"Changing the value of pi", collapsing multiverse, and supporting the Jesse=Dylan Theory
With 36 days until the digital release of Control Resonant, I've been combing over every bit of lore we've been presented with, and I stumbled upon a line that has had my imagination working overtime coming up with theories. Let me share. Even if these are way off base, the games gonna be a banger and I'm looking forward to either being proven right or surprised :)
**CHANGING THE VALUE OF PI**
Ok, so, I haven't seen any discussion on this line from the 20 minute gameplay feature... See linked video. When Dylan asks the agent what she knows about the AWE, she responds "idk, the research nerds are saying it has something to do with changing the value of pi, they're super excited".
Well, think about it. Pi is a universal constant that describes geometry. We know the pattern rearranges space, but if it can adjust fundamental constants, who's to say it can't also change time? Make it faster, slower, run in reverse, loop? Hell, if it changes certain constants in chemistry it could straight up dissolve things. An entity with the ability to just straight up alter physics by changing universal constants to make the math math differently would be incredibly powerful, and there's all sorts of directions they could go with it all of which would be very cool.
**FUCKING WITH SPACETIME**
An entity that changes universal constants can literally change how the universe works. We see this in the folded Manhattan that the pattern churns out, and I have a sort of multidimensional explanation of how that works. See, the circumference of a circle = 2pi*radius, right... Now try to imagine a circle where that ratio is now 3.5*2*r instead of pi*2*r. the circle cannot circle, without adding some amount of "hidden" extra space to make the math math. What if this extra space is just borrowed from elsewhere - from, say, alternate versions of Manhattan layering on each other? What if the Pattern ends up making multiple points in the Multiverse collide, forcing us to reckon with the multiple versions of Jesse/Dylan? Or, what if the Pattern introduces adjustments to how time works to match with the adjustments to space?
**THE PATTERN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MERGING TIMELINES**
I believe that what we will be presented with in Resonant will be a mash-up of multiple realities that have been alluded to thus far, with multiple versions of Jesse and/or Dylan present. I also think, less likely, that there's a slim chance that we end up in at least one threshold that will link, via these adjustments in how spacetime works, to a prior AWE, maybe even Ordinary, and that we will learn more about the event that is basically the origin story of Jesse and Dylan; I also subscribe to the "Jesse=Dylan" or "Jesse Dylan Faden" theory, which if you're not familiar with is essentiallynthat they're two variations of the same one person that found their way into the same reality in the multiverse. Hear me out, this is gonna come from nuggets in the Alan Wake 2 DLCs, particularly Lake House and Time Breaker. I'll just lay out the bits that brought me to these theories in bullet format:
- In Lake House, when the light cord shows up and Estevez goes through the Oceanview, ending up somehow near or in the Oldest House, there's a Director Portrait; however, unlike the ones of Jesse we see in Control, this one is two portraits overlapping in concentric circles; one of Jesse, one of Dylan. This indicates to me that either the Board will consider Jesse and Dylan to share the responsibilities of <Director / Janitor's Assistant>, OR... That in different corners of the multiverse, there's only Director Dylan or Director Jesse.
- In Time Breaker, during the motion comic segment, Not-Jesse mentions that there's infinite variations in the multiverse, some in which they're characters in some video game (pointed look at player through fourth wall).
- Speaking of Time Breaker... Perhaps the biggest clue is this whiteboard in the beginning segment of Time Breaker. On it is listed numerous names, including Lisa, Liz, Elisabet, *Jesse, Dylan,* and "Savage". Dylan is in a list of names of the red haired woman. Also, Savage, while completely new to me, sounds like it sure describes a version of Dylan. Complete speculation here, but maybe a Dylan from a timeline where he is more "savage", maybe like he was taken over by the Hiss or something? We shall see...
- Other note from Time Breaker: we are shown that the Multiverse is one that considers all possibilities and all timelines, which would support Wake's writing basically shifting realities to different timelines and versions.
- in the Time Breaker text adventure segment, a version of Shawn/The Actor/Tim/Jack meets a version of the red-haired woman, named, LISA. See the list of names above. Lisa is... A dancer. You know who else is a dancer? One of the Resonant bosses we've been shown, whose production is apparently ongoing during the Manhattan AWE.
- speaking of Resonants... Does anyone else think the giant head boss we've been shown kinda looks like a fucked up Jesse with dark hair? You don't think... That maybe... These Resonants are all different versions of Dylan, Jesse or other powerful parautilitarians? There is speculation that the lava / fire guy is Northmoor, which would track...
So, here's my theory, all laid out.
The Pattern, the primary paranatural threat as we know currently in Control Resonant, is an entity that can reshape space by changing fundamental constants of geometry. This much is established. I posit that why stop at space, why not also mess with time - as well as show evidence from Time Breaker that Remedy's multiverse is a branching-timelines and all-possibilities type - and suggest that this breakage in spacetime could manifest as different timelines overlapping, or put another way, different versions of the universe in Remedy's multiverse collapsing in on each other. If this collapsing or merging of parts of the multiverse leads to multiple versions of Jesse, Dylan or others manifesting, it may lead to a confirmation of the Jesse=Dylan Theory, or possibly even a time loop back to Ordinary.
What do y'all think? :)
Edit: forget the portrait, I needed my glasses to see Trench's. Idk what to make of the portrait anymore. My apologies for being confidently wrong on that one.