Episode 2 of Directive 8020, Best Laid Plans, is the first chapter where decisions can quietly seal a crew member's death several hours later. The episode contains three meaningful turning points: Little Faith, Power Games, and Pursuit. Each one sets a variable that the game checks again in Episodes 3, 5, and 8.
Quick answer: For the cleanest outcomes, pick Dismiss at Little Faith, reroute power from the Landing Computer at Power Games, and as Eisele, reach the terminal in Pursuit without Simms spotting you, then reactivate Fire Control.
Episode 2 turning points summary
| Turning Point | Playable character | Decision | Primary consequence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little Faith | Stafford | Trust vs Dismiss Mitchell's warning about Anders | Decides whether Stafford watches Anders in Episode 5 |
| Power Games | Young | Disable Landing Computer or disable Fire Control | Sets the system that fails in Episodes 3 and 5 |
| Pursuit | Eisele | Stealth tail of Simms, then terminal interaction | Determines whether Fire Control is active during the Episode 5 fire |
Little Faith: Trust or Dismiss
Mitchell pulls Stafford aside and asks if he really trusts Anders. The dialogue prompt is "Trust" or "Dismiss." This is a single line of dialogue with no immediate consequence, which is what makes it dangerous on a first playthrough.
Choosing Dismiss closes off the Big Brother scene in Episode 5. Stafford keeps his distance from Anders later, which means Anders is free to sedate Williams in his office without being interrupted and killed. This is also the choice that contributes to Stafford's Father destiny.
Choosing Trust sounds counterintuitive, but it actually flags Anders in Stafford's mind. In Episode 5, Stafford goes looking for Anders during the sedation scene. The intervention triggers the Big Brother turning point, which results in Williams's death in the office.
| Choice at Little Faith | Episode 5 result |
|---|---|
| Dismiss | Big Brother does not trigger; Williams can be saved if Cooper helps Anders during Suspicions |
| Trust | Big Brother triggers; Williams dies during the sedation attempt |
Power Games: Which system to disable
Playing as Young, you interact with a power management terminal. The Oracle recommends rerouting auxiliary power from the landing systems. You can override and pull power from Fire Control instead. Whichever system you disable is the one that bites the crew later.
Disable the Landing Computer. This is the recommended path for a save-everyone run. The Landing Computer being offline becomes a problem during the Episode 3 crash, but only if Stafford gets up to reboot it manually. Force him to Sit Down in Episode 3, and he survives. Fire Control remains active, which sets up Mitchell's rescue from the fire in Episode 5.
Disable Fire Control. Stafford can safely reboot the Landing Computer during the Episode 3 crash and live. However, Fire Control is now offline by default, which puts Mitchell directly in danger during the Episode 5 fire. Mitchell can still be saved through a manual prompt in Episode 5, but the safety net is gone.
| System disabled | Stafford in Episode 3 Crash | Mitchell in Episode 5 fire |
|---|---|---|
| Landing Computer | Survives only if forced to Sit Down | Fire Control protects him by default |
| Fire Control | Survives by rebooting the landing computer | Vulnerable; must be chosen directly in Episode 5 |
Pursuit: tailing Simms through the Fuel Junction
Switching to Eisele, you tail Simms through the Fuel Junction. Simms is acting suspiciously and stops at a terminal to sabotage whichever system you left active in Power Games. The stealth segment has two possible end states.
If Simms does not see you, she completes her sabotage at the terminal and walks away. You then approach the same terminal and reverse her change. This is how Fire Control stays on into Episode 5, regardless of which Power Games branch you took. If you disabled Fire Control earlier, this is your chance to bring it back online.
If Simms spots you, the chase ends the stealth section early, and you lose the terminal window. The system Simms targeted stays in its sabotaged state, which removes the Episode 5 safety net for Mitchell. You will need to make the manual save-Mitchell prompt during the fire to keep him alive.
| Pursuit outcome | Fire Control state entering Episode 5 | Mitchell's safety net |
|---|---|---|
| Unseen, terminal reactivated | Active | Saved automatically when Young chooses Anders in Under Pressure |
| Spotted, no terminal access | Inactive | Requires the direct save-Mitchell prompt during the fire |
How the three choices interact
The three turning points are not independent. Power Games and Pursuit together control the Fire Control state at the start of Episode 5. Little Faith controls whether Stafford intervenes in the sedation. The save-everyone chain in Best Laid Plans is the combination of all three plus Sit Down in Episode 3.
| Episode 2 combination | Outcome through Episode 5 |
|---|---|
| Dismiss + Disable Landing Computer + Pursuit clean | Williams, Stafford, and Mitchell all survivable; Under Pressure becomes a clean Save Anders choice |
| Dismiss + Disable Fire Control + Pursuit clean (reactivate Fire Control) | Same as above; Stafford lives via the manual landing computer reboot in Episode 3 |
| Dismiss + Disable Landing Computer + Spotted in Pursuit | Stafford needs Sit Down; Mitchell needs the direct save prompt in Episode 5 |
| Trust + any other combination | Williams dies in Episode 5 regardless of Fire Control state |
Destiny progress to bank during Episode 2
Best Laid Plans is also the first chapter where you can start building the two destinies that gate the best ending. Young needs the Loyal trait above the halfway mark by Why You Started in Episode 8 to unlock The Hero. Eisele needs the Sympathetic trait above halfway to unlock The Humanitarian.
Use any supportive or sympathetic dialogue option when playing as Young, and any concerned or empathetic option when playing as Eisele. The messages feature between scenes also feeds these traits. Stafford's Father destiny begins here, too, and Dismiss at Little Faith is one of its required inputs.
Collectibles tied to Episode 2 outcomes
Episode 2 contains three Secrets, the Simms Recordings entry Red Alert, and the Sweet Dreams recording found when Eisele defies Stafford to inspect Simms and Carter's cabin. None of these collectibles change a turning point outcome, but the Sweet Dreams pickup is only available if you take Eisele up to the corridor wall in the cabin area. Missing it means a second pass through the chapter for the Dear Mum trophy.
Once the chapter ends, open the Story Tree from the main menu and confirm which Episode 2 branches are unlocked. Rewinding from a later episode back to Little Faith, Power Games, or Pursuit is the fastest way to flip a single variable and see the alternate outcome without replaying the whole chapter.