Welcome to the mind-bending world of Death Stranding, where concepts like Voidouts, BTs, and Bridges collide in a universe on the brink of extinction. If you’re ready to dive into the sequel, 'Death Stranding 2: On the Beach', here’s your essential timeline that weaves the entire narrative together, ensuring you’re up to speed on its unforgettable characters and their harrowing journeys.

The Cosmic Origins of Death Stranding

It all began billions of years ago with a cosmic explosion— the Big Bang— birthing the universe. As matter and antimatter danced their chaotic waltz, life emerged. Yet, something sinister lurks beneath: the universe’s relentless drive towards extinction. This cycle compels life to balance towards oblivion through cataclysmic events.

The Nature of the Beach

Every human possesses a Beach, a metaphysical limbo where one treads between the realms of the living and the dead. Here, time freezes, and the dying can glimpse their destinies. Bridget, as an Extinction Entity, roams these Beaches, witnessing apocalyptic visions that illuminate her fate.

A Fateful Birth: The Beginning of the Death Stranding

The inciting incident occurs when a desperate doctor attempts a C-section on a pregnant woman whose brain has ceased to function, inadvertently fracturing the fabric between life and death. This leads to the birth of a Beached Thing, a creature of pure antimatter, triggering catastrophic events known as Voidouts.

Cover-Up & Experiments: The Birth of BBs

A government cover-up labels the disaster a terrorist act, but Bridget knows it’s the first step towards the apocalypse. To understand and prevent future Voidouts, she initiates the Bridges program, utilizing brain-dead mothers to create Bridge Babies—BBs—capable of sensing BTs and connecting to the dead.

Descent into Despair: The Sixth Extinction

But with each step taken to prevent disaster, Bridget and her daughter-in-law Amelie realize they may only be accelerating humanity's demise. Rather than avert extinction, they opt for a more merciful path—the Last Stranding.

The Rise of Higgs and the Wrath of Voidouts

Amelie's path intertwines with Higgs, a harbinger of chaos who manipulates BTs and orchestrates devastating attacks on human settlements. Amidst betrayal, Fragile, another key character, battles to thwart Higgs' catastrophes, even jeopardizing herself.

Sam's Journey: From Isolation to Connection

Bridget calls upon Sam, a weary recluse, to mend the broken connections of America as the third act of the Death Stranding unfolds. With a BB named Lou, Sam embarks on a monumental quest to build the Chiral Network, battling distorted realities and uncovering painful truths along the way.

Confrontation with the Past: Cliff's Revelation

In a riveting finale, Sam confronts Higgs and dives into the depths of his own past, meeting Cliff—a haunting figure seeking closure with his child. As the narrative crescendos, revelations about identities and fates intertwine.

The Final Choice: Embracing Destiny

Standing at the precipice of the Last Stranding, Sam faces a poignant choice: unite with Amelie or alter destiny. In a twist of fate, he embraces his sister, symbolizing hope amidst despair.

Aftermath: The Future of Humanity

Months after the chaos, humanity begins to rebuild, utilizing the Chiral Network while grappling with the loss of BB, Sam’s connection to his past. As Deadman informs Sam of BB’s impending fate, Sam faces a heart-wrenching decision—one that will shape not just his future, but that of all humankind.

Prepare yourself for 'On the Beach', as the threads of the past unravel into a saga that continues to redefine the boundaries of human existence and digital storytelling.