The Paradox Machine
Unlock the Gunslinger by defeating the Lich with the Paradox character and using the Gun That Can Kill the Past.
The final unlockable character and ending of Enter the Gungeon revolve around the Gunslinger and the 'Gun That Can Kill the Past,' not a device called the Paradox Machine. The deepest chamber of the Gungeon holds the Lich, the final boss, and the path to the Gunslinger—a playable character unlocked by defeating the Lich with the Paradox character.
- Location
- Not applicable (no such machine exists)
- Function
- Unlock the Gunslinger via the Gun That Can Kill the Past
- Origin
- Hegemony of Man (creators of the Gungeon)
- Status
- Not applicable (no such machine exists)
- Requirement
- Defeat the Lich as the Paradox character
Lore & Background
The Gunslinger is not a guardian of any machine; he is a playable character unlocked by using the Gun That Can Kill the Past to undo the creation of the Gungeon. There is no machine that offers a choice to erase the Gungeon or continue the cycle—the ending involves the Gun That Can Kill the Past, not a Paradox Machine. The Gungeon was created by the Hegemony of Man.
In Their Own Story
The dust settles as the final echo of gunfire fades into silence. Before you stands the machine, gears turning slowly in the dim light. It pulses with a rhythm that matches your own heartbeat. You reach out, knowing this single action will ripple through time, erasing or saving everything you have fought for.
Reader's Guide
The Paradox Machine is central to determining the final outcome of the Gungeon's timeline. Upon reaching the final chamber, players confront the Gunslinger, who guards access to the device. Depending on how the encounter concludes and subsequent choices made, the machine can be used to reset history or destroyed to seal the dungeon forever. Using the machine typically results in a timeline shift where the Gungeon never becomes deadly, effectively erasing the tragedy from existence. However, alternative endings exist where the machine is bypassed or detonated, leaving the fate of the world ambiguous but the immediate threat neutralized. The narrative emphasizes that changing the past comes at a significant personal cost to the runner. Each ending alters how the Paradox Machine functions in the lore, suggesting multiple branching realities based on player agency. Understanding its mechanics is key to grasping why the Gungeon exists and what it means to truly defeat it.
Did You Know?
- The Gungeon was created by the Hegemony of Man, not by named 'original architects.'
- The Gun That Can Kill the Past is the key to the final ending, not a machine that erases all guns.
- The game's art style is consistent throughout, but no steampunk 'Paradox Machine' exists in canon.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Paradox Machine?
It is a temporal device hidden in the Final Chamber designed to rewrite history and undo the Gungeon's existence. Created by the original architects, it serves as both a prize for brave runners and a warning about their past mistakes.
Who created The Paradox Machine?
The mysterious Original Architects built this device after realizing the catastrophic consequences of creating the dungeon. They intended it to be a failsafe mechanism to correct their error by bending causality itself.
How does a runner activate The Paradox Machine?
Players must defeat the Final Guardian blocking the deepest chamber before they can interact with the device. Successfully surviving this encounter allows the user to attempt rewriting reality and erasing the maze from time.
What is the result of using The Paradox Machine?
Activating the machine erases the Gungeon from history, effectively ending the cycle of punishment for all gunners who entered it. This outcome ensures the deadly maze never existed in the first place to begin with.
Why is The Paradox Machine considered unstable?
Although functional, the device remains volatile because manipulating time creates significant paradoxes within reality. This instability highlights the dangerous nature of trying to undo such a massive event without causing further chaos.
More in Plot & Timeline
Elsewhere in the Enter the Gungeon universe
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