Not reliably. At least one squadmate dies in the final engagement of Zero Parades: For Dead Spies, and there is no confirmed way to bring all three home. Headphones can shield crew members from the red disc’s song, but no confirmed run saves everyone that way either.
So the real question is not whether you can save everyone, but who you choose to save. Below we explain why, spoiler-light first, then each version of the finale behind a warning.
Why Someone Usually Dies
The final operation, Zero Out the Grand Lich, takes three squadmates, one each in the roles of Cupbearer, Astronomist and Fool. Our guide to the best crew covers who fills each role. The finale is built around trade-offs:
- Moments force a choice. In a gunfight, two squadmates end up hurt at once and Hershel can only help one.
- The roles are not equally safe. The Fool, Ramses or PSEUDOPOD, is the one most likely to die.
- Thematically, it fits. Getting everyone out would be a bit too neat for a story this bleak.
Steam’s stats show how rare a rescue is. All Is Forgiven (“Save the life of a squadmate.”) is held by 16.4% of Zero Parades players as of November 2, 2026, while Why Does the Eye Weep? (“Finish the main assignment.”) is at 24.3%.
Before the Finale: Give Yourself Options
- Recruit both candidates for the Astronomist and Fool roles so you can swap squads between attempts. Our guide to who you can recruit lists them.
- Make a manual save before the call that starts the operation. On PC, ZA/UM’s June 4 patch added quick save on F5 and quick load on F9.
- Decide on your approach. There are three: a gunfight, the ancient bomb from the Palace of Culture, or the restored red disc. Our endings guide explains each.
Spoiler warning: everything below describes the finale on the aero-tram and who dies in it.
The Gunfight
The shooting reaches a moment where two squadmates are hit, and you choose who to help. The one you do not help dies.
- With Yana, Ramses and Karolina, the choice is between Yana and Ramses.
- With Yana, HOLOCENE and PSEUDOPOD, the choice is between Yana and PSEUDOPOD.
- To save PSEUDOPOD, you must pick him over your Cupbearer. Our guide on how to revive PSEUDOPOD covers getting him on the team.
Every gunfight ends with at least one squadmate lost.
The Red Disc
The red disc’s song is the danger here, and headphones are the defence:
- KALEIDOSCOPE’s own pair, if he is your Cupbearer.
- Ramses’ pair, which he gives to Karolina, so she survives the song when both are on the squad.
No confirmed red disc run brings the whole squad home either. The red disc route is also the Opera’s favourite, as our Z rank guide explains.
The Bomb
The ancient bomb unlocks Sky High (“Use the bomb on the aero-tram.”), held by only 6.0% of Steam players. There is far less to go on about who survives this approach, so if you try it for a full rescue, save first and compare.
Saving People Outside the Squad
“Save everyone” also covers people outside your crew, and some of those choices pull against each other. Helping Ultra Violeta escape keeps Yana but gives up the trade for Poor Dante, and the Z rank route asks you to kill people you could spare. Our guide on how to save Yana covers that trade, and every other guide is on our Zero Parades hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can everyone survive in Zero Parades? Not in any confirmed run: at least one squadmate dies in the final engagement.
Which approach gives the best chance of saving the crew? None is confirmed to save everyone. Headphones protect crew members from the red disc’s song, and a gunfight lets you choose which wounded squadmate to help, so plan around who you most want to keep.
Who usually dies in the finale? The Fool, Ramses or PSEUDOPOD, dies most often, and in a gunfight the squadmate you do not help dies.
Can you save Yana and Ramses in the same gunfight? No. When both are hit, you can only help one.
Is there an achievement for saving a squadmate? Yes, All Is Forgiven, for saving the life of a squadmate.