This is a big jump ahead of schedule considering what Laly recently posted on her blog, so I will in fact go ahead and once again iterate that this will involve spoilers and speculations so turn back or proceed with caution!
To be a bit more specific, this is about RB, and speculations about his identity. Maybe some theories about BB as well. You'll see! Coming back to edit in post, other characters are mentioned briefly, but I won't be tagging them because their part is really small in comparison, sorry!
More under here!!
As of now, I'm not going out of my way to fill out the ship chart, as there's still honestly not much to go off of about his character. I'm sure we'll learn a bit more about him in Shift 3.5, or at least, how mc thinks about him.
I have to get it off my chest. The very first thing I noticed about the chart, was his name. It's scribbled out, of course, with Red written on the side, but if you look closely you can very barely make out a few strokes to at least imply the first letter is M. This is a big deal! And I may be crazy to think about this so quickly, because I poured the comments in hopes of someone else thinking the same, but I didn't see anything. Maybe people are holding back? Maybe they know and don't want to spoil this detail? I'm sorry that I can't help myself, so at least I'm doing it under my own blog. I hope you read the warning at the top!
There is another stroke towards the center of the scribble, a long straight line. And there's another somewhat interesting line stroke at the very end, also a straight line, but somewhat shorter than the previous one I mentioned. Now why are these lines so important? What do they mean? I'm sorry I'm just so excited idk how to just come out and say it.
My initial thought was his name was... Morkheim.
If this name doesn't mean anything to you, please go back and play Shift 3. Refer to Laly's guides for some secrets, because this is a big deal to me!!!!!
I will not be providing screenshots for this, because I want to preserve the.... sight? Feeling of seeing it yourself? Idk how to describe it, but I hope you understand what I mean. Anyway, let me get into what I mean and why I think this.
RB's identity has always been a hot debate. It's obvious he haunts mc, but why? The biggest theories usually boil down to whether he is or isn't BB. Now if you do recognize Morkheim, you would know that's the surname you see on the dog tags in BB's locker in Shift 3. I think he mentioned it's Norwegian, his father's, when you ask him. Does this mean RB is BB? Not necessarily. First, just because it's in the name field, doesn't mean it's his first name or surname or nickname or whatever. We don't really know any of that yet anyway. But... If I'm allowed to speculate, then it's still rather important. There's a story in the game that pops up across multiple shifts: A story about an owner who had two dogs, practically brothers even if not by blood. Even this story was analyzed and people tried to figure out what it could mean, who it could be referring to, if anyone at all, which characters it could relate to, or if it relates to multiple characters. I think it's possible that there's many stories that resonate with many characters within the game for different reasons, but that's a whole other can of worms for another post.
Well, what do I think, then? It's hard to say. I do think that it's very likely RB was a real person who is no longer around, so following that logic, I think he was a separate person from BB. But why share his last name? There's a few possible circumstances... Maybe RB was adopted into his family. BB claims to have a rather "normal" relationship with his parents, but the story about his father and the bear, and the strange comment about having to bear the weight of his father's last name... Maybe societal pressure deemed it so that his family needed an heir. When BB wasn't "good enough" in the eyes of his father, maybe they looked elsewhere.
Then here's my wack-ass theory that's completely out of pocket so idk y'all can ignore this I guess, but following that potential scenario, I can imagine that BB wasn't particularly loved if RB ended up becoming whatever his parents, or his father, may have wanted at that time. Maybe he couldn't bring himself to hate him, because why would he? RB did nothing wrong. He just simply, existed. But it doesn't mean it didn't hurt. So he left. He joined the US Army. And he never felt so lost and without guidance. And then he somehow got picked up by the garage owner (sry his name escapes me at the moment), gets his life together, barely, and tries to live in society. But maybe... he meets RB again. Why was he here? Maybe his duty was done. Whatever their father needed him for, he was no longer needed. Maybe RB rebelled because he felt it wasn't right. Maybe he searched for BB, and he found him. Here. In the US.
It's awkward as fuck, the reunion. They hadn't seen each other in years. BB didn't hate him, not really. Never did. But it was odd to see him here. Maybe he was already wearing that bright red racing gear. It was so different from back home. But that wasn't home anymore. RB takes the reunion in stride. He's happy to see BB again, whether he was really looking for him or not. They talk, or maybe him mostly. There's the bike that catches his eye. Maybe it's Scarlette? He teaches BB how to ride. He crashes pretty badly, not that either of them mind. The more BB rides, the more he feels the rush again. The thrill. Like he's alive. Almost like when he was in the army, but different. He wasn't seeing people dying around him. But the danger was always lurking.
Maybe they make a stop by the convenience store. BB has never really stopped by here before. Never really felt the need to. His meals at home were good enough for him, but RB insisted. It's late, well past midnight, but it's quiet, and BB doesn't mind the quiet. RB isn't exactly quiet himself, but BB doesn't always mind it. His eyes land on the cashier...
Now why the hell did I write a fuckin novel... ๐Writing's not really my thing... But anyway, you get my point right..... Maybe that's how they meet mc, at first. RB, being the more charismatic, extroverted one, was the one who was able to open up and approach mc first, much to BB's dismay. It's then up to popular debate if the traumatic event mc experienced involves violence between RB and BB or a crazy accident (a bike crash perhaps?). Or maybe it wasn't anything that 'dramatic' at all. But accidents, no matter how big or small, can affect people differently, so who's to say it wouldn't still badly affect mc this way, especially if someone still died in the end?
But then what of the paranoia? The stalking? The knife? The candles? The neighbor? It could be just that. Paranoia. It's clear that people call out to mc with less than savory intentions, and there was a post recently that analyzed the color red and how in a certain flashback involving Lane, his unsavory comment dyed his name red. I think there's heavy implications that BB is currently stalking mc, but there's no confirmation of any stalking happening before the game's timeline. With mc's memory problems, the trauma and paranoia, maybe it all mixed together to give her this big mix up of discomfort in everything. Unable to trust anyone. The knife was said to always be there, but maybe it really was always there, in that drawer. She thought she needed it, but maybe she really didn't. The candles? Her friendship with Amelia was only recently strained/broken off, so there's a chance that whatever traumatized/deeply hurt mc, she tried to help her cope. But Amelia isn't a therapist, there's only so much she can do, and if mc continues to spiral or eventually lashes out and chooses to mistrust even Amelia, then it wouldn't surprise me that Amelia would drop her in that instance. Why bother helping someone who doesn't want to be helped? The neighbor... That makes things harder, but if he's anything like Lane's neighbor, then maybe he has his own prejudices about guys in biker gear. Whether what he said was true or not, we don't know.
And then there's a chance that all of this is just way off mark, but that's just it, I'm just taking a wild shot in the dark lol. It was fun to think about at least! I'll have to go back and see if anyone has anything to say about his name, but feel free to let me know what you guys think or what your theories are as well. I'll leave it at that for now, and make a proper analysis and theory post at a later time! See you soon! :D
To me, it looks like his name starts with an M and is around 6 letters...
Some of my guesses are:
Machelm (my personal fav)
Origin: German - Old High German
Meaning: Strength, Power And Helmet (HMMM...)
Maalik
Origin: Arabic
Meaning: Owns, Possesses
Malcolm (MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE REF OHMYGOD)
Origin: Scottish
Meaning: Follower Of St. Columba (ik the meaning isn't much but hey it's an M name and it has a nice ring to it)
Madog (LMFAO)
Origin: Welsh
Meaning: Good
Manric (kinda thought this was Werner's name once upon a time lolll)
Origin: German
Meaning: Ruler, Exalted One
Mallor
Origin: English
Meaning: Unlucky
Macario
Gender: Male
Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Happy (fuck u happy abt RB..)
Marek
Origin: Polish
Meaning: Warlike
Marcin
Origin: Polish
Meaning: God Of War
As for BB and RB being separate people, I'm gonna remain neutral on that bc I see how either outcome could be canon. Also it doesn't feel like to me there's enough evidence to really set my heart on one particular (although I can't tell if it's my gut or stubbornness telling me they're the same person but I'm not getting into that rn since I'm lazy lmao)
I'll probably look up some more M names, but I just wanted to get a little brainstorm going. Also RB better not be British in any way shape or form I beef with those biscuit eating tea drinkers /j
Hello neur!! This is my first time asking questions but there's this one thing that's been making me wonder for quite sometimes now. BBD is set in place somewhere in America right ,soo any ideas or your opinions on which state or where MC and others might live?Also your theories and analysis are really enjoyable to read and it always makes me realise that I really need to pay more attention to details ๐ญ
Hi Pookie <3
As far as I know, Laly has never confirmed where BBD takes place. She's intentionally kept it vague, and I remember her saying it's basically up to the players how they want to imagine the setting.
Also, this is kind of funny, but I know next to nothing about the US ๐ญ So take everything I'm about to say with a huge grain of salt. I did some quick research to compare different regions, but this is still just speculation. I could be completely wrong, and I'd love for someone more familiar with the US to correct me if I've missed something.
If we're going to speculate together though, these are the clues that stand out to me:
The Halloween party is held in a warehouse "down by the docks" which immediately suggests a coastal city with an active port rather than somewhere landlocked.
BB joined the US Army instead of staying in Norwayย doesn't pin a state, but it does suggest somewhere with base access or recruiting reach.
Lane's hometown seems to be a small town, and I personally don't think it's very far from the city where BBD takes place. We know his mom was present when he took his driving test at 18. I'm not sure how driving tests work in the US because, in my country, you can take them almost anywhere, so I don't know if that's actually a useful clue. Still, I like to think his hometown isn't too far away if she was able to come.
At the same time, MC comments on the old posters in Lane's apartment, and Lane mentions he never graduated. That makes me think he moved out pretty young, maybe even before turning 18. So my guess is that his hometown and the current city are different places, but probably close enough that traveling between them isn't a big deal.
During MC's flashback on her first day at MD, she refers to Amy as someone who works in another city. That suggests Amy lives in BBD's city but commutes elsewhere for work. Again, that makes me think there are several towns or cities relatively close to each other.
As for the atmosphere.
The overall vibe of the game, the worn-down 24-hour convenience store, the grey skies and the constant rain, reminds me a lot of the Pacific Northwest. That's more of an aesthetic observation than actual evidence, but it seems fit.
The weather also lines up. Heavy rain throughout November is much more characteristic of places like Washington and Oregon, where late October through November is known for long stretches of cold, grey, steady rain. That matches the mood of BB's route much better than sudden thunderstorms.
It could also be somewhere along the Northeast coast or New England since those areas have coastal cities too, but November there usually brings stronger winds and colder weather rather than the persistent rain the game seems to emphasize.
A Gulf Coast location seems less likely to me. While it's also coastal, November weather there is usually associated with the end of hurricane season, which feels very different from the gloomy, continuous rainfall we see in the game.
So if I had to make a guess, I'd say the Pacific Northwest fits the best. It checks a number of boxes: a working port city, nearby small towns, constant grey skies, heavy November rain.
That said, I think Laly is keeping the setting intentionally ambiguous. The town is meant to feel like it could exist anywhere, which fits the game's whole theme of an ordinary place hiding something deeply unsettling beneath the surface.
So this is just my interpretation, not a theory I'm trying to prove ๐
American expert spawning in here! I think I have some valuable clues about the region bc America is HUGE and full of different terrains.
To start, I looked at his driver's license a while back, I just don't remember if I posted abt it or not... Anyway, this is what I gathered from the faded letters
This is the original pic without the scribbles:
And then here's a sample driver's license of New York (looks familiar huhhh)
The game is probably not set in a specific state/town, BUT this means Lane is more than likely from NY. Which leads me to wanna assume it's set somewhere in the East coast. More specifically, on the outskirts of NYC, New Jersey, or Connecticut (not Delaware or Rhode Island tho bc nobody cares abt them fuck those states RAHH ๐ฆ ).
It'd be awesome if Lane had a NY accent. It'd fit him so well too ๐ญ
Oh that's riight! That's like a 16+ hour drive from NYC to Iowa... Not to mention the ride back. That's a long road trip for teens to do on their own ๐ฌ Or he's one of those types to have traveled young. I've known people that have done those kinds of road trips who were a bit older, but I doubt his mom let him do that with an older chick especially unless he snuck out... GASP!
Maybe his family moved. The areas around NYC and the East Coast in general is really expensive, and for a single mom of 2 to be on her own until their teenage years (if I remember right), that'd be a LOT to handle. So yeah, they might've moved inward due to the cheaper cost of living. Then maybe Lane moved back closer to the area for space or familiarity.
Either way, I personally believe he lived in NY at some point since usually the laws in America say you have to be a resident of the state to get your driver's license there + his license looks pretty exact to the pic (I'll look at some more to be more sure tho)
Edit: ALMOST FORGOT TO ADD I haven't finished playing the game so I don't think I saw the poster LMFAO but I wanna say weed is legal in NY if that was what you meant
Hello neur!! This is my first time asking questions but there's this one thing that's been making me wonder for quite sometimes now. BBD is set in place somewhere in America right ,soo any ideas or your opinions on which state or where MC and others might live?Also your theories and analysis are really enjoyable to read and it always makes me realise that I really need to pay more attention to details ๐ญ
Hi Pookie <3
As far as I know, Laly has never confirmed where BBD takes place. She's intentionally kept it vague, and I remember her saying it's basically up to the players how they want to imagine the setting.
Also, this is kind of funny, but I know next to nothing about the US ๐ญ So take everything I'm about to say with a huge grain of salt. I did some quick research to compare different regions, but this is still just speculation. I could be completely wrong, and I'd love for someone more familiar with the US to correct me if I've missed something.
If we're going to speculate together though, these are the clues that stand out to me:
The Halloween party is held in a warehouse "down by the docks" which immediately suggests a coastal city with an active port rather than somewhere landlocked.
BB joined the US Army instead of staying in Norwayย doesn't pin a state, but it does suggest somewhere with base access or recruiting reach.
Lane's hometown seems to be a small town, and I personally don't think it's very far from the city where BBD takes place. We know his mom was present when he took his driving test at 18. I'm not sure how driving tests work in the US because, in my country, you can take them almost anywhere, so I don't know if that's actually a useful clue. Still, I like to think his hometown isn't too far away if she was able to come.
At the same time, MC comments on the old posters in Lane's apartment, and Lane mentions he never graduated. That makes me think he moved out pretty young, maybe even before turning 18. So my guess is that his hometown and the current city are different places, but probably close enough that traveling between them isn't a big deal.
During MC's flashback on her first day at MD, she refers to Amy as someone who works in another city. That suggests Amy lives in BBD's city but commutes elsewhere for work. Again, that makes me think there are several towns or cities relatively close to each other.
As for the atmosphere.
The overall vibe of the game, the worn-down 24-hour convenience store, the grey skies and the constant rain, reminds me a lot of the Pacific Northwest. That's more of an aesthetic observation than actual evidence, but it seems fit.
The weather also lines up. Heavy rain throughout November is much more characteristic of places like Washington and Oregon, where late October through November is known for long stretches of cold, grey, steady rain. That matches the mood of BB's route much better than sudden thunderstorms.
It could also be somewhere along the Northeast coast or New England since those areas have coastal cities too, but November there usually brings stronger winds and colder weather rather than the persistent rain the game seems to emphasize.
A Gulf Coast location seems less likely to me. While it's also coastal, November weather there is usually associated with the end of hurricane season, which feels very different from the gloomy, continuous rainfall we see in the game.
So if I had to make a guess, I'd say the Pacific Northwest fits the best. It checks a number of boxes: a working port city, nearby small towns, constant grey skies, heavy November rain.
That said, I think Laly is keeping the setting intentionally ambiguous. The town is meant to feel like it could exist anywhere, which fits the game's whole theme of an ordinary place hiding something deeply unsettling beneath the surface.
So this is just my interpretation, not a theory I'm trying to prove ๐
American expert spawning in here! I think I have some valuable clues about the region bc America is HUGE and full of different terrains.
To start, I looked at his driver's license a while back, I just don't remember if I posted abt it or not... Anyway, this is what I gathered from the faded letters
This is the original pic without the scribbles:
And then here's a sample driver's license of New York (looks familiar huhhh)
The game is probably not set in a specific state/town, BUT this means Lane is more than likely from NY. Which leads me to wanna assume it's set somewhere in the East coast. More specifically, on the outskirts of NYC, New Jersey, or Connecticut (not Delaware or Rhode Island tho bc nobody cares abt them fuck those states RAHH ๐ฆ ).
It'd be awesome if Lane had a NY accent. It'd fit him so well too ๐ญ
haiiiii quick silly question imagine MC is like European right (Russian,German,English,French etc) and they have like a strongish accent how would bb and lane react to her yelling at them โmate are you fawking mad???โ At lane cause heโs was saying some bullshit okay bye bye have a good day/night!!!
BB would be having army day flashbacks. Suddenly his posture is stiff, his back is perfectly straight. All that's missing is him shouting "Yes, sir!"
So yeah, you'd probably be able to put him back in line a little. And if you have an accent, you could probably say his name closer to how people back in his hometown do. One moment it's just "W" and his heart gets all warm and fuzzy like cotton candy. The next it's "W..." and he's already standing at attention, dropping whatever he's doing to answer you like he's reporting for duty and ready to accept any punishment. He'd probably even start doing pushups if he thought it'd cheer you up.
Lane? I can imagine him making fun of your accent. This man is so annoying, obnoxious, and he plays video games. There is no way he's never met someone with an accent before.
"Oh yeah? I don't argue with people who can't pronounce W(in)."
I like to imagine his reaction would be like Mickey from Shameless when those women are yelling at him.
"I don't know what the fck you're saying!"
This SCENE especially.
But I do think he'd actually be a little scared if you sounded like a teacher he was terrified of back in school. You'd probably remind him of those days, and he'd straighten up real quick.
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