Secret Level episode 12 Spelunky: Tally ending explained— Does Ana eventually give up?

Secret Level episode 12 Spelunky: Tally was released on December 17, 2024, alongside six other episodes on Prime Video. At eight minutes, the episode shared its runtime with Secret Level episode 10 Mega Man: Start, the episodes with the shortest durations.

Even though the episode was brief, it effectively conveyed its core message, which aligned with the themes of the game it is based on, Spelunky 2. The key takeaways from the episode were that perseverance is essential, failures serve as valuable lessons on the pathway to success, and every experience, whether good or bad, contributes to shaping who you are.

These themes were illustrated through the journey of Ana, the main character in the episode, who demonstrated remarkable resilience inside the cave. She refused to give up even after dying over 80 times and facing multiple challenges upon respawning repeatedly.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for Secret Level episode 12. Readers' discretion is advised.

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What was Ana striving towards in Secret Level episode 12?

Ana Spelunky was venturing through caves in episode 12 of Secret Level (Image via YouTube/Prime Video)

While Spelunky 2, the game that inspired the episode, had a clear objective, Secret Level episode 12 was more ambiguous. In the game, Ana Spelunky, the daughter of Guy Spelunky, was on a quest to find her missing parents on the Moon, and during her expedition she had to navigate through various caves.

The same caves were depicted in the show, where Ana gets killed again and again only to respawn repeatedly. However, neither Ana's current location nor her ultimate goal throughout the events is clear in Secret Level episode 12. Based on the specific incidents depicted, it seems that Ana is stuck in an endless loop of life and death with no end game.

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How was Liz Mutton instrumental in Ana's journey in Secret Level episode 12?

Liz Mutton was the driving force behind Ana's actions in episode 12 of Secret Level (Image via YouTube/Prime Video)

Standing alongside Ana during her adventures in the caves in Secret Level episode 12 was Liz Mutton. Liz's character appeared every time Ana failed a cave challenge and had to respawn. While each attempt left Ana feeling drained, Liz's encouraging and supportive words motivated her to keep trying.

Near the end of the episode, when Ana was on the brink of giving up after respawning around 82 times, Liz gave a pep talk that inspired Ana to go for a run in the cave one more time. As a character who had also faced her share of failures, Liz's experiences resonated with Ana, making her words of encouragement even more impactful.

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How many times did Ana respawn in Secret Level episode 12?

Anna respawned more than eighty times through episode 12 of Secret Level (Image via Spelunky World/Prime Video)

When the episode started off, Anna was completing her sixteenth run inside the cave. She was being chased by a walrus-shaped animal that pushed her into a mountainous pit. She hung onto an elevated space but was soon punched in the face by a wooden hand. She instantly fell to her death.

The next time Ana was killed was her nineteenth time running inside the cave. She was killed by a plant resembling a Venus flytrap. In her twenty-eighth run inside the cave, she was killed by a skeleton who reached out for her the moment they came face to face. Ana died for the thirty-eighth time after being stabbed by a spear trap. By round eighty-two, Ana was exhausted, which is when Liz gave her the pep talk.

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All episodes of Secret Level are currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.