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[AlphaDragoon]

that's YOUR interpretation though. I argue the storm resolving itself ALSO rights the universe and restores balance. We all agree that the storm is caused by Max saving Chloe, nobody is debating that. the devs even say what happens next is up to one's imagination, there's no right or wrong.

I'm not saying your idea is wrong as we don't know for certain either way. But here is what is written:

As always, there is no right or wrong with your choice - but consider the following point:

CHLOE WAS ALWAYS DOOMED

Chloe should have died at the start of episode 1. This was the natural order of things; her fate, if you will. Preventing her death – and disrupting the assumed deterministic nature of the universe – is ultimately the reason for the storm that will destroy Arcadia Bay. Across the course of the game’s five episodes, the universe has tried to rectify itself by killing Chloe and restoring things to the way they should be. Max – for better or worse - has been there to thwart its efforts every time, however.

This tells us several things:

A: Chloe was supposed to die.
B: The universe has tried to right itself by killing her.
C: Ultimately the storm is caused by this.

It doesn't state, the universe caused the storm to try and kill her. It states, the universe tried to rectify itself by killing her. The storm is like a side-effect of everything remaining fucked up by Chloe living.

Therefore, if the storm happens and you still don't kill Chloe, A and B are still active. Only C ends because the storm happened. Thus why I said it makes sense that the world will still be out to get her.

 

[Smiley90]

This tells us several things:

A: Chloe was supposed to die.
B: The universe has tried to right itself by killing her.
C: Ultimately the storm is caused by this.

It doesn't state, the universe caused the storm to try and kill her. It states, the universe tried to rectify itself by killing her. The storm is like a side-effect of everything remaining fucked up by Chloe living.

Therefore, if the storm happens and you still don't kill Chloe, A and B are still active. Only C ends because the storm happened.

I agree with A and B, but not exactly with C. She has the vision of the storm before saving Chloe - I see the storm therefore more of a warning of what will happen if she saves Chloe - kind of like a vision of the price she'll have to pay, more than a side-effect. Save one person and pay the price (the storm). Just how I see it.

 

[FluxWaveZ]

If the universe really DID continue to haunt Chloe, then that ending wouldn't be a valid ending at all, unless you're into Final Destination movies. Since then basically... they'll always be on the run or Chloe AND the town dies. That's just a lose-lose lol.

I don't see how an unfortunate situation somehow removes it of its validity. It's not a lose-lose because, in the end, you have what you sought to get: Chloe's life. In exchange, because Max could not let go, she will continue to be challenged. And she will continue to not let go. For Chloe, she will continue sacrificing things that mean less to her. That's essentially what happened with Arcadia Bay, anyways.

 

[AlphaDragoon]

I don't see how an unfortunate situation somehow removes it of its validity. It's not a lose-lose because, in the end, you have what you sought to get: Chloe's life. In exchange, because Max could not let go, she will continue to be challenged. And she will continue to not let go. For Chloe, she will continue sacrificing things that mean less to her. That's essentially what happened with Arcadia Bay, anyways.

This is how I see it. If you chose that ending it ultimately makes it stronger because they would struggle against fate for the rest of their lives, meaning that Max was pretty goddamn determined to keep her alive no matter what.

 

[Smiley90]

I don't see how an unfortunate situation somehow removes it of its validity. It's not a lose-lose because, in the end, you have what you sought to get: Chloe's life. In exchange, because Max could not let go, she will continue to be challenged. And she will continue to not let go. For Chloe, she will continue sacrificing things that mean less to her. That's essentially what happened with Arcadia Bay, anyways.

I see it as a balance - on one side of the scale, you get Chloe and throwing the universe off-balance. To re-balance, the storm needs to happen. I totally see why people think they'll be forever haunted - but if that was the case, that shouldn't even be an option for the ending because it's awful, as it contains both Chloe's death AND the town's death. So I find it really hard to believe that's what was intended - but it's not clear either way.

Also, I realized the soundtrack has no Sigur Ros in it at all. what an oversight!

 

[Steamlord]

Sounds sarcastic, but I actually agree. There's 2 endings in the game, both of which have their pluses and minuses and we're all just limited by our own imagination and what the game has given us. And I think it's for the better it doesn't concretely answer all possible ambiguities.

If the universe really DID continue to haunt Chloe, then that ending wouldn't be a valid ending at all, unless you're into Final Destination movies. Since then basically... they'll always be on the run or Chloe AND the town dies. That's just a lose-lose lol.

Heh, not being sarcastic. Just kind of poking fun at people insisting the Save Chloe ending has to be interpreted this way or that way, when it seems to me it's left open ended for a reason (though as I've said before I wish they fleshed it out a bit more before they left town). The entire argument just strikes me as moot.

 

[13randO]

First 5 minutes of LiS Season 2

 

[Smiley90]

Heh, not being sarcastic. Just kind of poking fun at people insisting the Save Chloe ending has to be interpreted this way or that way, when it seems to me it's left open ended for a reason (though as I've said before I wish they fleshed it out a bit more before they left town). The entire argument just strikes me as moot.

Agreed. The only disappointment with the game I have is that one ending obviously had much more work put in than the other. And that it makes 0 sense they'd not even check up on Chloe's mom and/or Warren... They could've done that while still leaving it mysterious what happened to the rest of the town or what will happen to the universe-time-balance.

 

[InfiniDragon]

They didn't state that though - And I'm not arguing FOR anything, I'm arguing that it's up for interpretation and arguing AGAINST "only one way is the actual way". No, I don't know anymore than you do - But neither do you. The game ends however you, as the player, have made the experiences with it and interpret it to end/go on.

To be clear, the ending's not what I have an argument about; it's the cause of the storm and whether it would continue with Chloe's survival, which is only one facet of the ending. And as I had earlier stated, I'll agree to disagree with interpreting a detail if the creator of the work offers their thoughts, whether I like what they have to say about it or not (Metroid: Other M for example of not liking what the creator has done or stated but accepting it, lol).

I agree with A and B, but not exactly with C. She has the vision of the storm before saving Chloe - I see the storm therefore more of a warning of what will happen if she saves Chloe - kind of like a vision of the price she'll have to pay, more than a side-effect. Save one person and pay the price (the storm). Just how I see it.

I've personally thought after completing the game that the initial scene of the storm was a result of Max already having time traveled previously (aka this was another "do over" where something happened and she tried to rectify it). I'm not 100% on this because she usually retains memory of it, but that scene where she told Chloe to "remind her because she wouldn't know" made me wonder.

I don't see how an unfortunate situation somehow removes it of its validity. It's not a lose-lose because, in the end, you have what you sought to get: Chloe's life. In exchange, because Max could not let go, she will continue to be challenged. And she will continue to not let go. For Chloe, she will continue sacrificing things that mean less to her. That's essentially what happened with Arcadia Bay, anyways.

Agreed.

 

[GGNKovalski]

What I really want to know is IF the storm is there to right the universe (as in Chloe is supposed to die) then why did Max get that vision before going into the bathroom? And how did Max even get the power to begin with? Is she infinitely stuck in a time-loop and we are just playing that part? Her gaining the powers and stopping Chloe from dying already happen before the game started?

 

[That Dude John]

Tbh, I had thought that the storm was the cumulative repercussions of Max's Timey-Wimey Shenanigans over the course of the week. And with Chloe's death being the origin point of Max's powers, it seemed to me that it'd be the point in time to return to naturally as opposed to being the sole reason for the chaos. Same result either way, I suppose.

Spoiler

Did you see the blue hair, tho? Shit's too clean to be rid of.

 

[Smiley90]

What I really want to know is IF the storm is there to right the universe (as in Chloe is supposed to die) then why did Max get that vision before going into the bathroom? And how did Max even get the power to begin with? Is she infinitely stuck in a time-loop and we are just playing that part? Her gaining the powers and stopping Chloe from dying already happen before the game started?

My personal interpretation: She got the vision TO go to the bathroom. She'd never have gone to the bathroom without it. So... it's an offer by the universe to save her. At the cost of the town. Which is... ultimately the final decision of the game, so that ties in too. Only she doesn't realize it at that moment, of course.

How Max go the powers we'll never know and it kind of doesn't matter - probably something to do with totems and spirits and maybe Rachel, who knows.

 

[Opto]

It'd be great if Max cheating on that question in class was the real reason for the storm

 

[InfiniDragon]

It'd be great if Max cheating on that question in class was the real reason for the storm

We all know it was because she didn't enter a photo. Caused it all.

 

[Steamlord]

To be clear, the ending's not what I have an argument about; it's the cause of the storm and whether it would continue with Chloe's survival, which is only one facet of the ending. And as I had earlier stated, I'll agree to disagree with interpreting a detail if the creator of the work offers their thoughts, whether I like what they have to say about it or not (Metroid: Other M for example of not liking what the creator has done or stated but accepting it, lol).

I suppose that's where we differ. I for one couldn't possibly take Sakamoto seriously after that steaming pile, not that the game itself has any redeeming value even without Sakamoto's comments. Your approach to analysis is still valid though, so keep on keepin' on.

Tbh, I had thought that the storm was the cumulative repercussions of Max's Timey-Wimey Shenanigans over the course of the week. And with Chloe's death being the origin point of Max's powers, it seemed to me that it'd be the point in time to return to naturally as opposed to being the sole reason for the chaos. Same result either way, I suppose.

Spoiler

Did you see the blue hair, tho? Shit's too clean to be rid of.

That's exactly how I see it.

 

[Smiley90]

We all know it was because she didn't enter a photo. Caused it all.

but the storm still happens when she enters the photo.

LAWYERED

(we all know the easiest answer would've been to do everything exactly like that, only tell Chloe and Joyce and Warren to get out of town that weekend.)

 

[AlphaDragoon]

(we all know the easiest answer would've been to do everything exactly like that, only tell Chloe and Joyce and Warren to get out of town that weekend.)

You forgot Kate you monster.

 

[Smiley90]

You forgot Kate you monster.

Kate was already out of town though because she was in the hospital!

Actually, because we gave her a hug she might've not been. you're right. Include Kate!

 

[Steamlord]

You forgot Kate you monster.

The consensus seems to be that the hospital is far enough away that it wouldn't be significantly affected by the tornado...but there's no conclusive evidence that that's true.

But even so, there's still a whole town full of people there, whether we know or like them or not.

 

[ArtHands]

If the Max in the interims knew everything, why would Max have to remind Chloe to take her to the lighthouse in the party-timetravel part? That makes it pretty clear interim-Max knows nothing. She even specifically says that...

I have said it in my post in the previous page. The moment Chloe died, Max's conscious got split into two (both of which still remember and knows about everything, jefferson, time travel). One of it goes through the interim period with the physical body, the other stays in the limbo states.

When the interim period ends, chloe "wakes up". This is when the limbo Chloe conscious takes over the body while the interim period Chloe's conscious got removed. And since limbo Chloe takes over the body, that will also means she wont remember the interim period stuffs that happened.


If the conscious of Max (the one who doesn't know everything) returns to possess the body right after Chloe died, she will have used the rewind power to save Chloe (since she doesn't know the consequences of using it), therefore creating a loop in this new timeline and reacting the entire game from episode 1 again.

But it didnt happen. Max was crying and not saving Chloe. Because if she did, the tornado will come and kill everyone again in this timeline. She is trying to break the loop here by not using the power at all which brings the tornado in this timeline.

 

[AlphaDragoon]

The consensus seems to be that the hospital is far enough away that it wouldn't be significantly affected by the tornado...but there's no conclusive evidence that that's true.

But even so, there's still a whole town full of people there, whether we know or like them or not.

Yeah. I know that you don't know everyone in a town full of people, but just knowing that in the alternative I brought down death upon them through no fault of their own is ultimately why I had to peace out Chloe. I couldn't be that guy, even in a video game where there are no real consequences.

 

[jb1234]

but the storm still happens when she enters the photo.

LAWYERED

(we all know the easiest answer would've been to do everything exactly like that, only tell Chloe and Joyce and Warren to get out of town that weekend.)

WHAT ABOUT ALYSSA? Everyone forgets about the poor secondary cast. :'(

 

[Smiley90]

I have said it in my post in the previous page. The moment Chloe died, Max's conscious got split into two (both of which still remember and knows about everything, jefferson, time travel). One of it goes through the interim period with the physical body, the other stays in the limbo states.

When the interim period ends, chloe "wakes up". This is when the limbo Chloe conscious takes over the body while the interim period Chloe's conscious got removed. And since limbo Chloe takes over the body, that will also means she wont rememver the interim period stuffs that happened.


If the conscious of Max (the one who doesn't know everything) returns to possess the body right after Chloe died, she will have used the rewind power to save Chloe (since she doesn't know the consequences of using it), therefore creating a loop in this new timeline and reacting the entire game from episode 1 again.

But it didnt happen. Max was crying and not saving Chloe. Because if she did, the tornado will come and kill everyone again in this timeline. She is trying to break the loop here by not using the power at all which brings the tornado in this timeline.

So you think she gets to stay in the past? And because she doesn't change anything, she doesn't get "pulled out" of that rewind, as opposed to all the other rewinds? K that actually kind of makes sense, thanks

 

[InfiniDragon]

I suppose that's where we differ. I for one couldn't possibly take Sakamoto seriously after that steaming pile, not that the game itself has any redeeming value even without Sakamoto's comments. Your approach to analysis is still valid though, so keep on keepin' on.

The way I always see a person's work is it's theirs, for better or for worse. I believe it's highly arrogant of me to assume that my thoughts overwrite someone's when they created something; it's their creation. If I have a concern with their work I'll just stop supporting or enjoying it (as I did with Other M) and say it's a shame they ruined their work for me, then move on.

As an artist and a writer myself, I've always felt that even though I want to share my visions of things with the world, it's my goddamn vision and people can take it or leave it. And that in and of itself may also be arrogance but it's how I truly feel.

 

[That Dude John]

WHAT ABOUT ALYSSA? Everyone forgets about the poor secondary cast. :'(

Not gonna lie: When Evan gets hit with the giant sign in the storm...I chuckled just a little bit. I saved him of course, but I think that makes me a bad person.

 

[MMarston]

Confession time: I was in a hurry and totally forgot to save Alyssa this time around

 

[ArtHands]

What I really want to know is IF the storm is there to right the universe (as in Chloe is supposed to die) then why did Max get that vision before going into the bathroom? And how did Max even get the power to begin with? Is she infinitely stuck in a time-loop and we are just playing that part? Her gaining the powers and stopping Chloe from dying already happen before the game started?

Perhaps the vision is a warning? The power origin isn't explicitedly explaint. But she's not stucked in a timeloop. The endings has shown that.

Chloe dying will have happened no matter what. Max is just delaying the inevitable with the power, and the more she use, the more terrible things happened (in this case the tornado and other possible murders). So to really stop terrible things from happening in the first place is to not use the power right from the start therefore letting Chloe die from Nathan (as shown in the "sacrifice Chloe" ending).

 

[AlphaStriker]

When you save Alyssa, there's a short cut-scene where she saves Max from a falling billboard. Then she has the audacity to say as she runs off, "now we're even."

Oh no bitch we are far from even. Do you know how many times I had to save your ass from flying objects and rain puddles? We are far from even!!

 

[aly]

First 5 minutes of LiS Season 2

Mad Max spoilers

Spoiler

Everything the sacrifice AB ending should've been. Thx internet.

 

[Steamlord]

The way I always see a person's work is it's theirs, for better or for worse. I believe it's highly arrogant of me to assume that my thoughts overwrite someone's when they created something; it's their creation. If I have a concern with their work I'll just stop supporting or enjoying it (as I did with Other M) and say it's a shame they ruined their work for me, then move on.

As an artist and a writer myself, I've always felt that even though I want to share my visions of things with the world, it's my goddamn vision and people can take it or leave it. And that in and of itself may also be arrogance but it's how I truly feel.

I think the bittersweet truth is that once you release something to the world, people are going to make it their own whether you want them to or not. You're free to insist on a certain way of looking at it, but the consumers are under no obligation to comply. I understand that can be frustrating for a creator, but that's the way it is. Anyway, the thoughts of others don't have to overwrite those of the creator, but I think having a variety of diverse (and well-reasoned, of course) interpretations is extremely valuable when it comes to studying a work.

Edit: Just to be clear, I'm not saying consumers should just straight-up change the content of the work, but everyone is going to find their own meaning in it, some logically sound, some not.

 

[Atraveller]

Every town Max and Chloe will go to will be destroyed by some weird event. Birds and whales will continue to die....and then Majin Buu will destroy the earth.....all because ya'll love Chloe's blue hair. Shame.

No regrets, I've came too far to stop now.

 

[Zolo]

No regrets, I've came too far to stop now.

The start of every villian story. ಠ_ಠ

 

[ArtHands]

So you think she gets to stay in the past? And because she doesn't change anything, she doesn't get "pulled out" of that rewind, as opposed to all the other rewinds? K that actually kind of makes sense, thanks

Well thats the exchange. She gets to use her knowledges to get Jefferson arrested and prevent the tornado, but the price to pay is not using her power to save her best friend.

At least she gets to experience and keeps the memory of all the times she get to spend with Chloe in the previous what-if/alternative timelines.

 

[FluxWaveZ]

The start of every villian story. ಠ_ಠ

And thus,

Enter Life Is Strange 2, where someone with the ability to read minds and "influence" people has to stop Time Lord Max from destroying his town all for the sake of Chloe.

Confession time: I was in a hurry and totally forgot to save Alyssa this time around

Same. Well, it's not so much that I forgot that I missed her completely, as well as other characters during that sequence.

 

[Galactic Fork]

To give Max and Chloe a week to reconnect that they never would have had otherwise, is how I look at it. Not to mention the connections Max is able to make (and presumably remake) with other people and her own massive personal growth.

Except Chloe didn't connect. It never happened for her, she died before all that. At most it made Max feel like less of a shitty friend before letting her die, but it's all one sided.

Well thats the exchange. She gets to use her knowledges to get Jefferson arrested and prevent the tornado, but the price to pay is not using her power to save her best friend.

At least she gets to experience and keeps the memory of all the times she get to spend with Chloe in the previous what-if/alternative timelines.

I don't think so, it went all picture replacey like all the other times Max went back to her real time. They caught Jefferson because Nathan told them. That was the sequence of images. This shows what happened to Kate, people wouldn't be bullying her because they all know the truth.

 

[KingBroly]

I liked that this time Alyssa just backs herself into a hole and dies because she's scared of Max. Dumbass.

Since Chloe isn't dead in one reality, and the universe is trying to correct itself by killing her, doesn't that mean the universe is going to keep trying to kill her?

 

[AlphaDragoon]

Except Chloe didn't connect. It never happened for her, she died before all that. At most it made Max feel like less of a shitty friend before letting her die, but it's all one sided.

Chloe says herself that all those moments exist and matter whether she remembers them or not. "They're real, and they're ours." So again, it's not like they got nothing out of it. And I don't agree that even if it were a case of Max getting something from it alone it becomes invalid, either.

 

[GGNKovalski]

Since Chloe isn't dead in one reality, and the universe is trying to correct itself by killing her, doesn't that mean the universe is going to keep trying to kill her?

It's really up to your own interpretation of it. Some think so yes. Others don't. There is nothing here (or not enough here) that points us to a 100% definitive answer. I think everything has balanced itself out with you sacrificing the town. But others would disagree strongly.

 

[Galactic Fork]

Chloe says herself that all those moments exist and matter whether she remembers them or not. "They're real, and they're ours." So again, it's not like they got nothing out of it. And I don't agree that even if it were a case of Max getting something from it alone it becomes invalid, either.

And that's all BS to comfort max who goes off to erase that Chloe.

 

[PK Gaming]

I don't see how an unfortunate situation somehow removes it of its validity. It's not a lose-lose because, in the end, you have what you sought to get: Chloe's life. In exchange, because Max could not let go, she will continue to be challenged. And she will continue to not let go. For Chloe, she will continue sacrificing things that mean less to her. That's essentially what happened with Arcadia Bay, anyways.

Well put.

 

[Atraveller]

The start of every villian story. ಠ_ಠ

The notion off her becoming a piece of memory that might fade away someday, and I could never go back in time to see her again saddens me.

I've altered the fabric of reality for her, no way I would give her up then.

 

[AlphaDragoon]

And that's all BS to comfort max who goes off to erase that Chloe.

Sorry you feel that way, but that doesn't seem to be how the characters felt about it.

 

[SystemBug]

I really think some of you people are looking to deep into the aftermath of both endings.

 

[MMarston]

Life is Cage

 

[Atraveller]

I really think some of you people are looking to deep into the aftermath of both endings.

I view the anomalies as the side effect of Max influencing reality too much. Chloe dying multiple times has more to do with psychopaths with guns IMO.

 

[GGNKovalski]

Life is Cage

Get out.....


That is kinda funny.....

 

[Galactic Fork]

Sorry you feel that way, but that doesn't seem to be how the characters felt about it.

Then why go back? If those moments are real, then everybody dying is just as real. You're not actually saving anybody. Then the universe where max let her die already exists... This is why I dislike it. If what you're saying is true, you're not actually changing anything, just deciding which universe the player controlled Max occupies.

 

[FluxWaveZ]

I really think some of you people are looking to deep into the aftermath of both endings.

I think time travel stories warrant that. Unless we're to just go by blissful ignorance, analyzing the rules the story established itself and how that persists after those endings is an important point of discussion.

I view the anomalies as the side effect of Max influencing reality too much. Chloe dying multiple times has more to do with psychopaths with guns IMO.

Eh...

1. Shot by Nathan
2. Shot by Jefferson
3. Probably gets eaten alive by a dog
4. Shoots herself
5. In a real bad spot after a car accident in an alternate timeline; fated to die soon
6. Train wants to run her over
7. Max induced storm kills her while Max chills in San Francisco

 

[ArtHands]

Except Chloe didn't connect. It never happened for her, she died before all that. At most it made Max feel like less of a shitty friend before letting her die, but it's all one sided.


I don't think so, it went all picture replacey like all the other times Max went back to her real time. They caught Jefferson because Nathan told them. That was the sequence of images. This shows what happened to Kate, people wouldn't be bullying her because they all know the truth.

It can go either way here. Perhaps people won't be bullying her too because she didn't got drugged by Nathan, and have her embarassing stuffs got leaked etc in this timeline too. But ultimately it really doesn't matter. The gist is that everything go smooth and fine if and when Max doesn't use the power.

 

[GGNKovalski]

[*]Train wants to run her over[/LIST]

Idk why but this made me think of something funny. A few weeks, months maybe even years go by after you save Chloe. Max and Chloe have moved in together and are enjoying their morning Breakfast when suddenly there is a knock at the door. Chloe answers and standing (don't ask how) in the front of her is the Train from Ep. 3. "Choo Choo Motherfucker!"