Return to Sender
Destroy a Ghast with a fireball
Overview
Return to Sender is a challenge advancement in the Nether tab of Minecraft's advancement system, carrying the in-game description "Destroy a Ghast with a fireball." It branches directly off Nether, so that earlier advancement is its prerequisite and must be earned first. The Nether tab covers advancements for exploring and conquering the Nether dimension, from entering the portal to brewing potions. Return to Sender was added in Minecraft 1.12 and remains part of the current 1.21 advancement set.
It is rated Medium difficulty on this site: requires some preparation or specific resources. Part of normal gameplay progression. Because it is flagged as a challenge advancement, completing Return to Sender makes a special toast and a sound play, and its frame in the advancement screen is the magenta challenge style rather than a normal square. Challenges are the hardest tier and usually represent a milestone rather than routine progress. One further advancement, Uneasy Alliance, is gated behind it.
In tree terms, Return to Sender sits first along its line: the full path from the Nether root reads Nether -> Return to Sender. That means 1 advancement must be completed before this one becomes available, and Return to Sender is one of 22 total advancements in the Nether tab. It shares its parent with 7 sibling advancements (Those Were the Days, Hidden in the Depths, A Terrible Fortress, Who is Cutting Onions?, Oh Shiny, This Boat Has Legs, and A Horrible Place), all of which open from the same point in the tree.
How to Complete Return to Sender
Earning Return to Sender comes down to the following, performed in order:
- When a Ghast shoots a fireball at you, hit the fireball back (left-click or shoot an arrow at it) to deflect it.
- If the deflected fireball hits and kills the Ghast, you earn this advancement.
- Timing is key.
Tips & Fastest Route
Tips & Fastest Route- Fastest route: Stand in a ghast's line of fire and punch its fireball back so the rebound kills it.
- A bow shot or even a snowball can also deflect the fireball back at the ghast.
- Soul Sand Valley has open sightlines and high ghast spawns, making clean rebounds easier.
- Make sure Nether is already ticked off before you start, otherwise Return to Sender will not be tracked even if you perform the steps correctly.
- As a challenge advancement this is best saved until you are well-equipped; rushing Return to Sender underprepared is the usual reason attempts fail, so gather everything the steps above require before you commit.
Common Mistakes
Common Mistakes- Killing the ghast with a normal arrow does not count; the fireball it shot must be what destroys it.
- Remember that Return to Sender will not appear as available until Nether is done, since the game only tracks an advancement once its parent has been unlocked.
Reward & What It Unlocks
Reward & What It UnlocksCompleting Return to Sender grants 50 experience points, reflecting its status as a challenge — challenge advancements pay out far more XP than ordinary tasks. The XP drops at your position the moment the advancement fires.
Earning it unlocks Uneasy Alliance, which becomes the next step along this branch of the tree.
Details
- Advancement ID
minecraft:nether/return_to_sender- Icon Item
- Fire Charge
- Category
- Nether
- Difficulty
- Medium
- XP Reward
- 50 XP
- Version Added
- 1.12
Advancement ID
Category
Version AddedAdvancement Tree
Parent Advancement
Return to Sender Advancement FAQ
How do you get the Return to Sender advancement in Minecraft?
Stand in a ghast's line of fire and punch its fireball back so the rebound kills it. In full, when a Ghast shoots a fireball at you, hit the fireball back (left-click or shoot an arrow at it) to deflect it. If the deflected fireball hits and kills the Ghast, you earn this advancement. Timing is key.
What do you need for Return to Sender?
Before you can work on it you must have completed Nether. When a Ghast shoots a fireball at you, hit the fireball back (left-click or shoot an arrow at it) to deflect it. If the deflected fireball hits and kills the Ghast, you earn this advancement.
Which advancement tab is Return to Sender in?
Return to Sender is in the Nether tab, hanging beneath Nether. Its in-game advancement ID is minecraft:nether/return_to_sender.
Is Return to Sender part of the Nether branch?
Yes. Return to Sender sits directly below Nether in the Nether tree, so you must earn Nether first. Completing Return to Sender then opens Uneasy Alliance.
How much XP does Return to Sender give and how hard is it?
Return to Sender awards 50 XP and is rated Medium difficulty, and it is a challenge advancement (the hardest tier, with a special completion toast).