In the time-altering PS5 exclusive Returnal, players encounter the life of Selene Vassos of the ASTRA Scout program, after she crash lands on a planet while following a White Shadow signal. Even though her computer system warned the planet was forbidden, Selene still ventures into Atropos' atmosphere. Shortly upon entering, her ship gets damaged and begins barreling towards the surface of the planet where it connects and splits into multiple pieces. The cause of the crash, like most of Returnal's story, is up for interpretation on the part of the player. However, the game provides a few hints as to who's responsible.
Some might think it's a shut and closed case, as there are scenes that imply how Helios crashed on planet Atropos. That being said, nothing on this world is what it seems, and it feels like the planet itself feeds off of and encourages Selene's emotions and memories. In this way, the developers make the audience question their every move and cutscene they encounter, causing them to feel as lost and confused as Selene. While it may feel like a lot as it's happening, taking a step back and looking at the clues provided might give a better idea of who crashed the Helios when Selene entered the planet.
Selene?
During the course of the campaign, Selene learns that she had somehow used an alien cannon to shoot down her own ship that crashed in the beginning of Returnal. This paradoxically suggests that Selene was on the planet when her own ship fell. This also has an added implication when the audience considers the secret ending features Selene put in the eyes of the perpetrator/victim in her childhood car crash. This either implies that Selene literally did these things, with the help of Atropos' undeniable power, or that she feels guilty for coming to a planet she was warned against, as she felt guilty for distracting her mom before the crash.
Atropos
The planet of Atropos is an undoubtedly vast and mysterious place with the power to change time, perception, and its very shape at will. The name comes from one of the three ancient Greek goddesses of faith and destiny, two things that Selene has to grapple with throughout Returnal. The planet seems to have once been inhabited by an intelligent alien race, and still holds a fair amount of flora and fauna. Amongst the ruins of the civilization, players must defeat the remnants of the ancient-looking beings before they can access the White Shadow.
In the main ending of the game, players will walk past the crashed car and dive into the abyss where they will encounter a giant four-eyed being uncoiling itself in Selene's presence. She asks "Are you the one who brought me here? Is this what you wanted me to see?" This seems to imply that the otherworldly monster in the abyss could have been the one who brought Selene to Atropos. The alien had influence over her mind, and might've prepared her to come to terms with what happened. Although, seeing as Selene is put back into the loop after the credits roll, it's likely this wasn't the end of the monster's plan after all.
Given the nature of Returnal's story and the level of commitment it takes to finish the game, it's unlikely Housemarque will ever come out with all the answers fans are looking for. Maybe it shouldn't, as the cryptic nature of the flashbacks and hallucinations help the game lean into its psychological horror themes. Just like Selene, the players are left wondering if they've gone crazy or if Atropos has got them under its spell. Whether it be Selene herself, or a freak electrical storm, only time will tell if players can decipher Returnal's mysteries and discover what brought Helios down to Atropos in the first place.
Returnal is available now on PS5.