Holy smokes, it’s 2026 and yet here we are, still dissecting Bethesda’s Shattered Space like a group of Unidentified Frozen Organics at a high-society cocktail party on New Atlantis. Back in October 2024, the first proper story DLC for Starfield dropped, promising to plunge players into the mysterious homeworld of House Va’ruun, Va’ruun’kai — a planet brimming with fanatical snake-worshippers, political backstabbing, and more visual purple than a Todd Howard fever dream. If you’ve just dusted off your copy from the backlog, or you’re a space cowboy who never quite figured out if restarting the Serpent Crusade means you lose your fancy new apartment, fear not. Let’s spelunk into the deliciously chaotic endings of \u003ci\u003eShattered Space\u003c/i\u003e with the kind of wit only a seasoned Constellation captain can muster.
The elevator pitch is simple enough: an explosion rips through Dazra, the capital city, and the Speaker of House Va’ruun, Anakskko Va’ruun, goes radio silent. Players arrive to play cosmic detective, rubbing elbows with three squabbling houses — Veth’aal, Ka’dic, and Du’khelf — while unravelling a mystery involving phantom soldiers, a reality-bending Citadel, and the kind of existential galaxy-wide dilemma that would make even the Emissary spill their coffee.
😈 The Great Consequence Circus: What Actually Matters?
Let’s not beat around the nebula: \u003ci\u003eShattered Space\u003c/i\u003e presents itself as a narrative pressure cooker where every choice echoes across the Settled Systems. In classic Bethesda fashion, the bark is often louder than the bite, but there are some legitimately spicy outcomes that will lock you out of content faster than a Crimson Fleet pirate at a UC gala.
Here’s the tl;dr before we deep-dive:
| Decision | Outcome | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Insult all three houses (say none are fit to rule) | Get booted from Va’ruun’kai permanently | No home, no more planet access — oof. |
| Let Anasko’s phantom soldiers activate the Citadel’s Gate | Instant game over — everyone on Va’ruun’kai goes poof | Reload that save, sport. |
| Start the Serpent Crusade | Keep your house on Va’ruun’kai, but become space Hitler’s favorite toddler | Technically a “bad” ending, but no immediate gameplay penalty. |
| Refuse the Crusade | The “good” ending — still get your house, universe stays chillax | The closest thing to a happy ending. |
🐍 House of Cards (and Snakes)
The crux of the DLC’s political intrigue is the succession crisis: who gets to lead House Va’ruun after the Speaker’s fall? The three houses are basically the Galactic Senate’s edgy cousins. Backing any single house is fine — you’ll still be able to prance around Va’ruun’kai post-credits and claim a swanky permanent residence there. But here’s where Bethesda’s writers decided to channel their inner dungeon master: if you have the audacity to tell all three houses they’re unfit to rule, you get a one-way ticket out of the city. Literally. The houses gang up and give you the boot, cutting you off from returning to the planet and any future DLC content in that region. So unless you’re roleplaying as a nihilistic misanthrope who also hates having a beachfront temple on an exotic planet, maybe don’t do that.
Ain’t that a kick in the head? You can be the savior of the entire star system, but hurt the pride of a few snake-whispering nobles and suddenly you’re persona non grata. Welcome to Va’ruun politics — it’s like Thanksgiving dinner with fanatics.
💥 The Explosive Art of Getting Deleted
There’s also the “oops, you allowed a genocidal phantom army to wipe out a whole planet” ending — and yes, it’s as final as it sounds. If you stand aside while Anasko and his ethereal goons finish activating the Scaled Citadel’s Gate, every living soul on Va’ruun’kai is reduced to stardust in a cutscene that’s less “masterful tragedy” and more “reload last checkpoint” simulator. It’s the game’s way of saying, “You done messed up, son.” You get a game over screen so abrupt it makes the Unity’s farewell party look like a gentle lullaby.
This is where \u003ci\u003eShattered Space\u003c/i\u003e earns a few gritted-teeth kudos. Unlike the base game’s New Game Plus loop that resets consequences with a metaphysical shrug, here you can truly, irrevocably screw the pooch. It’s a stark reminder that even in an expansive open-world RPG, some doors aren’t just closed — they’re atomized.
🏡 The Housing Market on Va’ruun’kai (Spoiler: You’ll Probably Get One)
Now for the part that truly matters to any self-respecting space hoarder: the permanent home. Regardless of whether you choose to unleash the Serpent Crusade or opt for peace, you’ll get a cozy little place on Va’ruun’kai. That’s right — even if you decide to plunge the galaxy into a holy war against heretics, the three houses are apparently chill enough to let you keep your pied-à-terre. Think of it as the universe’s most twisted landlord situation.
The only way to lose that sweet, sweet alien real estate is the aforementioned “all houses suck” dialogue choice. So if you’re a completionist who wants access to all areas, be polite, pick a side, and maybe reconsider your intergalactic crusading ambitions if you care about the moral high ground.
✨ The Actual “Good” Ending
The communal consensus — and the less genocidal path — is choosing \u003cb\u003enot\u003c/b\u003e to restart the Serpent Crusade. This prevents a universe-wide war against so-called heretics and keeps the already-tense Settled Systems from turning into an interstellar barbecue. You save face, save lives, and still get to decorate your new Va’ruun apartment with succulents and stolen artifacts. The DLC itself acknowledges this as the better outcome, and it’s the one most aligned with the explorative, optimistic spirit of Starfield (you know, before mods turned it into a neon-soaked, Thomas the Tank Engine-filled fever dream).
Here’s the kicker, though: once the credits roll and you’re back in the open world, these supposedly universe-altering decisions don’t amount to much in terms of gameplay. Sure, some NPCs might whisper about your choices, and you can revisit Va’ruun’kai if you stayed in the houses’ good graces, but don’t expect the UC Vanguard to launch an emergency anti-Crusade fleet or for Constellation to hold an intervention. The galaxy is stubbornly static. It’s the classic Bethesda illusion of consequence — dressed up with shiny particle effects and a few locked doors.
🔑 Parting Tips from a Grizzled Stardust Jockey
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Save before the big council meeting. The “none of you are fit” option is a sneaky trap that locks you out with no warning — treat it like dialogue landmine.
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If you want the house, just pick House Ka’dic. They’re pragmatic, slightly less insufferable, and you won’t feel too dirty about it.
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Avoid activating the Gate. Even if you’re roleplaying a chaotic-evil pirate, the game over screen is a buzzkill with zero loot.
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The DLC is short — like, “blink and you’ll miss the Great Serpent” short. Savor the main quest and the new areas because once it’s done, the galaxy goes back to being a vast but thinly interactive sandbox.
At the end of the day, Shattered Space serves up a deliciously gloomy slice of Va’ruun lore with enough high-stakes decision-making to make you sweat. Its ending may lack the transformative punch of a New Game Plus paradigm shift, but it does deliver a rare commodity in Starfield: a genuine sense of finality for at least one corner of the universe. So go on, pick a side, don’t be a tosser to all three houses, and enjoy your temple-side abode — just don’t expect your neighbors to throw welcome parties if you accidentally kickstart the apocalypse. They’re a bit touchy about that.
Game on, you beautiful starborn sinners.