Been replaying through trying to spot everything I missed or had forgotten about, I'm up to the middle of the Prison Arc right now.
Here's a few key thoughts in case anyone is interested or wants to take a second glance at memory lane:
1. Misc:
-I miss Channel Weird, we need that shit back and to be able to sleep with the host.
2. History:
-Relearning the history of the Great War was really nice, I remember that segment being very interesting. The fact that there was no world wars prior is also fascinating. If I'm not mistaken there are also only 2 continents? Laguanna? and something with a G, I still have a terrible memory despite just replaying this but oh well, I remember more than before.
3. Michael:
-He will never betray us, I think somewhere down the line he may want to fight us man to man in an epic serious showdown, but it's not going to be this "strive for more power" 180 personality like everyone seems to believe. He was fiercely loyal in the beginning and still is up to now, I know there's a bit more light about him later on with his siblings and Dad but I'll get back there when I get there, my opinion still stands.
4. Alice:
-She's a national treasure. I feel like a lot of us who aren't with the CHURCH OF SUPREMACY take what she does both on an emotional level and beneficial level for granted. Indirectly helps us against Kenny (buying time), has a friendly parent (rare), gets us a car, essentially was the first to offer paying work, helps us against Klaus (he was already after us via the diner and warehouse), BATHES us of our wounds, emotionally supportive in prison with the addition of offering resources, and there's only more for me to relive. I think regardless if I'm full Hero or Corrupt, I'm always keeping her in my corner no questions asked.
5. Tiffany:
-She is kind of a cunt. She really doesn't have any redeemable qualities and essentially tries to play off blackmailing us like it's just another Tuesday.
6. "Plothole"?
-Not sure if this counts as a "plot hole" or more so just a darker look into a specific character. So during the Kenny Massacre, it's mentioned that Christine broke out a window? But Emily was still inside...I find it odd that Christine didn't take one of her best friends with her to escape but maybe I'm misremembering. Regardless if that was the case or not, what I find most bewildering is Ella in this regard. I think it's mentioned later (end of this current update) that she went through great lengths to get the Nyx power for Christine AND Emily. But during this party, it almost seems like she cared very little about either of them. Especially when you consider she warned Christine beforehand about their Middle School Massacre ahead of time, why not warn Christine or Emily THIS time? The way I saw it was that she DID get Christine out, but didn't care enough for Emily at the time? I dunno, it also begs the question why she suddenly cares about us, yet in the beginning of our relationship she seems very keen on enslaving/killing us multiple times. Whether that be delivering us to the 4th in chains, or murdering us upon knowing we had deep memory powers.
-My guess for the MC empathy? I honestly think Ella has given up on whatever plan she has in store, or at the very least isn't AS heavily motivated in HER involvement as she was at the beginning of the game. I think this stems from her not being chosen after receiving her 5th Evolution, and noting that WE were her only hope now or whatever (not replayed up to there yet). She kind of gets sentimental during the last training option and has a "heart to heart" somber look to her, along with mentioning that she would be routing for OUR victory against her whenever it may arise. And then there's the lastest update in which if we get taken over by the Origin she looks ridiculously sad, not because we failed but more because we weren't us anymore. In addition she also seems to have history with us (Emily Christine letter) AND OUR PARENTS? I remember I believe it's during dinner at her Orphanage that she mentions we are like our Mom or Dad or something along those lines I'll have to look back at it but it stuck me as...uneasy...to say the least.
7. Ella:
-Regarding everything mentioned above and more, I really studied Ella this time around and I just CAN'T bring myself to hate her. Maybe I'm just crazy but I genuinely enjoy having her around and while she can be an annoying cunt that much I can acknowledge; I still find more joy having interactions with her than I do other characters. Probably Stockholm syndrome or something but I can count FAR more characters I hate more than her. I won't name names in fear of upsetting some people on here, plus it'll make my argument look even stupider because I'm a petty prick, but all in all, I think I see her more as an oddball friend than an enemy. And YES, even if she was a guy I think I'd still feel the same way. I can't really explain it she's just a perplexing character I can't wrap my head around, but in my heart I know I don't hate her or even dislike that much is for sure, she can be a conniving bitch though.
8. Jake:
-Jake is an awful person no 2 ways about it. I'm going to stop simping for Ella for a sec and acknowledge the fact that she is a manipulative cunt and DEFINITELY had most of a hand in his mindless downfall, but he still had the power to stand up for himself mentally or just use his brain and he never did. The SECOND he gets powers and Ella hints on him just being less of a pussy, he immediately goes to dark thought territory where he's manipulating Amber and Liz, Jess, etc. He pretty much gets a nasty opinion of us right off the bat just because Ella said so, aggressive outbursts in the Mia debate for identity revealing, he's just not a good guy plain and simple. He's the type to reveal his true nature once he gets a taste of power and people like that kind of sicken me, especially considering we were nice to him 24/7, the genius did the bare MINIMUM to think for himself. I've been in abusive relations personally and I didn't turn into a cunt to those close to me just because I suddenly got confident, instead I started standing up for myself and for those close to me AGAINST the abusers (i.e Ella), it's not an excuse (mindset wise). I will never like him regardless if I am doing a Hero Route, and I can't wait to re-kill him.
9. Dad and Jeff:
-So I think it's time to revaluate my opinion of whether or not they are "in the know". As of the Prison Arc they are still gone for a month or so, and with that along with the future evidence I know; I'm gonna drop what I believe to know about them.
-Jeff we've probably got the most info on out of the two. With that in mind I don't think he knew about monsters before hand, I think he probably investigated a few of the murder cases and wanted to indulge more on the matter via learning about Klaus's Montorento Prize goal or whatever it was called (the fairy). In this month gap it is all but confirmed that he indeed at least ended up with Dad and seeing a monster, but before that month I think he was just trying to piece the puzzles together, puzzle being if monsters existed that is. I don't think he saw us in the Kalus car crash fight, and I don't think he knew about Superhumans, though he probably did know about Klaus's strength and probably chalked it up to Markus's enhancement serum or something.
-Dad is a fucking MYSTERY man, I never truly realized how fucking SUS he was until I replayed and while I still believe he doesn't know about monsters until the same time with Jeff; he IS hiding SOMETHING. The MC claims he works for the government, but that's just what he told him, probably as a form of alibi. We know Dexter knows him, but people seem to forget Dexter fucking knows EVERYBODY and why wouldn't he? I'm assuming he knows Dad from him shifting around and sticking his nose in Dexter's business, NOT because of monsters or government work or whatever the fuck you people have convinced yourselves with him knowing. The government was fuckin clueless of monsters and what not, and H.E.R.O was even MORE closed off about the info than them, you think dear old Dad knew about it? No. I really do think he's just like Jeff being that they're both curious, smart, and trying to weasel their way into the powers that be. It IS worth mentioning he placed us at the same Hospital we got our scars looked at under his name, so it's reason to believe he has SOME money under his belt, if he knew we were superhuman, he wouldn't have bothered giving up the cash in the first place; hospitals are fucking expensive, and that was a top of the line one. Overall I think he's just a curious comical side character that found out IN THE MONTH GAP and NOT knew since ethe beginning of the game, that goes for both of them, though there is probably something involving our Mom that he knows some more details on I'm sure.
10. Visions of the Future?:
-It's either during the Miniak Embrace or a dream sequence, but if I'm not mistaken there is literally a lien where the MC in his own words goes over the Numbered Lords. He says something along the lines of "7-12 have already..." Can't remember the beginning of it. And if I'm not crazy, Valravn says that EXACT same line later on when we encounter him...which means we saw some form of the future? We see Memories of monsters we've never even encountered like Oscar's or Danica's, but they all said gibberish, it's odd that we get an EXACT LINE from THE FUTURE of a monster who hasn't even said it yet, unless I'm misremembering making this entire point completely irrelevant.
11. Mom:
-This'll be my last and shorter points, our Mother's death. Something I somehow NEVER noticed before; was that when we went upstairs to check in our parents' room, the fuzzy sound added with the black lined red image was that of a MONSTER FOR SURE. I believe the last line during that sequence was "M-Mom..?" Or something like that, so I saw it more as we RECOGNIZED whatever that was AS Mom rather than some random monster than snuck into the house. It would explain the scars but NOT the memory loss unless it was from the trauma. It is noteworthy that we do remember her though, we didn't completely forget about her, but what's odd is that we have no flashback OF her, no moments of reflection, nothing, just her death instance.
-So I can't BELIEVE I'm saying this as an Ella simp but if it's true my opinion on her will drop to 0 REAL FUCKIN QUICK. I think I've seen this theory floating around so forgive me if I'm stealing it; but WHAT IF Ella not only tried turning out Mom, but also WIPED our Memory of the events. It's not far fetched if we take into consideration what I mentioned earlier; about how I believe there's a line at Orphan Dinner where Ella mentions us reminding her of our Dad or Mom or something I WISH I could remember the exact line. But that strikes me not only as suspicious, but also gives me a signal of familiarity? almost as if Ella was trying to find someone compatible with the 3rd and 4th gene, IF this gene is hereditary (not 100% sure) it would make sense that she tried with Mom, perhaps her mentality failed and Monsterfied her, she returned to whatever semblance of home she could remember (i.e Kenny recognizing people and Bailey remembering things), and we stumbled upon her coming through the window into bed and she scratched us, Ella realizes the failure and as she has before on occasion stopped the monster and then used her Memory powers on us as perhaps she didn't know Mom had a next of kin with the gene or fear of making another orphan like she was. This would explain why we were top of the list, the familiarity of watching us and knowing us prior to our meeting at the beginning of the game, the parents comment, the fondness, etc. The only downside to this theory is the timeline, it doesn't add up at all, it also doesn't explain her willingness to kill us or use us like a Fleshlight to the 4th on all those beginning cases. Correct me on any of it if I'm wrong or missed something, I can't remember everything.
Anyways that's all worth mentioning for my replay up to where I am, I'll probably make another post if it's worth mentioning once I replay the rest, which will probably consist of Monsters, Other Character Opinions, Revaluating Characters, etc.
Edit Corrections:
-So Ella mentions our parents when she tells us how she evolved, replay that whole scene and you'll find the same "odd" line I found if you pick the "No" option.
-Christine jumps out of the window upon hearing the commotion but still doesn't explain why she left without Emily. Phone smashed sure, maybe her fight or flight kicked in, oh well. But that STILL doesn't explain why oh so caring Ella didn't warn Christine OR Emily, when she's shown the exact opposite on multiple occasions later on.
