This is considered the . After completing the previous routes, the player's support Pods (153 and 042) refuse to delete the characters' data, despite orders. They engage in a "meta" battle against the game's credits to salvage the androids' consciousness. This ending offers a glimmer of hope that, despite their tragic programming, the characters might find a new path in a world without masters.

You replay the events of Route A from the perspective of . Because he is a scanner unit, he can hack into enemies, uncovering their "memories" and showing that machines have been trying to mimic human societal structures—like families and kingdoms—for centuries. 9S eventually discovers a dark secret: humanity is actually extinct , and the "Council of Humanity" on the Moon is a lie created to give androids a reason to keep fighting. Route C & D: The Fall of YoRHa

, driven mad by grief and the truth about humanity, seeks to destroy every machine and A2.

The narrative is designed to be played multiple times, as each "playthrough" reveals critical new perspectives and plot points. Route A: The Soldier's Duty