Undertale: The Choice Between Violence and Charity

I have not played this game, but I have watched a let's play of it and I find the concept wonderful. Undertale, an indie game, is a thought-provoking piece of interactive storytelling. One of the core themes of Undertale is the choice players face between two paths: to use violence against the monsters they encounter or to show mercy and kindness, sparing their enemies and offering them charity. This central choice shapes not only the outcome of the game but also the moral journey of the player. By watching Undertale I could not help but to draw parallels to the teachings of Jesus Christ in the Gospel.

Violence vs. Mercy in Undertale

In Undertale, the player is tasked with navigating a world populated by monsters, many of whom are hostile, while others are peaceful. The game offers two primary ways to interact with these creatures: combat or mercy. The combat path involves attacking enemies, leading to their defeat and the progression of the story through violence. The mercy path, on the other hand, encourages the player to spare their opponents, engaging in dialogue, showing kindness, and ultimately choosing not to take a life.

The game makes this choice particularly impactful. Every encounter is a moral decision—while some monsters may beg for mercy, others might initially seem threatening, creating moments where players must decide whether to fight or to show compassion. As the player progresses, the consequences of their choices become clear: if the player chooses violence, the world becomes darker, and the monsters are driven to desperation. However, if the player chooses mercy, the world remains brighter, and characters react with kindness, eventually leading to a more hopeful ending.

Loving Your Neighbor: The Gospel Message

The theme of mercy in Undertale mirrors a fundamental teaching of Jesus Christ: to love thy neighbor as thyself. In the Gospel of Matthew 22:37-39, Jesus declares that the greatest commandments are to love God and love others. When asked who our "neighbor" is, Jesus responds with the parable of the Good Samaritan, emphasizing that loving our neighbors means showing kindness and compassion, regardless of differences or hostility. The Samaritans were regarded as an enemy to the jews, yet in this parable the Samaritan showed compassion.  

In the same way, Undertale asks the player to confront the question of how we treat those who might be seen as enemies or outsiders. Throughout the game, there are moments when the player could easily choose violence, perhaps out of fear, self-defense, or simply because it's the more immediate solution. However, the game presents an alternative—mercy, a choice to act in love rather than in aggression. Choosing mercy is not always easy, and it often involves patience, understanding, and a willingness to listen, much like the love Christ taught.

In Undertale, characters like Toriel, Papyrus, and even the antagonist Flowey show how mercy can transform relationships and the world itself. When we choose mercy, we build connections rather than destroying them. Similarly, the Gospel teaches that forgiveness and charity are transformative, not only for the person who is shown mercy but also for the person who offers it.

The Impact of Choice

From: ZTLLFV

What makes Undertale so unique is the way it acknowledges that we all have the capacity for both violence and mercy. The game does not moralize the decision—it presents both paths and leaves it up to the player to decide how to proceed. However, it is clear that the path of mercy, while often more difficult, brings greater healing and restoration. Choosing charity over violence requires a shift in mindset: from seeing others as obstacles to be overcome to seeing them as people to be loved.

In a similar way, the Gospel invites us to look beyond the surface and to see others through the lens of God’s love. Christ’s command to "love your enemies" (Matthew 5:44) challenges us to break cycles of violence and hatred. By loving others, even when they are unkind or hostile, we follow the example set by Christ, whose sacrifice on the cross was the ultimate act of mercy and love.

Conclusion: A Path to Redemption

n Undertale, players are given the chance to change the narrative—not just of the game, but of themselves. Each choice, whether violent or merciful, shapes the outcome of the world. Similarly, the choices we make in life, especially in how we treat others, shape our spiritual journey and our understanding of God’s love. Undertale subtly calls us to reflect on the power of our actions and the importance of mercy, reminding us of the transformative power of love.

Just as Jesus Christ calls us to "love thy neighbor as thyself" and to show mercy even to our enemies, Undertale offers a digital space where players can practice this radical kindness, making the game not just a story about monsters but also a reflection on human nature and the choice to act in love. Whether in a fictional world or in the real world, the call to show mercy is a path to redemption, one that brings healing not only to others but to ourselves as well.

In the end, Undertale may not only be a game about monsters—but about the very human journey of deciding whether we will respond with violence or choose charity. And in that choice, we can find the power of grace, redemption, and love, much like the message of the Gospel itself.

LDS Geeks Podcast #29: Holidays at Hogwarts

With Halloween in the recent past and the holiday season before us, it's time to start talking about celebrating. So Russell and I had fun discussing how Hogwarts students celebrate muggle holidays. After you take a listen, let us know your thoughts on our Ilvermorny discussion: how do you think they celebrate Thanksgiving?

Listen to Episode 29 on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube

Check out Spencer's recent blog posts: click here

Check out Russell's recent blog posts: click here

Show Notes:

    Spencer's Recommendation:  Captain America The First Avenger

    Russell's Recommendation: Michael Vey novels

Third Doctor Revisited: "Planet of the Spiders"

It’s time to round off the Third Doctor content, as TJ and I are already on our way into the Fourth Doctor era. We’ve still got three podcast episodes to go about the Third Doctor, but this will be my last blog post dedicated to Jon Pertwee episodes of Classic Doctor Who. So please enjoy some of my random musings from watching the Third Doctor’s final story: “Planet of the Spiders”

Doctor Who did a great job rounding off the Third Doctor with a proper finale, just like they did with the Second Doctor. We had the return of Jo Grant (sort of) and Mike Yates. They even found a wonderful use of Sarah Jane being a reporter. All these pieces came together with an alien plot and the preparation for our formal regeneration-centric story.

“Why spiders?” Ron Weasley would say. There’s something somewhat universal about spiders making for a good villain. These spiders reminded me of “Turn Left” and “Runaway Bride”. What is it with Doctor Who and monster spiders? In addition to Donna’s two encounters with eight-legged aliens, we also had “Arachnids in the UK” with the Thirteenth Doctor. It should go without saying to not watch this story if you have arachnophobia. But that much should be clear from the title.

I had a little chuckle on the inside as our characters seemingly chased the crystal around like a comedy. It reminded me of watching “What’s Up, Doc?” when I was in college. I’ll have to watch it again sometime but I feel like to some extent you could put some Scooby Doo music synced to all the times the crystal changed hands. But in seriousness, I liked that they brought the crystal back with Jo’s letter, bringing the Third Doctor’s tenure full circle.

And of course we had the leading up to the Doctor regenerating, Our first proper regeneration since “The Tenth Planet”. But this time we had a name for the process and context for the change. Demonstrated by the example of the Doctor’s old mentor, known at the time as K'anpo, regeneration became a staple part of the Doctor Who lore. Now we can have regenerations of not only the Doctor, but also the Monk, the Master, the Rani, etc… or just the Master.

Speaking of regeneration, this was also the first of many times the Doctor sacrificed himself for a friend. Just like the Third Doctor sacrificed himself for Sarah Jane, we’d later see him sacrifice himself and trigger regeneration for the sake of Peri, Rose, and Wilf. A tragic ending for the Doctor each time.

Now on our way into the Fourth Doctor era. I wanted to say something about the portrayal of Tommy in this story and his becoming “normal” but I couldn’t articulate it–I’ll save it for another time. Overall I really enjoyed this story and we’ll discuss it more during our Third Doctor podcast series. I would just love to have the Hermit return. Can we please? Please?