Should you kill Petrov in Starfield?

No Sudden Moves is one of the main quests in Starfield. The primary objective is to retrieve another mysterious artifact from Captain Petrov, an eccentric and detestable collector who is fascinated with it.

Even if you try to coerce him into selling it to you, he won’t budge. You’ll have no choice but to steal it from him, which causes a conflict to break out.

Regardless of which dialogue options you choose, you’ll end up in a shootout with Captain Petrov. If you’ve managed to defeat him, you’ll face a choice: accept his surrender and let him live or kill him and put him out of his misery.

What happens if you kill Petrov in Starfield?

If you choose to kill Captain Petrov at any point throughout the mission, you’ll become a wanted felon and have a bounty on your head. The United Colonies will come down hard on you, so be prepared to fight tooth and nail in order to save yourself from jail time or death.

What happens if you don’t kill Petrov in Starfield?

If you don’t kill Captain Petrov, he’ll let you keep the artifact without pressing the issue further. You’ll also be able to freely walk around his spaceship and loot everything and anything in sight. 

So, should you kill Petrov?

Not killing Captain Petrov is a much better choice from an objective standpoint. You’ll be able to finish the quest and pillage his spaceship without any more bloodshed, and save yourself from becoming a criminal.

Related: How to recover from damage and obtain max health in Starfield, explained

But if you’re a morally ambiguous player, you may think ‘Where’s the fun in that?’ and opt to kill him instead. It’s the perfect way to draw some heat from the United Colonies and cement yourself as a force to be reckoned with.

In the end, it all comes down to preference and playstyle. While you’re at it, you might want to become a contraband smuggler, too.

Every decision is a fork in the road, and the choice is yours.