Farewell Chapter

The downloadable content where Madeline finally makes peace with Badeline and reaches the summit together.

Chapter 9: Farewell serves as the downloadable content expansion pack for Celeste, concluding Madeline's ascent of Mount Celeste. Released after the main game, this chapter focuses on Madeline dealing with her personal struggles, specifically her anxiety and depression represented by Badeline. It marks a pivotal moment in the narrative where Madeline learns to function with her internal conflict rather than fighting it. The story is deeply rooted in creator Maddy Thorson's own experiences with anxiety, framing the climb as a process of self-discovery. This expansion was significant enough that discussions regarding Madeline's identity within this chapter later led to the confirmation that she is a trans woman, a detail Thorson confirmed in 2020.

Quick Facts

Primary character: Madeline
Antagonist/counterpart: Badeline (Anxiety)
Location: The Summit of Celeste Mountain

Lore & Background

In the lore established by Maddy Thorson, the premise of taking care of one's self is central to the Farewell chapter. The character Badeline, known in-game as "Part of Me," acts as a physical representation of Madeline's depression and anxiety. Historically, Madeline attempted to fight or deter this part of herself, but the narrative arc of Farewell shifts toward understanding that she must learn how to function with it. Thorson designed the story so that Madeline would fall off the mountain and eventually climb back up, a framing that became clear only after Thorson managed her own anxiety better. The lore emphasizes that even at the end of the story, Madeline remains in a process of grappling with internal conflict rather than achieving a perfect resolution. This chapter also introduced visual elements like a trans flag in Madeline's bedroom and a childhood photo with very short hair, which sparked widespread discussion before Thorson officially confirmed her identity.

Reader's Guide

To experience the story of Farewell, players must complete the main game to unlock Chapter 9: Farewell. The guide involves navigating the mountain while managing the dynamic between Madeline and Badeline. Players will encounter obstacles where Badeline actively tries to stop progress, requiring the player to utilize coping mechanisms like the "feather" visualization technique taught by Theo. Success in this chapter relies on shifting from a mindset of avoidance to one of acceptance, allowing Madeline and Badeline to cooperate rather than conflict. The chapter concludes with the pair reaching the summit together. Following the main climb, players can return to the base to trigger the ending scene where Madeline bakes a pie for her friends using collected strawberries.

Did You Know?

The music for Celeste was composed by Lena Raine to be "almost 1:1 with" Madeline's internal state of mind.
Madeline and Badeline were added as playable characters when the earlier game TowerFall was ported to the Nintendo Switch.
A 2024 freeware game titled Celeste 64: Fragments of the Mountain takes place after Farewell and features Madeline as the protagonist.

What players say: Player verdict on Celeste — Rotten Tweets