Secret Level Episode 4 Ending & Unreal Tournament Connections Explained

Warning! This article contains spoilers for Secret Level episode 4.

Secret Level episode 4's ending takes the world of Epic Games' Unreal Tournament and turns it on its head thanks to the story of the oppressed robot, Xan. Prime Video's Secret Level show is an anthology series from the creators of Love, Death & Robots, which takes several iconic video game worlds and gives them an animated, story-based update. Secret Level's reviews may not be as resoundingly positive as many had hoped, but the way each individual episode treats its video game source material is endlessly compelling, with Secret Level episode 4 proving no different.

With upcoming video game adaptations being based on iconic story-based source material, Secret Level episode 4 takes a stab at the arena game, Unreal Tournament. In Secret Level episode 4's ending, the installment wrapped up the story of Xan, an oppressed robot whose actions against his superiors saw him incite wider rebellion after fighting in the eponymous Unreal Tournament. With plenty of video game Easter eggs, a compelling story, and some deeper themes, Secret Level episode 4's ending wraps up Xan's story as the Prime Video show attempts to join the ranks of the best video game TV show adaptations.

Secret Level Episode 4 Ending: How Did Xan Win The Unreal Tournament?

Xan's Robotic Abilities Saw Him Overcome His Oppressors

As alluded to, Secret Level episode 4's ending shows Xan winning the Unreal Tournament against the odds via his unique abilities stemming from his robotic origins. Xan operates somewhat like a modern-day AI by evolving and thinking as time goes by, with the robot figuring out that the firewall implemented into bots like him is stopping his coding from being upgraded further. As members of the Liandri Corporation, those responsible for creating the Unreal Tournament, seek a way to stop Xan and figure out why he is different, this firewall is removed from one of the bots Xan controls.

Xan then pushes his programming that previously controlled the other bots beyond the confines of the firewall, taking over Liandri Corporation's servers as a result. This allowed Xan to manipulate the Unreal Tournament's arena, stopping those sent to shut him down from doing so. Secret Level episode 4's ending sees Xan levitate himself above the arena on a platform, forcing the Liandri Corporation's leader to her knees as he incites the spectators to rebel. This would not have been possible without the removal of the firewall, which allowed Xan's evolved programming to become much more threatening to Liandri.

Why Did The Liandri Corporation Want To Put Xan In The Unreal Tournament In Secret Level Episode 4?

Liandri Wanted To Kill Two Birds With One Stone

Prime Video's animated video game show wisely uses the best elements of each episode's source material, with Secret Level episode 4 continuing this trend. Admittedly, the story of the Unreal Tournament game series is not the focus of each installment given its first-person shooter arena genre. That said, there is wider lore contained within the games that fleshes out the universe. This lore is used as the basis of Secret Level episode 4's story, answering questions like why Xan was placed in the arena and what the Liandri Corporation wanted.

In the Unreal Tournament games, the titular arena competition is created as a means of providing the people of Earth with an outlet. The games are set against the backdrop of humanity's war with an otherworldly race known as the Skaarj, with mining being the primary way of financing the war. This caused trouble, uprisings, and revolts within the working class due to the mining conditions, forcing the Liandri Corporation to create the Unreal Tournament, thus giving the working class an outlet for their anger and violence.

In Secret Level episode 4, Xan is a mining robot based on the character of the same name from the games. Xan and his robotic colleagues are expendable, causing Xan's anger to spiral into the rebellion shown. The Liandri Corporation places Xan into the Unreal Tournament as a means of achieving two things. For one, the people will continue having their bloodlust satiated, with the second reason being quelling Xan's rebellion. Evidently, this fails.

Xan's Secret Level Episode 4 Journey In The Unreal Tournament Emulates The Original Game

Xan Becomes A Gamer Stand-In

In Secret Level episode 4, Xan essentially takes the role of the player. For example, Xan's AI interface learns and evolves the more he fights in the Unreal Tournament, just as video game players do. Another integral element of the original game is the utilization of "bots," which players can customize and give orders to fight alongside them. Secret Level episode 4 puts a clever twist on this, having Xan use literal bots as his allies by extending his programming to them and ordering them during the tournament.

Secret Level episode 4's ending continues this trend of making Xan the player once the robot takes over the Liandri Corp's servers. After doing so, Xan begins changing the layout of the Unreal Tournament arena, from crushing the soldiers sent to apprehend him to rising on a platform above the crowd. This is a twist on the PC version of Unreal Tournament, which gave players a level editor feature.

Secret Level Episode 4 Uses Iconic Unreal Tournament Game Elements

Unreal Tournaments Weapons & Voice Lines Are Included

Throughout Secret Level episode 4, several Easter eggs from Unreal Tournament are found. Weapons from the original game like the Enforcer pistol, the Ripper, and the rocket launcher are used in Xan's various fights. As these fights continue to increase in scale, an arena announcer becomes more noticeable. This announcer can be heard uttering several voice lines from Unreal Tournament, such as "Dominating," "Double Kill," "First Blood," and "Headshot."

The Real Meaning Of Secret Level Episode 4's Ending

As is the case with every episode of Secret Level, episode 4's ending explores deeper themes. One such theme actually goes against Xan, in a way, by reinforcing the dangers of AI should it become too implemented into human society. Where Xan's perspective specifically is concerned, Secret Level episode 4 tells a story of oppressed peoples and their rise to rebellion. Those who are oppressed will not stay that way for long, with Secret Level episode 4 focusing on this point via Xan.

While Xan and his mining colleagues are supposedly mindless robots, Secret Level episode 4 humanizes them and shows that abusing workers who are deemed lesser than Liandri Corporation employees will cause an uprising. Similarly, Secret Level episode 4 has somewhat of an anti-capitalist and anti-war stance; The Liandri Corporation is forcing lower-class citizens to work in awful conditions to finance a war they did not start.

In the game lore and Secret Level, it is these underprivileged workers who are then sent into an arena against highly-trained opponents. No matter what, the warmongering, financially wealthy corporation wins at the cost of people's lives. All of this highlights the issues of war and how some can benefit from such a "business" in Secret Level episode 4, told via the eyes - or, more aptly, lights - of Xan the robot as he overcomes the Unreal Tournament.

Secret Level is a computer-animated anthology series that tells bold, unique, and emotive stories set in popular video game franchise worlds.

Release Date December 10, 2024

Seasons 1