Life is Strange: Before the Storm Theory- Rachel's Power

[@popodrome1002]

I think Rachel is the Storm at the End of the first game. Rachel waited for Chloe to die, to be together with her again but Max always saved her. Therefore Rachel wants to get Chloe as a Storm.

[@sandrita0261]

popo drome this is actually a really good theory!!

[@solzyy1]

popo drome Yea that makes sense since Rachel seems to have wind power. I won't be surprised if ur theory comes true.

[@ornessarhithfaeron3576]

Your comment really fucked me up

[@Jake-wi1wv]

In my personal opinion, everyone seems to overestimate how much Rachel cares about Chloe. We need to remember that she went behind Chloe's back to have a fling with Frank, and it's implied she even betrayed Frank to bang Jefferson and we know how that ended. I think she is the storm, however I think her wanting to destroy Arcadia Bay is purely through her hatred towards Jefferson walking free. And my reasoning for thinking it has nothing to do with Chloe is that the storm still manifests even after Chloe is killed in Episode 4, and in the "Sacrifice Chloe" ending they specifically show Nathan and Jefferson getting busted if I remember correctly. Granted this is all speculation, but I truly believe Rachel was the storm, and in her selfish ways in living for herself and only herself, those beliefs were the same in the tornado. That being, not caring about Chloe and only caring if Mark Jefferson was put to justice for killing her and the Prescotts finally not getting away with everything.

[@dirtydan9153]

i think chloe said something like the storm being rachels revenge too so this would make perfect sense

[@ianchiodi1686]

Wow! I never stopped to realize the meaning and the relation of Max's powers with her personality and photography. Very good analysis!

[@PacifistRun]

Thank you much! I try!

[@Flanker0804]

It's an interesting opinion by the way. I rememder I had a dream once, I was talking to a man (that was the man in years) and he asked me about the year I was born. When I named it , he replied: 1985 - enhanced telekinesis capabilities. And then we managed to realize that potential. So when I woke up, an idea came to my mind: what if all of the people have power depending on different factors, but those powers have to be unlocked somehow? At least that was the idea of that dream. May sound silly, but probably could be a good idea for some science fiction.

[@ianchiodi1686]

I also thought that, lol

[@ianchiodi1686]

But it was a honest compliment

[@blackican1mp958]

Pacifist Run idk if you seen or played L.I.S2 but the animal spirt could be right... because every where Chloe is a black crow is there... N in part one everyone around her either dies or she's dying. N in part 2 has epic foreshadowing

[@joel.jpgvid]

Seems to me, she doesn't have a 'power', more of a connection with the nature of Arcadia Bay.

[@PacifistRun]

It definitely seems that way now. I didn't have this information when I made this video though. This was more of a thought experiment.

[@johnivantaro6684]

By the way, even if that is the case that Rachel has a connection to the nature of Arcadia Bay, wouldn't that be a superpower in itself? Because the idea that she has a connection with Arcadia Bay's nature implies that she has the power to literally control the entire town itself.

[@PacifistRun]

That would be a question of the dev's interpretation I guess

[@johnivantaro6684]

Good point. Sorry if I came across like a jerk.

[@Jam00130]

Could she have anything do to with the storm? I mean she was dead at the time and all but I just can't help but think

[@RuptimusPrime]

Finally, someone who thinks Rachel having rewind powers is a dumb idea! I can't believe how many people are insisting it's what they should have done. Honestly, if you're good looking, smart and good at reading people it's not that hard to be loved by everyone. You don't need superpowers, you just need to be manipulative, which she clearly was. As for Rachel manifesting herself as the doe, yeah that's what I thought as well. Could she do that while she was alive too? Guess we'll see. Don't think she was an empath or a mind reader though. Deck Nine did promise we'll see some supernatural stuff though, so I'm looking forward to see those

[@shadofortuna]

Personally, I thought that Rachel never really had powers, but was always being 'directed' by Max as a photographer directs a model. The main reason Rachel could have been so popular was by influence of Max possibly going back in time and changing Rachel so she knew what to say to who, leave messages behind such as 'I WANT TO DIE', clues and such, based off of Frank's photo of Rachel and its similarities to Max's eye color and facial expressions in contrast to Chloe's photo and Rachel's photo in Frank's RV. It would explain their similarities and mysteries behind Rachel, as well as why Max feels that Rachel was guiding them to the truth. It was either Max directing Rachel, or an alternate Max doing so. I also always thought that the doe was an alternate form of Max trying to communicate, and the doe as a spirit animal I think is known for guiding to the truth or is tied to truth.

[@natsudragneel-ir7sr]

of course you can be loved by being manipulative, but if you have power to rewind time infinitely, you could practice manipulating people and see their reaction to what you do to manipulate them and rewind if it doesn't go the way you wanted it to be. that way you leave no bad memories of yourself in case someone react badly to it, you rewind and try again. so it is not far fetched that Rachel could have make everyone like her by using time rewind and trying to get the result she wanted so everyone like her. that is basically what i do as max, trying each option until i get what i want. i really think Rachel don't have rewind power, but i can see the logic how time rewind can be use to make herself popular. And the doe doesn't have to be Rachel, it could be like what Samuel said, Max's spirit animal trying to help them find Rachel by giving hints to where she is. Just like the blue butterfly being Chloe spirit animal theory, that lure Max to hide in the corner in the toilet to enable her to save Chloe by ringing the fire alarm.

[@rmsgrey]

There are a couple of reasons that people theorise that Rachel had a rewind power: 1) There are hints that someone had some sort of time-related power in the past in order to plant all the stuff with the Vortex Club and the end of the world party and the lighthouse graffiti... If you go looking for a named character who might have time powers, the obvious question is what to look for? Well, Max uses her powers for three main things - keeping Chloe alive, investigating Rachel Amber's disappearance, and making herself uncannily popular. When it comes to being supernaturally popular, there's one character that keeps being brought up as beloved by everyone... 2) There's the big question of how Max got her powers - it could be that they're just triggered by the trauma of witnessing a murder, but that doesn't explain why they actually appear to kick in shortly before the murder, with the opening vision of the storm, nor the presence of the suspicious butterfly, both at the start, and at Chloe's funeral if you take that path. Having the powers passed on from Rachel, who manifests as the butterfly, gives them a history and a reason for manifesting when and where they did. Of course, there are problems with the theory too - like how you kill someone with rewind powers - but the real killer pretty much has to be the problem of how you'd represent an NPC's rewind power - the prequel game has us playing as Chloe, so if Rachel has a rewind power, we won't get to see it directly - the closest we'd get is seeing her do something seemingly impossible...

[@DarthRue17]

Why do people think Rachel has time travel powers

[@rmsgrey]

There are a couple of reasons that people theorise that Rachel had a rewind power: 1) There are hints that someone had some sort of time-related power in the past in order to plant all the stuff with the Vortex Club and the end of the world party and the lighthouse graffiti... If you go looking for a named character who might have time powers, the obvious question is what to look for? Well, Max uses her powers for three main things - keeping Chloe alive, investigating Rachel Amber's disappearance, and making herself uncannily popular. When it comes to being supernaturally popular, there's one character that keeps being brought up as beloved by everyone... 2) There's the big question of how Max got her powers - it could be that they're just triggered by the trauma of witnessing a murder, but that doesn't explain why they actually appear to kick in shortly before the murder, with the opening vision of the storm, nor the presence of the suspicious butterfly, both at the start, and at Chloe's funeral if you take that path. Having the powers passed on from Rachel, who manifests as the butterfly, gives them a history and a reason for manifesting when and where they did. Of course, there are problems with the theory too - like how you kill someone with rewind powers - but the real killer pretty much has to be the problem of how you'd represent an NPC's rewind power - the prequel game has us playing as Chloe, so if Rachel has a rewind power, we won't get to see it directly - the closest we'd get is seeing her do something seemingly impossible...

[@FoxyGuyHere]

I don't think she has powers but I am sure that the doe is Rachel. Maybe Max's powers let her to see Rachel's spirit in her doe form.

well, she has powers ...

[@sterlingruby1316]

Sérgio Glória what power?

Sterling Ruby the power of wind 🍃

[@FoxyGuyHere]

Sérgio Glória That is only speculation. It could have been just a dramatic effect, and not what Rachel made. But, yeah. She might have powers.

curryvid yes, it's not confirmed and yes, it might be something to make the scene better... Chloe didn't mentioned that Rachel had a power too, so, or Rachel didn't tell her or she doesn't have xp But I don't think they would put that wind when she screams knowing that powers might exist in that universe...

[@Gangsterturtles]

Well Rachel is into acting so she speaks a lot and makes people feel things. When she yelled at the end of ep 1 it looked like some sort of power through her feelings of speech and anger. Like max can rewind time. When you see a picture it's like going back in time.

[@strabababerry]

GangsterTurtles same thing I was thinking. Not to mention, the winds Rachel makes from her screams are like the Butterfly Effect (a butterfly's wings flapping eventually causing a storm...which is exactly what Rachel does in the end). The storm happens because of Max using her powers. Max uses her powers because she's trying to keep Chloe alive. Chloe probably wouldn't have been in that situation with Nathan if Rachel hadn't died. Rachel died basically because of Nathan and Jefferson. Nathan and Rachel seem to have met originally because of their play, the Tempest, which is going on right about when Rachel starts that wind. Everything comes back to Rachel.

[@AgarioSplitrunner]

The first time that Max rewinded time in the bathroom, she teleported to the classroom. This is impossible: if Max rewinds time, she always stays in the same place. So after her first time rewinding her body should have still been in the bathroom. Could this be her unexplored powers? Also, when she rewinded time the first time, she rewinded back maybe 15-20 minutes earlier that day while in the rest of the game she's only able to rewind time 1 or 2 minutes. Does that mean Max' real powers let her rewind to any TIME in the past? And if she masters her time rewind properly, won't there be a ripple in space so no more creating a tornado? Answer: YES! Too late, Chloe is dead. Good job Max!

[@AgarioSplitrunner]

@minjeongista ooh yes I agree, because normally when she rewinds, during the rewind she 'sees' everything that happened but in reverse. However, this didn't happen the first time. So the first time wasn't a rewind, it was more a time jump, which she could have learned if she didn't have the motto 'with great powers come zero responsibility'. Good job Max!

[@speedyg2012]

[Rachel seems to be based on Laura Palmer, a well-liked teenage girl whose murder sparked the events of the television series Twin Peaks, which Life is Strange has numerous references to. Rachel shares her birthday (July 22) with Laura Palmer. (From the wiki)] Is this confirmed? Might explain some of her behaviour we know of and in the prequel.

[@fondlingducks]

shit that's what i was thinking.

[@onipot9639]

I think Jeffersons ( if not another character )'s car registration plate says 'twin peaks' but simplified down. The creators admit they were inspired by that aspect of Twin Peaks hence the reference :)

[@fondlingducks]

it's chloe's car that says twnpks

[@DaggerPrince]

+stareria: Interesting - At first I thought it meant something like "Town Punks" as a refference to Chloe's punk style. And so its actually a refference to her relationship with Rachel.

[@michelleamposta8769]

That's because it is based on Twin Peaks. It takes place in Pacific Northwest, it's a quiet town with secrets, the "Dark Room" where Rachel was taken, as well as the red curtains Max crosses when entering the Vortex Club party, are references to the Black Lodge from Twin Peaks. Then Mr. Jeffershit shifting his attention to Victoria, like in Twin Peaks the murdered kidnapped the beauty pageant girl. And more little things. So yeah it is based on Twin Peaks, but it's not only Twin Peaks, also other shows. (The butterfly effect, Donnie Darko, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.)

[@spacebound5142]

I think the butterfly is actually Chloe spirit animal BC we see it seconds b4 she dies and Chloe has blue hair and the butterfly is blue. and the Doe is brown and Rachael had brown hair so idk just a theory

[@pyroshayniac1090]

And it was seen I standing in rachel's grave.

[@mark0032]

SpaceBound 514 the butterfly is to highlight chaos theory. Something as seemingly as insignificant as the flap of a butterflies wing might cause a tsunami half way around the world. It's an analogy used to explain cause and effect. For every action a reaction. She saved her friends life but at what cost? The simple fact of saving her changes things, dumping accidentally into a person causes them to miss a bus, a bus that person was meant to meet their future spouse. They never meet and children who were meant to be born never are and they meet someone else and people are born who were never meant to be. Those people have more children who were never meant to be and generations down the road half the world is full of people that were never meant to be. A very different world. All because someone saved the life of someone who was meant to die and that person made someone miss a bus. It's what the storm means. The difference made in the world because someone changed the natural course of events.

[@tamieennis1192]

SpaceBound 514 Her spirit animal is a crow.

[@kathryngracewilliams9197]

the creators of LiS confirmed this theory in a podcast. So yeah, Rachel is the doe, and they also mentioned that they didn't want Arcadia Bay to be a town of superheroes (they didn't give Chloe any powers), which may also imply that Max may be the only person with powers among the characters.

[@IDyce88]

Chloe's spirit animal is a blue butterfly FACT (the ending where you save arcadia bay confirms this...look it up), Rachel's spirit animal is the doe FACT (because it disappears right after her body is found by Max and Chloe at the graveyard). Max's spirit animal is also probably a doe though not 100% on this (it is implied by numerous references to does and Max along with lines like Chloe saying "you and Rachel aren't that different", see episode 2 of LIS). and yes Max is the only one with powers...Rachel is just a very popular girl that everyone is fascinated by. the Crow in Before the Storm is not a spirit animal it is a reference to death.

[@firefly5999]

I think the doe is indeed Max' spirit animal. The doe in native american culture resembles the inner child, innocence and challenges you to be kind to yourself. It helps Max to find Rachel, because that is Max' main goal. The butterfly ( Chloe) brings drastic change: death. The blue jay stands for a social chamelion, someone who enjoys company and easily adapts to his/her surroundings. That resembles Rachel Amber :)

[@Daroga1]

"The Raven is to be respected, but never trusted." ~ A plaque from episode 1 of LTSBTS All throughout the game we see Rachel being accompanied by a Raven, her movements expressing the bird of prey quite frequently. Rachel is a bird, for sure.

[@LadySkullDeMort]

I think Rachael was the blue Butterfly, blue because Chloe's hair color change to blue 'coz she loved Chloe and the butterfly because Rachael Wanted freedom. And since Max always wears T-shirts with a Doe, makes me thinking the Her Spirit animal is the Doe like Samuel said, since she loves the Animals and the Nature, Rachael used the Doe to lure Max to the places where she died and needed to be to change the Future and safe the other's from Mr. Jefferson.

[@kenaneshia6398]

Rachel is the doe

[@ItsAJETT]

If Rachel having powers excplains the origin of Max's powers then fine by me. Because in still baffled at how she just woke up with these powers without question.

[@Treytinoxo]

AJETT right and it makes snese for everyone to like her if she had a rewind power Lol

[@archerino]

dude your channel looks like the kind of channel that would have at least 100k subs just that high quality

[@PacifistRun]

I really appreciate it!

[@tamarab.3120]

Am I the only one that noticed when she screamed at the end of the prequel that wind started bowing causing the fire to continue? Doesn't that mean that she can create storms?

[@thatguy2920]

Tamara Bon that's what I thought! I wanna make a video on this but I don't have the game x.x

[@peachan3690]

Rachel amber created the storm, like Chloe said the storm was her “ revenge”

[@Confederate-hj2dc]

I think Rachel’s powers are linked with the storm. She is very malleable and as such, the ability to influence the winds is a realistic and story based approach to give her powers. She is like the wind and so, she has the ability to control and influence the wind. Like Max can influence time. Her death caused a fury inside of her to then destroy all of Arcadia Bay, with the storm being an encapsulation of her wrath. Only the sacrifice of Chloe can appease her bloodlust.

[@WinterDulcet]

I highly doubt they're going to give Rachel powers. To me, Rachel is just a people person, getting along with everyone. No power necessary

[@PacifistRun]

Yeah, like I said for nearly 5 minutes.

[@WinterDulcet]

Pacifist Run who would've thought that it could've been said in 5 seconds rather than minutes

[@PacifistRun]

Because I said more than that? Imagine that. I said repeatedly it's a stupid idea. All I said was "Here's how you can do this without it being completely stupid". This was more of a thought experiment than anything. Yeah, it takes 5 seconds to say something, but to explain the thought process behind something takes time. If you speak in generalities your entire life then sure- explain everything in 5 seconds. Save lots of time and examine nothing. Your initial comment made it sound like we were disagreeing on something. I apologize for snapping.

[@WinterDulcet]

Pacifist Run Nope. I was definitely agreeing. I guess if someone sounds like they could potentially be disagreeing with you, then it warrants sass? Interesting.

[@PacifistRun]

Not disagreeing, I thought you just straight up didn't watch it. Which does legitimately annoy me as I'm sure it would you.

[@strawberry_mode]

it pisses me off how they never explain max's powers at all

[@Altermerea]

Not everything has to have an explaination...

[@faucetmilk]

Jasmine I think it's nice how they don't explain her power. It leaves the player thinking more.

[@mynanisdead7245]

*It was all a DREAM!?*

[@neslydonuts]

That's not how it works.

[@gakobayashi1449]

My nan is dead *click*

[@MrVicePresident]

Idk who thought she has rewind powers, I felt her power was more associated with the weather. They even visualized Rachel's scream that started the fire and she could possibly be the storm when she dies as her spirit's revenge on Arcadia Bay. Also in every game but before the storm there is someone who gets powers, Rachel could've been the first of many.

[@animeworld-386]

Here on this picture 0:18 we have seen all the spirit animals in the game The doe for max The bleu butterfly for chloe the crow for reachel The dog (papidou) for frank The rabbit for Kate The squirrel for Samuel And maybe the other animals for another persones that we haven't seen them on life is strange b.t.s like the woman who kissed reachel's dad i think her spirit animal is the bleu clay and for the owl i think it's for mark jafferson because we have seen it in the old barn where max and chloe find the dark room or maybe it's for Nathan or another person

[@luvleyjae]

Add on from life is strange 2 Sean and Daniel- wolfs

[@TheNyleve16]

@Fahanie but if it was Rachel why is max in the snowglobe with the doe at some point and also why is there a doe in one of her shirts.

[@marisaguirre]

im 3 years late but im pretty sure the crow is chloe's dad

[@kenaneshia6398]

Rachel is a doe...creators confirmed it

[@frankleonard3199]

It's a piece of art that game. In the first game, Max is a timid soul that goes through the process of influencing people and experiencing the power of choice which is mostly the potentiality of changing and being the change in other people's life, there's great wisdom about it, Max captures moments, not just moments through her photographs but through her experiencing the tragedy and ineluctability of choice and to face the consequences, which is letting go of those moments (while still capturing it in her memory), but, still, finding beauty in the struggle of letting go of those moments which is a key component in both games if you know how to look at it with the right set of eyes. In the second game the parallel doesn't apply just to Rachel but also to Chloe : the loss of her father is a pivotal element of the story, it defines Chloe and her rebellious personality but also her fragility, she's strong and wholehearted and witty but still there's struggle there, to hold her ground and be who she wants to be but still learning to let go of her past which Rachel helps her with because she too have her own "thing" as well as well as going through her own struggle (they are two "forces of nature" one that's crude and crepuscular, the other that's more light, sharing, dawning -- and there's poetry in the two, like for example : who sets the forest on fire? Who does really, Chloe? Rachel?) and in the second game it's like this alchemy between the two : who's influencing who and in what way does it defines the characters in the end? Also where Max is more like at the far end of the spectrum of the hero's journey type of character because she has supernatural powers and can rewind time, it sets a tone for the second game "Before the Storm" and what's beautiful about it is that it's through the emotions, the fact that the past "can't be changed" and through the absence of Max and the "space" she carved (through her ability to rewind time) and also the poetry behind that paradox and how it relates to the death of Chloe's father, the fact that people she's attached to die on two occasions, and that Max is kind of a "survivor" of that (the one that says "hey I'm here, I'm gonna hold on to you") -- and almost kills herself in the process to try to save not Arcadia Bay but really, try to save Chloe -- all that that drives the game. Pretty smart the way it ripples throughout both games.

[@deadinsidesmileoutside5724]

My theory is that Rachel gave Max rewind-power to protect Chloe. because if Chloe asks to die, you can decide. the power didn't work as Kate wanted to jump because Rachel might not knew her. aaaaand rewinding doesn't work on the doe, bc this is Rachel.😛

[@starchildjay]

That's a really good theory!

[@nycolbebraddy]

You can save Kate without using the power. Max saves her on her own.

[@nycolbebraddy]

You can save Kate without using the power. Max saves her on her own.

[@daystar4118]

This is such a great theory I can't believe I'v never heard of this

[@baconeggandcheese8402]

Wrong. Chloe is supposed to die, that is her fate. Why do you think she gets shot/killed so many times? It's symbolism that Chloe is destined to die.

[@glarcier4398]

I don't think she had a power, otherwise chloe would have known, but she was way too surprised with max' powers for that

[@markjefferson4465]

who says Rachel was that type of person that shared something that huge? i mean, perhaps she didn't know how people would react if she did tell them about her powers; and was afraid to explore it.

[@Bee-ru8ld]

Glarcier Rachel didn't tell Chloe that she was with Frank tho. So IF she had some kind of powers, she probably just didn't tell Chloe.

[@tss5320]

but there wouldn't be a point in giving rachel any powers if we, as chloe, don't even know about them

[@thatguy2920]

Tara-Shaita Schneider it adds to the story and add on to season 2

[@gab1sca]

We as players see it though. Rachel intensified the fire with her anger in episode 1 and when she passes out at the hospital the fire stops, so I'm guessing she has a connection with nature. Perhaps her anger lingered and nature had a reaction as punishment for Jefferson and the Prescotts or she is directly controlling it as a spirit. Can't confirm it, but I'm really convinced she is somehow related to the storm.

[@cilco4199]

And, I think that the animal that appear on the lighthouse maybe are the rachel spirit.

[@cilco4199]

I know that I wrote wrong.

[@mmaxine1331]

More diverse content will make it possible

[@fwamnis1569]

AJ Martinez grammar nazi

[@survivor4032]

i think the blue jay was rachels spirit animal she has a earring with blue feather and there was a blue jay in joyces room and max can save him from flying into the window. Also there are so many dead birds (rachel) and also dead whales (i think nathan) cause when max was in the dark room he was dead & murdered from mr Jefferson. Means if you saved Chloe Nathan is dead in this timeline. If you save Arcadia bay means you were never in the dark room and jefferson and nathan are arrested. So for me it is: Chloe: Butterfly (blue, like her hair and mostly there everytime she dies) Max: Doe (leads her, she always has a doe on her shirt) Rachel Blue Jay Nathan: Whale Kate: Bunny (sweet like a bunny, has a bunny) William: Crow (stands for death and everytime Chloe dreams of him we see a crow) Warren: Otter (cause idk it would fit) Victoria: Cat (elegance, brat) Samuel: Squirrel (cause he says so :) ) Jeffersonn: Owl (symbl of all-knowingness, intuition, wisdom and changes) Frank: Dog

[@itssyd199]

This is what I think: Maybe Rachel and Max both had powers to protect Chloe, what if Rachel died because she knew how Chloe died so she had to take Chloe's place, and she also knew that Nathan would kill her so she passed her power to max, what if Rachel is the Doe to watch over Chloe and Max to make sure Chloe is ok. Rachel obviously loved Chloe from what we see in the Prequel, I think that Rachel and Max both had the powers to protect Chloe.

[@squall545]

I think she's got a power. But not like Max: like you said max = photograph. Rache= actress. So in my opinion her power is link with her emotions : when she feels angry nature near her is affected.

[@jeaddhist]

Doubt she'll have powers but if she did, it might be shapeshifting because of her wanting to be a model.

[@PacifistRun]

You're batting 1000. Seriously

well, she has powers, how baw dat?

[@PacifistRun]

She doesn't because the devs said she doesn't? If you believe she has powers then you believe they are lying which would be crazy pants.

[@PacifistRun]

There are supernatural things, but not supernatural teenagers

[@sempel_]

I think that Rachel can read minds, because she knows what to do to make people like her, or i think that she can turn invisible, because like you said, she is a 'cameleon' and can blend in really well, she also disapears (turns invisible) as the doe in the end.

[@markjefferson4465]

i came across the idea that she might be a mind reader myself as well, but then why didn't she stop Nathan when he tried to drug her? was she already drunk or something, and didn't even use her powers?

[@hereiam4940]

Oh my God. There are leaks that say you play someone who see emotions from people as a super power in lis3. And it should be near the story from lis1. Now I seer your comment

[@fsdx416]

In Before the Storm, they gave Rachel "doe" eyes. I think the artists gave her that feature as a minor implication that she was the doe.

[@aiyhanakeith725]

It was pretty sad when the doe looked down when Chloe was crying, indicating Rachel wished Chloe didn’t have to see her that way.....

[@derekthespatula9346]

I think Rachel does have powers because at the end of episode one when she starts the fire the wind swoops in and went in the direction of the fire. Also in the hospital in episode 3 you can hear the firefighters talking about how the fire extinguished itself after Rachel was stabbed. This makes me think that she must have lost her powers or she had gotten weaker when Damon stabbed her.

[@omgapersonful]

Rachel having a power and giving it to Max to save Chloe after death makes more narrative sense then to say the Max randomly got this power.

[@jazzles8897]

I don't want Rachel to have rewind powers, or any, and I think it would be kind of silly if the writers went with that. However, there's something really... "mystical" (I can't think of a better word atm) about Rachel, especially in the last 10-20 minutes of episode 1 before the storm.

[@daverayz3064]

its crazy because in the first episode she can tell if u were lying or telling the truth when u would play 2 truths 1 lie

[@daverayz3064]

idk about the ending though cuz it semms as if she has some black canary type powers

[@mevieira440]

DavePlayz Maybe she just know how to read people easily. Good point tho

[@malachimedeiros2219]

I FOUND SOMETHING! Rachel must be the storm because if you hear the gust of wind when Rachel screams in BTS it’s visualized with some kind of line and in LIS when max sees the storm it’s visualized with that same gust and line of wind. When they find Rachel’s body that same line is in the junkyard whilst Chloe is running towards Rachel’s corpse

[@MeUrDevil]

1:27 Umm there's currently 3 confirmed power users now Rachel is possible

[@aydenaplara1118]

I think the doe is Rachel because it was standing on her grave and the blue butterfly is Chloe because it was there right before her first death in episode one

[@evanperkins463]

I would say Rachel power at least wind. At least at highest emotional pain and screaming too. The evidence is at the end of episode one of Life is strange before the storm.

[@PacifistRun]

The developers have said there are no super powered teenagers in BtS

[@evanperkins463]

Then why in the game when Rachel is at her lowest point and each time she screaming the wind blows blows by in the game.

[@PacifistRun]

For reasons that will become clear following episode 3? I didn't write the game but they made their intention to not give somebody super powers abundantly clear. I don't get why everybody wants her to have powers.

[@evanperkins463]

All I saying what I noticed in the game. I don’t want her have any powers at all. It’s just weird how at very least a very weird how it played. Or maybe I am overthinking things.

[@evanperkins463]

I am just add a potential conversation point. If act like a little kid then go ahead. I don’t have time to research since I have a job and car to take of.

[@joeytheestallion]

I think Rachel is the ghost doe that you see in Life Is Strange

[@rachelamber4967]

joey love your profile and I definetly agree. Because the doe disappears when you find Rachel's body.

[@serenasjourney8234]

joey i think it's william

[@LadySkullDeMort]

I think Rachael was the blue Butterfly, blue because Chloe's hair color change to blue 'coz she loved Chloe and the butterfly because Rachael Wanted freedom. And since Max always wears T-shirts with a Doe, makes me thinking the Her Spirit animal is the Doe like Samuel said, since she loves the Animals and the Nature, Rachael used the Doe to lure Max to the places where she died and needed to be to change the Future and safe the other's from Mr. Jefferson.

[@legoindiecomments1344]

Am I the only one who lowkey thought she had the power to control the wind at the end of episode 1 because of the sudden gusts of wind when she started the fire.

[@PacifistRun]

No super powered teenagers in this game! I did make this video before the game came out, however.

[@jaysheriffe6292]

i do believe she did, it happened twice on a calm day in the same scene. i don't think it was a coincidence. Also in the final episode where she gets hospitalised, she starts to calm down and forgive her dad. That same day the Forrest fire went out all by it self suddenly(According to the fire fighters in the hospital), which is impossible normally. Another coincidence? i think the fire was connected to her emotional state and she had an undiscovered power, or at least a strong connection to nature.

[@PacifistRun]

If you guys read The Great Gatsby would you think that the green light is literally a source for Gatsby's hopes and dreams or would you think it's a symbol?

[@jaysheriffe6292]

I've never read The Great Gatsby so i cant give a comment on that analogy. Though i think i get where you are coming from, the fire might have just been a pathetic fallacy all along (in other contexts i would 100% agree that that was the case). However, the creators of this game do like to leave things ambiguos now and then. Also there has been plenty of question marks around Rachel as a character and her influence on the sequence of events over both games. Given the strange events of the first game i don't think its far fetched at all to think there could be more to her than meets the eye or that Max might not be the only special one in that universe. It was just a though i had since i just finished both games yesterday, not to be taken as 100% proof of her being similar to Max.

[@PacifistRun]

It's not ambiguous, the creators literally said in an AMA that there are no super powers in the game.

[@Neck41]

Well I had a thought about the game. This takes place 3 years before the main game, and this one is only three episodes. I think each episode takes place a year apart. Like the first is showing the two meeting and becoming friends. Then in the second a year passes and shows how things are going from there. And in the last episode another year passed. And it shows some interaction between the two and shows what happened when Rachael first disappeared. And it ends right where the first game starts off in the bathroom.

[@Queen-ut1dy]

Silver Sentinel15 The story is set within a week. It won't take place other long periods of time. It's focus is the start of their friendship. Definitely won't be including her disappearing or right before she disappeared.

[@thatkidd2851]

Max uses the picture to go back in time but what is Rachel? Rachel is the picture. Rachel is what max needs to go back in time.

[@lisaeon9927]

Rachel might've not had powers, but she definitely had.. Bowers! Ha ha haaaa!!!

[@PacifistRun]

okay, you win. /bow

[@lisaeon9927]

Pacifist Run 🤘

[@revsysvods]

To soon man to soon lmao jk

[@drakenpage777]

Rachel: empathy 1000 Max: empty 2000 The 2 brothers: 9000 empathy. Maybe she's spreading empathy and giving the world, and either saving the world. Or stopping this world from having less empathy.

[@IfyouBelleve]

I honestly think Rachel has a power with nature or fire It’s also symbolism because she is so “passionate “ about everything and also catches the attention of everyone

[@samwright3998]

Rachel: This isn’t even my final form! I will become.... doe Rachel!

[@vallon3518]

I think the fire going out immediately after Rachel gets stabbed in BtS shows she has some sort of nature-related power, cause in the hospital before you go to talk to her, you can overhear two firemen talking about how crazy it is that the fire just burned itself out like that overnight, which scientifically doesn't make much sense.

[@Ezra-wp1oc]

Chloe: Butterfly Rachel: Crow Max : Doe BTW I think Rachel has wind powers or she's an airbender. Since when she screamed at the tree in before the storm wind circles around it. Then in her second scream more wind circles around to tree and leaves joined in. And I think Rachel is the tornado since she hated Arcadia bay and wants to kill Chloe so she can be with her.

[@PacifistRun]

Over a year later I'm still fucking sick of these comments.

[@Ezra-wp1oc]

@@PacifistRun why are you complaining about the comments? It's a good thing. If you don't want anyone to comment a theory then don't fucking make this video. This video topic is basically free for anybody to think for their theory too. But sure, don't care.

[@PacifistRun]

Because I've seen this one 10,000 times and it's always the same thoughtless comment about seeing a cinematic where the wind is emphasized a tiny bit more than normally in a poetic way and people think that she's an airbender. It never happens again throughout the entire game, she never even shows evidence for powers again, but people still insist. It's a theory based in almost nothing and it's obscenely frustrating because I've argued it several times over in this comment section and it still pops up. You're more than welcome to your opinion. It's just not the first one like it that I've seen and I wish it would go away.

[@Ezra-wp1oc]

@@PacifistRun You know you have to stick with your own theory. You don't have to argue with people's theory with powers or some sort, if you see them, IGNORE them. I don't really care when I get notice with a youtuber, or for you. Just ignore them and don't argue with them because they took time making these theory comments. When people argues with people's effort, those efforts vanishes when you don't appreciate them. Just ignore this comment if you don't like it. It's my opinion/theory though.

[@PacifistRun]

I like arguing with people's theories. That's half of the fun for me. It just gets tiresome to see the same ones.

[@angads.9819]

Rachel died and gave her power to Max to protect Chloe.

[@LukeBridger]

I thought her power would've been aerokinesis, or controlling nature from the clips of her at the burning tree with Chloe but it seems that she just has a connection to the Bay

[@PacifistRun]

I gotta say my dude, thank you for being one of the few people to comment in 2018/2019 and realize that I made this before the game came out.

[@LukeBridger]

@@PacifistRun Haha seriously no problem, people just need to pay attention. And awesome vid btw. Got some good points in, even if you only had the trailer and shit to go off of

[@raycdo2012]

i think Rachel put curse on arcadia bay i think that Cyclone on previous game was Rachel power! proof what she did on a Oak tree that wind blows when she's become emotional... sign of a vengeful spirit...

[@alextownsend3289]

Definitely that doe represents Rachel spirit, but the game also suggest that other characters represent it as well. For example Max wears different T-shirts with a image of a doe on them and when she talks to Samuel in Ep.2 about the doe she saw lately, he asures her it is her animal spirit. Later in Ep.4, after Max comes back from the alternate reality, if she puts her attention in the snowball of the doe that is in Chloe's room, she says it always reminds her of William and Chloe.

[@Alexei1950]

Rachel is obviously controlin the wind and her spirited animal isn the doe the doe is max spirit /animal daniel says so i think rachel's spirit aninal is the butterfly cause rachel always wears a blue earing and chloe spirit animal is a crow since in a memory with her father she has the crow costume from the play and it seems rachel can control wind since when she starts that fire when her emotions become strong the wind gets stronger making the fire spread since thats what happens when wind increases in a forest on fire the fire spreads

[@Ali-el1ih]

I think originally Nathan was also going to have powers but they removed it to keep Max's mystique as you said. There are some unused audio files that suggest Nathan's powers are seeing the future and knew about the storm, and the Dark Room being a bunker underground stocked with food just confirms it. It would also explain why he's so unstable; because Max keeps changing the futures that he sees.

[@chrisgrzelak57]

I haven't thought this through that much but at the end of Before the Storm, Rachel's crying and screaming might be linked to the sudden gusts of wind that spread the fire. If these are somehow linked, then the arrival of the storm in the original game might correlate with Rachel's death somehow. Just an idea but this is what I interpreted from watching a playthrough

[@amyduong9423]

I heard a theory that Rachel seems to have wind powers. Since wind is reoccurring when you're with Rachel in the prequel, there's especially a strong gust of wind when she screams infront of the burning tree. It might just be nature or added in for emotion but you never know.

[@TheKartoffel101]

I'm pretty sure Rachel has power or at least the writer want her to have some kind of power. When she cough the tree in fire and start screening, wind came and started to spread the fire. When she raged against her dad because he kissed the other woman the fire of the candles get way bigger and shine more intense when she starts screening at her dad.

[@RainbowDemon]

Well since we now know Rachel's profession is acting, maybe that IS her power, she can undeniably persuade someone which also makes sense with how she died, unexpected, and unconscious

[@cicik57]

Rachel : comes upstairs where no one is and help Chloe (she does not know her, right?), makes foto with her on the party, often runs away from school knowing that she will not be punished, knows what Chloe will say, knows when to jump from the train, changes mood strangely and... this last action of episode one, maybe the must to?

[@jackolson1884]

Imagine you're in the insane asylum. Appears a nutty saying: "I saw parrots climbing at trees during the nights!". You get chills. What does this means? What secrets and deep meanings are there in these wise, cryptic, words?

[@jackolson1884]

From my point of view, Chloe and Max are no digging up Rachel A's. They are digging up the past, their memories. All that cheat they keep in the junkyard. And it smells rotten.

[@d.n.3652]

I always thought she had the power to control fire or something. In the forest when she screamed. She seemed to make the fire get bigger. When she got mad at the dinner table, the candle flames flared up a bit. When Rachel was hurt in the hospital, the fire immediately went out

[@InkGoesFree]

In EP 2 in Life is strange, it snowed when Rachel and Chloe were chatting. And Rachel doesn't seemed be surprised. The same thing happened when Max see the future of the bay while she was chatting with Chloe next to the light house at EP 1 in Life is strange. Except this time Max was a bit surprise. Doesn't that feels weird?

[@hurjireepz7021]

I have a theory of mine too. I think Rachel was the storm that destroyed or was gonna destroy Arcadia Bay depending on your endings. The storm (Rachel) wants to take Chloe with her by ya know... killing her. Although it's explained in the other ending that if you go back in time and let Chloe die, the storm never comes. Other people said it's because Max didn't use her power or the storm came because Max used her power but I actually think that because Max let Chloe die at that moment then the storm didn't have to come to take Chloe now since she's already dead.

[@blaykeurquhart7147]

As seen in the last scene in "Awake" it seems like Rachel manages to make the wind stronger with her screams, causing the fire to get bigger. Maybe this is her 'power'. I don't know if that would make sense with her character but it still seems to be a possibility.

[@Apricotwarrior]

Go watch before the storm and you'll see Rachel do this cry at the end that oddly go with the fire she started

[@PacifistRun]

I played it ya goof

[@firearth1581]

Think about Max's tshirt: Jane Doe. This represents an anonymous death. Doesn't it make sense that the doe disappears the moment in which Rachel's departure is not "anonymous" anymore? I don't know who the doe is or who does it represent, but I think that his whole point is to find Rachel's body. And I think that this is the whole point of Max's power.

[@thestargateking]

Life is strange, the game that is more like a interactive movie, which I don't mind, I like the idea that you can pick how the minor plot goes on the way to the emotional climax, and you can pick how that goes, you can go full sad as you see the person die, or you can feel better but feel unjust as you let everyone else die

[@moonevergreen6077]

I don't think max's spiritanimal is the deer how many believe but the moth, max is somehow driven to the lighthouse just like moths are driven to the light, the deer in fact is rachel amber, because max sees a deer which leads her somewhere which could be rachel helping her to cover up the crimes of mr jefferson. Of course I don't know if it's like that but it's just a theorie. Also sorry for my bad english

[@NerdyBone90]

The deer is a symbol of sensitivity, intuitiveness, and being in touch with life's mysteries so maybe Max being who she is allowed her to be sensitive to what was left of Rachel's lingering spirit and it took the form of a doe. Maybe it's not so much about Rachel having power, but Max being close giving what was left her the energy to manifest. Max was her champion.

[@celeschan90]

I'm starting to think that Chloe is the one with powers. If she was the cause of the tornado, that could explain why it disappears if Chloe dies on Day 1. Her increasing negative thoughts about Rachel possibly being dead or lying to her is what lead to the birds dying, and when we find Rachel's corpse, it creates the last push that would form the tornado.

[@AK-nd9io]

Well in the Before the Storm now, Rachel burning down the trees in the end gave the vibe that she was controlling the fire. Maybe her powers have something to do with her anger which can actually get symbolized by fire.

[@shawnlim1194]

Life is Strange 3 writers: write that down! write that down!

[@BoredHere]

If I were to play that drinking game,I would write a note beforehand saying..."I hid a million dollars under the..." and have that note carved into my grave.

[@latinobunny9882]

Rachel Amber DOES HAVE POWERS!

[@theimperialistbunny8332]

They way you described Reachel's apparent chameleon abilities almost sounded like (Having trouble thinking of good words) the way some serial killers and con men change there image and personality (or lack there of) sometimes on the fly to get close to potential victims and considering her implied relationship with Jefferson... uh oh.

[@PacifistRun]

Sociopathic behavior sort of? I don't think she's a sociopath though.

[@niall7087]

The theory I've heard is that Rachel has wind powers as shown when she screams it shows wind flying past her when she starts the fire and the reason the tornado thing happened was because Rachel died and that disrupted Arcadia bay

[@almierae4914]

I think it would be nice for Rachel to have some sort of an ability, or a power which she never uses actively because she doesn't realise she has it. It may be seeing "weird" dreams where she is a doe and witnessing something etc. (I do believe the doe is actually her) She does have powers but she doesn't know it and probably never will.

[@Nanocon1]

Anyone else notice that when Chloe falls asleep and dreams about her dad, the Tempest poster has Chloe with a raven on her head(like a mask), i think the raven is Chloes spirit animal, just like the butterfly is Max's and the Doe is Rachel's. i.imgur.com/K5Hzjgn.jpg

[@meganiumsleaf1595]

1:11 That guys leg is going through the wall, and i dont know if i should be laughing or just straight up confused.

[@PacifistRun]

You noticed it before I did! You get a medal my dude!

[@jameswatsonatheistgamer]

There are photos of Chloe and Rachel, which means max could have warned them about her being murdered and thus prevent ut from happening in the furst place, just like she did by getting David involved in the past.

[@tomeekun]

When the rumours about the prequel first appeared, I thought the story would be about Rachael starting to investigate Jefferson and eventually becoming the victim. In that case, I think rewind powers would've been great. However since the protagonist is Chloe and not Rachael, I would prefer if she didn't have powers now.

[@edgyusername4191]

I actually have a theory about Rachel. I think she might be a God, or in some way related to a God, I think she may be/have ties to Odin from Norse mythology. Odin is a god of war, which could explain Rachel's rebellious, and sometimes aggressive nature. He's also the god of wind, knowledge, poetry, and most things creative (among other things) all things Rachel is somehow involved in, it's also not uncommon to see Ravens around Chloe, which could be a reference to Hugin and Munin, two Ravens who would gather information for Odin. The Ravens could be keeping an eye on Chloe, and informing Rachel of her whereabouts. The final part of my theory involves the amount of eye symbolism, Odin gave up one of his eyes to Mimir, so he could drink water from the well of knowledge, and obtain unending knowledge of everything. There's the obvious Illuminati symbols hidden throughout the game, but there's also technically the sacrifice of an eye, Chloe's eye. When Chloe gets a black eye from the creepy guy at the concert, that's the first time Rachel finds Chloe, and begins to seemingly always know where she is. There's admittedly allot of things that disprove the this theory, but it was still a lot of fun to come up with. I'm working on a second theory about Chloe being Loki.

[@Wendigo_Bones]

Unpopular opinion in life is strange before the storm we see Rachel amber scream after burning the photo which makes the wind go all crazy I think that her feelings can effect the weather which is odd to say now, but the storm could really be her trying to get rid of the Prescotts. I also think that she is the doe in the same reason as him.

[@tek87]

I don't think Rachael has rewind powers but she might have some other power. The way her demeanor changed in the demo was rather sudden. It's almost as if she had some sudden vision or realization and responded to it. This might be a hint to some kind of ESP or something. She may even be aware of her impending demise. Of course if she had powers, Chloe never knew about them or she would have told Max. Especially after finding out about Max's powers.

[@PacifistRun]

"The way her demeanor changed in the demo was rather sudden. It's almost as if she had some sudden vision or realization and responded to it. This might be a hint to some kind of ESP or something" I made a theory video about that too homie.

[@beyond-the-terror4078]

Maybe not 'powers' in the likes of Max's, she's probably empathic or maybe psychic (Or both) and perhaps Rachel and Max share the same spirit animal (Which isn't uncommon) and Rachel is therefore able to communicate with max through their shared spirit animal.

[@marisafaith8664]

Tbh I thought she had fire manipulation in the second but didn't know anyway so it doesn't matter looking back again I just think it was a symbol of how excruciating angry she was.

[@Stampybampy]

What about the wind? The main thing that people say for this one is the scene where Rachael screams at the fire and wind make is go woosh. But that can be easily written off as something out in to add effect and has nothing to do with powers, but there's an Easter egg; if you listen to the firefighters in the hospital they say that the fire pit itself out because the WIND blew it out. This happens immediately after she gets stabbed

[@PacifistRun]

So first thing's first- look at the date of this video and the release date of BtS. Secondly, that wind effect plays everywhere. It's literally every time the wind blows. It's used there as a poetic punctuation. Wind also blow fires out all the time if the fire has nowhere else to spread. I think the fire is a symbol for something about Rachel but to designate either the wind or the fire being a part of Rachel is just a really boring idea to me. It doesn't add anything to her character in any meaningful way.

[@lucas-jo1zv]

+Pacifist Run have you played life is strange before the storm yet? i really want to hear your thoughts about the first episode. it was great!

[@PacifistRun]

Streaming it as soon as it drops on steam (about an hour)

[@BlitzerPlays44]

I really want Max to be the only one with powers.

[@kaitlynmorgan4613]

A power Amber would have (considering she's a writer) could possibly be just to know how to read people so she could blend in with all crowds. Not exactly a power but you get my drift.

[@trippyparadise5273]

I think Rachel has a power to control elements as when she shouts at the end of ep1 of before the storm it seems like wind comes out of her mouth and I think her death caused the storm.

[@Suky]

If Rachel has rewind powers, then why nothing supernatural happens when/if she uses it? What are the odds that Rachel never tried to save someone's life with such powers? When Max used it to save Chloe there are all these environmental anomalies and a storm. Then it means that the storm and all the anomalies weren't caused by Max, but by someone/something else.

[@PacifistRun]

"What are the odds that Rachel never tried to save someone's life with such powers? " How often does that opportunity come up in your daily life?

[@rheyhandahanifaridzaharlis2753]

I just realized, the polo shirt that rachel wear is the same looking shirt in the grave that max and chloe found. But im not really sure....

[@relaxedvase]

I think the butterfly represents the butterfly effect like you change one thing in time and something else happens.

[@magnificentmosher5280]

U remember at the ending at the first episode of life is strange before the storm when Rachel got angry and screamed the wind went crazy and the leaves were rustling

[@PacifistRun]

Look at when this video was made. Also look at the developer's AMA where they said upfront that there will be no superpowers in the game. Thanks,

[@supernintendozack-snz7493]

It's seen in Before the storm now !! she controls wind or something !!

[@PacifistRun]

Devs said there are no super powered teenagers in the game.

[@billierydale4801]

Pacifist Run i think her power isn't "super" sort to speak. It's not obvious (she may be ignorant to it) or physical in the same sense as Max's was to where she can drastically alter the people around her, but perhaps emotional or mental. Hope I'm making sense lol Either way, if theres no connection later on in the game to her emotion and the air/fire bending trick we see as a result of that I'm going to consider the ending a bit cheesy lol

[@neonknight5857]

I initially thought Rachel might have time power, using it to know the right thing to say in every situation, but somehow cornering herself into an unwinnable situation, likely from the universe conspiring to execute her to get her to stop messing with fate. I also kinda thought, the blue butterfly, and blue in general, being seemingly so relevant to Max's time power, that maybe Rachel's blue earring was a hint that she had time power. Which, I mean, fuck it. That's still in my head canon for the first game, where I pretend I never met her.

[@kkirkpatrick5696]

Thought: Max has time power, but Rachel has nature power. (Doe, butterfly...storm?) This makes sense, due to the fire caused by Rachel in Before the Storm Another thought I had was that Kate or Chloe resembled the storm...not sure how accurate that is. Makes me wonder what powers will be added into the next game, Captain Spirt.

[@siwanoXx]

I think she is a sort of Banshee/Siren. This is my theory (when she screaming). This is a little bit more logical I think when we know what is going on LiS. O.o

[@thatguy2920]

But what about cloe having powers. I always thought she could see the future,but in her way she saw her dad along with futuristic events, and not to mention this only happened when she dreamed (most people forget their dreams in 20 seconds) no one mentions how cloe dreamed Rachel with the tree on fire, before it happened , along with other events

[@PacifistRun]

I think most people accurately perceived it as a lazy plot device.

[@SomethingUnlimited]

I always thought the butterfly was max's spirit animal as it was always a symbol of time. And the bird was Chloe's animal because you were constantly trying to save it like you were constantly trying to save Chloe. And the Doe was Rachel animal for the reasons your stated.

[@galatearain272]

She doesn't have any powers from what I presume, but she is the clean slate that everyone wants to be. She's what they call a perfect child, but she is just like a person who struggles with personal issues. I think that's what she is. Other that that, I don't think she has powers, but she would represent what a true friend is.