Well played, Telltale. Well played. SERIOUSLY!
So I took further investigation into the ending, and this is probably the most unbiased argument I have come up with for BOTH SIDES OF THE PLATE
As we all know, Jane pretended the baby was dead and Kenny lost his life/killed Jane in the process. I WILL BREAK IT DOWN.
Jane's plan was to provoke a fight out of Kenny. Jane WANTED Kenny to try to kill her. Why though? She wanted to show Clementine that Kenny was a raging monster without no capabilities of critical thinking. Her plan is to be ambiguous about it as possible. Let Kenny make up his own mind. She KNEW Kenny would try to kill her. During the fight, Kenny says I'll fucking kill you! and Jane says I knew you would! That's why she did not run away. That's why she did not tell Kenny the baby was alive. Because it would reveal her ultimate plan.
So this where Telltale comes in to play. They wanted players to make up their own mind. Two people, who care about Clementine. Who do you side with? That's also shown in the Amid The Ruins slide. It's all about picking a side. The 400 days characters in there? PLACEHOLDERS (is that what they're called?)
Jane is revealed to be manipulative. Her apology? I think it's real, but she knew Kenny would try to kill her. She didn't know that Clementine would end up shooting him. She knew exactly what she was doing. But I sided with her, because I knew Kenny lacked critical thinking skills. I knew Kenny's "shoot first, ask questions later" is not healthy nor safe for Clementine. And don't come at me with this Well, what if someone said your baby died? Because Kenny has displayed that kind of behavior multiple times before....
1) The moonstar lodge shootout. He shoots and kills Johnny. Great! But Carver comes back and executes Walter. It takes Clementine to convince him to stop, or Sarita/Clementine's turn to get him to stop. He really does not stop until Carver threatens to kill someone he cares about. Which, is highly selfish in my opinion.
2) Now, Kenny's worse plan of all time. While on their way to Howe's Hardware, he says to just jump the guys, take their guns and rambo the fuck out of there. Do I need to get into detail as to why that plan was horrible? Thank god for that door. It probably saved Kenny's life.
3) Sarita's death. It basically mirrors the fight between Jane & Kenny. Kenny automatically assumed the worse and crucified Clementine. Now this is up for debate, but here I start to question if Kenny truly cares about Clementine. If you look at the reaction he had with Lee when Katjaa and Duck died, and compare it to this one.. it's very different, right?
4) Beating up Arvo. Now who does this help the situation at all? Arvo offers supplies, and says he knows his way around, and Kenny still wants to kill him? And don't say Oh he was right about Arvo because if someone beat the shit out of me, I would up and leave him first chance I get. Why did he leave with Mike & Bonnie? They were in the group that got his friends and sister killed!
I'll say it again, Jane wanted Kenny to TRY to kill her. Jane wanted to show Clementine that he can't be reasoned with. Jane kept the fight going on because she was confident she could take on Kenny. When she asks Clementine for help, she knew she fucked up. Her plan was to show Clementine that Kenny is an abusive friend. Someone, I said this again, who has no critical thinking skills and can't be reasoned with. What do I have to show for this? While apologizing to Clementine, she says
You saw how he reacted
We're free now
We're free now .. Jane sees Kenny as an abusive authority figure. Kind of like Carver.. Berate someone who does not agree with you. Beat them up. She even talks about it while Clem and Jane see Kenny fixing the truck. That explains the We're free now.
So the point of Telltale dragging Jane is this; Do you go with your new friend, someone who seems like a loner but her attitude changes depending on your choices, and gets over her fear of group just to be with you. Or do you trust an old friend, someone who has been through a lot with you, has done his fair share of mistakes, but cares about you in a weird way.
This is why Luke needed to die. His death is what tears the group apart. It's supposed to show that people would leave you to die because they don't want to deal with your old friend. Mike & Bonnie didn't know Jane that much, so it would not make sense if Jane had drowned. Luke is not the kind of guy that would leave Clementine to die, and Mike & Bonnie had already developed a relationship with Luke, so it would be out of character for them to leave Luke behind. So.. Luke is what keeps the group together. Luke stays because of Clementine, Mike & Bonnie stay because of Luke, and Kenny stays because of the baby and Clementine. And Clementine stays because she cares about everyone. And Jane comes back to the group because she develops a bond with Clementine. Not with the baby, because Kenny being incredibly attached to it turned her off. Just like Mike and Bonnie.
So, Luke had to die it signifies the group breaking apart. Mike & Bonnie do not care about your old friend, or your new friend. Now that Luke is not there, they don't really care what Kenny says. They know that Luke would not be so harsh on them. So when Kenny said there's no way in hell he's going back south, that's when the planning began. They went back to the house and formed their plan.
So No Going Back is a tale of two friends. One old, one new. Telltale's #MyClementine wanted you to pick which friend do you end up with. After all the fake ones have been weeded out or good friends have died, who do you stay with?
Do you stay with your new friend who makes you shoot your old friend, or do you go with your old friend.. who despite through thick and thin, you love so much.
Do you go with your old friend, who can snap at any time and get you killed, or go with your new friend, who gets over her fear of groups just to be with you. You can't have both, because they both hate each other's gut. But you can have none, since they're both bad in their own way.
I'm telling you, when Jane said I didn't know it would get this bad, she means she didn't think Clementine would have to shoot Kenny. She thought she could take him. So yeahh..
Your new friend sees your old friend as an abusive authority figure, kind of like Carver. Your old friend's abusive ways with a kid tears a group apart. His inability to be a team player. THE POWER IS MINE OR NO ONE ELSE'S. MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY!
Your old friend sees your new friend as manipulative. Which conveniently, your new friend forces you to shoot your old friend in what turns out to be a very manipulative scheme.
This is why I love debating. I take one side, debate hard, and see what good stuff the other side throws at me. Then I can see both sides of the spectrum.
Please, tell me what you think. OH, AND THERE'S NO RIGHT ENDING. I think this would probably conclude Clementine's story, or if it continues, then both of her friends will end up dead.
SO THE CANON ENDING IS.... ending up alone. OR ALL! I think all
Comments
I think this is a good read. If the Jane v Kenny war continues, show them this. I'm done debating. My goal was to see the plot development in No Going Back. I succeeded!
And yes, I do want a cookie
I'm thinking the Luke and Jane sex scene was supposed to be one of Luke's flaws, but they failed miserably.
All endings are canon.
Then that would conclude Clementine's story? wouldn't it?
The one true ending
Oh and also, if you replayed your ending because you thought you were wrong, YOU CHEATED!
No matter what ending you got, if you replayed it for a different ending you liked, you cheated!
AMERICA MOTHERFUCKERS!
FUCK MR NO SPEAKA ENGLISH!
Not in the slightest. The ending to Clem's story would be if she died in the lake or from the gunshot wound. Which she didn't. Right now we're left with another set of building blocks waiting to be placed.
I would've preferred going with Luke.
finnally, someone who shares my opinion
alone ftw imo
I'd only be okay with the alone ending if Clem's story continues in Season 3. Otherwise, fuck that, she deserves a better ending than marching into a hoard of walkers with a baby. I don't care if it's cheating.
Better start swimming then
The Clem alone with the baby ending seemed dumb to me personally. I just don't see how she would look after herself AND a baby.
puts toe in water too cold... shivers
I agree. Well fucking done Telltale!
'Cause 'merica
Luke was scraped out of the pizza and ice cream choice because his flaws really didn't compare to Kenny. Jane's however, did.
Then how will it tie up then? Remember, all five endings have to connect.
Hmm, not really mate. You can very well see that I stated that I chose to go with Jane.
"alone ending is the canon ending" even though you went with Jane you still share my opinion
The Clem alone could be this
Clementine covers herself and AJ in walker guts, and she bravely makes her way towards the herd. While in the herd, AJ starts crying because he is hungry. This will cause Clementine and AJ to be devoured by walkers. XD
ill rek u fir sayin dit
God I hope not. Thats horrible
Just a thought!
a horrible one
Stop saying that an end is canon and the others aren't.
Telltale gave us 5 endings, if they wanted to make one canon ending, they could do it.
But they didn't.
Yes, I think that if Clementine's story continues, she's going to end up alone, but for now enjoy our alternative endings.
nuff said...
The same way they tied up Season 1 and 2. Have a small timejump and let all Clems end up in Wellington just for different reasons.
Explain the events that took place between S2 and 3 through dialogue and maybe small flashbacks. (Won't take up that much resources to produce).
The reason I say Wellington is. It wouldn't be far fetched that all Clems end up there. If you go with kenny they tell you that they might accept new people in a few month.
Variations:
Clem + Kenny + AJ = Survive for a few month and try their luck in Wellington again. They are recognized and get entrance.
Clem + AJ (Kenny left) = They're already in Wellington
Clem + AJ = They could somehow stumble upon it and given the kenny ending would most likely get entrance
Clem + Jane = They live for a few weeks/month at Howe's and are forced to leave and since nowhere else to go try to reach Wellington.
I didn't include the family at Howe's because I don't think they will play in role in S3.
Kenny stands for Freedom and Family, a true American hero.
When Kenny returns to Wellington, Hurrah! Hurrah!
We'll give him a hearty welcome then, Hurrah! Hurrah!
Our Clem will cheer and the boys will shout
The ladies they will all turn out
And we'll all feel gay when Kenny returns to Wellington.
Ameri-Ken, Fuck Yeah!
Comin' again to save the motherfuckin' day, Yeah
Ameri-Ken, Fuck Yeah!
Wellington is the only way, Yeah
Zombie fucks, your game is through
'cause now you have ta answer to
Ameri-Ken, fuck yeah !
So Lilly and Jane can suck on my balls
Ameri-Ken, Fuck Yeah!
Whatcha' gonna do when he comes for you now
He's the dream that we all share
He's the hope for tomorrow
(Fuck Yeah!)
Mighty stache (Fuck Yeah!)
Fixin' cars (Fuck Yeah!)
Godly beard (Fuck Yeah!)
Fisher boat (Fuck Yeah!)
Urbans (Fuck Yeah!)
Crazy shit (Fuck Yeah!)
Crowbar (Fuck Yeah!)
Salt licks (Fuck Yeah!)
In all honesty, if I was a newborn in the ZA and I was hungry and there were hissing, stinking people and we walk right through them, I'd cry too.
10/10 Would read again.
I agree with everything you said but I would just point out something else
Luke's name means "light". And like you said, as soon as he died, the group teared apart. As soon as the last light who guided the group faded away, the demons inside everyone are able to crawl out and bring the worst out the worst of a person. Luke's death was also forseshadowing in my opinion. When Clem try to reach for him, he falls in the water and his pulled by a walker into the darkness. And when his "light" disapeared, only the darkness was remaining; just like what happened to the group later.
I don't really think that's a coincidence if Telltales chose that name for him. Clever Telltales...
never thought about that, kewl theory
10/10 would read again
reading that just made me sad and now i miss Luke more then ever..
Haha
Not really.
Oh goodness, thought she lost the arm
i said this before but this fighting is getting silly. people complained about the choices becoming to black and white but when it becomes grey where both sides are wrong. people start attacking eachother.
There should be a TLDR for this, not that I didn't read all of it, which I did, it's just that people with thick skulls should see this, I dunno why I still care for them, I guess it's just like every penny's worth it y'know. Also
Really wish people would see that instead of arguing who's better
I just hope Jane gets to live longer..
Well no, crying is a baby's only form of communication.