Gears 5: Ending Explained (Spoilers)

Following on from the new story that began in Gears 4, The Coalition has continued to tell the story of Kait’s mysterious family history in Gears 5, alongside how the COG is fighting back against the emerging Swarm threat. If you’ve hit the credits in Gears 5 and still don’t really know what happened, let us recap things for you. Here’s Gears 5’s ending explained.

*** This article deals with the ending of Gears 5, and contains significant spoilers for the campaign as a result. If you’ve haven’t played the game yet, or just want to enjoy it unspoiled, we advise turning back now. ***

Gears 5 Ending Explained

A lot goes on in the final act of Gears 5’s campaign, so we’re going to recap each of the chapters within Act 4 so you’ve got a full picture as to what’s going on.

This follows on from Delta Squad successfully getting the rocket with the Hammer of Dawn satellites into the sky, bringing the Hammer back online, ready to use against the Swarm threat.

Gears 5 Ending Explained – Act 4 Chapter 1

Placing the Hammer of Dawn Targeting Beacon

The chapter starts off with Clayton Carmine telling Delta Squad that they need to plant the targeting beacons for the Hammer of Dawn before it can be used. They need to be planted all across the city, and Cole and Fahz are already working on their two.

Delta Squad needs to plant theirs at East Barricade Academy. Once it goes live, they’ll have a live Hammer radius, but it won’t work everywhere until all of the beacons are planted and synced up.

The group manages to help Carmine plant his targeting beacon, but are facing an intense Swarm threat. Just in time, Mega Cole Train (Cole in a giant mech) shows up to help lay down suppressing fire and give them a helping hand on their way, navigating the rubble.

As they get close to the academy, a Swarmak appears. Del suggests planting the beacon so they can use the Hammer, but Baird says no, as they need to plant it on the other side of the courtyard, around the Swarmak, to maximize the Hammer’s coverage.

After beating the Swarmak, Cole chimes in to let Delta Squad know that he’s placed his beacon, and Marcus then plants the one at the academy once they’ve cleared the building.

The team uses the Hammer of Dawn to suppress incoming Swarm, before getting a comm from Paduk that the Swarm are overrunning them at the Tomb where he’s trying to plant his beacon. Marcus tells the team to go on, while he protects the one at the academy.

Helping Paduk Plant His Beacon at the Tomb

Arriving at the tomb, the group sees Flocks of leeches in the sky, as well as a bunch of Swarm crowding around Paduk. After helping him fend them off, the group uses Jack to get the beacon out of the wreckage hanging above Paduk and plant it.

Once planted, there’s yet another wave of Swarm incoming, including Pouncers and Snatchers. The team defends the beacon using the Hammer, and just as the beacons are all synced up, another Flock comes in.

Baird takes them down with his own firing controls for the Hammer, but then the ground breaks underneath and the beacon is crushed by falling debris.

The Queen of the Swarm & The Decision

From the ground emerges Queen Reyna, Kait’s mother, who is now leader of the Swarm. She tells Kait she failed them, and that “we are what you could have been.” Kait replies that she may have her body but she’s not her mother.

Reyna lunges to attack Kait, and JD and Del run in to help, but are both grabbed by Reyna’s tentacles. Reyna talks about being a complete being, connected, immortal. She says alive or dead, Kait belongs to the Swarm.

At this point, players then have a decision to make. They have to choose who to throw Kait’s knife at to either save JD or Del.

At this point, you’ll lose one of your team, and some of the cutscenes that follow change slightly depending on who you pick. For the purpose of this guide, we’re going to have chosen to save JD and kill Del.

Kait throws the knife at JD to save him, and Reyna then says you made your choice, kills Del, and tosses his corpse at her before telling her to “die with it.” As this happens, the huge Kraken starts tearing down cities, because why not.

Gears 5 Ending Explained – Act 4 Chapter 2

Regrouping with Marcus

Afterwards, Kait and JD mourn for the loss of JD and wish they could have done more. They get up and agree they have to move on, as the building is beginning to come down.

As they’re escaping, a bunch of rubble falls, trapping Kait. She gets trapped, but just in time, Mega Cole pulls away the rubble and frees Kait.

He tells them there’s no time to talk and that they need to regroup with Marcus who’s holding the line further ahead. As they make their way there, they can see another beacon for the Hammer of Dawn go down in the distance.

Upon meeting up with Marcus, they clear the area and regroup. Marcus thanks them for their help before realizing Del is missing.

JD walks away upset and Kait just shakes her head at Marcus. Marcus walks over to console JD who doesn’t take it well initially, before hugging his father after breaking down a bit.

Right on cue, Fahz piles through in a Minotaur vehicle, offering them all a ride, but as he makes a joke to Del about saving him again, he realizes he’s no longer with them and goes very quiet.

Retreating to the Wall

Baird then contacts Delta over their comms and tells them he needs everyone back at the wall as the Swarm are coming and they’re beginning to push through. Fahz starts driving the crew there, but then a Flock comes and drops some rubble in their way.

The rest of the team get out on-foot and quickly hold off the incoming Swarm while Fahz frees the vehicle. During this, Baird tells the group that they’ve lost the Hammer of Dawn’s beacon coverage.

After holding off the Swarm and a Carrier, they meet up with Paduk and co. only for a Swarmak to be chasing them down.

Everyone begins firing at it, but it keeps closing in. Just when all looks lost, Mega Cole Train jumps onto the Swarmak’s back and punches it repeatedly in the face with his usual Cole Train commentary.

Just as they celebrate the victory, the ground opens up again, swallowing the Swarmak and Cole with it. Marcus shouts out after his friend, as the Kraken emerges in its place.

Paduk tells everyone to get into the Minotaur, but just in time for Cole to emerge from inside the Kraken’s mouth screaming “You know I’m not gonna go out like that baby,” as he buys the group some time.

Cole goes to jump out of the mouth, but the Kraken’s tentacles grab him as he tries to escape and rips the mech in half. Marcus once again cries out for his fallen brother in arms. Paduk urges them to get into the Minotaur again and go, with the Kraken chasing them down as they get to the wall.

The Wall & the Kraken

Arriving at the wall, Delta Squad once again has to fend off more Swarm. Just in time again, a bunch of Baird’s drones show up to support you, before he sends down a huge air strike to clear out the remaining Swarm. After watching the fireworks, the group make it up to higher ground on the wall.

This time, they’re facing off against a bunch of Flocks in the sky by using the turrets either side of the wall’s gate, but before long, the Kraken appears, destroying the turrets and leaving just the railguns to help.

Delta Squad engage in battle with the Kraken, firing at its tentacles inside its mouth to keep it at bay while the railguns recharge, before blasting it in the face with them.

After fighting off against the Kraken with the help of several railgun blasts into its mouth, Jack goes to finish it off.

He broadcasts beacon coordinates for the Hammer of Dawn’s satellites before flying into the mouth of the Kraken. Overriding Baird’s controls, Jack initiates the Hammer of Dawn, taking down the Kraken, while also leaving a ton of destruction in its wake.

Gears 5 Ending Cutscenes Explained

We watch as Baird looks on in disbelief and shock. Kait emerges from the rubble and overlooks the destruction of the city. Fahz picks up his glasses off the floor, and turns around to see Paduk carrying an injured, but alive Cole Train. Fahz gets up to help carry him to safety.

JD overlooks the destruction in somewhat disappointment too, and Marcus once again comes to console him. The rest of the group come together, with only Kait looking on, but Marcus signals to her to come and join them.

Marcus can’t believe Cole’s still alive, and immediately gives him a hug. He turns to Kait, telling her that “she’ll be back,” talking about Reyna, and Kait says she knows.

She looks down at her mother’s necklace with the Locust insignia on it, and says “but not if we find her first.” Marcus nods, and the credits roll.

And there you have Gears 5’s ending explained. For more tips, tricks, and guides, be sure to check out our ever-expanding Gears 5 guide wiki.