The Guide in Terraria holds a unique position among the NPCs. According to some lore interpretations, the Guide is linked to the Wall of Flesh. This connection immediately raises questions about what occurs when the Guide dies, particularly when the Guide is sacrificed to summon the Wall of Flesh. It’s speculated that throwing the Guide Voodoo Doll into lava (or when it drops from a Demon above lava) essentially transforms the Guide into the Wall of Flesh, acting as a final test for the player.
But what about the next Guide that appears? Why do they have a different name? One possible explanation might be related to how uniquely named NPCs can sometimes drop specific items.
With other NPCs, the appearance of a differently named character generally indicates a new individual. However, this raises some uncomfortable issues, especially regarding relationships between NPCs. For example, the Goblin Tinkerer and the Mechanic are implied to be in love. If one dies, the other will transfer their affections to the new arrival, which somewhat diminishes the original relationship’s sentimentality.
There are inconsistencies in both Terraria’s lore and its gameplay elements. A notable example is the Cyborg’s bestiary entry, which states that the Mechanic and Steampunker constructed him. However, his in-game dialogue suggests he knows little about them, and they don’t discuss their role in his creation. Additionally, the Steampunker doesn’t seem to possess a thorough understanding of the Cyborg’s functionality, despite allegedly being part of the team that built him.
To sidestep the complexities and potential narrative dissonance that NPC death and respawn can introduce, some players opt for mods that prevent friendly NPCs from dying. This mostly leaves the mystery of the Guide, who may have different names each time if you face the Wall of Flesh more than once.
