When Return To Monkey Island came out in 2022, its ending caused quite a bit of controversy, to say the least.
But the thing about the endings is that the game is purposely ambiguous as to which one is 'true'. That the game is framed as a story Guybrush is telling his son is the perfect way to deliver these endings. And Guybrush is notorious for tweaking his stories. Elaine even claims that he gives his 'Return' story a stranger ending each time. When his son complains, Players can choose one of a selection of possible responds. Each answer Guybrush gives Boybrush encapsulates a different viewpoint players could have.
"The chest was filled with gems, rubies, and gold!" This is the answer most fans WANT to hear. We WANT to believe that there is some grand payoff for our time and effort. And it's true that the Post-Revenge games have had larger climaxes. Games nowadays aren't just fun- they're stories that we immerse ourselves in, and it's wouldn't be untrue to say that we want there to be a grand finale for what we've gone through.
'The secret was really the friends we made along the way' is a grown-up answer, because the players of the series, especially if they started when Secret first came out, are now grown up. We've fallen in love with the characters we've met, and adore watching Guybrush interact with them. This is strengthened by how the villains treat each other- LeChuck treats his crew like trash, and the New Pirate Leaders destroy themselves through in-fighting.
'Your mom was right, it's better not to know' reminds me of Bill Waterson's reasons for not explaining 'The Noodle Incident' of Calvin & Hobbes, as nothing he could invent could ever match what readers have dreamed up for themselves. It's the same for the secret as well, hence the anticlimax of the reveal.
'That's Really What Happened' is for people who take the twist at face value. That everything we experienced was the delusion of a floor inspector visiting a theme-park. It's understandable that people would take umbrage with this interpretation, as 'it was never real' does take away from of the drama and tension that built within the story.
'There isn't any one answer to what the Secret is' perhaps might be the best way to explain all the various endings. Just as different people have various viewpoints, there are different ways to end the game. You don't HAVE to go get the secret. You don't need to go get the key to the chest. Heck, you don't even have to end the game you are expected to, and can just backtrack where you came from (If you do, the credits roll without returning to Boybrush). Furthermore, whatever action you take in the final section changes what stinger you get in the credits.
So what do you, Monkey Island fans, think is true? Was Guybrush just a playing a game, as we all are? Was he playing the mother of all dad-jokes on his son? Are LeChuck and Lila still fighting each other for eternity underneath Monkey Island, while the rest of the cast moves on with their lives?
