The End
Or the beginning?
Overview
The End is a root advancement in the End tab of Minecraft's advancement system, carrying the in-game description "Or the beginning." As the root of the End tab, it sits at the very top of this branch and is what every other End advancement ultimately descends from. The End tab covers advancements for the End dimension, from slaying the Ender Dragon to finding End Cities and the Elytra. The End was added in Minecraft 1.12 and remains part of the current 1.21 advancement set.
It is rated Hard difficulty on this site: requires significant effort, rare resources, or dangerous encounters. Roots cannot be un-earned and exist mainly to unlock the visible tree, so the real progression begins with the advancements hanging beneath it. One further advancement, Free the End, is gated behind it.
Within the 9 advancements that make up the End tab, The End is the single entry that requires nothing before it. Unlocking it is the gateway to that whole set, so it is usually the first End advancement any player earns.
How to Complete The End
Earning The End comes down to the following, performed in order:
- Enter the End dimension through the End portal in a stronghold.
- This is the root advancement for The End tab.
Tips & Fastest Route
Tips & Fastest Route- Fastest route: Light the stronghold portal and jump in to arrive in the End.
- This root unlocks the dragon-fight and End-City advancement chains.
- Bring blocks, a bow and the means to break end crystals before you drop in.
- At Hard difficulty, The End rewards preparation over speed — line up the items and conditions in the steps first rather than improvising mid-attempt.
Common Mistakes
Common MistakesThe End has no common pitfalls beyond following the steps above; once its prerequisite is done it tracks reliably.
Reward & What It Unlocks
Reward & What It UnlocksThe End grants no experience directly; as a root advancement its purpose is to open the tab rather than to reward you.
Earning it unlocks Free the End, which becomes the next step along this branch of the tree.
Completing every advancement beneath this root clears the entire End tab, which contains 9 advancements in total — 1 of them flagged as challenges and 2 as goals. Working down from The End in tree order is the most efficient way to clear the tab without backtracking.
Details
Advancement ID
Category
Version AddedAdvancement Tree
Parent Advancement
Child Advancements (1)
The End Advancement FAQ
How do you get the The End advancement in Minecraft?
Light the stronghold portal and jump in to arrive in the End. In full, enter the End dimension through the End portal in a stronghold. This is the root advancement for The End tab.
What do you need for The End?
It is a root advancement, so there is no prerequisite advancement. Enter the End dimension through the End portal in a stronghold. This is the root advancement for The End tab.
Which advancement tab is The End in?
The End is in the End tab, where it serves as the root advancement at the top of the branch. Its in-game advancement ID is minecraft:end/root.
Does The End unlock other advancements?
Yes — as the End root, The End unlocks the whole tab. The advancements directly beneath it are Free the End.
How much XP does The End give and how hard is it?
The End awards no XP and is rated Hard difficulty.