Returnal Guide | How to Defeat Ophion Boss

Here's a guide on how to defeat the Ophion Boss in Returnal.

Game Guide by Ragib Rawnak on Dec 04, 2025

When you reach the Abyssal Scar, you face Ophion, the final boss of Returnal. This encounter follows clear signals, and as long as you read each pattern and act on time, you can finish the fight quickly.

To damage Ophion, you must shoot the red eyes that appear across its body and the floating blue spheres that form around the arena in Returnal.

Phase One

The fight begins when you shoot the floating blue sphere above Ophion. This exposes weak points and starts the first sequence of attacks. Ophion opens several large vents that release green orbs across the arena. You must dodge these while staying ready for their next signal.

Returnal, Guide, How to Defeat Ophion Boss

At intervals, Ophion releases a purple wave from a random location. You need to jump over this wave before it reaches you. It then fires a spread of red orbs that forms a single large pattern across the field.

Another attack is a narrow stream of green projectiles that track your movement in the same style as a Mycomorph attack. After that, Ophion sends out five vertical purple lasers that fall straight down across the arena, creating fixed lanes you must move between.

Phase Two

During the second phase, Ophion leans forward, revealing more of its skeletal structure. The attack set remains similar to phase one, but patterns come faster and can overlap in Returnal.

Ophion can use orbs, waves, and tracking shots together to launch more than one type of attack at the same time. It can also block off parts of the field with its claws, making you move before a pattern locks you in.

Returnal, Guide, How to Defeat Ophion Boss

Phase Three

In the third phase, Ophion adds new sequences to its earlier attacks. Instead of firing straight purple lasers in fixed directions, Ophion creates portals that shoot lasers directly at you. These lasers remain active for a short time, and several can appear at once. While navigating this, you must also avoid purple walls that sweep outward across the field.

Ophion also fires rapid bursts of blue and green orbs that track you while sending homing projectiles at the same time. Your movement must stay steady as you adjust to each direction shift in the incoming fire in Returnal.

Returnal, Guide, How to Defeat Ophion Boss

Rewards

Defeating Ophion grants you five Ether for future runs. Since Ophion is the final boss, defeating it appears to break the cycle that holds Selene on Atropos. After the fight, jump into the pit that opens in the center of the arena.

When you land, follow the minimap along the final path until you reach a floating sphere above a rift. Walk into it to trigger the ending cutscene and the credits in Returnal.

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