Resets do not work on the surface (mostly)

(undertale spoilers)

The one with the greatest determination has control over the timeline. They have the ability to use save, load, and reset. However, there is no explanation as to how this is possible, but there is an even bigger question: do the resets affect the surface? The key to this question lies in the fallen humans.

Although not much is known about the fallen humans, it is implied that they all shared the power over the timeline, thanks to their determination. When Frisk confirms that Toriel correctly guessed their preferred flavor from a previous timeline, Toriel mentions how this isn’t the first time she felt familiarity with a fallen human.

» read more: the fallen humans could save, load, and reset

Despite this power, all the fallen humans shared the same fate – they could not get past Asgore. They had likely given up in their fights against him. Although Toriel offered the humans a new home with her, each one chose to leave her. While it is uncertain why the humans ended up on Mt. Ebott, they all presumably wanted to return to the surface. Thus, it is very likely that humans do not have the power to reload on the surface – if they did, the fallen humans could have loaded to a save point before falling in. Each human chose to face the dangers of an underground full of monsters that wanted their souls in exchange for freedom. This would have been a foolish venture if the humans could simply load to a save point on the surface before the fall.

If save points only exist in the underground, then it seems reasonable that only the underground would be affected. After all, Flowey proves that others can remember between reloads, not just the wielder of the power. The key is likely high amounts of determination, which Flowey was injected with. However, it’d be strange for the entire human race to be affected by reloads and retain their memories.

While not much of Frisk is seen in the ending credits on the surface, Frisk is seen for a brief moment in their own bedroom of Toriel’s new home (if Frisk chooses to stay with Toriel). In this scene, there is no save point. While this isn’t definitive evidence that save points do not exist on the surface, it is noteworthy that the last save point seen is in the underground. Furthermore, the save points in the underground continue to exist after the end of the true pacifist route, which is why Frisk is able to load back into the underground when the player selects “Continue.”



There is one anomaly to the idea of resets only affecting the underground – the true reset. The power of a true reset can bring all the monsters back into the underground and to the very start of the game. However, it isn’t clear whether or not the rest of the surface world is affected.

» read more: true reset

The true reset is described as an act of ripping the monsters from this timeline, rather than the timeline being reset. Resetting just the underground means bringing the barrier back, as well as everyone within it. The monsters are also affected by a complete memory wipe as a side effect. No more deja vu feeling. While it may be strange that the surface appears the same after every true reset, this could be attributed to the “ripped from the timeline.” However, the most likely conclusion is that this is simply a plot hole, given that the monsters always exit the underground and see the sun on the horizon, no matter how long it takes to complete the route. It is simply one of those constants.

In conclusion, there is not enough information to determine whether or not a true reset effects the surface, however, the strange phrasing may mean the surface timeline continues forward while only the underground is reset. It is implied that humans cannot use save/reload on the surface since if they could, they would reload to a point prior to falling into Mt Ebott. It also appears that save points can only exist in the underground, which is why they can be loaded even after Frisk has gone to the surface.



Interestingly, the underground and surface can be a metaphor for the game and the real world. In the real world, the player, can’t use game mechanics. But when the player enters the game – the underground – they have all this power. Power that is left behind once the player exits.

