Starfield: Who Is the Emissary? Explained

Starfield is filled with unique and varied characters, some with more interesting backgrounds and origins than others. Some of the people you’ll encounter play a major role in the story, and it’s up to you to decide how you’ll interact with them. Your decisions can have repercussions down the line, so it’s always good to know what you’re getting into beforehand. In this guide, we discuss who the Emissary is in Starfield. Major spoilers follow.

Who Is the Emissary in Starfield? Explained

The Starfield Emissary is one of the two important Starborn characters that you’ll encounter in your journey. They’re also the rival of the Hunter. The Starborn are people who have managed to transcend the limitations of space and time. Upon reaching the Unity, they’ve been granted the ability to travel across alternate universes.

The Emissary’s belief is that the artifacts that lead to the Unity must be in the hands of someone who’s capable enough. In effect, they want control over those who will eventually ascend to become Starborn.

When Do You Meet the Emissary?

You’ll first meet the Emissary during a main quest called All That Money Can Buy. After aiding Walter Stroud in his task, you’ll take off on your ship with a new artifact. However, once you’re back in orbit, a ship called the Helix will hail you.

This is when you’re introduced to the Starborn and their goals. You’ll then have to decide whether you’ll give up the artifact, attack the Emissary, or fly away to safety. I suggest choosing the last option, which can be done by quickly selecting a fast travel destination and powering up your ship’s grav drive.

The Emissary’s True Identity and Powers

Later, in a mission called Unity, you’ll meet both the Hunter and the Emissary. It’s revealed that the Emissary in Starfield is none other than the companion that died during A High Price to Pay. The key difference here is that they’re from another universe.

The reveal certainly shocked me when I was playing the campaign. The companion that died in my playthrough was Sarah Morgan (after I chose to defend the Lodge instead of rescuing her in the Eye). I tried various methods to revive her, all to no avail.

It’s then explained by the Sarah-Emissary that your character was the one that died in her universe, which also motivated them to continue seeking the artifacts. In turn, the Sarah-Emissary reached the Unity, turning into a Starborn and traveled to your universe.

As a Starborn, the Emissary can use an assortment of powers. The one I frequently noticed was Sunless Space, which caused enemies to freeze.

The Emissary’s Fate

In the Unearthed mission later in the campaign, I was able to choose between the Emissary and the Hunter. There was also an option to side with neither one of them.

This decision culminated in the Revelation final mission. There, your ally will aid you in all the encounters, as well as the last battle. However, if you side with neither, then you can either fight them at the end or convince them to stand down and hand over their artifacts.

Once I completed the campaign, I met the Emissary once more. However, since my character already became another Starborn, they also remarked about this particular change.

That’s everything you need to know about the Emissary in Starfield. For more tips and strategies, you can visit our guides hub.