How to Spare Undyne: A Detailed Guide for Undertale’s Pacifist & Neutral Routes

Undyne, the fierce captain of the Royal Guard, stands as a formidable obstacle in your journey through the Underground in Undertale. Known for her relentless determination and powerful attacks, she can seem like an insurmountable foe. However, if you’re aiming for a Pacifist or even a specific Neutral ending, you’ll need to learn how to spare her. This guide provides a comprehensive, step-by-step approach to navigating your encounters with Undyne and successfully achieving this outcome.

Understanding Undyne’s Encounters

Before we delve into the specific steps, it’s crucial to understand that Undyne is encountered multiple times throughout the game. The most critical encounter, the one where you must learn to spare her, happens after you leave Waterfall and are headed toward Hotland. This is the encounter we’ll focus on primarily, but we’ll also touch on the earlier and later encounters and how they impact the ability to spare her.

There are three major Undyne encounters:

1. The First Encounter in Waterfall (Initial Fight): This is where you first meet Undyne. She attacks you with spears, and you’ll be forced to flee. This encounter sets the stage for the core sparing mechanic.
2. The Hotland Bridge Encounter (The Chase): This encounter is the focus of this guide. It’s the most important in terms of sparing Undyne.
3. The True Lab Encounter (Optional): This is a later encounter tied to the Pacifist route. It’s not about sparing her again, but more about her character development and the Pacifist ending itself.

The Crucial Encounter: The Hotland Bridge Chase

This is where the magic of sparing Undyne happens. This encounter occurs after you exit the Waterfall area and are trying to proceed towards Hotland. Undyne will pursue you across a bridge, and the core mechanics of sparing her will be at play here.

Step 1: Running Away – The Initial Phase

The key to sparing Undyne is to not fight back. Instead, you must flee from her at every opportunity. Here’s how it unfolds:

• Initiation: As you try to cross the bridge, Undyne will appear and initiate a battle.
• Fleeing: The first action you should take is to choose the “Flee” option within the ACT menu. This option will be available for this specific battle, and choosing “Fight” will hinder your progress toward sparing her.
• Undyne’s Attacks: Undyne will launch spears at you. These spears will come from different angles and move at varying speeds, forcing you to adapt to the pattern.
• Successive Flee Attempts: After every successful flee from the battle, you’ll progress a little further across the bridge. However, Undyne will immediately resume the battle.
• Rinse and Repeat: You will have to repeat the process of fleeing multiple times. Be patient, as there are several instances you’ll have to do this. The fight will restart, but you’ll need to keep using the “Flee” option.
• Bridge Progress: The key is that fleeing is how you make progress. You’re not going to beat Undyne by fighting her; you have to wear her down through exhaustion.

Step 2: Reaching the Edge

You’ll know you are close to the next stage when Undyne’s attacks become more relentless and the background turns a more vibrant red. This signals that you are closer to the bridge’s edge.

Step 3: The Final Act of Fleeing – The Turning Point

After numerous fleeing attempts, you’ll find yourself on the edge of a cliff, with Undyne still pursuing. This is the crucial moment where you turn the tide. She is right on your tail, and another fight seems like it will begin again.

• The Exhausted Speech: Undyne will begin giving a speech, highlighting her determination.
• The Choice to Act: She will present a battle option. This time, DO NOT choose “Flee”. Instead, continue to select “Fight”, but do not execute an attack. This may sound counterintuitive, but it’s the required response.
• The Transformation: After a few moments of hesitation, Undyne will collapse. She will then experience an intense transformation due to the heat of the Hotland environment, which is triggered by her determination. This is a pivotal scene.

Step 4: The Aftermath of Transformation – Understanding Undyne’s Vulnerability

After Undyne transforms, she becomes much more vulnerable, but the game won’t immediately highlight this. She is now in a weakened and distraught state. The situation has shifted drastically.

• Undyne’s State: Her physical and mental state are precarious. She struggles and is clearly unable to fight effectively.
• The New Battle: The game will restart the battle. Do not fight this time. Instead you will have one option “Flee” and you should select it.
• Final Flee Sequence: Successfully fleeing this time will allow you to escape.
• Undyne’s Collapse: After this successful flee, you’ll see Undyne dramatically collapse.

Step 5: The Intervention and Kindness

After fleeing, you’ll encounter Undyne in a weakened state. You might think the fight is over, but this next step is the crucial part of actually sparing her, which is not to leave her behind in her vulnerable state. Here are the steps.

• The Return: You must go back to where Undyne collapsed. You will find her laying on the ground, very badly wounded.
• Provide Aid: Interact with Undyne. The option to give her water will be presented. Choose to give her some water from a nearby water cooler.
• Undyne’s Recovery: After giving her water, Undyne will recover slightly. She will not be your enemy anymore at this point, but she will require further care.

Crucial Considerations

Successfully sparing Undyne is not just about the steps mentioned above. There are several crucial elements to keep in mind:

1. No Fighting Undyne Previously

It’s very important not to fight and injure Undyne at any point before this encounter. If you have killed her in a previous playthrough, or killed any enemies in the game, this might affect your ability to complete a true pacifist or even neutral ending.

2. HP Management

During the fleeing phase, you’ll likely take some damage. Make sure you have enough healing items to withstand Undyne’s attacks. The more health you have, the less pressure you will feel trying to manage the fight. You may want to buy some extra items from shops before initiating the chase.

3. Patience and Timing

The fleeing process can be frustrating as you will need to repeat it multiple times. Patience and understanding the attack patterns is crucial for success. Undyne’s attack patterns become quite regular with practice and repetition.

4. Understanding the Game’s Mechanics

The core of sparing Undyne involves understanding that the game encourages you to explore non-violent solutions. The “Flee” option is your weapon here. The game also hints at the fact that Undyne is someone who will only give up when she is truly exhausted. This is why you must keep attempting to flee in the first half of the fight.

5. Emotional Impact

The shift in Undyne’s character from an aggressive enemy to a vulnerable figure is designed to elicit an emotional response from the player. Remember, sparing her is a compassionate choice, and the narrative rewards it.

What Happens After You Spare Undyne

Sparing Undyne is crucial for achieving a Pacifist ending. Here are the immediate and long-term consequences:

• Improved Relations with the Characters: Sparing Undyne significantly impacts your relationship with other characters, especially Papyrus and Alphys. It sets the stage for further interactions and storylines related to the Pacifist route.
• Access to Additional Quests: Sparing Undyne allows you to access certain post-Undyne events, primarily focused on Alphys and unlocking more of the game’s lore.
• True Lab Access: Specifically, this will allow you to eventually access the True Lab in the hotland region.
• Progressing Towards the Pacifist Ending: Sparing Undyne is a necessary prerequisite for achieving the True Pacifist Ending. Choosing to fight or otherwise harm Undyne can severely hinder your efforts towards this desired ending.
• Further Character Development: Sparing Undyne helps showcase her depth as a character and leads her to grow and understand the importance of friendship and compassion.

The Difference Between Sparing in Neutral and Pacifist Routes

It is important to understand that sparing Undyne is beneficial on both Pacifist and Neutral routes. However, the context and ultimate ending do differ.

Neutral Route

• Outcome: You can still spare Undyne on the Neutral route. This will allow you to proceed through the game, though the ending will not be as complete or fulfilling as the Pacifist route.
• Impact: Sparing Undyne will still have a positive impact on other character interactions. However, without additional steps on the Pacifist route, it won’t trigger the full extent of her character development.
• Ending Differences: The Neutral route will still lead to a different ending, one that does not feature the complete “happy” resolution of the Pacifist Route.

Pacifist Route

• Requirement: Sparing Undyne is a crucial part of the Pacifist run. It is not optional if you wish to achieve the best ending.
• Character Growth: This choice is essential for unlocking Undyne’s true character development and fostering stronger bonds between characters.
• True Ending: Only by sparing Undyne, along with other critical pacifist choices, can you achieve the complete and satisfying True Pacifist ending.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If you’re struggling to spare Undyne, consider the following:

• Double-Check Your Actions: Ensure you haven’t accidentally attacked Undyne at any point during your current playthrough.
• Health Management: Make sure you are stocked up on healing items and have enough HP during your escape attempts.
• Timing Issues: Undyne’s attacks have consistent patterns. Pay attention to their rhythm and try to adjust accordingly.
• Patience and Repetition: This is not an easy fight to get through. Do not be discouraged. Keep attempting and you will succeed.
• Check Your Route: Are you on a Neutral or Pacifist route? If you want a Pacifist ending you must not have killed any monster in your playthrough.
• Reload: Do not be afraid to reload a previous save. Sometimes it is easier to go back to the beginning to ensure you do not make mistakes.

Final Thoughts

Sparing Undyne in Undertale isn’t just a gameplay mechanic; it’s a core part of the game’s narrative about compassion, forgiveness, and breaking cycles of violence. By following these detailed steps, you’ll be on your way to not only completing your Pacifist run but also experiencing one of the most emotionally rewarding aspects of the game. Remember, patience and kindness are key to success in the Underground. Good luck on your journey!