whole wasting money stealing time thing. Dead space offered enough satisfaction while prepping your for the sequal. I compare dissappointments to the ending to Shenmue. Unless a game ends as dissapointingly as that game it is not a very bad ending.