Deus Ex endings

There are three possible endings Deus Ex. Which one plays out depends on the final choices of JC Denton in Area 51.

In Deus Ex: Invisible War, most or all of each ending becomes canon.

The Benevolent Dictator
Requirements: Deactivate the uplink locks, engage the primary router and proceed to merge with Helios.

Cutscene: JC Denton speaks with Helios, enters in its machine and merges with it

"If there were no god, it would be necessary to invent him."

- Voltaire


 * Deus Ex: Invisible War establishes this ending as canon (though the merge with Helios turns out to be partial and unstable).

New Dark Age
Requirements: Cut the coolant flow and initiate a meltdown

Cutscene: Area 51 began to explode inside and JC Denton ran out of it "Yesterday we obeyed kings and bent our necks before emperors. But today we kneel only to truth..."

- Kahlil, Gibran


 * Deus Ex: Invisible War establishes this ending as canon.

The Invisible Hand
Requirements: Neutralize the four blue fusion reactors and cut the power of Bob Page's defense

Cutscene: JC Denton and Morgan Everett talking and life returning to normal around the world "Better to reign in hell, than serve in heaven."

- Paradise Lost, John Milton


 * Deus Ex: Invisible War establishes a part of this ending as canon. This is the least canon ending. Invisible War establishes that JC Denton did neutralize the reactors and kill Bob Page, but, having also destroyed Area 51 in a meltdown and merged with Helios - he doesn't return the Illuminati to power, or join them (as is heavily implied by this ending's cutscene). Further, by initiating a meltdown, he would presumably have killed Page anyway (even without neutralizing the fusion reactors).