Starfield: Can you save Sam Coe?
As you progress through the main campaign story of Starfield — the one involving the finding of Artifacts — you’ll eventually come to a key plot point in which you must make a decision: Defend the Lodge or head to the Eye to attempt to save your allies.
If you’ve played this portion of the story, you probably experienced a great loss: the death of Sam Coe. Sam is a member of the Constellation and a former Freestar Rangers. He’s also the father of Cora Coe.
It’s a terrible loss, but is it one that can be prevented?
Can you save Sam Coe from dying?
If in your story Sam Coe dies, you may be wondering if there is any way to save him. The answer is yes, but it all comes down to one important decision you’ll have to make toward the end of the High Price to Pay main story story mission: “Defend the Lodge” or “Go to the Eye.”
When returning to the Lodge in New Atlantis, you’ll receive an update that the Eye has been attacked by a Starborn known as the Hunter. You’re given the option to either stay and defend the Lodge or head to the Eye to fight off the Hunter. Your decision will determine the fate of Sam.
If you stay and defend the Lodge, you’ll face off against the Hunter. The skirmish will result in you all making a run for it, heading through the basement and tunnels and to your ship. Once you reach your ship, you can take off and eventually you’ll come in contact by the Hunter in his ship, Scorpius. None of your dialogue choices really matter here.
When you head to the Eye, you’ll discover that Sam has, unfortunately be killed (or whichever other companion you have the highest relationship with at the time). If you stopped playing right after Sam’s death, I would urge you to continue. I won’t get into specific spoiler territory here, but let’s just say you uncover more pertaining to his death.
Go to the Eye to save Sam
If you are unhappy with Sam’s death, there is a way to save it! However, it comes at the result of another character’s life. If you choose to go to the Eye, you’ll find everybody alive, including Sam. However, when you return to the Lodge, you’ll see that Barrett is now dead. So it’s really a lose-lose situation no matter what you decide.
It’s also worth noting that if you take too long to decide if you should go to the Eye or Defend the Lodge, the decision will be made for you. If you wait too long, the Hunter will arrive and you’ll be forced to the defend the Lodge, resulting in Sam’s death.
Spoilers: What happens to Sam Coe after his death?
Okay, now here is where I will discuss spoilers pertaining to Sam’s death. First off, as a result of his death, you’l be able to return to the Lodge and have a memorial. You’ll also be able to access a chest containing all of Sam’s belongings.
As you continue progressing the story, you’ll eventually discover who the Hunter and the Emissary are. It is revealed that Sam Coe is the Hunter. He’s a version of the Hunter from another multiverse. In your universe, it is Sam who has died; however in other universes and timelines, it’s your character who dies while Sam is the one who continues searching for Artifacts. This is the reason why it is impossible to save Sam from dying in Starfield.
