The narrative of Starfield takes the player on an epic journey across the Settled Systems where the mysteries of the universe are explored. As a member of Constellation, you must retrieve Artifacts of the Armillary, but they’re not the only ones who are interested in them. The mystifying Starborn is after the Artifacts, particularly the Emissary or Hunter individuals who play major roles in the game’s main questline. It’s here where a few twists can come into action, though players are tasked with choosing to side with the Emissary, the Hunter, or with neither.
What seems to be the more practical solution here? Throughout the course of the Constellation storyline, we’ve witnessed both Starborn engage with us in different ways. The Emissary is more sensible and fair-minded while the Hunter is rather vicious and detached from human understanding. Choosing one over the other will produce unique results for the player, but at what cost? More so, what happens if we don’t side with the Starborn? Let’s see what the results could be when we look over these options for this decision in Starfield.
The Emissary or the Hunter: Who Should You Pick?
Caution: This guide contains spoilers regarding Starfield and its main storyline.
At the end of the Unearthed mission in Starfield, players will need to choose between siding with the Emissary or with the Hunter. Alternatively, they can go with neither Starborn, which is the best route to embark on when it comes to exchanging dialogue with the characters in question. Refusing to side with either the Emissary or the Hunter will result in both characters attacking you during the Revelation quest.
In truth, we went with the third option to avoid allegiance with either Starborn character. While the Emissary has better intentions than the Hunter, he still has his restrictions when it comes to the Unity and Starborn. The Hunter, on the other hand, probably shouldn’t be trusted. After all, they did murder one of our companions during an assault on Constellation (this story beat varies depending on who you’re close with in Starfield in terms of companions).
With this in mind, we see this as the player’s best route to achieving the game’s true ending. This ensures the freedom of humanity’s hold from the Starborn in this universe, who are glorified gatekeepers of the Unity. The Emissary (i.e. our deceased companion who was gunned down during the High Price to Pay quest, but from another universe) seeks to look after the Unity while also acting as a judge for whomever is deemed worthy to embrace the Unity. The Hunter (i.e. Keeper Aquilus, but from another universe) is brutal, believing that humans are futile beings and prefers violent acts over diplomatic methods.
What Happens If You Pick One Starborn Over the Other?
Selecting either Starborn will result in the opposing Starborn individual fighting against you during the aforementioned Revelation quest. Hostile Starborn and Ecliptic forces will be coming after you, along with the aid of whoever you sided with at the end of the Unearthed mission.
Siding with the Emissary will potentially reward the player with the Hunter’s weapon, Unmitigated Violence. If you choose to side with the Hunter, you’ll possibly receive the Emissary’s weapon, Eternity’s Gate. Both names of these weapons represent the beliefs of these characters, too, if you need a quick mental reference.
Expert Tip
It’s quite clear that different dialogue routes and action sequences will come into play depending on what Starborn you choose to side with (or lack thereof). Keep in mind that the game is equipped with a quicksave feature that you can use at nearly any point in the game. Before making the final decision in Unearthed, utilize the feature to see how both characters react to your decisions.
Of course, deciding to go with neither Starborn will lead to both individuals attacking you during Revelation. You’ll need to be at the top of your game here since the combined forces of the Starborn and Ecliptic can be an agonizing threat to fight. Depending on your actions toward the end of the quest, you’ll have a chance of acquiring the Starborn’s special weapons: Eternity’s Gate and Unmitigated Violence.
From there, your journey in Starfield nearly comes to an end. We’ll avoid any further spoilers here, but the time that you spent in Revelation will be essential to the game’s overall conclusion. Be sure to see what else is ahead in your playthrough across the Settled Systems as Starfield breaks open its New Game Plus feature for all to explore.
