Some questions about the story, and my interpretation
Hey all, so I've just finished the game, and man was it good. But it took me a while to complete it, and I am a bit confused about the story. I might be misremembering some things, or misunderstanding stuff, so keep that in mind. My memory is quite hazy, and I am not used to analyzing media, so if my interpretation is messed up, I'd also appreciate a clarification. It's also 4 AM, so i'm gonna head to bed. Thanks for the replies in advance!
I'll write my short interpretation here, and then my questions.
In the first run >!Mark and Nicole meet and hit it off. but their entire relationship is built on their greif of losing someone close to them. Mark and Ridel also kinda ignore Cathy, and she keeps her emotions bottled up, which is why she runs away at the end. But Nic and Mark also let go of their trauma if I remember well.!<
In the second run, >!they all open up to each other quite early on, but Mark is afraid of losing Cath and is so set on saving her, that he ignores Nicole, and thus both of them have unresolved trauma, as they don't really help each other.!<
In the third run, >!we learn that Maria and Jake have been influencing the realities, so that Nicole and Mark find each other help each other be happy. But then realize that it's only making things worse, and that they need to let go, and let them live their own lives. In the next reality they don't meet, but let go of their past.!<
Stuff I don't get: >!Why did the first run loop? I'd get it if it was about Cathy's death, but why after many years, and not right at her death? Now that I am thinking about it, when Mark listens to the cd, Cathy opens up about her family situation, so maybe that's why? And he realizes that he kinda ignored Cath.!<
>!In the third run, why did looking into each other's eyes collapse the reality?!<
>!Both in the first and third endings Mark accepts his past, but it feels different, I might not be remembering something. Was he also on good terms with his dad in the first ending?!<
>!In the third run ending, when Cathy runs away, and then they find her at the train station, when is that? It's not the prom night as they aren't dressed up. How did Mark and Ridel get to know that she ran away?!<