How to get the Best Ending in Life Is Strange: Before the Storm
If you’re reading this, then you’ve most likely completed the third and final episode in Before the Storm. You’re also wondering: “How do I meet Rachel’s mother: Sera Gearhardt?” Getting Sera to visit Rachel is considered the ‘Life Is Strange Before the Storm Best Ending’ since it was Rachel’s entire desire in Episode 3. It also becomes Chloe’s task to complete. Hiding the truth would mean that Rachel would continue to be missing something from her life. It would also hide the ugly truth that her father — the District Attorney, tried to get “rid” of Sera via Damon Merrick.
Get the Bracelet
Get the bracelet in Episode 2: Brave New World, after The Tempest play during the Neighborhood chapter. It was on Rachel ever since birth, and is a reminder that the world is a lot bigger than Arcadia Bay.
Read the Letters and choose the right Responses
In the Amber House – Office chapter in Episode 3, make sure to read the letters in the shoebox with the phone. This will unlock a dialogue option when you arrive at the Old Mill chapter and have a discussion with Sera. The letters which Rachel never received; pleaded for visitation. Sera even got an attorney and stopped cashing the checks she was receiving.
There is no indicator on which responses to Sera will tip the scales toward a favorable outcome, but some will be more convincing than others. The choices I made are in bold:
- “You know my name.” / “Where is Frank?” – choose either one, but curiosity will lead you to ask where Frank is. The other choice will have Sera reveal that she noticed you from the play.
- “You need help.” / “Know about what?” – probably does not contribute to any side. Chloe will get straight to the matter of getting Sera aid for the drug that was injected.
- “That’s bullshit.” / “I don’t understand.”
- “She deserves the truth.” / “She deserves to meet you.“
- “Everybody’s broken.” / “You’re strong.” – Chloe actually knows more about Sera than she thinks. Encourage her.
- “I love my father.” / “I lost my best friend.” – Choose the father answer. If you choose best friend, Sera will say: “Friends come and go.”
- “You quit for a year.” / “Rachel needs you.”
- “They are far from perfect.” / “I thought my dad was perfect.” – this goes back to the Burned Forest chapter just before the Old Mill, when Chloe was visited by her Dad the last time.
- “I can’t lie to her.” / “Remember your letter.” / “Don’t you want to see her?” – this is the dialogue option unlocked from reading the letters.
- “Don’t leave.” / “Give her Rachel’s bracelet.” / “I’ll take care of her.” – this is where you part with the bracelet.
Tell Rachel Everything to get the Life Is Strange Before the Storm Best Ending
Chloe needs to tell Rachel everything in order for Sera to appear at the lighthouse in the ending cutscene.  Life Is Strange Before the Storm Best Ending.
For more Life Is Strange: Before the Storm content, check out the full Episode 3: Hell is Empty Walkthrough, or locate all of the graffiti with the Episode 3 Graffiti Guide. Stay tuned for coverage of the bonus “Farewell” episode which stars young Chloe and Max.
Asking for the bracelet is not necessary. I asked for a kiss, read the letters and referred to them when speaking with Sera and still got the best ending.
Interesting — because I also went for the kiss with Chloe the first time through, and I couldn’t make Rachel’s Mom come back to her in the ending scene by the lighthouse. I replayed it from Episode 2 and asked for the bracelet and that’s how I got it. Oh well, glad you got it!
I haven’t read any of them letters and I chose to kiss Rachel and yet still I have the good ending. Probably it depends on how good we are to Rachel.
I assume this “best ending” still ends with an unanswered phone?
You mean Rachel’s phone? Yeah, Rachel’s fate is sealed. ‘Before the Storm’ is the prequel to the original ‘Life Is Strange’, in which Chloe explores Rachel’s disappearance.
I’d love it if you could change the course of the events though. I mean isn’t the original ‘Life Is Strange’ all about changing fate?
*SPOILER* Chloe could (should?) have been dead in several cases, several scenarios, over several timelines which all seemed to be pretty much unavoidable. The entire storm seems to exist because Max has removed her death from time, unfulfilling her fate and thus changing… life itself.
It would have been awesome to feel a little bit more “freedom” during ‘Before The Storm’ since even though the story of BTS gives a lot of depth to the original story, and made me wonder “What if my actions and decision during this actually led up to the events of the original game” which is a very interesting train of thought in itself… Considering alternate timelines and whatnot… It would have been cool to somehow see Rachel survive. Or maybe have like a ‘perfect’ ending where it changes, or whatever.
Yeah that would have really been interesting to see the dynamic between Rachel and Max. Then again there’s the saying: “two is company, and three’s a crowd”.
I think a lot of people feel crushed when Chloe couldn’t reunite with Rachel. Her story is a tragic one; a pivotal role that shapes Chloe for the original game. And it makes Max’s final decision in the original game have that much more weight.