Darling of the franxx : the new beginning

In this alternative ending to Darling in the Franxx, Hiro and Zero Two sacrifice themselves in a final, devastating battle against the VIRM, saving humanity but at the cost of their own lives. Though they die with a smile, the world they leave behind slowly descends into chaos. Without a unifying threat, humanity turns on itself, sparking wars that destroy much of the planet’s technological advancements and knowledge.

The surviving members of Squad 13, including Ichigo, Goro, Mitsuru, and Kokoro, live long, peaceful lives with their families in rural communities, far from the violence of the outside world. They die of old age, content in the futures they helped build, surrounded by loved ones.

Two thousand years later, Earth is a very different place. Civilization has regressed, and humanity has forgotten the wars and the heroes who saved them. Shu, a reincarnation of Hiro, lives a simple life as the son of farmers, unaware of his past life or the great sacrifices he once made. He is haunted by dreams of a distant, forgotten past, yet has no way of understanding them.

As the world moves on in peace, the names and deeds of Hiro and Zero Two fade into legend, lost to time, their love and sacrifice lingering only as faint echoes in the minds of their reincarnated souls.