Returnal isn't only a game about horrifying creatures from another planet. The story runs much deeper than that. One of the many things that surprised gamers about Returnal is how complex and deep the game's lore is. A lot of people have found it compelling, while others have also found it confusing.
Some players may find themselves occasionally disengaged from the game's story because of how engaging and challenging the gameplay is. However, those who will look closer and really observe will find a very captivating story hidden underneath the action. There are a couple of things many players may have missed about the story of Returnal, which may lead to them scratching their heads after witnessing its insane endings. Warning: spoilers ahead!
10 It's All In Selene's Head
Before the players can make sense of everything they missed about the game's story, they must first realize the biggest revelation hidden. None of the things that are set in the space that the players experience in the game actually happened.
Everything the players experience in the game is nothing but a manifestation of Selene's trauma and guilt. An eventful moment occurred in Selene's past, and the game is a representation of her attempting to outlive that trauma.
9 The "True" Ending
The game's supposed "true" ending unlocks after the players have collected enough sunface fragments to form the keys to the car found at the end of the game. Once opened, it will take Selene into another area. Here, she encounters a woman in a wheelchair, later revealed to be Theia.
It is also revealed here that the astronaut Selene sees in the other ending is just her, creating a somewhat of a paradox. However, all of this simply insinuates that there's no other person to blame for the crash but herself.
8 Selene Failed The Astronaut Program
In the ship's log, the player can find a rejection letter from the astronaut program. The person that got rejected is none other than Selene. She never got the chance to become an astronaut, and a lot of her trauma can be traced back to this very moment.
In Selene's house, the players can also find anti-depressant pills and pieces of evidence that she's in therapy. This explains why Selene is out of focus on the night of the car crash that's seen at the ending of the game.
7 The Story Of The Game Mirrors Greek Myth
Several elements in Returnal borrow heavily from Greek myth. This will make even more sense as the players later discover Selene's family tree.
Every character and boss in the game have names straight out of Greek mythology. Phrike, Ixion, Nemesis, Hyperion, and Ophion are all Greek gods and figures. Selene is the Greek goddess of the moon, which mirrors the character's desire to reach for the stars. Her relatives' identities also become clear with this information.
6 Helios Is The Name Of Selene's Son
Helios is the name of the ship piloted by Selene to arrive at Atropos, as well as the same ship she returns to after death. Interestingly, in one scene set inside Selene's house, it is revealed that Helios is also the name of the child with Selene in the car crash.
In Greek mythology, Helios is the god of the sun, and the sibling of Selene. In the game, however, Helios is Selene's son who died in that crash. He is the stem of Selene's guilt, and the reason why he's the place she returns to after every cycle. The prompt saying "Helios Abandoned", which appears each time she leaves the area, is a reminder of her loss.
5 Theia Was Also A Failed Astronaut
Theia is Selene's mother, a detail which is revealed in various glyphs and notes – just as Theia in Greek mythology was the goddess Selene's mother. The player can encounter a manifestation of Theia in a different ending.
Selene finds Theia sitting on a wheelchair. Like Selene, Theia was also obsessed with being an astronaut and may have also worked on the Astra Space Program. However, she too was rejected. This caused her to be harsh towards Selene, perhaps even abusive.
4 Hyperion Could Be Selene's Father
In Greek myths, the father of Selene is the titan Hyperion. In Returnal, this name appears in the game as a boss. The players can find him stuck to an organ, endlessly playing it even while fighting. In certain flashbacks, players can see Selene playing the piano, which she possibly learned from her father.
When first encountering Hyperion, Selene also asks the figure if he taught her the song he's playing, which could back up this story.
3 The Song Hyperion Plays Is The Same Song On The Radio
The song Hyperion plays is a variation of "Don't Fear the Reaper" by Blue Öyster Cult. Interestingly, this is also the same song that played on the radio before Selene's car crashed.
This is why Selene is so repulsed by the song, almost to the point of actual pain, and why she is so driven to "silence" this song. The song's lyrics talk about the inevitability of death, mirroring Helios' fate.
2 08:36
The time 08:36 is very eventful in Selene's life and she remains haunted by it. All of the clocks found in Selene's house in Atropos are all stuck at 08:36. This is the exact time of the car crash, the time Selene's son died.
Players can confirm this when they watch the ending play out. The clock can be seen right before the crash, when Selene adjusts the radio.
1 All Bosses Relate To Selene's Story
Every single boss in the game has some kind of correlation to either Selene's story, her emotions, or her lineage. Players already know that Hyperion is Selene's father, but the others have significant correlations as well.
The first boss, Phrike, is a spirit of horror, which translates to Selene's perception of the car crash. Ixion was a king associated with betrayal, which could mirror Selene's emotions after being rejected from the astronaut program. Nemesis is a Greek goddess that hands down punishment for evil deeds, which is how Selene might see her fate in Atropos. The final boss, Ophion, is a titan that was thrown to the seas, much like Helios and Selene during the car crash.