Where to redirect the power in The Outer Worlds

During the first phase of The Outer Worlds, while players are attempting to get the Unreliable back in flying shape, two quests will merge into one of the biggest decisions of the game. This decision is whether to redirect power from Edgewater to the deserters in the Botanical Laboratory, or whether to send the power to Edgewater from the Botanical Laboratory. It seems simple, but it’s not as cut and dry as one might think. I’ll help you sort through it, but obviously there will be quest spoilers as I do.

Redirect power to Edgewater or Botanical Laboratory?

Two quests will make up the decision of where to redirect the power in The Outer Worlds. The first is the Stranger in a Strange Land quest, which is about getting the Unreliable flying again. The second is Comes Now the Power, which is more about the decision of who should receive the power. I’m going to let you tackle the steps on your own, only providing advice on which decision might be best for your play style.

My objective going in was to fight against the Spacer’s Choice corporation, which meant initially I wanted to redirect power to the Botanical Laboratory. One of the companions in The Outer Worlds, Parvati, talked some sense into me, though. She reminded me that innocent people lived in Edgewater, not just nasty corporate goons.

Luckily, after redirecting power to Edgewater I headed back to the Botanical Laboratory and spoke with Adelaide McDevitt. She wasn’t pleased and stated she wouldn’t return to Edgewater if the guy in charge, Reed Tobson, was still there. This gave me a dialogue option to offer to get rid of Reed. Adelaide agreed to bring herself and the rest of the deserters back to Edgewater if Reed was gone. This seemed like the best possible outcome.

After speaking with Adelaide there was an objective to Convince the Deserters to Return. Ignore this and just head back to Edgewater, visiting Reed Tobson in the office he holds in the Saltuna Cannery. Below are the conversation options I chose to get Reed to agree to leave.

I spoke to Adelaide. She won’t come back so long as you’re here
Your town’s a mess, Reed.
Adelaide’s people aren’t getting sick with plague.
Have you people ever eaten an actual vegetable?
I’m pretty sure it’s your food that’s making you sick. You need Adelaide’s garden.
[Persuade 10] Adelaide’s found a way to grow food. She’ll come back if you step down.
[Lie 20] Look, Reed. All I know is that it involves some really complicated math, and it works.

For players that don’t have Persuade 10 or Lie 20, consider finishing some other side quests first and using the skill points to unlock these options. On the other hand, killing Reed Tobson is an option, but Parvati is not going to like that.

Once Reed Tobson leaves, Adelaide will return to Edgewater with her people. She will turn the Saltuna Cannery into a garden and rule Edgewater instead of Reed. That seems optimal to me. The innocent folks in Edgewater get to continue living there, hypothetically without the plague. Reed Tobson leaves, which means players didn’t side with Spacer’s Choice. The deserters get to come back to the safety of the walls provided by Edgewater, but without Reed. Not bad.

With a better understanding of where to redirect the power in The Outer Worlds, be sure to visit our hub, The Outer Worlds guide and walkthrough. We’ll help you master in-game concepts and quests to ensure your trip through Halcyon is a good one.