A Block and a Hard Place/Plot

"A Block and a Hard Place" is the fourth episode of Minecraft: Story Mode, season one and is colloquially known as the Wither Storm Finale.

Plot

Chapter 1

"Everything in the universe... starts out as just a block.
What comes of those blocks... is up to those who wield them. And in every block there lies the potential to create... or destroy.
Our friends have traveled far and wide... in search of the Order of the Stone. And a way to stop the Wither Storm for good.
But even well-laid plans can go awry... the strong can go weak... and beloved heroes can fall.
And although some glimmer of hope may remain... the threat to this world -- to its very existence... is FAR from over."

—The narrator's intro. ^src

The group flees on horseback, evading the Wither Storms and other mobs along the way. The Wither Storms destroy a bridge in their path, prompting them to quickly rebuild it. As they rebuild the bridge, they discover that Endermen can hinder the Wither Storms' advance due to their nature of manipulating blocks.

Chapter 2

"The world needs us, Reuben. So much of it has already been reduced to bedrock... and it's up to us to save the rest of it... Well, maybe that is a lot of pressure for just a person and a pig. But we have to find a way."

—Jesse to Reuben outside the cave. (Determinant) ^src

The group takes shelter in a cliffside cave. Gabriel or Petra (whoever was trapped in the Wither Storm) experiences a faint memory resurgence and is able to recall some events, most notably seeing the Ocelots after recognizing Lukas' jacket. Wishing to leave to look for his friends, Lukas will either acknowledge having difficulty getting along with Jesse and his/her friends or express his gratitude for having become their friend, depending on how well Jesse treated him throughout the course of the events. Jesse has the option to ask him to stay or allow him to leave. Meanwhile, the group mourns the death of Ellegaard or Magnus (who Jesse took the armor from). Soren, angry that the initial plan didn't work, argues that being emotional is getting them nowhere and goes outside to think.

Gabriel or Petra's condition from the Wither Sickness worsens, leaving them lethargic. They may be told by Jesse to stay behind to rest as the rest of the group find a way to defeat the Wither Storms. Petra either shoos Reuben (Pig) off or tells him that she needs to be alone. Reuben leaves the cave upset, and Jesse goes out to talk to him. He/she can tell Reuben that the group is faltering, that the Order of the Stone has failed, or that the world is depending on them.

Ivor, who had followed the group to the cave, reveals that the Wither Storms are following Gabriel's amulet per his programming. However, he did not anticipate it falling into Jesse's hands. He offers a fail-safe plan: using the Command Block Enchanting Book to forge a weapon capable of destroying the Command Block, as well as releasing a mob of Endermen to dismantle the blocks the Wither Storm has absorbed. With no other option, Jesse, Olivia, Reuben, Lukas (if he stayed), either Gabriel or Petra (if Jesse asked them to come), Ivor, and Soren head off to Ivor's laboratory in the Far Lands to forge the weapon. Axel and either Magnus or Ellegaard take the amulet and split from the group to keep the Wither Storms at Soren's Fortress.

Chapter 3

After days of journeying through various biomes, the group decides to rest in a swamp and find food before continuing. Jesse can find some potatoes in the swamp before stumbling upon a witch's hut, seeing a cake on the window. Ivor cautions against taking the cake, as witches are hostile. Jesse faces a choice: go back and warn the group or sneak into the hut to steal the cake.

If Jesse opts to steal the cake, they can as well grab a Potion of Leaping before the witch returns and attacks the group. Ivor mysteriously disappears. Likewise, if Jesse returns to the group with the potatoes and warns them about the witch, mobs still attack, but this time Ivor stays behind to distract them. Jesse and the group narrowly escape the attack, finally arriving at the Far Lands. Before they can get to Ivor's lab, however, they are met with a large maze built by Ivor, designed to ward off trespassers.

Chapter 4

"If the Order can't do this -- how are we supposed to? How are we supposed to do anything? We're nobody. The Order of the Nothing."

"All I know is, the world is depending on us."

—Jesse and Olivia at the Far Lands. (Determinant) ^src

Jesse can opt to navigate the maze or seek an alternative route. Zombies appear regardless, forcing the group to retreat to the top of the maze walls. If Jesse took the Potion of Leaping, he/she can use it to jump to the top. The group is separated, and Jesse must traverse the maze alone, encountering spiders and more witches.

Jesse, along with Olivia and Reuben, emerge at the maze's exit. A vast chasm blocks their path to Ivor's cottage. Spotting a damaged flying barge nearby, Olivia is discouraged due to Ellegaard's prior criticism of her Redstone skills. However, with Jesse's encouragement and help, Olivia repairs the barge. The group reunite and use the barge to cross the chasm. It is then revealed that Soren is afraid of flying.

Inside the cottage, Jesse comes across a Redstone circuit near a curtain of lava which requires a lever for activation. If he/she didn't craft a lever in Episode 1, he/she does so now. By activating the circuit, Jesse, Reuben, and Soren access a hidden passageway, but it closes before everyone else can enter.

"Why would you do that? You lied, even to your closest friends!"

"All I can say is... I was a fool."

—Jesse and Soren after Soren admitted the truth. (Determinant) ^src

Jesse, Reuben, and Soren find themselves in a treasure room adorned with the collected artifacts of the Order of the Stone: a Prismarine Shard, a Sea Lantern, a Ghast Tear, a block of Packed Ice, and the Ender Dragon's Egg. Following Soren's stories, Jesse arranges the artifacts in five hoppers in the sequence the Order had acquired them. This unlocks another room, meticulously designed to commemorate the Order's historic battle with the Ender Dragon. Soren recounts the story of his role in destroying all of its Ender Crystals before Gabriel delivered the final blow with a poke of his sword.

Following Soren's explanation of the battle, Jesse unlocks a room with the aid of his account. Inside, they find the Command Block Enchantment Book. Much to their surprise, they also find the Ender Crystals still intact, despite Soren's earlier claims of having destroyed them. Jesse comes to the grave realization that Soren had fabricated the story and confronts him, prompting Soren to admit the truth: the Order used the Command Block to zap the Ender Dragon out of existence. This ultimately caused Ivor to leave the Order, as he couldn't bear being celebrated for a victory achieved through cheating.

Ivor arrives with the rest of the group, who have overheard the entire ordeal. Ivor explains his original intention to expose the Order as false heroes using the Wither Storm, before he lost control of it. While the group is shocked by the revelation, they must swiftly put it aside and refocus on their mission to defeat the Wither Storms. Ivor provides Jesse with a new set of armor and a diamond weapon of his/her choosing (Jesse can also choose to keep the armor given by Magnus/Ellegaard). Using the enchantment book, Jesse then enchants his/her new weapon. Olivia dons new armor and brings additional sets for Axel, Lukas, and Petra, if either or both of the latter two did not come with them. Now fully prepared for the final showdown against the Wither Storms, the group embarks on their journey back to Soren's fortress.

Chapter 5

"You're a hero, you know that? You just helped save the world!"

—Jesse to the dying Reuben (Determinant). ^src

At Soren's fortress, Axel informs the group that the Endermen aren't angry enough to attack the Wither Storms. If Petra was saved back in Episode 1, Gabriel goes to fight the Wither Storms alone in honor of Magnus/Ellegaard, and Ivor follows. The group manages to provoke the Endermen into attacking. Fearful, Soren flees. If Gabriel was saved back in Episode 1, Ivor goes after him. The Endermen begin to attack the main Wither Storm, removing enough blocks to create an opening to its Command Block. The group use all of their available items to create a contraption to allow Jesse inside. Jesse can decide to build a TNT launcher, a rocket minecart, a flying machine, or use the Potion of Leaping if he/she still has it. If he/she remains silent, either Olivia or Petra will suggest a "Reuben launcher." Either Axel or Petra gets caught in a tractor beam, demanding the group's collective effort to pull them to safety.

If Jesse let Lukas leave to look for The Ocelots, he returns with them, using Firework Rockets to distract the Wither Storms. If Jesse convinced Lukas to stay, he takes on the task alone. If Lukas left on bad terms with the group, Lukas does not return. In this case, Axel mentions Lukas, but Jesse dismisses it before they all fall.

The group proceeds with building the contraption, successfully launching Jesse and Reuben inside the main Wither Storm. Inside, they find trapped individuals and eventually reach the Command Block, guarded by the Wither Storm's tentacles. Jesse is able to strike it once with the enchanted weapon; however, this agitates the Wither Storm further. Jesse fends off numerous tentacles and manages to strike the Command Block a second time, when he/she is suddenly grabbed by a tentacle, causing him/her to lose grip of the weapon. Reuben retrieves it and delivers it back to Jesse, but is thrown out of the Wither Storm by a tentacle. With one last strike, Jesse destroys the Command Block, killing the Wither Storms once and for all as well as freeing the people trapped inside.

Back on the ground after defeating the Wither Storms, Jesse finds Reuben gravely injured. Depending about Petra and/or Lukas appear, If Lukas on Good term, he appear, If Lukas left on bad terms with the group, Lukas is not seen again. If Gabriel was saved/Petra was saved and keep fighting, Petra’s Amnesia or Sickness was restored and appear, If Petra stay in the cave, Petra is not seen again, only Olivia and Axel (If Petra and Lukas left). The group and the Wither Storm's survivors gather around him as Jesse comforts him. Unfortunately, Reuben passes away, turning into a porkchop; the group and the survivors all mourn his loss.

Chapter 6

One week later, the group and the survivors gather for Reuben's memorial in Beacontown, a new town built in the aftermath of the Wither Storms' defeat. Both Gabriel and Petra have recovered from their sicknesses. Jesse can decide whether to have Gabriel disclose the real story of the Order's battle with the Ender Dragon, or keep it a private matter between them. Ivor's reaction depends on the chosen outcome. Jesse then delivers a speech recounting the adventure. In a collective celebration, the citizens of Beacontown applaud the new heroes. Gabriel formally anoints them as the new Order of the Stone for their victory against the Wither Storms. With more adventures awaiting them, the newly established Order celebrate their triumph before embarking on their next journey.

"And so it was that a New Order of the Stone was born. One whose adventures were only just beginning. For though the world had been saved, and the command block destroyed... there are many more worlds than just this one."

—The epilogue of the episode. ^src

Impacts

Depending on the choices made in previous episodes, the plot may slightly differ. This list shows the narrative consequences.

• Petra or Gabriel's roles will be switched depending on who Jesse saved in "The Order of the Stone", both leads to several differences.
  • Gabriel saved:
    • Magnus/Ellegaard will stay at the cave to keep Gabriel company as well as keeping him safe.
    • Petra obtains her armor this episode and helps Jesse fight the Wither Storm.
    • When Soren runs off, Ivor follows him to ensure his safety.
  • Petra saved:
    • Petra, incapacitated by the Wither Sickness, wishes to not stay in the cave when Axel and Olivia believe that she needs to rest. Jesse is left with a decision to support her to continue fighting, or tell her that she needs to rest. If Jesse supports Petra, she will go with Axel to distract the Wither Storm and will appear when Reuben dies. If told to stay in the cave, Petra is not seen again until the celebration at Beacontown.
    • Magnus/Ellegaard will go with Axel to distract the Wither Storm. During which, Magnus/Ellegaard decides to leave Axel and recklessly fight the Wither Storm alone.
    • Gabriel will run off when faced with the Wither Storm, which leads to Ivor following him to ensure his safety.
• When Lukas decides to leave off to find his friends and Jesse confronts him about it, depending on their relationship, Lukas will either do it out of not being happy around Jesse, or go out of respect to find his previous friends.
  • If Lukas does leave, he will either arrive with the Ocelots during the Wither Storm fight to distract it with fireworks, or will not come back at all and will be last seen in the crowd during the celebration alone and clearly angry at Jesse.
  • If Jesse chose to save the amulet in Episode 3, they can tell Lukas to stay away from his/her pig which Lukas will bring up angrily.
• When Reuben passes away, Lukas and/or Petra appear and apologize to Jesse about Reuben, depending on their relationship.
  • "If Lukas leaves on bad terms, Petra will apologize to Jesse."
  • "If Petra was saved and left behind, Lukas will apologize to Jesse."
  • If Petra was saved and left behind, and Lukas leaves on bad terms, Olivia and Axel say nothing without apologizing.

Goofs/Errors

• If Jesse remains silent when deciding which one will ride with (Petra or Gabriel), Lukas will decide himself that he will take Petra and Jesse will take Gabriel; however, this results in the opposite (He takes Gabriel, and Jesse takes Petra).
  • Also, if Petra is the amnesiac, she and Gabriel will switch where they were standing when Lukas makes the decision.
• While the player is getting on the horses, they can see Magnus even if he died in Episode 3.
• If Jesse saved Petra, When Reuben left the cave, he run away instead of walk away.
• If Jesse saved Petra, When Axel is caught in a tractor beam, he will grabs onto nothing instead of intend animating.
• If Jesse saved Petra, then Olivia will remain idle instead of intend animating.
  • If Jesse suggested the flying machine, Olivia is still idle instead of pressing a button.
• When Jesse hears Reuben’s squeals, Olivia and Axel are facing the wrong direction if the player saved Petra, and left behind Lukas on good or bad terms.
• While Jesse finds Reuben badly injured, Axel's animation freezes if the player saved Petra. However, if the player saved Gabriel or Petra and kept fighting, Axel would be covered by Petra.

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