Farewell Madeline

The climber who returns not to conquer the mountain, but to say goodbye with her whole self.

In this chapter, Madeline returns to Celeste Mountain with her anxiety personified as "Badeline" fully reconciled. Unlike previous chapters where Badeline acted as an antagonist attempting to stop Madeline's ascent, here the two climb together after apologizing and vowing to ascend in unison. This ninth chapter introduces unique mechanics such as grabbable jellyfish that function as parachutes and exploding pufferfish for launching. Madeline possesses the ability to double dash permanently throughout the entire Farewell chapter by default.

Quick Facts

Character

Madeline

Chapter

Farewell (Chapter 9)

Affiliation

Self
Badeline
Granny

Lore & Background

Farewell takes place after the events of the base game where Madeline and Badeline reconciled at the summit. In this expansion, they explore the mountain's core alongside Granny, an elderly woman Madeline met at the mountain's base who warned her against climbing initially. The narrative focuses on developing a connection between Madeline and Granny before Granny dies in reality. Following this loss, Madeline visits Granny's grave where she sees a mysterious bird she believes to be a reincarnation of Granny. Driven by grief, she decides to pursue this bird through space within a dream/memory sequence as she processes her sorrow. Throughout the entire sequence, Badeline remains by Madeline's side; they do not separate due to conflict over the bird but instead climb cooperatively as a unified self. Eventually, they realize together that the chase is occurring within a dream and choose to free the bird rather than continue the pursuit.

Reader's Guide

Farewell introduces Chapter 9 as a distinct section with no B-side or C-side levels and no ordinary strawberries. Gameplay changes include the addition of grabbable jellyfish functioning as parachutes and exploding pufferfish capable of launching Madeline upward. Collecting "double-dash" gems grants Madeline two dashes instead of one, altering the momentum-based platforming established in earlier chapters. While the base game features eight chapters with branching paths leading to hidden collectibles like crystal hearts and cassette tapes that unlock B-sides, Farewell offers a linear experience focused on narrative closure. The expansion retains the core mechanics of running, jumping, wall climbing, and dashing but integrates new environmental interactions to facilitate the story's emotional resolution.

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