Story Discussion Thread *Spoilers*

[Rat]

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Edited August 11, 2015 by PainOfDemise
Official Formatting

[JackLockjawKeon]

My theories so far:

 

The flashlight pursuit is David, because the girls are trying to get some kind of evidence at the school. I think the game is going to make him seem bad, but ultimately, he's going to be helpful in stopping the disaster and he and Chloe will mend their relationship.

 

I think Rachel Amber is dead.

 

I think the big bad is Mr. Jefferson. He's set up to be this awesome art teacher, and Max's idol, but in reality he's a domestic psycho. This whole game has so many nods to David Lynch and Twin Peaks, and I think that hints toward an element of sinister intentions beneath a residential facade. The photo album at the end of the episode made me think of this, as well as his strange demeanor in front of his class.

 

I think Victoria will be the next disappearance, and I feel like they're playing up the Victoria/Nathan friendship now because they want us to think Nathan is the main villain.

 

Those are just my crazy notions.

 

In the end, I hope the time travel power goes unexplained. I think rationalizing it will ruin the overall feeling of the game.

[Shanarai]

I think David is going to stay as the secondary antagonist for the the entire series and he will give Max a hand full.

 

I think there is a killer in the series (potentially the one who killed Rachel) and maybe that person is already revealed but we just don't know who is it. Nathan as the main villain right now could only be bait in order to hide the more sinister truth.

[DarkStorm2Bad]

Taking the multiverse theory into account, what if it turns out that Rachel can rewind time like Max can, and her disappearance without a word is the result of her making a mistake and going back in time to fix it? Rachel could still be hanging out with Chloe and having everything remain fine, but we could be playing as Max in one of the timelines where Rachel rewound time and sent herself to another timeline entirely.

[swotam]

Note sure where it's going at this point. I suspect that they are trying to point the player down a path or thinking that certain girls who get invited to Vortex Club events are drugged and possibly assaulted by other members of the club, including Nathan and likely some of the faculty at the school. The video tapes shown at the end of both episodes so far could be videos of these encounters, the question remains, who has them? Rachel might have been a victim of this and ended up dead somehow, or she could have been involved in some other way. Of course, I expect there's more going on than just what they're showing us at this point.

 

Given the very Twin Peaks mood of the story as has been mentioned, so I expect to see some surprises and interesting reveals as things move along.

Edited April 2, 2015 by swotam

[rockhopper78]

 

I think the big bad is Mr. Jefferson. He's set up to be this awesome art teacher, and Max's idol, but in reality he's a domestic psycho. This whole game has so many nods to David Lynch and Twin Peaks, and I think that hints toward an element of sinister intentions beneath a residential facade. The photo album at the end of the episode made me think of this, as well as his strange demeanor in front of his class.

 

I think Victoria will be the next disappearance, and I feel like they're playing up the Victoria/Nathan friendship now because they want us to think Nathan is the main villain.

 

I agree about Mr. Jefferson. However the principal could be involved as well. They did have that suspicious meeting at Jefferson's car in the closing montage of ep. 2. And it's obvious that David Madsen is a red herring and will end up being a good guy probably investigating Rachel Amber. I just love this whole mystery though. The shot of him taking pics of Kate at the end when she was heading to the dorm, I mean what the hell was that about? So many questions and I love it!

 

Now for Victoria, you shut your mouth! Just kidding, but seriously I love that evil bitch. She better not "disappear." Every chance I get in the game, I'm trying to torment her, while she does the same to me. It's a love/hate relationship and she has to be in it till the end.

 

I'm loving this game and I can't wait to see what happens next. I'm curious if Kate will still be in the game for people who saved her. I would hope so, so that choice feels like it matters, plus the story is alluding to her having something to do with Rachel Amber and the Vortex Club. I also noticed that one of the choices for ep. 2 was if you got accepted to the party of the Vortex Club or not. I wonder if there's a way to miss out on eventually going to the party whenever they have it, cause I feel that would be pretty important to not go to if it ends up providing some clues. I also accepted the date with Warren which that seems optional. I really hope there are playable chapters/scenes of these events for people that made these decisions so that these choices matter. Well whatever happens, I'm anxiously waiting for episode 3. I am just really enjoying this story and the way it presents it's choices and consequences. Even including finding out how tall my plant will grow by the end of the season and what object will hit that dolt Alyssa in the head next time.

Edited April 4, 2015 by rockhopper78

[JackLockjawKeon]

...and what object will hit that dolt Alyssa in the head next time.

 

I'm making a wild, wild guess here. But with regard to things hitting Alyssa, I bet this is going to determine whether you can save her life during the tornado. By then all your powers will have gone away and you see something flying at her, and if you saved her before, she implicitly trusts you and just does it. Versus if you don't save her, she takes a moment to question your command and gets nailed.

[HeiMaturin]

I'm making a wild, wild guess here. But with regard to things hitting Alyssa, I bet this is going to determine whether you can save her life during the tornado. By then all your powers will have gone away and you see something flying at her, and if you saved her before, she implicitly trusts you and just does it. Versus if you don't save her, she takes a moment to question your command and gets nailed.

 

You should write this script

[JackLockjawKeon]

My theories so far:

 

The flashlight pursuit is David, because the girls are trying to get some kind of evidence at the school. I think the game is going to make him seem bad, but ultimately, he's going to be helpful in stopping the disaster and he and Chloe will mend their relationship.

 

I think Rachel Amber is dead.

 

I think the big bad is Mr. Jefferson. He's set up to be this awesome art teacher, and Max's idol, but in reality he's a domestic psycho. This whole game has so many nods to David Lynch and Twin Peaks, and I think that hints toward an element of sinister intentions beneath a residential facade. The photo album at the end of the episode made me think of this, as well as his strange demeanor in front of his class.

 

I think Victoria will be the next disappearance, and I feel like they're playing up the Victoria/Nathan friendship now because they want us to think Nathan is the main villain.

 

Those are just my crazy notions.

 

In the end, I hope the time travel power goes unexplained. I think rationalizing it will ruin the overall feeling of the game.

 

*COUGH COUGH* Anyone played episode 4 yet?

[willozsy]

*COUGH COUGH* Anyone played episode 4 yet?

 

my God, I did not realize Jefferson is the real psycho until he announced Victoria is the winner! I really hope Chloe is not really dead... Max did take all those pics so she may concentrate on 1 of them and go back in time and stop Jefferson b4 Kate's torture... Can't wait for the final episode!!!

[Vaco Deus]

I don't get the Rachel grave thing. They never really dug her up. Just a portion of what looked like the torso. Not really a confirmation that it's her.

 

I subscribed to the Rachel is a time traveller theory because everyone knew her, she was popular with everyone, always had the right answers, etc. Same that we've been doing with Max. Plus the whole Chloe is Max graffiti just to screw with you.

 

I dunno. Max, or Chloe? I don't remember who, has the photo of the blue butterfly on the bucket in the bathroom. I'm sure whatever shit goes down that's your 'get outta jail free' card. The series ends in a loop with her going back to the beginning to either save Chloe, restarting the loop or letting Chloe die because clearly the universe wants it that way.

 

EDIT:

 

Also like how Jefferson Scooby Doo'd Max and Chloe. Like, he was literally on stage as they left and then laying in wait in the junkyard.

 

Unless he is a time traveller as well

 

*dramatic music*

Edited July 29, 2015 by Vaco Deus

[Naps]

my God, I did not realize Jefferson is the real psycho until he announced Victoria is the winner! I really hope Chloe is not really dead... Max did take all those pics so she may concentrate on 1 of them and go back in time and stop Jefferson b4 Kate's torture...

 

For some reason, the moment Jefferson showed up earlier in Ep-4 he just became the suspect to me. There was just something fake about him being that nice. Towards the ending when it was revealed that "he dunnit" at the junkyard - I wasn't surprised. I was playing this late at night so my brain was half asleep when I went to bed thinking Chloe is screwed! Then you reminded me of that pic Max took of Chloe (part of the optional trophy pic, first in this episode actually) to go back in time and warn her... she did a lot of that in this episode and thankfully Chloe obliges without any questions.

 

Good theory on Max going back before the torture of Kate. But why not go back further before Rachel's death? Hopefully she took some pictures from the Jefferson collection.

 

-----

 

Wanna hear something crazy? A lot of folks here are saying Max is Chloe... Max is Rachel etc... Now how about Jefferson is the older version of Nathan? Even Max was surprised (upon raiding Nathan's dorm room) to see Nathan being good in photography. Maybe Nathan is ground zero in all this time travelling/manipulating thing. That would explain his behaviour and "psychological instability", the effect of having two of the same person in the same timeline for so long. Chaos theory, one is cancelling the other... And with Nathan having a picture (selfie) of Max as well as Jefferson insisting that Max submit her work for the competition, it's clear that someone had been "quantum leaping" (nice reference on alternate Chloe's forum discussion on her PC) on a regular basis.

 

Maybe having two moons on that night is the effect of two individuals existing in the same timeline for too long?

 

Now given my suggestion of all this time warping/meddling with Max and possibly others on a regular basis, the effect is Chaos theory = massive tornado.

 

Man, October is toooooo long to wait for the next episode. Hopefully it's really gonna be kick ass (as Chloe puts it). I forsee (not that I have time travelled myself, promise) that the physical release of this game is gonna be a success, pulling in new fans and not to mention the nominations/awards it's going to get in gaming awards night. Seems like DontnoD had found their niche... now move over TTG!

 

I don't get the Rachel grave thing. They never really dug her up. Just a portion of what looked like the torso. Not really a confirmation that it's her.

 

Yeah I kinda didn't buy that earlier as that "blue blouse" wasn't the same one Rachel was wearing in the "death pic"... must be one of Jefferson's other victims.

 

I don't remember who, has the photo of the blue butterfly on the bucket in the bathroom. I'm sure whatever shit goes down that's your 'get outta jail free' card.

 

That would be Chloe. It was in her jumper's pocket (which was hanging by the door).

 

Also like how Jefferson Scooby Doo'd Max and Chloe. Like, he was literally on stage as they left and then laying in wait in the junkyard.... Unless he is a time traveller as well

 

You think he's a time traveller?

Edited July 29, 2015 by Naps

[SoPoF]

Was anybody else severely disappointed by how easily and quickly the whole alternative timeline sidestory had been resolved? It didn't seem to even serve anything other than delivering a bit of shock value because they couldn't find another cliffhanger for episode 3.

 

It was basically like ... "look at this, now Chloe's a cripple. What now?" ... wait for it, wait for it ..."rewind time, bam, back to normal."

 

The only reason this whole plot aspect was there seems to be to have had introduced Max' photo jump power earlier, so it won't come off as a total deus ex machina for when it'll obviously save the day via the butterfly photography in episode 5 when Max travels back to the bathroom and will make the whole story of the game so far unhappen.

Edited July 29, 2015 by SoPoF

[swotam]

Seems like DontnoD had found their niche... now move over TTG!

 

Yeah, definitely this. Telltale has produced some decent stories over the past few years but they really need to up their game when it comes to their engine and performance. It's laggy as hell, even on the PS4, which is sort of pathetic when you think about it... LiS looks one hell of a lot better using the Unreal engine, and (aside from the occasional stutter) the performance is excellent.

 

Was anybody else severely disappointed by how easily and quickly the whole alternative timeline sidestory had been resolved?

 

I think part of that was to show that, no matter what Max does to try and fix events, bad things will still happen to people who she's trying to save. In the main timeline, Chloe's dad is dead which has led to Chloe having a lot of problems in her life, but when Max tried to fix that she just redirected the misfortune to Chloe who is disabled and on the verge of dying, plus her family is virtually bankrupt from having to look after her, so while her dad is alive their situation really isn't "better". After establishing that you can't fix the present by travelling to the past, it makes sense to wrap it up and get back to the main story.

 

Not sure how the story will resolve in the end, but I doubt that Max will be able to rewind time and wrap it all up in a way that's all sunshine and rainbows for everyone involved. There will have to be some sort of sacrifice I'm sure.

[Sellers]

Wow what a crazy episode!

 

I think we will end up going back to save Chloe, and it definitely seems like Jefferson is the bad guy, I think he probably using Nathan to cover his tracks/help him which explains his stroppy behaviour all the time.

 

Jefferson must be somehow aware of Max's time abilities as well since he injcted her to screw them up.

 

Episode 5 can't come soon enough, just hopefully not as long as the wait for this episode.

[swotam]

Jefferson must be somehow aware of Max's time abilities as well since he injcted her to screw them up.

 

I'm not sure if he suspects that since I don't believe she's done anything around him to suggest that she has such abilities. My assumption was that he injected Max because he plans to take her to the vault under the barn, presumably for a photo session (), and killed Chloe because she saw his face or was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. The post credits scene I assume featured Max pleading with Jefferson, but I know some people think it might be Victoria instead.

 

Assuming some sort of rewind-via-photo option to save Chloe's life, but not expecting a happy personal-sacrifice-free ending to the tale. Max doesn't seem to be able to make everything better, she just changes who bad things happen to in the longer term. Guess we'll find out, probably not until late September or early October at this rate...

Edited July 29, 2015 by swotam

[msorge]

*COUGH COUGH* Anyone played episode 4 yet?

Haha! Yup, you called some pretty integral stuff. My hat's off to you.

 

I don't remember who, has the photo of the blue butterfly on the bucket in the bathroom. I'm sure whatever shit goes down that's your 'get outta jail free' card. The series ends in a loop with her going back to the beginning to either save Chloe, restarting the loop or letting Chloe die because clearly the universe wants it that way.

 

EDIT:

Also like how Jefferson Scooby Doo'd Max and Chloe. Like, he was literally on stage as they left and then laying in wait in the junkyard. ... Unless he is a time traveller as well ... *dramatic music*

That butterfly-photo rewind would be a plausible ending segment to Episode 5, for sure... Gotta love those Scooby-Doo plot twists!

 

Telltale has produced some decent stories over the past few years but they really need to up their game when it comes to their engine and performance. It's laggy as hell, even on the PS4, which is sort of pathetic when you think about it... LiS looks one hell of a lot better using the Unreal engine, and (aside from the occasional stutter) the performance is excellent.

Yes, I agree. I said it before and I'll say it again - what Telltale has done with The Walking Dead (and The Wolf Among Us) has been great, and they're two different types of games within the same genre, but Dontnod's work with Life Is Strange has surpassed it, at least in terms of playability and decisions having much more weight to them. It's hard for me to compare them against each other, because I love them both, but there are elements in LIS that are unquestionably better developed.

 

Not sure how the story will resolve in the end, but I doubt that Max will be able to rewind time and wrap it all up in a way that's all sunshine and rainbows for everyone involved. There will have to be some sort of sacrifice I'm sure.

Again, I definitely agree. There has to be some consequences, if this is how it does go down, because that type of Donnie Darko-like/return-to-the-beginning ending won't be weighty enough, otherwise.

Edited July 29, 2015 by msorge

[Alex Fly]

*COUGH COUGH* Anyone played episode 4 yet?

Wow well guessed there ! Great job !

[JackLockjawKeon]

Thanks! When I came back and read that post, I didn't even remember communicating my thoughts out loud.

 

 

So there's no way I'm correct again, at least not to the degree I was before... but I think the following things:

 

David will be rescuing Max. My thought is that he goes into Chloe's room and sees the investigation notes and goes to check out the barn himself.

 

Of course, to bring Chloe back, she will have to use Warren's photo.

 

She may try to expose Mr. Jefferson during the Vortex Party during the announcement, and to me it seems like whether or not you're successful depends on how many people you've helped/befriended. (Maybe.)

 

Some part of me feels like Chloe is going to die in another way, and the final episode will be this constant replay of the Vortex Party and Max trying to stop Mr. Jefferson and prevent Chloe from dying. She keeps going back even though it's becoming painful, and eventually this is what causes the twister to form.

 

I haven't been able to figure the lighthouse into it, but it will definitely be Max's showdown with the twister and possibly Mr. Jefferson.

 

I like some of the theories that Mr. Jefferson is also a time traveler, and perhaps that's why he got into photography.

 

 

All-in-all, I've been pretty happy playing this game. I definitely think this beats out Telltale games (I liked Walking Dead, loved Wolf Among Us and Borderlands... not so much a fan of the Game of Thrones one.)

 

Anyone else have any thoughts or theories.

[Broliy]

Thanks! When I came back and read that post, I didn't even remember communicating my thoughts out loud.

 

 

So there's no way I'm correct again, at least not to the degree I was before... but I think the following things:

 

David will be rescuing Max. My thought is that he goes into Chloe's room and sees the investigation notes and goes to check out the barn himself.

 

Of course, to bring Chloe back, she will have to use Warren's photo.

 

She may try to expose Mr. Jefferson during the Vortex Party during the announcement, and to me it seems like whether or not you're successful depends on how many people you've helped/befriended. (Maybe.)

 

Some part of me feels like Chloe is going to die in another way, and the final episode will be this constant replay of the Vortex Party and Max trying to stop Mr. Jefferson and prevent Chloe from dying. She keeps going back even though it's becoming painful, and eventually this is what causes the twister to form.

 

I haven't been able to figure the lighthouse into it, but it will definitely be Max's showdown with the twister and possibly Mr. Jefferson.

 

I like some of the theories that Mr. Jefferson is also a time traveler, and perhaps that's why he got into photography.

 

 

All-in-all, I've been pretty happy playing this game. I definitely think this beats out Telltale games (I liked Walking Dead, loved Wolf Among Us and Borderlands... not so much a fan of the Game of Thrones one.)

 

Anyone else have any thoughts or theories.

 

I have 2 theories, the first is that Mr Jefferson is Nathan from the future, this would explain why he loves photography and when were in Nathan's room we see that he's actually a good photographer. Then there's the 2 moons which I think mean that there are two of the same person existing within the same timeline (Mr Jefferson and Nathan) and that one of the moons disappearing means that now only one of those two people exist now (Nathan getting killed), this theory also makes sense as Nathan is not seen at all during the party and neither is Mr Jefferson (I believe he is getting tortured at this point or something) when Mr Jefferson arrives at the party he acts a little weird and suspicious (I believe at that point he had killed Nathan and the 2nd moon disappears as order is restored).

 

My 2nd theory is that Mr Jefferson is a time traveler which also explains why he loves photography, I also believe that the competition is his way of picking his victims and it also explains why he is constantly nagging us about taking a photo for the ''competition'' as he could use the photos to travel and pick the photos which have the person in the most secluded place. This would also explain how he got to the junkyard that quickly and why he drugged Max before killing Chloe, to make sure she couldn't rewind and stop him.

 

PS I believe that the doe was Rachel/Rachel's spirit animal since it only shows up in the junkyard where Rachel died and that the blue butterfly is Max/Max's spirit animal since it appeared when Max got her powers. Then there is the blue bird that is always trapped in Chloe's house which i believe is Chloe/Chloe's spirit animal since its always trapped in her house like how she is and just wants to be free.

[Vaco Deus]

You think he's a time traveller?

 

I dunno. It was poor continuity. Irked me.

 

It seemed like they were setting up Rachel to have some kind of time power. Seems like somebody else could have a similar power as Max, or at least be aware of it. Seemed odd that Jefferson drugged Max but shot Chloe, like he knew she could undo whatever he did.

 

Maybe Jefferson is a Prescott or a future version of Nathan. Who knows. They seem aware of the greater plot as their bunker was called the Stormbreaker.

 

Episode 5 seems it has alot of plot to cover. I hope it doesn't come off as rushed.

[Alex Fly]

* theories *

These would make sense to me.

[Sellers]

I dunno. It was poor continuity. Irked me.

 

It seemed like they were setting up Rachel to have some kind of time power. Seems like somebody else could have a similar power as Max, or at least be aware of it. Seemed odd that Jefferson drugged Max but shot Chloe, like he knew she could undo whatever he did.

 

I agree with this, seems a bit coincidental that Jefferson would just kill Chloe and conveniently drug max instead of just killing her too, he obviously has plans for her and I think he is definitely aware of her abilities.

 

Episode 5 definitely has a lot of explaining to do and I hope it doesn't let us down and lives up to the rest of the episodes quality.

[VamPirateX]

All of the notes from Sean Prescott to Nathan in this episode (I don't think we've seen any before) make it sound like the family has some big secret to protect, something more than just their business/wealth. Of course that secret could be that they're time travelers as well. I didn't make that connection until I read all of these posts, but I definitely think that supports the multiple time travelers/Jefferson is Nathan theories.

[reck]

This game is very predictable.

 

I tagged Jefferson as the baddie in episode 2.

 

All other options were too out in the open and it doesn't take much to come up with the Jefferson is the one taking all the girls.

 

David is just your bait. And Nathan is your tweaked out druggy who's by no means innocent but he doesn't have the smarts or wits or physical strengh to kidnap full grown women.

 

He even got his ass whopped by Warren if that tells you anything.