Deltarune Chapter 5 Guide: The Secret Balloon Ending
Toby Fox finally decided to break the single ending tradition, and grabbing the secret Balloon Ending requires picking two very specific dialogue options right at the finish line.
Up until now, every single chapter of Deltarune funneled you into the exact same conclusion. Even in Chapter 3, taking down the Roaring Knight still dropped you into the identical ending cutscene. Chapter 5 completely flips the script by introducing multiple endings. The most elusive of the bunch is the Balloon Ending, and most people miss it entirely because it hinges on a seemingly throwaway conversation right as the chapter wraps up.
The Setup and Requirements
Before you waste hours tearing the Flower Shop apart looking for a hidden trigger, you need to know that this ending requires absolutely zero sequence breaking.
You do not need to hunt down secret items, spare specific enemies, or locate hidden bosses in the Dark World. You just play the game entirely normally. You start Festival Day with Kris, Susie, and Noelle, eventually stumble into the Flower Shop Dark World, and beat the final boss. The only thing that matters is what you do after Kris and Susie return to the Light World.
If you are currently trying to sequence break the game in much darker ways, you might want to read my Deltarune Chapter 5 Guide: Surviving the Weird Route instead.
Triggering the Alternate Ending
The divergence point happens near the very end of the chapter when Susie turns and asks if you want to accompany her back home.
You will get a few dialogue prompts here. Check the table below for the exact choices you need to make to derail the standard ending.
Once you lock in that second choice, Kris briefly walks off screen. When they come back, they are holding a bright orange balloon. Susie makes a quick comment about it, and the ending sequence carries on.
What Actually Changes
The normal ending gives you total freedom to roam around Hometown once the festival wraps up. You can revisit old spots, check out the school, and eventually head to the closet to return to Castle Town and roll the credits.
The Balloon Ending revokes all of that freedom. The moment Kris comes back with that orange balloon, you completely lose control of the character. The rest of the Hometown sequence plays out entirely as an unplayable cutscene.
If you look closely at the balloon Kris is hauling around, you will notice a familiar shape trapped inside. It is your SOUL. Kris's vessel has completely taken over their own body, and you are literally just a passenger floating along on a string watching them walk around. I have no idea how Toby Fox plans to resolve this terrifying little hostage situation, but it essentially guarantees that the final two chapters are going to be a wild ride.
