The Wolf Among Us
In Which I Ruin the First Episode in this Penultimate Installment
Howdy again gentlemen and gentlewomen. As has become customary to mention at the beginning of each of these spoiler blogs, I must warn you that- if this is the first you are reading of them, and you haven't yet played the game for yourself or finished it, please refrain if you wish to not have things spoiled for you. If you've already read some of these blogs, or finished the first episode, then it's too late to save you, so feel free to read on or re-read the last one here. You've been forewarned plenty of times already, but if you really want to our feel you must, by all means, read on.
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1. Oh look, a dead guy. Yep, this is where we left off alright... Also, have you stabbed him in the brain yet, because I'm pretty sure he might reanimate as a- Oh, right... Wrong game, my bad. Carry on then Bigby, don't mind me- the ever present, omniscient overlord controlling your every action...
2. There's that bloody blade! And no, I am not using British language here, it literally is bloody, and it actually is a blade. Therefore- bloody...blade.
3. Mirror, mirror, on the wall, tell me where this blade doth fall... Oh wait, it's right here, just kidding. But how did it wind up over here, and not wherever it was before? Hmm...
4. But did someone actually want to kill him, or did he commit suicide by other person? What- that's the same thing? Oh... whoops...
5. Deadshot has obviously been here, after all- who can pass bullets through objects and off of corners and stuff without missing? Obviously the work of a seasoned pro, and not Tweedle One or Two... Obviously...
6. But nothing is as simple as shooting yourself, so I'm sure that is about the farthest thing from what actually happened here... Sadly, although I wouldn't have a problem with it being that simple at all, however unlikely it seems to be in a mystery such as this Grimm one... See what I did there?
7. Hard edge to the blood pool? Let us automatically find the object in question! Detective twin powers activate!
8. Wall bed!
9. You expect me to believe, despite it being slightly stuck to the bed, that the note did not budge an inch at all when you yanked the wall bed down from its place? Okay then Telltale, I'll believe you for now... After all, you've proven yourself pretty well in the past...
10. Suicide note cliche. Which probably means that- although it looks like a suicide by every definition in the book, it actually isn't. We shall see...
11. I somehow don't think they're together now, especially if you believe in classic Christian Heaven and Hell. After all, despite not being as noble as everyone else, the story of Donkeyface leads me to believe that Faith problem ended up making it to the graceful fields above, whereas her hubbie who popped himself- if that is truly so, wound up down below in the burning fields. Sad, but then again, what isn't grim in this story so far?
12. Flashback to "better times" cliche. Never fails in depressing stories. Heck, even The Walking Dead manages to include them every now and then through photo albums and such... Silver linings anyone? No? Okay then.
13. Yep, that gun wasn't fired recently, so therefore he either somehow shot himself and survived for a week, which doesn't fit any of the evidence or with the interactions between Faith at all, or someone else shot him. My bet is on the latter, and therefore the feigned suicide cliche holds up under scrutiny. For now anyways...
14. Time to get some fingerprint analysis on this gun... Let's see what we can dig up Fable CSI style...
15. I think it's safe to say that, in his last days at least, Lawrence was a pretty heavy drinker... Grief does that to you though sometimes, and we all cope with it in different ways- or we don't cope at all... Interesting moral tie-in there...
16. Prescription sleeping pills eh? Yeah, I'd probably need them too if i was guilty and hiding something, or if i was neck deep in grief. Although that was a pretty poor choice of words, considering Faith had her head cut off... Whoops...
17. The fact that no one has read the books in a while is a shame, considering most are probably fables that people could learn a thing or two from, even if they had already lived through them first hand...
18. Open the closet and... YOU MEAN TO TELL ME TWEEDLE'S BEEN HERE THE ENTIRE TIME?! And you never once noticed him? Shouldn't you have like a wolf's sense of smell or hearing even in your human form Bigby? My goodness man!
19. The fact that Snow chases after you despite you saying to 'Stay here,' is probably going to come back in a big way later. Sadly enough.
20. Leave you alone? Yeah, okay whatever. Explain all the blood on you then from getting cut with that blade or whatever on the mouth, because that looks pretty damn fishy to me man. You may not have murdered Faith, but I'm pretty sure you murdered Lawrence once you realized he wouldn't give you money or whatever you were holding over the two of them. Too bad it incriminates you either way Tweedle ***.
21. Second quicktime sequence is much more interesting than the first, and much easier to fail as well. My advice, don't get hit going up the stairs- that's a real time killer there. Also, did he just kill that random guy who's passed out there or whatever? I'm pretty sure dropping a couch on someone would do at least some damage... And he seems pretty unresponsive to me.
22. Moral choice/branching path scenario: choose the door to follow the TD twin through! Hmm... Left....right....left...right...left...ri- Oh well, what can it hurt?
23. It's okay, whichever you choose, you'll encounter him and be able to continue chasing him. It's just a matter of tackling him or launching off of a balcony and tackling him. Either way, it's pretty interesting...
24. By the way, you can't tell me that didn't hurt at all for either of you. Even if you are fables... I mean, you hit him from three stories or higher, and that's gotta bruise at the least.
25. You expect me to believe that you only ran because I chased after you? That's the biggest load of baloney ever. I only chased after you because you ran, so therefore you sir, are a liar. Also, I find it hard to believe that we are on the same side at all. Otherwise we'd be working together, and you wouldn't be covered in incriminating evidence and blood.
26. I somehow still don't believe you, especially when you try to direct the blame away from you and onto the Woodsman yet again, who, as incriminating as stuff seems, is probably the sanest of all of us, surprisingly enough.
27. Your employer, eh? So you're probably a hitman or thug of some sort, and he's a don or something too. I'm pretty sure I know how this thing is going to end... Also, we'd only be working together for long enough for you to screw me over or kill me or something, so I don't think I'll believe that either, thank you very much.
28. Leads, or that money she kept talking about, eh? Also, questions, or beating him up?
29. You're really that slow to turn around, or was this just for a dramatic set-up? Come on Bigby, that's like the second or third time you've let someone one-up you that bad. You're supposed to be big and bad man. This is just unacceptable, and really killing your reputation too...
30. Snow actually cares about you, or at least enough to wait by your side as you come to in a dirty back alley somewhere in New York. Aww..... But she doesn't care enough to help you up, and instead basically makes you man up and do it yourself. Gotta love that.
31. A bar or whatever named the Trip Trap? I just really can't comment on that, I'm sorry.
32. You and me both sister. I thought I had at least a semi grasp on the situation, but obviously I don't, and neither does anyone else here... I'm sure we'll find out something in good time... Maybe. Funny how everything does come back to the Woodsman though, whether he wants it to or likes that or not...
33. The fact that we keep bringing up Bluebeard, despite the fact that very few people probably actually have any inkling as to who he is, makes me immediately assume he has something to do with this whole situation, especially if he's so easily discounted by Ichabod Crane and the majority of other people due to "being away" all the time. Call me paranoid, but my instincts and feelings have served me pretty well in the past, just like Bigby's have apparently...
34. Is it just me, or does anyone else think Snow saw something for a moment there that made her think about or question the whole situation, as she is pretty lost in thought for a moment, then suddenly glances over and looks really curious or suspicious or something. I'm curious personally to know what she's so conflicted over here... And why did we never mention the whole Beauty and the Beast conflict at the beginning during the possible suspects thing, as that's been all but glossed over so easily that it makes me almost think she or he could be a suspect... Maybe there was a jealous love triangle going on, and this thing is a lot bigger than it seems. After all, we've already proven that the classic good guys in these fables aren't all too good after all, and the bad guys aren't necessarily so bad... Hmm... morally grey, just like The Walking Dead... I'll just have to make a note of this for later though...
35. I love Snow's character so much. And the fact that Telltale even manages to throw in a little funny, quirky, awkward car ride to lighten the mood at least a little bit before becoming more grim. It also shows how the two characters are getting closer together as well, due to the circumstances.
36. I sense a little of Telltale's political views finding their way into this game somehow, or at least whoever was in charge of Snow's character's ideology... interesting... Not bad, just interesting.
37. You're going to let me just go in there and handle this one all alone? Well, okay...if you insist. Just make sure you're careful out there... After all, there's a serial killer or something on the loose, and we wouldn't want this to end up like the one episode of Sherlock with the cabbie being behind the murders now would we? It might just be a game after all, but this is most certainly no game at the same time.
38. Trust me, one of those response to Snow's "Be careful," is really going to bug you later, although you wouldn't know it right now. It's quite tragic in some ways actually... But that's for another time, so enough on that.
39. Needless adjustment of the tie that never actually moves. Bigby needs to learn how to tie and untie his ties a lot better if he wants to be classy and impress anyone. Oh well, some things just never change I suppose...
40. Hey, isn't that fishy guy at the bar the one who was standing outside the overbearing Mr. Crane's office earlier in this episode? Sure seems familiar to me anyway...
41. Someone sure doesn't take too kindly to wolves now does she. My guess is that other guy doesn't either. But, that's just tough. Because my Bigby gets what he wants, when he wants, how he wants.
42. You're being pretty evasive, and obviously care more for what that dude wants you to say than what you want to say. This is probably going to get me punched, but I'm going to tell you how I see things anyways. Please go easy though if you do hit me.
43. Well, that went better than i expected...barely.
44. Well, this guy and the Woodsman are two of a kind then aren't they? Hmm... Wow, what a coincidence there. I offered to buy him a drink, and he wouldn't even accept that. He drives a really hard bargain there.
45. Gotta love the little quirky things that come up during searches around places in this game. And the fact that things can even be a little bit lighthearted and ironic at times as well. Some things just never change, do they?
46. I like the not-so-subtle placement of the 'We reserve the right to refuse any customers' sign in the camera's background there as she talks to Bigby ha ha. Pretty circumstantial, eh?
47. Limes manage to prompt a whole discussion about jokes and some other things. There's truly a game for everything. Limes, of all things!
48. Sudden noise and camera pan. Yep, I'm pretty sure the Woodsman is here now, even if I already suspected that before. Congratulations on giving yourselves away guys. Now, it's just a matter of phrasing this the right way...
49. 'You're out of towels in the,' and you're out of time good sir. Please come over her so I can proceed to punch you repeatedly in the face again. Or put an axe in your brain again. Whichever you choose, its your choice.
50. Check out that Dragonwing band poster or whatever in the back there- totally a shoutout to Dragonforce if there ever was one. Somebody's a fan alright.
51. You mean they might actually put aside their differences? Oh, how cute. Now let's cut to the chase and get this thing on the road. We both know circumstances probably won't allow them t put their differences aside, even if they wanted to.
52. Dramatic turn and... oh my, what's Handsome Jack doing on Earth? And as a fable too? I knew there was something fishy about that guy, but I wasn't expecting him to invade other games as well, or come back from the grave either... Impressive work there Jack. I guess I really don't know Jack, do I?
53. Oldtime good guy tells sob story about why he was in the wrong place at the right time and got called a hero for it cliche. Touching, and probably goes pretty hand in hand with this particular modern retelling as well. Classy one there big guy. But really, you were going to rob a girl and then saved her and got nothing in return? Ha, so karma really does work- sucks for you then, because you didn't get anything out of it.
54. The fact that the Woodsman seems genuinely surprised helps his case just a little bit, which is good for him, because I'm thirsting for vengeance and justice over here.
55. See, I actually believe you sort of right now- there are a lot bigger things going on here, and we both know that. I didn't however, need the testimonial from your bodyguard guy Gren or whatever the Jack- lookalike's name is. But oh well, guess this is going to get interesting either way.
56. You really choose now to pick a fight Gren? You are either really stupid or you just have terrible timing, because things were actually going pretty good. I mean, Woody and I over here had just managed to have an entire conversation without once punching each other in the face. I'd say that's a step in the right direction there, well, until you just ruined it that is.
57. Bigby the Noble and Gallant returns yet again, defending the women of the realm and their posterity and reputations. Score is now one to zero, in Bigby's favor.
58. I didn't know this guy was also Abe from Oddworld. How intriguing. First he's Jack from Borderlands 2, then he's some random dude in this game, who shows up twice at least so far, and now he's a giant ogre or whatever lookalike from Abe's Oddyssey.... How interesting...
59. And she's a troll or whatever too? Now that, I didn't really expect. Well- this is certainly going to be very interesting, I can tell you that. Let's rumble then guys.
60. Eye punches! Coat rack stabbing of the face! Slightly wolf-like claw marks on the ground! Head punch! Gut kick! Arm stab! Face and throat rips! Pool cue stab to the shoulder area! Broken knee inducing kick!
61. What comes across as a cry for mercy for Gren from the Woodsman only really initiates a finish him moment from Mortal Kombat, as obviously just about everybody playing this game is going to choose to rip this poor ***'s arm off. After all, he totally had it coming this whole time, and this will definitely teach him to screw with the Big Bad Wolf again. Also, I don't think he'll be putting anyone in the ground any time soon.
62. Dark humor comes in the form of lap dog jokes about fetching whilst throwing the now disembodied arm across the room. Ouch. That's just salt in that injury most definitely...
63. Of course I'm a monster Woody, you never realized that when i could be a giant freaking wolf? Wow, you really are a little bit slow there aren't you...
64. Whiskey apparently helps to elicit an abrupt change of form back to the slightly less wolf-like Bigby. Interesting, I'll have to make a note of this one... At least you paid for your drink though, and that was decent enough of you to do.
65. Yeah, I was wondering when you'd show up Tweedle... Also, how did I manage to beat you here by so much time when you're the one who told me you would be on your way here, and then left way ahead of me? Oh well, small issue I guess. And...
66. INITIATE MORAL CHOICE OF TWO CRISES!!!!
67. I'll be doing this episode from the perspective of choosing to chase down Tweedle, but don't worry- some different stuff happens if you chase after woody instead. Well, slightly so. I think I'm going to do a part seven after-blog of all the choices I've found that can change the outcome of things in this particular episode, and then talk a bit about what I would've done differently each time.