Phantom Liberty — Songbird or Reed?
Near the end of Phantom Liberty, you choose between trusting Songbird (deliver her to the Moon) or trusting Reed (hand her over to the FIA). Each path has dramatically different outcomes for V and the base game.
The Songbird path ("deliver to the Moon")
- More combat, harder fight at the end.
- Songbird leaves Earth alive.
- V does not get the cure — the relic stays.
- Locks you out of the Phantom Liberty exclusive base-game ending option.
The Reed path ("trust Reed and the FIA")
- More stealth, fewer fights, more dialogue.
- Songbird is taken by the FIA — implied bad outcome.
- V gets the option for the relic-removal cure through the FIA's backchannel.
- This unlocks the "Tower" ending (the secret PL-only ending that lets you survive without Johnny).
Which is "canon" / better?
Neither — it's framed as a real moral choice. Most players say the Reed path is more devastating narratively, the Songbird path is more action-focused.
Saving your run
Make a manual save before the rooftop scene. The point of no return is when Reed hands you the gun. After that, the choice is locked.
If stuck: if you can't decide, take the Reed path on your first run for the unique base-game ending, then NG+ for Songbird.