How did Wigfrid "enter" the Constant without a radio or a gate?

[mac and cheese]

Just now, minespatch said:

So... Does this mean that THEM uses music receptacles in general for communication?

Ooh! I know this would make zero sense in-universe, but it might explain some of Klei's lore choices--maybe this has to do with how the survivors' voices are instruments? Could be an interesting concept. 

(Also, happy 22000th post!)

[minespatch]

Just now, mac and cheese said:

but it might explain some of Klei's lore choices--maybe this has to do with how the survivors' voices are instruments?

I imagine the musical voices is probably a reference to early cartoons with beat-to-frame type animation(similar to what Gennedy Tartakovsky does).

[Scrimbles]

Why did Wilson need to construct an entire portal just to be able to be transported, while Wigfrid simply shakes a hand, and Walter PRESSES A BUTTON? I'm willing to over look Warly simply disappearing as a representation of Maman Angeline's failing memory, and maybe Walter's was just a time jump past what actually happened, in the interest of speeding up his short so he's in the constant.

 

My theory for Wigfrid though... is that whoever was responsible for the lore has long since been replaced.

[sudoku]

Something happened on the circus train that Wolfgang (and possibly Wilbur) and Maxwell were on that lead to both disappearing and Max finding the codex, unless Wolfgang wasnt taken in that incident and was taken later, his short will most likely have the answer when it does come. But Max and Charlie were both pulled into the constant from use of the Codex umbra and without the use of a portal. 

Interestingly both times a portal was constructed, the constructor was in pursuit of forbidden knowledge (Wilson and Wagstaff).

 

[Owlrust]

I have my own theory as to what happened, but since it's a little long I'll post it in a spoiler below if you're interested.

Spoiler

I like to think that it's based on "sound" and not necessarily the device it came from. It could be that they use music devices as a way to channel themselves to the mortal realm and the Voxola radios just happen to be one of the most popular ways of doing so.

Going down the rabbit hole I have a more outlandish theory; Wagstaff could have managed to make contact with the shadow creatures long before the events of the survivors (even Maxwell and Charlie) happened, when he was a younger man, and proposed a mutual deal with them in exchange for both knowledge and the ability to come and go through the Constant as he pleases (via the hologram theory or other) to gather resources; this could also help to explain why the radio company burned down, to give Wagstaff a chance to fake his own death and continue his research without the public knowing/interfering, especially after he created a name for himself. Even more outlandish of a theory adding to this is that Maxwell didn't actually need to have Wilson create the machine in order to capture him, it was his way of having Wilson create an "Exit" for Wagstaff as a way to fulfill his end of the bargain. After this deal he got to work on his company, specializing in the manufacture of special radios that would help whomever sat on the shadow throne to collect their victims/playthings better. As for explaining the Phonographs, I suppose that is simply a remnant of how they "used" to capture victims and in truth there could be many other ways they catch their victims as well; we've seen them capture people during a performance, so mass capture during symphonies and plays don't seem to far out there in my opinion and could perhaps explain the large amounts of skeletons, graves, and set-pieces. 

There may or may not be more to this but I at least hope I entertained you with these crazy theories for a minute. Thanks for reading.

 

[Pop Guy]

If THEY can teleport anyone, anytime, anywhere, why the need to use Maxwell as a puppet? Why is Maxwell's need to deceive the survivors? Why on earth did he have to offer them "a deal", instead of just capturing them?
The point is that there are constant contradictions: to enter the Constant and move between the "plane" you need a gate (Wilson, Wagstaff, Winona, Forge, Gorge, Adventure mod) but also not (Wigfrid, Walter, Maxwell, Charlie).
Maxwell was dominated by the shadows, but when we meet him on the throne he seems quite wise and self-aware; so much so that in one sentence he also says that he had tried to escape at some point.
Maxwell needed someone to save him, but then actively thwarted those who attempted to do so.
In theory Maxwell is even dead (adventure mode end) but then reappears in DST without any explanation.
I could go on, but I think I would become pedantic.
Ignorance is strength.

6 hours ago, Owlrus said:

I have my own theory as to what happened, but since it's a little long I'll post it in a spoiler below if you're interested.

  Reveal hidden contents

I like to think that it's based on "sound" and not necessarily the device it came from. It could be that they use music devices as a way to channel themselves to the mortal realm and the Voxola radios just happen to be one of the most popular ways of doing so.

Going down the rabbit hole I have a more outlandish theory; Wagstaff could have managed to make contact with the shadow creatures long before the events of the survivors (even Maxwell and Charlie) happened, when he was a younger man, and proposed a mutual deal with them in exchange for both knowledge and the ability to come and go through the Constant as he pleases (via the hologram theory or other) to gather resources; this could also help to explain why the radio company burned down, to give Wagstaff a chance to fake his own death and continue his research without the public knowing/interfering, especially after he created a name for himself. Even more outlandish of a theory adding to this is that Maxwell didn't actually need to have Wilson create the machine in order to capture him, it was his way of having Wilson create an "Exit" for Wagstaff as a way to fulfill his end of the bargain. After this deal he got to work on his company, specializing in the manufacture of special radios that would help whomever sat on the shadow throne to collect their victims/playthings better. As for explaining the Phonographs, I suppose that is simply a remnant of how they "used" to capture victims and in truth there could be many other ways they catch their victims as well; we've seen them capture people during a performance, so mass capture during symphonies and plays don't seem to far out there in my opinion and could perhaps explain the large amounts of skeletons, graves, and set-pieces. 

There may or may not be more to this but I at least hope I entertained you with these crazy theories for a minute. Thanks for reading.

 

That Wagstaff made a deal with THEM is very interesting, but how could he have come into contact with THEM from the beginning? It would mean that there are other Codexes, or at least other relics capable of putting "mortals" in contact with otherworldly realities.
It is all very interesting, but it is also a huge stretch of the imagination, there is nothing that can confirm these theories, however beautiful. I too had my own canon some time ago; now I have abandoned it because I never found proof but only other doubts :'D

6 hours ago, sudoku said:

Interestingly both times a portal was constructed, the constructor was in pursuit of forbidden knowledge (Wilson and Wagstaff).

Yes, it's true. But in Wilson's case he was instigated and instructed by Maxwell to build the portal, as well as to activate it ("PULL THE LEVER" Maxwell yells at him at the end, to make him overcome even the last doubt dictated by reason).
Why have Wilson do all this if the gate wasn't necessary?
To make fun of him? Maybe; but then why do we find a similar gate in the game?

 

[sudoku]

18 minutes ago, Pop Guy said:

Yes, it's true. But in Wilson's case he was instigated and instructed by Maxwell to build the portal, as well as to activate it ("PULL THE LEVER" Maxwell yells at him at the end, to make him overcome even the last doubt dictated by reason).
Why have Wilson do all this if the gate wasn't necessary?
To make fun of him? Maybe; but then why do we find a similar gate in the game?

 

Well its interesting cause i thought at first Maxwell had Wilson build the portal to connect to his door in the constant and link the two dimensions together as a sort of gateway he could travel between and use it to abduct his victims, but if Wilson was the last survivor to be taken then this doesnt hold up as much. 

[sudoku]

I dug a little deeper and I think there is clearly a link between insanity and entering the constant. This doesnt answer the how of how you get into the constant but it does seem to answer the why

 

Maxwell: We see from the William Carter puzzles that Maxwell slowly begins to go crazy from the knowledge contained in the codex umbra as it "addled his mind" until the shadows become too much. 

Wilson: Mentions that "He feared he'd gone mad from too many late nights of experiments".

Willow: Is a lonely orphan. In her short we see that she already sees shadow creatures at the orphanage showing that the loneliness she experiences is already taking a toll on her sanity, the only thing that seems to hold this at bay is Bernie, possibly because he comforts her in her state of loneliness or because it reminds her of her life before the orphanage as Bernie is the only belonging she was able to keep. When Bernie is later taken away by the Caretakers, her last friend and last belonging she had left is ripped away from her and she gives in to the insanity, becoming the pyromaniac we all know. The compendium also tells us that "Willow always regarded being brought to The Constant as a new beginning. It allowed her to leave everything behind, after all." which supports her shifting sanity. And while it doesn't show Willow being taken, the very last line of the compendium notes  "It wouldn't be the last time Willow burned it all down to start anew." which supports the idea that she would eventually make a bargain with Maxwell akin to the other survivors involving starting a fire. 

Wendy: It is important to note that Wendy, while her sister Abigail was alive was not the depressed little girl that we are accustomed to. Only once her sister dies does she become depressed, which can take a toll on ones sanity, but we also see that her mental state begins to deteriorate further when she starts turning to the occult to bring her sister back. This intense inability to let go to the memory of her sister slowly drives her insane until she hears the voice on the radio. 

Woodie: Although there is very little lore, we know that he talks to his axe and is the stereotypical crazy man living in the woods. 

Warly:  While there isn't a whole lot of lore to explore The compendium states as his Maman's memory began to deteriorate "Warly became more desperate, willing to try anything to bring her back. That was when he first started hearing the voice on the radio." His desperation and grief clearly has made him  go a little insane.  

Wigfrid: The official description of her short states that she is "unable to move on from the past" and "finds herself retreating more and more into a world of fantasy…".  The compendium elaborates on this further by saying "As Wigfrid’s stardom slowly began to fade, she retreated to the memories of her glory days, losing herself in her fantasies...

Until one day, she was lost entirely." The last line here is very important because it has a double meaning in that she is lost, as in lost her mind as well as being missing having been taken to the constant. 

These are all of the survivors who have lore in the compendium so far, excluding the constant natives. Charlie, Winona, and Walter seem to have been casualties and not originally intended to be brought.  

[mac and cheese]

8 hours ago, Owlrus said:

I have my own theory as to what happened, but since it's a little long I'll post it in a spoiler below if you're interested.

  Hide contents

I like to think that it's based on "sound" and not necessarily the device it came from. It could be that they use music devices as a way to channel themselves to the mortal realm and the Voxola radios just happen to be one of the most popular ways of doing so.

Going down the rabbit hole I have a more outlandish theory; Wagstaff could have managed to make contact with the shadow creatures long before the events of the survivors (even Maxwell and Charlie) happened, when he was a younger man, and proposed a mutual deal with them in exchange for both knowledge and the ability to come and go through the Constant as he pleases (via the hologram theory or other) to gather resources; this could also help to explain why the radio company burned down, to give Wagstaff a chance to fake his own death and continue his research without the public knowing/interfering, especially after he created a name for himself. Even more outlandish of a theory adding to this is that Maxwell didn't actually need to have Wilson create the machine in order to capture him, it was his way of having Wilson create an "Exit" for Wagstaff as a way to fulfill his end of the bargain. After this deal he got to work on his company, specializing in the manufacture of special radios that would help whomever sat on the shadow throne to collect their victims/playthings better. As for explaining the Phonographs, I suppose that is simply a remnant of how they "used" to capture victims and in truth there could be many other ways they catch their victims as well; we've seen them capture people during a performance, so mass capture during symphonies and plays don't seem to far out there in my opinion and could perhaps explain the large amounts of skeletons, graves, and set-pieces. 

There may or may not be more to this but I at least hope I entertained you with these crazy theories for a minute. Thanks for reading.

 

I think this is a really interesting theory! Some things are a little out of order, though--Wilson built his portal 2 years after the Voxola fire/manufacture of the radios. But I can definitely see the portal being used to release Wagstaff.

Whether this is true or not, though, I think that Maxwell probably made Wilson build the portal not so Wilson could get in, but something else could get out. What or why, I can't be sure... My first thought is that it was to allow Them to directly access the real world and wreak havoc without needing a puppet like Maxwell or an item like the Codex, but that doesn't really explain why Charlie is still kidnapping people.

Hm. Maybe she isn't actively trying to capture people, actually. Both Winona and Walter followed in the footsteps of another survivor and activated something to enter the Constant... maybe this wasn't a direct part of Their plans, and They are focusing on bigger things right now. (Could explain why Wortox and Wurt were added instead of other human survivors--Klei didn't want to reveal part of another OG survivor's lore yet?) 

29 minutes ago, sudoku said:

snip

Yeah, this actually makes a lot of sense! You'd have to be pretty crazy to listen to a book/phonograph/radio...

 

Also, just another piece of information--the crossing where William Carter's train crashed? Two other crashes happened there earlier since the crossing was constructed in 1873. This doesn't link up to anything else as of yet, but it's probably good to keep in mind when talking about Their ability to communicate with the "real world". Maybe They gave a Codex to the most insane person on each train, and William Carter was the one most willing to follow Their plans. 

Most of this is just me throwing ideas around, but hey, who knows! 

[Pop Guy]

20 minutes ago, mac and cheese said:

Hm. Maybe she isn't actively trying to capture people, actually. Both Winona and Walter followed in the footsteps of another survivor and activated something to enter the Constant... maybe this wasn't a direct part of Their plans, and They are focusing on bigger things right now. (Could explain why Wortox and Wurt were added instead of other human survivors--Klei didn't want to reveal part of another OG survivor's lore yet?) 

But Winona has clearly been deceived by Charlie ... who therefore is as if he had "kidnapped" her. Are we sure that Winona would have launched herself into a demonic portal if she hadn't seen her missing sister, with sad eyes and like "pleading for help"?
So the problem of why this trail of deceptions is continuing remains.

20 minutes ago, mac and cheese said:

Whether this is true or not, though, I think that Maxwell probably made Wilson build the portal not so Wilson could get in, but something else could get out.

Really suggestive hypothesis but, still, not very solid: Maxwell does not need a gate to project himself into our world. The same shadows (the servants par excellence of THEM) can safely use the Codex as a link apparently. So the gate built by Wilson still seems useless to me, unfortunately.

[Nino123]

The gate wasn't necessary to bring Wilson in the Constant but maybe Maxwell needed a gate in an other goal. In order to create a passage for other people or to kidnap more easily his future victims. 

[Blueleaf12]

I think it's 100% possible the gate was just Maxwell screwing with Wilson, but also knowing the short was made almost a decade ago, likely served another purpose then. Possibly just a thematic, dramatic purpose to tell a story?

[Mike23Ua]

13 hours ago, Scrimbles said:

Why did Wilson need to construct an entire portal just to be able to be transported, while Wigfrid simply shakes a hand, and Walter PRESSES A BUTTON? I'm willing to over look Warly simply disappearing as a representation of Maman Angeline's failing memory, and maybe Walter's was just a time jump past what actually happened, in the interest of speeding up his short so he's in the constant.

 

My theory for Wigfrid though... is that whoever was responsible for the lore has long since been replaced.

If Wilson was the first to build a portal (which is seriously questionable considering as Wagstaff also built his own portal) then I’m pretty sure he was “Tricked” into building the Portal and that it was less about building a device to get him IN.. and More about building a portal to let the constants inhabitants OUT into the real world.

This theory goes straight in the dumpster though the movement you factor in that Willow is supposed to be a grown woman who still carries around a stuffed Teddy Bear and lighter, yet in her Animated short.. we see Younger Willow who is mistreated by her caretakers and tormented by real world nightmare creatures.

and as a writer- one of the few workarounds I’ve found for this is that: Willow could possibly have brief “Premonitions” of a future that has yet to happen.. so the very real to her monsters that were chasing her.. haven’t been able to escape yet. 

Which would mean that Unlike everyone else- Willow willingly went into the constant knowing she had to be there to stop it.

Wigfrid shaking hands with shadow Maxwell and instantly disappearing however: is obviously Klei’s take on “Making a deal with the Devil.”

I like the idea of Wilson being the first survivor kidnapped- and that his portal had to be created not to get him IN.. but to get whatever’s in the Constant OUT.. But like I said- Unless you go by my above Willow Theory... you can throw that out the Window the Moment they attack her in the orphanage yeaaaaaaarrrrrrsss before Wilson ever builds and activates a portal.

 

But what about Wagstaff??? How LONG has he had his very own portal in his own factory office?? How LONG has he been sending Holograms of Himself & WX78 creations into the constant to explore it?? And Why does it just so happen to be Voxola devices made in his factory that’s kidnapping everyone???

(Wagstaff seriously has some highly questionable “Bad Guy Vibes..” type lore..)

Why would Wagstaff want to explore this alternate realm so badly? Did someone he loved disappear in this world and he’s looking for him/her? Is Wagstaff dying in the real world and trying to find a way to “live forever”? 

Wilson was lured into the constant through a talking Voxola Machine... but more interesting then that- it is a Voxola music device that has MAXWELL bound and imprisoned to the throne at the end of DS single players adventure mode.. That only by turning it off & choosing to free Maxwell and ultimately take his place.. does Wilson beat the game.

Conclusion- Wagstaff.. rather directly intentional or by complete accident is the cause of EVERYTHING.

Which would ALSO explain how Shadow Creatures were already attacking Willow as a child years before she actually ends up there- Because Wagstaffs Portal has been letting them out.

[Chicken_]

Just wanna add a little tidbit; in the Compendium, it says Walter had sprung a trap that had lain dormant for years, when investigating the radio. For Warly, it says that he became desperate to bring his Maman back, and "That was when he first started hearing the voice on the radio". 

[MondayNight]

I may be defending retcons and lore inconsistencies with this but: we don't know if Max's Shadow Puppet teleported Wigfird after the hand-shake to Constant or to another more-suited location where Max could goad Wig into constructing a portal of her own (maybe with other more esoteric components as opposed to WIlson's and Wagstaff's - also Winona's - portals).

[Scrimbles]

43 minutes ago, x0-VERSUS-1y said:

I may be defending retcons and lore inconsistencies with this but: we don't know if Max's Shadow Puppet teleported Wigfird after the hand-shake to Constant or to another more-suited location where Max could goad Wig into constructing a portal of her own (maybe with other more esoteric components as opposed to WIlson's and Wagstaff's - also Winona's - portals).

Like with Walter and Warly, you could interpret what happens as a sort of time jump, skipping past what ACTUALLY happened just so Klei doesn't have to answer questions.

 

I'm going to continue believing this is the case, and that the lore isn't being slowly degraded into something worse.

[Mike23Ua]

Since we are on the topic of game lore- I would like to make a lore related suggestion.. and since I don’t feel this deserves it’s own thread- Here seems like as good a place as any to post this.

When Maxwell examines certain mobs he makes remarks like “This was a failed expirement.” “They come from the Firelands.” “I banished them to live in the caves”“I don’t even know how these got in here..” or “Funny.. I don’t remember creating this one.”

I really wish this game would reveal more lore through in game inspection quotes for example: Klei could add a brand new mob into the game that Maxwell will remark- “Funny I don’t remember creating this one..”

MEANWHILE- Wilson can examine that same new mob and have a quote like “Oh dear I DEFIANTLY remember creating this one & we should.. probably Run.”

Actual in-game lore that reveals that a new mobs existence in the game was added to the game after Maxwells reign had ended and Wilson took his place.

I also feel that the “Constant itself” changes based upon WHO is actively on the throne at the time, there is evidence that backs this theory by how when Maxwell was on the throne the games color scheme was dark and gloomy and everything just had this “Miserable” vibe to it..

Then Charlie comes along, brightens the world up, adds pretty flowers, fishing activities, Pearls hermit island etc...

While that is a different topic for a different thread- I would TOTALLY love to see in-game quotes that reveals more deeply into the games lore outside of Animated shorts.

 

[sinisterrkid]

18 hours ago, Scrimbles said:

Why did Wilson need to construct an entire portal just to be able to be transported, while Wigfrid simply shakes a hand, and Walter PRESSES A BUTTON? I'm willing to over look Warly simply disappearing as a representation of Maman Angeline's failing memory, and maybe Walter's was just a time jump past what actually happened, in the interest of speeding up his short so he's in the constant.

The previous posts on this thread have addressed all of that. So you don't need to read everything here's a quick summing up:

We don't know exactly what allows shadows to move throught worlds, but when they do they can pull people in. Maxwell first got pulled into the Constant, by shadows that jumped from the Codex Umbra. The Codex is not necessarily the only apparatus to allow shadows to cross.

Wagstaff seems to have strong connections to the Constant, and he worked at the Voxola factory, which made radios and phonographs. Either of those two objects appear in many shorts. Some suggest shadows can cross worlds through those that may have been built by Wagstaff.

A phonograph is seen at Maxwell's throne on Adventure Mode, and Wagstaff's quote for it says he "knows it well."

It was suggested here that the Maxwell shadow or minion we see taking Wigfrid crossed through the phonograph that we also see in the short.

As to portal making: Maxwell may have wanted them built (and so instructed Wilson to do it) for a bigger purpose than to just pull people in. Maybe he thought it would be a two-way crossing, allowing him to come back to Earth? Or maybe something else, wether it worked or not.

 

8 hours ago, Pop Guy said:

Really suggestive hypothesis but, still, not very solid: Maxwell does not need a gate to project himself into our world. The same shadows (the servants par excellence of THEM) can safely use the Codex as a link apparently. So the gate built by Wilson still seems useless to me, unfortunately.

I think projecting your shadow would not be the same as projecting yourself. I like to imagine a shadow wouldn't even be able to get too far from the object they spawned from (hence why the survivors would need to be near a radio or phonograph to be captured).

Also I think the duality of Maxwell wanting to be rescued while also trying to thwart any rescue attempts is the same duality displayed by Charlie in the shorts she appears in (mainly the New Reign cinematic), where she keeps flipping between sane and mad. Which is why I don't think she tricked Winona, but was flipping between being overtaken by the nightmare fuel and not. There's some "splitting your mind" themes around Max and Charlie's lore.

[sudoku]

Dont forget that so far only 2 scientists/geniuses were shown to have built a portal. Wagstaff to satisfy his own curious nature and Wilson because secret knowledge to someone who loves science and inventing would lend itself to constructing a machine. We know that Maxwell makes a vague bargain to the survivors to trick them into coming by offering them secret knowledge relevant to their desires. So if we take Wendy for example, Maxwell promised a way to bring her sister back, so she built a portal? It doesnt fit as well with Wilson because inventing a portal to travel to another dimension really offers nothing to Wendy unless Maxwell tells the survivors the answers they seek are in the Constant, but i dont think thats the case.

I think its more likely that the deal they make with Maxwell is the act that takes them into the constant, like making a deal with the devil and losing your soul. If we look at Willow again her last line in the compendium states it wouldnt be the last time she burnt it all down to start new. So her deal involved burning something down (and not building a portal) and we do have a reference to a New York library burning down.

 

[minespatch]

On 10/2/2020 at 10:53 AM, Blueleaf12 said:

I think it's 100% possible the gate was just Maxwell screwing with Wilson, but also knowing the short was made almost a decade ago, likely served another purpose then. Possibly just a thematic, dramatic purpose to tell a story?

[mac and cheese]

On 10/2/2020 at 8:20 AM, Pop Guy said:

But Winona has clearly been deceived by Charlie ... who therefore is as if he had "kidnapped" her. Are we sure that Winona would have launched herself into a demonic portal if she hadn't seen her missing sister, with sad eyes and like "pleading for help"?
So the problem of why this trail of deceptions is continuing remains.

Oh yeah, I forgot about that part. I can see how Charlie can be seen as tricking Winona in Next of Kin, but I personally see it as Human!Charlie trying to catch a glimpse of Winona (maybe trying to escape or warn her sister?) and Grue!Charlie taking over and capturing her. Usually, I would be suspicious of Charlie's actions, but based on Charlie's comments on some of Winona's quotes, as can be seen on her wiki page, she seems like she genuinely didn't mean to bring Winona to the Constant.

I could be misreading this, but I'm pretty sure that Charlie didn't intend to deceive Winona.

On 10/2/2020 at 8:20 AM, Pop Guy said:

Really suggestive hypothesis but, still, not very solid: Maxwell does not need a gate to project himself into our world. The same shadows (the servants par excellence of THEM) can safely use the Codex as a link apparently. So the gate built by Wilson still seems useless to me, unfortunately.

If They were able to travel through the Codex at all times, then why did They wait two years to cause the earthquake and capture William Carter? I honestly don't have an answer to this question, though I do have a couple of (completely unsupported) theories, but no matter what, it doesn't seem like the Codex is a strong or stable enough link between the Constant and the real world for Them to carry out any post-1921 plans that They may have.

[WebberMain]

On 10/2/2020 at 11:27 AM, Pop Guy said:

If THEY can teleport anyone, anytime, anywhere, why the need to use Maxwell as a puppet? Why is Maxwell's need to deceive the survivors? Why on earth did he have to offer them "a deal", instead of just capturing them?
The point is that there are constant contradictions: to enter the Constant and move between the "plane" you need a gate (Wilson, Wagstaff, Winona, Forge, Gorge, Adventure mod) but also not (Wigfrid, Walter, Maxwell, Charlie).
Maxwell was dominated by the shadows, but when we meet him on the throne he seems quite wise and self-aware; so much so that in one sentence he also says that he had tried to escape at some point.
Maxwell needed someone to save him, but then actively thwarted those who attempted to do so.
In theory Maxwell is even dead (adventure mode end) but then reappears in DST without any explanation.
I could go on, but I think I would become pedantic.
Ignorance is strength.

That Wagstaff made a deal with THEM is very interesting, but how could he have come into contact with THEM from the beginning? It would mean that there are other Codexes, or at least other relics capable of putting "mortals" in contact with otherworldly realities.
It is all very interesting, but it is also a huge stretch of the imagination, there is nothing that can confirm these theories, however beautiful. I too had my own canon some time ago; now I have abandoned it because I never found proof but only other doubts :'D

Yes, it's true. But in Wilson's case he was instigated and instructed by Maxwell to build the portal, as well as to activate it ("PULL THE LEVER" Maxwell yells at him at the end, to make him overcome even the last doubt dictated by reason).
Why have Wilson do all this if the gate wasn't necessary?
To make fun of him? Maybe; but then why do we find a similar gate in the game?

 

Well,I believe something happened between Them and The Moon,so Their power and influence is weakened,and that´s why They got Maxwell to serve them.Now,why there was a need for a portal,when he can get the survivors in the Constant using other means?I find it really similiar to a german fairy tyle Krabat,where an evil sorcerer made a pact with Death and started teaching young boys the dark art.Once every year he has to sacrifice one of his students to get his life prolonged.And i think that´s what Maxwell is doing.Every time he get´s someone in the Constant,Them get stronger and share their power with Maxwell,making him stronger in the process.That´s why he can project himself like a shadow in the real world.But it looks like,after some time,he started to fail at his task, so Them started to take his power and life away from him,hence why he looks the way he does on the throne.

Now to the point:Why are phonographs and radios used for communication?I think it is a reference to the quote:"Music is an universal language to mankind".That´s why something made for playing music is used for communications between Them/Maxwell and other survivors

[BlueBaby701]

On 10/2/2020 at 5:21 AM, sudoku said:

 Charlie, Winona, and Walter seem to have been casualties and not originally intended to be brought.  

While Charlie seems to just be an unfortunate bystander, I'm not sure about the other two

Winona: On a massive hunt to find her sister, along with the other survivors. It leads her to the Voxola Radio Factory, so she works/volunteers at the company. When she sees an explosion, she goes to help any survivors, and when she sees someone (Wagstaff) get abducted, she Willingly and Knowingly builds the portal, as it might help her find her sister and the survivors. She found Charlie, but Grue Charlie took over before she could warn her

Walter: His backstory is mostly fine, (aside from the were-beaver manhunt), But tell me a Child that can sit beside a Giant Homicidal Deer Cyclops and not be fazed is in any way considered Sane

Spoiler

This was an accident

 

On 10/2/2020 at 5:21 AM, sudoku said:

*Just the whole thing in general*

It's also important to note that

1. Wendy is Maxwell's niece, so she was likely one of the first victims

2. Woodie's curse is not exclusive to the constant, and thus he was probably mega insane. Maxwell probably promised a cure to his Lycanthropy