WinterWondering Posted May 2, 2024 Share Posted May 2, 2024 Introduction Don’t Starve is a tactfully written and told tale of tragedies, comedies, and mysteries that details the stories of over 25 characters. In this essay, I will be delving into, describing, analyzing, and exploring the backstories and lives of 19 of these characters, specifically all of the playable characters in Don’t Starve Together and one cryptic founder. Every single one of them, from the not-quite-so-soulless automaton to the eager-to-learn merm, have interesting and investing stories to tell, although some are perhaps a bit more compelling than others. Enjoy the essay and remember the most basic of edicts: don’t starve. This essay is formatted a little differently than the last, but it's mostly the same, so I hope it works. Please tell me if you find any spell or grammar errors! This essay is mostly personal interpretation. A lot of it is based on personal experience and perspective. Do not take any of this as being the only way to see this story. Everyone is entitled to their own interpretation. I sometimes write things in a confusing manner. Feel free to ask if you have any questions regarding my analysis. Don’t feel obligated to read all or any of this. Given the nature of the DST lore, I will be talking about anxiety, depression, grief, body dysphoria, guilt, death, violence, and discussion around identity and humanity. Keep this in mind if you choose to read this. Part One: The Gentleman Scientist In my previous essay, Wilson was one of my main focuses, and for good reason. He’s not only the titular and most iconic character of all, but also one of the most compelling. At his core, he establishes the fundamental trait almost all of the characters share. To those of you who have read my first essay, a good amount of this section will be restating my analysis, although I hope to provide extra details and accuracy. Wilson’s introduction establishes a fundamental part of his character: he may be a scientist (or, at least, he may consider himself a scientist), but he almost always fails in his scientific endeavors. In his first animated short, Forbidden Knowledge, we see him try and fail to perform experiments, to the point where he is so disappointed in himself and his work and so disheartened that, when none other than Maxwell speaks to him through his radio, he decides to listen to him, despite the potential consequences. Maxwell’s main tactic to lure people into the Constant is to find their greatest desire, the one thing their life is missing, and to offer it to them when they are in their darkest hour. Wilson’s goal, his motive, his want, is knowledge. It’s immediately evident from watching his animated short that he struggles with scientific work. Loading screen quotes further support this, saying that he destroyed his university’s lab and refused to pay for it, leading him to live practically in the middle of nowhere. According to Kevin Forbs, “He's not actually a very good scientist. He's overconfident, a little brash. He's got a can-do attitude, but he can't actually follow up on a lot of things.” This, in part, is potentially why he idolizes Robert Wagstaff; Robert is intelligent, clever, and a very successful scientist. He doesn’t care about how morally gray Robert is. He firmly believes that intelligence is the most important trait one can have, and one he aspires to. His quotes quite frequently mention how he’s a scientist, and yet he never seems to make any observations that other characters don’t or can’t. He doesn’t seem to really start making any headway until he starts working with Robert. To him, Robert is the picture of perfection. The way his actions affect other people isn’t relevant to Wilson; Wilson thinks he’s smart, and that’s all that matters to him. Now, in my previous analysis, I mentioned how his family plays into this, and I apologize for that. I vaguely remember something being stated about his family, but I can’t find any sources directly saying this, and so I will not be citing that as a motive. I still find that explanation more than possible, but since it seems I was basing that interpretation off of a common headcanon instead of an actual source (which, of course, might actually exist; I’m still unsure of whether or not there was any statement made on his family), I won’t be using that as evidence or as a potential catalyst for his character. I mention this to clarify that this could be a possible reason for his flaws, but because I can’t find a direct mention of it, it’s hard to support. In any case, despite his many failures, Wilson exhibits confidence and pride. This, I think, could potentially be a coping mechanism. When one is treated like and considers oneself unintelligent (which, to Wilson, is an important trait), one reaction is to act like or pretend one believes one is smarter than one actually is. Pretending to have an overinflated ego to cover up inner doubts is a theme somewhat shared with Maxwell. Maxwell creates statues of himself and puts himself up on a pedestal, perhaps to hide his guilt for his mistakes. Wilson also demonstrates a theme shared with many DST characters, that being the limits of the mind in its ability to comprehend the incomprehensible. From the ancients to the survivors to the villains, the theme of how far is too far when it comes to exploration is a throughline. In other words, Wilson demonstrates many themes that show up often throughout DST. His attempts to hide his insecurities and to ignore them is echoed all throughout DST’s characters. His role as the titular character is strengthened by his ability to set up motifs and ideas that other characters build on. Part Two: The Firestarter Willow is a compelling character because, unlike many others, she actually is implied to have entered the Constant on purpose. Sure, other characters like Webber and Walter seem to be able to look on the bright side of things, but Willow is the only character other than Wagstaff to have likely come into the Constant on purpose, or at least isn’t quite as against it as other characters. This is implied by a loading screen tip reading, “Willow always regarding being sent to the Constant as a new beginning. It allowed her to leave everything behind, after all.” Interestingly, this seems to indicate that Willow is escaping something, some mistake, some error. We, the audience, aren’t sure what that is exactly, although one could quite easily conclude it’s in some way related to her affinity for fire. I don’t think I need to even say what Willow’s key flaw is; I think it is rather obvious. She sets buildings on fire, canonically killing people, on multiple occasions. And while the tip cited above seems to imply some sense of guilt, she continues to use fire to help with her survival in the Constant. This reflects Maxwell’s arc and character. Maxwell is in a similar situation; he’s making use of powers that he’s previously used to harm others. It’s not too much of a stretch to me that both of them would feel guilt or at least some sort of regret for making use of these abilities. This raises a question: why would Willow be so keen to set any and everything ablaze when doing so should have negative connotations for her? Why does she continue to light fires when she’s implied to feel at least somewhat guilty? Compellingly, the motives I propose are the exact same as what I think to be the reason Maxwell uses magic. When looking at Willow specifically, we know she escaped a very dangerous and unhealthy situation at the orphanage by burning it all down. It stands to reason that this might be the very start (or, at least, an early part) of her discovery and subsequent adoration of fire. However, perhaps as she continued, she began to realize the consequences. Children often don’t fully understand the weight of a life. When she enters the Constant, she’s in her early 20s. She’s had plenty of time to contemplate her decision, and plenty of time to make more of the same decisions. It is more than probable that she has begun to develop a sense of guilt. Whatever directly causes her to agree to go to the Constant is unimportant to this point; all that matters is that she did something she regretted. Of course, whatever that incident entailed likely has or had relevancy, but knowledge of the event isn’t required to explore her motives. Perhaps there was no particular event that caused her to give up on life in the real world; perhaps it was the enormity of all the things she’d done and not one singular action. It’s hard to say. Willow has never properly learned to cope with her troubles. Her first solution, and, thus, the one she’d continue to use, was fire. Eventually, however, she becomes more and more cognizant of the consequences, and begins to regret her decisions, eventually agreeing to go to the Constant. The problem is, she still has no method for dealing with her guilt, and even though her regret drove her to the Constant, she still chooses to continue the choices that caused her guilt in the first place. She has no way to cope other than to burn. This is the only way she knows how to tackle her feelings. She has never had the opportunity to grow up in a safe environment in which to learn coping skills. Maxwell, similarly, clings to shadow magic not because he doesn’t realize its potential for harm, but because it’s helped him in the past. His problems have been solved before by magic; why not again? Despite the fact such actions led him here, he doesn’t know of any alternative, so he continues to do the only thing that makes sense to him. Except these methods are not dealing with their emotional problems; they can only fix physical problems. And while emotional problems are often tied to physical problems, when they are not, these two characters have no way to work through these feelings in a productive way. It’s not that the two of them don’t care about others; it’s that they don’t know any solution to their issues, and so they default to the only thing they think can work, only to realize it can’t solve all of their struggles. Part Three: The Strongman Wolfgang is one of the few characters I would consider a good person by any definition of the word. He’s shown throughout his quotes to care about the other survivors and to genuinely be a caring, kind-hearted individual. He sees William Carter in danger and immediately tries to save him, even though he knows it may be futile. His backstory, as revealed in his animated short, may perhaps be explained at least to some degree by this kindness and authenticity. Throughout his short, we see him struggle with the fact he isn’t as strong as his performances lead others to believe. He seems to care about lying or misleading others because he is a genuine, kind man. He naturally feels guilty for faking his act. This is displayed by his behavior when he sees the entire crowd become hostile when he reveals that he was not as powerful as the audience was led to believe. He looks disappointed in himself. He feels that he has let down the crowd, and due to his empathetic and people-pleasing nature, he can’t help but want to truly become that strong so he can fulfill their trust. He’s shown what he can be, what he can do, by the Codex Umbra, and he feels obligated to use its power to make his act real. He doesn’t want to let his audience down anymore. He doesn’t want to let himself down anymore. He feels ashamed and guilty about the fact he lied to and disappointed his audience. Part Four: The Bereaved I’d like to preface this section by clarifying that I am fortunate enough to not have personal experience with grief. It’s a very serious topic, and one I can’t pretend to fully understand, and so I apologize if my analysis is incorrect or insensitive. I wish any and everyone dealing with such issues well. Wendy’s animated short is heartbreaking and makes good use of dramatic irony. Regardless of how much you know about DST and its characters, it manages to be heart wrenching in many different ways. If you don’t know DST at all, the beginning is wholesome, Abigail falling off the cliff is worrying, and potentially sad, and the ending is confusing. If you know that Abigail is dead, the entire beginning is reframed; it becomes melancholic because we already know how it ends, and it’s hard to find Wendy and Abigail’s interactions heartwarming when you know it ends terribly. Even still, the ending is surprising and confusing. Knowing that it's a hallucination makes the animated short uniquely surreal and depressing. Throughout the entire animated short, knowing that not only will Abigail die, but she already has, is deeply saddening and gives a new perspective on the characters. The ending makes sense, but we as the audience view it differently. Wendy’s characterized by her grief and, I think, guilt. She’s shown to feel personally obligated to keep Abigail’s memory alive. One particular loading screen tip says that, “Wendy clings fiercely to the grief over her sister’s death, for fear that moving on would cause Abigail’s memory to fade.” It’s important to keep in mind that Wendy is around 8-11 years old; she’s not old enough to have to bear the burden of Abigail’s memory, nor should she feel responsible for maintaining her memory, and yet she does. Clearly, this sense of responsibility and obligation is only adding to the natural stress and emotional turmoil of grief. I think this, in part, may be a contributing factor to her morose and downtrodden nature. For whatever reason, she feels responsible for Abigail’s death and, consequently, for preserving her memory. This is yet another example of guilt as a theme across DST. This time, however, it is unfair to blame Wendy for the passing of her sister. While Maxwell, for example, is at least somewhat responsible for his actions (although how responsible is debatable), Wendy has done next to nothing wrong, and yet still seems to feel as though this is her fault. This is likely extremely emotionally taxing for her; feeling responsible for the death of a loved one can only bring guilt, shame, and depression, even if said responsibility is undue. Guilt, as one of DST’s recurring themes, is oddly present in Wendy’s character despite how seemingly unrelated it may be, and only adds to the tragedy of her character. Part Five: The Soulless Automaton WX-78 is one of my favorite members of the DST cast, mostly due to how compelling they are to analyze. There’s a lot of room for theorizing in their animated short, so any interpretation is mostly if not completely headcanon. I’ll be sharing by perspective on what I think their story is, but keep in mind I could be completely wrong. This section has probably been one of the hardest to write due to its speculative nature and the topics I think relate to this character. Thus, while a lot of this is not canon, a lot of it is also very personal to me, and I don’t think I can properly analyze this character without mentioning that. This doesn’t mean WX or their struggles are any better or worse, or any more or less important, just that I relate to certain aspects of the character more than aspects of other characters. I am somewhat hesitant to even write this, since I think so much of it is based more on theories and headcanons than actual concrete lore, since we don’t really have much on them. In any case, I still have a lot to say, and I would like to share it, even if it isn’t necessarily accurate to everyone’s interpretation. WX’s story does not start with their creation. To me, it starts with one of their creators. I am not referring to Robert, although he is very important to their backstory. I am instead referring to the nameless scientist whose story we follow in WX’s animated short. I think part of their reason for transferring their consciousness into a robot is more complicated than simply thinking organic creatures are inferior. Some time before their rework was even in beta, JoeW said, “To some players, WX represents not fitting in and not conforming with what other people might expect of them. Not just players that don't conform to traditional gender or social expectations but also players on the spectrum and even some people who said that they feel like they "don't fit in." Regardless of the exact reason, they all appreciated a character that they felt in some way, even if just a little bit, represented an aspect of themselves.” While this quote is from before the animated short even dropped, I still think it can give some level of insight to how they were written, and, thus, their backstory. Reading this, I wondered to myself what exactly was so nonconforming about WX. Their gender? Their personality? Their design? I think it is in part the aspects of them mentioned above, but it’s more than that. To me, it’s their humanity, and the complexity surrounding it. Humanity is a complex construct, and one that applies and affects everyone differently, and I think that’s important to outline before I delve any deeper. There is no correct or incorrect way to identify or not identify with that construct, and I am not trying to say there is. That being said, I think that, to a degree, they are not nonconforming because they aren’t human, but they aren’t human because they’re nonconforming. Or, at least, they aren’t considered human because of their nonconformity. Humanity is, in part, defined by normalcy and what we see as normal or typical. Those who aren’t seen as normal are often considered non-human or not fully human. While we don’t know much about human WX’s character, it’s fairly clear to me that they are, for whatever reason, considered atypical or odd. And, because of this, I think they perhaps internalize that dehumanization and begin to ignore or hide their emotions because of it. This, of course, leads us to their experiments with Wagstaff. While the experiment itself is a success, neither of them consider the potential consequences. This proves to be a grave mistake. While they may be hiding it, they do have feelings. And, though they fail to properly communicate it, they are very clearly emotionally affected by their experiment. The unanticipated consequence of the consciousness transferal is its effects on their sense of self. The body is our main and only concrete way of acting on the world; it is omnipresent and critical to how we are seen by ourselves and others. WX is now suddenly faced with the fact that their new body does not fit them. When they speak, they don’t hear their voice. When they look in the mirror, they don’t see their face. This isn’t their body, and they are constantly aware of that, but there’s also no way out of it. This incongruence clearly takes its toll on them, but they still seemingly refuse to talk to Robert about it. It’s clear he’s worried about them, but I think it’s possible that it’s also quite complicated for him as well. There’s a discussion to be had regarding if WX is even the same person as before; yes, every aspect and function of their brain should have been transferred, but does that make them the same person? Is code any different from a brain? Does being in a different body make someone a different person? Are they even a person at all? Are they really themself, or are they simply mimicking the person they were based on? It’s impossible to tell from an audience perspective, and likely also from their perspective, but even if they aren’t actually experiencing the emotions, I do still there is analysis to be done, since, even if that is the case, they are at least mimicking a human response, so there is likely at least some degree of analytical value. In any case, WX still internally views themself as the same person, but that’s constantly being called into question for them, by themself, by their body and, I think, perhaps even by Robert. WX’s animated short shows us a side of Wagstaff we’ve never seen before. We’ve never really seen him actually care about someone else’s well being. While we don’t know the exact details of how they know each other or who WX even is, I think they were definitely close to Robert, probably a close friend or colleague, from my perspective. Robert is now also faced with the same uncertainty as WX. He isn’t really sure if they’re actually his friend or if they’re an entirely different person with his friend’s memories. Or, perhaps they aren’t even a person at all, just an automaton simulating how his friend would have reacted to the situation. There’s an argument to be made as to if his friend is actually dead. He’s worried about them, but he’s also unsure if they are even who he thinks they are. Instead of properly communicating, WX continues experimenting in secret, perhaps thinking that the problem lies in their code, not in their emotions. Robert has also likely been affected by the situation and is worried for them, but simultaneously isn’t certain of their identity. I think this is partially why the two argue with each other; neither have properly communicated or expressed their struggles, and this eventually destroys their relationship. WX has perhaps been having their humanity called into question for their entire life, and their friend who they seemingly trusted doing the same certainly soured their relationship. WX seems to come to the conclusion that the only solution to the situation is to break their empathy module. As said in binary code in their compendium, they think it’s too late for them. Avoidance is a very common theme in DST, and WX is a very good example of it. Instead of attempting to deal with or express their emotions, they escape them. Not knowing what to do with the situation, Robert sends them to the Constant. When faced with the same choice again, WX makes the same decision. Their situation has only worsened since they first lost their empathy module; why would they choose to deal with it now? WX without their empathy module shows a distinct hatred for Robert, but it seems Wagstaff doesn’t fully hate them. Unlike WX, he knows, remembers, and understands what happened. He knows who they used to be. While it’s up to interpretation whether or not WX still has their human memories, they clearly don’t care about them. The irony of a human-hating robot having once been human makes WX a uniquely disturbing and dark character to analyze. Their backstory is simultaneously ironic and tragic, a tale of disconnection. From their body, from themself, from Robert, and, eventually, from their empathy module. Part Six: The Librarian Wickerbottom is one of the primary examples of knowledge and its potential effects. As detailed in my previous essay, the line between magic and science is a thin one, and one many DST characters cross without considering the consequences. Wickerbottom’s main drive, her main aim, her main motive, is knowledge. She seems to understand the Constant to a degree most other survivors don’t before arriving in the Constant, and yet she still agrees to Maxwell’s deal. She, perhaps, knows not to trust him, but she still finds the preservation of her knowledge more important, more valuable. What she does not realize is the weight of all of that knowledge. Information is a valuable and critical tool, but it can also have consequences. Consequences that Wickerbottom does not anticipate. She is quite literally rendered unable to sleep due to all of the information swirling around in her mind. She, like many of the other characters, has meddled with things she didn’t yet understand, only to realize the consequences when it was far too late. Part Seven: The Lumberjack When I asked people if there were any characters they’d like to see me write an essay on, I quite often was told to write about Woodie. This was, of course, sarcasm; Woodie is infamously hard to pin down in terms of lore, and so little is known about him that he is very difficult to analyze. At first, I anticipated writing a very short note on how there was truly nothing to be said about this Canadian lumberjack. However, I unironically think there is actually some analysis to be done here, even if he may not be the most compelling member of DST’s cast. I’d like to say that, since very little is known about his character, a lot of my analysis is speculative in nature, more so than most other characters. Keep in mind that this is simply my interpretation and is not objective in any way. Interestingly, I’d say Woodie is one of the few characters who actually deals with his issues. He has a problem, and he finds a solution. Simple though it may sound, this is incredibly rare for DST characters. Woodie was very clearly a lycanthrope before entering the Constant, as shown in Walter’s animated short. He isn’t in complete control of his transformations. He, perhaps, isolated himself for fear of harming others. While Lucy’s origins are unknown, whether or not she is truly sentient is not necessarily important to my analysis because, in any case, she is Woodie’s only friend when he isolates himself in the Canadian wilderness. This might explain his attachment to her; she’s been with him even when no one else has. Why or how he enters the Constant is likewise unimportant to this analysis. The main thing that led me to this analysis was his compendium entries. Yes, entries. Why he has two compendium entries, I’m not sure, but I think both provide a good deal of context for his character. The first details how private and secretive he is. He doesn’t mention his origins or the reason for his curse. This, of course, makes perfect sense for my interpretation established above; he wouldn’t want to mention it for fear of rejection and because of his own uncomfortability with his curse. His second entry is far more compelling. It explains how, with the help of Wickerbottom, he has managed to control his curse. This has helped him feel more comfortable in his own skin, more in control of his own life. Oddly enough, this is a somewhat happy ending to this conflict. Of course, he’s still in the Constant, trapped in a cycle of life and death, but his inner conflict has been solved (or, at least, helped). It’s interesting how uncommon the idea of a somewhat positive resolution is in DST. This, I think, simply goes back to the idea of many of the characters’ stories being tragedies. Tragedies are characterized by the flaws of the protagonist, and how these flaws cause problems for them, eventually resulting in death, or some otherwise terrible fate. Woodie’s deviance from this plotline is part of what makes him stand out lore-wise to me. Part Eight: The Silent Wes is one of the few characters who is in the Constant by no fault of his own. Actually, it's his own kind and helpful nature that causes him to end up in the Constant. He’s shown to be a kindhearted mime, even in the Constant. He even is described by his compendium entry as being somewhat happy to be in the Constant; after all, it’s chock-full of people in need of help. Still, despite his benevolence, he finds himself in the Constant. While most other characters entered the Constant of their own volition (although the factors leading to them making that decision are often not in their control), Wes didn’t. He didn’t enter on purpose. Saying all other characters are in the wrong and deserve to be in the Constant would be an overgeneralization and unfair to them, but most of them at least agreed to it. Wes is, perhaps, an example of the nature of the world. While terrible things can happen to the morally gray or ambiguous, they can also happen to the kindhearted and benign. This, to Maxwell, doesn’t matter. The Constant is not a karmic punishment. While he does send some people he dislikes to the Constant (or, at least, attempts to send, in George Witherstone’s case), his goal is not to be morally correct; his goal is entertainment. His goal is catharsis. Part Nine: The Performance Artist Wigfrid is a perfect example of avoidance and its effects on one’s life. Wigfrid, instead of attempting to deal with her issues, decides to ignore it and to bury it under her stage persona. Wigfrid is no viking; she is a method actress. She clings on to her character as a mask, as a way to shield herself from her struggles. Her misfortunes in terms of popularity go ignored. And, no matter how triumphant she may feel envisioning herself winning a battle, she is only kicking the can down the road. It’s a common trait amongst DST characters to be unwilling or unable to cope or deal with one’s problems, instead opting to avoid them. Avoiding them, however, does not make them go away. This, I think, is another part of the tragic nature of the DST storyline. The characters’ flaws and problems back them into a corner, a corner they only see one escape from. And that escape is often the Constant. Part Ten: The Indigestible Webber is unique in his oddly positive outlook on life, especially given his situation. His life was abruptly disrupted, his family rejected him, and yet, as described in some loading screen tips, he views his predicament as a second chance. He feels that he made a mistake, but he has another opportunity to be better. Yes, what he does in his animated short was certainly a mistake, but it’s also important to remember the context. He is a child, likely no older than 11. Adolescence is often characterized by some level of dependency on someone or something else, typically a parent or guardian. It’s natural to want at least some level of support and affection from said parent or guardian. Younger children typically don’t have as panoramic a view of the world as those older than them, so figures of support in their lives become a sort of focal point, the center of the world, so to speak. All this to say that Webber wanting attention is a very normal thing for someone his age. A parent or guardian is meant to support and help their given child find their footing in the world. Affection and support or lack thereof at a young age is a large part of what shapes a child’s life. I find it likely that his father (and, likely, his mother) was neglecting him before Wagstaff gave him the spider. Of course, breaking into his father’s lab was a rather rash decision, but it’s important to remember the situation Webber is in. He is lacking support that most his age need, and he sees only one way to get it. His decision proves disastrous, and he quite clearly regrets it. It seems he blames himself for it and for what happened to him. He considers it all his fault when it was in part his father’s for ignoring him. That doesn’t mean Webber is blameless, of course, but he also isn’t entirely to blame. Still, he seems to see the Constant as a second chance. And, oddly enough, while I think his blaming himself and himself alone is unfair, he is right to a degree; this is a second chance. Another opportunity, this time with people who won’t ignore him. He made a mistake, but he is trying to better himself. He isn’t perfect, but he isn’t a terrible person, either. He isn’t blameless, but he isn’t entirely at fault. Part Eleven: The Handywoman Winona may seem to have little characterization on the surface, but I think her character absolutely can be and is more complex than that. Her dynamic and history with Charlie in particular makes many of her traits and flaws evident. Winona is shown to care quite a bit about those around her, especially Charlie. Even when it’d be best for her to leave well enough alone, she still decides to try to save her. When Charlie and Maxwell go missing in 1906, Winona is shown to be dedicated to finding answers. That is part of why she chooses to work at Voxola when it opens; she thinks Robert has answers. And, of course, she’s right. There is nothing that matters to her more than her family. What she doesn’t realize is that it’s already too late for Charlie. Winona is yet another example of the well-intentioned ending up in the Constant due only to their kindness. She’s there by mistake, and yet still sees it as an opportunity to save her sister. Part Twelve: The Culinarian Warly, like Wes, is another character who clearly did not deserve his place in the Constant. He, perhaps, caused his entry, but to say he deserved it would be unfair. To say any of the characters deserved the Constant would be unfair; it’s clearly a torturous and dangerous place to be. In any case, we see Maxwell’s manipulation on full display here. It’s not clear what Maxwell offers Warly, but it’s a fair assumption to make that he didn’t tell Warly about the fact he’d be leaving his mother. It seems that Maxwell cannot open portals without a deal, so he has to omit information to make sure the person he offers the deal to agrees. As said in Wes’s section, being sent to the Constant is not punishment for any wrongdoing; it is simply because Maxwell thought that the character's presence would make the Constant more interesting. Part Thirteen: The Soul-Starved Wortox is, similarly to Winona and Woodie, a character I do think can be and is interesting to analyze despite how simple he seems on the surface. My main interpretation for him comes from his compendium entry, which says, “Wortox is a mischievous imp whose levity masks a deep well of guilt. He has taken many souls in his time.” This explains at least part of his behavior to me. He is likely forced into pranking and stealing from others by Krampus, or, at least, has more of a conscience than him, and when it all comes to a head, he ends up making a rash decision with unintended consequences. He carries guilt for this mistake, like many other characters, and his humor is an attempt to avoid his issues. He’s avoidance and guilt all rolled up into one impish mess of a character. He seems to lean back into trickery, at least, to a degree, likely for a similar reason that Willow and Maxwell embrace those aspects of themselves. One line in his animated short stands out to me more than others. The narrator, likely Maxwell, says, “Cruel-hearted fun still requires a heart.” I think this is interesting commentary on Wortox as a character, and perhaps on other characters as well. Cruelty is almost always caused by emotion, be it sadism or personal struggles. Wortox may be a prankster or troublemaker at times, but the need to escape his emotions is, oddly enough, born out of emotion. I think that this reflects upon WX especially, as well as Maxwell. Part Fourteen: The Lonesome Wormwood makes evident the more wholesome, albeit, somewhat sad, side of DST: the character dynamics. To say the survivors have a sort of found family dynamic may be a bit of a stretch, but they are all, at least, to a degree, helping each other survive, even if they hate each other. Wormwood, and other non-human characters, are interesting because it says quite a bit about the survivors. In the real world, most would obviously be terrified by a half spider or a living plant, but the survivors have seen far more absurd things. They’ve seen giant birds with one eye and long legs, giant dragonflies that live in the desert, spiders the size of their heads that have giant spider queens, and so many more remarkable things than Wormwood or Webber or Wortox. Non-human characters like Webber and WX, characters who have been in the human world, have been shunned or forced to hide from society. While WX doesn’t seem to care (at least, without their empathy module; I do think this was likely part of their emotional turmoil in their short), Webber is shown to be miserable because of it. Many of these characters feel out of place at best and completely unwelcome at worst in the human world. While the survivors are likely not the most trusting, they are oddly accepting of those considered absurd. I think the dynamics between the survivors are compelling because, while they are, in part, out of necessity and completely transactional, I do think that at least some character dynamics are more than that, and can be caring and important to those involved. That being said, they can also be hostile. There’s a lot of variety in the characters and their dynamics that makes their interactions wholesome and heartwarming or bellicose and aggressive. I’m afraid there isn’t much to be said about Wormwood himself, but his interactions with other characters does demonstrate the interesting nature of their relationships. Part Fifteen: The Half-Pint Wurt, while having minimal characterization in many regards compared to other characters, does, I think, help us as the audience understand the effects of the Gnaw, not because she shows us any of them directly, but because she helps us empathize with the merms, and realize that they have practically been robbed of their lives. The theme of collateral, inadvertent damage is one that spans a lot of DST; many characters are in the Constant not because of any mistake or deal, but simply because of the actions of others. Wurt, at least somewhat, helps show us merms in a different light. Seeing an intelligent merm makes the audience realize how much the other merms have been robbed of by no fault of their own. Part Sixteen: The Fearless Walter is interesting in that I think he reflects an aspect of Wagstaff. While comparing the two is a rather odd analytical perspective, I think that, while they may not necessarily be connected per se, they do share a theme: an improper understanding of consequences. Walter is a child, so his naivete is justified in some sense. He doesn’t fully process the weight of the things happening around him. He thinks of it more like a story. He’s amazed by the monsters, not terrified, because it doesn’t properly register to him that he’s in danger. Oddly enough, Robert of all characters shares a similar theme. He’s harmed others and ruined their lives and continues to put the survivors in danger due to a general lack of understanding of the consequences. While Walter is too kindhearted to harm others, Robert seems to find morality less important than knowledge, a priority he shares with Wilson. I’ll elaborate more in his section, but I find comparing the two interesting, especially as the theme of unintended or misunderstood consequences is a large part of DST. Part Seventeen: The Timekeeper Wanda, similarly to Wickerbottom, is yet another example of meddling gone too far. She meddles with the timestream with no regard for the consequences, only to find her mistakes have caught up with her. This, at its core, represents not only meddling, but escapism. She evades her problems, whatever those may be, via time travel, only to find they always catch up to her. This is reflective of the nature of escapism; it isn’t permanent. It’s simply kicking the can down the road, saving the problem for later, only to find that it doesn’t go away. And, like Willow and Maxwell, the distraught her time travel causes, to her, can only be resolved by yet more time travel, which only actually compounds the problem. Escapism often does not solve issues; instead, it offers a temporary reprieve. Characters like Wanda who cope with their guilt, dependency, or other problems related to their coping mechanisms by continuing to use those mechanisms, often find that their problems only grow in number and in consequence. Part Eighteen: The Puppetmaster Maxwell, as I have hopefully demonstrated, is very similar to other playable characters in a variety of ways. He’s complicated, confusing, and, most of all, compelling. Maxwell is a sort of amalgamation of many other characters’ flaws. He’s meddled with powers beyond his understanding, like Wilson, WX-78, Wickerbottom, and Wanda. He struggles with coping and his coping mechanisms, like Willow, WX-78, Wigfrid, and Wortox. He demonstrates negligence and a lack of regard for consequences like Wilson, WX-78, Wickerbottom, Winona, and Walter. But he, most of all, struggles with guilt and responsibility, a problem likewise shared with many other characters. As the final section of my previous essay describes, he’s haunted by his guilt, and Charlie takes advantage of this. Charlie is no longer the same; she is under Their control. Maxwell should know this; after all, he has experience with Them. And yet he willfully ignores it and chooses to work with her in hopes of things going back to normal. Of going back to his life before everything went wrong. Maxwell once was William Carter, a younger, more nervous man with a genuine passion for magic and performance. This, however, warps into obsession and then into servitude before he eventually is trapped on the Nightmare Throne. He is an innocent man who finds himself changed by dark magic. Interestingly, this same corruption happens to many other characters, including Charlie. Most I have to say about him has already been said, and so I would advise referring to my previous essay for my analysis of him. I do think that he is an amazing example of how the Constant can warp, manipulate, or bring out the worst in any and everyone. It’s hard to say how responsible he is for his actions; he does seem to have at least some degree of free will, but he is also being manipulated and used by Them. He’s like many DST characters in that regard; he and many others beg the question of how and why we hold people responsible. Is it Wendy’s fault she’s in the Constant because she agreed to Maxwell’s deal? Or is it not because it wasn’t her fault her sister died and it wasn’t her fault she was grieving? I mention coping a lot throughout this essay, but can one blame a character for not having proper coping mechanisms? Can one blame a character like Willow or WX or Maxwell for their choices when, while there may be a theoretical solution, it’s much easier said than done? This is another part of the tragedy of Don’t Starve. Not only do the characters suffer due to various flaws, but many of them suffer due to circumstance, leading them to make poor decisions. Oftentimes, the tragedy of it comes from how profoundly ruined these peoples’ lives have been, and the sense that the tragedy was inevitable, unavoidable. How could one refuse a new beginning when their life, their thoughts, their emotions, are so destroyed that they simply cannot cope? Part Nineteen: The Cryptic Founder The theme of tragedy very clearly leads us to Robert Wagstaff, a character that I think is equal parts tragic and malicious. To analyze him as an antagonist, we must first outline his faults. I will go chronologically, although it’s important to keep in mind most of his story is heavily shrouded in mystery, so forging a clear timeline is difficult. Throughout DST, we never really see Robert make any real connections. He doesn’t seem to care in the slightest about the survivors, even Wilson, who is working with him. This, I think, makes his concern for WX all the more important to note. Robert is very focused on his work; he doesn’t care about others very much. WX is, perhaps, one of if not his only friend. This context is important to the experiment’s effects on him. He’s clearly worried about them. Of course he is; this is his friend, and it’s only natural he should worry as he sees them begin to fall apart. But, as outlined earlier, he isn’t quite sure who they even are anymore. Their old body is dead, and he knows that. Most likely, he watched them die. And yet they claim to still be there. He wants to help them, but he isn’t sure if they’re a human trapped in a robot body or a robot stealing the identity of his friend. This is the core dilemma of WX’s character; it is impossible to prove if they are human or not. This, as I’ve already described, affects WX themself a lot, but it also affects Robert. Keep in mind that he’s a scientist; it’s in his nature to want proof. The problem is that he can’t get any, no matter what he does. That’s the point of their story. They could be human, or they could be robotic. They could be both. They could be neither. It’s hard – no, impossible – to say. Robert wants to help, but he has no idea as to if helping them would be the right thing to do because he doesn’t actually know them anymore. Perhaps he even begins to consider them non-human because it’s simpler. It’s easier, and negates any guilt. He knows the experiment has hurt them, or at least made them seem like they were hurt. Convincing himself that they are simply faking the emotion and are truly a soulless robot is one way to justify not helping them, and to villainize them to simplify the narrative. His decision to send them to the Constant is out of desperation. He realizes that his friend is gone; they are no longer there at all. There is no longer even a possibility it could be them. Trying to make any plea to their humanity would be useless. To me, it makes the most logical sense that the Voxola fire is caused by his sending WX to the Constant, given that we know Voxola is only open for a couple days, and if he’d made a portal before then, it would be much less likely to malfunction. Perhaps its malfunction is even due to the fact he uses it to send them into the Constant; he might not have finished it and was in a hurry to get rid of them. Winona’s short doesn’t tell us much about Robert; it simply shows us the consequences of his decisions. Intended or not, he is part of the reason Winona enters the Constant as well, and his lack of foresight will be displayed once more with Webber. Robert should have learned from his experiments with WX that taking science too far can have devastating consequences. And, yet, for some reason, he continues on. Think about it. He’s a scientist. He can’t just abandon his life’s work, even if his work did ruin lives. Despite the fact he knows the potential damage his experiments can do, he continues them because he doesn’t know what else to do with himself. He can’t see any other path his life can go down. He doubles down on his interest in science, now intentionally ignoring the consequences because he doesn’t know how to deal with them. Wagstaff’s animated short, the most recent one as I am writing this, demonstrates who he is fundamentally. He’s a kind hearted man, and he wants to help others, but science comes before that for him. As he begins to project into the Constant, he begins to embrace science and ignore his conscience. In his animated short, we see him helping others. When we see him later, he couldn’t care less about others. This only illustrates his development; he has chosen to ignore his guilt and confusion to explore the scientific world, even if it was experiments like this that caused his guilt. Whatever happens next, when he has the opportunity, he takes a spider from the Constant and gives it to Webber’s father. Whether or not he catches wind of what happens is irrelevant; if he did, it would’ve already been too late anyways. Nevertheless, it doesn’t seem to bother him in the slightest. He doesn’t seem to care much about the consequences of his experiments in the Constant, either. He quite literally makes the survivors fight an agent of the moon for his own gain, with seemingly no remorse. He is likely manipulating Wilson and his insecurities to get his help. He couldn’t care less about any of the survivors. That is, except for WX. Despite how much he has tried to justify their identity to himself, he still feels guilty for WX’s fate. What he displays when he sees them is not shock. It’s guilt. He knows their past better than they do. He knows who they were. Whether or not WX knows their past doesn’t matter, because even if they do, they don’t care. Robert has tried to lean into science to avoid his feelings, but they always come back to bite him. To Robert, WX is his first experiment to go wrong. They are what remains of his only friend. T Even if they are not aware of the entire story, even if they don’t care, he does, and he knows what happened, how it happened, and why it happened. He knows this is, in part, his fault. WX is, in a way, representative of all of the consequences he’s been trying to avoid. Conclusion Don’t Starve’s storyline and characters is uniquely compelling and interesting to analyze. I wouldn’t consider DS or DST horror games, but they are meant to be dark in nature, and the characters illustrate this beautifully. They aren’t simply violent or aesthetically dark; the very nature of the story is tragic and makes you pity the characters, and yet also despise them. The unique dynamics, themes, and arcs of DST characters makes them feel like terrible, messed up people in an awful situation that is ironically interesting to watch. The characters’ lives are already ruined, and, given DST’s tone, they likely will never recover. It is us, the players, who are watching these characters’ lives, watching them, playing as them, who truly have control. DST is a tragedy, one that will likely only end in pain. We are the ones who stand to gain from the story. We can learn from the DST’s characters. Don’t Starve’s story is meant to make us introspect. It’s meant to tell a cautionary tale. Author’s Note Thank you all so much for the support on my previous essay, and on all of my work. You all, as the community around this game, make the story, gameplay, and everything in between so much more compelling, fun, and enjoyable. In my over one year of experience with this community, I’ve seen so much positivity, wholesomeness, support, and kindness. We’re not perfect, and that’s okay. Stay safe and stay awesome. Thank you. Link to comment https://forums.kleientertainment.com/forums/topic/155887-dont-starve-together-story-analysis-essay-part-two/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navitotoro2005 Posted May 2, 2024 Share Posted May 2, 2024 When analyzing DST characters from a personality standpoint, it makes sense to start with Wil Link to comment https://forums.kleientertainment.com/forums/topic/155887-dont-starve-together-story-analysis-essay-part-two/#findComment-1712311 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garett Skott Posted May 3, 2024 Share Posted May 3, 2024 Time to get my reading glasses... Your analysis is insightful and I love to talk about lore, so I'll share some of my thoughts combined with yours. My interpretation of Wilson is that of a man who has a passion, science, but is unable to fulfill it. When examining weird things he sometimes says it's just science, as if to say "I understand it" when he actually doesn't; that, as you've said, sounds like a coping mechanism. Wilson's true strength is his determination: no matter how many times he fails or even dies, he keeps on trying and occasionaly he succeeds too! The nautopilot and the fire pump are his inventions, for example, and somehow he manages to transmute things even if it's a lossy process. He doesn't start with powers or unusual skills like the other characters, but he may just be the one to win in the end. Also, here's my personal headcanon: Wilson got that haircut from experiments exploding in his face. I don't think Willow regrets something she's done in particular, but instead she didn't like her life as a whole. She had no family, no home, no friends, only fire and a plush and they lead her to hurt people. In the Constant she could get away from it all and maybe found a purpose and a family between the other survivors. I'm still not sure how exactly she got to the Constant; maybe Maxwell betrayed her, maybe she jumped in on her own. Guess we'll have to see what that "one more to go" is before jumping to conclusions. Fire really seems to be the only way she knows how to solve problems with. It's ALWAYS on her mind. Wolfgang seems like a simple man, he isn't "denser" because he's probably been in the circus all his life. His purpose was to make other happy with his performance and he continues to do that. His lack of broader experiences must be the cause of his many fears, he wasn't prepared for the horrors of the Constant. I don't think Wendy is hallucinating in the short, just remembering. In those memories, reality looks normal and afterwards reality looks depressing. Abigail was Wendy's main source of happiness and now she's her main source of grief (+ the Constant's misery). Even before her sister's death, Wendy looks like an introverted girl, her mother allegedly died so long ago she can't even remember her eye color (quote for yellow moonlens) and lives isolated from the city and potential friends. What is she to do now? She doesn't want to let go of her beloved sister, but that means she'll continue be mournful. I don't recall Wendy mentioning guilt, but I don't play her very much, where did you find that? To me, WX used to be the sort of person that sees things differently from others in some way and that caused him to become an outcast. His loneliness weakened his empathy for others, but exploring new ideas nurtured his intelligence. He came to realize how inefficent organic life was and sought an alternative. Wagstaff could have used the help of a smart partner to explore the new realm of "science" he uncovered, so him and human WX made a deal to realize both of their projects. As you've pointed out, the consciousness transferal had bad side effects. Can an experience be described in such way it's the same of living it? Can human consciousness really be recreated into a computer program without altering it? WX didn't care about these questions, he thought be experiment must've been flawed. The process had to be improved, inorganic life was surely superior, right? He became obsessive and even aggressive as his distaste for "fleshlings" grew. Wagstaff tried to talk, but it was no use. He had to put a stop to this madness, so he banished him into the Constant before he could hurt someone. WX couldn't see his mistakes and without his empathy module maybe he never will. His strife with Wagstaff condensed into hate for a man who denied him his dream and left him to rot. The two old partners have met again though, so there could be a hope for reconciliation or maybe the conflict will continue to damage them both. Wickerbottom knows that knowledge is the most precious thing there is, "the pen is mightier than the sword" after all. The library had to be preserved. She risked her life trying to put out the fire, but it was clearly uncontrollable... then Maxwell showed up. Wickerbottom had studied the shadows, she knew this was a gamble, but one worth taking. Maxwell tricks people by luring them with their desires, but he often does bring them what they want. All this knowledge shall be put to use and will aid the lost librarian with studying the Constant. Here comes Woodie! I hoped we'd get some kind of hint about his curse in his short. We didn't Maybe his curse was caused by lunar magic somehow? Maybe his axe talks because he's gone insane after being isolated for long? This all lacks some hard evidence though. We've got little to work with. I'm happy he's getting some resolution at least. Wes ended up in the Constant by mistake while Maxwell was trying to get Witherstone, so he trapped him out of spite. Wilson has freed him while going through adventure mode, so the king had to put him somewhere where he eventually found his way to the florid postern. It's ironic how the one who wants to help others most is also the weakest link. Poor Wes Wigfrid's tale is another tragedy of passion. She was so intensely passionate about her character, but her career couldn't just stop there, she tried to extend her passion further, but it failed. Her other performances weren't nearly as good as the first. She hides herself in the past thinking back to her days of glory, wishing she could relive them. Perfect prey for Maxwell. Wigfrid can now fuel her passion even more by becoming her character, even if it meant abandoning her previous life. Now, I'm not sure about what I'm about to say, but does she ever call herself "Wigfrid"? If so, that wouldn't be her real name, but the character's. Willow's quote for the battle helm seems to hint to a different name: "It's got a name scratched on the inside... 'W', uh...", it seems the name starts with "W" but she's confused because it's not "Wigfrid". Maybe I just thought too much into this little detail. I don't have much to add about Webber, but I think he was one of Maxwell's first victims. In DS, he needs to be unlocked by finding his skull and burying it in a grave, which means he has died and his island was given to someone else. Since anyone can revive him, he must've arrived before most others (if it isn't just game design, of course). I wish Winona had some more lore. She's close to both Charlie (and therefore the shadows) and Wagstaff (and therefore the moon) so maybe she's still got to play her part. Warly. A picky chef having to survive in the wilderness where one needs to adapt to the food found. I think Maxwell was feeling humorous. Wortox seems like a mischievous type by nature, he tagged along with Krampus thinking he found someone like-minded, but eventually the line was crossed. Although his time with Krampus ended, it changed him as a person both figuratively and literally. He can't undo the past and now it influences his present. C'mon, just five charaters to go... Wormwood is all about finding somewhere he can belong. We can see he doesn't fit with local wildlife in his short, but feels at home with plants. Since the moment he was born, all he even wanted was love. The survivors welcome him as well, but still remain emotionally (and likely physically) distant. They think he's nice, but also that he's gross. They aren't happy to be offered compost wraps or syrups of Ipecaca. Wurt, unlike most other merms, managed to looks past the basic aggressive behaviours of her kin and saw the good in the survivors. She decided to see them through and understood they're not evil instead of mindlessly following the traditions of the merms. We too have been shown that not all merms are bad. Walter tends to think positively and sometimes that's what you need to improve a situation, but all good things lay in balance and he is definitely too much on one side. He would have probably gotten killed veeeeery quickly if he had had to fend alone. I wonder how Wanda got her hands on shadow magic. She is shown to have lived in the Victorian era and she was already pretty old, so that means that shadows can travel in time by themselves and it's not just something only Wanda can do. Did she make a deal with Maxwell too? Did she find out about dark magic on her own? Whatever the reason, she doesn't want to pay the price for it. Maybe she thinks there is a solution somewhere and she just needs more time to find it or maybe she accepted that she'll be pursued forever and thinks she can keep up. She was bound to make a mistake eventually though, and there she is in the Constant now. Finally we get to Maxwell. Hubris is his sin and it damaged many more people than just himself. Overconfidence lead him and Charlie into the Constant, not learning from his mistakes destroyed the ancients, boredom and arrogance brought more people to struggle for their lives and when he finally gets the chance to make up for his mistakes with the survivors, opportunism brings him back to the dark side. I see the point you've made about fault and circumstances, but it was still Maxwell himself who caused so much tragedy and did the wrong thing time and time again. Is he doomed to remain in the shadows? Or will he finally seek redemption for his acts? Maybe the deal with Charlie was just a ruse to get under her skin, time will tell. Many people portray Wagstaff as a villan and he indeed caused of some bad events, but did he do them out of evil? Making WX wasn't his idea and he did try to talk to him before throwing him in the Constant, yet he was becoming too dangerous (and it's not like he could send him to prison or something). Webber becoming a half spider wasn't his fault at all, the kid willingly disobeyed his father out of spite. The Voxola fire was an accident and I don't think that happened right after he banished WX, he's dressed differently. In the last short we can see him jumping into a crumbling building to save others while putting his own life at risk; he does steal from them, but out of necessity, not evil. He couldn't have saved the guy under the rubble, there was too little time, so might as well grab the projector next to him. That said, he does put the survivors in great danger and only pays them back with a "Thank you for all your hard work", not that he had much to offer at the time. After defeating the mutated bosses, he does start rewarding the players. Overall, Wagstaff is dismissive to others, but not evil. After seeing Wagstaff steal valuebles, one could assume he wants the Constant's magic so he can sell it for financial gain, but throughout his quotes in DS, money never comes up, so what's his motive? I think progress is his goal. His quote for the hunger belt is "This dark fuel could truly solve the world's hunger problems". He still wants to help others. Thankfully he moved away from the shadow path, we know how that one ends. Phew, I'm finally done! Link to comment https://forums.kleientertainment.com/forums/topic/155887-dont-starve-together-story-analysis-essay-part-two/#findComment-1712442 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gashzer Posted May 3, 2024 Share Posted May 3, 2024 Cool story bro. Link to comment https://forums.kleientertainment.com/forums/topic/155887-dont-starve-together-story-analysis-essay-part-two/#findComment-1712456 Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinterWondering Posted May 3, 2024 Author Share Posted May 3, 2024 21 hours ago, Navitotor0200 said: When analyzing DST characters from a personality standpoint, it makes sense to start with Wil When analyzing DST characters from a personality standpoint, it makes sense to start with Wil 2 hours ago, Garett Skott said: Time to get my reading glasses... Your analysis is insightful and I love to talk about lore, so I'll share some of my thoughts combined with yours. My interpretation of Wilson is that of a man who has a passion, science, but is unable to fulfill it. When examining weird things he sometimes says it's just science, as if to say "I understand it" when he actually doesn't; that, as you've said, sounds like a coping mechanism. Wilson's true strength is his determination: no matter how many times he fails or even dies, he keeps on trying and occasionaly he succeeds too! The nautopilot and he fire pump are his inventions, for example, and somehow he manages to transmute things even if it's a lossy process. He doesn't start with powers or unusual skills like the other characters, but he may just be the one to win in the end. Also, here's my personal headcanon: Wilson got that haircut from experiments exploding in his face. I don't think Willow regrets something she's done in particular, but instead she didn't like her life as a whole. She had no family, no home, no friends, only fire and a plush and they lead her to hurt people. In the Constant she could get away from it all and maybe found a purpose and a family between the other survivors. I'm still not sure how exactly she got to the Constant; maybe Maxwell betrayed her, maybe she jumped in on her own. Guess we'll have to see what that "one more to go" is before jumping to conclusions. Fire really seems to be the only way she knows how to solve problems with. It's ALWAYS on her mind. Wolfgang seems like a simple man, he isn't "denser" because he's probably been in the circus all his life. His purpose was to make other happy with his performance and he continues to do that. His lack of broader experiences must be the cause of his many fears, he wasn't prepared for the horrors of the Constant. I don't think Wendy is hallucinating in the short, just remembering. In those memories, reality looks normal and afterwards reality looks depressing. Abigail was Wendy's main source of happiness and now she's her main source of grief (+ the Constant's misery). Even before her sister's death, Wendy looks like an introverted girl, her mother allegedly died so long ago she can't even remember her eye color (quote for yellow moonlens) and lives isolated from the city and potential friends. What is she to do now? She doesn't want to let go of her beloved sister, but that means she'll continue be mournful. I don't recall Wendy mentioning guilt, but I don't play her very much, where did you find that? To me, WX used to be the sort of person that sees things differently from others in some way and that caused him to become an outcast. His loneliness weakened his empathy for others, but exploring new ideas nurtured his intelligence. He came to realize how inefficent organic life was and sought an alternative. Wagstaff could have used the help of a smart partner to explore the new realm of "science" he uncovered, so him and human WX made a deal to realize both of their projects. As you've pointed out, the consciousness transferal had bad side effects. Can an experience be described in such way it's the same of living it? Can human consciousness really be recreated into a computer program without altering it? WX didn't care about these questions, he thought be experiment must've been flawed. The process had to be improved, inorganic life was surely superior, right? He became obsessive and even aggressive as his distaste for "fleshlings" grew. Wagstaff tried to talk, but it was no use. He had to put a stop to this madness, so he banished him into the Constant before he could hurt someone. WX couldn't see his mistakes and without his empathy module maybe he never will. His strife with Wagstaff condensed into hate for a man who denied him his dream and left him to rot. The two old partners have met again though, so there could be a hope for reconciliation or maybe the conflict will continue to damage them both. Wickerbottom knows that knowledge is the most precious thing there is, "the pen is mightier than the sword" after all. The library had to be preserved. She risked her life trying to put out the fire, but it was clearly uncontrollable... then Maxwell showed up. Wickerbottom had studied the shadows, she knew this was a gamble, but one worth taking. Maxwell tricks people by luring them with their desires, but he often does bring them what they want. All this knowledge shall be put to use and will aid the lost librarian with studying the Constant. Here comes Woodie! I hoped we'd get some kind of hint about his curse in his short. We didn't Maybe his curse was caused by lunar magic somehow? Maybe his axe talks because he's gone insane after being isolated for long? This all lacks some hard evidence though. We've got little to work with. I'm happy he's getting some resolution at least. Wes ended up in the Constant by mistake while Maxwell was trying to get Witherstone, so he trapped him out of spite. Wilson has freed him while going through adventure mode, so the king had to put him somewhere where he eventually found his way to the florid postern. It's ironic how the one who wants to help others most is also the weakest link. Poor Wes Wigfrid's tale is another tragedy of passion. She was so intensely passionate about her character, but her career couldn't just stop there, she tried to extend her passion further, but it failed. Her other performances weren't nearly as good as the first. She hides herself in the past thinking back to her days of glory, wishing she could relive them. Perfect prey for Maxwell. Wigfrid can now fuel her passion even more by becoming her character, even if it meant abandoning her previous life. Now, I'm not sure about what I'm about to say, but does she ever call herself "Wigfrid"? If so, that wouldn't be her real name, but the character's. Willow's quote for the battle helm seems to hint to a different name: "It's got a name scratched on the inside... 'W', uh...", it seems the name starts with "W" but she's confused because it's not "Wigfrid". Maybe I just thought too much into this little detail. I don't have much to add about Webber, but I think he was one of Maxwell's first victims. In DS, he needs to be unlocked by finding his skull and burying it in a grave, which means he has died and his island was given to someone else. Since anyone can revive him, he must've arrived before most others (if it isn't just game design, of course). I wish Winona had some more lore. She's close to both Charlie (and therefore the shadows) and Wagstaff (and therefore the moon) so maybe she's still got to play her part. Warly. A picky chef having to survive in the wilderness where one needs to adapt to the food found. I think Maxwell was feeling humorous. Wortox seems like a mischievous type by nature, he tagged along with Krampus thinking he found someone like-minded, but eventually the line was crossed. Although his time with Krampus ended, it changed him as a person both figuratively and literally. He can't undo the past and now it influences his present. C'mon, just five charaters to go... Wormwood is all about finding somewhere he can belong. We can see he doesn't fit with local wildlife in his short, but feels at home with plants. Since the moment he was born, all he even wanted was love. The survivors welcome him as well, but still remain emotionally (and likely physically) distant. They think he's nice, but also that he's gross. They aren't happy to be offered compost wraps or syrups of Ipecaca. Wurt, unlike most other merms, managed to looks past the basic aggressive behaviours of her kin and saw the good in the survivors. She decided to see them through and understood they're not evil instead of mindlessly following the traditions of the merms. We too have been shown that not all merms are bad. Walter tends to think positively and sometimes that's what you need to improve a situation, but all good things lay in balance and he is definitely too much on one side. He would have probably gotten killed veeeeery quickly if he had had to fend alone. I wonder how Wanda got her hands on shadow magic. She is shown to have lived in the Victorian era and she was already pretty old, so that means that shadows can travel in time by themselves and it's not just something only Wanda can do. Did she make a deal with Maxwell too? Did she find out about dark magic on her own? Whatever the reason, she doesn't want to pay the price for it. Maybe she thinks there is a solution somewhere and she just needs more time to find it or maybe she accepted that she'll be pursued forever and thinks she can keep up. She was bound to make a mistake eventually though, and there she is in the Constant now. Finally we get to Maxwell. Hubris is his sin and it damaged many more people than just himself. Overconfidence lead him and Charlie into the Constant, not learning from his mistakes destroyed the ancients, boredom and arrogance brought more people to struggle for their lives and when he finally gets the chance to make up for his mistakes with the survivors, opportunism brings him back to the dark side. I see the point you've made about fault and circumstances, but it was still Maxwell himself who caused so much tragedy and did the wrong thing time and time again. Is he doomed to remain in the shadows? Or will he finally seek redemption for his acts? Maybe the deal with Charlie was just a ruse to get under her skin, time will tell. Many people portray Wagstaff as a villan and he indeed caused of some bad events, but did he do them out of evil? Making WX wasn't his idea and he did try to talk to him before throwing him in the Constant, yet he was becoming too dangerous (and it's not like he could send him to prison or something). Webber becoming a half spider wasn't his fault at all, the kid willingly disobeyed his father out of spite. The Voxola fire was an accident and I don't think that happened right after he banished WX, he's dressed differently. In the last short we can see him jumping into a crumbling building to save others while putting his own life at risk; he does steal from them, but out of necessity, not evil. He couldn't have saved the guy under the rubble, there was too little time, so might as well grab the projector next to him. That said, he does put the survivors in great danger and only pays them back with a "Thank you for all your hard work", not that he had much to offer at the time. After defeating the mutated bosses, he does start rewarding the players. Overall, Wagstaff is dismissive to others, but not evil. After seeing Wagstaff steal valuebles, one could assume he wants the Constant's magic so he can sell it for financial gain, but throughout his quotes in DS, money never comes up, so what's his motive? I think progress is his goal. His quote for the hunger belt is "This dark fuel could truly solve the world's hunger problems". He still wants to help others. Thankfully he moved away from the shadow path, we know how that one ends. Phew, I'm finally done! Going through each of your points: -Love the hair headcanon, LMAO. -Passion as a theme is one I didn't really notice, but I absolutely see it. I think it works as an interesting motive for some characters. -Fair analysis on Willow. I always saw her as having some level of regret, but I totally get how the opposite could be true. It's hard to tell because she doesn't talk about her past much. -I didn't think of that for Wolfgang, but I think that makes more sense, and would explain his fear of practically everything. -Quote I cited about Wendy is from a loading screen tip! But I also can see how she could be interpreted entirely differently. As for if her short is a hallucination or not, I do think it's definitely not really happening in that moment, but whether or not it's memories or hallucinations or something else is unclear. -WX is a character with very little said on them, so it's hard to say their exact motives, but the idea of them being outcasted for being different is likely the case. That could also play into their decision to make themself a robot. I do think that, on some level, they regret it, since they seem at least somewhat distraught, but it's hard to prove it either way. They could be rejecting their humanity by removing their empathy module, or they could be trying to get out of the situation. Maybe both. I do think it likely comes at least somewhat from that idea of having seen the worst of humanity and being treated poorly because they see things differently, but again, we don't know. It's hard to say. -Wickerbottom is absolutely another example of the power of knowledge, and how it can affect people. -Woodie's curse is likely due to lunar magic, since RoT makes it stronger according to his compendium, but it's not 100% canon. -Wigfrid is definitely not her real name. She's Wathgrithr in the codes, I believe. I haven't seen that quote before, but that also supports the idea. But yes, absolutely! -Webber's in a weird place where I don't think it's fair to blame him given his age and situation, but he is at least somewhat responsible. In a weird way, the Constant is also kind of his home. -Winona has some lore, but more would be nice. More interactions with Maxwell, like in Forgotten Knowledge, would be great. -Didn't think about that with Warly, but that was probably part of it. Maxwell's doing this for entertainment, so Warly would be fun to watch. -Completely correct about Wortox, Wormwood, Wurt, and Walter. Pointed out a lot of things I definitely should have. -Exactly. Wanda is outrunning the consequences of her decisions. Really well put. -I guess what I meant by my section on Maxwell is that he's definitely responsible for a lot of terrible things, but just how responsible is debatable and complicated. -To simplify a lot, I think Wagstaff does care about others, but he puts science first. The whole WX thing was probably more their idea than his, but he still played a part in it and feels guilty about it. I think he wants to help people, but his first priority is science, and he doesn't care about hurting others. Really insightful! Love your interpretations! Thank you so much! :> 44 minutes ago, Gashzer said: Cool story bro. Thank you so much! Link to comment https://forums.kleientertainment.com/forums/topic/155887-dont-starve-together-story-analysis-essay-part-two/#findComment-1712466 Share on other sites More sharing options...
PunkShark Posted May 3, 2024 Share Posted May 3, 2024 The only thing i wanna point out is that Wagstaff is not kind hearted even in his early days. He's an opportunist and a con-man before the industrialist he has turned out to be. faking a kind persona as an opportunity to steal from people, quotes pointing out he was once a snake oil salesman proving that he's maybe not necesarilly evil but definitely a cheat with the wrong morals from the beginning. did he helped some folk? Yeah, sort of, but he stole from every single one right under their noses and took the opportunity to save a camera instead of a life. He's a sly son of a gun, and he couldn't care less if a man just died. What he cares about is himself, at least his past self, and even now he still seems to only care of his work, if somebody dies? who cares, progress is more important to him. Wagstaff has always been incredibly weird in a moral sense. He says he wants to help folk with the shadow fuel but then talks about military applications and throne of ultimate power. He's incredibly unpredictable and has been since the beginning of his ventures. for example, Voxola radio, the bread and butter that started this whole mess to an extent, at least with Wilson, Woodie and Warly. The voxola radio was built under a huge marketing campaign, which really makes you wonder what his true intentions were with them. as this was in 1919 and his discovery to the constant was at an all-time high. He clearly wanted these out as fast as possible and i'm sure it weren't just for the idea that he wanted to make radios considering nothing but his knowledge to the constant created an obsession with it since his discovery with the camera. He had intentions with them, and in good ol Wagstaff fashion i'm sure it wasn't good intentions, but again, he does not care, he cares about progress. people dying, being taken, transforming, literally shaping the constant for the worse just so he has opportunites getting to his goal. To call Wagstaff evil is not completely right, but he's definitely not morally correct in any sense. at any opportunity to do something he just leaves it be, ignores it or makes it abundently worse Their colleague dying? just y'know put their corpse up in the attic and hide it under the floorboards, y'know like a normal guy. thinking about the actions of his consequences? Nah, let's just leave it be, he's got things to do, the others can deal with the mess. He's a pro manipulator, a con-man, an opportunist, a thief and lets people die just because an opportunity is there. Time and time again he just shows he's a different person than who he really is under that friendly scienceman facade. The short said it the best "who you really are is not nearly as important as the version of yourself that you project out to the world." It is truly difficult to give him 2nd chances cause we're running low on excuses with this man and his morals. Link to comment https://forums.kleientertainment.com/forums/topic/155887-dont-starve-together-story-analysis-essay-part-two/#findComment-1712478 Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowercase skye Posted May 4, 2024 Share Posted May 4, 2024 2 hours ago, PunkShark said: Wagstaff has always been incredibly weird in a moral sense. He says he wants to help folk with the shadow fuel but then talks about military applications and throne of ultimate power. I agree with your overall assessment in this post, but to nitpick this specific bit here: like you said, Wagstaff's living in like, 1919. It may feel obvious to us now, but the idea that war is strictly a bad thing is genuinely a recent attitude. For a long, long time, all the death and destruction was considered a necessary sacrifice, and it was considered a noble thing to go to war and put yourself in harm's way to protect America or whatever, it's only just recently that the common opinion has (thankfully) shifted to the horrible terrible things about war being too much to ignore and how generally what's being fought for is actually just oil. I don't think it speaks much to Wagstaff's morality that he, as a grown man from a century ago, sees aiding the military as a way to improve the world and help people. Link to comment https://forums.kleientertainment.com/forums/topic/155887-dont-starve-together-story-analysis-essay-part-two/#findComment-1712485 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Webber Posted May 4, 2024 Share Posted May 4, 2024 Yeah although I like Webber more I relate more to Wx Link to comment https://forums.kleientertainment.com/forums/topic/155887-dont-starve-together-story-analysis-essay-part-two/#findComment-1712487 Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinterWondering Posted May 4, 2024 Author Share Posted May 4, 2024 3 hours ago, PunkShark said: The only thing i wanna point out is that Wagstaff is not kind hearted even in his early days. He's an opportunist and a con-man before the industrialist he has turned out to be. faking a kind persona as an opportunity to steal from people, quotes pointing out he was once a snake oil salesman proving that he's maybe not necesarilly evil but definitely a cheat with the wrong morals from the beginning. did he helped some folk? Yeah, sort of, but he stole from every single one right under their noses and took the opportunity to save a camera instead of a life. He's a sly son of a gun, and he couldn't care less if a man just died. What he cares about is himself, at least his past self, and even now he still seems to only care of his work, if somebody dies? who cares, progress is more important to him. Wagstaff has always been incredibly weird in a moral sense. He says he wants to help folk with the shadow fuel but then talks about military applications and throne of ultimate power. He's incredibly unpredictable and has been since the beginning of his ventures. for example, Voxola radio, the bread and butter that started this whole mess to an extent, at least with Wilson, Woodie and Warly. The voxola radio was built under a huge marketing campaign, which really makes you wonder what his true intentions were with them. as this was in 1919 and his discovery to the constant was at an all-time high. He clearly wanted these out as fast as possible and i'm sure it weren't just for the idea that he wanted to make radios considering nothing but his knowledge to the constant created an obsession with it since his discovery with the camera. He had intentions with them, and in good ol Wagstaff fashion i'm sure it wasn't good intentions, but again, he does not care, he cares about progress. people dying, being taken, transforming, literally shaping the constant for the worse just so he has opportunites getting to his goal. To call Wagstaff evil is not completely right, but he's definitely not morally correct in any sense. at any opportunity to do something he just leaves it be, ignores it or makes it abundently worse Their colleague dying? just y'know put their corpse up in the attic and hide it under the floorboards, y'know like a normal guy. thinking about the actions of his consequences? Nah, let's just leave it be, he's got things to do, the others can deal with the mess. He's a pro manipulator, a con-man, an opportunist, a thief and lets people die just because an opportunity is there. Time and time again he just shows he's a different person than who he really is under that friendly scienceman facade. The short said it the best "who you really are is not nearly as important as the version of yourself that you project out to the world." It is truly difficult to give him 2nd chances cause we're running low on excuses with this man and his morals. Wagstaff is definitely in a weird moral gray area. Depending on how you see him in terms of theories, his morality does differ a bit, but he definitely isn't a good person. I personally would like to think his concern for WX is at least somewhat genuine (I can't think of a reason he would pretend to care if he didn't), and I do think he has a conscience and some idea that what he's doing is wrong, but he's definitely not a good person by any means. I think it really just boils down to his priorities. He wants to help others, but he'll also steal from them if he sees something he needs. He wants to help his friend, but if they're holding him back, he'll get rid of them. He wants to help the survivors, but if he needs someone to fight lunar mobs, he's fine with it being them and not him. I think he does care about other people, but that it always comes second to his research, and that's something he shares with human WX. Except they have to face the consequences of it more directly than he does, so while they end up with a "solution," Robert gets to keep ignoring it because it's not his problem. I don't know. I think he's interesting to look at, and I appreciate your analysis. :> 45 minutes ago, finn from human said: I agree with your overall assessment in this post, but to nitpick this specific bit here: like you said, Wagstaff's living in like, 1919. It may feel obvious to us now, but the idea that war is strictly a bad thing is genuinely a recent attitude. For a long, long time, all the death and destruction was considered a necessary sacrifice, and it was considered a noble thing to go to war and put yourself in harm's way to protect America or whatever, it's only just recently that the common opinion has (thankfully) shifted to the horrible terrible things about war being too much to ignore and how generally what's being fought for is actually just oil. I don't think it speaks much to Wagstaff's morality that he, as a grown man from a century ago, sees aiding the military as a way to improve the world and help people. Fair point! It's interesting to see how morals and values differ based on time period, culture, and so many other variables. 20 minutes ago, Dr.Webber said: Yeah although I like Webber more I relate more to Wx I find it interesting how much I relate to them. I don't have anything in common with them personality-wise, really. I'd consider myself a pretty emotionally open person, which is a trait I definitely do not share with them, XD. They've been my favorite character (and main) ever since I saw their short, and I think it's because it always struck a chord with me. I don't know, something about not feeling at home in your own body really stuck with me. I have gender dysphoria and writing about and seeing their backstory unfold sort of helped me find the words I needed to describe that feeling. I don't know. There's a lot of ways to interpret them given how much their short leaves unanswered, but being able to see a character I could relate to in that regard has made them one of my favorite characters. Link to comment https://forums.kleientertainment.com/forums/topic/155887-dont-starve-together-story-analysis-essay-part-two/#findComment-1712493 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Webber Posted May 4, 2024 Share Posted May 4, 2024 2 hours ago, WinterWondering said: I find it interesting how much I relate to them. I don't have anything in common with them personality-wise, really. I'd consider myself a pretty emotionally open person, which is a trait I definitely do not share with them, XD. They've been my favorite character (and main) ever since I saw their short, and I think it's because it always struck a chord with me. I don't know, something about not feeling at home in your own body really stuck with me. I have gender dysphoria and writing about and seeing their backstory unfold sort of helped me find the words I needed to describe that feeling. I don't know. There's a lot of ways to interpret them given how much their short leaves unanswered, but being able to see a character I could relate to in that regard has made them one of my favorite characters. Personally I have body dysphoria like I don’t know I often find that that I’m restricted and imprisoned in my body and that the face in the mirror isn’t mine I also am a very logical person I also got a lot of trauma that causes ptsd and dependency on the situation I get a mental block preventing me from decide my emotions or remembering all the evidence for why I’m right when ever I get a chance to say my piece in a heated argument and my hated and disgust for most of humanity makes me want to to give them fates so much worst(better for me infiltrating wise) also although I’d prefer bio techno symbioses then full metal I do believe it’s the key to our future Also I have Asperger but that but figure I’d mention it since you said something about being atypical Link to comment https://forums.kleientertainment.com/forums/topic/155887-dont-starve-together-story-analysis-essay-part-two/#findComment-1712503 Share on other sites More sharing options...
grm9 Posted May 4, 2024 Share Posted May 4, 2024 8 hours ago, PunkShark said: Their colleague dying? just y'know put their corpse up in the attic and hide it under the floorboards, y'know like a normal guy wasn't that wilson? iirc there was a skeleton in his house back when he got pulled in, wagstaff probably just moved it Link to comment https://forums.kleientertainment.com/forums/topic/155887-dont-starve-together-story-analysis-essay-part-two/#findComment-1712505 Share on other sites More sharing options...
PunkShark Posted May 4, 2024 Share Posted May 4, 2024 1 hour ago, grm9 said: wasn't that wilson? iirc there was a skeleton in his house back when he got pulled in, wagstaff probably just moved it The house was owned by Wagstaff, hence why the radio, and his goggles are there. Wilson won the house in an auction Wilson found the skeleton under the floorboards but he would only move it later and use it as anatomy decoration for his newfound science lab. But when he sees it the first time he just leaves it there. Wagstaff would disappear in 1919 and most likely be presumed dead after the incident of the factory crushing and burning down (This was his arrival to the Constant for real this time around but he clearly had ways out). His belongings, house and whatnot was then put in an auction and Wilson was lucky enough to get a house with his "skill" attached it. While it is difficult to make out what his paper says, you can actually somewhat understand what is written. "Auction something something for the scienti- talented" Link to comment https://forums.kleientertainment.com/forums/topic/155887-dont-starve-together-story-analysis-essay-part-two/#findComment-1712516 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uedo Posted May 4, 2024 Share Posted May 4, 2024 I really liked your essay @WinterWondering. I'm pretty doubtful there is as much thought put into the lore as you have created, but to be honest - things like this help with overall world-shaping for the devs, who knows perhaps Klei see stuff like this and make it cannon, I think the essay makes sense for the motivations of the characters and is generally consistent with the confirmed elements of their psyche. 6 hours ago, Dr.Webber said: Personally I have body dysphoria like I don’t know I often find that that I’m restricted and imprisoned in my body and that the face in the mirror isn’t mine I also am a very logical person I also got a lot of trauma that causes ptsd and dependency on the situation I get a mental block preventing me from decide my emotions or remembering all the evidence for why I’m right when ever I get a chance to say my piece in a heated argument and my hated and disgust for most of humanity makes me want to to give them fates so much worst(better for me infiltrating wise) also although I’d prefer bio techno symbioses then full metal I do believe it’s the key to our future Also I have Asperger but that but figure I’d mention it since you said something about being atypical That's really nice of you to share; being different is good - we need people from all backgrounds and walks of life. Just to say though, whilst i'm sure you have good reason for feeling how you feel about people generally - don't let it put you off, people can be lousy at times but I promise there are people you've met/not met who will find you awesome for being you, you're the only you and the pretty valuable dude! Link to comment https://forums.kleientertainment.com/forums/topic/155887-dont-starve-together-story-analysis-essay-part-two/#findComment-1712539 Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinterWondering Posted May 4, 2024 Author Share Posted May 4, 2024 8 hours ago, Dr.Webber said: Personally I have body dysphoria like I don’t know I often find that that I’m restricted and imprisoned in my body and that the face in the mirror isn’t mine I also am a very logical person I also got a lot of trauma that causes ptsd and dependency on the situation I get a mental block preventing me from decide my emotions or remembering all the evidence for why I’m right when ever I get a chance to say my piece in a heated argument and my hated and disgust for most of humanity makes me want to to give them fates so much worst(better for me infiltrating wise) also although I’d prefer bio techno symbioses then full metal I do believe it’s the key to our future Also I have Asperger but that but figure I’d mention it since you said something about being atypical I'm sorry about that. I really hope you get whatever support you need. You're awesome, remember that. It's interesting to me how so many people of different backgrounds relate to WX. I'm on the spectrum as well (DST is my special interest, if it wasn't already obvious given the 8,600-word essay, LOL), and I find it really interesting seeing others' perspectives on the character and why they like them. I've found a lot of neurodivergent people like them, although exactly why can differ a lot. I don't know, I just like how so many people can relate to the same charcter. As Uedo said, you're great, thank you for sharing your perspective. :> 6 hours ago, grm9 said: wasn't that wilson? iirc there was a skeleton in his house back when he got pulled in, wagstaff probably just moved it As PunkShark said, the house is probably Wagstaff's (potentially WX's, it's hard to say). Unless one of them killed someone, the most logical explanation to me is that it's WX's old body. It's not canon though, just a theory. Actually, I find it really interesting how so many people came to the same conclusion about the skeleton. I remember coming to that conclusion on my own, and then when I discussed it with others, I found most others thought the same thing. I don't mean that to say that I invented the theory or whatever, I just find it interesting how a lot of people got the same idea separately. 5 hours ago, PunkShark said: The house was owned by Wagstaff, hence why the radio, and his goggles are there. Wilson won the house in an auction Wilson found the skeleton under the floorboards but he would only move it later and use it as anatomy decoration for his newfound science lab. But when he sees it the first time he just leaves it there. Wagstaff would disappear in 1919 and most likely be presumed dead after the incident of the factory crushing and burning down (This was his arrival to the Constant for real this time around but he clearly had ways out). His belongings, house and whatnot was then put in an auction and Wilson was lucky enough to get a house with his "skill" attached it. While it is difficult to make out what his paper says, you can actually somewhat understand what is written. "Auction something something for the scienti- talented" I actually wasn't aware he won it in an auction! I kind of assumed he just, like, moved in for some reason. That's interesting, TYSM for sharing. 1 hour ago, Uedo said: I really liked your essay @WinterWondering. I'm pretty doubtful there is as much thought put into the lore as you have created, but to be honest - things like this help with overall world-shaping for the devs, who knows perhaps Klei see stuff like this and make it cannon, I think the essay makes sense for the motivations of the characters and is generally consistent with the confirmed elements of their psyche. That's really nice of you to share; being different is good - we need people from all backgrounds and walks of life. Just to say though, whilst i'm sure you have good reason for feeling how you feel about people generally - don't let it put you off, people can be lousy at times but I promise there are people you've met/not met who will find you awesome for being you, you're the only you and the pretty valuable dude! Thank you! I'm definitely overthinking it, especially with certain characters, I'm not going to deny that, XD. I do think looking at all the characters analytically can be fun, and for some of them, there's a lot to analyze. For others, of course, there's less, but that was fun for me to write, too. A lot of this was for fun (I know that writing an essay isn't most people's idea of fun, but I enjoyed it), so a lot of this is just me overcomplicating it. That being said, I've appreciated everyone else's analyses, they've helped me with looking at these characters. I'll be honest, I had some trouble writing certain sections. WX's was hard because I had so much to say, and I feel like I missed a lot with them, even though I wrote so much. I might return to them later, who knows. I don't think my analysis is perfect by any means, and it's definitely changing the more I learn. Thank you so much! Link to comment https://forums.kleientertainment.com/forums/topic/155887-dont-starve-together-story-analysis-essay-part-two/#findComment-1712545 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Webber Posted May 4, 2024 Share Posted May 4, 2024 16 hours ago, WinterWondering said: I'm sorry about that. I really hope you get whatever support you need. You're awesome, remember that. It's interesting to me how so many people of different backgrounds relate to WX. I'm on the spectrum as well (DST is my special interest, if it wasn't already obvious given the 8,600-word essay, LOL), and I find it really interesting seeing others' perspectives on the character and why they like them. I've found a lot of neurodivergent people like them, although exactly why can differ a lot. I don't know, I just like how so many people can relate to the same charcter. As Uedo said, you're great, thank you for sharing your perspective. :> Thanks for your concern I’m working on it 18 hours ago, Uedo said: I really liked your essay @WinterWondering. I'm pretty doubtful there is as much thought put into the lore as you have created, but to be honest - things like this help with overall world-shaping for the devs, who knows perhaps Klei see stuff like this and make it cannon, I think the essay makes sense for the motivations of the characters and is generally consistent with the confirmed elements of their psyche. That's really nice of you to share; being different is good - we need people from all backgrounds and walks of life. Just to say though, whilst i'm sure you have good reason for feeling how you feel about people generally - don't let it put you off, people can be lousy at times but I promise there are people you've met/not met who will find you awesome for being you, you're the only you and the pretty valuable dude! Honestly on second thought I might of exaggerated a bit I do have quite a lot of scorn for humanity but there’s only 3 people I hate that much (2 if 1 didn’t keep reminding me of a traumatic experience with one of the others) Link to comment https://forums.kleientertainment.com/forums/topic/155887-dont-starve-together-story-analysis-essay-part-two/#findComment-1712565 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Webber Posted May 4, 2024 Share Posted May 4, 2024 So what do you think the story is heading too Link to comment https://forums.kleientertainment.com/forums/topic/155887-dont-starve-together-story-analysis-essay-part-two/#findComment-1712624 Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinterWondering Posted May 5, 2024 Author Share Posted May 5, 2024 13 hours ago, Dr.Webber said: So what do you think the story is heading too I think we're definitely going to be getting more Wagstaff lore, and hopefully at least a little more on some other characters. I expect Maxwell's deal with Charlie to go somewhere, although whether that's good or bad will depend on what she's asking him to do and whether or not he plans on betraying her, which I don't think he does. I'm hoping for more on characters like Winona, WX, Woodie, and Wigfrid. I feel like a lot of them have really interesting concepts that I hope are explored more. I do think it's likely that From Beyond will introduce a new final boss, or at least some huge change/effect/event. Other than that, it's hard to say. I don't really know. Link to comment https://forums.kleientertainment.com/forums/topic/155887-dont-starve-together-story-analysis-essay-part-two/#findComment-1712682 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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