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For the track of the same name, see Waterfall (Soundtrack).

Waterfall is the third area the protagonist encounters in the Underground. The area is accessible after the protagonist defeats Papyrus in a fight. The area follows Snowdin Forest and Snowdin Town, and precedes Hotland.

Features[]

For the area's puzzles, see Waterfall/Puzzles.

Main Story[]

Neutral Route[]

Golden Flowers screenshot Garbage Dump

The protagonist lies on a bed of Golden Flowers in the Garbage Dump.

Upon entering Waterfall, the protagonist passes Sans's sentry station, where Sans offers to take them to Grillby's, if they did not kill Papyrus. Proceeding through Waterfall, Monster Kid talks to the protagonist and expresses enthusiasm to see Undyne in action.[1] Monster Kid unknowingly saves the protagonist from Undyne on a couple of occasions.

As they progress through puzzles involving bridge seeds, the protagonist speaks to Papyrus and Onionsan. During one encounter with Undyne, Undyne cuts the bridge that the protagonist is standing on, and the protagonist falls into the Garbage Dump. Before leaving the Garbage Dump, Mad Dummy fights the protagonist, and Napstablook invites the protagonist to their house.

After passing through rooms filled with Echo Flowers and mazes with lit paths, the protagonist fights Undyne. This battle leads to a chase scene into Hotland.

Glad Dummy battle

Genocide Route[]

On the Genocide Route, the protagonist encounters Monster Kid and Undyne's spear attacks, but the puzzles are solved. Mad Dummy becomes corporeal and transforms into Glad Dummy.[2] Every Temmie has left Temmie Village except for the Temmie Shopkeeper and the Temmie that looks out from the wall. Monster Kid attempts to stop the protagonist, but once they retaliate, Undyne takes the fatal blow and returns as Undyne the Undying. If there are still monsters left right before fighting Undyne, "Strongly felt <number> left. Shouldn't proceed yet." appears on the pathway to the bridge that Monster Kid falls from in the Neutral Route.

Geography[]

Ancient glyphs adorn the walls of Waterfall. The color palette of this region is primarily indigo and blue with the occasional black chasm. Mushrooms, Echo Flowers, gems within the walls, and water in some areas glow bright blue. True to its namesake, pools of water often provide the atmosphere at Waterfall, and the ceiling drips with water in some areas.

Waterfall Entrance to Initial Sea-Grass[]

Waterfall location Checkpoint

In the "Checkpoint", the protagonist speaks to Monster Kid, Sans, and the Echo Flower Explainer. A small waterfall flows through this room, and an Echo Flower and Sans's sentry station are against the north wall. Between Sans's sentry station and the Echo Flower is a SAVE Point. Snow covers Sans's sentry station and his station blocks access to a wooden door. From this room, the protagonist can go with Sans to Grillby's via a shortcut through the right wall.

Waterfall location Rock Puzzle

After progressing right, the protagonist encounters a puzzle that involves dodging rocks that are going down the waterfall as well as a Dimensional Box. If a rock pushes the protagonist over the edge of the waterfall, they land on a wooden bridge that has an Echo Flower on the rightmost end.[3] Backtracking to the left allows the protagonist to attempt to cross the waterfall again or access the hidden room behind the waterfall. The Old Tutu resides in this hidden room.

Danger Mystery soundtrack

The light gradient in Waterfall often adds shadows for contrast.

Exiting the waterfall room leads to the "Hallway", a room with a patch of tall grass in which a cutscene of Papyrus and Undyne takes place. Papyrus stands on the lighter side of the room while Undyne stands in the shadows. Undyne nearly attacks the protagonist but stops when she remembers that the sea-grass is used for scientific study.[4]

A few red gems and blue gems are in this room, along with three stalagmites near Undyne. After the protagonist exits the tall grass on the right, Monster Kid appears from the grass and celebrates seeing Undyne.

Initial Sea-Grass to The Wishing Room[]

Waterfall location Bridge Seed room

The first Bridge Seed puzzle room.

Progressing right, the protagonist encounters Bridge Seed puzzles. The first room serves as a tutorial of Bridge Seed mechanics, and the protagonist crosses the waterfall in the room after lining up four Bridge Seeds. Using the right exit of the room, the protagonist enters a larger room with another Bridge Seed puzzle within it.

Bridge Seed Room map

After taking a few steps forward, the protagonist encounters Aaron. This encounter is scripted.

Along with four Bridge Seeds, this room contains four glowing mushrooms, a sign in the middle of a waterlogged area, a Bell Blossom that retrieves the seeds, and a sign describing the Bell Blossom. The sign in the bottom left of this room reads "Congratulations! You failed the puzzle!" The protagonist can solve the Bridge Seed puzzle multiple ways.

Abandoned Quiche item

The protagonist can use the Bridge Seeds to create a bridge offscreen to the right of the room. In this room, there is an Echo Flower[5] and a bench with the Abandoned Quiche beneath it.

When the protagonist approaches the top left exit of the Bridge Seed room, Papyrus calls and inquires what the protagonist is wearing.[6] They are given a choice of whether to tell him the truth or lie to him.

The Wishing Room to Ferry Dock[]

The next room is the Wishing Room,[7] which contains many Echo Flowers and blue, glowing gems on the ceiling. As the protagonist progresses right, a telescope pointed at the ceiling offers a clue to check the northern wall to find the exit of the room.

Waterfall location raft room

The northern exit leads to a room with a wooden bridge and dark water in which many Water Sausages grow. On the north wall are many ancient glyphs. At the end of the wooden dock, the protagonist steps on a small raft that drifts to the right.

Frisk screenshot shadow

Shadows sharpen when Undyne attacks.

Undyne's first spear barrage occurs in the next room. The protagonist flees from Undyne's spears along a wooden dock surrounded by black water. Undyne stands to the north of the protagonist and directly behind a row of rock pillars. The protagonist escapes Undyne by hiding in tall sea-grass.

After leaving this room and coming back, a Ferry monster appears, and they can transport the protagonist back to the area after the Wishing Room, giving the protagonist 3G in the process rather than charging 3G.

Ferry Dock to Onionsan[]

After leaving this room through the right exit, the protagonist reaches the "Crystal" room. In this room is an Echo Flower, a mouse hole, and a piece of cheese. The Echo Flower, which is to the right of the mouse hole, squeaks when the protagonist interacts with it. On the True Pacifist Route, the dialog of the table changes.[8]

Waterfall location crystal

Continuing right, the protagonist exits the room and sees Sans standing next to a telescope. To his right is another dimensional box. Sans attempts to prank the protagonist with the red-eye telescope. Exiting through the wooden door on the north wall of this room leads to another small room with the Nice Cream Guy in it. There is also a Punch Card box, a blue, glowing mushroom, and defiled ancient glyphs[9] in this room.

Waterfall location Sans telescope

If the protagonist backtracks from this room and travels right from Sans's telescope, they encounter "Loren" and, continuing right, the small bird. The protagonist cannot use the small bird yet, as they are on opposite sides of a chasm of bright blue water.

Going south of where "Loren" is leads to a room that spans a large area horizontally and vertically. The color palette reverses in this room, and the water appears bright blue while the land appears black. As the protagonist traverses this room, they encounter a few Echo Flowers and can also find the Ballet Shoes in a tuft of tall grass.[10]

Before the protagonist crosses a wooden bridge, one of four possible dialogues can happen, depending on what the player chose to tell Papyrus in the second Bridge Seed puzzle room. If they told him the truth, Papyrus calls them again and explains that he told Undyne exactly what the protagonist told him because he assumed the protagonist would change their clothes after being asked such a suspicious question[11]. If they instead chose to lie, Papyrus gives one of two dialogues where he said he chose to lie about what they were wearing so they wouldn't get into trouble, accidentally telling Undyne what they actually are wearing.[12][13] If the protagonist told him the truth, but they have changed their defensive item, Papyrus says that he made up what they were wearing, accidentally guessing what they changed into[14].

Continuing, the protagonist enters a long, horizontal room with a narrow black path leading to the right. As they progress down this path, Onionsan appears and talks to them. The protagonist then leaves through the right exit and encounters Shyren in the next room.

Onionsan to Garbage Dump[]

Artifact Room location entrance

Shyren's room has two small, white waterfalls that flow from the top to the bottom of the screen and always stay in the foreground. To the north of this room, the Piano Puzzle awaits the protagonist. The protagonist opens the door to the Artifact Room by playing the melody that echoes through the area.[15]

The Artifact Room itself contains a red orb on a pedestal and glyphs that cannot be read because the protagonist cannot stand directly in front of them.

Waterfall location music box

Backtracking and heading to the right from the room with Shyren's battle, the protagonist encounters more ancient glyphs that inform them of Boss Monsters.[16] Continuing to the right, they see an ancient statue that has water dripping on it from the ceiling.

Waterfall location rain room

The protagonist can see their reflection in these pools.

Exiting this room through the right exit leads the protagonist to a room with a white waterfall in the foreground, a bucket of umbrellas, and a sign encouraging them to take an umbrella. Progressing right, they walk through a waterlogged room that has many waterfalls and reflective pools within it. Monster Kid walks alongside the protagonist for the duration of this room.

Waterfall screenshot New Home view

After the duo reaches the end of this room, they enter a two-dimensional room with New Home off in the distance. The game returns to an overworld scheme after the protagonist exits this room to the right.

After Monster Kid helps the protagonist climb onto a ledge, the protagonist progresses to the next room without them after Monster Kid gives them the go-ahead.[17]

The next SAVE Point is in the room immediately to the right of the ledge, known as the "Bridge". There are also more ancient glyphs on the walls that detail The War of Humans and Monsters. Exiting this room to the right, the protagonist walks on another wooden bridge where Undyne antagonizes them. After reaching a dead end of the bridge, the protagonist falls into the Garbage Dump after Undyne slices the bridge in two.

Garbage Dump to Undyne's Crag[]

After a brief flashback of Asriel Dreemurr encountering the first human, the protagonist wakes up on a bed of Golden Flowers, finding themself in the Garbage Dump. Most of the Garbage Dump is flooded, and the protagonist walks with their legs below the water.

Garbage Dump location

The initial room is very large and spacious. The waterfall that flows into this room spans across the entire northern wall, and there are two piles of garbage along the southern wall. Exiting this room leads to the "Trash Zone", which is a smaller room with a waterfall that flows into the room and a waterfall that flows into the abyss below. According to the SAVE Point, pieces of garbage occasionally flow through the room and fall into the abyss, but this does not occur in game. It is revealed later that this is the room where Undyne first met Alphys.[18]

Garbage Dump location 2

Exiting this room leads to a vertical room with more piles of garbage as well as a cooler with two packs of Astronaut Food. Mad Dummy is fought in this room, and Napstablook interrupts the battle. Napstablook then invites the protagonist to their house.

Blook Acres location Snail Farm

Napstablook leads the protagonist to the "Quiet Area", which is a rectangular room with a pond in the center. To the north houses Blook Acres, which is separated by three paths: the left path leads to Undyne's House, the middle path leads to Napstablook's House, and the right path leads to the snail farm. Mettaton's House lies next door to Napstablook's house, and it can eventually be unlocked by using the Mystery Key. In the snail farm, Napstablook invites the protagonist to play a game of Thundersnail for the price of 10G.

Waterfall location Gerson shop entrance

To the west of the "Quiet Area" lies the small bird that can carry the protagonist over a disproportionately small gap to the earlier areas of Waterfall. To the east lies a crossroads with Gerson's shop to the north and a southern path that leads to a room where the River Person is present once the protagonist reaches Hotland. A Dimensional Box is present next to the entrance to Gerson's shop. Continuing east leads to a horizontal room with two bodies of water that the protagonist sinks their legs under. This is the first room where Temmie and Moldbygg can be encountered. There are Echo Flowers in this room,[19] but they are inaccessible to the protagonist.

Temmie Village location

Continuing forward, the protagonist enters a maze of paths that light up when they touch the glowing mushrooms. There is a southern path that is hidden from view that leads to Temmie Village but lights up once the protagonist leaves the village. The next room is another maze, but this time, there are darkening lanterns that must be turned back on to temporarily light the way forward.

Waterfall location Echo Flower path

After solving the two puzzles, the protagonist enters a horizontal room that gets progressively darker as they continue forward. Interacting with the Echo Flower at the end of the room causes the room to light up only for Undyne to appear and approach the protagonist with the intention of taking their SOUL. Monster Kid suddenly jumps out from a patch of tall grass and interrupts the ensuing battle. After Undyne drags Monster Kid away, a path that was previously hidden from view lights up, allowing the protagonist to continue north into a vertical room with a few Echo Flowers along the path. There is an ancient glyph at the end of this room that mentions a prophecy of an Angel returning from the Surface and causing the Underground to go empty.

Waterfall screenshot box puzzle

The protagonist then enters a room that contains a bridge spanning across an expansive chasm. Monster Kid approaches the protagonist and talks to them. However, once they start to leave, they trip off the bridge and hang onto the ledge below just as Undyne enters the room. The protagonist has the option to save Monster Kid, confront Undyne, let Monster Kid fall off the ledge, or run away into the next room where the Elder Puzzler eventually inhabits.

NGAHHH!! soundtrack

In the "Undyne Arena", Undyne stands atop a tall crag and speaks to the protagonist, with her dialogue changing based on if they killed monsters or if they killed Papyrus. She eventually allows the protagonist to prepare themself however they want, initiating the battle once they step forward. If the protagonist opts to flee from her, Undyne begins chasing them throughout the last two rooms of Waterfall before Hotland, reengaging battle if she catches up with them.

Going under the crag that Undyne originally stood on leads to a vertical room that acts as a bridge over a river. The ice thrown by Ice Wolf flows along this river. The next room is a horizontal room with a neon sign saying "WELCOME TO HOTLAND!" with the letters scrolling across the sign. If Undyne is killed, the neon sign is turned off. Papyrus calls the protagonist in the neon sign room telling them that they should hang out together with Undyne sometime.[20] If Undyne is chasing the protagonist, she stops so that they can accept the call.[21]

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • During the protagonist and Sans's date in Grillby's, Sans refers to Waterfall as a marsh.[22]
  • One of Alphys's cameras can be found at the center of the bottom of the waterfall where rocks fall.
  • If the fun value is set to 66, a horizontal hallway, room 268, appears between the "Crystal" room and the room with Sans next to the fake telescope. There is an additional 10% chance that a gray door that leads to room 269 will appear. This room is empty save for a mysterious figure that many consider to be W. D. Gaster. The figure has no hitbox, but interacting with them makes them disappear.[23]
  • In the room where Sans's telescope and "Loren" are, inspecting the southern wall immediately left of the southern path reveals that there are glowing gems along that wall, but they cannot be seen due to the angle at which the camera is positioned.[24]
  • Neither Papyrus or Undyne know of the statue's origin.[25][26]
  • There is a glitch in the two-dimensional room that overlooks New Home. If the player holds the up, down, and right directional movement keys simultaneously, the protagonist moves at a faster pace.
  • There is a glitch in the first room of the Garbage Dump. If the protagonist walks diagonally along the edges of the wooden planks and then walks to the water, they appear to be walking on the surface of the water instead of having their legs sink below.[27]
  • In rooms with floating, white particles, if the protagonist interacts with one as if it were an NPC, a special sound effect plays.
  • On the pathway to the bridge that Monster Kid falls from, reaching the end of the room and backtracking without leaving the room allows for Flowey to be seen going back into the ground next to an Echo Flower. If the protagonist then interacts with the Echo Flower, Flowey can be heard disguising himself with Toriel's voice, with the dialogue varying depending on whether she was killed or not. On the Genocide Route, the Echo Flower still says that "It's strangely silent", except the text is in Toriel's voice.
  • Waterfall resembles the Land of Wind and Shade from Homestuck. The Waterfall leitmotif originates from the song Doctor, which is the Land of Wind and Shade's theme.

References[]

  1. Man, are you unlucky.
    If you were standing just a LITTLE bit to the left...!
    Yo, don't worry! I'm sure we'll see her again!
    - Monster Kid
  2. Eureka. Eureka! EUREKA!
    Human. That moment of unbridled emotion.
    It allowed me to finally fuse with my body!
    I'm fully corporeal now! My lifelong dream, realized!
    - Glad Dummy
  3. I swore I saw something... Behind that rushing water... - Echo Flower Narration
  4. This is the room where I first spotted you.
    You have NO idea how many spears I wanted to throw!!!
    But, um, that seagrass is under scientific protection.
    - Undyne
  5. I just wasn't ready for the responsibility. - Echo Flower Narration
  6. NYEH HEH HEH HEH!!
    SO... WHAT ARE YOU WEARING...?
    I'M... ASKING FOR A FRIEND.
    - Papyrus
  7. THE WISHING ROOM. DO YOU HAVE A WISH...?
    NYEH HEH HEH!! I HAVE ONE!!!
    I WISH I WAS TALKING TO MY COOL FRIEND!!!
    LOOK!!! IT'S COMING TRUE!
    WHAT WILL YOU WISH FOR?
    - Papyrus
  8. (Seems like the mouse has freed some of the cheese from the crystal somehow.) - Narration.
  9. The ancient glyphs have been painted over with a list of 21 different flavors. - Narrator
  10. There's normally a pair of old shoes in that seagrass.
    Strangely, they're made for someone without fins or claws.
    What kind of monster is like that...?
    - Undyne
  11. BECAUSE I KNEW, OF COURSE...
    AFTER SUCH A SUSPICIOUS QUESTION...
    YOU WOULD OBVIOUSLY CHANGE YOUR CLOTHES!
    YOU'RE SUCH A SMART COOKIE!
    THIS WAY YOU'RE SAFE AND I DIDN'T LIE!!!
    NO BETRAYAL ANYWHERE!!!
    BEING FRIENDS WITH EVERYONE IS EASY!!!
    - Papyrus after telling the truth and keeping the equipped item
  12. I KNEW WHEN YOU SAID:
    "I AM NOT WEARING A <PREVIOUS ITEM>."
    IT WAS REALLY A SECRET CODE!
    YOU REALLY MEANT...
    "I ACTUALLY AM WEARING A <PREVIOUS ITEM>!"
    YOU WERE TRYING TO PROTECT YOURSELF...
    WHILE MAKING IT SO I DIDN'T HAVE TO LIE!
    I PICKED UP ON THIS, AND FOLLOWED YOUR PLAN.
    I TOLD HER YOU WERE NOT WEARING A <PREVIOUS ITEM>!
    IN FACT I TOOK IT ONE STEP FURTHER!
    I TOLD HER YOU WERE PROBABLY...
    WEARING A <CURRENT ITEM>!
    OF COURSE, YOU WOULD NEVER WEAR THAT.
    BUT THAT'S THE POINT!
    SHE WON'T RECOGNIZE YOU NOW!
    AND I DIDN'T HAVE TO BETRAY EITHER OF YOU!
    SINCE I JUST TOLD HER WHAT YOU SAID!
    - Papyrus after lying and changing the equipped item
  13. PAPYRUS WOULD NEVER BETRAY YOU!
    YOU SAID YOU WERE NOT WEARING A <ITEM>.
    SO OF COURSE I ACTUALLY TOLD HER...
    YOU WERE INDEED WEARING A <ITEM>!
    IT PAINED ME TO TELL SUCH A BOLDFACED LIE.
    BUT SINCE YOU AREN'T WEARING A <ITEM>.
    SHE SURELY WON'T ATTACK YOU!
    NOW YOU ARE SAFE AND SOUND.
    WOWIE... THIS IS HARD.
    I JUST WANT TO BE EVERYBODY'S FRIEND!
    - Papyrus after lying and keeping the equipped item
  14. I TOLD HER YOU WERE NOT WEARING A <PREVIOUS ITEM>!
    EVEN THOUGH YOU TOLD ME YOU WERE!
    INSTEAD, I MADE SOMETHING UP!
    I TOLD HER YOU WERE WEARING...
    A <CURRENT ITEM>.
    IT PAINED ME TO TELL SUCH A BOLDFACED LIE.
    I KNOW YOU WOULD NEVER EVER WEAR A <CURRENT ITEM>.
    BUT YOUR SAFETY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN FASHION.
    DANG!
    I JUST WANT TO BE FRIENDS WITH EVERYONE...
    - Papyrus after telling the truth and changing the equipped item
  15. A haunting song echoes down the corridor... Won't you play along? - Glyph in the piano puzzle room
  16. There is only one exception.
    The SOUL of a special species of monster called a "Boss Monster."
    A Boss Monster's SOUL is strong enough to persist after death...
    If only for a few moments.
    - Ancient glyph
  17. Yo, you go on ahead.
    Don't worry about me. I always find a way to get through!
    - Monster Kid
  18. That's where I met Alphys for the first time!!
    I was looking for cool swords, when I saw her...
    Uh, standing there, staring into the abyss.
    She looked pretty... Um... ... contemplative.
    So I asked her where she thought the abyss led to!
    She looked up at me, shocked, and went red in the face.
    But I'm scary, so I'm used to that kinda stuff!
    Then she kept explaining all her different theories.
    She went on for hours! I was so captivated!
    After that, I kept running into her here.
    And now we're friends! Yeeee hawww!!!
    - Undyne recounting her story of how she met Alphys in the Garbage Dump
  19. A field of echo flowers...
    They babble back and forth to each other...
    ... until their words become meaningless noise.
    Creepy, huh?
    - Undyne
  20. HEY! WHAT'S UP!?
    I WAS JUST THINKING...
    YOU, ME, AND UNDYNE SHOULD ALL HANG OUT SOMETIME!
    I THINK YOU WOULD MAKE GREAT PALS!
    LET'S MEET UP AT HER HOUSE LATER!
    - Papyrus
  21. This is where I was chasing you...
    But you got a phone call, so I had to wait.
    - Undyne
  22. the echo flower.
    they're all over the marsh.
    - Sans
  23. Undertale - List of "fun" and "Fun" Events - YouTube
  24. (The gems on the southern wall shine in a spectacular pattern.)
    (It's a nice thing you can see the southern wall from this angle.)
    - Flavor text upon inspecting the wall south of "Loren"
  25. A MYSTERIOUS STATUE... - Papyrus
  26. That statue's been here forever...
    No one knows where it came from.
    - Undyne
  27. Garbage Dump glitch

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