Whether you like Josh or not, it’s debatable whether he deserved what he got in Until Dawn. While his fate remains the same as seen in the original Until Dawn, you may have forgotten the crucial way to give him a proper send-off—that doesn’t include getting crushed.
Here’s everything you need to know about altering Josh’s fate in Until Dawn.
Warning for spoilers throughout.
How to save Josh in Until Dawn (2024)
Josh, the human antagonist of Until Dawn and the identity behind the maniac, has three possible conclusions to his story. Josh isn’t in any particular danger until Chapter 10: Repentance. Dragged off by Hannah—Josh is taken to her lair—where he suffers from hallucinations—tormented by his guilt.
Unlike the original that has two bad conclusions for Josh, the remake offers a brand new way to save him. At the end of Chapter 8 – Revelation, you must appear remorseful to Dr. Hill by selecting They Hurt Me and I’m So Sorry dialogue choices for Josh’s redemption.
Control is handed over to Sam in Chapter 10 – Repentance, as she and Mike look for Josh. While wading through water to find Josh, you need to locate a vital record before heading into the next area (which will save if you progress too far). Playing as Sam, drop into the freezing water like you’re supposed to. Although unclear, there are two paths you can take here. One takes you to Josh; the other lets Sam and Mike explore Hannah’s lair further.
Until Dawn (2024): Hannah’s journal location
If you go in a straight line after dropping into the water, Sam and Mike will reach a door near the water wheel. While this progresses the story (and you can find a totem behind the water wheel), you don’t want to go here yet. Don’t follow Mike through the water, or you’ll miss the main revelation of Until Dawn. Instead, veer off to the left as soon as you jump in. You want to head towards the left side of the water wheel, where an interact prompt is visible on a ridge similar to where you initially jumped in.
Climb onto the ridge and immediately walk forward and left. You can’t miss the journal, as this is the only thing to find in this small area. Interact and read through the entire journal, ending on day 33 of Hannah’s record of events after falling into the mines at the beginning of the story.
Josh’s fate is altered and sealed upon finding this journal. You won’t get an achievement for locating it, but Mike and Sam will have a discussion, sealing the end of Josh’s story with a neat little cutscene that goes over what happened to the sisters.
Saving Josh from a gruesome death, the journal is a key item for his survival. You must find this item to save everyone in Until Dawn.
What happens to Josh in Until Dawn?
With his fate being decided on whether Sam picks up Hannah’s journal, Josh initially had two endings and honestly, neither one was better than the other. In the original, Josh either died at the hands of Wendigo Hannah—his head crushed by brute force—or became a Wendigo. But the new ending shows that Josh can survive.
If you fail to find Hannah’s journal, Josh will meet Hannah again, but she won’t recognize him. But, if the journal is discovered, Hannah will recognize his brother and decide to give him a fate similar to her own. This fate is altered if you were remorseful in your actions against your friends as the maniac.
Exacting revenge for his sisters as he manipulates and scares his friends over the prank that backfired at the start of Until Dawn, his guilt for not being present when it happened has taken over his psyche and identity. While the prank resulted in the death of Hannah and Beth, Josh blames himself more than anyone for not being awake at the time of his sisters’ needs.
It’s a wonder whether Hannah is punishing Josh by forcing him to become a Wendigo or if she just wants her brother to stay with her forever—like Beth. But I, for one, believe the latter. The newest ending shows that Josh can change for the better—and that perhaps Hannah wasn’t a monster—after all.
