The Psychology of Psychonauts -The Milkman Conspiracy

Good day everyone! Today we continue our Psychology of Psychonauts Series and move into the next world in the game. Every World in Psychonauts is based upon the Psyche of a Character in the story. As such the design and symbolism directly relate to what issues they are dealing with.
In this series, we will analyze each of these worlds and try to learn what we can about these people. In this video, Raz arrives to the locked gates of Thorney Towers. The Guard, however, is unable to let him in. He claims that he doesn't have the keys, only the Milkman can let him in. Unsure of how to proceed, Razputin enters the Guard's mind and finds himself in the middle of a mental Conspiracy. Several Part of Boyd Cooper's Mind are at war with one another. It is up to our Psi-Cadet to get to the bottom of the Milkman Conspiracy and gain access to the Asylum Grounds.
Facebook: / gaminguniversity06
Twitter: / gaminguniversi6
Discord: / discord
#psychonauts #Milkman #GamingUniversity

[@thunderthunderstorms8828]

Fun fact hitting him with the confusion grenade actually causes him to have a moment of clarity.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

I was actually trying to get that to work for this video but the cheat code to unlock the grenades early wasn't working for me.

[@Dante_Sparda_DMC]

@@GamingUniversityUoG it only works on the original PS2 version and PC version, not sure about Xbox

[@harrietr.5073]

@@Dante_Sparda_DMC Does it work in the mental world version of himself?

[@Dante_Sparda_DMC]

@@harrietr.5073 I believe so

[@geybackgeybackson2838]

@@Dante_Sparda_DMC I've done it on the steam version before. I remember that inputting the code was a huge pain in the ass, but it worked eventually.

[@screamingcactus1753]

An interesting thing I just realized is that Boyd fights against the milkman for a very long time. He doesn't actually burn the asylum until near the end of the game, and even then he only does it when he realizes that all his friends aren't in there. The expressions that cross his face as he goes through with it are very much Boyd's, not the milkman's. Horror at what his body is trying to do, surprise at seeing all his friends behind him and not in the asylum, and then confidence that he can through with it without hurting anyone he cares about and then get on with his life.

[@classyrobot5648]

Even with the accidental metaphorical bomb the young Psychonaut let off, he's still fighting the Milkman's urge to burn everything until his friends are safe. Epic

[@OnDavidsBrain]

"You guys wanna split a cab?"

[@Mr.Anderson9323]

It would have been interesting if in between his ramblings he’d get distracted thinking about one of the other inmates before quickly realizing he has to focus and goes back to his theories.

[@klenstdp1737]

@@Mr.Anderson9323 if you use console commands to get a confusion grenade and use it on him he does!

[@Mr.Anderson9323]

@@klenstdp1737 I heard he gets a moment of clarity if you manage to hit him with a confusion grenade but I had no clue that he actually talked about the other inmates. Interesting

[@Mr.Anderson9323]

An added touch I noticed is how Boyd sees himself in his mind versus how he looks irl. In his head he thinks of himself as a thoughtful and observant intellectual, while in reality he’s hunched over, rattling off nonsense and madly scribbling mumbo jumbo on the walls.

[@snakezase2998]

Just like me

[@thewhitesludgemonster2345]

Another interesting detail, is the fact that you have to become invisible to be able to get into the rainbow squirts house, truly seeing the world from the eyes of boyd

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

I never thought of it that way. Nice catch. Really sad when you think of it.

[@thelittlestshrumbo]

i always just blasted the girl with a psi blast to get in

[@gilbert7508]

You can get in without invisibility

[@Mr.Anderson9323]

@@gilbert7508 yeah I just used levitation and hopped behind her.

[@izzywood2874]

Delirium?

[@theotherther1]

I like how this game sympathetically and humorously portrays a horrifying mental illness, in a way that doesn't stigmatize the sufferer. Hell that's true for any of the levels, but this one especially. Part of why Psychonauts is regarded as a classic is that folks who actually have these conditions appreciate the way the writing handles them.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

I feel that these are approached to try and make us understand where these people are coming from and what they experience. In the same way that Hellblade tried to bring awareness to it.

[@shotakonkin2047]

I'm autistic so structurally my mind is different, autism isn't a mental illness but rather a difference in neurological development that differs depend on each person with autism spectrum disorder; no two autistic person has the same symptoms, traits and deficits. For me my linguistic abilities are actually not stunted, perhaps maybe overactive; I think by the age of four I had advanced reading skills for example. Hyperlexia is characterized by advanced reading skills from an incredibly young age, a 3 year old with the ability to read things like Stephen Hawking's books would classify as hyperlexia. Though I also have paranoias, this level I can relate with which is why I kind of just laugh to myself whenever I watch anything about it.

[@stormyd1869]

444th like

[@UrLeingod]

According to Tim Schafer, one of the things that first gave him the idea to make a game where you explored other peoples' minds was when a colleague said something weird and another asked, "What color is the sky in your world?" A sentence that Tim said stuck with him and really made him think. It makes sense, then, that Psychonauts is a game that approaches its mental worlds with both curiosity *and* empathy, that doesn't forget to paint a portrait of a person and how they view the world, not just surface-level weirdness for the sake of it or cheap laughs at someone's expense.

[@discordlexia2429]

I have been psychotically paranoid, I spent eight months that way. I haven't seen a better representation of what that feels like than the Milkman Conspiracy. The way everything seems to be the normal, familiar way things have always been, but it's all warped and twisted and malformed and everything is a threat that works together by an unseen, malign hand... That's pretty much it. I remember at the worst, I dropped a pen, and was astounded that it fell, because everything was so strange now that gravity shouldn't be the same either.

[@spongeintheshoe]

I find it interesting how the G-Men, the "shadowy government agents" he thinks are pursuing him at every turn, ultimately turn out to be the good guys.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

At the end of the day he associates then with a sense of paranoia. It looked as though he knew something was in his head (milkman) that shouldnt be so his paranoid mind tried to uproot it just like one of his conspiracy theories.

[@spongeintheshoe]

@@GamingUniversityUoG I've also heard that conspiracy theorists tend to take comfort in the idea that _someone_ is in charge of everything, even if that someone is an evil conspiracy.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

It is not only that. People tend to feel comforted by blaming something outside of themselves for problems they experience. This way one doesn't have to take responsibility for anything. It isn't my fault I'm in a bad situation, someone else is at fault. So yeah I can understand your perspective on it.

[@orioninfernal7269]

@@GamingUniversityUoG We love being in an Agentic state

[@noisyphilosopherkrk522]

@@GamingUniversityUoG Considering the nature of censors Could the g men be a specialized form of censor meant to operate and ultimately deconstruct the delusion in order to find the foreign element that oleander implanted?

[@MarshmallowEclipse]

The Pavlov experiment with dogs is something I've experienced in real life. I'm an English speaker, but when I was very young I attended piano classes at a music school where the majority of teachers and students spoke Spanish. My piano instructor would teach me Spanish words just for fun. At the end of each lesson, she would give me a couple Hershey's Kisses chocolates, and instead of saying "thank you" I would say "gracias." To this day, hearing the word gracias occasionally brings the taste of chocolate to mind because of that.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

That is an interesting anecdote. Not to this degree but I have similar associative memory for certain Iron Maiden songs to video games. Since I played those albums nonstop when doing online gaming when I was younger.

[@MarshmallowEclipse]

@@GamingUniversityUoG Music is an excellent example of association. The strength of connection between a song and an experience, like a game or movie or even a certain person, is really remarkable. As a diehard Chicago Blackhawks fan, I don't think I will ever be able to listen to "Chelsea Dagger" by the Fratellis without thinking of a hockey game.

[@Nazo-kage]

One thing about the milkman that I wasn’t really sure about, At the end when he says that “the milkman has completed his route.” It’s shown that a representation of the milkman, The den mother/his mother and the G-man all leave his body. My question is by tying this milkman trigger to his delusions, did Oreandaer unintentionally help him through his psychological problems?

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

There has always been a question about that scene. Yes the programming Oleander put in was tied to burning down the tower. Once he did this the programming was over. However, we dont see enough of info to definitely say he is cured of his other issues. One line of dialogue doesn't tell us one way or another.

[@magicrainbowkitties1023]

@@GamingUniversityUoG There's also the thought that even before all of this, Oleander has been a Psychonaut for a while. According to the adults in the game, one of the main reasons the Psychonauts go into minds at all (other than providing a training environment) is to help people with their demons and mental problems from within (so Raz has been doing genuine Psychonauts work the whole time). With this in mind, plus the methodical (if not totally insane) way Oleander went about his plans... perhaps he went into Boyd's mind and did some clean-up before "installing" the Milkman, the activation and eventual finishing of which could've set off chain reactions in there, helping Boyd out of his hole, plus the stuff Raz did helping as well. But hey that's just my over-speculation after playing this game for YEARS

[@noisyphilosopherkrk522]

@@magicrainbowkitties1023 Mayhaps oleander did that purposefully Oleander ultimately is a good person so I wouldn't be too surprised if he purposefully tied all the delusions to the milkman in order to help boyd after he accomplishes his purpose, a thank you for a job well done It goes to show that oleander despite his eccentricity is a good boss and has a few tricks up his sleeve besides mental shielding and that he does have knowledge of engineering as a few of his ideas can attest to I can imagine oleanders job before being a psychonauts may have been something involving in either building or repairing machinery

[@bookworm3696]

A tad bit of spoilers. But I like the detail that the character that did actually work there does end up "freeing" Boyd from the conspiracy.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Yeah Fred accidentally caused aboud to finally make his delivery. While it burned down the building, his conditioned task was complete so all of Oleander's influence washed away. I love that random detail.

[@mide2476]

@@GamingUniversityUoG I also see it as a warning to the player. Be cautious from here on out, or the next mind you tamper with could lead to far more disastrous results.

[@vinnythewebsurfer]

Basically boyds trauma and memories was turned into a trap but that trap would also become the key to free him. Hopefully that remained the case long after leaving the Asylum

[@Dragnuav]

Spoilers for a game that's over sixteen years old?

[@coolguysupercool4292]

No way the video about phyconauts spoiled phyconauts! Who would've guessed. The dairy industry must be at fault for this

[@GambeTama]

I always wondered why Boyd was able to seemingly fully recover from his delusions at the end of the game, but the point you made about the censors does put things into a very interesting context. Boyd likely succumbed to his delusions when he was young, and under the impression that he was being persecuted by everyone around him. Because he felt isolated and did not know who to trust, his mind lacked the proper context for what thoughts should be regulated by the censors, which only served to escalate his behavior. Once Oleander found and conditioned him, all of his conspiratorial thoughts became centrally focused on the Milkman. It's almost as if Boyd's mind, due to his paranoia, knew that there was a foreign entity present in there, and therefore he couldn't trust his own thoughts. Hence, the G-Men acting as pretenders inside his own mind, and attacking anything that isn't them. If they think they are in the presence of something crafted for this part of the mind, they will play nice, but once they realize that they are seeing something foreign or out of place, they pounce on it, attempting to root out the invader, like antibodies to a virus. Once Rasputin finds his way into the den, and the G-Men arrive, the censors are allowed to being their work of dismantling the conspiracy propped up by Oleander's conditioning. Most importantly, once the Milkman had "finished his delivery," the programmed alter ego had no other instructions to follow, and likely became inactive, allowing the censors to eliminate it. All of this culminates in two major developments, the foreign program in Boyd's head is removed, allowing him to act under his own autonomy, and the conspiracy he suspected was present was finally solved, meaning his mind could settle into what it can perceive as a state of peace and balance. More importantly, because Oleander's programming seemed to direct all of Boyd's delusions toward the mystery of the Milkman, this culminates in a seeming exorcism of his imbalanced perception of the world around him.

[@elvenbuttress]

Wait, I didn’t know an AI Warmind could enter people’s psyche!

[@GambeTama]

@@elvenbuttress I mean, when you've basically got every available computer and satellite in and around the planet on lock, you pick up a few tricks.

[@SonicPman]

“You guys wanna split a cab?”

[@Ixmore]

That makes me wonder if that could also be used to treat other paranoid delusions? If only we had psysic powers like in the psyconauts.

[@GambeTama]

@@Ixmore Technically speaking, it is viable in-universe. We did, after all, cure Fred of his D.I.D. shortly after, as well as Gloria and Edgar of their instabilities. It's just that, as Psychonauts 2 elaborates, taking the direct approach like this is woefully irresponsible and very dangerous. It is usually done with care and a more passive approach - a "provide them the tools to help themselves," kind of thing.

[@aaronhussey8522]

And thus "The Milkman has completed his route."

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

My question is how do thet get a cab to the island?

[@aaronhussey8522]

@@GamingUniversityUoG they could probably just have Linda take them to the other side. Since Boyd's the Asylum guard and is posted in front of the gates I'm sure he's seen Linda a few times before.

[@beterbomen]

@@aaronhussey8522 Actually, I think there was a boat tied up at the beach where Raz arrives at the asylum. They probably just used that.

[@Mr.Anderson9323]

@@GamingUniversityUoG I’ve been driving myself mad trying to figure out if that’s what Boyd says.

[@Mr.Anderson9323]

Also I like the idea of Boyd actually having friends

[@mobilecaliypsoh]

The Milkman is the best horror game antagonist. imagine just walking down a dark hall and hear "I am The Milkman." "My milk is delicious." bounce off the walls.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Dude if I heard that in a cold dark alley I'd flip out.

[@Oxygen1004]

I'd fucking run and never look back

[@migueeeelet]

"Special delivery today!" is going to have the same impact as the boss of Killing Floor, the Patriarch, when he goes "ONE IN THE PIPE" (he's about to shoot a frickin rocket at you)

[@Its_me_6]

Special delivery today

[@user-ju6gb5yb5q]

​@@Its_me_6 GRAAA

[@GearShotgun]

11:00 notice how all the papers form a circle around body facing inward? Its a metaphor for how he sees himself as being at the center of all the conspiracies he’s imagine and a nice little detail

[@pikminman13]

I like how they reused the idea of changing a person's mental processes in a more direct way with Hollis in the sequel. Also, I wonder why they tried to scrub that extra backstory. It works and explains a lot, so why try to get rid of it? Unless they wanted to retcon it for another backstory, which they didn't.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

A lot of this backstory was just to understand a basis to work around. However, some of them were changed outright. Like Edgar's original backstory was the bullfighter and dancer thing which was changed to be a fantasy of his instead of the high school girlfriend situation.

[@pikminman13]

@@GamingUniversityUoG interesting, well, i liked it for boyd, it expands on him a lot

[@Ag3nt-MC]

Don’t let this distract you from the fact that he is the milkman, and his milk is delicious

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

We should put out a public service announcement to make sure everyone is aware

[@wileygrafton6854]

Mmm 🥛 mlik

[@rudyrutherford2861]

Straight from the cow

[@twistedwolf8422]

Does he have a special delivery today

[@TheDungDefender-z1k]

​@@twistedwolf8422No, sadly, the milkman has finished his route.

[@kiayaplews8593]

You'll probably do Gloria's stage next, but when you get to talking about Blackvelvetopia, can you use that to discuss confabulations? I don't know all the details on the topic, but a "confabulation" is an exaggerated or false memory that is completely far from what happened in reality, yet is told by the person having in a way that doesn't make them a liar. Edgar Tegley honestly recalled losing his lady love to someone else, but what was really a high school crush gone sour had been confabulated into a tragic love story worthy of a romance novel. Edgar needed to be reminded of who the characters in his artistic mind really were in order to regain control of his temper and his ability to paint freely.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

It is really kind of sad how his entire life was derailed because he didnt have full understanding on that situation. We tend to romanticize things, good and bad, as these memories are much easier and beautiful to understand than the muddled complexities of real life.

[@Silver_wind_1987_]

@Gaming University Edgar's level is my favorite...I love the colours and I'm a bit of a sucker for the level design. Milkman was neat to....but my discachula kept getting in the way of me putting in the code to get into the police station...comes with being autistic

[@shotakonkin2047]

8:10 This exact thing right here is what my mother suffers with, it's either this, schizophrenia or both at the same time. It's sad when you see this happen towards someone you know in real life. Her mental health has gotten so bad she thought two people where living on the roof of where my sister lives, there's legitimately nobody there whatsoever. I tried convincing her that she needs to seek mental health professionals but she won't accept it, I tried my best and now she's suffering as a result; she thinks I'm conspiring against her, last time when one of her delusions got to her she thought I put bleach in her water so I said I would drink it, I would drink the water to prove there's nothing in there but she wouldn't allow me to drink it.

[@PartnershipsForYou]

:(

[@cannonballking7]

You know you have a good level and idea, when this fairly obscure game (for a decent while at least) gave rise to one of the most famous video game quotes ever. This video is some top shelf quality, and did will to this legendary level. Keep up the good work, have a nice day, and welcome to the roadside crew.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Haha seriously I can hear his voice saying that line whenevever someone goes and gets some Milk. Thanks for accepting me on the Road Crew!

[@cosnime]

@@GamingUniversityUoG i am the milkman my milk is delicious XD

[@shotakonkin2047]

In TF2 you can become the milkman

[@classyrobot5648]

Special Delivery

[@lordfelidae4505]

I was convinced that the quote was some shitpost.

[@SantaCruzJokerProductions]

I love how Rasputin learns his lesson in this game and in the sequel he asks permission before going into peoples brains, and then that literally triggered a certain sect of people who apparently have a problem with consent… Interesting.

[@palecaptainwolfkayls8499]

I feel as though Raz, like the player (and second-hand viewers), wouldn’t actualize this until the sequel, where there is a clear consequence and presented/potential risk for changing someone’s mind for personal gain. It’s just _after Hollis_ does Raz ask for permission first, and that in general is a good idea!

[@edenengland1883]

in the case of Psychonauts theres is a bit of a valid issue with asking if someone with a truly fractured dangerous mind believes themselves to be sane, would they be willing to let someone described as being able to alter one's mind into theirs? obviously it doesnt come up in Psychonauts 2 outside of Ford, but it is still something to keep in mind, if you can only help those who are willing, then those who are unwilling will forever stay in harms way

[@mtgstudios1556]

As far as the consent thing I think it depends on the stability of the person because in the case of Boyd here if he were asked I'm not sure what kind of response he would have given or if he would have even understood the question. With Gloria its possible that she wouldn't have been able to give a good response due to her condition as well. In Psychonauts 2 Loboto definitely is in no condition to answer this type of question. With all the minds in psychonauts 2 (aside from Loboto) every member is a psychonaut so they are aware of what it means to go inside of someone elses mind to give a good answer. As far as the lesson with Hollace goes I dislike how its handled because the problem came from irresponsibility on her part, so a huge part of why it happened is indeed her fault and not just Raz's. It's very stuck up to ignore her fellow leaders in the motherlobe with their being 3 people who can verify Raz's abilities and even then after Raz deals with Maligula almost entirely by himself she still refuses to accept him. The reason this is relevant is because if Hollace had not ignored Raz's previous adventures then he would have had no reason to use connection in her mind in the first place. Granted, don't get me wrong its a great lesson for Raz to be getting consent, but there were much better ways that it could have been done, for instance, Raz already hurt a mind by triggering Boyd Cooper's alter ego by this point so Boyd could have come back and taught Raz this lesson. The rest of Psychonauts 2 after Hollace is pretty good, I don't have any problems after that point. However, the issues with Hollace's ignorance of others can't be ignored as far as the actual value of this lesson Raz learns with her goes. Hate to say this because there's a lot to like about her, but to me she is one of the weakest characters.

[@evanrutledge-sz4yo]

I think it has more so to do with someone’s stability. For instance, Raze nether technically asked Bob for consent, because Bob was too emotionally unstable from his Alcohol addiction. It’s good to ask for consent, but it’s there comes a time where it’s better for a person to have something done, such as therapy, without wanting it.

[@Fronzel41]

It’s clunky, repetitive, and not even consistent; if Raz accepts permissions from other people (or creatures) on behalf of the mind he wants to enter why can’t he just invite himself? And he accepts permission from people who clearly don’t know what they’re agreeing to, and in the game’s final sequence doesn’t ask at all. It’s conformity, not character development, which might be why the game has so few jokes compared to the original.

[@judet2992]

Jesus Christ. Boyd is more tortured than that one guy who lost the high ground only to become toast and never see his kids before joining a cult.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Well the milkman was being stored inside a floating island... above the others... oh crap he did have the high ground!

[@judet2992]

@@GamingUniversityUoG OH SHIT THIS JUST GOT REAAALLL META.

[@thewokathome3886]

Family guy moment

[@DoctorTex]

The Milkman has the high ground.

[@SirLaguna]

Some say that Superman is actually the primary personality and Clark is the alter ego.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Depends on your perspective I guess

[@Bevsworld04]

Oh yeah I personally believe that superman is the main personality because its him in his natural state, a hero.

[@raydhen8840]

Same can be said about Batman, both superheroes' persona more often than not taking the driver seats, which is why the concept of "civilian disguise" is more familiar with them instead of their "superhero costume"

[@theenderdestruction2362]

@@raydhen8840 nah with Batman it's true Bruce Wayne died with his parents and with that came the Batman it's sad it really is

[@mariustan9275]

@@raydhen8840 There was actually an episode of Batman Beyond that shows how he sees Batman as his true self with Bruce Wayne as his public persona. IN that episode a villain tires to convince him he went insane by putting a device by his ear whispering stuff. But it addressed him as Bruce Wayne, which meant it wasn't really him because he knows himself as Batman. There was also a time when he held the lasso of truth and Superman addressed himself as Clark Kent and Kal-el, his two names. But Batman called himself Batman.

[@NightEyeStudio1995]

With the addission of Boyds backstory, things suddenly make a whole lot more sense when it comes to his mental world.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

I didn't originally think this backstory would have as many connections as it ended up having. Really cool find. With that document

[@Springtime562]

15:41 fun fact. When I was in school only one family member picked me up. Except for doctors appointments... where both showed up. So when I saw both I was like "crap shots..."

[@DrErikNefarious]

This is what many consider to be the best level in the game and it's not hard to see why. This is when shit gets real and we really start to take a look into a broken mind

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Fully agree. This place is nuts and gives us a taste of just how wild the mind of a broken individual can get.

[@QueenMonoChrome]

Something I personally headcanon is that Oleander picked the closest thing to a military-esque group that'd fit the neighbourhood in Boyd's mind for the guards of the Milkman, i.e the Girl Scouts and Den Mother because of Oleander's obsession with most/all forms of military doctrine The fact that the Den Mother/Girl Scouts were already in Boyd's head just helps

[@Postie1994]

It is scary to see how, when the milkman emerges and takes over boyls mind, how laser focused he becomes with a initial deranged smile. He stops all rambling and is only focused on his one contingend task.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

I'm glad the Milkman was able to leave Boyd's mind by the end. Having that maniacal personality around is dangerous. Creepy dude.

[@justinambru8529]

@@GamingUniversityUoG It's like MK ultra or naomi.

[@silent_stalker3687]

I need to get an Artist to have an alter like that, but with Shadman degeneracy

[@spongeintheshoe]

@@GamingUniversityUoG I get the impression that Oleander built the Milkman out of what was already there. It makes me wonder how much of it really left him, and how much just returned to where it was “supposed” to be.

[@tootbender6935]

He's a sleeper agent

[@jesternario]

So few people recognize that Clark Kent is the main personality, that Superman Always calls himself "Clark" in his inner monologue. I'm glad you caught that.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

As much as I would love to say it was intentional I honestly never read any Superman comics and didn't know he always thought to himself as Clark. Just makes him more humble in my eyes if he feels his true self is a simple journalist.

[@theenderdestruction2362]

Unlike Batman which states that Bruce Wayne died with his parents and from their blood rise the Batman

[@jesternario]

@@theenderdestruction2362 Exactly :)

[@angstqueen9360]

I just watched the entire playlist because this is exactly what I want to know about the game-- How the designs relate to characters, the psychological terms, all of that. Thank you so much for making this series-- I'm already excited to see more of it, whenever you make more.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Honestly, I could spend hours breaking down each mental world. The amount of detail from art design, music, everything just begs to be explored. Double Fine made something truly amazing here.

[@tomazing]

No one has ever mentioned this backstory before. No one makes better psychonauts videos than you

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

This backstory is semi-canon at best. Double Fine notes that the extra backstory info isn't 100% canon. Just what they were thinking when designing the characters. But it fits well for him so I'm going to head canon it.

[@anicjan4654]

Looking at this video it's kind of a given as to why he is so paranoid. His mother betrays their marriage- and ultimately him as it disrupts his family home- His father is sort of implied to have lost contact. I don't think it's far to think that he wouldn't show up much once folyd is in another mans house that his cooperated in the extra-marital affair with. A second betrayal in Floyds eyes. Third Betrayal: The new living conditions. He is now immensely less important, the fact he was put into this condition itself was an indicator that other things take priority in his mothers eyes and now he's essentially in a house of strangers, one of which he has every right to feel angry to -the cheating dad- is a betrayal in and of itself. Then you got to got think about the dyanmic going on. The new dad is this antagonistic figure who help icilit one of the biggest catacylism in floyd's life but he's also now his caretaker. He shares a home with him, he probably tried at leat somewhat to be friendly and get closer to him. But how can you trust such a person...but you can't trust your mother, the only other caretaker because she's shown she will make decision at his and his family expense. and if his dad DID have less contact he also now can't trust his own actual dad. When you add in 14 siblings, who dod what siblings do and be general dicks in various ways. That assuming that they, themselves, weren't resentful at floyd and his mother for sort of just appearing in their home. If ALL THAT wasn't enough. If his mothers affair spread around the local area, that means people would gossiping about it around him in whispers and shit. So he can't leave the house and enjoy his childhood neighborehood without the memories and rumors huanting him of easiliest the biggest catacylism of his life. He can't rest at home because he's got no personal space or sanctuary in a house with 114 kids- there's no way he had his own room and even if he did I doubt they respected his personal space. The nature of such a place with so many people msut of been very flee flowing- and he can't confide or talk to his care taker because one is not around as much and the two are the architechs to his miserable conditions. So he's stuck in this weird social scenario where he has to put a pretense of family and stability in this house that is entirely constructed out of a betrayal to him. No wonder he thinks everything seems normal or mundane on the outside is secrectly some big conspiracy that waiting to leap out and mess up his life.

[@CidPsy]

Wasn't expecting to see a video so early after watching just yesterday the one about the history of the campsite. But I do not think Oleander "merely created" the milk man (like he just decided upon a milkman to assign the destruction of the tower if things went south), like you said he took elements of Boyd's past to become guard in his mind. As you noticed, Boyd is fixated into a few things regarding that alter ego: Where is he? What is he doing? What is he thinking? What's his purpose? The first three questions might not be only about the alter ego, but what is left of Boyd's childhood after the parents got separated. The dad was a milkman: Where is daddy? What is he doing?/Why did he do what he did? Why did daddy left? (What was he thinking?) Oleander might have messed with Boyd's memories; I mean why was the milkman the bad guy? (Well we can agree he's the one in charge of destroying everything but it might go deeper than that). It might be that in Boyd's eyes, the milkman/father was already the bad guy, for leaving him in that situation with the siblings and the mom and foster parent. So Oleander just capitalized on that and assigned the image a new role, that should be more than enough to do his bidding. As for the fourth question, once he found him well... we all know what happened next. Anyways good to see these are coming just in time for part 2 :D keep up the good work. I know what I just posted is not cemented in concrete, as much of Boyd's past is not written or explicitly told to the player. But it was a good exercise regardless.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Oh I agree! Oleander definitely took advantage of things from Boyd's past to create this Milkman persona. I think I addresses it that way as well. Granted the additional backstory isn't 100% canon since it isn't in the game but most of it doesn't contradict the game and it was used by the developers when making it, i felt comfortable including. One could make the argument that him searching for the Milkman could be a parallel to looking for his father. Is he dead or isn't he?

[@justapeckneck]

I noticed that in Boyd's rantings, he seems to have some of Coach Oleander's memories, as one of the parties he can accuse is "that kid, with the bunny", and this one is notably said in a somber tone. This implies that he was either told about Oleander's past for whatever reason, or that he ALSO met little olie.

[@EinsamPibroch278]

Imagine having 14 step sisters. Laundry day will be a nightmare.

[@casual_gamer58]

The true three sections 1. Who is Boyd 2. who is the milkman 3. Why is it delicious

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Because it is infused with what the world wants. What the world deserves.

[@wileygrafton6854]

Mlik

[@tigerspruce8580]

I really wish that doublefine would've kept these character files up. I know some of it, such as the aquato family backstory, was changed for psychonauts 2. However, the ones that still fit the characters in the game. Like, the oleander one, made me feel even more for the coach. Boyd's explains more about his character and I honestly love more information behind the characters.

[@tigerspruce8580]

Also this all makes sense for Boyd. It also makes the credit picture we get of the milkman, den mother, Raz, Boyd, and the rest of the characters doing a barbecue at the park area in Boyd's mind as a way to see that Boyd is starting to recover from his schizophrenia. If he finds the right help, he could recover over some time. (Just me over analyzing a picture in the credits lol)

[@deltad3592]

I never knew I needed to hear Steve Blum playing as a G-Man playing as a housewife until I played Psychonauts

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Oh gosh those G-Man lines had me floored lmao.

[@squeaktheswan2007]

Steve Blum voiced orochimaru, too. Try imagining the g men with those quotes.

[@kiseki-san]

Bro! I have been looking for this! I always wanted to know the Milk man back history!! Tank you!!

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

You got it dude!

[@lukestewart6155]

Why is it that when everyone talks about this character they never explain how we seem to go back to normal after completing his mission? I feel like that’s important bit but no one ever talks about it

[@mewt5358]

Hope the rest of the resident's videos come out soon

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Already prepping for the next one! Since we have a release date I'm trying to get as many out as I can by then without rushing it.

[@lou626]

@@GamingUniversityUoG oh yeah i forgot about psychonauts 2 lmao

[@swordbrethrenmordred1230]

"Paranoia is a very comforting state of mind. If you think they're out to get you, it means you think you matter."

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

100%

[@ahitfan1captaina]

Boyd was able to become normal again thanks to Raz as Boyd had to become "The Milkman" one last time and all of things bothering him had finally been able to leave his mind

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

I'd argue the mental programming that Oleander put in his head are all gone. His root stuff is there but considering he has friends to help him along. So I imagine his other problems will be rectified soon enough since he has a support system.

[@ahitfan1captaina]

@@GamingUniversityUoG agreed, Raz merely helped him get over his conspiracy theorist mind but there's one question that still remains, where the heck did he get those molotov cocktails?

[@macrofurra]

@@ahitfan1captaina he made them up or coach gave them

[@ahitfan1captaina]

​@@macrofurraI wouldn't be too surprised if the latter case was true besides, Boyd had no access to the things he needs to make any Molotov Cocktails...

[@ahitfan1captaina]

​​​@@GamingUniversityUoGI just realized something, if Boyd was given the instructions to burn Thorny Towers down, why didn't he do it immediately and just hesitated until near the end of the game?

[@cursed-cat9126]

Y'know it's really odd the Boyd's new dad had 14 kids, it seems like he divorced many other women before marrying Boyd's mother. Or it's just a silly goofy dialogue

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Well to be fair this is part of a developer backstory that was never officiated in the game. So it is semi canon at best. Possibly non canon. I see it as more of a quirky history and exaggerated likes cartoons are.

[@glitchking2801]

Fun fact the milkman conspiracy has zero censers until you wake the milkman and in my opinion this shows what happens when the mind has nothing to regulate thoughts

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Agreed. He has absolutely no filter until the arsonist personality shows up and the brain goes, "oh crap"

[@theenderdestruction2362]

@@GamingUniversityUoG I imagine when he completes his route a final censor (which I imagine as like the huge censer expect well dressed) appearing and fixing his tie before erasing the milkman

[@JeremyFinch42]

Boyd: I am the milkman, my milk is delicious. Hernando's and the insane asylum: Why is it spicy?

[@electricerger]

My favourite part is how he's the first mind you enter into on your own (you enter Lungfishopolis at the discretion of Ford, and are guided by the fish to help you help them). It's a great wakeup call to how you can do some real damage if you don't know what you're doing.

[@UrLeingod]

An interesting thought I had as to the figments: The figments of Boyd's imagination make no distinction between mundane suburbia and paranoid delusions, because *Boyd himself* can no longer make the distinction. It's another sign that he's so wracked with irrational paranoia that he's lost the ability to distinguish his fevered imaginations from ordinary, observable acts of a mundane life like a suburban dad grilling in his own backyard.

[@kalaong]

Something just occurred to me; *Raz learned Clairvoyance from a paranoid schizophrenic.* Perhaps I'm reading waaay too much into this, but basically, Boyd's obsession with secrets and hidden connections made him very skilled at being a security guard, who was always looking for weaknesses in the defenses of his workplace, and intruders who sought to steal from his employer. ...this would have been really really useful in a military base, a corporate science lab or even a bank - but Boyd worked in a *department store.*

[@lucasschuble847]

16:38 what if a child does not think the positive reinforcement as a reward?

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Hmm. The only way I can see that occurring is if the child is spoiled and sees the reward as something that is to be expected. When people stop seeing rewards as rewards but an expectation they stop working for it. Then if they lose it they feel like they are being punished when in fact they are being returned to a neutral position. What do you think?

[@lucasschuble847]

I think you would be correct

[@screamingcactus1753]

@@GamingUniversityUoG I could also be that they don't enjoy the reward, for whatever reason they don't see it as an improvement over the neutral state. If you're frequently bullied as a child, extra recess could be seen as a bad thing, as you're spending less time in a structured environment where you don't have to worry about your bullies, and more time in an environment where your bullies can torment you more freely.

[@crazybunny1134]

Monika here, when I was younger I took rewards as a way to ensure compliance rather than rewarding good behavior, since I was doing a lot of things that a child shouldn't do taking responsibilities that weren't mine and getting smoked whenever the expectation weren't met, I stopped seeing rewards as rewards and more as things to keep my mouth shut or I would get smoked for talking about how I felt because "the adults got worse things to deal with"

[@andre_601]

Idk why, but I feel like that the sleeping Milkman could also be a representation of a (in this case literal) sleeper agent. Like a personality that was implanted to activate once a specific trigger has been given.

[@AJtehJetPlane]

It’s clever that in his parents relationship his father (the milkman) was the faithful one.

[@BonesPower]

Woop Woop!!!! This was great! I had never heard any of that hidden backstory of Boyd's early years before!

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

I'm glad you enjoyed! Yeah this additional backstory is not in the game so we can't say it is 100% canon, but it rang true on many levels considering what we know out him.

[@jailcatjones3250]

I know what it's like to be invisible to people, it's a gift and a curse.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Same here.

[@shinraset]

I love these interesting analyzes of this glorious psychonauts game!

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

I'm glad you enjoy them!

[@ForeverAnonymous]

This game was masterfully crafted. Loved the video as well.

[@adiksaff]

I had never made the connection about mental cobwebs and where the milkman was stored!! Inspiring!!

[@santiagoacosta3372]

I waited this video for a long time, thank you for your hard work!

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

My absolute pleasure! I hope it was worth the wait.

[@willisrose9756]

Hell yeah I've been waiting to see a milkman video for a while now .

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

I hope it didn't disappoint.

[@stairmasternem]

This level is quite a good one in what it sets out to accomplish. One detail I like is how bits of the road have round notches missing, like the world itself is not a complete puzzle. Edit: the conspiracy seems to act as a defense mechanism itself. It’s like his brain knows there is something is wrong, however his paranoia prevents him from believing anything without some evidence. Until the Den Mother is captured by his paranoia - When Raz enters the house - the Censors just do not know where to go. It’s likely that Boyd knows sub consciously that the Milkman and the Rainbow Squirts are bad things.

[@angrypotato9914]

I loved this level but kept having trouble with figuring out what I needed to do. I honestly felt like the milkman was one of the coolest characters I've met in a game.

[@Fluffkitscripts]

It just hit me that mental Boyd’s house is blocked off by cobwebs. He NEVER leaves it. Huge portions of his mind are operating subconsciously AT BEST. He’s refusing a whole bunch of common mental processes.

[@Radek_Lemon]

Milkman gameplay : "I am the milkman my milk is delicious" Milkman lore :

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Milkman lore is ridiculous lol

[@evanraynolds8699]

i think i speak for every fan of this series when i say "i hope you do the sequels." I mean, there is the Rhombus of Ruin and Psychonauts 2 just got released, so yeah. i hope you do those.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

I just started playing Psychonauts 2 yesterday on stream and that VOD will be uploaded shortly. To answer your question I will absolutely be continuing this series into the sequel!

[@evanraynolds8699]

@@GamingUniversityUoG both of them?

[@evanpeters4679]

Hey man, just watched your entire psychology of psychonauts videos. You deserve a lot more views for the work you put into this, and you've gained a sub.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

I truly appreciate it! Welcome aboard this crazy train.

[@LokeSandwall]

Can’t watch this right now since I have to go to work, but I am so looking flrward to this in my afternoon!!

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Good luck at work. Let me know what you think when you get back!

[@LokeSandwall]

@@GamingUniversityUoG just finished watching the video! Great as always! Already looking forward to the next part!

[@judsondelira1412]

Thanks for another killer deep-dive. I appreciate how your videos deepen my appreciation of some great games.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

That's my goal! I feel really digging into them helps to enhance our love of it. I'm glad you enjoy them.

[@LemonadeStand618]

Some thing I realized about this level and old PlayStation games in general, is Boyd's dialogue whenever he's just walking around. It's randomly generated out of some recorded phrases but I noticed this in fallout 3 too when the character Sticky begins telling his stories. Today this is nothing special but these older games seemed to think it was a clever concept, in fact it's more common in these older games than more modern games. (Plus here's a short excerpt from one of Boyd's tangents, "The five richest families in the world, went to prom with, those stupid crows!", and finally as a quick side note, after meeting Raz "the Pchycowhatsits" And "That kid in the goggles" become new phrases he can say)

[@alicjabacal183]

Good thing to wake up to. I love how insightful those videos are!

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Glad I could help you start the morning off right!

[@Monochromeoriginal]

The full lore: He’s the milkman, and his milk is delicious.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

I should update this video to say just that. 5 seconds. Easy haha

[@warreng80able]

Boyd didn't deserve any of this 😔

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Pretty much everyone in this series has had a rough time. Except Gristol. He is just a spoiled brat.

[@toxictaro]

I'm really enjoying these videos. Made me want to replay psychonauts again

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Well with the sequel coming out in a few months it is a perfect time to replay it

[@v4nd3l4yhomeboi5]

I feel like a creator by the name of, noodle, summed up this part of the game perfectly. “Milkman McCarthyism, everyone’s favorite part of the game, is a level you complete by unleashing the most unhinged and delusional aspect of a tortured mind. Specifically, so they stop doing their job? _He lights things on fire now._ RAZ! I know you’re only, like 10, but have you heard of MK Ultra? Because I THINK YOU JUST CREATED THE *FUCKING U N A B O M B E R* !”

[@danthemilkmanOG]

I came for milkman lore, and stayed for milkman lore

[@chriscampbell5880]

Loving this series of videos. Please make more. This is an amazing revisit to one of my favorite childhood games from a point of view that is so interesting. You got me hella hype for the seaqual now lol

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

I am stoked for the sequel too! I cannot wait. And I am just wrapping up the next video in the series. You won't have to wait long!

[@FirstLast-cg2nk]

I have heard it said that Delusional patients are among the most difficult to treat, due to numerous factors. One of the simplest is the fact that a delusional patient will automatically assume that anyone or anything that attempts to dissuade them from their beliefs is part of the conspiracy against them. It is a rare sort of mental illness that due to its nature, will cause the patient to resist any attempts at correction, and incorrect treatment can make the problem exponentially worse. This is why Raz "fails" this mission: What hope did he, as an untrained amatuer, have of correcting a mental issue that even a trained professional would struggle against. Ultimately, a delusional patient will try to classify anyone or anything into the "conspiracy" against them. This is why the "spies", a part of Boyd's mind that is responsible for that, interrogate Raz when he gets caught. However, when Raz picks up an item that fits a role, he self-catagorizes as something Boyd's mind has already classified, and is allowed access to parts of the mind that Boyd associates with that classification. Until then, though, Raz is just spat back out because he hasn't been categorized yet. The spies aren't enemies, but rather obstacles, because they represent a function of a healthy human mind, the need to categorize things. We all do this unconsciously. The human brain is constantly putting people, places, things, groups, and organizations into various categories within our minds. This shift is constant because the human mind only has a limited number of space, and modern society is too complex for every single group to be given its own space. I remember that the limit for a normal human brain is around 500, which seems like a lot until you understand just how many groups and organizations, not to mention people, the average person interacts with on a daily basis. This is why they're seen working with the Censors, rather than against them: The spies may be subordinated to Boyd's default delusions, but they're still a part of a normal, healthy mind, just a part currently being used in an unhealthy way. This is also why they are obsessed with the Milkman and seek his destruction: The Milkman is something that, deep down, Boyd's unconscious mind knows does not belong, and are actively seeking anything that is connected with it so that the Milkman can be removed. TL;DR essay length post on an old video, there's a lot going on here that fits with the themes of a delusional mind.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

No joke I've thought about how I would react if I was told I had a delusional disorder. I'd like to think I'm open minded but I keep coming but to a sense of uncertainty. Sure I accept I may be delusional but if I'm not I'd be harming myself by listening to the doctor trying to help. That's why in my non-professional opinion understanding the nature of the their delusion can help find the root of it. Rather than tell them it isn't real, invite them to share within the confines of their mindset to understand them first. The problem is this can make things worse if not handled perfectly. Really a tough situation.

[@FirstLast-cg2nk]

@@GamingUniversityUoG The problem with any mental illness is that we, ourselves, can't recognize it because our minds categorize anything "us" as normal and anything "not us" as abnormal. It is why you see people who say "I was brought up that way and I'm fine", despite them having major issues. It's like trying to use defective equipment to try to find a problem.

[@OdaSwifteye]

I've encountered this many times and it's basically just watching a person destroy themselves. It never gets easier to watch. There used to be websites dedicated to chronicling and often tormenting people with these delusions but a lot of them have been met with well deserved hard times.

[@kirbyfan2265]

Milkman gameplay: 😂 Milkman lore: 💀

[@pixelcat29]

Milkman Gameplay: 😂 Milkman Lore: 😔

[@bramble553]

the lesson you described at the end of the video reminds me a lot of the second level in Psychonauts 2, where Raz ends up actually DO abuses someone'e mental state for personal gain and very nearly destroys the entire Psychonauts. That's when it really hammers in for Raz that he fucked up bad and he needs to treat the mental state of human beings as if they were extremely fragile, as opposed to the first game where he kinda just did whatever and it somehow worked out most of the time.

[@maxleroux]

Wow. Sounds like Boyd was already crazy before he got fired. This is really deep. 🔥😬

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

He definitely had his issues. Even if we don't accept the Backstory document details as canon, anyone who burns down a building because he was fired isn't fully stable to begin with.

[@adamchapman8632]

These are awesome, just played the game a month ago for the first time. Glad to find this channel

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Perfect timing! I'm glad you enjoyed the game and found your way over here.

[@mrman6334]

Thank you so much when i first played this i knew it had a really deep meaning inside of it and without even understanding everything i'll remember this game and especially this part for a long time

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

It's one of those things. We know there is something important here but fully sure what it is. This entire game is so dense with good stuff.

[@EMW..]

"I am the milkman, my milk is delicious"

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Still the best line of dialoge in the game lol

[@Sirboi389]

“Special delivery today!”

[@muffin_the_metalhead3488]

omg just uploaded? that's so funny! i was watching all the other videos and suddenly this one appears.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Haha perfect timing! No waiting for the next one.

[@dumpertron1]

This feels like a MatPat out of context. Some dude explaining major things in science/psychology then going back into some random videogame

[@phoebeaurum7113]

It sounds like you aren't paying attention.

[@marcellXcatalyst]

If you're a new Psychonauts player or old one reminiscing, you're surprised to find out/remember that the milkman conspiracy is overall not that consequential to the main story. It's just that good on its own.

[@virenrana6459]

Just installed psychonauts Will see both psychonauts video after playing it

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Ooh fun! I hope you enjoy the game.

[@informitas0117]

I wish someone could enter my mind and fix it. Edit: I'm schizophrenic and this deep dive was a bit too close to home

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

My thoughts are with you on your struggles. With how technology is developing I would love to see a future where there are methods to go in and help.

[@bubblemage]

I don't care if the boss was very meh, the level and the theme were great!

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Agreed! Personally I dont mind the bosses. The gameplay is a little janky but the story, characters themes and setting overshadow it.

[@greenhat8978]

I'm eating Oreos while watching this... thought it would be fitting

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Haha perfect!

[@Bloo_Frost]

I didn’t really get this part of the game since I played when I was very tired so I appreciate this video a lot!!

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Haha you got it!

[@asterixobelix20]

19:48 Speaking of messing up someone's mind, Psychonauts 2 :) . And this time it was intentional, although not out of bad intentions, more like selfish ones. I really like that the second game touch upon this a bit more.

[@wjzav1971]

I was always wondering, why was Boyd the only human Raz could actually set on fire? Whenever Raz tries Pyrokinesis on any other human he encounters, be it the campers, the teachers, or the Thorny Tower Patients, it never quite works. They only smolder a bit. My explanation was that either Raz holds himself back because he doesn't actually want to set anyone on fire, even when the player wants it, or they are too powerful to burn. But considering that you can set the bears on the camp grounds on fire, I doubt the latter explanation. So, was Raz actually willing to set Boyd on fire? Maybe out of annoyance that the man was in his way? Is this a sign that Raz viewed Boyd less of a victim in need of help like Glora, Fred and Edgar but more of an obstacle to overcome?

[@Frickerdoodle]

I mean, and I really hate to be "that guy", but, maybe it's just a glitch or oversight in the actual code? I've never tried to set him on fire myself so I could be wrong, but apparently when set on fire, he (atleast sometimes) never actually extinguishes either, so that could just mean he was never meant to be flammable. That being said, you could be right. However, I struggle to see Raz as the type of person to dehumanize someone like that.

[@Mewseeker]

Must be all those molotovs. :P

[@TheMustardMan8]

@@Mewseeker Agreed - it's entirely plausible that Boyd is just exceptionally flammable.

[@abbop.2575]

Yoooo! This was a super good video. I think it went a little on the long side, but I liked all the hidden bits and pieces that you brought to the surface. I had no idea that a document was leaked, I'm going to have to check that out now. You mentioned Classical Conditioning... I wonder if some of the Den Mother's strange phrases were conditioned triggers for the Milkman's emergence from the 'basement.' Another theory for the Milkman's emergence: if a Psychonaut were mucking about in Boyd's head, then the Milkman persona would be triggered by the 'death' of the Den Mother and kick out any intruder. (The Rainbow Squirts are only for Boyd's own Censors and G-Men, while the Den Mother is designed to fight psychics.) Raz's astral projection was kicked out when the Milkman threw a single Molotov cocktail at him, so I would imagine the Milkman has pretty strong mental strength.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

It makes me question how much Oleander thought this out. If going into Boyd's mind was required to trigger the Milkman, he was banking on people needing to go through the gates. But people can levitate in this setting and just fly over it lol. And yes the Milkman is a very domineering and powerful personality inside his mind. Raz didn't stand a chance.

[@abbop.2575]

@@GamingUniversityUoG haha, I forgot levitation was a thing in Psychonauts! XD Edit: There was kind of a barrier above the wall that Raz couldn't jump over. It's probably just a game mechanic to force the player through Boyd's mind, but it's fun to imagine an in-game explanation for it.

[@tsm688]

backstory - milkman appearance - milkman name - milkman

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

No need to interfere with the perfection that is 'Milkman'

[@TheJarDude412]

one of my favorite examples of the alter ego is victor and bebal from this minecraft horror map, victor left notes claiming to be captured by bebal, only for us to discover in the end, that victor is bebal. the alter ego is an interesting subject and they can be created in many ways, such as terrible mental stability, or super powers.

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Same type of thing in Address Unknown from the max Payne games. John believed his evil doppelganger known as Mirra has stolen his life and trapped him in an alternate world. A man he sees in the mirror. Only to learn that he is mentally ill and he is Mirra.

[@capsulecat8569]

“I am the Milkman. My Milk is delicious.” -The Milkman

[@lou626]

Man you're one of the best (and only ) psychonauts chanells i see! I love the way you talk sbout the characters , good stuff

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate it.

[@lou626]

@@GamingUniversityUoG you deserv it!

[@tsnophaljakarax9963]

This analysis series is amazing ^^ I already love the game, but it's cool to dive deep into the actual psychology of..well...Psychonauts XD (also, can't wait for the rest of the inmates. Though I got to admit, I think Fred Bonaparte's mind is kinda underrated in my opinion. It might not be the most crazy or complex as Gloria's or Edgar's, but I kinda like how he was a normal likeable dude until one event kinda brought all of his deep-seated insecurities all out at once in the form of his alternate personality, 'Napoleon'. Plus his relationship with Crispin Whitehead (who I'm certain is just a straight-up sociopath) is pretty intriguing.)

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoy it. And honestly Fred's mind is the one I'm looking forward to covering the most. This is because his issues are very relatable. Something I'm sure everyone has struggled with at one point or another. But we'll wait until we get to that video to discuss it.

[@tsnophaljakarax9963]

@@GamingUniversityUoG Awesome. I honestly can't wait for all three of them. Each one is so relatable and tragic in their own right.

[@adrianaslund8605]

I feel like Raz did catalyze a sort of healing catharsis by freeing the Milkman. After Boyd completes his "route" he seems way more stable. But it takes some time. Carl Jung mentions in "Memories, Dreams, Reflections" that he once helped a psychotic understand how her delusions were linked to her real life experiences. Which was taboo, uppsetting and scary. And far from what most professionals would recommend. But she ended up functioning quite well afterwards.

[@MrGREY-bs9lu]

13:18 Clark Kent is Superman’s alter ego though, he pretends to be a normal productive human when in actuality he’s a space man that fights for justice.

[@MysteriousTomJenkins]

Not really, its been said several times that Clark Kent is the real him and Superman is the persona. One popular story about Superman, All-Star Superman, even has a panel of him looking into a mirror that shows his true self and its Clark Kent. Batman is the one who's hero alter ego is the real him, to the point where in Batman Beyond, he realizes he's being messed with by a villain because the villain messing with his mind calls him 'Bruce' inside his head, and Bruce Wayne doesn't do that. For Batman and Superman, Clark Kent is the true persona, while Batman is the true persona for Bruce. Superman is a way for Clark to help the world, while Bruce unfortunately died in that alley with his parents and Batman took his place.

[@bluethelucario6194]

Great video! You excited for Psychonauts 2? I’d love to see you go over that when it comes out!

[@GamingUniversityUoG]

Dude I am stoked for Psychonauts 2! I cannot wait

[@montanajackson3713]

He is the milk man, his milk is delicious. Fun fact: This level is so well-known and loved that it has its own separate Wikipedia page!