Episode Five Speculations

[ElOnTld]

What are you guys' theories for episode five? What do you think the aurora is, what's in Astrid's hardcase, etc.

Personally, I'm hoping there's no supernatural explanation for the aurora...I like that The Long Dark focuses mostly on realistic situations. I know the aurora wolves and bears aren't "realistic" lol, but I'd rather they keep it to little things like that...just my opinion, though- it's all up to Hinterland.

[ManicManiac]

All very good questions.
Lore discussions often take some fascinating turns.

I have a few ideas based on what I am finding while investigating Signal Void... but I'm not sure yet to what extent it might tie into Wintermute.
I need more data though.  

Edited October 19 by ManicManiac

[ElOnTld]

@ManicManiac Does it tie into the Wintermute storyline? I thought I heard it didn't...hmm, I might have to buy the dlc  Or wait for you guys to figure it out for me bahah 😜

[ManicManiac]

@ElOnTld

I don't know that it does... or if it's even really meant to.  However, we can still theorize about it.  
Either way, I would want to at least finish Signal Void and perhaps the other Tales to really get a feel of whether it might fit into the grander narrative of Wintermute or not (even if it's just "headcanon" 😋).

Edited October 20 by ManicManiac

[mintietcatm]

On 10/17/2024 at 2:53 PM, ElOnTld said:

What are you guys' theories for episode five? What do you think the aurora is, what's in Astrid's hardcase, etc.

Personally, I'm hoping there's no supernatural explanation for the aurora...I like that The Long Dark focuses mostly on realistic situations. I know the aurora wolves and bears aren't "realistic" lol, but I'd rather they keep it to little things like that...just my opinion, though- it's all up to Hinterland.

spoilers for the tales!

Spoiler

I do think the whole perseverance mills thing is connected to Rudiger in some way, the people in PM may be experiencing the same symptoms as the people near the machine. (that would explain the people drowning and how tired they looked at that final cutscene in ep 4. which would also explain why Astrid, who worked for a sleep research center has some sort of cure)

 

 

Edited October 20 by mintietcatm
typo lmao

[Veskaida]

On 10/17/2024 at 1:53 PM, ElOnTld said:

What are you guys' theories for episode five? What do you think the aurora is, what's in Astrid's hardcase, etc.

Personally, I'm hoping there's no supernatural explanation for the aurora...I like that The Long Dark focuses mostly on realistic situations. I know the aurora wolves and bears aren't "realistic" lol, but I'd rather they keep it to little things like that...just my opinion, though- it's all up to Hinterland.

I made a thread a while ago with some similar thoughts, speculation, and conclusions to this thread: you can find that topic here.

Specifically though:

• I would be quite disappointment if the cause of the apocalypse (Aurora/First Flare) was purely technological in nature, since I think that goes against the grain of much of TLD's theming. I feel strongly that a major theme/subtext of The Long Dark is "man VS nature", which we see in a myriad of towns and industries across the island, by many people/entities, through many time periods, in Wintermute, Sandbox, and even gameplay itself.
• TLD's world is relatively grounded in reality, so I think any supernatural cause is clearly out of the question imo ("Escape the Darkwalker" and "Four Days of Night" both are non-canon). Not a fan of 'twist' stories, at least to the extent TLD would be (were such a conclusion to be the case); I'd put that on-par with Will Mackenzie waking up at the end of Episode 5 'oh! it was all just a dream!' etc.

As stated in my thread based on what we know of Wintermute and TFTFT I believe that the Perseverance Mills

Spoiler

"outbreak" is technological in nature and is being caused by a second Rüdiger machine which became powered some time before the start of Episode 1. This machine is somewhere in the "Perseverance Mills" region or an adjacent region. This "outbreak" is similar to the symptoms Rüdiger's team experienced. Seraphim, Jahnn Industries or both inherited Rüdiger's research from The Foreman or created technology parallel to it.

"The Hard Case" which Astrid

Spoiler

stole from Seraphim is a technological device which can protect or heal injury to human brains from this harmful electromagnetic field, possibly through some kind of sleep therapy.

The 18th century sailing ship in the teaser art for "Episode 5 - The Light At The End of All Things" appears to have some kind of technological wires or lattice along bow and stern. I wouldn't be surprised if we got more information on this in Episode 5, including information regarding

Spoiler

Rüdiger machines or similar technology that may be powered by an aurora.

 

Personally, I'm hoping for conclusions to:

Spoiler

 

• What is "Wintermute"
• What's inside The Hard Case.
• What was Astrid's role in Seraphim
• What was Seraphim's sleep studies, and how do they relate to Perseverance Mills.
• Who is Atwood and Jeremiah, or rather what their role is on GBI regarding the Aurora.
• Who is this unnamed female Astrid is trying to meet in Perseverance Mills.
• What is the Aurora/First Flare, it's cause, effects, worldbuilding.
• What are the Aurora's effects on humans (if any) and wildlife.
• Why are there a network of bunkers/military signal repeaters scattered across Great Bear
• Who is Methuselah, how does he relate to GBI and the Aurora
• Does Jahnn Industries or Rüdiger have a hand in what is happening in Perseverance Mill.
• What happened to Will and Astrid's child
• Which characters live/die, general narrative conclusion to Wintermute.

 

Edited October 26 by Veskaida