Hey chooms! Let's talk about Night City's most heart-wrenching moments. We all know that in Cyberpunk 2077, the city has a way of chewing people up and spitting them out. But what if I told you that some of those tragic, seemingly inevitable deaths aren't so inevitable after all? After countless playthroughs, I've found that with the right choices, you can actually save some of your favorite allies. It's not always easy, and sometimes you have to go against the game's prompts, but trust me, the payoff is worth it. Let's dive into how to give these six characters a fighting chance in 2026.
6. Claire: Convince Her to Spare Sampson 🏎️
This one is a real emotional rollercoaster! Claire's quest, "The Beast in Me," starts as a fun racing gig but quickly turns into a revenge mission. She's convinced rival racer Sampson murdered her husband, Dale. The game really pushes you to help her get that vengeance. But here's the tea ☕: if you dig deeper, you find out it was actually a tragic accident during the race. Claire herself has taken lives on the track. So, killing Sampson feels... wrong.
Most players think you only have two options: help her kill him (and feel guilty) or refuse and make her your enemy. But there's a secret third path! You can actually talk her down. The key is in your dialogue choices after the third race. You MUST pick:
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"Are you sure it was murder?"
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"My priority is winning."
Later, when she texts you, choose the non-hostile option and remind her, "remember what you promised." If you do this, a new dialogue option appears during the final chase. You can persuade her to let Sampson live! It's a beautiful moment of mercy in a merciless city. Claire stays friendly, and you don't have blood on your hands. Win-win!
5. Brick: Rescue the Maelstrom OG from All Foods 💣
Okay, hear me out. I know Maelstrom are total psychos, but between their two leaders, Brick is the more... predictable one? During "The Pickup," most people assume he's already dead, killed by the usurper Royce. But nope! He's locked in a cell in the basement of All Foods, with a proximity mine ready to blow him to bits if he moves an inch.
It's so easy to miss him, especially if you're in a frantic firefight with Militech. You have to deliberately look for his cell, disable the mine (requires a Technical Ability check), and set him free. Why bother? Because later on, if Brick is alive, he retakes control of Maelstrom. This makes a certain later quest involving them go way more smoothly. Dealing with Brick is preferable to dealing with the unstable Royce. It's a long-term investment for a slightly less chaotic Night City.
4. Dum Dum: Keep the Unhinged Techie Alive 🤪
Speaking of Maelstrom, let's talk about everyone's favorite chaotic neutral chromer, Dum Dum. Yes, he's unhinged. Yes, he offers you questionable substances. But compared to Royce, he's almost... charming? During "The Pickup," if you cooperate with Royce (pay him or use Meredith's clean chip), you won't have to fight Dum Dum. He'll even guide you through the factory during the Militech attack.
The tricky part comes during the big shootout. Dum Dum can die in the crossfire if you don't act fast enough. You need to be quick on the trigger and take down the Militech forces rapidly to ensure his survival. If you succeed, you'll get a fun little surprise later when you visit the Totentanz club. He might not make it through that encounter either, but at least you gave him a fighting chance!
3. Anthony Gilcrist: Save the Militech Mole (Or Don't) 🕵️♂️
Yet another character from the versatile "The Pickup" quest! Anthony is the guy you find in Meredith Stout's trunk, bruised and begging for his life. Meredith thinks he's the mole who leaked convoy info. Spoiler: he totally is. Most players side with Meredith, use her credchip (which has a virus), and Anthony gets executed off-screen. Classic Night City ending.
But to save him, you have to defy Meredith. You have two options:
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Refuse Militech's deal entirely and fight your way through All Foods.
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Wipe the virus from her credchip before using it to pay Royce (requires a high Intelligence stat).
If you do either, the power dynamic flips. Anthony survives, takes over Meredith's operation, and she is the one who ends up dead. It's a wild twist of fate! Saving him doesn't make you a hero—you're just choosing a different corrupt corpo to deal with. But hey, options are good!
2. Bill Jablonsky: The Savior of Sinnerman ✝️
Bill's story is a tiny but powerful part of the incredible Sinnerman questline. He hires V to kill Joshua Stevenson, the man who murdered his wife, while Joshua is being transported. If you take the job and follow the car, Bill's rage gets the better of him. He rushes in for the kill himself and gets gunned down by Joshua's security. His death is what kicks off the whole philosophical journey with Joshua.
But Bill is just a grieving husband. Does he deserve to die for wanting revenge? To save him, you have to do something counterintuitive: Fail the quest on purpose. Just don't follow the target car closely enough. Bill will call off the hit, stiff you on the payment, and drive away alive. Sure, you lose some eddies and miss one of the game's best quests on that playthrough, but you save a man from his own despair. Sometimes, the best choice is to walk away.
1. Goro Takemura: DON'T LEAVE HIM BEHIND! 🥷
This is the big one, chooms. The moment that gets me every time. After the disastrous meeting at Japantown Apartments, Arasaka death squads ambush you and Takemura. The building is collapsing, Johnny is screaming in your ear to run, and it looks like Takemura is gone. The game heavily implies he's dead and that you should escape alone.
DO NOT LISTEN TO JOHNNY. This is a test!
Instead of heading for the window to escape, stop. Listen. You can hear gunfire and shouts coming from a hole in the ceiling above the main room. You have to jump up there! You'll find Takemura, wounded but still fighting. Help him wipe out the remaining Arasaka troops and escape together.
Saving him has massive consequences. He becomes a crucial ally, provides critical intel, and is a central figure in the "Devil" ending. Abandoning him is one of the easiest mistakes to make, but saving him is one of the most rewarding choices in the entire game. He's a true friend in a city full of users, and he deserves your loyalty.
So there you have it! Six lives that can be saved with a little knowledge and careful choice. Night City doesn't have to be a death sentence for everyone. It's these hidden moments of humanity and connection that make replaying this game in 2026 still feel so fresh and meaningful. Who did you manage to save on your first run? Let me know in the comments! 👇
Remember, in Cyberpunk 2077, sometimes the most heroic thing you can do is look for a path less traveled. Stay safe out there, legends! ✌️