The storm that is Cain is an enigma that Iāve struggled to truly understand for quite a while. Especially with WAN2TALK? Only having a prologue at the time of writing this, my resources are limited to Tumblr Q&As, cryptic Twitter posts, and whatever small details I can pick up from replaying the routes.
Despite that, after digging through countless posts and having all the WAN2TALK? dialogue ingrained into my memory, I think we have enough information to build a fairly clear picture of who Cain is as a person, and maybe even what we can expect from him in future updates.
This is my breakdown of the quiet Catholic that is Cain.
Before we really get into it, though, I want to acknowledge that this post is completely self-indulgent. Iāve grown to appreciateĀ not only WAN2TALK but every character in its cast. Even so, Cain had always stood out to me in a way that none of the members have. This analysis is mostly a way to organize my thoughts and better understand his character so I can write fanfiction that actually feels true to who he is.
Normally, that would be a lot easier. More established media has years of discussions, analyses, and enough content to paint a complete picture of a character. WAN2TALK, on the other hand, is still pretty niche with only a prologue released. If I really want to dig deep into who Cain is as a person, Iāll have to take matters into my own hands.
I will be using four sources for developing my claims:
The game itself: WAN2TALK? by mirawakestudios, yurinationriseĀ
The creatorās/Miraās Tumblr (Special thanks to radonair for providing a lovely Q&A masterlist!): WAN2TALK? - Mirawake studios - Mari Q&A Masterpost - Google DocsĀ
Cainās official X account: ???? (@g0ds_d1scip1e) / XĀ
Cainās official Spotify playlist: CAIN - playlist by mari | SpotifyĀ
Table of Contents:
I - Meeting Cain
II - A Mind Built on Understanding
III - Madam Zora
IV - The Contradiction that is Cain
V - Immaturity
VI- Intimacy and Shame
VII- Predictions?
Meeting Cain
Before we actually start psychoanalyzing Cain, we first need to answer a much simpler question: Who is Cain? As of now, we know that Cain is a 22-year-old man of German descent originally from Pennsylvania. Since the game takes place during the summer of 2009, we can calculate that Cain was born on October 30th, 1986. He was raised in a strict Catholic household and still considers himself Catholic, although the creator notes that he now is āoperating on his own plane.ā Prior to the events of WAN2TALK, Cain earned an associate's degree in Information Technology (IT) and is no longer attending school by the time the story begins.
Visually, Cain is pretty unassuming. Standing at 5 '8'ā, he wears a loose, fairly simple wardrobe, and is described as having soft, almost androgynous features, with hands that teeter āon feminine.ā His face bears several visible scars, though their origins remain unknown. Based on this information alone, thereās nothing particularly extraordinary about him. However, as weāll see through this analysis, first impressions only scratch the surface of who Cain really is.
A Mind Built on Understanding
If I really had to point out one trait that defines Cain more than anything else, it would probably be his need to understand. Looking across every source we have: the game, the creatorās tumblr, Cainās Twitter Account, and even his Spotify playlist, thereās one pattern that constantly shows up. Almost EVERYTHING Cain does revolves around observing, documenting, or researching something.
His interests alone start to paint a pretty clear picture of how he navigates the world. Cain spends his free time watching obscure VHS tapes and controversial films (and anime lol), and documenting every dream he has in uncomfortable detail the moment he wakes up. According to the creator, he even ārefuses to throw away any of his notebooks because heās convinced the ink itself holds residual energy.āĀ
Even something as simple as his Twitter account reflects this mindset. He researches chemtrails and questions why a local water tower was built exactly where it was. Itās as if heās in this constant mindset that thereās some deeper meaning hidden beneath the surface of his surroundings. This suggests that Cain fails to really ever see anything as ānormalā, everything has a pattern that must be investigated.
Originally, I thought that this just meant that Cain was a curious person. However, the more I looked into his character, the less I agreed with that idea. Curiosity usually means being open to whatever the evidence leads you, even if it proves your assumptions wrong. Cain never really struck me as someone like that; instead, what I think heās actually chasing is certainty. Cain shows over and over again that heās not a random person, so I donāt think his research is random either. It could be that itās his way of making sense of a world that constantly feels big and more unpredictable than heās comfortable with. The ability to explain something makes it less frightening.
I think that also explains why so many of his hobbies directly revolve around collecting information rather than simply experiencing life for what it is. It doesnāt seem like Cain can just sit down and enjoy a film because he feels the need to analyze it. When he does miraculously sleep he canāt just dream, but he records it in detail the moment he wakes up. And this isnāt even counting for the numerous theories he posts about on the official twitter account. Even if many of his conclusions are questionable, the process in which he acts is consistent. Cain probably wants answers because theyāre a way of stability in a world in which people are constantly walking in the dark.
Madam Zora
Now letās explore some of the more nitty gritty parts of Cain. After playing through numerous routes and strings of dialogue, the most unsettling moments in Cainās route occurs during the fortune teller scene. Although Cain immediately refuses to enter the tent, choosing to use literal force leads to the uncomfortable encounter with Madam Zora. While attempting to read his palm, she remarks that his āflesh is lyingā to her, which suggests that his physical presence does not accurately reflect whatever truth lies beneath the surface of his skin. Unable to interpret him through palm reading, she turns to a crystal ball, where her demeanor abruptly shifts between confusion to terror.
Both the crystal ball and her words describe two figures, which immediately leads to Madam Zora to speak an incoherent and unrecognizable language, as though she were possessed, and frantically demands that both Cain and mc leave. The encounter visibly unsettles Cain as well, who mutters āshe shouldnāt have been able to see thatā implying that Madam Zora uncovered something he believed was hidden.
Okay. There is clearly a lot to unpack from this scene. However, before we continue, I want to address beforehand that I am not Catholic and am not very knowledgeable on the bible. If there are any discrepancies in the story or my interpretations, please let me know! However, I think the most intriguing aspect of this encounter is Ms Zoraās claim that she sees two, and given WAN2TALK?'s extensive religious symbolism, it is difficult to ignore the possibility that this line intentionally evokes the biblical story of Cain and Abel.Ā
In Scripture, Cain and Abel represent the first brothers, whose relationship ultimately ends in franticide, exile, and the Mark of Cain: a permanent sign that sets Cain apart from the rest of humanity. The Bible NEVER specifies what this mark looked like, leaving later writers and artists to imagine it as anything from a scar, birthmark, or spiritual seal. This ambiguity becomes especially noteworthy considering that the WAN2TALK?ās Cain bears prominent scars across his face.Ā
While neither the game, nor Mari, ever identifies these scars as the Mark of Cain, their existence alongside his biblical name definitely invites comparison! Much like the biblical mark, the scars visibly distinguish him from others, which reinforce the idea that Cain carries a burden or IDENTITY that cannot be completely concealed. This symbolism also lends additional weight to the fortune tellerās statement that his flesh is lying. If the scars function as an external marker, then the scene could be implying that even they fail to reveal the whole truth about Cain. Instead, the true āmarkā may exist on a spiritual or psychological level rather than a purely physical one.
SUCH AS RELIGIOUS TRAUMA *cough cough* but I digress.
Moving on, weāve already set the foundation that the story of Cain and Abel is very symbolic of Cain himself. But what does Abel actually mean to the story of WAN2TALK? Going back to Madam Zora, and her vision of ātwoā, the community has already introduced several possible interpretations. On a symbolic level, it may represent Cainās divided identity, suggesting an internal conflict between the person he presents to the world and the person he truly is. However, because the game deliberately names its character after the biblical Cain, another possibility is the vision alluding to Cain and Abel as inseparable counterparts.Ā
One popular theory that Iāve seen circulating within the community is that Cain may have originally had a twin who died before or during birth, symbolically recreating the presence of Cain and Abel while allowing the game to explore themes of survivorās guilt or a life forever shaped by someoneās absence.Ā
Alternatively, the second presence may represent a supernatural entity, another consciousness, or an aspect of Cainās existence that is to be revealed in future updates. Although none of these possibilities can be confirmed at this stage of the gameās development, each interpretation points toward the same central idea that Cain is not entirely who he appears to be. If any of these interpretations are correct, then his future character arc will likely center on confronting a part of himself, or his past, that he has spent his life trying to suppress.
The Contradiction that is Cain
Usually this might be too hard to tell at first glance, but after further investigation, Cain is a giant walking contradiction. As I previously stated, Cain spends much of his life searching for answers. HOWEVER, I believe that many of those answers seem to only exist in the boundaries of beliefs he's already accepted. For someone who dedicates so much of his life to researching the unknown, Cain can be surprisingly resistant to questioning his own worldview. That contradiction appears over and over again throughout both the game and the creatorās supplementary material.
One scene that especially stood out to me takes place immediately after Madam Zoraās fortune telling in the cafe. Rather than trying to process what had happened, Cain shifts the conversation toward his beliefs about women, arguing that theyāre naturally more emotional and therefore easier to mislead.Ā
Whatās interesting isnāt necessarily the misogyny itself as the creator has already confirmed that these views come directly from the rigid environment Cain was raised in. What really stands out to me is the timing of his reaction. Instead of confronting an experience that completely challenged his understanding of reality, Cain retreats into an explanation that already feels safe and familiar.
When the mc (if youāre playing with she/her pronouns) points out that she herself identifies as a woman, Cain doesnāt reconsider his worldview. Instead, he insists that she's ādifferentā before admitting that he simply doesnāt have enough information yet. Rather than questioning the framework in itself, he tries to make the evidence fit inside it.
This tendency to live by one set of principles while behaving according to another appears throughout Cainās character. Although Cain dedicates much of his time to seeking knowledge and understanding, he rarely applies that same level of investigation toward the beliefs he has inherited. His views on women are a clear example of this contradiction. Despite being someone who questions the unknown, investigates mysteries, and searches for explanations beyond what is immediately visible, Cain accepts certain ideas about women without the same level of scrutiny,
What makes this especially interesting is that Cainās misogyny does not come from a lack of intelligence or curiosity. Like I said, these beliefs were shaped by the environment he was raised in, meaning they were taught to him rather than conclusions he independently reached. However, Cainās willingness to accept these beliefs without questioning them reveals a major flaw in his search for truth. He is willing to challenge the world around him, but he struggles to challenge the assumptions that form the foundation of his identity.
This creates a fascinating contradiction within Cain. He views himself as a seeker for objective answers, yet his understanding of certain topics is heavily influenced by the biases he inherited. He can recognize uncertainty in the world around him but fail to recognize that in himself. His sense of certainty can only go as far as the boundaries he made for himself allow.
Immaturity
One thing I especially think gets overlooked about Cain is how mature he appears to be. Throughout the time we know him, he carries himself as if hes the smartest person in the room and isnāt afraid to put others down to make a point. He speaks with a lot of conviction and rarely phrases his opinions as opinions. I honestly think heās convincing enough that heās even fooled a part of the audience into seeing him as this lone alpha wolf or some crap.
If anything, I think Cain is someone who unintentionally tries very hard to be perceived that way (kind of). Putting aside the philosophical conversations and religion, Cain shows himself to be incredibly passionate and oftentimes taking things much more seriously than most would. That seriousness can be easily mistaken for maturity, but I think itās the exact opposite. Heās still incredibly immature in plenty of ways, he simply happens to be better at hiding it than others (*cough cough* Jaeha)
The most clear example of this is during Genesisās route in which Cain puts himself into an argument with her over anime. Obviously, Iām aware that this scene was meant to be a gag, but I think it still manages to tell us a lot about his character. The same guy who investigates theology, conspiracies, and the paranormal is perfectly willing to get into a petty debate over anime. I donāt mean this as an insult, but Cain is much more of a dork than we give him credit for.Ā
Intimacy and Shame
This is definitely my favorite part and is going to be the most handy for.. future writingsā¦. :))
Since only the prologue of WAN2TALK is released, we donāt really get to see much of Cain and MCās relationship grow. However, the small dialogue details and tumblr posts (all hail Mari) give us a surprisingly good birdās eye view of Cainās relationship with intimacy and love itself
The biggest piece of evidence is from a Tumblr post asking about Cainās reaction toward physical touch/ mc sleeping around him. Iām just going to go ahead and quote the post for you guys to read for yourself!:
āIF he were to date someone who always had a habit of sleeping near him, Cain would lie there completely paralyzed, his muscles stiff as a board while you curl up against him. At first, he is thought to be genuinely disgusted and would tell you to get off. But once the room goes quiet and he knows youāre asleep, heād inch closer, fingers tightening around the fabric of your shirt as he pulls you flush against him. He'd only do it when heās sure you canāt see, as if that makes it less shameful. He'd stay awake for hours after that, trapped in that miserable, obsessive loop of wanting you near him while feeling sick at himself for wanting it at all. Eventually he'd be lulled to sleepā
Woweee. Originally, I thought Cain just disliked affection altogether, but after reading this and more, I no longer think this is necessarily true. While Cain definitely pushes the mc away and insists on having his personal space, I donāt think those reactions stem from a hatred of affection itself: more so I think theyāre a reaction to what affection requires. The post makes it pretty clear that Cain doesnāt reject intimacy because he doesnāt want it, but he rejects it because he doesnāt want anyone to see that he wants it.
But the big question we all seem to have (I do atleast) is why??Ā
I believe a part of this answer lies in Cainās relationship with religion. Throughout the game, itās clear that his faith is still an important part of his identity. He corrects people for using Godās name in vain, refers to himself as gods_desciple online (iām not writing all those numbers), and speaks about spiritual matters with genuine seriousness. At the same time, though, he also admits that while the church once comforted him, it ultimately taught him āhow deep the rot goes.ā I donāt necessarily think Cain is rejecting his faith here. If anything, I think he carries it with him everywhere he goes. Butt, the version of faith Cain seems to have internalized is one thatās deeply tied to guilt, sin, and the idea that thereās something fundamentally wrong with people.
If my interpretation is true and this is the lens that Cain sees the world through, then suddenly his discomfort with intimacy makes more sense. Letting someone get close means letting them see the parts of yourself that youāve spent your entire life believing are flawed. For someone like Cain whoās presented his identity entirely around appearing composed, knowledgeable, and in control, I can imagine that the idea of being seen as vulnerable is probably terrifying.Ā
Even the spotify playlist that the creator made further reinforces this idea. Now, I didnāt go and breakdown every song, but even simply skimming (and listening to the playlist while making this) gives me a lot of clear themes: guilt, longing, obsession, religious imagery, and wanting closeness while simultaneously believing that you donāt deserve it. Songs like āWhisperā or āSweet Illness of Mineā all explore different versions of that same emotional conflict.
Whatās also interesting is that very few of the songs are actually about healthy love. Most of them treat them like itās painful or inevitably leads to suffering. Whether thatās meant to reflect Cain directly or simply the atmosphere surrounding his route, I am confident that this was intentional based on a post by Mari explaining that songs in the playlist would hint at Cainās future dynamic with the mc.Ā
Based on the playlist and the other posts, Cain is clearly someone who craves affection but struggles to let himself accept it. He seems afraid that if someone truly knew him, they might decide he was never worth loving in the first place.
Predictions?
To be honest, I am not much of a theorizer. (Not including the predictions regarding Cain and Abel) However, I will say, I highly doubt Cainās story is going to end with him abandoning his faith or suddenly changing his beliefs to fit todayās standards. They might get better, but the game had deliberately shown that his relationship with religion is complicated. If anything, I think his arc will be about learning how to separate his faith from the shame and rigid expectations that have shaped him for so long. Whether that actually succeeds is an entirely other can of worms and probably depends on the mcās choices
At the end of the day, I donāt think Cainās route is really about ghosts or conspiracies despite them making up such a chunk of his interests. While they might make for a compelling discovery, I think that the real twist will be discovering that Cain had been wrong about himself all along.
AN
I donāt know why I chose the most complex character as a subject for my first character analysis. This was hell :,)
BUT I still had fun replaying Cainās route over and over like I was on a merry go round!
Remember, these are just my interpretations and could always be totally wrong! But goodness would it feel good to be rightā¦
If any new information appears, I will try to either update this or give a follow up post.
ANYWAYS
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