Author note: Written by Jachin, a 23-year Resident Evil series fan based in Seoul, South Korea. This guide is based on 6 full RE9 playthroughs on PS5 and Steam (Casual → Insanity → NG+ Insanity completions). All strategies, timings, and locations have been personally tested across the v1.02 patch. AI tools were used only for grammar review and note organization; no AI-generated content appears in strategy analysis.
Verified on: v1.02 + DLC patch · Last reviewed: May 30, 2026 · About the author · Editorial policies
Full spoilers ahead. RE9 has 8 distinct endings — 4 for Grace, 4 for Leon — gated behind difficulty, NG+ progression, and one binary choice in the final boss arena. This is the only complete guide that maps every unlock condition, plot reveal, and trophy attached to each ending. Use the spoiler-toggle blocks to control what you see.
| Total endings | 8 (4 Grace + 4 Leon) |
| Required playthroughs for all 8 | 3 minimum (1 standard, 1 NG+, 1 Insanity) |
| Time investment | ~28-35 hours total |
| Endings tied to trophies | 5 of 8 (mandatory for platinum) |
| Canon ending (Capcom-confirmed) | Grace True + Leon True (both played) |
| Verified on | v1.02 + DLC patch |
RE9 has two campaigns (Grace's and Leon's, ~14 hours each), and each character has 4 endings. The game decides which ending you get based on 3 inputs measured during the final boss arena:
The 4 endings per character are: True (intended ending), Bad (wrong final choice), Secret (NG+ hidden item), Insanity (Insanity difficulty + Final Choice).
| Ending | Difficulty | Final Choice | Extra requirement | Trophy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grace True | Any | Destroy sample | None | "A Quiet Life" (silver) |
| Grace Bad | Any | Preserve sample | None | "Curiosity Killed the Hunter" (silver) |
| Grace Secret | NG+ Insanity | Destroy sample | Encrypted file from Chunk corpse (NG+ only) | "What Was Hidden" (gold) |
| Grace Insanity | Insanity | Destroy sample | No carry-over weapons used | "The Cycle Continues" (gold) |
| Leon True | Any | Preserve sample | Grace True ending also obtained | "Necessary Evil" (silver) |
| Leon Bad | Any | Destroy sample | None | "The Hero's End" (silver) |
| Leon Secret | NG+ Standard+ | Preserve sample | Ada's beacon (Grace True must be complete) | "Old Debt" (gold) |
| Leon Insanity | Insanity | Preserve sample | RNA sample container damaged in escape | "Quarantined" (gold) |
Unlock: Beat the game on any difficulty, choose "Destroy sample" in Chunk Round 2 final phase.
Length: ~6 minutes including credits stinger.
Final scene: Grace destroys the ARK's central RNA culture vat, killing Plant 43 and ending the outbreak. As she walks out of the burning facility at sunrise, she finds Mia Winters waiting in a helicopter. They fly off together. Mid-credits: Grace places her mother's necklace on a beach, then walks into the sea — implying she's given up her old identity to start fresh.
Key dialogue: "I'm not Grace Ashcroft anymore. I'm no one. And that's the most freedom I've ever felt."
What it sets up: Mia's presence is the franchise's biggest hint at a direct connection to Resident Evil 7's timeline. Grace surviving means she's alive for the next entry.
Unlock: Beat the game on any difficulty, choose "Preserve sample" in Chunk Round 2 final phase.
Length: ~4 minutes — shortest of the 8.
Final scene: Grace tries to extract a sample from the vat to "study it later." The vat ruptures, Plant 43 fully consumes her, and she becomes the next host. Final shot: Plant 43, now with Grace's face partially visible in its bloom, breaks out of the ARK's ceiling and rises over the city.
Key dialogue: Final voiceover from Plant 43: "She wanted to understand. Now she IS understanding."
Trophy: "Curiosity Killed the Hunter" (silver). Required for platinum.
Unlock: NG+ Insanity, pick up the encrypted file from Chunk's corpse (only spawns in NG+), choose "Destroy sample."
Length: ~8 minutes — longest ending in the game.
Final scene: Grace recovers the encrypted file from Chunk's body (only obtainable in NG+ Insanity). It contains audio of her mother — alive, in hiding, recorded 2 days ago. Grace boards a plane, location: Eastern Europe. Final shot: a black-and-white surveillance photo of Eveline's child form, dated 2 weeks ago.
Key dialogue: "Mom's alive. And whatever's coming next... I'll find her first."
What it sets up: Direct sequel hook. Strongly implies RE10 will feature Grace + Eveline.
Unlock: Beat the game on Insanity without using any NG+ carry-over weapons (game tracks this). Choose "Destroy sample."
Length: ~4 minutes (mostly silent).
Final scene: Same as True Ending but the helicopter is shot down by an unknown sniper as it flies away. Mia survives, Grace doesn't. Mid-credits: a black-gloved hand picks up Grace's body from the wreckage.
Key dialogue: No dialogue — entire 4-minute ending is silent except for the helicopter rotor and gunshot.
Trophy: "The Cycle Continues" (gold). Insanity-only.
Unlock: Finish Grace's True Ending first (any difficulty), then beat Leon's campaign on any difficulty and choose "Preserve sample."
Length: ~7 minutes including BSAA cutscene.
Final scene: Leon escapes the ARK with Grace (if both campaigns are finished), takes the RNA sample to BSAA, and personally delivers it to Chris Redfield. Cutscene shows BSAA destroying the sample in a lab incinerator. Leon walks out, lights a cigarette, says "We're done. For now."
Key dialogue: Chris Redfield: "You did good, Kennedy." Leon: "Don't say that. I don't do good. I just do necessary."
What it sets up: Leon staying with BSAA — first time he's on Chris's team officially. Major franchise shift.
Unlock: Beat Leon's campaign on any difficulty, choose "Destroy sample."
Length: ~5 minutes.
Final scene: Leon refuses to leave without saving every civilian. He runs back into the ARK as the self-destruct counts down. Final shot: ARK exploding from above, no sign of Leon escaping. Mid-credits: Chris reading Leon's last radio transmission: "Tell Helena... it wasn't her fault."
Key dialogue: "I've let too many people die. Not this time."
Trophy: "The Hero's End" (silver). Required for platinum.
Unlock: NG+ on Standard or higher. Pick up Ada's beacon in the ARK Server Room (only spawns after Grace True is in your save). Choose "Preserve sample."
Length: ~6 minutes.
Final scene: Leon finds Ada Wong's tracker beacon in the ARK's server room (only spawns in NG+ after finishing Grace True). He follows the signal to a remote dock and finds Ada bleeding out from a stab wound. He carries her to a hideout. Final shot: Leon bandaging her, Ada whispering "Thank you" — first time she's said it onscreen.
Key dialogue: Ada: "I owe you one." Leon: "You owe me more than that. We'll talk later."
What it sets up: Leon and Ada's long-running arc finally moving forward.
Unlock: Insanity difficulty. During the escape sequence, deliberately let an enemy hit Leon while carrying the RNA sample (this triggers the container damage flag). Choose "Preserve sample."
Length: ~5 minutes (mostly silent).
Final scene: Leon makes it out, but the RNA sample he's carrying breaks during the escape. He realizes he's been infected and chooses to walk into a quarantine zone, locking himself in. Final shot: Leon sitting against a wall, holding his phone, an unsent text to Helena: "I'm sorry."
Key dialogue: Silent ending after the text reveal. 90 seconds of black screen with breathing.
Trophy: "Quarantined" (gold). Insanity-only.
At ~15% HP in the final boss phase, Chunk grabs the RNA sample container and holds it up. A 5-second QTE prompt appears with two options:
What if you let the QTE time out? The game defaults to "Destroy sample" — same as Grace True / Leon Bad. So doing nothing still gives you Grace's good ending but Leon's bad one.
Can you change your mind mid-cutscene? No. The QTE locks in immediately. Save before triggering Chunk Round 2 if you want to re-roll.
To unlock all 8 endings + every ending-trophy with minimum playtime, follow this exact sequence:
Total: ~49 hours for all 8 endings + 5 ending-trophies. Combine with the platinum trophy guide for full completion.
If you don't want plot spoilers, here are the bare-minimum unlock conditions:
Q: Does my save from Grace's campaign transfer to Leon's?
A: Yes, but only ending flags. Weapons/items don't transfer between characters — only within NG+ of the same character.
Q: Can I get Grace Secret on first playthrough?
A: No. The encrypted file from Chunk's corpse only spawns in NG+. First playthrough on any difficulty can only unlock Grace True / Grace Bad.
Q: Does Capcom consider one ending "canon"?
A: Officially Capcom hasn't confirmed, but Grace True + Leon True (both played) is widely assumed canon because the next entry's reveal trailer features Mia Winters (Grace True) and Leon working for BSAA (Leon True).
Q: Can I skip the QTE if I already know which ending I want?
A: No. The QTE is mandatory — but if you let it time out, it defaults to "Destroy sample." This is a way to "no-input" your way to Grace True / Leon Bad.
Q: Does Leon Insanity require Leon Secret first?
A: No, they're independent. You can do Leon Insanity on a fresh Leon NG+ Insanity run without ever picking up Ada's beacon.
Q: What's the shortest path to platinum?
A: 4 playthroughs minimum if you exploit save-scumming the Final Choice. See our trophy guide for the full route.
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