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MissionsupportingSide missionModerate

There Is a Light That Never Goes Out

A story-heavy side mission in Cyberpunk 2077 that follows Joshua Stephenson as he prepares to record a braindance of his execution and asks V to take part.

RoleSide mission focused on dialogue, moral choice, and the creation of a crucifixion-themed braindance.
Statusreleased
Importancesupporting
RewardMission completion and narrative progression; no specific item reward confirmed here
TimeVaries with dialogue choices and whether the optional braindance scene is completed
  • GameCyberpunk 2077
  • Mission typeSide mission
  • Primary focusDialogue and braindance production
  • Combat requirementNone confirmed
  • PrerequisiteSinnerman
  • DifficultyModerate
  • MissableYes, as part of a continuing mission chain

This mission is primarily narrative. Exact completion time and reward details vary or are not confirmed in the supplied source pack.

Key takeaways

The mission is best approached as a narrative encounter rather than a combat challenge.

  • Dialogue drives the mission Most of the meaningful progression comes from conversations with Joshua and Rachel. Listen for questions about remorse, faith, exploitation, and the purpose of the braindance rather than looking for a hidden combat objective.
  • The recording is optional in spirit but important narratively V is given an opportunity to participate directly in the crucifixion recording. Refusing preserves V's distance from the production, while accepting leads to the mission's most confronting scene.
  • There is no conventional boss fight The mission's challenge is interpretive and ethical. It does not ask the player to defeat a named enemy or solve a combat arena, so preparation should focus on following dialogue prompts and paying attention to requests from the production team.
  • Treat the final interaction as spoiler-sensitive Joshua's fate and the completed braindance are the central outcomes of this part of the storyline. The mission should be played before reading detailed consequence summaries if the character arc matters to you.

There Is a Light That Never Goes Out: overview

There Is a Light That Never Goes Out is a dialogue-led side mission in Cyberpunk 2077 that continues Joshua Stephenson's storyline after Sinnerman.

There Is a Light That Never Goes Out begins as the continuation of Joshua Stephenson's unusual attempt to turn his impending execution into a public religious statement. Rather than functioning as a conventional combat mission, it places V in a moving conversation and then in a controlled recording environment, where Joshua, , and the braindance crew debate how much of his final act should be staged, directed, or personally endured. The mission's tension comes from the gap between Joshua's apparent conviction and the commercial machinery surrounding him.

The first part of the mission gives V time to speak with Joshua while travelling to the recording location. These conversations establish Joshua's remorse, his interpretation of faith, and his desire to make the execution meaningful to other people. V can challenge his motives, encourage him, or remain skeptical. None of these approaches turns the mission into a conventional skill check; the important progression comes from selecting dialogue and deciding whether to remain involved when the recording becomes more intimate and disturbing.

At the location, the production team prepares a braindance based on the crucifixion of Jesus. Rachel is concerned with the practical and commercial side of the shoot, while Joshua treats the performance as a genuine final confession. V is eventually asked to decide whether to assist directly with the recording. The later scenes contain the mission's major character outcome and should be treated as spoiler material, especially for players who want to experience Joshua's storyline without foreknowledge.

Where this sits

SinnermanThe storyline begins with Joshua's execution convoy.
There Is a Light That Never Goes OutV accompanies Joshua to the braindance production.
They Won't Go When I GoThe storyline continues after this mission.
  1. 1SinnermanpreviousRequired predecessor for this storyline.
  2. ●There Is a Light That Never Goes OutcurrentCurrent mission.
  3. 3They Won't Go When I GonextFollow-up mission in Joshua's arc.

The mission is the middle chapter of Joshua Stephenson's side-mission arc.

Requirements

Continue Joshua Stephenson's storyline from Sinnerman and remain with the group when the next mission begins.

  • RequiredComplete SinnermanThe mission follows directly from the events involving Joshua Stephenson and his execution convoy.
  • RequiredStay with Joshua's storylineWhen the convoy and production sequence move forward, follow the mission prompts rather than abandoning the chain.
  • OptionalBring no special equipmentThere is no confirmed weapon, cyberware, vehicle, or skill requirement for the narrative scenes.

Objectives

  1. Ride with Joshua Stephenson to the braindance recording location.Use the journey to question Joshua and learn why he wants the execution recorded.
  2. Speak with Joshua and Rachel about the production.The discussion explains the tension between Joshua's religious purpose and the commercial interests behind the braindance.
  3. Decide whether to participate in the braindance recording.V can keep observing from outside the performance or agree to help Joshua with the scene.
  4. Complete the recording sequence.Follow the on-screen interaction prompts if you agree to take part, then remain through the conclusion of the scene.

WalkthroughSpoilers

  1. 01

    Begin the next part of Joshua's storyline

    Continue from Sinnerman

    The mission starts as the previous Joshua Stephenson sequence continues. Follow the active objective and remain with Joshua's group; leaving the chain or declining to continue can prevent this mission from progressing.

    Location: The road and convoy sequence following Sinnerman

    Checkpoint
  2. 02

    Travel to the braindance production

    Ride with Joshua Stephenson

    Stay in the vehicle and use the available dialogue prompts while Joshua explains his intentions. The ride is not a combat section, so there is no advantage to leaving the conversation to search for enemies or loot.

    Location: Vehicle journey with Joshua

  3. 03

    Talk to Joshua Stephenson

    Question Joshua about his purpose

    Use the conversation to ask about Joshua's remorse, religious interpretation, and decision to make his execution public. A skeptical response is valid, but it changes the tone of the exchange rather than opening a separate combat or investigation route.

    Location: Inside the vehicle

    TipRead the dialogue choices carefully; the mission is built around V's response to Joshua rather than around a hidden skill check.

  4. 04

    Follow Joshua to the set

    Arrive at the recording location

    When the vehicle reaches the destination, follow Joshua and the production staff into the prepared set. Do not treat the set as a normal hostile area: the people present are part of the recording and the objective is to keep the scene moving.

    Location: The braindance production site

    Checkpoint
  5. 05

    Discuss the recording with Rachel

    Speak with Rachel

    Rachel provides the production's practical perspective and makes clear that the braindance is also a commercial project. Talk with her before the recording begins so the disagreement between the director's aims and Joshua's beliefs is clear.

    Location: At the braindance set

  6. 06

    Learn how the scene will be recorded

    Listen to the production briefing

    The crew explains the crucifixion setup and the role V may play. Wait for the prompts instead of moving away from the staging area, because the next objective appears through this conversation rather than through exploration.

    Location: The prepared braindance set

  7. 07

    Respond to Joshua's request

    Choose whether to assist Joshua

    Joshua asks V to help with the central recording. Refusing allows V to observe and keeps the character at a distance; accepting commits V to the direct interaction and leads into the mission's most intense scene.

    Location: The braindance set

    Watch outThis is the mission's key choice. Save beforehand if you want to see both approaches without replaying the entire storyline.

  8. 08

    Help record Joshua's braindance

    Follow the interaction prompts if you accept

    If V agrees, remain close to Joshua and complete the prompted actions in sequence. The scene is deliberately uncomfortable and is not solved by attacking the crew or interrupting the recording; failing to follow the prompts can stop the intended version of the scene.

    Location: The crucifixion braindance set

    Watch outDo not draw a weapon or leave the set during the interaction unless you intend to abandon the scene.

  9. 09

    Finish the mission

    Remain for the aftermath

    After the recording, allow the conversation and reactions to finish before leaving the site. This closing exchange establishes the immediate emotional and professional consequences and leads into the next part of Joshua's story.

    Location: The production site after the recording

    Checkpoint

Mission mechanics

There Is a Light That Never Goes Out uses Cyberpunk 2077's standard dialogue system rather than a puzzle or combat encounter. The player can challenge Joshua, ask for clarification, or respond in a more sympathetic manner. These choices primarily shape V's voice and the tone of the exchanges, while the mission's principal branch comes later when Joshua asks V to take part in the recording.

The production set should be read as a scripted interaction space. The important prompts appear around Joshua and the crew, and the game expects V to stay near the action while the braindance is prepared. If the player accepts Joshua's request, the scene changes from observation to direct participation and uses contextual interactions instead of ordinary combat controls.

The mission's pacing is intentionally slow compared with a typical Night City job. There is no need to clear the location, collect ammunition, or search for a tactical route. Keeping a manual save before the request to assist is the most useful practical preparation because it lets the player revisit the branch without relying on an autosave.

What works and what does not

Strengths

  • The mission gives a supporting character enough time to explain his beliefs and motives instead of reducing the storyline to a single action scene.
  • Its central decision is clear and thematically connected to the braindance production rather than being an unrelated dialogue prompt.
  • The contrast between Joshua's personal conviction and Rachel's commercial concerns gives the conversations a distinct point of conflict.
  • The absence of a combat requirement lets the mission focus on discomfort, consent, and the ethics of turning suffering into entertainment.

Weaknesses

  • The mission offers limited mechanical variety because much of its runtime consists of driving, dialogue, and contextual interactions.
  • Players looking for a conventional reward loop, loot route, or boss encounter will find little of those systems here.
  • Some of the outcome depends on conversation context, so players who skip dialogue may miss why the final request matters.
  • The mission's most intense material can be difficult to revisit because the scene is built around an irreversible personal act rather than a conventional action set piece.

Best uses

  • Play it as part of Joshua Stephenson's complete storyline rather than as an isolated objective.
  • Use a manual save before the braindance decision if you want to compare the narrative branches.
  • Choose responses that match V's intended outlook, since the mission's main variation is role-playing rather than build optimization.

Mission phasesSpoilers

  1. 1

    Convoy conversation

    Starts: The mission follows Joshua's storyline after Sinnerman and begins during the journey to the next location.

    No combat health state

    V rides with Joshua and can question him about his beliefs, remorse, and plans for the braindance. The sequence establishes the personal stakes before the production begins.

    • Stay in the vehicle and exhaust the available conversation if you want the fullest context.
    • There is no enemy wave or combat objective in this phase.
  2. 2

    Production briefing

    Starts: The group reaches the braindance set and the crew begins preparing Joshua's scene.

    No combat health state

    Rachel and the production staff explain the recording while Joshua presents his own interpretation of what will happen. V's position changes from passenger to potential participant.

    • Remain near the set while the briefing plays out.
    • Speak with Rachel before making the central decision.
  3. 3

    Crucifixion recording

    Starts: Joshua asks V whether V will assist with the braindance.

    No combat health state

    Accepting the request starts a contextual interaction in which V helps Joshua complete the recording. Refusing leaves V as an observer and changes the tone of the conclusion.

    • Make a manual save before answering if you want to compare the branches.
    • Follow the interaction prompts and do not attack the crew.
  4. 4

    Closing conversation

    Starts: The recording or refusal sequence reaches its conclusion.

    No combat health state

    The remaining dialogue resolves the immediate scene and points toward the continuation of Joshua's storyline.

    • Stay until the final objective updates before travelling away.
    • Treat this phase as spoiler-sensitive because it contains the mission's immediate character outcome.

Choices and consequencesSpoilers

  • Respond to Joshua with skepticism or challenge his interpretation of the event.

    The conversation becomes more confrontational and positions V as an outsider to Joshua's faith. The mission still proceeds to the recording decision.

  • Respond to Joshua with sympathy or engage seriously with his beliefs.

    The exchange takes a more understanding tone and gives V additional room to acknowledge Joshua's remorse. It does not remove the later choice about participating.

  • Refuse to assist with the braindance.

    V does not take part in the central crucifixion interaction. The production continues from an observer's perspective, and the mission concludes without the direct version of the scene.

    Spoiler
  • Agree to help Joshua record the braindance.

    V enters the set's contextual interaction and assists with Joshua's final performance. This is the branch most directly tied to the mission's major character outcome.

    Spoiler

Completion checklist

  • Complete Sinnerman before attempting to continue Joshua's storyline.This mission follows the preceding convoy and execution sequence.
  • Stay with Joshua during the journey to the production site.Leaving the sequence can interrupt progression.
  • Speak with Joshua during the ride.The conversation supplies the context for his decision.
  • Speak with Rachel at the braindance set.Her perspective explains the production's commercial purpose.
  • Make a manual save before Joshua asks for V's help.Useful for comparing the two narrative branches.Optional
  • Choose whether to participate in the recording.This is the mission's principal player-controlled branch.
  • Complete the contextual prompts if participating.The scene is not a combat encounter.
  • Remain through the closing conversation.The next storyline objective may not appear until the scene has finished.

Failure conditions

  • Abandoning the continuing mission sequenceLeaving Joshua's group or moving away when the game expects V to follow the active objective can interrupt the chain and may require reloading a checkpoint.
  • Attacking people at the production siteThe braindance set is a scripted narrative location, not a hostile arena. Drawing a weapon or attacking the crew can create an unintended combat state and prevent the intended mission flow.
  • Leaving during the recording interactionIf V agrees to help, moving away instead of completing the contextual prompts can stop the scene from resolving as intended.

On failure

The safest recovery is to reload the latest checkpoint or a manual save made before the recording decision. Exact checkpoint behavior can vary by platform and game state.

Rewards and drops

  • Mission completion
    Completing the scene advances Joshua Stephenson's storyline to its next mission.
  • Narrative branch resolution
    The chosen response to Joshua's request determines whether V participates directly in the braindance recording or remains an observer.

Characters in this mission

AftermathSpoilers

Joshua's storyline continues

The conclusion of There Is a Light That Never Goes Out is not the end of Joshua Stephenson's arc. The next mission, They Won't Go When I Go, follows the consequences of the braindance project and should be played if you want the complete context for the choices made here.

Trivia

  • The mission's title is drawn from the song "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" by The Smiths.
  • The mission is one of Cyberpunk 2077's clearest examples of a quest built around braindance production rather than braindance investigation.
  • Its central scene deliberately blurs the boundary between religious ritual, personal confession, media performance, and commercial entertainment.

Relationships

Characters