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thealexchen · 3 months

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thoughts on LIS: Double Exposure?

This is probably gonna be my hottest take in awhile, but: I deeply dislike the idea of an official LiS1 direct sequel game existing. Excluding all my thoughts on the gameplay, story, Max's character, etc. I don't think a game like Double Exposure is necessary.

This isn't a new take either; back in 2020 I made a Reddit post saying I was glad we never got a continuation of Max and Chloe's story, because in order to have a plot, you have to have conflict. And to have conflict means your characters are forced to change or struggle in some way, and I simply wasn't interested in seeing that again. I never even read the comics. As long as Max and Chloe's future existed only in the fanbase's collective imagination and not in an officially licensed game, Pricefield could be as happy as I wanted and I wouldn't have to witness DN or D9's version of canon.

A lot of fans, including myself, are also confused and upset as to where Chloe could be in Double Exposure. Even if Chloe winds up having a surprise role, it would likely be too logistically difficult to write Chloe into one version of the story and not the other. Either way, DE is strongly pointing to Chloe no longer being the deuteragonist. If D9 was going to make a direct sequel with Max and Chloe, I could at least be intrigued by how they might write their dynamic and how they'd use Max's power in new and interesting ways. But instead there's... none of that. Chloe's nowhere to be seen and Max can't time travel anymore.

On a narrative level, Max and Chloe are the heart of the original Life is Strange. They represent the game's central relationship, and their very first interaction (Max saving Chloe's life) kicks off the entire story. Throughout the story, their dynamic advances the plot and mutually motivates their character arcs. You can't have LiS1 without either Max or Chloe; the story simply wouldn't exist without them. Now in DE, they don't even seem to be in each other's lives anymore. It's true, this series is meant to reflect universal feelings and experiences, which could include breakups, but the romantic catharsis of Pricefield as canon soulmates who defied time and space itself to stay together forever is something you can only get from the beauty of fiction. To jab DE's story with a dose of reality and go, "Eh, they grew apart. Shit happens," totally undermines everything the Bae ending stood for.

On a technical level, Max's rewind was an objectively brilliant game mechanic. LiS1 arrived onto the scene after Telltale had paved the way for the resurgence of choice-based, episodic games, but LiS1 totally reinvented the wheel by giving the player the option to go back and weigh each option before continuing, essentially save-scumming in-game. But the right choice was never that easy to determine, and Rewind brilliantly complemented Max's character arc of overcoming her indecision and learning to live with her choices. Not to mention, you could also use Rewind to solve puzzles, instead of the endless fetch quests the later games had. No other LiS game since then has given the player that kind of agency and interactivity. LiS2 had telekinesis, but the player couldn't use it, only Daniel. D9 tried with Backtalk and Empathy, but Max's Rewind was truly the narrative and gameplay jackpot that they haven't been able to recreate since.

So if you take away one half of the central relationship that made the first game so memorable, and the supernatural power/game mechanic that made it so fun to play... why even bring Max back at all? It just feels like D9 threw away their golden opportunity to build upon the major selling points of the first game and are only relying on name recognition of the Life is Strange "brand" and Max Caulfield.

What upsets me most of all about a direct sequel existing is that it proves that Life is Strange, as a series, now stands more for profits than originality. Life is Strange will always be an IP meant to make money for Square, I know that, but back when LiS1 was just a brand new episodic game, it stood out for how different it dared to be. In a landscape saturated with shooters, sexualized female characters, and casual misogyny, LiS1 instead featured a teenage girl in a contemporary setting that took her seriously and made her the hero of her story. Before it was a franchise, LiS wasn't concerned with the bottom dollar; it was a piece of art that just wanted to tell a thoughtful, unique story.

Whether you love it or hate it, Life is Strange 2 was an insanely risky follow-up to Life is Strange that refused to rely on the convenience of a direct sequel because Dontnod stuck to their artistic vision. Meanwhile, all of Deck Nine's games have leaned on the first game's following to generate interest (BtS being a direct prequel, TC bringing back Steph, and Wavelengths expanding on Steph's connection to Chloe, Rachel, and Arcadia Bay). In other words, all of the subsequent LiS games by D9 have played it very, very safe. It's worked like a damn charm because there are still elements I love about each game, but the basic principle is nostalgia-baiting fans. It's just that now, Double Exposure isn't hiding that nostalgia bait at all anymore and prioritizing profits over telling a unique story. It's sad to see that LiS has strayed so far from its risky, daring, original, and unique artistic beginnings.

Before I end, I'll say that I can't be too cynical about it all, nor do I want to be. Because I can't deny how much joy this whole series has brought me, too. LiS was what got me into narrative adventure games and pushed the boundaries of what a video game could be. If nothing else, I am truly thrilled that Hannah Telle got the chance to play Max again. D9's always been great at maintaining relationships with their actors, and the casts of their games always have consistently great chemistry. Getting recognized by Erika Mori on my own blog is still unbelievable and speaks to the amazing community that LiS has built. As you can see, I'm still posting and reblogging stuff about Double Exposure. And while I don't see myself buying or playing this game for myself, I know it'll keep all of us talking for awhile, and I still live for a good discussion.

Thank you for asking! And thank you for reading.

#lis2 #lis #lisde #life is strange #life is strange double exposure #life is strange: double exposure #life is strange 2 #life is strange before the storm #chloe price #max caulfield #rachel amber #pricefield #my post #answered asks #daraactualtrash #rad mutuals #lis: de

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abbyandersonism · 3 months

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max caulfield headcanons 18- can interact

post storm / bae ending hcs

midwest emo listener. refuses to admit it to anyone.

while she can drive, it's rare for her to do so. not for fear of what may happen, but fear of her lack of ability on the road.

she has had the same pair of shoes since 7th grade, they're sewn, duct taped, and glued. she says they're apart of her, and when the "universe" wants them gone, they'll be gone.

she doesn't really spend money, well unless it's on camera equipment. she's tried every hobby in the book, from origami to surfing, and yet she always comes back to photography. her walls are plastered in polaroids of chloe and photos of scenery. it's nearly impossible to see her without her camera

she's has nothing against weed, when others smoke it. after the stress of arcadia bay, chloe said maybe it could help her, and hell, it's the pnw, everything's legal. but that was a bad idea, not even 20 minutes later she started crying, something about how it mixes with her mind, causes it all to pour out, so now when she's stressed she prefers to take a walk.

chloe cut her hair after they left, her bangs were in her face. It hasn't changed since then, every 2 weeks, they clear sit in the kitchen and make sure her hair looks good.

she's a shit romantic. she wishes she could be better, but surprisingly, that's chloe's job, date planning, romantic dinners. but one thing max had down to a t is knowing exactly when flowers are needed, something in the air shifts when chloe's day is bad.

a freak for physical touch. kisses, hugs, anything. one of the few things that can truly calm her down is just being in chloe's arms. FREAK!

her style hasn't matured since 2013. she's tried, new styles of jeans, different shirts. the only thing that has changed is her pants got a little baggier.

knows too many people, max is the typa person to see atleast one person she knows everytime she leaves the house

silly sock wearer

not big on the idea of kids, but in love with the idea of plants. every windowsill has atleast one plant, for a while, it was the only thing that helped her get outta bed.

black coffee enjoyer, she's a little embarrassed by it, makes her feel old, but something about it reminds her of home

max got what she wanted, she's a photographer, her main source of income is freelancing weddings and senior pictures. but no one outside of seattle knows she does that, her social feeds are filled with scenic photos, and they get famous.

she has a dream of a tire swing one day, weird dream, they don't want kids, she wants it for herself.

a diner regular, they know her order, and always ask how chloe is.

she gets bruises while sleeping, at this point she's given up and figuring out how

after the storm, it messed up her perception of everything. hearing even one raindrop can send her spiraling, therapy is doing all it can.

a/n : i wanna write nsfw headcanons cause i think shes hot so. if enough people want that lmk.

#lis #life is strange #max caulfield #rachel amber #chloe price #warren graham #nathan prescott

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celestialastronmy · 8 days

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Social Network Analysis: Nathan Prescott in Life is Strange

Nathan Prescott is a complex and troubled character. His relationships and interactions with other characters play a crucial role in shaping both his own arc and the overall narrative of the game. This analysis aims to provide a detailed examination of Nathan's connections, analyzing the nature and quality of each relationship, and exploring how these relationships influence his actions and decisions.

Throughout the game, Nathan's behavior is deeply influenced by his mental health issues, family pressures, and the manipulative influence of Mark Jefferson. His interactions range from hostile confrontations to moments of vulnerability, painting a picture of a young man struggling with his identity and place in the world.

Mapping Nathan's Connections

To begin our analysis, let's map out Nathan's key relationships in Life is Strange:

1. Sean Prescott (Father)

2. Mark Jefferson (Teacher/Manipulator)

3. Victoria Chase (Close Friend)

4. Chloe Price (Antagonist/Victim)

5. Max Caulfield (Protagonist/Antagonist)

6. Rachel Amber (Victim)

7. Frank Bowers (Drug Dealer)

8. Kate Marsh (Victim)

9. David Madsen (Authority Figure)

10. Principal Wells (Authority Figure)

Now, let's delve into each of these relationships in detail, analyzing their nature, quality, and impact on Nathan's actions and decisions.

Detailed Analysis of Nathan's Relationships

1. Sean Prescott (Father)

Nature of Relationship: Familial, Authoritarian

Quality: Strained, Pressure-filled

Nathan's relationship with his father, Sean Prescott, is perhaps the most influential and problematic connection in his life. Sean is a powerful and wealthy businessman who exerts immense pressure on Nathan to uphold the Prescott family legacy. This relationship is characterized by:

- High expectations and constant pressure to succeed

- Emotional distance and lack of genuine support

- Financial control used as a means of manipulation

- Possible emotional and psychological abuse

The impact of this relationship on Nathan is profound:

- It contributes significantly to Nathan's mental health issues, including anxiety and possible personality disorders

- Fuels Nathan's desire for power and control, often manifested in bullying behavior

- Creates a deep-seated fear of failure and disappointment

- Drives Nathan to seek approval and validation from other authority figures

Nathan's actions throughout the game, including his involvement with Jefferson and his aggressive behavior towards others, can be seen as attempts to gain control and assert his identity in response to his father's overwhelming influence.

2. Mark Jefferson (Teacher/Manipulator)

Nature of Relationship: Mentor/Manipulator, Accomplice

Quality: Toxic, Exploitative

Mark Jefferson, Nathan's photography teacher, presents himself as a mentor figure but is, in reality, a dangerous predator who manipulates Nathan for his own nefarious purposes. This relationship is characterized by:

- False sense of mentorship and guidance

- Exploitation of Nathan's vulnerability and desire for approval

- Complicity in criminal activities (drugging and photographing young women)

- Manipulation of Nathan's mental instability

The impact of this relationship on Nathan is severe:

- Deepens Nathan's involvement in criminal activities

- Exacerbates his mental health issues

- Provides a false sense of purpose and importance

- Ultimately leads to Nathan's downfall and arrest(or death)

Jefferson's influence on Nathan is a dark mirror of his relationship with his father - both men use Nathan for their own purposes, disregarding his well-being and exploiting his vulnerabilities.

3. Victoria Chase (Close Friend)

Nature of Relationship: Friendship, Peer Alliance

Quality: Supportive but Potentially Toxic

Victoria Chase is perhaps Nathan's closest friend at Blackwell Academy. Their relationship is complex, marked by mutual support but also by shared negative behaviors. Key aspects include:

- Shared social status and participation in the Vortex Club

- Mutual support and protection within the school's social hierarchy

- Enabling of each other's bullying behaviors

The impact of this relationship on Nathan:

- Provides a sense of belonging and acceptance

- Reinforces his elitist and bullying tendencies

- Offers emotional support, albeit in a potentially unhealthy manner

- Serves as a connection to "normal" teenage life

While Victoria is one of the few people who seems to genuinely care for Nathan, their relationship also reinforces some of his more problematic behaviors.

4. Chloe Price (Antagonist/Victim)

Nature of Relationship: Antagonistic, Victim/Perpetrator

Quality: Hostile, Violent

Nathan's relationship with Chloe Price is fraught with tension and violence. Key aspects include:

- History of drug dealing (Nathan as supplier)

- Attempted assault (Nathan drugging Chloe)

- Violent confrontations

- Murder (Nathan killing Chloe in one timeline)

The impact of this relationship on Nathan:

- Escalates his violent tendencies

- Increases his paranoia and instability

- Leads to one of his most extreme actions (murder)

- Serves as a catalyst for the game's main events

Nathan's interactions with Chloe represent some of his most violent and uncontrolled moments, highlighting the extent of his mental instability and the dangerous influence of Jefferson.

5. Max Caulfield (Protagonist/Antagonist)

Nature of Relationship: Antagonistic, Investigative

Quality: Hostile, Potentially Redemptive

Max, as the game's protagonist, has a complex relationship with Nathan. Initially antagonistic, their interactions can potentially lead to a moment of vulnerability for Nathan. Key aspects include:

- Initial hostility and threats from Nathan

- Max's investigation into Nathan's activities

- Potential moment of confession and vulnerability (depending on player choices)

The impact of this relationship on Nathan:

- Increases his paranoia and defensive behaviors

- Potentially provides a moment of catharsis and confession

- Indirectly leads to the unraveling of his criminal activities

Max's role in Nathan's story is crucial, as she has the potential to either further antagonize him or provide a moment of potential redemption.

6. Rachel Amber (Victim)

Nature of Relationship: Victim/Perpetrator

Quality: Tragic, Pivotal

While Rachel Amber is missing for the majority of the game, her connection to Nathan is central to the plot. Key aspects include:

- Nathan's involvement in Rachel's disappearance and death

- His guilt and mental anguish over the incident

- The catalyst for the game's central mystery

The impact of this relationship on Nathan:

- Deepens his mental health crisis

- Increases his dependence on Jefferson

- Fuels his paranoia and erratic behavior

- Serves as a source of deep-seated guilt and trauma

Rachel's death represents the darkest consequence of Nathan's actions and his manipulation by Jefferson.

7. Frank Bowers (Drug Dealer)

Nature of Relationship: Criminal Association

Quality: Transactional, Potentially Threatening

Frank Bowers, the local drug dealer, has a business relationship with Nathan. Key aspects include:

- Drug purchases and distribution

- Potential blackmail or threats (Frank knows about Nathan's activities)

- Shared connection to Rachel Amber

The impact of this relationship on Nathan:

- Facilitates his drug use and distribution

- Adds another layer of criminal activity to his life

- Represents a potential threat if Frank decides to reveal information

While not as central as some other relationships, Nathan's connection to Frank adds to the web of criminal activity surrounding him and represents another potential source of exposure.

8. Kate Marsh (Victim)

Nature of Relationship: Bully/Victim

Quality: Abusive, Guilt-inducing

Kate Marsh is one of the students victimized by Nathan and Jefferson's scheme. Key aspects include:

- Nathan's role in drugging Kate

- His participation in her bullying and public shaming

- Potential guilt over his actions

The impact of this relationship on Nathan:

- Demonstrates the extent of his involvement in Jefferson's crimes

- May contribute to his increasing mental instability and guilt

- Represents another potential exposure of his criminal activities

Nathan's treatment of Kate is one of the clearest examples of how his own victimization (by Jefferson) leads him to victimize others.

9. David Madsen (Authority Figure)

Nature of Relationship: Antagonistic, Investigative

Quality: Hostile, Threatening

David Madsen, Blackwell's head of security, represents a threat to Nathan's activities. Key aspects include:

- David's suspicion and investigation of Nathan

- Nathan's fear and hostility towards David

- Potential confrontations between the two

The impact of this relationship on Nathan:

- Increases his paranoia and defensive behaviors

- Represents a constant threat of exposure

- May contribute to his escalating erratic behavior

David's presence serves as a constant source of stress for Nathan, adding to his already fragile mental state.

10. Principal Wells (Authority Figure)

Nature of Relationship: Authority Figure, Potentially Complicit

Quality: Complex, Influenced by Prescott Power

Principal Wells has a complex relationship with Nathan, influenced heavily by the Prescott family's power over Blackwell Academy. Key aspects include:

- Wells' reluctance to discipline Nathan due to his family's influence

- Nathan's sense of immunity due to this protection

- Potential guilt or conflict on Wells' part

The impact of this relationship on Nathan:

- Reinforces his sense of being above the rules

- Potentially enables his continued negative behavior

- Reflects the broader theme of corruption and power in the game

This relationship demonstrates how Nathan's family influence extends beyond his personal life, affecting his entire environment and contributing to his sense of invulnerability.

Conclusion

Nathan Prescott's social network in Life is Strange is a complex web of toxic influences, manipulative relationships, and missed opportunities for genuine connection. His actions and decisions throughout the game are deeply influenced by these relationships, particularly:

1. The overwhelming pressure from his father, driving his need for control and validation.

2. The manipulative influence of Mark Jefferson, exploiting Nathan's vulnerabilities for criminal purposes.

3. The enabling friendship with Victoria Chase, which provides support but also reinforces negative behaviors.

4. The antagonistic relationships with characters like Chloe and Max, which escalate his paranoia and erratic behavior.

These relationships create a perfect storm of negative influences, exacerbating Nathan's mental health issues and driving him towards increasingly destructive behavior. The tragedy of Nathan's character lies in the fact that he is both a perpetrator of horrible acts and a victim of manipulation and abuse.

Understanding Nathan's social network provides crucial insight into his character, the events of the game, and the broader themes of power, influence, and the consequences of unchecked mental health issues. It also highlights the game's nuanced approach to morality, showing how complex and intertwined the relationships between victims and perpetrators can be.

Ultimately, Nathan's story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of toxic relationships, unchecked privilege, and the failure of support systems for troubled youth. His social network is a key element in understanding not just his character, but the entire narrative and thematic structure of Life is Strange.

#life is strange #nathan prescott #mark jefferson #chloe price #max caulfield #victoria chase #this took way too long #meta analysis

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saturnplaza · 4 months

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✩•̩̩͙˚𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍˚•̩̩͙✩

(updated)

Hiya :p My name is-- Saturn//Jayde They/Them I'm non-binary =] ALSO I'M QUITE GAY 🩷💛💙

I YAP ALOT, I LOVE TALKING AND I'M A SUPER HUGE NERD -- I love Ryan Ross, The entirety of My Chem, Resident Evil Two, SO SO SO MUCH MORE I CAN'T KEEP TRACK OF IT. IF YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT I'M INTO JUST STALK MY BLOG XD PLEASE SEND ASKS AND INTERACT WITH ME, I LOVE INTERACTING WITH PEOPLE WHO LIKE THE SAME THINGS AS ME AND WHO ARE COOL!! I LOVE INTERACTING AND MAKING FRIENDS IN THE FANDOMS I'M IN --- On that note...

I AM IN ALOT OF FANDOMS TOO MANY TO RECALL

SOME THOUGH, ARE:

(TOP FIVE ONLY CAUSE WE'LL BE HERE FOREVER)

BANDS: ✩ My Chemical Romance ✩ Panic! At The Disco ✩ Fall Out Boy ✩ Peirce The Veil ✩ Periphery

VIDEO GAMES ✩ Resident Evil (all) ✩ Silent Hill (2 & 3) ✩ Life is Strange (BTS & 1) ✩ Red Dead Redemtion (1 & 2) ✩ Detroit Become Human

MISC. (Mostly shows//Movies) ✩ Creepypasta ✩ I am Not Okay With This ✩ The Goldfinch ✩ Shameless ✩ Quackity (On the VERY rare ocasion)

I do alot of things -- I'm all over the internet.

LINKTREE!!!

-- I Write --- I Edit --- I Do Art --

WRITING

Writing is a big thing for me, it always has been-- I've always had the urge to be creative or get my thoughts out and well that's what I do.

I write alot of things I write:

FANFICTION -- (Yikes...)

FANDOMS I WRITE FOR:

(This list will be updated as I go)

--------------------------------------------

Resident Evil:

Leon Kennedy

Carlos Olivera

Ada Wong

Claire Redfield

Jill Valentine

Detroit Become Human:

Connor RK800

Gavin Reed

Life is Strange:

Chloe Price

Nathan Prescott

Max Caulfield

Bands (More to come)

Ryan Ross (P!ATD and The Young Veins)

Vic Fuentes (Peirce The Veil)

Kellin Quinn (Sleeping With Sirens)

Mikey Way (My Chemical Romance)

Frank Iero (My Chemical Romance)

Pete Wentz (Fall Out Boy)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

!!NOTES!!

I Mainly write X reader but I can dabble into pairings as long as they’re legal, not creepy, make sense, etc.

MASTERLIST AT THE BOTTOM

!!ALSO I AM A MINOR I DO NOT WRITE SMUT!! (I will write very close, it can get spicy but I stop it at a certain point)

ALL OF MY FANFICTION GETS PREMOTED ON THIS BLOG AND POSTED ON MY:

A03

https://archiveofourown.org/users/SATURNPLAZA/pseuds/SATURNPLAZA

I ALSO WRITE ON LIVEJOURNAL !!!

If you are more intrested in more intamite writing, or blogging this is where you'd want to be--

https://saturnplaza.livejournal.com/

SOCIAL MEDIAS

TikTok -- https://www.tiktok.com/@saturnplaza :

I EDIT WOOO WHOOO. I have always loved editing and I am pretty good at it (I may just be biased cause its myself) --- I edit alot of random things I'm into --- Fair warning my upload times do very --- But I am very active with moots and fandoms ---

Tumblr -- You don't need a link we're on my blog: AH YES, my infamous blog where I yap about the most random shit cause I am the queen of yapper town. I am very active and intarct alot with people.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

!!ALSO I'M LITTERALLY RED ROOT GERARD WAY!! ------------------------------------------------- MASTER LIST UNDER CUT

MCR:

ALL: TRAUMA BRINGS LOVE AMONG OTHER THING CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO

P!ATD:

RYAN ROSS: MY KIND OF SABOTAGE IT MAY BE WRONG BUT IT FEELS RIGHT

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arcadiabaytornado · 1 year

Photo

(Context: She’s talking about Frank if Max tries to shoot him.)

I love the mental image of Frank jumping at every noise because he’s worried that Max “Ready For The Mosh Shaka Brah” Caulfield is after him.

Though on a serious character note, it makes sense why this encounter shakes him so deeply.

Frank is a rough guy who's interacted with people like Damon, and even if you brush off "Before The Storm" as not canon, it's hard not to imagine that someone like Frank has had a few run in's with scary people.

That’s likely why he felt emboldened to threaten Chloe in the junkyard. He’s dealt with people much more terrifying and didn’t think twice about pulling a weapon on two young girls. Foolishly, he assumed he was the biggest fish.

It didn’t cross his mind that Max was going to whip out a gun, and even when she does he still thinks she’s bluffing. He makes the mistake of trying to take it and is shocked when Max actually pulls the trigger. Which could have killed him if the weapon had any bullets left.

His possible murderer wasn’t going to be an enraged customer or a drug dealer trying to take over the business in Arcadia Bay. It was going to be a young girl who looks like she couldn’t hurt a fly.

That’s what shakes him. Facing someone so incredibly dangerous and not realizing it until it was almost too late. You’d think almost getting shot would make him learn his lesson and he’d be more careful during the RV confrontation, but all he really learns is that Max is a threat. Not that ANYONE could be dangerous if he pushed the wrong buttons.

#Frank Bowers #Max Caulfield #Lis #Life Is Strange

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onebigerror · 5 months

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@prosperae liked this lyric starter call // still accepting

track 8 // florida

"little did you know, your home's really only a town you're just a guest in..."

#prosperae #↾ ֍ max caulfield ⋯ closed starter ֎ ↿#↾ ֍ max caulfield ⋯ interactions ֎ ↿#↾ max x rachel (003 / prosperae) ↿#↾ ֍ all queued up : queue ֎ ↿#( add to thread tracker )

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lifeissimssnapshots · 17 hours

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Going Ape

*shout out to @dalekofchaos for the prompt*

His mind was filled with fleeting thoughts that morning as he walked to the girl’s dormitory. The Newberg drive-in was having a Planet of the Apes showing this week and he had already bought two tickets. His only issue was inviting the person he bought the second ticket for: Max. He wanted to ask her in the parking lot on Monday when she brought him his flash drive, but then that asshole Nathan Prescott entered the scene and tried threatening Max, giving him a black eye in the process. It didn’t seem like the right time to ask her then, but now he wanted to catch her early before anymore crazy shit happened.

Warren had fallen for her almost immediately when she arrived at Blackwell just a few weeks ago. Sure, there were a lot of girls at school who were cool or smart enough, and there was Brooke too (who he suspected might have a crush on him). But they paled in comparison to Max Caulfield. She was not only beautiful and talented, she was also kind, funny and had great taste in music and movies. She had surprised him when she mentioned that she had enjoyed watching Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!, one of Warren’s favorite selections from his flash drive. She was the first person he thought of when the drive-in announced the showing of the Apes movie.

As she walked down the steps of the dorm entrance, he tried his best to play it cool, fidgeting with his phone. Her footsteps neared him and he looked up to meet her eyes.

“Warren! What’re you doing here?” She asked

“Oh, nothing-waiting. For a call? I mean, I already took the call..” Real smooth, idiot, he thought to himself. “Anyway, I wanted to rap about that action yesterday.”

“By the way, thank you for stepping in. You were pretty badass, Warren. I owe you”

“Oh yes, you do. I got knocked on my ass by that dick. I’m some personal superhero”

They continued to talk about Chloe and how she rescued Max from the chaos in the parking lot, leaving Warren to take the blow from Nathan. He was curious about the connection between Nathan and Max, but she was hesitant to disclose the reason for Prescott’s aggression, only that it wasn’t safe for Warren to get involved. The irony of the statement throbbed in Warren’s right eye.

“Weird fucking week. Like that bizarro snowfall yesterday. Speaking of dystopia, that drive-in is having a 70’s ‘Planet of the Apes’ marathon. Let’s ’Go Ape’!” He waited in anticipation for her response. Part of him was expectant of her turning the offer down given the situation in the parking lot and any other chaos that ensued from that interaction. The other part of him was hoping she would say yes, especially since he bought the tickets with her in mind.

“Yes, that’s exactly what I need. I love those old-school ape films” her answer eliciting his eyebrows to arch in excitement.

“Well, that was easier than I thought. Cool. I’ll text you the info” the words came out smoother than he had anticipated.

As she waved goodbye, he beamed with joy. He was excited at the prospect of being alone with her at the drive in. Would this be considered a date?

___________________________________________

The days before their outing went on as usual, classes beginning and ending, only now he had the excitement of going to the drive-in with Max. Right before science class on Thursday started, Max walked in and briefly talked to Ms. Grant about signing her surveillance petition. He admired the way she took the time to try and make a difference for others. She walked over to Warren’s lab table and he moved his things to make room for her.

“Hey Dr. Graham, did I miss anything?” He looked up in admiration at her beautiful freckled cheeks.

“Not a thing, just me and my bromies. Get it? We’re using Bromine today” his toothy grin shining up at her. They shared a laugh and started preparing materials for the lesson.

As Ms. Grant went on about electron configuration, Warren couldn’t help but give quick glances at his lab partner, taking note of how she bit her lip when she concentrated on the worksheet that was in front of her.

“So, for this problem, you just have to know the atomic mass and number of the element and subtract them” he moved his stool closer to her, nearly touching her hand while he wrote numbers on her paper. From the corner of his eye he could see the beginning of a blush spread across her face. He smiled in return and they continued listening to Ms. Grant, not wavering from their close proximity to each other. When class ended, he asked “Are we still on for tomorrow?”

“Of course, I’m still all in to go ape with you” her smile widening.

“Did you, erm, wanna have dinner before we get to the drive-in?” I should’ve waited to ask that, I’m so stu- , his thoughts interrupted

“Sure! But only if we can get some cheeseburgers. I’ve been wanting some since I saw someone order it at the Two Whales last week.”

“Your wish is my command, fair maiden. We should probably leave around 4 tomorrow if we wanna have enough time for dinner and to find a decent spot” audible excitement oozing from his words.

“I’ll be ready by then. It’s a date!” At the sound of her last sentence, Warren’s body froze, ignoring her wave as she left to her next class.

It’s a date. She said that it’s a date. I have to make sure everything is perfect for tomorrow. His thoughts scrambled as he gathered his belongings from the table, accidentally walking into the wrong class.

When he arrived to his room later that day, he noticed some new writing on his slate. He figured it was Nathan or Zachary writing something offensive and was pulling his sleeve down in preparation to erase it. To his surprise, it said “Are you made of Copper and Tellurium? Because you’re CuTe” written in the familiar handwriting that he looked at in Science class. A wide grin spread across his face as he pulled his phone out and entered his room.

Thanks for the writing on my slate, I’m never erasing it.

You can’t, it’s in permanent marker.

Kek :p Wanna meet in the parking lot tomorrow at 4?

Sounds good! ^_^ see you then xomaxo

___________________________________________

Friday morning came quick and since he didn’t have class until 11, Warren stayed in his dorm and finished all of his assignments for the day. He wanted as much time as possible to get ready for their date. He laid his outfit on his desk chair and looked for the directions to the cheeseburger joint near the drive-in.

4 o’clock rolled around and he pulled his phone out:

Hey Dr. Ape, I’m walking over to your new wheels in the parking lot. Be there in 5. xomaxo

My chariot awaits you, madam.

He leaned up against his blue coupe and watched as she approached across the lot. She was sporting a black t-shirt with a grey butterfly across the front paired with her usual denim.

“You look sharp, Warren G.!” She said, glancing at his 3D chicken t-shirt and jeans.

“Speak for yourself, Supermax! You look..great!” His voice slightly quaking. She always looked great in his eyes.

He opened her door and waited until she was inside before closing it. On their way, they talked about school, their families, and other movies and shows to add on Warren’s flash drive including the first season of Twin Peaks.

They pulled up to the restaurant and ordered before taking a seat at the booth.

“So..” he began

“So…are you excited for the showing?” she asked as she folded her hands on the table.

“Oh yeah! It’s a classic. The special effects makeup isn’t as impressive as it is in newer films, but it’s still way ahead of its time.”

“Let me guess, you’re a big Romero fan?”

“You have me pegged. He’s made some classics besides the Dawn of the Dead. We really should have a marathon in my room-“ he stopped himself. The implication of Max being in his room alone with him made him suddenly blush, on full display for her to witness.

They exchanged a long glance, neither stirring their fixed stare.

“I’m really glad you invited me to come with you Warren. I really needed to get out, but I also.. I want to spend more time with you.” Her words caused him to sit straight in his seat.

“You do?”

“Yeah, I really do. I owe you for saving me when Nathan tried attacking me. Sorry again for the eye.”

“As your personal bodyguard, it’s my job after all!” He said with his hands on his hips in superhero form.

They both laughed, and then he stared more intently before asking “But I do I have to ask you Max. Did you agree to come because you felt bad? Or because you wanted to spend time with me?” His heart was racing so fast in his chest, he could hear its beat in his eardrums. The question was risky. It’s what he wondered since she’d agreed to go with him earlier in the week.

“Warren, I-“ her words were interrupted by the waitress bringing their food. They paused their conversation to eat. When they were done, he stood to pay the bill. She interjected, trying to hand him money for her share.

“You said this was a date, so dinner’s on me” he said.

“I did say it was a date” recalling her own words. They walked to the car where they continued their previous conversation

“So as I was saying” she continued “I agreed to come tonight because I feel the same way you do”

He understood what she meant, but couldn’t believe it himself.

“You do?” He fought back a smile just in case she was mistaken.

“I..sort of, really like you Warren. That’s why I said yes, and why I wrote that note on your slate” now she was the one blushing.

“Wowzers Max, I guess I’m pretty dense. I didn’t know for sure how you felt, but I’m glad now we both know.”

As they started driving away, she placed her left hand into his right, locking fingers the rest of the way to the drive-in.

After gathering snacks from the concession stand, they moved their seats back and settled in for the movie. Warren tuned the car stereo to the radio station for the audio of the movie.

When the movie started, their hands found each other again. He could feel her eyes on him as she snuck glances in the dark. He met her gaze and smiled. Before he could process what to say, their faces inched closer and before long, the space between them was closed by their lips meeting. Their kiss was hesitant and gentle. They paused to look into each other’s eyes before their lips met again, this time achieving a deeper kiss.

The rest of the night consisted of periods of watching the film, gentle kisses, and caressing hands.

#grahamfield #life is strange #life is strange fanfiction #max caulfield #lis 1 #warren graham lis #warren graham #max caulfield life is strange #fanfiction #fanfic #date night #life #headcanon

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skye-huntress · 3 months

Text

I recently finished rereading the Life is Strange comics, and although we don’t know whether they’ll be considered canon in Double Exposure, there are a number of interesting points, especially related to Max’s powers, that may be super relevant if they remain true.

In regards to whether the events of the comics will be acknowledged, probably the most obvious tell will be whether Bae ending Max has a butterfly tattoo on her wrist. It’d be easy to hide something like that before we confirm our previous choices with Safi with the long-sleeved winter clothes Max wears. Whether or not these events happened to the Max we play as isn’t what I find most important. I’m more interested in whether certain details about how certain powers in this series work will still apply in this game.

First of all, there’s how different powers interact with each other. There is a strong implication that one of the conditions for Tristan to use his powers is to be in the general vicinity of another superpowered individual. It also seems that Max, Tristan, and Pixie’s powers all become stronger and easier to control when they were in each other’s presence, or with Chloe. Their powers also became stronger in the presence of the unnatural storm that was eerily similar to the one in the first game. In addition, I’m hardly the only person who suspects there were other supernatural forces at work in the first game, besides the restless spirit of Rachel Amber. It’s all part of the ongoing trend in this series that there’s more to these powers than we or the characters will ever be allowed to understand.

The second interesting point relates to how Max and Tristan could jump between different timelines. The conclusion Tristan came to about why he could do what he did was because there weren’t any other versions of himself to bump into. His theory for why they don’t exist is because he believed they all died without a Max Caulfield to save them or activate their powers. As for Max, when she last entered the transect where we could see windows to multiple other timelines, she told Tristan she couldn’t enter most of them because they were lives already being lived, i.e. by other versions of Max. She later tells him in order for her to enter another timeline there had to be space for her to enter. The unspoken implication is that the Max Caulfield in what I call the Amberprice timeline was no longer there, whether because of more supernatural nonsense or because she met an unfortunate end, we’ll likely never know.

So, those are the two main points I wanted to talk about, and you’re probably already seeing where I’m going with this. It’s already been stated that the sudden evolution of Max’s timeline shifting powers are an important part of the new story. Many of us, including myself, have already floated the theory that Max’s power is reacting to another supernatural power. But there was one question I had before about how Max’s shift power worked, and between what we learned about it in the livestream, and what I’ve read in the comics, I come to a conclusion. How Max uses this power only makes sense if she only exists in one timeline at a time.

There are two possibilities I could come up with. Either something happened with Max’s powers around the time of Safi’s murder that caused the timelines to split but left only one version of Max between them. The other possibility is that Max is dead in one timeline. How I think it would work is that the killer murdered Max first, and somehow her powers caused a past version of herself to start freaking out but not really knowing why. This deviation in the timeline saved that Max but led to the killer targeting Safi instead. Meaning we have one timeline where Safi died, and one timeline where Max died but her body was successfully hidden away so no one but the killer knows she’s supposed to be dead. I will say though, at this stage, that’s still a lot of assumptions to be made, but definitely something I’ll keep in mind as I play.

I am still confident that we’re dealing with one Max and two timelines, which leads to a number of other questions and implications. For example, if Max doesn’t make regularly appearances in one timeline or the other, will people start to notice her absence? That could be especially problematic if she is under suspicion for Safi’s murder. Max would have to constantly juggle her time between both realities and make sure she makes an appearance where she should, when she should. Good thing it’s winter break so Max’s work shouldn’t get in the way. That also leaves the possibility that once Max stops being able to shift, she’ll disappear from the other timeline for good.

I can probably keep going but I wanted to end this with my own prediction for how Double Exposure might end. If Max’s new power is somehow linked to the murderer having a power, then once they are confronted, Max may lose her ability to shift for good. However, that means if the killer exists in both timelines while Max only exists in one, then Max can only confront them in one timeline, while potentially having to let them get away with their crimes in the other timeline. To add to this dilemma, the killer may very well be making their next move in both timelines at the same time, and Max can only stop them in one. At the very least, choices like this are what the writers should be aiming for to make a worthy continuation of Max’s story. Choices where no matter what you choose, someone isn’t getting the happy ending they deserve.

#life is strange #max caulfield #chloe price #life is strange double exposure

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