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By the time the player gets to the end of Return to Monkey Island, they’ve gone on quite the adventure. Although the plot revolves around Guybrush Threepwood looking for The Secret of Monkey Island, by the time you reach the end, you’ll find that getting the secret isn’t quite as straightforward as was initially thought.
There are actually ten different endings to the game, but that fact alone might be a little misleading. It’s probably more accurate to say that there are two endings but that each has different outcomes depending on what you do in the final area and what you tell your son at the end. Either way, if you’ve beaten the game and are curious how each ending turns out or are just curious about where Guybrush and the gang end up, take a look below.
Obviously, spoiler warning.
More Return to Monkey Island guides:
| Casual Mode or Hard Mode? | Prelude – Hard Mode Walkthrough | Part 1 – Hard Mode Walkthrough | Part 2 – Hard Mode Walkthrough | Part 3 – Hard Mode Walkthrough | Part 4 – Hard Mode Walkthrough | Part 5 – Hard Mode Walkthrough |
Leaving with Elaine
Once you solve the final code wheel puzzle under the Giant Monkey Head, you’ll go through the door and find yourself in a theme park-esque version of High Street on Melee Island. There are two options: check out the theme park and leave with Elaine or walk back through the door you came through (more on that down below.)
What you do in the theme park and how you answer your son’s question after leaving with Elaine will alter the final post-credits scene that you see. Be warned: the scenes are only a few seconds long and don’t provide a whole lot of additional details regarding the out-of-left-field-ending that Return to Monkey Island puts on, but they do provide a nice answer of sorts when it comes to the question “what was The Secret of Monkey Island?”
Gems, Rubies, and Gold Ending
When you get to the recreation of Melee Island, leave the alleyway and get the keys from Stan. Head over to the mechanical LeChuck on the left side of the area in the locksmith’s hut and take the key from the mechanical version of Locke’s hand. Use the key on the treasure chest to the right of the two animatronics and open it to find that The Secret of Monkey Island is…a t-shirt.
With the shirt in hand, use the key ring that Stan gave you on all of the light switches to turn them off and return to Elaine on the right side of the area. Leave with her and you’ll return to the scene of Guybrush telling the story of the adventure to his son.
When he asks what the real treasure was, say “the chest was filled with gems, rubies, and gold.” After you do, Elaine will walk over and then the scene will cut to credits. After the credits, you’ll see a brief scene of Guybrush’s son swimming through a mountain of gold coins.
The Friends We Made Along the Way Ending
Follow the steps for the “Gems, Rubies, and Gold Ending but when Guybrush’s son asks what the real treasure was, say “the secret was really the friends we made along the way.” After you do, Elaine will walk over and then the scene will cut to credits. After the credits, you’ll see a brief scene of Guybrush on a small boat with a handful of the characters from the game smiling and laughing.
It’s Better Not to Know Ending
Follow the steps for the “Gems, Rubies, and Gold Ending but when Guybrush’s son asks what the real treasure was, say “your mom was right, it’s better not to know.” After you do, Elaine will walk over and then the scene will cut to credits. After the credits, you’ll see a brief scene of a treasure chest being buried.
That’s What Really Happened Ending
Follow the steps for the “Gems, Rubies, and Gold Ending but when Guybrush’s son asks what the real treasure was, say “I wasn’t making anything up, that was what really happened.” After you do, Elaine will walk over and then the scene will cut to credits. After the credits, you’ll see a brief scene of a desk with a hand pushing three theme park tickets across it.
There Isn’t Any One Answer Ending
Follow the steps for the “Gems, Rubies, and Gold Ending but when Guybrush’s son asks what the real treasure was, say “there isn’t any one answer to what The Secret is.” After you do, Elaine will walk over and then the scene will cut to credits. After the credits, you’ll see a brief scene of a banana balancing on a pointed rock. Before the banana can fall over, the screen cuts to black.
No Key Ending
When you get to the recreation of Melee Island, leave the alleyway and get the keys from Stan. Use the key ring that Stan gave you on all of the light switches to turn them off and return to Elaine on the right side of the area. Leave with her and you’ll return to the scene of Guybrush telling the story of the adventure to his son.
When he asks what the real treasure was, choose whatever option you want. After you do, Elaine will walk over and then the scene will cut to credits. After the credits, you’ll see a brief scene of Chuckie chasing Dee as she holds the unclaimed key to the treasure chest out of reach.
It Should Stay Locked Ending
When you get to the recreation of Melee Island, leave the alleyway and get the keys from Stan. Head over to the mechanical LeChuck on the left side of the area in the locksmith’s hut and take the key from the mechanical version of Locke’s hand. Instead of opening the chest, however, leave it locked and use the key ring that Stan gave you on all of the light switches to turn them off and return to Elaine on the right side of the area. Leave with her and you’ll return to the scene of Guybrush telling the story of the adventure to his son.
When he asks what the real treasure was, say “the chest was filled with gems, rubies, and gold.” After you do, Elaine will walk over and then the scene will cut to credits. After the credits, you’ll see a brief scene of Guybrush in the background after having thrown the key into the lava pits below Monkey Island.
Backtracking to Monkey Island
The other choice is, instead of leaving with Elaine, backtrack through the caverns and leave the ending behind. There are a few different endings to get depending on what you did while in the High Street recreation, but they all require you to return to the caves through the back alley door.
Sailing Ending
Exit the alleyway and Stan will give you a set of keys to “lock up” with. Return to the alleyway and unlock the door you just came from without having grabbed the key from Locke on the left side of the area. Walk through the tunnels beneath the Giant Monkey Head and you’ll see a brief scene of Guybrush and Elaine sailing away on a new pirate ship.
Sword Fight Ending
Exit the alleyway and take the key out of Locke’s hand on the left side of the High Street recreation. Return to the door and leave through it by using the keys that Stan gave you. Continue back through the tunnels beneath the Giant Monkey Head and you’ll see a brief scene of LeChuck sword fighting the new pirate leader.
Voodoo Ending
Exit the alleyway and take the key out of Locke’s hand on the left side of the High Street recreation and then use the key on the chest to get the secret. Return to the door and leave through it by using the keys that Stan gave you. Continue back through the tunnels beneath the Giant Monkey Head and you’ll see a brief scene of the Voodoo woman saying that she shouldn’t have taken a long lunch.
