What Does the Ending Mean in Poppy Playtime Chapter 3?

With a new chapter available, we continue our journey into the depths of Playtime Co.’s factory, trying to solve the mystery of what happened there and why. However, whenever we come close to finding answers, we end up with more questions. Here’s what the Poppy Playtime Chapter 3 ending means.

Poppy Playtime Chapter 3: The Ending Explained

Poppy Playtime Chapter 2 ended with a train crash that left us slipping into unconsciousness while catching a glimpse of the sign that tells us we’re now in the Playcare area. For more, check out my deep dive into Chapter 3’s Easter Eggs and Secrets.

What’s the Purpose of the Playcare and CatNap’s Relationship with the Prototype?

Initially, I thought Playcare was a daycare — or a place where Playtime’s employees could leave their children. Instead, we learn it was an orphanage. Naturally, CatNap, our primary antagonist in Chapter 3, sprays Red Smoke, the same Red smoke that puts orphans to sleep so Playtime scientists can experiment on them. Unlike Mommy Long Legs, though, CatNap worships the Prototype, welcoming the chance to become part of it after we defeat him.

That’s because the Prototype and CatNap share a history. As a child, CatNap went by another name: Theodore Grambell. The Prototype tried to help him escape the Playcare, but Theo was injured during the attempt. Because the Protoype knew Theo would die without medical treatment, it took Theo back to the scientists of Playtime Co., sacrificing its own freedom to keep Theo alive. In the end, Theo was part of the Bigger Bodies Initiative and became CatNap.

What’s the Hour of Joy in Poppy Playtime Chapter 3?

The final minutes of Poppy Playtime Chapter 3 throw a lot of information at us, and it took me some time to parse through it all, one of which is the event Poppy calls “The Hour of Joy.” Before descending to the factory’s deepest levels, Poppy shows us a tape. It explains that The Hour of Joy is the moment every toy conspired, under the influence of the Prototype, to kill any human in the factory.

Poppy recalls that The Hour of Joy felt like it lasted a “long time,” implying that this massacre could’ve taken longer than an actual hour. From previous Poppy Playtime chapters, we know that the toys must eat to survive. And The Hour of Joy explains how they’ve survived so long. After killing all the humans, the toys took their bodies to the lowest part of the factory — to use them as food.

What Were Kissy Missy’s Final Moments?

With this macabre information, we ride an elevator with Poppy to the Prototype’s lair at the bottom of the factory. However, Kissy Missy stayed behind, and Poppy tries to go back up when she hears her screaming. Since a hatch seals the elevator’s entrance, we can’t see what happens. We can’t go back to help her, either. 

Putting on my tinfoil hat, I think the Prototype likely sent one of his minions after Kissy as punishment for helping us. In other scenarios, I’d say it was the Prototype itself that went after Kissy. But I think it would instead be preparing to kill us when we arrive. It wouldn’t use its own time to get Kissy before traveling back down. It might also be a way for the Prototype to trap us, making it impossible to turn back with the hatch closing us in.

How The Prototype and Poppy are Connected

Finally, we take a look at the Prototype. We know it absorbs the consciousness of toys we’ve already defeated. It constantly grows more powerful and knowledgeable. Since we fought three of the toys that joined it, I assume it knows much about us and our abilities. However, the Prototype is always shown as an entity wanting to save the children at risk of becoming experiments.

And this means that the Chapter 3 ending leaves us with an important question: are we the villain or the hero? We know we worked at Playtime Co. before its closure. We can then assume that, at this point, Poppy is the one who called us back. We’re the Prototype’s perfect enemy, especially if we participated in the experiments. However, its biggest crime at this point is killing humans not involved in experiments. At least, according to Poppy.

Because of that, Poppy wants to use us for revenge against the Prototype. But what does Poppy gain from doing so? Like every previous chapter in Poppy Playtime, we have more questions than answers at the end. And it’s still impossible to discern Poppy’s and the Prototype’s motives. I don’t think we have enough information to conclude what either one gains from succeeding in their current plans. But I think it’s safe to say there are no heroes among us at Playtime Co.

That wraps up my Poppy Playtime Chapter 3 ending explainer. Kissy Missy is dead; we’re about to face the Prototype with Poppy; and it’s still not clear what our role in the company’s operations used to be. It’ll probably be a while before we get any information about Chapter 4, so I’ll be in Palworld. If you’re playing it, too, check out our guides hub for a bunch of helpful articles!