The Outer Worlds 2 loves putting you in morally gray situations where your choices actually matter. The “Pinching the Pupa” side quest in Golden Ridge is one of those moments where you’re forced to pick a side—and honestly, one choice is clearly better than the other once you know what’s really going on.
You’ve tracked down this rare Mantisaur Pupa (no small feat, by the way), and now you’re standing in Fort Endurance with two people demanding you hand it over: Biologist Bradford, who wants it for legitimate scientific research, and Trooper Wentworth, who’s got that unmistakable vibe of someone trying to pull a fast one. So who deserves your hard-earned specimen? Let’s break down exactly what happens with each decision.
Understanding the Pinching the Pupa Quest
This Golden Ridge side quest tasks you with retrieving a rare Mantisaur Pupa and bringing it back to Fort Endurance. Sounds simple enough, right? The complication comes when you return and find yourself caught between two competing interests—both claiming they deserve the pupa for different reasons.
If you’re working through The Outer Worlds 2’s main storyline, this is one of several faction-related decisions you’ll encounter that can influence your standing with various groups.
Giving the Pupa to Trooper Wentworth: What Actually Happens
Let’s start with what might seem like the path of least resistance—handing the pupa over to Wentworth. Spoiler alert: this doesn’t go how Wentworth planned.
The Immediate Consequences
Once you give Wentworth the pupa, here’s the sequence of events:
The Mantisaur Attack: A group of angry Mantisaurs follows you back to Fort Endurance from where you snatched their pupa (turns out they’re not thrilled about the kidnapping). You’ll need to fight them off, which isn’t terribly difficult if you’ve been keeping your combat skills sharp and following some solid starting builds.
Wentworth’s Plan Falls Apart: After dealing with the Mantisaur threat, Wotjek the Mantisaur simply eats the pupa. Just… consumes it. All of Wentworth’s grand plans collapse in an instant, exposing him as the opportunistic fraud everyone probably suspected he was from the beginning.
Wentworth Route Rewards
Despite the spectacular failure of Wentworth’s scheme, you still walk away with:
- Cleo’s The Hunt Shotgun – A solid weapon addition to your arsenal
- Full quest XP – Helps you progress toward that max level cap
- 1,500 Bits – Always useful for purchasing gear or upgrading your equipment
- +1 Reputation with Auntie’s Choice – A minor reputation boost
My Take: This outcome is almost comical in how badly it goes for Wentworth. The game is basically showing you in real-time why trusting someone who gives off shady vibes is usually a bad call. But hey, at least you still get paid.
Giving the Pupa to Biologist Bradford: The Science Route
Now let’s look at the alternative—doing what most players instinctively feel is the “right” choice and handing the pupa to Bradford for proper scientific study.
What Happens with Bradford
Bradford genuinely appreciates your decision to support legitimate research over whatever Wentworth was scheming. But you’re not off the hook for combat just yet.
The Mantisaur Retaliation: Just like with the Wentworth route, those protective Mantisaurs track you back to Fort Endurance and attack. The difference here is that the entire fort rallies to help defend against the assault, making this fight considerably more manageable. You’re not alone in the chaos.
Science Prevails: Unlike Wentworth’s disaster, Bradford actually follows through with her research plans. The pupa goes to a purpose that benefits the colony’s understanding of local fauna rather than becoming an expensive snack.
Bradford Route Rewards
Choosing Bradford nets you:
- Cleo’s The Hunt Shotgun – The same weapon you’d get from Wentworth
- Full quest XP – Identical experience points
- 1,500 Bits – Same monetary reward
- +3 Reputation with Auntie’s Choice – Triple the reputation boost compared to Wentworth
The Real Difference: Reputation Matters
Here’s the critical detail that makes this decision important: you get significantly more reputation with Auntie’s Choice by giving the pupa to Bradford.
While the tangible loot is identical regardless of your choice (same shotgun, same bits, same XP), that reputation difference can be crucial depending on your playthrough goals. If you’re trying to maintain good standing with Auntie’s Choice faction, tripling your reputation gain for this quest is absolutely worth it.
Faction Strategy Consideration: As covered in our complete guide to The Outer Worlds 2, faction relationships aren’t just cosmetic. They unlock unique dialogue options, affect quest availability, and can even change how certain story beats play out. Building strong faction ties early gives you more flexibility later.
Who Should You Actually Give the Pupa To?
Let’s be honest here: Bradford is the better choice for almost every player.
Why Bradford Makes More Sense
Practical Reasons:
- You get triple the faction reputation (3 vs 1)
- The outcome actually accomplishes something productive
- You’re not enabling someone who’s clearly up to no good
- The combat encounter is easier with fort-wide support
Roleplay Reasons:
- Any character concerned with scientific progress would choose Bradford
- Lawful good characters obviously support legitimate research over suspicious schemes
- Even neutral pragmatists benefit more from the reputation boost
- Only chaotic characters who enjoy watching plans explode would pick Wentworth for entertainment value
The Only Reason to Choose Wentworth
Honestly? If you’re actively trying to sabotage Auntie’s Choice or just want to see Wentworth’s ridiculous plan fail in spectacular fashion. That’s about it. The game makes it pretty clear through context clues and eventual outcomes that Wentworth is not the guy you want to be backing.
Does This Choice Affect the Main Story?
Here’s some good news if you’re worried about long-term consequences: this quest appears to be self-contained. Your decision doesn’t dramatically reshape the narrative or lock you out of major story branches.
That said, choices in The Outer Worlds 2 often have subtle ripple effects. Building positive reputation with Auntie’s Choice opens doors throughout your playthrough, while antagonizing factions can close them just as easily.
Looking at the Bigger Picture: While this specific quest might not alter the main storyline, it’s one of many opportunities to solidify your faction relationships. Combined with other choices like whether to trust Auntie or the Order of the Ascendant or where to send the Vox Relay, these decisions collectively shape your experience.
Combat Tips for the Mantisaur Attack
Regardless of which route you choose, you’re fighting Mantisaurs when you return to Fort Endurance. Here are some quick tips:
- Stock up on healing before turning in the quest—make sure your inhaler charges are topped off
- Use cover effectively during the fort defense
- Let your companions tank if you’re playing a ranged build (check our companions guide for tactical tips)
- Bradford’s route is easier because you get more NPC support during the fight
If you’re struggling with combat encounters in general, revisit your character build and traits to make sure you’re optimized for your playstyle.
The Verdict: Bradford Wins
Unless you have a specific roleplay reason to support Wentworth’s obvious scam, or you’re actively trying to damage your relationship with Auntie’s Choice, Bradford is objectively the superior choice. You get the same material rewards while earning three times the faction reputation and supporting actual scientific progress instead of feeding expensive alien larvae to someone’s pet.
The beauty of The Outer Worlds 2 is that it usually gives you genuine moral dilemmas where both sides have compelling arguments. This quest, though? The game is pretty clearly nudging you toward Bradford while still technically letting you make the “wrong” choice if you really want to.
Pro Tip: If you’re early in your playthrough and still figuring out what to do first, consider faction implications for every quest. Small reputation gains like this one add up quickly and can unlock exclusive content down the line.
Additional Quest Resources
Looking for help with other tricky The Outer Worlds 2 choices and challenges? Check out these related guides:
- Otto’s Lock Puzzle Solution – Another Golden Ridge challenge that stumps players
- Order Initiate Scavenger Hunt – More puzzle-solving required
- Science Adventures Quarterly Locations – Since you’re helping science with Bradford, might as well collect these skill-boosting magazines
- All Perks and Requirements – Optimize your character for difficult encounters
The Pinching the Pupa quest is just one of many decision points in your journey through The Outer Worlds 2. Make smart choices, build strong faction relationships, and remember: when someone seems shady, they probably are. Bradford all the way.
