Farewell Chapter

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.

In Their Own Story

The narrative of Farewell follows Madeline as she continues her climb, encountering Badeline who attempts to deter her from proceeding. A key turning point occurs when Madeline helps Theo through Mr. Oshiro's decrepit hotel; later, during a gondola ride that breaks down, Theo assists Madeline through an anxiety attack by telling her to imagine a feather floating up and down. She subsequently applies this method when Badeline tries to discourage her further, though Badeline initially sends her down the mountain. The climax of the story arrives when Madeline finally makes peace with Badeline. Instead of defeating her shadow self, they work together to reach the summit. Afterward, they return to the base, where Madeline uses collectable strawberries to make a pie for all the other characters, including Granny, Theo, and Mr. Oshiro.

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?

• Maddy Thorson confirmed Madeline is a trans woman in 2020, stating she did not know they were trans during the original game's development.
• 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.