Don't Starve Together: Disconnected [WX-78 Animated Short]

[@kleient]

Full details on the WX-78 Refresh: klei.gg/WX-78update After the wiring to their long-unused empathy module is repaired, WX-78 finds themselves suddenly reconnecting with memories they’d hoped to keep buried. The WX-78 refresh update is available now on Xbox, PlayStation and Steam. Nintendo Switch will be getting this update at a later date. We're working on a large update to catch Nintendo Switch up with all platforms now that it's released. Once that goes out the goal is to keep it updated in synch with the other platforms. Stay tuned for more details specific to Nintendo Switch.

[@wiktorshowtime8242]

UwU

[@mrchoochooguy4045]

Instead of enforcing a comment chain ima just tell you I think you spelt sync wrong is the description

[@jagmasterop2083]

@@mrchoochooguy4045 Your're doing gods work

[@stevegamerhog-9518]

Cross platform plans?

[@arandomperson12345]

@@mrchoochooguy4045 you know, as much as it is an unorthodox spelling I've rarely ever seen, sync is clearly just a shortened form of synchronized or synchronization, so I feel like this one gets a pass.

[@kerzid]

Other than seeing Wx backstory, I also love seeing characters interact and take care of each other. Always such a delight

[@eyitsaperson]

true

[@Disherhawk]

true

[@Ttegegg]

A interesting story I see. A very interesting one

[@nukeflower.1759]

true

[@cheerstothat8089]

And the other interactions between characters, like with Wagstaff here...

[@aspectofthecat1337]

One's empathy module has no choice but to respond to the amazing work that went into this short.

[@TheFedora-on8dc]

We all have an empathy module/soul

[@lizardjoe4224]

SPIDERS .......sorry

[@joliegunn2270]

Everytime to make a new animation my computer chip Produces saratonin

[@Plant-uu5ok]

Never thought I could feel bad for a robot who likes killing, the more you know.

[@Red_Sky_postNuke]

*likes killing and hates eggs. Very much.

[@honeyjar5995]

@@Red_Sky_postNuke loves bees

[@claykick]

@@Red_Sky_postNuke reminds of glados

[@Peter-jn1hr]

I thought flowey can't feel bad for somebodie else

[@michalh.4188]

well He dosent have an heart So his emotionless and destructive i can say

[@Kyee124]

I like how compared to other animated shorts, WX is given with backstory that is so little that Klei seems to go "Yea the fandom would figure it out by themselves"

[@tuananhnguyen6274]

Woodie animated shorts don't have any backstory, it makes Klei have to put some of it in Walter Animation short

[@yahshuaquinonez8366]

Literly everyone had one in ther shorts

[@williamafton2208]

*and so fnaf came to dont starve*

[@hattedmoron555]

@@yahshuaquinonez8366 woodie moment.

[@moon3117]

I get it

[@emmadouglas5768]

Fun fact: in this update in the compendium under starvers, in wx's description there is some binary code and when you run it through A translator it comes out as "Too late, Too late, Too late"

[@oonikown5998]

"too late too late too late"

[@TwiflyS]

it says it in the disc of this video too late

[@reynaldoponce3422]

too late to fix WX trauma he buried it for so long i think

[@Nate2010]

@@reynaldoponce3422 alternatively, too late to undo the conscience transfer thing

[@joliegunn2270]

What I think too late means: It's too late for you to fix your mistakes wagstaff, I'm already too broken.

[@MF99K]

Definitely not what I expected for WX lore, but an interesting backstory nonetheless!

[@kliveran]

For a robot ho despite life in general this is choking

[@plants_are_dangerous564]

Among us

[@themetalmario77]

@@plants_are_dangerous564Sussy

[@rat2316]

@@kliveran life is choking to real people too

[@wiktorshowtime8242]

Among us

[@rasmuswhittembury6350]

Really brings a meaning to "Emotion module not responding"

[@Camilinhaa2003]

Empathy module*

[@Star-ny3fm]

EMPATHY MODULE*

[@pustota7254]

*EMPATHY MODULE**

[@rasmuswhittembury6350]

Sorry, "Empathy module"

[@shisekiin]

01:42 It was so unexpected that even Wickerbottom's eyes opened.

[@fear_is_nearcz]

Why are those EYES not bloody?

[@funiwanderer3280]

Thats a sign

[@eyitsaperson]

wouldnt you be surprised if a surgery patient suddenly started ripping out their own insides

[@underline9858]

closed eyes means "to look within", the wisdom

[@wiktorshowtime8242]

Thats a sign

[@flamingtorrent2109]

This is such an interesting concept. Instead of a robot wanting to feel, this one was once human and wishes to forget. To not feel. For feeling is pain…

[@rivy-lurk-869]

I like how after WX-78 rips out the Empathy module, the screen turns from a more higher brightness to a much more dim one. Really good interpretation of how ripping it out made them lose the small bit of humanity left in them regardless of how small it was.

[@LakhnishMonster]

The quote that WX had for campfires/firepits finally makes sense! (The quote is: "IT REMINDS ME OF SOMETHING""). One can only wonder what Wagstaff was upto!

[@gabrote42]

Exactly!

[@SkeletalNoises]

It seems he wanted to make a lot of robots that he intended to probably sell, weather it be for general work or for military purposes is only known by him and he probably won't tell

[@kanadokomentarzy]

If you would read the description you would know that wagstaff aborted further progress and wx secretly continued it and he made more robots and wagstaff found out and burned them. Probably wx was like all those post apo robot movies that are about replacing humans with robots bc theyre better

[@felougabular2652]

@@SkeletalNoises he wanted to make a robot that would lead them to the constant, but it didnt work(as we see in the short video). so he choose holograms

[@lynxurfriend421]

I think he was trying to make his own race of robots with a piece of his conscience that would help him work. When he began to exercise his free will, wagstaff burned the other prototypes of him and threw him into a portal to the constant. I assume he has had this portal for a while and has somehow been pulling things like spiders and moon magic out, and throwing things in, like his projection and wx-78. I bet when wx landed somewhere in the constant it jostled his empathy/memory module out of place. With his "heart" gone, all that's left is his hatred of life, and his free will he extends to killing all life.

[@thomaspalazzolo5902]

All of the other shorts: Aww, how cute, how sweet, how brave. WX-78: Rips out his own heart.

[@Polish_Beekeeper]

Tbh, the "Wish You Were Here [Wendy Animated Short]" was the cutest one of all.

[@sidneysaldevia81]

I liked how in warly's short his mother had...... you know what I don't remember wait why am I typing?

[@reynaldoponce3422]

PTSD is wx backstory

[@Someone-hp5et]

Oh ye...classic cute klei shorts I really like this cute short story about GIANT SPIDER THAT SWALLOWED A KID, that was really cute

[@azumetapraline]

@@Someone-hp5et really cute and wholesome indeed, especially the ending :)

[@kraken_slayergaming5833]

the part if this animation that gives me the most chills is that everyone actually looks concerned and worried for WX

[@gameman7871]

I know we've seen a little girl so traumatized she imagined her sister was still alive and a boy who got turned to a monster and driven out by his family but this really is like, the most horrifying backstory yet to me. Idk I just think the not being able to trust your own mind/memory concept is the most scary thing to me.

[@emilyf.2234]

Here's my analysis for anyone feeling lost: A scientist and colleague of Wagstaff was trying to achieve some goal by combining animals with machines. Believing the organic component was the source of the issue (0:55), they endeavored to make a living thing that was fully mechanical. The scientist uploaded their consciousness into a robot body they built, and WX-78 was born. I believe they started to experience some kind of dissociative trauma where their mind was rejecting their body (1:15), which caused mood swings and spikes in violent erratic behavior. Eventually WX started to reject the only thing that still made them human, their heart/empathy module. We can see them erase the heart on their blueprints (1:21) and likely disconnected it at that point. This was to cope with their pain/trauma and goes back to their belief that the organic/human aspect is the issue. Without their heart, WX lost all traces of their original self and became the soulless machine we know. Wagstaff, hating what his friend had become and likely fearing what they were capable of, banished them to the Constant. Thanks for reading!

[@prev8374]

Thanks mate

[@AnglAfro]

Still don’t really understand why he calls the celestial portal “sister”.

[@DonPetexX]

From what we can see in this short there is still some lines wagstaf won't cross

[@davidgrimm4063]

probably Wagstaff destroyed the others models of WX because it would be extremely dangerous to keep them and just write off the experiment as Failed

[@mollyOS420]

This could also be why they hate organic things. The whole "the organic things are bad with electronic parts" thing might have stayed as a memory, but translated into "organic things are bad".

[@MaxT.W.]

Klei has a very onorthodox way of making some cute little animation about their game and just turning it into a completely different genre of animation at the end. Thank you very much Klei for finally helping normal players get fridges without the fear of immoral hungry robots.

[@anidiot8845]

I guess we know why Winona had to repair WX-78 Empathy module. Now WX players will have to feel bad about eating all the gears…

[@maxwellplaysvideogames]

I will continue to steal all the gears as WX just to send a message to my fellow players

[@friendlyneighborhooddislik486]

We still eat gears

[@wiktorshowtime8242]

We still eat gears

[@anidiot8845]

@@friendlyneighborhooddislik486 well yes, but only to heal during the ruins. Once you have the 3 speed buffs you won’t be hit Often

[@redbone9068]

wx: *gets flashback* also wx: "im something of a scientist myself"

[@eebbeeb6032]

an intruder

[@mammot981]

then fucking rips his heart out

[@lordpvt]

@@mammot981 LOL

[@emirkara8660]

@@mammot981 then squizes it like a lemon.

[@riki2fly]

1:39 “EMPATHY MODULE STILL NOT RESPONDING”

[@Hirami_Rituse]

I just noticed that at 0:41, Wendy and Wurt are picking up the debris in the bottom-right corner. This brings up two things: 1. For once, there were more than 6 player characters in one area. 2. Both of them saw WX rip out their empathy module.

[@mrcatsbattlefield7072]

Also more than 6 is possible via mods so yeah

[@ATGthegames]

@@mrcatsbattlefield7072 no, they are just running a dedicated server

[@brickbattlepro9862]

the extra player limit mod is canon now

[@italychickengaming]

They running dedicated server or enabled mod(:

[@dusktheowlgryphon]

I edited this so the replies don't make sense

[@pinktlrb]

I'm sure part of it was for dramatic effect, but I like how WX hesitated for just a moment before destroying their empathy module for good. I think it says something that they had merely disconnected it in the first place rather than destroy it completely. Super nice to see my favorite character getting some love!! Can't wait to play with the refresh.

[@CrypticFoxGaming]

I REALLY love these klei animated shorts! Plus WX78 is great! :)

[@KrzysztofJaromir317]

Didn't expect Fox.....

[@CrypticFoxGaming]

@@KrzysztofJaromir317 Can't stay away from the klei shorts :)

[@Griffodo]

Yeah they are really awesome

[@instazx2]

@CrypticFox would love to see you do a few streams with him once the new character is released!

[@Mosaiiic]

I remember you! like 5 years ago I friended you on xbox!

[@anthonyoliver418]

I like seeing the other survivors interact, I especially like Winona working on wx78 that just makes sense.

[@YellowToad128]

I also like the detail at the start where wickerbottom was trying to bandage wigfrid.

[@WOLF-qp5jx]

Great details and I also love winona character which is the best character for me

[@analogshell1869]

This one blew my mind. This game's story is such an enigma, so this one *really* got my gears turning (pun intended)

[@Mr_squeeze]

1k like

[@JuggerGnome]

This puts a new meaning to the phrase "Empathy module not responding". Great animation as always Klei, nice work.

[@hiecrashgeekstudios6495]

I’ve already seen so much fan art of WX ripping their heart out. This was amazing, I got actual chills.

[@ethanotoroculus1060]

Show me please, I need more talented fandom artists or else I'm gonna violate the game's title and starve--

[@jetrifle4209]

​@@ethanotoroculus1060 L

[@GoronTico]

I will never understand how does klei manages to make a character so much deeper with only a couple of well timed revelations in a short animation As always, amazing work!

[@ethanotoroculus1060]

Honestly same, I'm genuinely shocked by how heartbreaking and compelling I now find this literal killer robot to be understanding more about how they became what they did-

[@guildmasterwigglytuffX3]

Heres the theory: 1:03 - consciousness transference experiment with Wagstaff, the experiment is a success and the scientist is transferred into an automoton. 1:14 - Things are working well until a side effect is discovered: body dysphoria. Completely losing your body can really mess with your head (hence 'erratic behaviors' in lab rats) WX cant work at times because basically their entire being is a phantom limb. 1:21 - They want to remove the module that allows them to have their living memories and instincts as a human. If they dont remember being human, they wont feel this pain (in theory). 1:24 - They start trying to make prototype automotons without a the module (the heart, which you can see scratched out blueprints for on the right) and Wagstaff is totally against it. A thinking robot with no human imput is a dangerous thing (we'll later see he was right), but WX doesnt agree. They just want this pain gone. 1:27 - Wagstaff takes matters into his own hands, destroying the remnants of the project, 1:31 - and finally disposing of his fellow scientist, pushing them into the constant (somehow) 0:20 - Alone in the constant, WX finally unplugs their heart, and the memories fade. Without the human nature providing things like altruism, sympathy and general kindness, WX quickly became an evil force- just like Wagstaff predicted. 1:45 - They refuse to allow it to be plugged in. Not now, not again.

[@rockinmusicquarterly12]

well said!! i agree with all of this

[@Gardedbook]

Superb my good man well thought out

[@burgerking5225]

I find the theory pretty valid, except could you clarify about “the other scientist”?

[@patrickarana4470]

How tf survivors sleep well whit Wx-78 close pretty shure he is planning to kill Wes lmao

[@ey8648]

Why is it body dysmorphia? I don't think he's ashamed of being a robot...

[@spicereign]

Klei, I'm speechless here. The lore here is welcomed as always, but the character of WX displayed here left me speechless. I suppose over the years I expected him to become more empathetic after having to work with the other survivors, but he is just as if not MORE ruthless than when we first saw him! I was awestruck when his reaction to regaining lost memories and emotions was to literally rip them out and crush them in his bare hands. Safe to say that this is one of my favorite characters now. Amazing job, Klei! I will wait on the edge of my seat to see what happens next

[@ethanotoroculus1060]

They really do have an incredible depth to them. I would never have guessed it, but in a way that ruthlessness and rejection of human values is a tool to cope... It just feels so loyal to who they are, yet it totally changes your perspective on them at the same time!

[@tg4949]

They, buddy. You need to be more empathetic yourself, lmao!

[@willgr1178]

1:32 that scream gave me chills

[@webber-gaming]

*AAAAAAAWAAAWAOOOOOOOoooooo*

[@Polygonetwo]

"EMPATHY MODULE...RESPONDING? DO NOT LIKE!" -WX, probably. This was fantastic and now I even more think the poor robot needs a hug. It's had a rough time. :(

[@tg4949]

They

[@navybee5301]

Boi shut yo mouth up

[@banke6682]

@@tg4949 what are you correcting? They never used a gendered pronoun

[@ViewerEm]

@@banke6682 "it" is the wrong pronoun. klei has said wx uses they/them and thats whats shown in game. it/its pronouns are valid and would be a cool thing to see with this character, but that's not how wx identifies

[@daniz7557]

@@ViewerEm mf is a robot without any emotion or care wdym identifies💀

[@SirPembertonS.Crevalius]

Even humanity hating robots have a troubled past in the world of Don't Starve.

[@merchant3899]

Maybe that's why there humanity hateing

[@thewilsonestwilson8533]

The Constant just attracts those types of people I guess.

[@pustota7254]

@@merchant3899 *they're

[@pustota7254]

@@merchant3899 *hating

[@gamehun2041]

I honestly wasn't expecting this, this just makes wx even cooler

[@Cap-ps3yj]

Well this was sure something! I’m definitely going to rewatch this many times. So much detail within this animation!

[@ThinkyBoi42]

I like to think that when WX ripped out the empathy module, the memories they just regained stuck with them, trapping them with these memories. It would make sense since, if they forgot them when they ripped it out, why would they crush it? Also the actual update paired with this is basically WX: Well now I have all this extra space :I

[@Tyvian135]

Makes sense. He likely doesn't want to remember the trauma that went along with putting ones mind into a robot, which is what made WX go haywire.

[@tg4949]

@@Tyvian135 They

[@joliegunn2270]

I was thinking of the exact same thing. And you could probably find my comment if you look further up. I also think that after they regained their memories. They regained the ability to feel emotions. And ran off by themselves to try and calm themselves down. Cause that would be pretty dramatic.

[@Brutally_Pixelated]

​@@tg4949 he

[@tarniabook3076]

I love seeing the characters interacting here. Wickerbottom bandaging Wigfrid as she complains and Winona repairing WX-78 are such sweet moments. Most of the times we only see these characters on their own, but we know they survive together sometimes, and these kinds of scenes are what truly makes them shine for me.

[@mick2171]

there was a wrigfrid on a server i was playing eho was complaining everytime they died

[@Itariatan]

I keep getting surprised by these. Klei not only knows how to make a game but their storytelling is also killer

[@atomicgummygod9232]

I think my favorite part of this is that Wagstaff legitimately looks concerned for WX before they start experimenting on their own. He cares for his partners, but the moment they start getting in the way of his goals, he sees them as liabilities. It’d tug at my empathy module, if I had still had one.

[@jacksonholder2987]

Wagstaff isn't evil. Firstly, WX is clearly shown to completely lack empathy/humanity (which we now see is a result of him disconnecting his own empathy core, i.e the part of him that makes him human.) This makes him a threat to anyone who doesn't agree with his goals or methods. Wagstaff then discovered that WX was possibly planning on turning more people into soulless automatons. However, it can be assumed that he either didn't have the means or the heart to kill WX. So, he did what he likely considered the humane option, and sent him to the Constant, where he would be unable to harm anyone else. Also, WX was clearly dangerous considering he hucked a heavy piece of machinery directly at Wagstaff with the intent to harm him. How exactly is Wagstaff in the wrong here? WX may not have been completely disconnected from humanity but Wagstaff was out of options at this point. Either WX would kill him, lobotomize him by turning him into an automaton, or do the same to countless other innocents. Wagstaff in no uncertain terms did the right thing.

[@JohnnyJohnJohnson]

I think Wagstaff more saw that WX-78 was becoming something dangerous, a robot with no human emotions or empathy, and scrapped the project so it wouldn't get out of hand before banishing WX-78 to the Constant in order to keep WX-78 from possibly killing him and re-creating the project.

[@FrostFire425]

@@jacksonholder2987 Their pronouns are canonically they/them, not he/him

[@foquitajeej2399]

@@FrostFire425 My head canon is that he goes by he/him Respect that

[@tanker00v25]

@@foquitajeej2399 head canon is not equal to actual canon

[@dosrai]

wow, didnt expect that, really liked the animated short, thx for the rework, hope the attack bug was fixed XD

[@kleient]

Thanks! And yes, that attack speed bug has been fixed : forums.kleientertainment.com/klei-bug-tracker/dont-starve-together/speed-change-in-pressing-f-to-attack-r35006/?tab=comments#comment-53034

[@artmoonbridge]

@@kleient You are phenomenal when It comes to Story and Animation!

[@ElenoraOmzo]

@@kleient what about the consoles? When will it be out

[@milkman4407]

@@ElenoraOmzo Its already out on all consoles except switch.

[@anelramales3449]

The attack bug is still not fix on Xbox because I can’t attack mush faster

[@aannoyingcaat]

Based on how I’m taking this information I find this idea fascinating. It’s like how in Robocop, the main conflict and theme behind the character is that, he’s trying to prove that he’s human, except backwards, WX-78 seems more intent on staying a robot, or atleast not having an identity crisis. Honestly kinda makes sense if you think about it. WX-78 is a cold, calculated machine. It’s main concern is survival, so it makes sense that in it’s mind, removing these memories and that module would be more practical since all they’d do for it is cause a distraction that it can’t solve. Which is a really cool idea, showing that this thing, it’s a machine that cares about it’s safety as a machine. It gives it just enough of a story so you know where it comes from, but also shows that in it’s mind, there’s nothing more to this and that part of them doesn’t matter anymore. It feels essentially like shutting down possibility for theories about it’s past, both in and out of universe since even WX-78 itself has shown that this information was a distraction at best

[@digitalunity]

I didn't expect to hear WX-78 scream in existential agony... Yet here we are

[@mick2171]

wx had emotional trauma

[@mikey_m114]

I truly love how much personality all these characters have - from the shorts to their in-game interactions, everything about them just feels so personalized and unique! :D

[@gngrbredboi2376]

This short has to be one of the most in depth lore wise and I absolutely love it. Brilliant and phenomenal animation as always, I can really see these animations being their own kind of thing, like a series of sorts. Amazing work all around and keep these animations coming!

[@matthewborrelli3286]

The moment I saw WX-78 Refresh on steam, first I screamed, then I went straight to youtube to find another Klei banger! So exciting! So revealing! So ready to see what happens next time! And so ready to give every Don't Starve Character the fattest hug of their freakin lives!

[@quitequeerquesadilla]

Okay but this is actually horrifying. Imagine living so many years of your life as a cold, happily heartless automaton looking out for yourself in a strange monstrous world until one day someone fixes your ability to feel and suddenly memories come rushing back of what happened to you, who you used to be, everything you lost-I don’t blame WX for crushing that heart. It must have carried a lot of baggage in it.

[@ethanotoroculus1060]

Honestly it was kind of hard to sleep after this lore came out- the fact that they only became what they did as a coping mechanism for dissociation is so utterly screwed up in a way that only this series could be. So uh, congrats WX-78: You have officially reached the number 2 spot for mental trauma in this series. Number 1 knows exactly who he is.

[@Shiftshapercat]

@@ethanotoroculus1060 I think you are making far too many assumptions here. Is it more likely that due to body dysphoria the unnamed scientist decided to go through with a permanent transfer into a robotic body? Or, is it more likely it was an experiment to see if human consciousness could be put in a robotic body or, if it was an experiment to give someone with a terminal illness a second chance?

[@ethanotoroculus1060]

​@@Shiftshapercat ...That... Wasn't what I was talking about at all. The coping mechanism wasn't the transfer itself, it was that after undergoing to transfer they threw their empathy module at Wagstaff, with the heavily implied reason being that the dissociation between their human mind and new body was causing them extreme psychological distress. They literally just _couldn't process_ being outside of their own body, so they must have concluded the only way to escape the pain it was creating was to disconnect from the last piece of humanity they had left, becoming the unstable iconoclast we pick up in-game- hence the chopping effect of their body between human and robot, the fact that they send the smudge on the whiteboard down their own heart, throwing away all of Wagstaff's notes on them and even a lot of the ingame dialogue where they assign personalities onto appliances by calling them _"BROTHER, SISTER, FRIEND, MOTHER"_ etc. That's probably their mind trying to project their loved ones onto their new life, since they still have positive associations with these people but can't actually address them as human, so they're fabricating faux relationships in their place to try and convince themself that everyone they loved is still there and with them now. One positive association in the form of their friends and family was reassigned to the new positive association of inorganic life, justifying the perspective through their own delusions.

[@rockinmusicquarterly12]

@@ethanotoroculus1060 ok that last bit with them assigning relationships to inanimate objects hurt, what the hell

[@ethanotoroculus1060]

@@rockinmusicquarterly12 _Right??_ Like what the hell man how did they manage to humanize the literal killer robot to this degree--

[@Isaac_646]

Honestly WX coming to terms with being a soulless automaton and moving forward from the past is awesome. Like at 1:32 its as if the wave of emotions they felt from their past life gave them a surge of confidence. Them ripping the empathy module out is them moving forward with their life. Wherever they go, they will be their own identity.

[@tg4949]

They

[@alejotassile6441]

He

[@Isaac_646]

@alejotassile6441 No no, it's they. I got it wrong.

[@Mard-r9g]

Why they?

[@XLemonpop]

Every damn time Klei pushes out a banger of an update and animation

[@crimsondragon1613]

I've been waiting for this all day! Got to admit, the short gave me chills the entire time. Wonderful job Klei, as always!

[@EveloGrave]

Holy... Empathy Module has been installed. Tear Duct Overflow: initiated.

[@mercifulbutbroken6675]

As much as I adore all the lore here, this just proves Wickerbottom is like a mom, patching Wigfrid up as she complains-

[@gangrene9897]

It's funky how the Animated Short has two entirely different interpretations depending on if you've read the new in-game bio or not. With this alone, it appears that WX78 and Wagstaff are somewhat in agreement that the robot body is inferior to a human one, WX-78 in pains only amputees know and Wagstaff watching in abject horror. The project is scrapped, but there's a rift between them as WX-78 puts the blame on Wagstaff for an irreversible procedure while Wagstaff stops treating WX78 as human. The portal is used as disposal. But in their bio, there's a very different interpretation of the story. While Wagstaff is similar to how he is in the short. Wagstaff thinks of WX78 somewhat like Frankenstein, living in regret and anger, trying to make sure there's never a WX79. But WX78, they see their pains and faults as temporary. Why they throw out the old docs is.. confusing, but they want to reiterate themselves, perhaps supersede humanity. It's against Wagstaff's wishes and demands. WX78 tries anyway. It's their body, of course. Wagstaff finds out. WX78 is thrown into the portal, either an act of disposal, or exile.

[@The_KingDoge]

kinda, WX built their own robots, (shown for a few frames in the flashing transitions) which are the ones wagstaff burned

[@casualbird7671]

It looks like Wx was only throwing out the designs involving the empathy module- he wanted to construct future robots with no empathy modules and had his own disabled

[@adaphion]

@@casualbird7671 This is the correct answer, but Wagstaff (justifiably) would have none of it, an unfeeling sentient machine is dangerous (as shown by WX's murderous tendencies)

[@tg4949]

@@adaphion You can't mistreat someone and then act like their response to that is a justification for the mistreatment. Throwing someone into the Constant like trash fully expecting its organic hazards to rip them to bits, then going "look, they became murderous and hateful toward organic life, so it was fair to do that" is a logical fallacy.

[@Thieverpedia]

These backstories just keep getting better and better. And it seems like Wagstaff is at the heart of a lot of them.

[@Elvin1000]

WX-78 being created by Wagstaff was pretty much established, but him revolting against Wagstaff is the biggest plot twist of all time in Don't Starve. Well not for robots generally at least. For them rebellion is a norm... I am looking at you Alexa.

[@Venrs28]

"YOU"

[@Alargecheese]

@@Venrs28 Kirby bois!

[@tylerking9507]

I think webber dad possessed WX

[@sheridanmcavoy3817]

@@tylerking9507 .....

[@SioxGreyWolf]

WX being Wagstaff's former partner was the bigger bombshell!

[@tybt]

I really like this short! The art style falls more in line with the games' and other promotional material too! I love the use of the character's 'voices'.

[@dano7782]

Oh my god the lore in this short is so intense!!!! I absolutely can't believe that WX was a human? this is shocking! You always manage to impress me Klei, amazing job as always!

[@ribry8512]

"from the moment i understood the weakness of my flesh, it disgusted me"

[@ghostomato3122]

I actually gasped a little when they crushed the empathy module. What a chilling short.

[@zettnx5937]

I could never find a moment where I wouldn't enjoy animations like these, especially an animation about my favorite character!

[@plankplank1962]

Awesome animation as always, Klei. REALLY love the flashback sequence and how it tells us so much in so little time - the color scheme reviving the monochrome palette of earlier don't starve animations is a nice touch as well, intentional or not. Really glad to see some more lore surrounding the evil cardboard man.

[@harrypotter2700]

I audibly gasped at this lore reveal- wasn’t at all what I was expecting! Amazing work as always!

[@ahmedtta3914]

Weak

[@solisruben296]

So this explains why when WX-78 inspects "Grainy Transmission" (aka Wagstaff in DST) the only thing that they say is, "YOU."

[@Blane811]

Just woke up and saw this, AND IM GOING TO DISSECT EVERY SCENE KLEI YOU CANT STOP ME

[@guillermorolandoferradaven9]

An interesting detail is that at first, the mechanical heart wasn't connected with the two cables, so that means that WX-78 was in an "automatic robot mode" all along, and only when Winnona connected the cables he was able to get all of his human memories back. This leads me to believe that when the human got his memories back, he found himself lost in a nigmarish world without his physical body and no way to turn back to his formal self, so that's why he decided to destroy all that was left of his conciousness, esentially killing himself and permanently leaving WX-78 at the "automatic robot mode" that it was before.

[@thestorageshorts939]

Good theory, but Klei already explained that the module he ripped out was the "Empathy Module" which probably would allow him to feel emotions and not be such a robot. However as we could see it wasn't connected, so all the time we played as Wx78 he was always just him. He just never had any module to feel emotion or care for anything, because it was never connected, well atleast wasn't connected in don't starve together.

[@phobics9498]

@@thestorageshorts939 The empathy might be somehow connected to the human consciousness or it could just be that the empathy module causes the dissociation and the erratic behaviour as a side effect because of a human mind. WX is either completely robotic, rejecting his human part because it makes him have PTSD or WX is still the scientist, just without any empathy or emotion. I think both could be true

[@yoot3008]

@@phobics9498 both seems like the most possible

[@swinglog]

makes sense why he holds it endearingly for a long time

[@rat2316]

@@xbxnsjsjsjsksksk соглы

[@jalilsadeq5587]

Pigs with spears raiding the player camp? Foreshadowing? Can't wait to see more

[@someidiot3826]

This might happen I hope it does! Hounds are not that big of a deal

[@nukuniku318]

The game is not hard enough! XD

[@bottleofglue2446]

Id love that!

[@Polish_Beekeeper]

I theorize that's like krampus meter but it's pig meter you get more of thoes if you kill pig's or destroy thier houses and to lower the meter you might have to feed them or maybe use that thing that makes "music" i don't remeber it's name but pig's followed you if you used it.

[@bottlebeard]

@@Polish_Beekeeper yes or if you form a momentary alliance with their king in which case a pig merchant might visit your base and offer some random items for trade for gold which would be cool imo

[@hypermaeonyx4969]

Wx is literally my favorite character second only to Webber, finally we get some lore on my robot buddy

[@ethanotoroculus1060]

Honestly thinking it over, WX-78 and Webber are of _very_ similar circumstances!! What separates them so drastically is how they ended up taking it. Webber had basically every right to end up in a similar mental bind as them with his identity, but his sheer enduring optimism and hope was just unbreakable. ...To be honest, now I kind of hope Klei expands on their relationship sometime in the future. It's unlikely by a longshot, but the two might genuinely be able to find some solidarity in each other despite the huge gap in personality...

[@ethanotoroculus1060]

You just brought a whole new layer of emotion to what was already my favorite character in the series... Honestly it kinda feels like learning about what happened to Maxwell all over again- I don't think I'll ever look at them in quite the same way, but this still feels so loyal to who they are as a character?? Such a fine balance to strike without taking away enjoyment, yet you all managed it so well! Definitely going to be one of the ones I remember the most.

[@Zephyranthes-23]

Wow, this was an amazing lore video! I always thought WX was some kind of tragic character (and still is in a different sense) but never did I expect that WX was pretty much a madder scientist than Wagstaff. The partner scientist seems to believe that organic parts made the robots imperfect, as seen with the rat they observed, so they kept upgrading themselves by removing any human factors from their bodies. You can clearly see Wagstaff being more and more concerned with his partner here, but WX just had to keep upgrading themselves behind Wagstaff's back, getting Wagstaff and them into a heated argument prompting Wagstaff to banish them to the Constant. This also shows Wagstaff to me in a new light, as he might be a mad scientist, but unlike WX whose a machine supremacist, there are lines Wagstaff will not cross when it comes to matters regarding life.

[@bandit6459]

I never thought that such a simple character as wx-78 could have a so interesting and intricate story, I really like his rework and his story.

[@Atamosk-bu7zt]

Klei has once again done it. They've made me feel the feels for yet another character again.

[@TrueStopwatch]

I can't stop watching - there's honestly just so much to unpack here, it's crazy. You guys did a really good job with this one.

[@ballisticbro398]

I just want to give poor Wix a hug. Thank you for Klei for these amazing character animations. The lore is on point. That being said, I'm gonna cry

[@whyitsalwaysme7315]

I always liked this character and wanted to play as them but was too discouraged but this short not only made me like them more enough to play as them, it also showed me a high sense of relatability to them here..

[@GrimGrumm]

That part where the other doctor switch his consciousness to WX-79 reminds me of when the doctor in 9 give parts of his soul to those stitchpunks.

[@seantheroyalknight6932]

hey you know 9 too, pretty cool

[@reimuhakurei2123]

ayy 9

[@neveragain7424]

Yoo 9

[@mogboVA]

9....teen

[@Ironlink1000]

Klei one up’s their own animations every single time and I’m here for it

[@happygiggi4948]

0:41 Wurt and Wendy to the right working together. Cute.

[@sunnysideupeggz.]

I love how in this short they don’t really talk it’s just the characters making their in game sounds.

[@sergioplazat3995]

It doesn't matter if you take that part of yourself away and break it. you will continue to remember we saw your hatred already when you separated from your "heart".

[@Snezit1]

These animations are what brings the game even more character

[@RitmosMC]

Yay WX-78 is now the best character, also gotta love it when Klei animates their lore, it makes it seem way more interesting and interactive in a way.

[@machixius]

Awesome as ever with your little lore snippets Klei. I’ve been waiting so long for my supreme robot friend to get some love. The flesh is weak, join the steel legion.

[@spirtheperson]

1:25 at this moment, you can see WX-78 throw a container that has the heart in it! I think this means that since they were part human, they still wanted to have a trace of his humanity, but overtime they lost there humanity, hence why they threw the container at wagstaff!

[@pustota7254]

*their

[@wiktorshowtime8242]

*their

[@shagaru1234]

multiple people were part human?

[@unlucky_111]

​@@shagaru1234pee yew

[@tg4949]

@@shagaru1234 Singular "they" predates singular "you". :)

[@silaschester1008]

that last scene of him riping hes heart out and crushing it was dope as hell keep up the good work klei

[@victoriaasenjo524]

*them

[@G0nzA10895]

WOAHHHH THAT WAS SUCH A GOOD ANIMATED SHORT I LOVED IT SO MUCH, you guys did really well!

[@cursedricardo]

Cave story? CAVE STORY!!

[@kor1064]

Neat, i love when we can see the group together in an animation like this

[@vicejacob776]

This animation has to be one of my favorites klei. I love dst and the shorts are beyond amazing!

[@terrarianrobotguy47]

The Empathy module didn't respond once, now it will never do so ever again.

[@drdramatik]

I love how all these are tying the stories together. It really makes the world feel very connected! Thank you so much for your amazing work Klei

[@milhy6567]

Klei just managed to activate my empathy module for this life hating robot, amazing as always.

[@Moss_Dude]

This... Makes WX-78 a much more sad character. The reason its empathy module is broken is because it broke it itself a long time ago, due to being mistreated where it worked. It wanted to stop feeling so it couldn't be hurt anymore, as being able to feel and feel for others only brought it pain.

[@victoriaasenjo524]

*their

[@arandomguywithagreenprofil5075]

@@victoriaasenjo524 him*

[@robojunkie7169]

@@arandomguywithagreenprofil5075 *WX-78

[@awkwardsilence4427]

@@victoriaasenjo524 There’s only one human mind in the robot. So either “him” or “it”.

[@cable_g0re]

@@awkwardsilence4427 they refer to wx-78 as "they" in the description and pinned comment, its just another type of pronouns to be used!

[@siouk4979]

Always some top quality animations! Didn't expect WX to actually destroy his empathy module or Wagstaff "banishing" him to the Constant

[@victoriaasenjo524]

*their *them

[@xrphoenix7194]

@@victoriaasenjo524 it's a robot

[@xrphoenix7194]

@@victoriaasenjo524 a fictional robot

[@theslowishone4360]

once again you blow everyone away and any theories about character backgrounds out of the water.

[@HerbertWest519]

Wow. That was awesome. Thanks for still working on this wonderful universe.

[@The_KingDoge]

WOW, I thought he was gonna have some strait forward "I'm an angry robot who escaped the lab!" Story, but we got some pretty crazy stuff here! Great work as always Klei!

[@victoriaasenjo524]

*they were

[@awkwardsilence4427]

@@victoriaasenjo524 Pretty sure there’s only one human’s mind in the robot. So, he.

[@Imperio_Otomano_the_realest]

who cares whether it's they or he tbh

[@DartSherman]

Lore WX-78 is officially stated to be non-binary[4], and is listed as the robot gender in the game's code. They are the only official character referred to with singular they pronouns. Notably, in DST, Maxwell uses the English gender-neutral title Mx. exclusively in certain interactions with a WX-78 player.-don't starve wiki

[@awkwardsilence4427]

@@DartSherman So he’s an “it” then. Using “they” just makes things incredibly confusing to read, as showcased by that hard to follow pinned comment at the top.

[@unlikelyspecimen244]

At long last, my main has his backstory revealed, and oh my god I am nothing BUT intrigued!

[@silversteeldragunn]

I went from being completely indifferent to WX, to suddenly being relatively interested in them. Love the story telling in this series, dang.

[@shawnpauling3008]

The music for this one, Top Notch. I only wish I had it in a library of music, to listen to that while play One of my favorite Automatons, that part towards the end is wonderful. Great job as always, You lot always give us something to look forward to, Thank you for all the hard work and dedication.

[@sjbreal3224]

I am so excited to see wagstaff work himself into don't starve together lore, he was a great character in don't starve

[@Sans-fh6tq]

Every animation it's just amazing, Klei it's one of the best game companies ever, they put so much effort in everything they do, this is fantastic and wholesome

[@bobakakorb4822]

Oh my god... That was unexpected... I felt chills down my spine

[@erwin101]

0:59 hmmm, maybe Wagstaff used a different/weaker version of this mind upload apparatus to TEMPORARILY transfer his conciousness into the constant and into a projection of himself to safely explore and research this unfamiliar world. He is the only one confirmed not to be physically present and using any and all technology to his benefit seems to be his style. Perhaps this "projection" is just a hologram laid over a robotic drone similar to WX to allow Wagstaff to interact with the world around him while in the constant.

[@erwin101]

Well I stand corrected, the magic film projector is to blame. Oh well, always fun to look back at the past.

[@Loudencerstudios]

I just realized WX-8 has black eyes While the other characters have white eyes he’s not human anymore

[@jeanremi8384]

Counterpoint : winona, wilson, maxwell, wolfgang and wagstaff