A Rusty Lake timeline that also includes The Past Within and is a relatively long video? SIGN ME UP!! Liked and subscribed, thanks for taking the time to do this
I'm amazed at how well you did all this! I've played all the games, and I only really understood about 60 percent of the lore. I'd looove to see a part two. I just finished Underground Blossom and would love to see all of Laura's life featured in the games put together.
It's filmed and im working on the edit! It was just a bit delayed because I wanted to get the underground blossom stuff in there :) Thank you for the kind comment!
Great work! I'd been looking around for a video to better explain this whole saga in a chronological way and found yours to make the most sense. Loved the format, the objectivity in your narrative and attention to detail, but also the heart you put into it. 😊 Keep it up!
Thank you very much! This was a very difficult project but I'm thrilled with how it turned out and how helpful people seem to find it. A new video with more explanation and a bit more theory is on the way!
Welcome onboard! I'm really glad to see more theorists popping up. And you made a great video, you really did. And to celebrate I want to point out some moments. I'm keeping in mind that you are trying to keep theories out for now but just in case you have missed something: 1) You were talking about the golden cube being an idea of unity of other cubes. I'm convinced it's a little off, not every cube could be used for that. The black and white ones should have specifically come from Laura and, as depicted in the book and on a mural in The Cave, contained William's memories of elixir elements. 2) Just like in Paradise really. Jakob ascended not because he was burnt but because Caroline took her elixir elements from her memories and made them react with Jakob's soul (it's pretty graphic in the ending if you look at it) basically emulating normal elixir ritual. 3) Speaking of the guests, they have to be the Eilanders ascended after they sacrificed Jakob. Mr. Rabbit that came to kill Dale's parents presented himself as D. Eilander (that would be David) and just like his Hotel counterpart he was a magician. I get that you may not take my word here but on Gamescom 2023 the devs said that all Mr. Rabbits are the same person and since he's an demigod now so should be the rest of the family, hence the guests. 4) The term enlightenment is used for a lot of different cases lately. It's not only becoming an animal person anymore. So is called the achievement for Laura's rebirth in Samsara Room and Roses merging into a tree. Also, I think it was never about true immortality, as seen in The Cave. It seems the elixir can prolong one's life as long as it stays in their body but the problem is, it gradually goes out. With feces at least. That's why Mr. Owl and Mr. Crow are now weak and that's why they can reconsume the dog's extract to stretch their time a little further. 5) Speaking of Emma not sending her letter in 1891. You have my praise here! You'll probably be surprised how many people miss and sometimes choose to ignore the facts you've brought up. My respect! 6) It's weird but after reflecting a bit, I found no good reason to believe the bird-like corrupted soul that stalked Albert to be Mr. Crow. I still believe he's the most likely candidate but it doesn't really adopt his silhouette and, besides that, corruption is quite a big deal to be switched on and off easily. 7) The last thing I want to highlight is The Past from TPW. I do believe that Albert somehow knew about his upcoming demise and made a cubical device (we have evidence for that) but I find Rose using it in the original timeline debatable. My major point of concern is the ending. It looks like Rose left the reality to become a tree and it happened way before Laura was born. Normally, it would contradict the whole further timeline. Again, glad to see you here and looking forward for your next videos. It's not only you are doing something for the community, you are taking it seriously and the quality of your content is that good from the start. I wish you luck!
Wow thank you for the write up! I'll address all your points here! 1) yeah I defiantly had to do a cliff notes version of the cubes here, I had a bit more explanation in the first draft but it was just too rambling for a quick aside. The idea for that section was just to give a quick overview of some themes to onboard anyone who was going in blind, and I defiantly need to get into the cubes more in a future video, I just wanted the most basic awareness of their existence. 2) This was poor wording on my part, I didn't mean to imply it was being burnt that assended Jakob, I was just trying to list the sequence of events: that he was burned and then he mixed with the memories and ascended. I intentionally didn't get into how that might have worked because I felt that the elixar, like the cubes, deserved its own video. 3) yes I defiantly know that the hotel guests are the Eilanders reborn, and my first draft went into that a lot more. But it made the scrip very long and I felt it was pretty complex to go into the different rebirth traces in the series. Thats also on my list to go into further (there is a lot to talk about in Rusty Lake!) 4) Thats a fair criticism, I may be using enlightenment too strictly. 5) Thank you! I tried to keep theory out of it but since this video is specifically meant to lay out the sequence of events I decided to leave that one in there. 6) This is another great point I hadn't considered. Mr. Crow shows up a lot in that game as a sort of spirit the family cant really see so I lumped them together in my brain, but that moment defiantly looks different and I don't know why he'd look corrupted. This is going on my list to dig into further thank you! 7) I see what you mean that what I put was unintentionally theory. When I played the game I took immediately to the idea that there are two versions in TPW, the more animated version where you walk around the room and do the puzzles is inside the memory cube inside the device, the more 3d version interacting with just the device is what literally happened in that point in time. So in 1926 Rose put aspects of Albert into a cube, into the device. So there is a version of her, a memory cube version, inside the device. And the memory/cube/spirit inside the device is what reformed with future Rose. Either way I'm still ok with putting that part in here; I think even if it was just a bit Rose had to have interacted with the device in 1926, and I felt it was important to draw attention to that aspect of TPW happening at this point in the timeline. TPW seems like it needs a video all its own though lmao Thank you for your feedback!
@@zefiewings I think the 2D/3D style difference in TPW is mostly gameplay if not entirely so. The Past stays inside the black cube even though we moved it from the device. That's crucial for the plan and the ending. Speaking of which, to further prove my point, the ending combines the 2 styles for both rooms. They feature 2D characters amidst 3D environments.
@@nowherenest Interestingly I considered that evidence for my interpretation; that the memories/cubes were mixing with reality. Either way its defiantly more into theory/interpretation territory, so I'll have to make a whole video on it sometime to explore my thoughts :)
@@zefiewings I think, since TPW, cubes just have to be realities. Or rather doors into them. The Future was real though and through, it had real causes (the kidnap, the research) and real consequences (the tree, Albert in BKM) and creation of the golden cube didn't change it. The Past, even though it was called a memory, was able to change the real Future and therefore had to be just as real. The only question, is it the same reality or a bunch of them?
Hey! Just wanted to say, excellent write-up and presentation! I think you made it especially accessible and engaging for newcomers. I found out about this series in 2021, and I loved diving deep into the series trying to piece everything together. Looking forward to see your next videos!
I alreday love this channel and im only 2 minutes in! I hope your channel grows to the potential it has! 🎀 I love the rusty lake games and i've always wanted to find people to theorize with!
yeah, rusty lake has been my favorite niche game. i've always like the story and see other people's theories. i came here from nowherenest's newest vid where they shouted you out
This is a great breakdown and very thorough. I hope to hear more! I just found and played through the series, so now I'm trying to understand what is going on.
My theory on then end of paradise....... I dont think its just Jacob who achieved enlightenment but whom ever/what ever are close to the well when the ritual happened. For me that explains the Harvy, Mr.toad, and Mr.Bat. And also the similarities between Jacob's family and Hotel guests. There seems to be Levels when it comes to enlightenment. Jacob now Mr. Owl and Mr. Crow became humanoid and also have the memories of there past. Jacob's family and few animal just became humanoid with no evidence suggesting they remember any of there past. There are few hands which gained sentience of some form. Not to mention the dog who never became humanoid but just immortal. There might be a higher enlightenment level because Mr.Owl mentioned a 'full elixir' in Caves I think.
There is definitely more to that scene and enlightenment in the series in general, and I'll definitely be talking about it more in the future. I've also thought about if Harvey, Mr.toad, and Mr. Bat were just animals caught in the ritual and it's certainly a compelling theory. I've never thought about the hands as being like this, but you are right that they certainly have a level of sentience. I'll have to think more on that. As for Harvey, I hesitate to include him with the likes of bat and toad because he just seems so much more important. From a storytelling perspective it feels like he should be more important than that, though me wishing it doesn't make it so. That said, I actually have come up with a theory I like about Harvey and will absolutely be doing, though I think more I might have to do more general theme videos first like the cubes, the elixir/ritual, and enlightenment. I'm really excited to talk about it as soon as reasonable though!
Don't you think the animals in the paradise hotel are the Eilander family? At the end of Rusty Lake Paradise, the family members wear animal masks. The same as in Rusty Lake Hotel. Anyway, I love your theories and videos!
Yes! and no... The characters in Hotel have established backstories that seem to contradict them being exactly the same characters. For example when Hotel was announced there were character profiles that included Height, Age and Profession. And if we look at Mr. Boar's announcement it says he is 52. That would make his birthday around 1841 with Hotel taking place in 1893. But obviously, that's not Gerard's birthday (the uncle who wears the boar mask) with Paradise taking place in 1796. Well then maybe it just froze them at their age, after all, they didn't actually say Mr. Boar's birthday is 1841 just that he is 52, and Gerard seems like he could be 52. Except that it's not that simple either since Mrs. Pigeon is listed as 39 and the family member who wears the Pigeon mask is Margaret..., Gerard's mom. So that doesn't work. HOWEVER, we can't say it's just a coincidence because Mr. Rabbit is explicitly called D. Eilander in Paradox. Here's what it seems like to me: Unlike Jacob who was Transformed immediately into Mr. Owl the rest of the family was reborn after the fact into the animal characters. They have different lives and jobs and at least some of them are aware of their past lives but a rebirth is a separate character like William and Laura and different from transformations like Jacob (Owl) and Alduos (Crow).
Ooooh! Not one vut two channels interested in rusty lake? Must be my lucky day! The Rusty Truth is the other one i found talking about it, maybe you can share theories ;)
It may be just because he was scared. It shows later that Albert had access to him from the lab where he fed him but also teased him and pestered him. We don't know how badly he would torcher him from in there but considering he had him from 6 years old it probably wasn't hard to get him under his thumb. that said, Rose found him somehow so he probably did eventually call out when Albert was away and he heard a new voice.
I found my people 😂 I am the kind of person that hyper fixates on something specific for a long time. I have been wishing to discuss this game with someone but no one seems to play it around me.
Found us! I'd love to have you in my discord, I stream this series (and others) a lot and we talk theories and stuff in the chat and discord all the time!
You are supposed to cut the dead parts from the video when you aren't speaking it break the immersion if you don't know how there's ai tools to help u with that i want to see more people talking about this game so keep at it
Most of the dead air was certainly removed, what was left was either for an intentional dramatic pause or because I moved too much between sentences and it made the cut too awkward. Almost all the cuts were done intentionally seamlessly, rather than the style where one jumps back and forth, or there are literally no breaths of pause. It's just a style thing and I don't need it to be quite that fast paced. Thank you for watching!
Welcome! I use she/they, though I prefer They online somewhat because my IRL life most people use she so I want to balance that out a bit lol. But either is fine.
we definitely need a part two, Rusty Lake has so much to it!!
It will be the next video!
Ive needed a full part series for ever since cube escape seasons came out
yeah there is a LOT going on in this series.
A Rusty Lake timeline that also includes The Past Within and is a relatively long video? SIGN ME UP!! Liked and subscribed, thanks for taking the time to do this
Thank you very much! More to come :)
This series is way underated
I completely agree!
I'm amazed at how well you did all this! I've played all the games, and I only really understood about 60 percent of the lore. I'd looove to see a part two. I just finished Underground Blossom and would love to see all of Laura's life featured in the games put together.
It's filmed and im working on the edit! It was just a bit delayed because I wanted to get the underground blossom stuff in there :)
Thank you for the kind comment!
Great work! I'd been looking around for a video to better explain this whole saga in a chronological way and found yours to make the most sense. Loved the format, the objectivity in your narrative and attention to detail, but also the heart you put into it. 😊 Keep it up!
Thank you very much! This was a very difficult project but I'm thrilled with how it turned out and how helpful people seem to find it. A new video with more explanation and a bit more theory is on the way!
Thanks for the clarified timeline, please do make more videos.
Thank you! A video in progess right now :)
Loved the the explanation, really easy to follow. Thanks, I'll be waiting for part 2!
thank you! It's in progress, just adding some new underground blossom stuff to the script!
Welcome onboard! I'm really glad to see more theorists popping up. And you made a great video, you really did.
And to celebrate I want to point out some moments. I'm keeping in mind that you are trying to keep theories out for now but just in case you have missed something:
1) You were talking about the golden cube being an idea of unity of other cubes. I'm convinced it's a little off, not every cube could be used for that. The black and white ones should have specifically come from Laura and, as depicted in the book and on a mural in The Cave, contained William's memories of elixir elements.
2) Just like in Paradise really. Jakob ascended not because he was burnt but because Caroline took her elixir elements from her memories and made them react with Jakob's soul (it's pretty graphic in the ending if you look at it) basically emulating normal elixir ritual.
3) Speaking of the guests, they have to be the Eilanders ascended after they sacrificed Jakob. Mr. Rabbit that came to kill Dale's parents presented himself as D. Eilander (that would be David) and just like his Hotel counterpart he was a magician. I get that you may not take my word here but on Gamescom 2023 the devs said that all Mr. Rabbits are the same person and since he's an demigod now so should be the rest of the family, hence the guests.
4) The term enlightenment is used for a lot of different cases lately. It's not only becoming an animal person anymore. So is called the achievement for Laura's rebirth in Samsara Room and Roses merging into a tree. Also, I think it was never about true immortality, as seen in The Cave. It seems the elixir can prolong one's life as long as it stays in their body but the problem is, it gradually goes out. With feces at least. That's why Mr. Owl and Mr. Crow are now weak and that's why they can reconsume the dog's extract to stretch their time a little further.
5) Speaking of Emma not sending her letter in 1891. You have my praise here! You'll probably be surprised how many people miss and sometimes choose to ignore the facts you've brought up. My respect!
6) It's weird but after reflecting a bit, I found no good reason to believe the bird-like corrupted soul that stalked Albert to be Mr. Crow. I still believe he's the most likely candidate but it doesn't really adopt his silhouette and, besides that, corruption is quite a big deal to be switched on and off easily.
7) The last thing I want to highlight is The Past from TPW. I do believe that Albert somehow knew about his upcoming demise and made a cubical device (we have evidence for that) but I find Rose using it in the original timeline debatable. My major point of concern is the ending. It looks like Rose left the reality to become a tree and it happened way before Laura was born. Normally, it would contradict the whole further timeline.
Again, glad to see you here and looking forward for your next videos. It's not only you are doing something for the community, you are taking it seriously and the quality of your content is that good from the start. I wish you luck!
Wow thank you for the write up! I'll address all your points here!
1) yeah I defiantly had to do a cliff notes version of the cubes here, I had a bit more explanation in the first draft but it was just too rambling for a quick aside. The idea for that section was just to give a quick overview of some themes to onboard anyone who was going in blind, and I defiantly need to get into the cubes more in a future video, I just wanted the most basic awareness of their existence.
2) This was poor wording on my part, I didn't mean to imply it was being burnt that assended Jakob, I was just trying to list the sequence of events: that he was burned and then he mixed with the memories and ascended. I intentionally didn't get into how that might have worked because I felt that the elixar, like the cubes, deserved its own video.
3) yes I defiantly know that the hotel guests are the Eilanders reborn, and my first draft went into that a lot more. But it made the scrip very long and I felt it was pretty complex to go into the different rebirth traces in the series. Thats also on my list to go into further (there is a lot to talk about in Rusty Lake!)
4) Thats a fair criticism, I may be using enlightenment too strictly.
5) Thank you! I tried to keep theory out of it but since this video is specifically meant to lay out the sequence of events I decided to leave that one in there.
6) This is another great point I hadn't considered. Mr. Crow shows up a lot in that game as a sort of spirit the family cant really see so I lumped them together in my brain, but that moment defiantly looks different and I don't know why he'd look corrupted. This is going on my list to dig into further thank you!
7) I see what you mean that what I put was unintentionally theory.
When I played the game I took immediately to the idea that there are two versions in TPW, the more animated version where you walk around the room and do the puzzles is inside the memory cube inside the device, the more 3d version interacting with just the device is what literally happened in that point in time. So in 1926 Rose put aspects of Albert into a cube, into the device. So there is a version of her, a memory cube version, inside the device. And the memory/cube/spirit inside the device is what reformed with future Rose.
Either way I'm still ok with putting that part in here; I think even if it was just a bit Rose had to have interacted with the device in 1926, and I felt it was important to draw attention to that aspect of TPW happening at this point in the timeline.
TPW seems like it needs a video all its own though lmao
Thank you for your feedback!
@@zefiewings I think the 2D/3D style difference in TPW is mostly gameplay if not entirely so. The Past stays inside the black cube even though we moved it from the device. That's crucial for the plan and the ending.
Speaking of which, to further prove my point, the ending combines the 2 styles for both rooms. They feature 2D characters amidst 3D environments.
@@nowherenest Interestingly I considered that evidence for my interpretation; that the memories/cubes were mixing with reality.
Either way its defiantly more into theory/interpretation territory, so I'll have to make a whole video on it sometime to explore my thoughts :)
@@zefiewings I think, since TPW, cubes just have to be realities. Or rather doors into them.
The Future was real though and through, it had real causes (the kidnap, the research) and real consequences (the tree, Albert in BKM) and creation of the golden cube didn't change it. The Past, even though it was called a memory, was able to change the real Future and therefore had to be just as real.
The only question, is it the same reality or a bunch of them?
The Rusty Lak series finally makes sense LOL
Oh I wouldn't go that far: we have a lot to figure out yet! lmao
Harvey who?
Such a great video on one of my teenage favorites. And ending it in a reference to The Crow? Chefs kiss.
lol Thank you! Love that movie~! And Rusty Lake is my favorite too!
This is great !! I’m so happy to see someone doing a lore vid on this amazing franchise. Can’t wait to see more !
Thank you! More will absolutely be coming!
Its rare to see people talk about this game. This game is one of my favourite
Thank you! Me too, I absolutely love this series.
Hey! Just wanted to say, excellent write-up and presentation! I think you made it especially accessible and engaging for newcomers. I found out about this series in 2021, and I loved diving deep into the series trying to piece everything together. Looking forward to see your next videos!
Thank you! Part 2 is coming soon!
I love how well researched this video is.
Thank you!
really liked this video! there aint many timeline videos of rusty lake and im always happy to see one, especially now its a new video :D
I'm very glad you liked it!
good to know someone is passionate with this series, keep it up!
Very! Part 2 is in process
I alreday love this channel and im only 2 minutes in! I hope your channel grows to the potential it has! 🎀 I love the rusty lake games and i've always wanted to find people to theorize with!
Wow that means a lot! Thank you very much.
great work, hope you do more. i have loved the rusty lake games and haven't seen that many people make videos on them
Thank you! I have part 2 of the timeline in progress and a whole list of future video ideas for after that!
yeah, rusty lake has been my favorite niche game. i've always like the story and see other people's theories. i came here from nowherenest's newest vid where they shouted you out
This game’s aesthetic is like a crisscross between American Horror Story and Hannibal 👌
Its very weird!
I’ve been looking for someone to explain this!! Thank you so much!!
Thank you for watching! I'm happy to dive into the lore of this series! :)
This is a great breakdown and very thorough. I hope to hear more! I just found and played through the series, so now I'm trying to understand what is going on.
To be fair, I have played it a lot and I am stull trying to understand whats going on too. lmao
Great job😊❤
Thank you! The timeline was a lot of work so it was a wild one to start with but they turned out pretty well!
My theory on then end of paradise.......
I dont think its just Jacob who achieved enlightenment but whom ever/what ever are close to the well when the ritual happened. For me that explains the Harvy, Mr.toad, and Mr.Bat. And also the similarities between Jacob's family and Hotel guests.
There seems to be Levels when it comes to enlightenment. Jacob now Mr. Owl and Mr. Crow became humanoid and also have the memories of there past. Jacob's family and few animal just became humanoid with no evidence suggesting they remember any of there past. There are few hands which gained sentience of some form.
Not to mention the dog who never became humanoid but just immortal. There might be a higher enlightenment level because Mr.Owl mentioned a 'full elixir' in Caves I think.
There is definitely more to that scene and enlightenment in the series in general, and I'll definitely be talking about it more in the future.
I've also thought about if Harvey, Mr.toad, and Mr. Bat were just animals caught in the ritual and it's certainly a compelling theory. I've never thought about the hands as being like this, but you are right that they certainly have a level of sentience. I'll have to think more on that.
As for Harvey, I hesitate to include him with the likes of bat and toad because he just seems so much more important. From a storytelling perspective it feels like he should be more important than that, though me wishing it doesn't make it so.
That said, I actually have come up with a theory I like about Harvey and will absolutely be doing, though I think more I might have to do more general theme videos first like the cubes, the elixir/ritual, and enlightenment. I'm really excited to talk about it as soon as reasonable though!
@@zefiewings Iam excited to here your theories. keep up the great work.
Thank you ❤❤❤❤❤😊😊
lol You are Welcome! I'm glad it helped and thank you for watching!
@zefiewings I have played all rusty lake games it was just amazing. Thank you for explaining everything 🙏🏻
Omg I love you this is soooo good
Thank you very much!
Don't you think the animals in the paradise hotel are the Eilander family?
At the end of Rusty Lake Paradise, the family members wear animal masks. The same as in Rusty Lake Hotel.
Anyway, I love your theories and videos!
Yes! and no...
The characters in Hotel have established backstories that seem to contradict them being exactly the same characters. For example when Hotel was announced there were character profiles that included Height, Age and Profession. And if we look at Mr. Boar's announcement it says he is 52. That would make his birthday around 1841 with Hotel taking place in 1893. But obviously, that's not Gerard's birthday (the uncle who wears the boar mask) with Paradise taking place in 1796. Well then maybe it just froze them at their age, after all, they didn't actually say Mr. Boar's birthday is 1841 just that he is 52, and Gerard seems like he could be 52. Except that it's not that simple either since Mrs. Pigeon is listed as 39 and the family member who wears the Pigeon mask is Margaret..., Gerard's mom. So that doesn't work.
HOWEVER, we can't say it's just a coincidence because Mr. Rabbit is explicitly called D. Eilander in Paradox.
Here's what it seems like to me: Unlike Jacob who was Transformed immediately into Mr. Owl the rest of the family was reborn after the fact into the animal characters. They have different lives and jobs and at least some of them are aware of their past lives but a rebirth is a separate character like William and Laura and different from transformations like Jacob (Owl) and Alduos (Crow).
Ooooh! Not one vut two channels interested in rusty lake? Must be my lucky day! The Rusty Truth is the other one i found talking about it, maybe you can share theories ;)
Very exciting! I'll have to check their channel out, thank you!
Keep it up my sis
Thank you, I will
I am so looking forward to part 2!
Question; why didn't Frank just yell for help? Someone at some point must have been near the well.
It may be just because he was scared. It shows later that Albert had access to him from the lab where he fed him but also teased him and pestered him. We don't know how badly he would torcher him from in there but considering he had him from 6 years old it probably wasn't hard to get him under his thumb.
that said, Rose found him somehow so he probably did eventually call out when Albert was away and he heard a new voice.
Thank you for this video omg
Thank YOU :)
i grew up on rusty lake lol
awsome! It's only been in my life for 7 years but it quickly shot to the top of my favourite series list!
I found my people 😂 I am the kind of person that hyper fixates on something specific for a long time. I have been wishing to discuss this game with someone but no one seems to play it around me.
Found us! I'd love to have you in my discord, I stream this series (and others) a lot and we talk theories and stuff in the chat and discord all the time!
shout out to Rusty Lake for making me into a furry
I truly don't even know what to say to this... Congratulations?? For being weird??
@@icosahedron3 thx. was born weird and queer. Really, just being a furry is a bonus. xD
lmao no no you're just Enlightened ;)
@@zefiewings after all these disney furry movies. yes xD
@@Absbor it adds to character! Just means you're not boring lol. Sorry if i came off as mean earlier, 😅
A person all dressed in black with a pride flag in the background talking about indie game theories? No doubt, I'm in the right place!
You are supposed to cut the dead parts from the video when you aren't speaking it break the immersion if you don't know how there's ai tools to help u with that i want to see more people talking about this game so keep at it
Most of the dead air was certainly removed, what was left was either for an intentional dramatic pause or because I moved too much between sentences and it made the cut too awkward. Almost all the cuts were done intentionally seamlessly, rather than the style where one jumps back and forth, or there are literally no breaths of pause. It's just a style thing and I don't need it to be quite that fast paced. Thank you for watching!
What are your pronouns
Welcome! I use she/they, though I prefer They online somewhat because my IRL life most people use she so I want to balance that out a bit lol. But either is fine.