The Crossroads of Robert Robertson: Preparing the Climax

Chapters 5 and 6 of Dispatch are the crux of the plot, the point where management symposium and superhero comedy give way to an intense exploration of identity, loyalty, and the future of Robert Robertson, the former Mecha Man. Having surpassed the initial stages of team formation and romantic choice, Robert must now manage the escalating threat of Shroud while balancing his professional life as a dispatcher for the Z-Team and his desire to regain his hero suit.

This section will guide every pivotal decision, from the meticulous management of hero statistics to handling volatile interpersonal dynamics. The key to a successful game is not perfection, but **consistency** in the chosen path. Get ready, because the pressure is about to overflow the SDN headquarters.

“Robert’s true mission is not to defeat villains on the streets but to rebuild trust and legacy at the desk. Identity is the ultimate weapon in these chapters.”

Both episodes force Robert to reveal facets of his character that he has so far kept hidden. Chapter 5 focuses on vulnerability and leadership; Chapter 6, on managing consequences and planning the final assault. Your focus on **Z-Team cohesion**, **romantic progression**, and **personal ethics** will be crucial to unlocking positive endings.

Episode 5: Foundations of Trust and the Explosive Revelation of Identity

Episode 5 begins with the feeling that Robert’s old wounds are about to be reopened. The foundations of the team are put to the test when the mystery surrounding Mecha Man’s identity becomes an obsession for the Z-Team.

The Morning at SDN: First Interactions and Latent Tension

The episode kicks off with Robert at the gym, a moment that symbolizes his internal struggle. The interaction with Flambae is the first hint of the tension to come. Flambae, the most volatile and emotional of the heroes, is sensitive to dishonesty. Robert’s responses here subtly shape their relationship:

• Dialogue Option: Prioritize raw honesty or empathy. Choosing phrases like, “Heroes get hurt” or “I’m not a Normie” reinforces their connection through the shared experience of heroism and vulnerability.

Next, the interaction with Prism and Malevola in the break room is a comedic prelude that gives them the opportunity to try to guess his identity. Give any hint you like (e.g. “I was blue”), as they won’t guess it, but it sets an essential tone of camaraderie before the drama.

Crisis Management: The Crucial Dispatch Turn

The main challenge of Episode 5 lies in the balance. The Z-Team is complete, but mission difficulty is rising. An incorrect assignment results not only in failures but also in draining the morale of the dispatched hero.

Mission Analysis and Optimal Strategies

Mission requirements necessitate a deeper statistical analysis than before. Remember the hero statistics scheme (Combat, Vigor, Mobility, Charisma, Intellect):

• Rescue of Transit Workers: Requires high **Charisma** and **Mobility**. Invisigal is ideal, as is Sonar, if he’s on the team.
• Power Cut in East Torrance: **Hacking** mission (Intellect). If Invisigal is your option, boosting her Intellect makes her an ideal candidate.
• Opening VAND-GO / Museum Theft: **Vigor** and **Combat** missions with a hint of **Charisma** or **Intellect** for deterrence. Punch Up and Golem are essential here.

Golden Rule: Use heroes who have their adjacent stats high (e.g., Vigor and Mobility, or Charisma and Intellect) to raise the success percentage above 80%. Never send a hero on a mission with one of their key stats below the minimum requirement unless it’s unavoidable.

The Point of No Return: Reveal Mecha Man’s Identity?

This is the decisive moment of Chapter 5. Robert must either confess or deny being the former Mecha Man to the Z-Team. This choice radically affects the dynamic with **Flambae**, but defines the team’s overall loyalty.

Path A: The Dispatcher Is Mecha Man (“I’m Mecha Man”)

By revealing the truth, Robert faces an immediate and explosive reaction: **Flambae tries to attack him**, feeling betrayed by a supervisor who lied to them. However, this act of honesty, although conflictual, cements an unbreakable bond with the rest of the Z-Team. They stop Flambae, and from this moment on, they see you as a fallen hero trying to come back, inspiring a **deep loyalty and respect**. This route is the best if you are aiming for an ending where Robert regains his role as a hero with the full support of his team.

**Main Consequence:** Team Trust very high, but the relationship with Flambae is severely damaged in the short term (Flambae may not appear in Ep. 6).

Path B: The Dispatcher Keeps the Secret (“I’m Robert”)

If Robert hides his identity, the conflict with Flambae is avoided, and the team supports his decision to keep his private life separate. This path is easier to manage immediately, as Flambae calms down and the work dynamic remains stable. However, Robert sacrifices the chance for a deep connection. He maintains an **emotional distance** and risks the truth being revealed in a way that is less controlled and more damaging in later chapters.

**Main Consequence:** Short-term professional stability, but less depth in interpersonal relationships and a constant risk of future betrayal.

The Silent Protagonist: The Suit and the Hospital

Robert works with **Chase** on improving Prototype 19. The dialogue here is philosophical: will you show mercy to Shroud or seek his end? This defines your character’s ethics for the climax, but has no immediate impact on gameplay. Later, the visit to the hospital to speak with **Royd** (a past character) reinforces your connection with Chase and Blond Blazer, who advocate for the team’s well-being and the rules.

Flashbacks and Romance: The Seed of Confrontation

The flashbacks in this chapter detail the past confrontation with Shroud, explaining Robert’s motivation and the destruction of his original suit. Narratively, this sets the scene for the more intimate confrontation that occurs at the end of the episode.

In your apartment, the plot accelerates with the appearance of your romantic interest and **Chase**. The dispute revolves around the mysterious Astral Pulse. Invisigal and Chase disagree on how to investigate the threat of Shroud. You must take a stand:

Your choice seals your alliance, which will be the basis of the tension exploding in Episode 6.

Episode 6: Gears in Motion, The Party and the Fate of Mecha Man

Episode 6, titled “Gears in Motion”, is the nexus between the management phase and the final assault phase. It focuses on the repercussions of your decisions regarding identity and loyalty, culminating in Robert’s decision about his future as a hero.

The Dispatch Challenge and Resource Management

This dispatch turn is particularly complicated due to the possible absence of Flambae (if you revealed your identity to him) or the low morale of the heroes after the conflict of Ep. 5. The difficulty of missions increases, requiring combinations of statistics that are hard to cover with a diminished team.

Turn Mission Guide and Priorities

The key is flexibility. If you lack a high-level Combat/Vigor hero, you must compensate using heroes with high adjacent skills or resort to automatic success options.

• Delivery of Bots / Breaking the Ice: High **Vigor** and **Combat** missions. If Flambae is out, combine Punch Up and Golem, making sure their **Vigor** is maximized.
• Sewer Surveillance: Requires **Mobility** and **Intellect**. The combination of Invisigal and Coupe/Sonar is your best bet.
• Dismantling Bots: A mission requiring concentrated **Combat**. Send the hero with the best pure combat skill (Phenomaman, Malevola).

Success in this turn is vital, as a failure can reduce morale to the point of affecting performance in the final climax.

The Inauguration Party: Clash of Wills

Robert’s inauguration party is meant to be a bonding event, but it quickly becomes the stage for the long-awaited emotional explosion. The conflict, revolving around tensions between Invisigal, Blonde Blazer, and Chase, forces Robert to **choose his final alliance**.

Comparison Table: Loyalties, Consequences, and Narrative Emphasis

Your choice of ally during the inauguration party conflict is the turning point for your final approach in the game. The following table breaks down the emotional and narrative impact of each route, serving as a guide to maintain coherence.

The Development of the Astral Pulse: The Solo Mission

At the climax of the episode, Robert discovers that **Invisigal has acted on her own** to seek the **Astral Pulse**, the key weapon in the fight against Shroud. Regardless of your romantic relationship, you must make a decision: help her or stop her.

How to Support Invisigal’s Operation (Hacking Mini-Game)

To ensure the success of Invisigal’s mission and her safety, Robert must assist her through the hacking mini-game. Success here is binary: **you must successfully complete every hacking interaction**. A failure can endanger Invisigal and complicate access to the Astral Pulse, thereby complicating the ending.

“Hacking is a test of commitment. If Robert is willing to break the rules and risk his career to protect his team, this is the moment to prove it.”

The Final Confrontation with Chase: Loyalty Decision and Action

Chase discovers Robert’s efforts and confronts you. Here lies the final big question before the game’s end: do you align with immediate action or with SDN’s caution?

• “We’re leaving tonight”: Robert fully aligns with Invisigal, driving the plot directly toward the confrontation with Shroud in the upcoming episodes, in a riskier and more intense route.
• “Let’s make a plan first”: Robert aligns with logic and planning, calming the situation and ensuring action is taken under a safer, though slower, strategic framework.

The Fate of Mecha Man: Robert’s Final Declaration

Episode 6 concludes with Robert making an introspective decision about his future. This final choice is a statement of intent that defines his mindset for Chapter 7 and the ending.

This decision impacts Robert’s availability as a playable or supportive character in the final missions. A clear and strong statement here is essential for giving weight to the narrative of the last chapters.

The Forged Legacy: Preparation for the Climax

The journey through Chapters 5 and 6 transforms Dispatch from an office simulation into a superhero space opera. Robert Robertson has made the defining decisions: he has revealed (or not) his identity, chosen his romantic alliance, and stated his intentions for the future of the Mecha Man suit. The Z-Team is no longer a group of novices but a cohesive team, ready to face Shroud’s threat with a morale built on the trust that Robert has managed, or not, to build.

If you have followed this guide coherently and made decisions that align with your preferred narrative arc, the difficulty of Chapters 7 and 8 will be manageable. The Astral Pulse is at stake, loyalties have been tested, and the city of Torrance waits for the dispatcher, or the hero, to take his place. The management phase is over; the assault has begun.