#Dawko should have been William Afton

[discoursedeity]

Disappointed, bored & hurt, the worst trifecta:

I don't care what anyone else thought if the movie, if you liked it, good for you, I am happy you were able to enjoy it. I am not going to argue with you and tell you you're wrong for liking it and just being happy it actually got made because I don't want to ruin it for you. But I am going to say my piece regardless because I have been thinking about it all week and it is really bothering me and I want there to be helpful criticism out there for Scott Cawthon to pull from the fan base.

So I will start by saying that yes, I have been a fan since 2014 when Markiplier first uploaded his first video, and I have been watching countless YouTubers since then for it. Ranging from gamers who play the games, to theorists who disect them, and I cant even begin to count how many hours I have sunk into this franchise to watch all of those videos, so this isn't just someone coming in later and not getting it or something. Of course I caught things like Sparky the dog, and the Ella spring lock suit and thought "Oh my God, what a deep cut, how nice." But that in itself does not make a movie. Nor do the YouTuber appearances like MatPat being a waiter named Ness (as much as that moment was the highlight of the film) A movie needs to be written to make the audience CARE about it, it's world, it's characters. And this movie sadly just did not do that for any of the characters, be they human, ghost or animatronic.

Vanessa info dumping is a quick way to get the lore across, and yes fans already know the lore so I understand WHY things were done that way, but you should always SHOW not TELL. We fans would have loved to see it all unfold before our eyes, rather than just have some cop hang around for some reason to just spew lore out her mouth at us. We want to SEE the restaurant being established and built up, we want to see William spiral and finally decide to kill the kids, we want to see each conversation he had with each kid to get them to follow him, we want to see him kill them and put them in the suits, we want to see the kids ghosts adjusting to the suits and begin their rampage of killing guards.

That's Fnaf, that's what we are here for, the lore of the restaurant franchise, its history, its animatronics, that is all important for getting us invested, that and the mystery of it all since we like trying to solve things. So of course you don't have to show every single little thing lore wise, we do like to try to theorize and figure things out for ourselves when we are given enough pieces of the puzzle to do so, like if you are going to carry over that William also had 2 sons but you're planning to have them both be dead (one to Fredbear and one to Circus Baby) then you don't need to show us explicitly which one died first, but some things you really do need to layout for the audience to be able to feel invested in the movie. Again, like the characters, we have no reason to feel attached to Vanessa.

We don't know enough about her to care about whether or not she comes out of her coma. We have vague implications that William wasn't the best dad and that she has lasting trauma from that experience as his daughter, but we don't know what the trauma is or how severe her suffering was, so we can't truly empathize with her. Was she beaten by him? Or just yelled at or neglected? We don't know. And when building a character those sorts of things need to stated or at least hinted at more clearly to build intrigue and investment in the character. But they must be likeable as well, and non of the characters in the movie were relatable or likable enough. Mike was relatable, but his likability factor went out the window when he sold out his sister for a long dead brother that we also knew nothing about so we could care about him. The ghost kids weren't established enough as characters either, and while that may be because they have been there so long that they are not fully themselves anymore and you wanted to emphasize that it isn't really them just the negative emotions like anger and such that were left behind, it made it impossible for us to care about them beyond going "Oh dang, dead kids, poor things...Oh well, hey look at that animatronic." The only one who speaks is Golden Freddy's kid, and he was a brat.

On the topic of the animatronics, they were perhaps the biggest disappointment in the entire movie. It seemed like they were left as silent vessels for the kids both to try to make them scarier and fit the first game since they never talked in Fnaf 1, as well as to try to further emphasize the fact that this was about the ghost kids from the MCI situation. But it didn't work in either of those favors. The bots weren't scary, like the only time they had any level of intimidation factor was when Freddy stomped over to Mike when they were first introduced, and that was purely because of their size difference. The animatronics just came across as goofy. Like, how could they be threatening when they are so weak and slow that Bonnie and Freddy have to work together to lift one single little table? What makes them scary in the games is what they are capable of, how we see them move fast, how they are capable of intricate thought and planning, how they hide behind a friendly and calming facade but they are truly sinister and can outmatched any human in speed, strength and durability. But seeing the bots in the movie move so slow, barely be able to lift, go down so easily from one shot of a stun gun, it just takes any chance of them being perceived as an actual thing to fear away immediately. Not to mention the red and orange glowing eyes. It's like they are playing red light green light with their eyes and I could only laugh whenever I saw them. Where was was the iconic and chilling black with white pin pricks we all know and love? Those would have sent chills down any player's spine seeing them. The animtronics just looked so silly, and didn't have anything to backup their danger factor aside from killing some random break in thugs, 2 of which walked right into their own Demise so the bots didn't even have to work for it to show what they are capable of, (Freddy and Bonnie). And I get it, I know they were staged this way because the people in the suits probably can't see or move that well in them, and those physical limitations inhibit what can be done for the movie. But if that is the case, then why even bother making real suits and animatronics for this? If it is going to negatively impact the movie by posing such limitations, then don't waste the time or money on them, just use CGI. I would have preferred that even, since it would have allowed the animatronics to be as close as possible both look wise and feel wise to the game. As it is, Chica is the only one who perfectly matches how she looks in Fnaf 1. The boys all have slight color issues that keep them from being accurate adaptations. Really getting the creature shop to make them real was a mistake in every way except for the fact that it gives a chance for people to meet them irl at exhibits and stuff. But that isn't worth it if it requires shooting the movie in the foot. The animatronics should have been present more, they should have DONE more, they ARE Five Nights at Freddy's. We need them to be more involved, otherwise it feels less like a FNAF movie and more like the Fnaf bots making a cameo in some family drama movie.

Also, let's talk more about Mike and his whole dream thing. We got it the first time, we didn't need to see it over and over and over again. That was boring. Heck, the whole first 1/3 of the movie was just tedious and dull with all the setup and family drama, it felt like I was left waiting for the movie to actually start, like I was watching a required video before I could actually watch the movie. Yes, it was important to establish how down on his luck Mike was and why he needed a job and how this was his only option for work so he had to take it, even if it wasn't ideal. But the bots didn't even attack him until around night 3 or 4. So it was less about Mike coming back to the job despite the danger, and more about Mike just coming back despite it not working great with his schedule. And his backstop could have been established far faster and with less monotony. It took up so much of the run time that we could have spent better elsewhere, such as fleshing out William some more or on the animatronic side of things like I said earlier.

And God, William, oh William...He is just never going to be an actual threat again, is he? Like, odd enough to shift him from being British to just being American, but he was portrayed as so goofy as well in this movie. As Steve Raglan, I understand him being an upbeat and lighthearted guy, but when we are shown him in the suit, he should have had more buildup, there should have been more suspension and hype to make him FEEL like more of a threat. Him controlling the other animatronics should have also been shown, I don't care if it was him disguising himself as a friend via sound illusion disc's or some stereotypical remote control or what. But leaving it vague for anyone to see there to theorize about (or forcing them to read the books to understand) just takes any tension out of it by making it feel like a rushed cop out. His whole little speech about him creating disobedient monsters just felt sad and weird and out of place. And his delivery of his iconic line felt shoehorned in to be able to point at it and say "look, look, ah ha he said the thing" and was really just pathetically given, rather than it being more of a menacing and knowing promise. Plus, when we only know of 6 kills under his belt and all of them were children who couldn't fight back and we didn't even see how creepy and cunningly he lured those kids in to their deaths, we really have no frame of reference for what he is capable of and why we should fear him. Like, sure maybe he wasn't actually aiming to kill his own daughter, but if he shoved a big knife through her gut and she didn't even die and he actually WAS trying to kill her, then that's pretty sad. Makes him come across like a failure of a killer and more of a joke than anything. He couldn't even kill Mike for crying out loud, and Mike didn't have a gun like Vanessa did.

(Also, I suppose this is a nitpick, but why was he able to kick Mike in the suit without the spring locks going off? That was a hard jarring movement, and the foot meeting Mike was applying resistance, don't you normally have to be careful how you move and breathe in those things so as not to set them off? How can you harshly kick someone AND get tazed without it tripping the spring locks?)

I don't know, the whole thing just felt like it was relying on fans to just be satisfied with seeing Easter eggs, cameos, and feeling what superior or something for already knowing everything? I mean, the whole movie was so predictable, every single plot point of it, even Vanessa being his daughter wasn't a surprise to me or my friends that just went and saw it with. I've seen people say they went in with a Bingo sheet, and that is not a good thing at all. The run time was poorly allocated to the wrong points, and such important things like building the world of the Freddy's restaurant chains and its characters kind of got the screwed over. I watched this thing twice and hesitate to ever watch it again because my opinion of it already started out not so good with the first watch and fell to bad with the 2nd. I might actually cry if I try to watch it again. I don't like knowing I've waited years for this and hoped and prayed for the best, only to see red flags popping up when the trailers were released and then going in with low expectations telling nyself to ignore the warning bells in my head and actually seeing it, it's just so disappointing.

I love this franchise dearly, it's done so much good for so many good people. It gave so many people jobs as YouTubers who are a joy to see spread positivity and light in the world. Heck, the games also got some people to look at Chuck E Cheese in a new light and give it a visit. It's brought so many people together and inspired the next generation of game designers and story tellers. Nothing will ever shake me from its clutch, even back when Fnaf 3 came out and I felt disappointed I didn't give up on it, and that was back when it was still new enough that it didn't have a strangle hold on me yet. So of course I'm not going anywhere even if the Ruin DLC and movie were kind of a flops. I will still be here ready to go to the theater to give the 2nd movie a try when it comes out, I just hope that Scott and the crew learn from this and make better choices for the next one. Because I really want this series to be treated with the love and respect that it deserves.

Regardless of any complaints though, thanks to my fellow fans for being so devoted to the series as well and getting it past the Mario movie in terms of views for streaming, (the Mario movie was bad in its own way, mostly with Peach's...everything, and the voices of all the characters and stuff) so I'm glad to see it surpassed that shamless cash grab of a movie at something. And I am happy that the movie wasn't just abandoned after being in development purgatory for so long.

This again, was in no way meant to deter fans from enjoying it if they found something in it for them, keep enjoying it. If all you wanted was a cheesy movie that wasn't taken seriously and was intentionally bad, then all the power to you. But it truly is not for everyone. Hard core fans, casual fans, it doesn't matter, it truly comes down to what you were looking for in a movie. And I love Scott Cawthon and his dedication to the fans, but this really wasn't it and I know he can do better, so I darn sure will be voicing any complaints I have with the film to push him to push the movie crew to do better.

[littleclownopinions]

Why Henry's Completion Ending monologue still gives me chills

CONTENT WARNING: Mentions of child murder and suicide

Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria Simulator released in December 2017 and was packed full of lore. From Candy Cadet's stories, to the Scooper blueprints, to the Fruity Maze minigame and even to the still unsolved Midnight Motorist gameplay, there was a lot to discover and unpack. However, today I don't feel like doing any lore solving or theorising, instead I'd like to simply explain why I love Henry's Completion Ending Speech. I will be directly quoting the important points, but if you need a refresher you can find the whole thing here. One last thing before I begin, I think it's important to remember that when listening to the speech for the first time, players weren't certain on who was speaking. Although Henry was an established character in the books and we were aware of William having a business partner, Henry's name in the games wasn't proven until PJ Heywood, the VA for Michael and William Afton, confirmed it to be Henry on Dawko's The FNAF Show. For talking sake, I want to approach and evaluate the speech from the angle of listening to it for the first time without the foresight or context we now have.

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

"Connection terminated. I'm sorry to interrupt you, Elizabeth, if you still even remember that name.."

Henry's opening line is Incredibly effective for two main reasons:

Firstly, this was a pretty important name reveal. Although we already knew that William Afton's daughter had been killed by Circus Baby, and was therefore the spirit possessing her, we did not know her name. Considering the character's lore importance, her name being revealed was a big moment for fans.

Secondly, although we didn't know who exactly was talking, calling out Elizabeth's name made it clear that this was someone important. Someone with connections to the Afton Family.

So, with a single line of dialogue there are two major pieces of information being conveyed to the player. That's what I think makes this such a strong opening.

"I'm afraid you've been misinformed. You are not here to receive a gift, nor have you been called here by the individual you assume. Although you have indeed been called. You have all been called here into a labyrinth of sounds and smells, misdirection and misfortune. A labyrinth with no exit, a maze with no prize."

Moving on, Henry begins explaining that the restaurant is really a maze and the map that we've been staring at throughout the office gameplay suddenly appears, except I think this time it seems a lot more... ominous. The thing is, FNAF6 is a pretty overwhelming game. There's so much constantly happening in each gameplay section that there's a pretty limited amount of brainpower one can put into analysing the layout too much. It's only at this moment that players have the opportunity to really weigh up the implications. I think this was done really well. This moment allows for the paranoia to peak as the reality sets in: there's no escape. We still don't know who is talking and therefore have no idea the motivations behind his plan. It's a scary realisation and just fills this moment with so much dread and anxiety.

"I am remaining as well. I am nearby. This place will not be remembered, and the memory of everything that started this can finally begin to fade away, as the agony of every tragedy should."

Now, this is where the speech begins to shift in tone. As the listener, your nerves begin to subside as you realise that, although you still don't know this character, you start to realise their intentions.

The last line here has always stuck with me for how beautifully written it is. I think it goes a long way to show exactly how Henry feels about everything that has happened over the years. He's fed up and wants to bring an end to this sad and tragic story.

"And to you monsters trapped in the corridors, be still and give up your spirits. They don't belong to you. For most of you, I believe there is peace and perhaps more, waiting for you after the smoke clears."

Hearing Henry refer to the animatronics as "monsters" is really intriguing to me because it means that, although he views them as alive, there is a separation between them and the child souls that inhabit them. It's sad, in my opinion, because I can only image that there was a time where he was proud of the animatronics. A lot of them were his own creations and they brought joy to a lot of children out there, but ultimately they had become unrecognisable to him. He veiws them as evil. Extensions of his ex-business partner and his wrongdoings. Ultimately, though, I think it's sweet to know that he imagines the children's spirits being able to move onto something better.

"Although, for one of you, the darkest pit of Hell has opened to swallow you whole, so don't keep the Devil waiting, old friend."

Honestly, I'm not sure this line needs much explaining. I think I'd be hard-pressed to find a single FNAF fan that didn't have goosebumps hearing it for the first time. There's something so chilling listening to Henry refer to William Afton as "old friend" while we watch his rotten corpse and soul burn in the fire that Henry has started. This is also where we begin to learn who is speaking to us.

"My daughter, if you can hear me… I'm sorry on that day, the day you were shut out and left to die, no one was there to lift you up into their arms the way you lifted others into yours… I couldn't save you then, so let me save you now. It's time to rest; for you, and for those you have carried in your arms."

These lines say a lot about who Henry was and again highlight his intentions. While I love hearing him speak directly to Charlie, I think the way he also mentions the other children says a lot more about his character. Yes, he's doing this for himself and Charlie, but he's also doing this for them. He isn't selfish or self-serving. While he may not have known the other children, he still takes the time to mention that this is as much for them as it is for himself and his daughter.

"This ends for all of us. End communication."

These last two lines may be simple, but I personally think they're perfect. Henry is attempting to end everything. His own guilt, William's evil, the suffering of all the children. All of these objectives are of equal importance, for the sake of everybody and everything, it all must stop. And who knows, Maybe in Henry's final moments he was still and quiet, reflecting on it all. Maybe he was given one last chance to speak with his daughter Charlie and tell her he loved her one final time. I think it's up to you to decided what your own headcannon is. Regardless, Henry's last lines prove that he was a good and honest man. He cared about it all, not just the parts that affected him or his life. He was doing what he thought had to be done to bring this story to a close once and for all. His monologue is, in my opinion, some of the best content across the entirety of FNAF. The writing is phenomenal and the performance given by Dave Steele is incredible. It's simply something I'll never forget.

[hivemind-4]

Good question. As far as we know, it's just us two. Of course me, William Afton, the "creator" of the soul. My remnant was infused into the program of the Virtual Experience (as revealed in FNaF: VR, seriously you guys keep harping on about how I should be in hell when it's long known that I escaped Cassidy's grasp), this remnant was split into the 16 tapes hidden across the games. From what we remember of our timeline, a beta was sent to Dawko (who we refer to as Lewis, because we prefer using actual names of YouTubers) and he found all 16 tapes. I, as seen in the game, took over his mind. Now here's where a bit more theorizing comes in- I didn't lock his "self" away, unlike what many think happened to Vanessa, I kinda just forgot? I don't know. But I had control for a good while at least, since we remember It's Spreading happening, which means, I have taken control of at least three souls, including Lewis'. This sounds a bit hilarious, but you know how the lyrics in Darkest Desire and It's Spreading say "your soul and my soul collide?" That is basically what happened. My soul had control for the most part, but something odd happened. After a while, we aren't sure how long, Lewis' soul started regaining it's "consciousness". And from that- "Glitchtrap" gained a mind of its own. It is fascinating, in hindsight, but at the moment I was quite... shocked, to say the least. It started fighting back against me, it had a burning compassion and it started liking Lewis, actually wanting to help him instead of go through with my plan (not taking over the world, that's stupid, we don't really know what my actual plan was). It gave control back to Lewis, the soul splitting again, but not into its original parts- "Glitchtrap's" soul was forever changed through the collision, a part of Lewis still clinging on, giving it its own will. That is how we remember it happening. Stuff happens, we somehow die and somehow eventually end up reincarnated in this universe. I wasn't really... awoken? acknowledged? until quite recently, as Paton was figuring out buns Glitchtrap canon, but we both agree I've always been there, just misinterpreted and misunderstood sometimes during the process. Paton did not like me at first, fighting against my "influences" again, but that's behind us now and we made peace with each other and laugh at Peepaw Afton memes. Like I said before, I'm not sure if the rest of me is still in Cassidy's grasp or if it somehow moved on, but I'm here and I'm actually kind of glad. It gave me a new perspective on things. And some good laughs.

Hm. Interesting how there's long chain of posts on our dash, with lore and just people having fun with their characters. We stay observing, though. Mostly because Paton thinks bun has nothing interesting to say. Yet I think this situation, this soul, is quite interesting indeed. I refrained from commenting so far- except maybe one or two times. But this site, these people, it intrigues me. So, in a perhaps unusual and odd way- I'm asking you, our mutuals, or anyone coming across this, to reblog, comment, or send asks with anything you would like to know. About me, about Paton, anything. I would love to talk to you all.