Thx
That's why I don't like the "canon" word. I don't know how to describe or express it better. Languare barrier doesn't help here as well. The "true" path? The "right" path? How you could consider and describe the Megan or Melissa paths in AL? Or how you may call going for Rena or MCs ex Ana or... Leah? That's what I tried to figure out and made a post for, finding all that details, proofs such as DPC extreme levels of attention to details for some MGs and nothing similar for another MGs. What's the purpose? What he want to tell us or point at? Your "skeleton around which the game is built" is a good take too. I like it. Body is collapsing w/o the skeleton.
Well. In AL we had a flashback with MCs ex Ana at the beginning of the game. Could you call it "canon"? In BADIK we see Zoey in EP3 flashback and a huge flashback with her life far away from MC in Interlude. Could it be canon? She returnes at the moment when MC is already in relationship or he stayed alone - depending you your choice. Could it be "canon" to reject all girls MC met during 8 episodes, including the narrator lines about Josy, etc.
I have the same vibes for solo Josy & Maya paths. Player have to wait so much, he have to be (probably) on Others road and I bet, DPC will deliver this paths with a lot of drama and a make player feel guilty of going for it. Since I created post for MGs, their single paths could be considered as SG material. This is why I haven't said a lot of this sub-branch. But in short, remember MC narrator lines and his dialogue with Derek, when he said that he is not a person who ruins the relationships. And he promized Derek that he won't hurt Maya. I'm lazy to copy exact lines from script now.
That's why I accented on narrator lines, dialogues with MC dad and so on. It's a DPC method of giving player a clues and hints.
Since we had a compare with AL, let's keep it going. Zoey is the light and mostly kind version of Ana from AL. She haven't cheated on him. Yes, she left him and then ghosted for a long 9 (?) months. She was in a good terms with MCs dad as well. They knew each other quite well. She is very important part of the plot and story, but I doubt that her path could be considered as a canon one. An alternate one and for the sake of alternate ending - yes, the reconcillation & reunite thing of best friends which never realised the boyfriend/girlfriend thing between them before it came to late. Second chance as is.