In Deltarune: Chapter 5, the developers once again give players a choice—and not just a gentle playthrough. The alternate “Strange Route,” which began in Chapter 2, receives a logical continuation here. And if you’ve transferred a save file with this route, you’ll experience more than just new dialogue—a unique ending that’s easy to miss if you don’t know the sequence. Below, we’ll discuss how to initiate this option, whether it can be interrupted, and what the ending holds.
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How to initiate the Strange Route in Deltarune Chapter 5?
If you have a save file with the Strange Route, Chapter 5 begins differently than usual. Instead of waking up as usual, you find Chris already lying on his bed—he’s trying to sleep during the Festival, and Toriel is standing outside the door, insistently telling him to get up. However, Chris refuses to move. To get him up, you’ll have to press the movement buttons repeatedly—the game seems to be testing your resolve. As soon as control returns, leave the room and head to the living room with the TV.
Note that Chris moves noticeably slower in this section, as if reluctantly. But sooner or later, you’ll reach the exit of the house. Susie is already waiting outside; she’ll inform you that Nuel is waiting on the beach. However, before visiting her, it’s a good idea to stop by Sans’s shop and buy some ice cream. It seems you won’t be able to progress without it—a small thing, but it’s essential.
Stock up on sweets and head to the beach east of Flower Shop Street. There, Nuel will share how her feelings have changed recently—a direct reference to your actions in previous chapters. After a lengthy conversation, she’ll invite you into the water, and here the game will offer a key decision: “Stop” or “Continue.” This choice determines whether you stay on the dark path or return to the normal scenario. Many gamers habitually refer to this grim timeline as the Snowgrave route. This isn’t entirely accurate—the game’s codebase and save files label this global branch as Weird Route or Side B.
The chilling Snowgrave itself remains only a local episode from Chapter 2, while the ominous chain of choices extends much further. What happens if you try to restart Chapter 5 from scratch? Absolutely nothing. The scripts will simply ignore your expectations and load the standard playthrough, completely cutting out the alternate intro. Aborted the hidden quest with Nuel in Chapter 4? The outcome is the same—the system will consider the chain destroyed before the fifth episode even starts, depriving you of the secret scene at the festival.
Weird Route Save Transfer Requirements
To unlock the alternate beginning, you’ll need a full playthrough with strict adherence to key triggers. Here are the mandatory markers, without which the secret plot will fall apart:
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Complete completion of Snowgrave Route in Chapter 2. This is your foundation. It is at this point that the game generates the global flag for the alternate route.
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Purchase and mandatory use of the ThornRing. Without this artifact applied to Nuel, it is physically impossible to complete the dark branch of Episode 2 to its finale.
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A crucial choice in Chapter 4. During a private scene, you must force Nuel to accept the ThornRing again—yes, this is critical—to confirm past decisions and carry forward your progress.
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Import a valid save. When launching Chapter 5, use only the save slot where you’ve completed all previous stages. A new game resets hidden counters.
How do I interrupt Weird Route and return to the story?
If for some reason you change your mind about taking the Strange Route, there’s a way out. While entering the water, repeatedly select “Stop.” The game won’t let you go right away—it will require several confirmations, but eventually the scene will switch to Chris lying on the table, and Nuel and Susie will begin their normal dialogue, as in the standard playthrough. The message “Nuel remains Nuel” will flash on the screen several times—a sort of return stamp.
From this point on, the rest of Chapter 5 proceeds as usual: you explore the Dark World of the Flower Shop and experience all the events available on the standard route. No restrictions, no consequences—just a peaceful option for those who don’t want to delve into the shadows.
Strange Route Secret Ending and Finale
Those determined to experience the unusual ending will need to act decisively. After inviting Nuel into the water, select “Continue”—and repeatedly. This option will pop up after almost every line, and speed is key. Hesitate for a few seconds, especially in the later stages, and the game will revert to the standard path. The best tactic is to simply press the confirm button as soon as “Continue” appears, without giving yourself time to think.
After making enough choices, the screen will fade to black, and a cryptic message will appear: “Insert Chapter 7 Side B.
” The game will then send you to the main menu. This is the current end of the Strange Route. No exploration of the Dark World of the Flower Shop, no standard Chapter 5 events—instead, we’re left on a major cliffhanger that will likely only be resolved in future updates or sequels. Well, we’ll have to wait and see—Toby Fox clearly has some surprises in store.
