So, the Entire World is Fake

The Curator · July 23, 2017

Attempted to find a previous topic on this but not much luck, however;

It is generally seen that the waves surrounding the world look the way that they do because it is a part of the theme of the game, which is akin to an old fashioned stage play. But something important to note is that real water does exist in the game, ponds and the oasis, and it looks like real water. Real water can also be found in Shipwrecked, although that game is potentially not even canon.

Anyways yeah, all the water surrounding the world is literally fake. It's literally just cut-out wave shapes undulating up and down to simulate water, it's not just a theme element because real water exists in the game and it looks like real water it's not displayed like a stage prop. Which makes sense since, if the world was surrounded by water the survivors could try to sail away. But they can't, which is why they don't, because there's no water it's just a drop into oblivion. The waves are also completely silent normally, they only do anything if something falls into them; the effects of which potentially being just an stage effect for "realism".

The caves are also elevated masses over an endless fall, which means that likely the entire world itself is just suspended over some kind of void. Something to also note is that everything into the world also generally looks fake. Although it is a classic graphical trick, everything in the world always faces the player. Which can be interpreted like, it's literally all flat props. And the only things that aren't such are the living creatures who actually have three dimensional depth, which is shown by how when the player changes their camera they see a different side of that thing. Because it's a real three dimensional being unlike literally everything else.

Something very interesting as well is that the survivors always hold their tools with one side facing the screen, also insinuating it is flat, but when the survivor wears something it acquires dynamic visuals just like them. Which can be interpreted to be like, they're folding a flat object into a three dimensional shape so that it fits their three dimensional body. Which is why the tools do not do this because they can hold and use it as it is it doesn't need to be folded.

It's probably how they're able to craft so easily, because everything in the world isn't real it's a prop which somehow still retains semi-realistic qualities while still being a two dimensional prop. It's also interesting how the Science Machine includes a turning projector-tape wheel, that goes well with the idea that it's a kind of printer or at least, compresses and expels flat objects.

From the standpoint of a stage play, the effects of the seasons and day cycles could all be created using lights of varying temperatures. Theoretically it may also be why the Rain-o-Meter exists and why none of the survivors just look up to check the weather, because there are no real weather patterns so they can't naturally predict when weather changes, they need devices for it. The same could also be said to justify the programming aspect of the game that nothing actually happens unless the player is around, because it's not a real living world it's a play that they are at the centre of. So it's only active when they are around to witness it, and everything stops when they are away. The same goes for the music, which is directly influenced by the changing seasons as if it's all a thematic effect; which also relates to a stage play. it would also be why the player can dig up the ground, even when it's ground that normally would be impossible to dig up in a unified blanket like swamp or barren rock, because it's a textured tarp laid over the solid floor of the world instead of real ground.

So yeah the entire world is literally fake and is just a magical stage play if everything is to be interpreted literally, which usually is how things in this game work. It might even all just be a dream considering that the survivors are technically deathless which is hard to explain if it was all real. It is more likely to even be Maxwell or Charlie's dream specifically since it is all based off a stage play, which was the environment they were both familiar with. It goes even more with the significance of nightmares to the plot, and how numerous creatures in the world are based off of existing human ideas and thoughts often merged together. Like Bearger, Deerclops and Catcoons.

Something else to note, the world generation scene displays two hands conjuring the world into its form. And the significance of the hands in relation to the lore is extremely pronounced.

The Leader of Them :

The theme of using limbs as an extension of Their will is consistent. Maxwell and Charlie are pulled into the Codex by limbs, limbs attack survivor campfires, and limbs also pulled Wilson into the world. While some of Them do come out into the open, they are clearly aberrations that exist in nightmares. The presence of actual hands, which are normally a human feature, and the fact that in both their cinematic appearances they are paired; suggests that they likely have a consistent owner. Thematically, it would make more sense that this being is unique, and likely the strongest of Them if they have an actually stable humanoid form. This is amplified by the fact that in every canon appearance of the hands, they are performing exceptionally important tasks to Their will. Abducting survivors, or trying to kill them.

However it should be noted there is a distinct difference between shadow Charlie's arm, and the thin limbs that have been around since Maxwell and Charlie were abducted.

There is also a second theme of a tall figure. This figure appears sometimes at campfires, appeared in Maxwell's flat, hallucinations caused by the Fuelweaver; and can be seen between the film reels of Maxwell's Final Act. The figure is also the closest of Them to being humanoid. By its more structured towering stature, having a prominent head and the outline of hair.

Finally, these two themes are also consistently seen together. Both the limbs and the tall figure can be found at campfires, the limbs and tall figure are seen in Maxwell's flat, and the tall figure also can be seen between frames right before Maxwell and Charlie are pulled into the Codex. The figure is a single identifiable character.

Thus, in all, it can be presumed that the tall figure watching over campfires is either an abductor among Them; or more likely due to its significant form is Their leader. The fact they are humanoid alongside the obscure nature of the world, the theme of nightmares and dreams could be inferred to mean that they, as a humanoid, were the original being who started everything. Seeing as they are the only being among Them with the appearance of a realistic being, meaning that if they are not just a nightmare, they are potentially the oldest living member of the plot.

Which descends into the possibilities that they were a one of the Ancients who caused the disaster which spawned the nightmares, or the entire world itself may be generated from their own mind and they themself are some manner of magically ascended human. Again linking back to the possibility of a disaster causing the nightmares to emerge.

The Leader of Them Elaborated :

Nightmares are subjective. Just as the survivors can manipulate nightmare fuel on an amateurish level to craft equipment and enchanted jewelry, the Fuelweaver is the expert.

This references the idea that the nightmare fuel itself is an ambiguous substance subjective to its user. This actually supports another previous anecdote explaining the shadow Watcher may be Their leader. If nightmare fuel is ambiguous, as it clearly has shown to be, then that means it needs a source to mold it. Take note of how the shadows are all very misshapen and rounded in their form, like nightmare fuel itself, they are very visibly just minions shaped from the fuel itself.

But which shadow is not, the shadow Watcher. The shadow Watcher has actual hair, and a stature, which is not something any of the other shadows even remotely have. The night hands, which are presumed to be associated with the Watcher as well, are also the only other shadows that have a solid looking form. Rigid and shapely.

Furthermore, Maxwell also specifically says They only watch. The shadows actively try to kill the survivors, which means the shadows are not even Them. The only thing the shadow Watcher is seen to do is observe, like Maxwell says.

They may not even be a group, but a single being which Maxwell refers to because They have no known gender.

The Watcher has been referenced for a long time, which honestly makes their significance irrefutable. Appearing in Maxwell's flat, abducting him and Charlie. Even now, the developers have the Watcher appear when the Fuelweaver takes over the survivors mind.

There are more then one however, which perhaps may mean there are multiple Watchers. Or they are illusions of the original.

Actually it makes even more sense. Mind control is an established connection. If the Watcher is the source of nightmares, seeing them as a hallucination while being connected to the nightmares is a sensible occurrence with psychology based magic.

Differences of Them and the Shadows :

The foundation of this theory is that Maxwell explicitly states that They only watch. Which means whoever They are, they do nothing but observe. Maxwell has upheld this statement without recourse, despite knowing that shadows do attack the survivors. Which means, when he said They only watch; he knew exactly who he was referring to and they indeed only watch. If the shadows were a part of Them, Maxwell would have obviously changed his statement seeing as only some of the shadows observe and so a differentiation would need to be made.

Mr. Skits is just another generic misshapen shadow creature, clearly forged from nightmare fuel. Him only observing could potentially be because he is too weak to attack, or is fearful. Just because Mr. Skirts observes, it does not mean he is automatically a part of Them; it could just be coincidence.

The Watcher is exempt from this because the Watcher is the only shadow who does not look like they were made of nightmare fuel. The only one, which raises the question of how they exist if they are not borne of the fuel. And they happen to be the only one that looks like the silhouette of a real organism. Furthermore, the Watcher has been referenced multiple times now at critical points of the plot and is still being referenced now with the Fuelweaver.

A final point towards Them being a single being, the Fuelweaver specifically shouts Curse Their Name in his dialogue. Name is singular, and so They are either a singular being or a group sharing one name. The former being a far more common occurrence of this. The Fuelweaver also says the name Metheus, the ancient Greek word for thought, in the same vein of dialogue.

Sinister_Fang · July 23, 2017

1 hour ago, The Curator said:

This is amplified by the fact that in every canon appearance of the hands, they are performing exceptionally important tasks to Their will.

I didn't know that stealing a campfire's light was an "exceptionally important task".

But all joking aside, there's quite a lot to think about here. It's a pretty interesting theory...

Donke60 · July 23, 2017

I thought it was common theory that the game was set on the stage ever since the final act debuted but you did take the theory one step further by hinting at the shadow watcher instead of it being Charlie now or something so I have to applaud you on that and by filling in some of the blanks by the shadows

The Curator · July 23, 2017

2 minutes ago, Donke60 said:

I thought it was common theory that the game was set on the stage ever since the final act debuted but you did take the theory one step further by hinting at the shadow watcher instead of it being Charlie now or something so I have to applaud you on that and by filling in some of the blanks by the shadows

There are two other entries further explaining it.