Undertale and the Concept of Mercy After Ten Years

We’re all older. Undertale isn’t.

Ten years. A fraction of a lifetime. Three regimes. Lots of nonsense, hope, and demoralizing news. Plenty of gray hairs, work experience, and a few books under my belt. About half the authors who inspired me as a kid broke their pedestals, so I’ve been working through rebuilding the inner writer’s identity and handling all the weird emotions.

On September 15, 2015, Undertale was released. Billed as “the friendly RPG where no one has to die,” it shows a child in an underground realm of monsters within a mountain. To escape this realm, you have to find your way to the barrier that keeps all the monsters inside. You can choose to fight the monsters that confront you, or you can spare them. Such decisions affect the route’s storylines and endings.

Mercy

Mercy in Undertale is sparing a monster, even when they refuse to end the battle. You have to hit the SPARE button on your battle menu during a fight. The monster will only stop if their name on the menu turns yellow, and you can end the battle by clicking on their name and SPARE. Not every battle is straightforward in the game, so it’s a case where knowing some spoilers will allow for a smoother Pacifist playthrough.