Warning! This article contains spoilers for Secret Level episode 4.
Secret Levelepisode 4’s ending takes the world of Epic Games’Unreal Tournamentand turns it on its head thanks to the story of the oppressed robot, Xan.Prime Video’sSecret Levelshowis an anthology series from the creators ofLove, Death & Robots,which takes several iconic video game worlds and gives them an animated, story-based update.Secret Level’s reviewsmay not be as resoundingly positive as many had hoped, but the way each individual episode treats its video game source material is endlessly compelling, withSecret Levelepisode 4 proving no different.
Withupcoming video game adaptationsbeing based on iconic story-based source material,Secret Levelepisode 4 takes a stab at the arena game,Unreal Tournament.InSecret Levelepisode 4’s ending, the installment wrapped up the story of Xan, an oppressed robot whose actions against his superiors saw him incite wider rebellion after fighting in the eponymous Unreal Tournament. With plenty of video game Easter eggs, a compelling story, and some deeper themes,Secret Levelepisode 4’s ending wraps up Xan’s story as the Prime Video show attempts to join the ranks of thebest video game TV show adaptations.
Secret Level Episode 4 Ending: How Did Xan Win The Unreal Tournament?
Xan’s Robotic Abilities Saw Him Overcome His Oppressors
As alluded to,Secret Levelepisode 4’s ending shows Xan winning the Unreal Tournament against the odds via his unique abilities stemming from his robotic origins. Xan operates somewhat like a modern-day AI by evolving and thinking as time goes by, with the robot figuring out that the firewall implemented into bots like him is stopping his coding from being upgraded further. As members of the Liandri Corporation, those responsible for creating the Unreal Tournament, seek a way to stop Xan and figure out why he is different, this firewall is removed from one of the bots Xan controls.
Secret Levelepisode 4’s ending sees Xan levitate himself above the arena on a platform, forcing the Liandri Corporation’s leader to her knees as he incites the spectators to rebel…
Xan then pushes his programming that previously controlled the other bots beyond the confines of the firewall, taking over Liandri Corporation’s servers as a result. This allowed Xan to manipulate the Unreal Tournament’s arena, stopping those sent to shut him down from doing so.Secret Levelepisode 4’s ending sees Xan levitate himself above the arena on a platform, forcing the Liandri Corporation’s leader to her knees as he incites the spectators to rebel. This would not have been possible without the removal of the firewall, which allowed Xan’s evolved programming to become much more threatening to Liandri.
Why Did The Liandri Corporation Want To Put Xan In The Unreal Tournament In Secret Level Episode 4?
Liandri Wanted To Kill Two Birds With One Stone
Prime Video’sanimated video game showwisely uses the best elements of each episode’s source material, withSecret Levelepisode 4 continuing this trend. Admittedly, the story of theUnreal Tournamentgame series is not the focus of each installment given its first-person shooter arena genre. That said, there is wider lore contained within the games that fleshes out the universe. This lore is used as the basis ofSecret Levelepisode 4’s story, answering questions like why Xan was placed in the arena and what the Liandri Corporation wanted.
“It Takes a Life”
“The Once and Future King”
“Tales of the Implacable”
“Fulfillment”
PlayStation
In theUnreal Tournamentgames, the titular arena competition is created as a means of providing the people of Earth with an outlet. The games are set against the backdrop of humanity’s war with an otherworldly race known as the Skaarj, with mining being the primary way of financing the war. This caused trouble, uprisings, and revolts within the working class due to the mining conditions, forcing the Liandri Corporation to create the Unreal Tournament, thus giving the working class an outlet for their anger and violence.
The Skaarj make an appearance inSecret Levelepisode 4, with one of the teams facing Xan in the arena replicating the race’s design from the games.
InSecret Levelepisode 4, Xan is a mining robot based on the character of the same name from the games. Xan and his robotic colleagues are expendable, causing Xan’s anger to spiral into the rebellion shown. The Liandri Corporation places Xan into the Unreal Tournament as a means of achieving two things. For one,the people will continue having their bloodlust satiated, with the second reason being quelling Xan’s rebellion. Evidently, this fails.
Xan’s Secret Level Episode 4 Journey In The Unreal Tournament Emulates The Original Game
Xan Becomes A Gamer Stand-In
InSecret Levelepisode 4, Xan essentially takes the role of the player. For example,Xan’s AI interface learns and evolves the more he fights in theUnreal Tournament,just as video game players do.Another integral element of the original game is the utilization of “bots,” which players can customize and give orders to fight alongside them.Secret Levelepisode 4 puts a clever twist on this, having Xan use literal bots as his allies by extending his programming to them and ordering them during the tournament.
Xan is a multi-champion of the Unreal Tournament in the eponymous games, thoughSecret Levelmakes him a rebel rather than a Liandri-aligned fighter,
Secret Levelepisode 4’s ending continues this trend of making Xan the player once the robot takes over the Liandri Corp’s servers. After doing so, Xan begins changing the layout of the Unreal Tournament arena, from crushing the soldiers sent to apprehend him to rising on a platform above the crowd. This is a twist on the PC version ofUnreal Tournament,which gave players a level editor feature.
Secret Level Episode 4 Uses Iconic Unreal Tournament Game Elements
Unreal Tournaments Weapons & Voice Lines Are Included
ThroughoutSecret Levelepisode 4, several Easter eggs fromUnreal Tournamentare found. Weapons from the original game like the Enforcer pistol, the Ripper, and the rocket launcher are used in Xan’s various fights. As these fights continue to increase in scale, an arena announcer becomes more noticeable. This announcer can be heard uttering several voice lines fromUnreal Tournament, such as"Dominating," “Double Kill,” “First Blood,“and"Headshot.”
The Real Meaning Of Secret Level Episode 4’s Ending
As is the case with every episode ofSecret Level, episode 4’s ending explores deeper themes. One such theme actually goes against Xan, in a way, by reinforcing the dangers of AI should it become too implemented into human society. Where Xan’s perspective specifically is concerned,Secret Levelepisode 4 tells a story of oppressed peoples and their rise to rebellion. Those who are oppressed will not stay that way for long, withSecret Levelepisode 4 focusing on this point via Xan.
While Xan and his mining colleagues are supposedly mindless robots,Secret Levelepisode 4 humanizes them and shows that abusing workers who are deemed lesser than Liandri Corporation employees will cause an uprising. Similarly,Secret Levelepisode 4 has somewhat of an anti-capitalist and anti-war stance; The Liandri Corporation is forcing lower-class citizens to work in awful conditions to finance a war they did not start.
In the game lore andSecret Level, it is these underprivileged workers who are then sent into an arena against highly-trained opponents. No matter what, the warmongering, financially wealthy corporation wins at the cost of people’s lives. All of this highlights the issues of war and how some can benefit from such a “business” inSecret Levelepisode 4, told via the eyes - or, more aptly, lights - of Xan the robot as he overcomes the Unreal Tournament.
Secret Level
Cast
Secret Level is an adult animated series exploring original short stories set within the worlds of popular video games. Each episode introduces new adventures, delving into iconic gaming classics and forthcoming titles to unlock captivating narratives and immersive experiences. Created by Tim Miller, the series celebrates gaming culture.
