Welcome Home: Part 2 Update

The second chapter for Welcome Home has arrived! Support Clown for the Welcome Home project here: ko-fi.com/partycoffin
Official Site: www.clownillustration.com/wel...
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Night Mind Twitch: / nick_nocturne
Night Mind Index: www.nightmind.info
NM Patreon: bit.ly/3sI1PUh
NM Facebook: goo.gl/iPdnq9

[@NightMind]

The second chapter for Welcome Home has arrived! Support Clown for the Welcome Home project here: ko-fi.com/partycoffin Official Site: www.clownillustration.com/welcome-home

[@PurpleJacketGuy96818]

Great video!

[@K.9620]

what if Wally is autistic? It would explain his inability to understand certain topics and his monotone way of speaking

[@Palewhitegamer]

@@Sinnamonbani Watch the whole video before commenting... jesus.

[@happycows]

I have to tell you that life in general is very miserable for me because by body is in continuous pain 24/7 365. I have a lot of medical health problems from serving in the Army. This makes me appreciate things a ton like this video presentation you have been doing on Welcome Home and all the hard work they have done to bring it to life. I normally only have mainly pain to look forward to every day I awake, no happiness, just misery. This has been a nice distraction for a short time for me. Thank you so much Night Time and thank you to everyone who has been working on Welcome Home. You'll never fully understand the difference you make for others. ❤

[@rakiahbaker5589]

This is wonderful

[@gretablackwell495]

Right after the “let me in” line, my cat decided it was the perfect time to notify me that I hadn’t fully closed my bedroom door. He did so by slamming into it at full force and opening it, which also had the bonus effect of _making my soul temporarily leave my god damn body._

[@caustic1611]

Cats are wonderful, terrible little gremlins 😆

[@toribaker8612]

Can I just say I’m sorry for laughing?

[@eithiana1602]

Cats honestly!

[@ra1659]

i was the 666th like on this 😮

[@AdriftInTheWatersGorge]

give your cat a lil kiss on the forehead for me pls

[@TheSilverEgg]

Barnaby is constantly giving off the vibes of that one “autism be damned my boy can work a grill” post and I adore him for it

[@Hedgee_]

As someone on the spectrum, I endorse this

[@amethystskeels3788]

@@Hedgee_ same

[@izzy370]

i don’t think barnaby is the one with autism in this neighborhood

[@amethystskeels3788]

@izzy370 I took it more as Barnaby saying that about some of the others. Also as a general I do want to point out Clown said that mental health and disabilities were a large component in the art of this, so I think each of them kinda represent their own issues.

[@izzy370]

@@amethystskeels3788 OH I GET WHAT YOU MEAN LMAO also yea i saw what clown said, and i saw a theory that someone made which theorized that the mental health/disability aspect was in reference to wally being autistic

[@sophiarose8018]

Had, had to share this, because my brilliant boyfriend just came up with this: The black contaminant is like BLACK MOLD. It is organic looking. Black mold is found homes, and can make people ill. The dark trindels are coming FROM HOME. The classic trope of: "its coming from inside the house."

[@boo-la-la_666]

OMG AND THE RED PHONE TOO!! THE CALL IS COMING FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE.

[@sophiarose8018]

@@boo-la-la_666 I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THE PHONE OMG I LOVE THIS FANDOM

[@parkerfowler9383]

ooh I do like that bc if it is black mold then that's definitely a nod to daisy brown and this house has people in it, two classic args

[@geomeopeoleo1740]

I thought it was a black paint goop substance, basically Wally’s paint that got corrupted or changed somehow

[@FiSH-iSH]

oh so theyve got black mold infestations in the vents too?? zamn relatable

[@friendscallmebrain5713]

I did my own look through of the website, and I found wally trying to give us a message, each time you find Wally’s voice recordings the link bar has a word at the end. I managed to come up with “Neighbor, I will help. I will understand soon.”

[@dylan4685]

I think it could be "I will help you understand, neighbor. I will find a way soon"

[@Jessica-ch1yi]

I caught that too :) you missed a few words though. The order I came up with that made the most sense to me was “I Will Help Find A Way, You Will Understand Soon Neighbor” Not that I know what to do with the message ha ha

[@friendscallmebrain5713]

@@Jessica-ch1yi idk I kinda feel like Wally saying he will understand makes sense ish. BUTTTT “you will understand” sounds like Wally’s trying to tell us about understanding home and what the puppets really are.

[@friendscallmebrain5713]

@@dylan4685 yeah it could be. The way I found what I did was I went through each section in order from the home page and got that. Idk if there’s a different way

[@Jessica-ch1yi]

@@friendscallmebrain5713 yeah both ways make sense honestly 😃 clearly he’s a little lost so him wanting to understand would totally make sense, and he’s obviously trying to communicate with us (or the question answerer maybe?) so wanting us to understand works too. Hmm maybe something like I Will Understand Soon, You Will Help Find A Way Neighbor

[@kokocolaa]

I love Night Mind absolutely losing it at Barnaby's puns

[@sirrmobreadings6978]

same here

[@MetalMockingjay]

Speaking of Barnaby's puns, I wonder if that first scene with the flowers has a hidden meaning. If anyone's familiar with the language of flowers, could this be another hint?

[@davidstuckey9289]

Nick's genuine candid reactions are the highlights of these videos. Sure, his scripted ones are great, but his organic responses are just perfect. Heck, I still laugh over his response to the NPC in Chasing Static - "OK, but don't be a corpse when I get back!" 😂😂

[@NamPhuongHoangSue]

@@MetalMockingjay i'm not exactly a flower expert, but heres what i could find through internet searches - petunia: femininity, love, desire, hope and surprisingly, anger and resentment. funnily enough in britain in the 1500's petunias were said to be symbolic of satanism, but since clown scrapped a lot of the religious stuff from the project im not betting on this having relevance - orchid: fertility, sex, wealth, beauty, luxury,.. - clover: luck, especially in romance and marriage; hope, love, faith - daisy: hope, rebirth, renewal, purity, the ability to keep a secret(specifically in the victorian era, just thought it sounded cool) - dogwood: associated with easter, renewal, beginnings, devotion, safety, determination, strong will, illusion, etc - poppy(partridge): peace, sleep, death(due to the opium harvested from this flower), fruitfulness and fertility. it also seems like the poppy is commonly used as a memorial flower(such as the red for remembrance day) again not really sure if any of what i could find actually has importance since a lot of it is super generic but here you go~

[@blaquemarou]

Nighty sounds like a villain whenever he laughs it scared me the first time😅 its kinda cute tho

[@Reii-sama]

Julie: * tells a joke * Barnaby: **barfing, crying, dies from cringe** - 21:00

[@autisticsonicfan]

😂😂😂

[@milkywayenthusiast]

LMAO

[@table2.0]

He’s so melodramatic- his line delivery killed me XD

[@table2.0]

…. I just realised- The blue peg in the dirt, talk of fertiliser in reference to Barnaby and him joking about wanting to be “buried in his favourite sunny spot” because he’s “going into the light” The illusions to his death are interesting

[@davidstuckey9289]

@@table2.0 Now, I missed the fact that the peg and Burnaby are the only all-blue characters here. Very interesting indeed.

[@breadeater1194]

Is he named Wally as a personification of the concept "The Walls have eyes"? Blue hair, blue roof, he is basically the anthro version of Home itself, and from there it makes sense that his camera view functions as a fly on the wall.

[@MysticMorigan1998]

Holy shit that's a theory!

[@kingson4112]

Bro. 😮

[@KBZDASMR]

That is a VERY good theory ngl

[@alicepen]

(joke) "They call me Wally, because that's my name" Someone asked him in a canon interview clip where his name comes from

[@help9737]

wait…waitwaitwaitWAIT!!

[@The_Tired_Ghost]

It feels like Barnaby is Wally's "keeper", teaching Wally to act normal, accompanying him to the interview, and even talking directly to "Home". If anyone has an idea of what's going on I think it would be Barnaby.

[@tablescissors67]

It’s like a reversal of the dog being the pet.

[@VoidWalkerOblivion]

Like a service dog? How Barnaby acts with the other neighbours is... interesting. However he might be with Wally and Home, its also true that he's not kind to the others.

[@creatornat]

Yeah, it sorta feels like Barnaby is sensing something is wrong, but cracks a lot of jokes to try and navigate the concern.

[@wolfpearl2734]

I have this personal theory that the "canon" veiwer of the website is supposed to be Barnaby's in world voice actor. When you get to the "you" page, you get the message "Wally is your best friend". Barnaby is repeatedly stated to be Wally's best friend, so it would make sense if that goes both ways. Perhaps Barnaby's in world VA had been close with Wally's VA... or perhaps Wally doesn't have a voice actor.....

[@OwlsByte]

This makes sense considering most of the videos have Barnaby in them!

[@lady8rage]

that "Oh, fUCK--" realization that Wally's drawing more eyes on the audio page is killing me

[@le_normi3045]

When?

[@Lily-ge4tm]

​@@le_normi304519:15

[@bonk3rs_]

Bro same lmao

[@FizzieWebb]

@@le_normi3045 at around 19:13

[@user-jy9jc2jn7n]

​@@le_normi3045 at 19:19

[@Fizzymilkshakee]

Nightmind hears a voice that sounds just like him and his reaction is just "that was cute :)"

[@kristacarter]

Ok so I'm not the only one who heard that interaction with Wally and thought with the most enthusiastic squeal "holy moly is that Nick😮!?!??!?!" It sounds just like him, even down to the giggle that was slightly over shadowed by the music and laughter of the audience. Thought it was just me for a sec😅

[@SageTigerStar]

@@kristacarter Totally him. XD

[@HeartFarts]

ok but is that our boy or nah?????

[@davidstuckey9289]

​@@kristacarter❤ No, you aren't alone. It sounded so much like Nick I was asking myself if the Night Mind site had come under some baleful influence and our favourite demon got dragged into its web!

[@SageTigerStar]

@@HeartFarts NM can deny it or dance around the subject, but it would likely only be to keep the immersion with the ARG. By admitting he's done voicework for it, he's basically pulling people out of the fun of the illusion. The voice is way closer than he puts on, though, so I'd say without a question that it is indeed NM.

[@vectorwolf]

This is likely to get totally buried in 4000 comments, but I did notice something. If you look at the little bouncing gif bar with all of the characters, there's a little separator dot between each one... EXCEPT Wally and Home. To me this indicates very straightforwardly that Wally and Home are the same character, narratively. They're a singular unit.

[@lailanityler2380]

That is something I didn’t notice at ALL, but that’s SO interesting! Great catch! With how intentional everything is in WH that definitely feels plausible!

[@zenoluvswof9936]

That's very interesting! And considering that Wally, lives inside Home, it would make sense. Almost everytime you see Home, Wally is with them.

[@garlikbred6474]

Somebody else noticed! :D

[@mirandawatters8666]

Wally is also still the only one looking right at you out of the little heads

[@leecoffill8425]

I noticed that too, even before Nightmind suggested that they were the same

[@chickennuggies9720]

I feel like Barnaby actually likes Wally and is genuinely nice to him unlike the other neighbors who don’t mind Wally but don’t particularly like him either, like Barnaby is the one to notice him in all of the clips and is the first to start talking to him. I could be totally wrong tho

[@MayvaAva]

Other characters bring him into conversations, I think all of them have at some point or another

[@sansprobus7209]

Barnaby is like, Patrick star. He's the main character's best friend

[@NoxAtlas]

I don't think they don't like Wally. They're just too focused on their conversation and know he's shy and quiet, so they don't push him too much. So if he doesn't say anything, they don't think too much about it. It's just who he is. Wally seems to be the kind of guy who gets overlooked a lot because he's not the most talkative person, nor has he an outgoing personality. From what I learned about him, you could describe him as "nice and pleasant, but kind of boring in comparison to others"

[@caramel9154]

@@NoxAtlas yeah, going off the voice notes (help & will), Wally just seems to be a quiet guy. Going with the infection shtick, makes sense why he'd be homes first puppet.

[@NoxAtlas]

@caramel9154 My theory on the infection is that it's caused by Wally's deteriorating mental health. My guess is that Wally as an autistic character failed to socialize with the others and felt incredibly lonely. Home became his only safe place where he could be himself. Wally began to disassociate more and more, becoming obsessive with the parasocial relationship he has with the "visitors" aka the audience. So he began to view them as his true friends while his other friends and neighbors became strangers to him. At some point he came to the conclusion that he wouldn't feel lonely anymore if he just brings the audience into his world because they "love" him while his actual neighbors don't know what they should do with him and feel awkward around him a lot. So it wouldn't surprise me if the infection took out the other characters so there would be enough space for the people he'd drag into his world.

[@BlurryNova]

After someone said that Clown mentioned this plot has themes of ableism and abuse, it sparked a theory in my head. I am fully convinced, with my own experience with this disorder, that Wally has Autism. Or possibly even more beyond that. But a lot of his personality just reminds me of myself, and my own symptoms. The flat speech and laughter, certain things going over Wally's head(which isn't stupidity, it sounds more like a social delay as things like sarcasm tends to go over our heads and we take it too seriously), and him tending to stay quiet until someone speaks to him is like... pretty much me on many occasions. My theory is that Wally represents a child growing up Nerodivergent, living in a household that isn't accepting of it, is possibly abusive/neglectful of said child. The way Wally in the clip thingies is just quiet, staring at whatever is in front of him gives off the vibe that he was just pushed off to hang around these people in the neighborhood, who were probably weirded out by him, pitied him, and let him(or was forced to) hang out with them but they essentially ignore him the majority of the time. (Like how my family and other families in the neighborhood would force their kids to hang out with me because they pitied me, but those kids never cared to have me join in, having me sit and watch by myself :/). The way Barnaby refers to Wally as "little guy" or "little bud"(idk remember the exact quote) gives off the vibe that Barnaby is talking to a child. The adults of the neighborhood are essentially letting the weird kid follow them around since no one else wants anything to do with him. Like that ENTIRE clip of Barnaby and Wally going to get hotdogs sounds like two adults conversing with a kid just off to the side listening in, only joining the convo when they mention him. I don't think Wally is evil. I think House represents a broken household and Wally represents the experience of growing up with an undiagnosed disorder and his symptoms/traits ostracizing him from his own neighborhood. The struggle with this trauma causes him to disassociate, hence why in the clips we only hear the convo happening around him while he looks still at what's in front of him. He's struggling with the concept that he believes he isn't really welcomed anywhere. All the talk of eyes brings up the struggle of eye contact many Autistic people struggle with. It also brings up how many people in abusive situations are too afraid to speak up, and they have to hope someone can see the fear and pleading they can give with their eyes, and hope someone catches on and saves them. TLDR: theory that Wally is autistic living in a abusive environment and the whole Welcome Home Show is showing what life is like for Wally living with this condition and how it affects himself and those around him.

[@mandpanda]

As someone who’s autistic, this deeply hurts and makes me feel for wally even more :( Also, i believed clown also stated that queerness is gonna play a role as well, and this applies to most if not all of the characters. So perhaps Home is supposed to be safe haven for those outcasted by society, but something malevolent has infiltrated it (could represent their past traumas surfacing after years of repression) and wally is the only one left.

[@yeet1066]

I'm autistic too and omg all of this! Especially staring off and disassociating. With all the eye contact makes me feel like wally is masking by over-compensating, wally not knowing who he is could be a metaphor for how nurodivergent people feel after masking for so much of their lives

[@DukeOnkled]

I can definitely see it.

[@funninoriginal6054]

I guess that this is why Wally gravitates so much to the character of "You". He can't hear you, but he knows you are there, and why would you stick around if you didin't like him, just like the other folks in the neighborhood?

[@alphanight-fang6423]

Oh I love this interpetation as someone who loves themes on mental health myself (though it sucks people have to experince these problems). To add, the fact one of the TWs on Clown's page is isolation...Oh, and the mention of eye contact reminded me one of the guest book doodles is a response to "why do you stare" (or something like that), and the doodle is titled "so you know I'm talking to you"...

[@S0namus]

The VAs really nailed that friendly-but-genuine early Sesame Street style acting for the neighbours, absolutely impeccable work from everybody!

[@Galaxy613]

I love how the talkshow host immediately jumps on attempting to confirm his favorite ship and gets shot down by Wally at 58:35

[@spaghetti3054]

Wonder who 🤔

[@MeanBeanComedy]

​@@spaghetti3054I think it was either Johnny Carson or Dick Cavett based on the year. 😁👍🏻

[@littlefloof6184]

​@spaghetti3054 lol yeah it's definitely not someone I was just listening to

[@creativeuserneim]

@@MeanBeanComedy it sounds like neither one of them, they got very distinct voices. Barnaby refers to him as "Rick" when he came out. If I had to guess is probably NM himself.

[@samanthahouser9334]

You mean nightmind? 😂🙊

[@beanstheclown]

Barnaby is suspicious as all get out if you ask me. Has some real "socially acceptable antagonism" vibes in every single interaction.

[@angelorion8274]

I do not trust Barnaby at all. I can't quite put my finger on it just yet but he is not passing the vibe check in any way

[@tablescissors67]

@@angelorion8274 But he’s man’s “best friend” ~ Interestingly, his voice sounds older than the others.

[@amethystfairy16]

Hes continuously toeing that line between joking and bullying and it rubs me the wrong way

[@beanstheclown]

@@amethystfairy16 This. Every interaction is him "joking" in a way that demeans the other person. It's like the bully that tells the teacher, "I was just messing around. I didn't mean anything by it."

[@tacoman10]

He doesn't say anything mean to Wally. Maybe he sees how the other neighbors treat Wally as someone they don't want to be around and it's his way of getting back at them.

[@AtomicFire41]

God damn, I wanna buy Julie’s VA a huge pot of tea and honey, she was killing every scene she was in

[@gregvs.theworld451]

No kidding, I hope the VAs are revealed when this is all done, they all are doing great work and deserve to go places, assuming they're not already well known talent. Not saying we have any top talent here, although I suppose that not technically impossible, but I could see Clown having the ability to tap some prozd level VAs for some of these voices.

[@rjcarr5511]

@@gregvs.theworld451the majority of the VAs are known, if you go to clowns main website, the about welcome home page lists the VAs, writers, and other artists who’re working on the project

[@ToriCake95]

@@gregvs.theworld451 They were on Twitter.

[@m0therchan]

@@gregvs.theworld451i believe they were revealed on twitter!

[@MegaMJoker]

Sounds like Benny's VA from the Walten Files.

[@RinneAvicula]

Me, an autistic, nodding along at Wally’s flat affect and Frank’s need for structure and ritual and Julia’s exaggerated emoting: “ah, yes, the ‘tisim” In that context, it’s adorable how Barnaby basically took one look at Wally’s everything and went “I have found my new best friend” and hired himself on as a service dog

[@TheBogubee]

And Sunny's frustration when someone doesn't follow "the script", the rules, the way she thinks things ought to go. I have ADHD and I get these blips of intense frustration when something makes sense to me and someone does something completely illogical instead. I can come off as controlling or arrogant but really I just want things to "make sense" to me, or follow the rules I have in my head. I hear some of that in Sunny's interaction with Julie.

[@applepieexplosion4030]

It really does feel like every member of the neighborhood is autism coded

[@beteljuice6629]

Okay so I'm not the only one who got hit with the tism stick and finds Wally's speech pattern just completely comfortable😅 I know it's supposed to be unnerving but it's the opposite to me. I feel like him learning idioms and how to be a people nostalgic.

[@enkays_den]

Clown has confirmed that most of not all of the characters have some autistic traits

[@m00dyalien]

OK I THOUGHT AUTISM AS WELL

[@musicdonut9649]

1:12:00 I don't know why but Wally sounds adorable in this scene, almost as if he is actually excited to tell his joke and after that really happy that they are allowing him to tell said joke. it's really fuckin cute.

[@ElsuperGTA]

I want to hug wally

[@beezarstuff3807]

During one of the Vinyl Records, Wally says that "you're looking into my eyes right now." If you look very closely at the record, you'll notice that the hole in the middle isn't just a hole, it's an eye. The vinyl records have Wally's eyes in them. I feel like this implies that all Welcome Home merchandise, even the merchandise that doesn't have Wally on it, Wally can see through/has eyes on it.

[@F1ameo]

i noticed that too, and i mean wally also says “I have more eyes than I did before. You know how to draw eyes. You draw mine many times. I know it is thanks to you, neighbor, that I can see. But it is still… I can’t… See." which can also mean wherever theres a pair of eyes wally can see but wherever theres not like if we close out the website or smthn, he cant see anymore (that might be a stretch but its still to early to really tell)

[@ruikirisame1744]

"bury me in my favorite sunny spot, kid. i'm going into the light" had me in stitches

[@spyr0guy]

25:17 tbh Wally sounds like me at every family gathering. "I have nothing to talk about so I'll just stare at the table and wait for it to be over."

[@TheVampireFishQueen]

He could be selectively mute.

[@apolloisabnormal1001]

he just like me fr

[@meestashy0006]

same 3:

[@gwennorthcutt421]

i always disliked those kind of gatheres because i can never get a word in edgewise and by the time i speak the topic has changed or the conversation is over. but if i butt in then im "interrupting"!! that said, i like how it only takes a few minutes for allof his friends to make an active move to include him in the conversation.

[@durratulaishah3703]

He's oddly relatable, And I don't know if that's comforting or concerning.

[@fascaue1967]

I have a feeling this entire project is like a Tulpa. A being that gets stronger the more it is thought about, and manifests through those thoughts.

[@MrLegendofLP]

It very much seems to be the case.

[@Canev821]

Maybe then it will be real perhaps that was the point to make this a. Real show

[@suziebelle3738]

I dont think the creator would intentionally appropriate Tibetan Buddhist culture like that.

[@user-hz4hc6ro3w]

lets gooooo autism tulpa

[@richinnerbrains5616]

@@suziebelle3738Is that where the idea of Tulpas originates from? I’ll have to research more about that.

[@ambercheshire6881]

Since you mentioned the idea of the interview "talking to the characters like they were real," that is actually a thing that happened sometimes with the muppets. Granted, they were usually being interviewed "alongside" their puppeteers, but you can see interviews with Jim Henson where that'd happen. He'd bring one of the muppets along (often Kermit) and the interviewer would ask them questions separately from Henson.

[@tablescissors67]

Henson was such a gifted artist, it really was easy to do that with his work - his “essence” got into those puppets in a really magical way. Here, we seem to be exploring it from another angle. Or dark magic.

[@ToastyNoneofyourbusiness]

The best part of that is that Henson was not a ventriloquist. He never disguised that he was speaking. You just never noticed that it was him speaking because your attention is entirely on Kermit. You know when the puppetry is amazing when you don't even question that the puppet is alive even when you can *see* the puppeteer.

[@SchizoSchematic]

I think Wally is going to end up as our bittersweet hero in this story; a puppet who tries to break free of his restraints to stop the infection from spreading. Remember, when the Restoration Project received the lost media in the mail, it was covered in ink and paint in an attempt to destroy it. And who's our resident painter in this neighborhood?

[@dollfacedotcult]

oooooo

[@sikka6440]

AND HE'S TRYING TO SCARE US AWAY!

[@davidstuckey9289]

I thought of that. Also, I recall much of it being water damaged, which to me, as a book collector, explained the fungal growth that seems to be affecting the restorers. Maybe someone tried very hard to deface and destroy this stuff, but at least one method used only made it worse?

[@tablescissors67]

@@davidstuckey9289Or maybe it’s wet from tears…or sweat…

[@davidstuckey9289]

@@tablescissors67 Either of those would be morbid and creepifying.

[@holisticVigilante]

19:10 NM: “Speak to us, Walliford!” *crayon eyes draw themselves on the screen* NM: “OH FUCK”

[@IzzillenI]

😭

[@CouchSpud91]

I'll be honest, that freaked me the fk out too.

[@IzzillenI]

@@CouchSpud91 lmao

[@rookcinder4475]

Wally really said; I'll do you one better XD

[@jaybaez1843]

Did anyone else notice the running theme/focus on Blue and green? The talk of blue and green eyes, blue and greed being right next to eachother when listed as Julies favorite colors, breen being a combination of Blue and green

[@randomhuman9335]

Woah! Never noticed that, I wonder what it symbolizes

[@JackHallowLantern]

Not to mention Howdy and Barnaby being together...Blue dog, green caterpillar. Those two colours keep appearing together! It's really weird!

[@Jessica-ch1yi]

I think one of my favorite parts about the video clips is that they all try to include Wally in the conversations, like oh hey he hasn’t spoken in a while let’s address him directly to bring him back in. And like in the one where Barnaby chases Eddie, Eddie could’ve just said hello, dropped off his package and when Wally didn’t say anything went on his way, instead he tells him about his day, asks if he needs anything picked up, has a whole little conversation with him seemingly not bothered that he doesn’t verbally respond. I just think that’s kinda nice 😊 Also did anyone else notice that that phone would be a suuuper weird children’s toy? Even ignoring Wally’s clip the audios wouldn’t make sense for a real toy phone, they all answer and then act like they’re expecting the kid who would be playing with it to answer and some of them even seem annoyed/mad that they don’t lol if I had that as a kid it would’ve weirded me out I also can’t decide if Howdy hates Sally or if he’s just really, really, really weird 😅 why on earth is he selling her soap as instant potatoes?? And sponges as bread too?? And I think he said sawdust and wood chips as cereal…like what the heck was that about?

[@BelgianBabe99]

its food staging tricks! the food you see on tv and in advertisements arent real food :) ice cream is often just mashed potatos in an ice cream scoop to get that flaky perfect texture and not melt under stage lightings over multiple takes, soap flakes ( or glycerin ) is often used to get that right consistency for mashed potatoes, and sawdust is a good stand in for a LOT of cereal since it usually stays floating and doesnt get visibly soggy. :)

[@LunaWitcherArt]

ManlyBadassHero hearing his voice acting: "kill it with fire" Nick Nocturne hearing his voice acting: "I don't know who this man is, I've never seen him. Sorry to this man" Edit: Manly did not VA in this, but turns out he DID narrate the animated short Hairy Henry by the channel Manoghosts. He might have gotten over his conflicted feelings over his own work lol

[@Solinaru]

@lunawitcherart I have to ask, what VA did Manily do? love his voice but I always assumed he only does KZbin and hasn't shown any personal projects. o.o

[@TheImpureOne]

Wait, when can we hear his voice?

[@mediatorraptor3349]

@@TheImpureOneI think it supposed to be interviewer in 57:24

[@LunaWitcherArt]

@@Solinaru oh, he has voiced a few small indie games here and there. I particularly remember him voicing a TV reporter in an RPGMaker horror game where the monster was a white stick figure in the middle of a field of crops, and then him explaining how much he hated hearing his own acting. But that was years ago.

[@janelle9998]

so im not the only one who thinks they sound similar

[@_tinypierrot_7193]

To be honest as an autistic person I can relate to Wally a lot. I have learned to not be like that with people because I will be called weird, but when I don't mask I am still like this. Being monotone, more of an observer, not speaking unless talked to, getting explained things that are supposed to be common knowledge, people feeling akward when I'm on a room, people acting like I'm just not there and even just staring at nothing while listening. It could be the fact that he is being controlled or something but at least to me he feels like he is coded to be autistic.

[@parasitophobia]

He is canonically autistic I believe as said by Clown !

[@RevvyTheRealG]

I relate to Wally as well, as a member of the spectrum. I tend to disassociate quite a bit, and when I do I tend to forget about things

[@all_late_gamer5695]

As part of the demon race, I can really relate to Satan from Smiling Friends. I also stay indoors and order food when playing games. Especially when the food delivery forgets to bring any utensils.

[@sourgreendolly7685]

@@RevvyTheRealGSame here. And it get worse when I'm under increased stress, which naturally adds more stress ugh

[@rosegarden7257]

Yes! This is exactly how I feel!

[@NightoftheLivingcookies10]

I've browsed Clown's QandA's and art pages after watching your video. I found some interesting canon tidbits on Wally *He actually can't physically process emotions or "feel feelings" himself. It seems he's learning how to identify others emotions though *He can't physically frown either, he always smiles *Barnaby is the one who taught him how to "laugh" and what "funny" is supposed to be. He's where Wally learned "Ha Ha Ha" from Really if you read the list of Wally details, he really seems like a robot that can't fully go against programming but can only pick up on small things if he learns

[@IzzillenI]

Can u put the link? Or website name

[@theflyingspaget]

​@@IzzillenIit's called clown illustration

[@theflyingspaget]

That just sounds like he's autistic (though autistic people do feel emotions, they just have a hard time identifying them and having the "appropriate" responses)

[@rowanjones5562]

My boy really just got the auts, nothing paranormal aside from maybe reaching past the veil of his own reality

[@tobysinbad]

I’m fascinated and terrified of the horror angle of Wally being the last one left after all other neighbours are somehow eliminated, still performing the behaviours he learned to make his friends like him more, and repeating that performance to strangers he doesn’t understand and can’t hear

[@doonthefool1607]

Something I've personally noticed taking this all in is that in both the secret bug scenes & the audio files, there's an almost connecting pattern of Wally being *ignored.* In fact, that seems to be a general theme with everything so far; The concept of non-existence. Alongside how it's suggested the show never existed at all, it seems to be that Wally might be aware of the fact that he has/had a passive presence in the neighbourhood, like he's often expected to be someone who only speaks when spoken to. Another thing I noticed is that with the black goo making the exhibit staff mad, with it coming from the house and with Wally living inside- Who'd go on to call said staff- It makes me think the goo might cause victims to enter a state of maddening comprehension, ala Lovecraftian horrors. Maybe through the goo, Wally is now painfully self aware that he's a character on... *Something* and is now desperately trying to reach out to somebody, anybody, who'll finally acknowledge him as a human being that exists. Smaller theories I'm a fan of is that Poppy's actually Barnaby's mom, and that Barnaby's Wally's caretaker dog- I saw that last one in the comments here, was *too* lovely not to believe haha

[@CanonessEllinor]

It must have been hell editing this down from the four and a half hour livestream. Thank you for your service, Nick.

[@mutanttepig4759]

Yeah. I'm surprised that it came out this fast.

[@JohnZombi88]

I'm glad he edited it down. Fuck livestreams

[@fordakacar]

well it’s his editor who edits not him

[@DissonantSynth]

​@@fordakacarthere's no editor credited in the description. Do you know who it is?

[@Sunriru]

@@fordakacar many creators do their own editing

[@aliasisudonomo]

One thing I've enjoyed about this is it isn't overdoing the scary. This isn't Candle Cove, Welcome Home doesn't appear to be trying to get you to sacrifice puppies for Satan or anything... it is unsettling, but not necessarily *hostile*.

[@dr.durian6874]

Candle Cove was great imo, I think the whole sacrificing to appease a god of some sort for a kids show is better compared with the 1999 creepypasta

[@RabidDogma]

...not yet.

[@deadmeme9031]

I think there is something malicious (we are only on the prologue after all) but I'm 99.9% sure it isn't Wally.

[@aliasisudonomo]

@@deadmeme9031 I'd find it interesting if it wasn't malicious, but was harmful.

[@koolycat4643]

There is satanic symbolism within this project.

[@silvialuna3332]

My theory is that the reason everyone sounds so cheerful and bright and wally robotic and weird is kind of the opposite of what you said, the actors of the show are doing that ACTING, while Wally is improvising or acting weird cause he is becoming sentient (the reason must likely is connected to home as you said) but that would explain why Wally keeps asking if we know his name, cause he is becoming aware of everything of his existence and he literally wants to know who he is, being a puppet he has NO personality cause that's the acting of the puppeteers so that explains the monotone tone of voice. That would explain why everyone keeps on acting like nothing weird is happening just keep up with the script , my guess is that as the story progress we will find more information about the voice actors and MAYBE this infection\possession will start affecting all the other puppets (and by result the voice actors) as the puppets become sentient and take over the show and their actors.

[@tablescissors67]

This isn’t a bad idea

[@solstie]

I absolutely love everyone's voice, Clown did a fantastic job picking out the right people and everyone involved did an amazing job, but Julie's voice actress fucking NAILED EVERY SYLLABLE. She absolutely stole the show and being able to talk THAT high pitch for so long continuously is absolutely impressive.

[@gecko5575]

On the note of whoever said in chat that "they talked to him like he was alive in the interview", you've gotta keep in mind that this is a phenomenon with puppet characters in general. Kermit the Frog stars in commercials lol

[@shadow_shine3578]

People reportedly have put the mic on the Muppet instead of the actor, have forgotten to prep things and had things set for a Muppet and not person, it's all about the skill of the handlers

[@youreawizardkari7691]

I mean yeah! Kermit was even a contestant on The Masked Singer! Not handler Matt Vogel, THE MUPPET 😂😂

[@JL-zw3tj]

My favorite behind the scene talk was Quentin Tarantino about a Muppet movie - he talked to Rolf and forgot about the actor underneath. I don't even think he had a scene with Rolf in the movie. 😊

[@shadow_shine3578]

@@JL-zw3tj it's a testament to the skills

[@dumbsterdives]

I like how "off" Wally's voice sounds. His delivery in some of the recordings sounds like he doesn't quite know how he should inflect, like whatever Wally *actually* is is stitching together its voice using the voice of Wally the character

[@kokocolaa]

I got that impression too! Especially in the vinyl audios, his voice often sounds lost and unsure. I wonder if he doesn't know what he's doing or even that he's causing harm.

[@emqui]

Yes, he accentuates the wrong syllables in some words and it’s so subtly unsettling

[@DissonantSynth]

It's because he is on the autism spectrum. Clown has autism and purposefully wanted Wally to display traits of autism.

[@EddieUrsus]

@@DissonantSynth THANK YOU! I'm also autistic and I speak somewhat similarly like this (when I'm not masking anyway).

[@griffy9639]

"what color...are yooOOUURSS?" somebody told him to put an upward inflection on question and he went all the fuck in

[@meggy3635]

so much of the horror genre has been so lackluster and lazy lately, it’s so incredibly refreshing to see someone like Clown create something they’re clearly passionate about. this is genuinely among the best projects i’ve seen in my entire life. i adore everything about it.

[@CouchSpud91]

My favorite part about it is that it's a slow burn kind of horror. And not like "oooooh, we're building up to something big in three chapters than dumping all the info on you at the last five minutes!" like most mascot horror has been doing. It's steadily building up and unraveling the information bit by bit through story bits you have to find yourself through exploration of the website and interpretation of the presented media.

[@meggy3635]

@@CouchSpud91 absolutely! so much horror is painfully “in your face” these days, Clown really mastered the subtle buildup and little details.

[@torytellstales]

​​​@@CouchSpud91Yeah, far too many people making horror media or even writing horror stories tend to just "throw paint on the canvas" instead of "paint us an entire picture out of said paint" when it comes to introducing us to the setting and the characters the story revolves around. You can definitely tell this story of "Welcome Home" had the artist's touch put into it. 😆 My favorite thing is this "Welcome Home" is believable. I legit would be convinced there would be a kids show like "Welcome Home", since the characters themselves have quirks, personalities, and likeable traits❤

[@ratpoison347]

I love how this guy’s voice is usually very soft… and calm… but at 2:14 he’s like “MERCHANDISE?” and you can tell he actually gets excited abt it… it’s hilarious and adorable

[@yippeeyokai5750]

The most disturbing thing about Wally telling us that he can see us is the fact that he eats with his eyes.

[@giantpinkcat]

I mean Clown has confirmed that he just really likes eye contact, and can only eat when we're not looking at him.

[@strangevol5264]

It’s a metaphor.

[@aquafox_x]

@@giantpinkcatWILL only eat when they’re not looking. Remember, Wally likes to be polite! (As Clown said)

[@PeachiSweett]

Wally doesn't eat with his eyes. It was retconned way before the site came out and the creator said this multiple times but fans keep saying it's still true and the creator keeps saying it's not. And that's just a older version of wally that doesn't exist anymore.

[@Augustine-kr6ny]

@@PeachiSweettwhere does it state this?

[@RabidMiniBear]

Nick denying his involvement is classic

[@kokocolaa]

Wait, so was that really his voice? I'm confused haha

[@SojournerBurns]

Oh come on he didn’t even pretend to hide his laugh during the interviewing section. It’s one of those distinctive laughs I’ve heard and it’s lovely. Even got that really breathy throaty voice in there from time to time. And I’m sure it’s intentional, night mind is a sort of badass in these circles so why not immortalize the voice in one of these projects just a tiiiiiiiiny bit more than that voice already *is* immortalized.

[@davidstuckey9289]

​@@kokocolaaWell, it sounds like him. . . . And a denial is NOT confirmation, no matter what people tell you 😊 ( I blame Nixon for that idea ) Still, it's suggestive, isn't it? 😅

[@ShadowknightEX]

I thought he sounded familiar😂

[@jacobgray3112]

@@kokocolaa its 100% Nick, no question

[@supersonadowfan]

I think the initial idea for Wally was spot on, he’s “eating” when he’s sitting there and has to consume/ swallow before responding. That’s why the audio stops when he’s addressed

[@ParadoxParado]

The phone call with Wally seems like he goes from actually talking to the listener to saying what he's suppose to. If we go the route of the puppets being alive then we can also assume that they have assigned "roles" with Wally's being the friend and observer for the audience. Wally possibly isn't even his real name just the name of his role which would be why he asks if you know his name, his true name. Maybe Wally isn't satisfied of just playing the role of a friend, but actually wants to be a friend. And that process leads to the madness caused by the black goo. Since he sounded pretty angry when you don't answer the phone in a way rejecting his friendship.

[@tablescissors67]

There was a (creepy) dating video game like this, where one digital girl in the harem turns out to be sentient and wants to truly meet another sentient person (the player).

[@peachybunny1875]

@@tablescissors67 Are you referring to Doki Doki Literature Club?

[@scottyb8392]

All the fanartists who’ve been drawing Wally this whole time are shakin’ 👁️👁️

[@necoolpreson5419]

LOL YEAH

[@PawfulOfWaffles]

I was drawing him while playing this video and I made concerned eye contact with him when it mentioned him having “ more eyes than I did before”

[@scottyb8392]

@@PawfulOfWaffles that was just his way of saying “thank you neighbor” :)

[@disarray398]

HE KNOWS@@PawfulOfWaffles

[@KennithSimmonsCbars]

oh boy-

[@skipperxiv9401]

The more of Welcome Home I see, the more I wish it was just a legit TV show. Everything is *so* well crafted that I just want to see these characters in their native environment, spooky ARG elements aside.

[@ChandlerWithaZ]

well maybe it is part of the story

[@azuretone8575]

with how dedicated they are i would not be surprised if they just casually dropped a full episode on us in an update a couple years from now

[@hanaeve__]

Same!!! The characters are just so lovable

[@berniekatzroy]

Same especially given the work thats gone into the artwork on the website and also its other media. I really wish this would be made into a game with 6 hour chapters released.

[@JkUnderConstruction]

I'm just here for the theories and the thrills created from learning new evidence and getting angry over a probable red herring.

[@santinobarontini7378]

The fact that the use actual bugs to symbolize errors in the web is both hilarious and on brand with the art style

[@infinitemausoleum721]

Regarding Wally, I actually wonder if us assuming he's "Secretly creepy" is another part of the ableism angle. Some other commenters mentioned he seems coded as someone on the spectrum, and I agree, but I'd like to take the idea a bit further. Nick mentions looking at the scene in 25:20 as an actual audience member, how "Wally is probably just sitting there motionless". Is he though? He's an artist, he's depicted with an easel a lot, they mention he has a drink. How do we know he isn't just...painting a scene, or drinking something while the two talk? We're just assuming because he isn't talking that he's creepy, but I know a good few autistic people who just don't speak in big groups because it scares them. Welcome Home's horror elements could easily end up being an autistic piece about a support group being destroyed because the rest of society thinks it's "Childish" or that he needs to be "Normal". Maybe Home is a sort of toxic coping mechanism like self-isolation that's slowly filling the gaps in his life?

[@MayvaAva]

I think it’s because the assumption is that we’re seeing from his perspective and he isn’t moving (except for when he spells TEA with his hand in Morse code). That, plus the last one where he’s staring at a canvas with paint on it but not doing anything, and eventually Barnaby comes over and shakes him lightly asking if he’s alright, implying that he was not doing anything. It definitely reads like a dissociative state personally, like maybe he’s a little overstimulated, but regardless of what you think the reason is, the implication is that he is not moving or doing anything during those recordings.

[@tablescissors67]

For the love of media, EVERYTHING is not related to autism…unless you’re a narcissist who needs to make everything about themselves (which frankly happens much too much amid fellow autists, it’s a pratfall to be avoided for sure).

[@tablescissors67]

@@MayvaAva Perhaps he was busy being possessed…because it’s like he’s coming to life (but then again, maybe it’s not him truly coming to life, but something more) - this is suggested with Home itself.

[@MayvaAva]

@@tablescissors67 wtf are u on about in that first comment lmao 🤣, Clown has made it clear that ableism is a major theme in the work, also has confirmed Wally, along with other characters, are autistic (and queer), I believe. It’s not narcissistic for people to point that out in their efforts to make sense of the story, you don’t personally have to ascribe to that belief but it is completely logical for others to do so based on the information we have so far

[@infinitemausoleum721]

@@tablescissors67 I wouldn't even be bringing it up if Clown hadn't said the story would deal with ableism and other people on the spectrum said they found it compelling. I'm not convinced this is as much of a reach as some of the other "theories" I've heard for other series.

[@shadow_shine3578]

Hey, what if Barnaby is... Wally's caretaker? A therapy dog caretaker combo. Makes sure he's out of the house, tries to help him connect, the two have been around each other most of the day. Edit. The Halloween update has reinforced this for me. He's specifically checking in on Wally, even has a nickname for him, and gave him something to do. I think he really is a kind of caretaker, probably not an official one, but he's the only one actively trying to interact with Wally at the party

[@davichigbue1835]

As someone whose mom is a caretaker and has a fondness towards Barnaby, I'm clinging onto this headcannon until the wheels fall off

[@shadow_shine3578]

@@davichigbue1835 we can fix the wheels

[@applepieexplosion4030]

Aren't they partners too? That could point towards that.

[@birthdayboy69]

@@applepieexplosion4030 if you are talking about romantic partners,clown has clarified that canonicaly speaking they are only Best Friends! but Clown allows different interpretation of their relationship if i'm not misremembering

[@heckstar]

I think this relates to a theory I have about Barnaby. I think that he is in some way more aware of the situation than the other characters on the show, considering he acts pretty unfazed by Wally’s weird behaviour and tries to bring him out of his shell (acting as a caretaker and a guide dog, like you said). Also he conveniently comes in at the last minute to chase Eddie off when he starts to notice there is something strange with Wally. Also Barnaby can speak to home, who seems to be at the centre of all the weird paranormal shit that’s going down.

[@Galaxy-ji8ws]

I think my favorite part of this video so far is at 19:10 when Nightmind goes "✨️Speak to us Waliford✨️" followed by "Oh fuck-" when he notices the eyes 😂

[@MercuryIsDumb]

He spoke *a little too loud*

[@doctaterror]

-ACK!

[@BriaBri]

Speak to us Waliford! Wally: 👁️👁️ oh..

[@dollfacedotcult]

what a silly goose he is

[@MercuryIsDumb]

@@dollfacedotcult 🤪🦆

[@Cosmo_Pathy]

I remember that when I was younger, my favorite characters would always be the ones who have a monotone voice or have problems with social interaction and expressiveness. I would often get scolded for always looking "sad" or having a robotic, monotone voice (I was going through some tough times in which I wasn't able to receive proper help too), so it felt comforting to see another character who was like me. As of now Im seen as more happy and expressive, but only because I just dont wanna be scolded by my mother. She scoldes me and gives me lectures when Im depressed or acting in a way she doesn't like. But seeing someone like Wally gave me a lot of comfort. Edit, 3 minutes later: Why do I feel like Im realizing that theres a possibility I might be neurodivergent

[@moved_accounts]

You might be. As a neurodivergent person myself I’ve found myself relating to Wally this entire time 💀

[@deadmeme9031]

Hey that sounds extremely familiar to my experience pre autism diagnosis, not claiming you are but I do recommend at least doing some research

[@doubleaabattery7562]

You are 100%

[@Canev821]

I relate to Wally but I’m not neurodivergent I do monotone when I’m trying to control my feelings.

[@andiemarigold3787]

Baby youre neurodivergent

[@janelle9998]

53:49 small detail but i couldn't help but notice with the little bouncing icons, each character is separated by a heart but Wally and House are together

[@vincentvalentine3539]

As a voice actor, HOLY SMOKES. I thought I loved this Jim Henson nightmare of a project before, but just wow. Everything down to the punctuation is simply immaculate (or should I say, cambion), This project is an utter delight and I love every bit of it more and more as the days pass. Thank you Clown for bringing this into the world, and thank you Nick for sharin it with us all.

[@therisingsun888]

One thing that strikes me is, on the phone they'll give their typical line, but right after that it sounds like they're genuinely expecting someone on the other end to answer.

[@therisingsun888]

@@Fear.Loathing right? I think it slots in with the theory that the puppets are actually alive.

[@jamunjijpg8464]

I think they are alive like I went and listened to all of them and they all seem super genuine… plus the only phone to be found from the toy line was Wally’s so maybe wally left in some way or was able to take it with him or send it out. Idk this all crazy 😭

[@suziebelle3738]

Well, its like that for alot of talking telephone toys. I can totally see a Sesame Street telephone toy where characters answer you but cant hear you from the other end. I feel like its less “the characters are alive talking to you” and more “the toy makes it SOUND like the characters are alive talking to you” because talking telephone toys are usually just like that.

[@tek12283]

For me, I think of Wally and Home as a representation of Mind and Body. Home is the mind which communicates, and Wally is the body which does what Home needs, lacking any wholeness that would make him feel human. And because of that, I don’t think one can exist without the other. In a sense, Wally is an extension of Home, since he can do what Home can’t physically, at the cost of Wally being a husk.

[@Wendeta-hq2cp]

So it's like Wally is a remote controlled robot of sorts. And since home is the mind separate from the body it takes a while for the command input to carry, probably explaining why Wally is so listeless and talks so slowly witha strange inflection. Everyone thinks Wally is an actual person, but he's not. Of course that JUST A THEORY!

[@lishthefish1423]

and the soul is nowhere to be found

[@hiddenally2896]

I was thinking like a split personality disorder. It’s house listening in all the videos but as soon as they say Wally, Wally (the host personality) takes over . Like many cases people who have this disorder they have words that snap into different personalities

[@torytellstales]

I think its very evident that Home possesses and speaks through Wally, since Home supposedly speaks in onamadopeias(Creak, Squeak, Jingle) What is "Wally" doing after he says "Let's start over." in the phone conversation? He says "Ring, Ring, Ring, Click" before greeting us and saying who he is. The character reintroducing itself here is NOT Wally. If it was the real Wally, he'd be saying things to be playful like "The phone is ringing. I will get it." before saying "Hello new neighbor!" Or something like that.

[@ant_on_the_hill3461]

I think part of wally's behavior (the flat voice and not being able to put a lot of concepts together) is because im pretty sure he's canonically autistic, but i think thats not the whole reason for him being really withdrawn, awkward, dissociating, and seeming barely there mentally

[@sansprobus7209]

Is it weird to say I really like Wally's voice? It's articulate and well enunciated and easy to understand. Enjoyable to hear.

[@DeathnoteBB]

Wally should do ASMR

[@fairyhaven13]

​@@DeathnoteBBI thought the same thing!

[@purinpuellamagi]

SAMEEE! also, maybe that was on purpose? so the younger children would have an easier time understanding what he says

[@sansprobus7209]

@@purinpuellamagi that's a very interesting theory. I like that. I think it's a combination of that, Wally's autism coding, and the simple fact that it's uncanny in the right context.

[@KennithSimmonsCbars]

Agreeable, his voice is nice to listen to

[@clairejohnson8814]

Does anyone else notice that Wally seems just a little more expressive when talking to/around Barnaby? Or am I just gaslighting myself bc I think they’re cute 😂

[@JYoungbloodVO]

No, I can hear it, especially in the Talk Show interview. I thought Wally sounded a bit more expressive than usual, hell, his laugh, while still robotic, had a little bit of heart to it, and all of it was leading up to Barnaby showing up

[@clairejohnson8814]

@@JYoungbloodVO that’s what I noticed too!! He also laughed at the appropriate time and his laugh wasn’t evenly spaced the way it is in some of the other audio files like my poor yellow son what has happened to him???

[@JYoungbloodVO]

@@clairejohnson8814 Another thing I noticed is that when Wally was asked if he knew he was famous, the way he asks "I am?" the first time sounded genuinely curious, whereas usually these curious questions are met with the monotone we usually get. Something happened to him, definitely, thinkin' it might have to do with that black gunk found in the exhibition

[@tablescissors67]

I…don’t think a phrase like “gaslighting myself” belongs here 😅

[@abitofjoyandsorrow]

no you're right.

[@caustic1611]

I love how much of the audio is clean and crisp. It's really nice to be able to understand what's being said without having to replay again and again. Just like... the perfect amount of noise/distorting effects have been added imo.

[@moonlight2870]

I absolutely love that the voiced snippets actually sound like a children's tv show and not something horrible that would have nevet been aired.

[@youreawizardkari7691]

It’s interesting how all the bugs take you to clips from Wally’s POV. We never see the other characters, just him observing something else with his friends’ voices in the background. I guess you could say he’s… …a fly on the wall 🥁

[@Imagigirl]

You could say it's like the conversations are...bugged?

[@senatorpalpabean2638]

I wanted my mom to hear the absolutely brilliant voice acting (she knows nothing about WH) but instead i've left her with a slightly ominous puppet puzzle site that she's searching for clues and secrets

[@davidstuckey9289]

Well, at least she's engaged with it. That's a good thing, isn't it?

[@JoKeR-hh8rg]

i've somehow managed to convince my family that this was an actual late 60s puppet show

[@davidstuckey9289]

@@JoKeR-hh8rg . . . You monster 😂😂

[@GAMEGEAR22]

@@davidstuckey9289 I will say, though, that since you went to all the trouble of waking me up, you must really, really love to test..

[@jackwastakenx2]

@@JoKeR-hh8rg… how???????

[@Shizn0id]

I think the idea of home controlling wally has merit since in the clip where Barnaby is talking to home it laughs with the exact cadence and timing as wally usually does, that and wally becoming fully unresponsive like its influence has lapsed.

[@jessmess7170]

When Wally just stares into space and shuts down while everyone else interacts around him, I feel that. I'm constantly disassociating. Life is pain. Existing is just hard. Even him interacting with the audience trying to connect feels familiar, like the way ill throw myself into reading and writing or tiktok or whatever in a desperate attempt to escape and feel better. Nah maybe its a neurodivergent thing. Because i cant even fear Wally with how hard I just RELATE to the guy

[@alfalldoot6715]

If living is so hard, then why don't you just keep yourself safe.

[@Canev821]

I don’t dissociate I just don’t interact

[@caramel9154]

@@alfalldoot6715 manners.

[@spinalfluid1193]

@@alfalldoot6715 you first🫶

[@FiSH-iSH]

@@alfalldoot6715 ah, that is a nice tip for everyone in such times as these! after all, it is important to stay safe in life, lest something go terribly awry.

[@stishstash166]

The videos of Wally sitting there in silence and listening to the others talk is so relatable to me, like a kid who doesn't have any friends their own age, and/or doesn't quite know how to interact with them or relate to them, so he retreats into his own little world until it is disturbed when his attention is called. No wonder people like to theorize that Wally is autistic, as a fellow autistic it looks very plausible.

[@junebunny0712]

It’s confirmed, not a theory.

[@vinegardoppio5501]

Yeah i think wally is really good representation of an autistic person. His mannerisms, way of speech, attempts to socialize, and behaviors are also that of an autistic person struggling with socializing.

[@thymebutter2556]

Me and my best friend are also autistic and have claimed him for the community lolllllll

[@ToyotaCorolla-en2mv]

Omg same, it's hauntingly relatable but also sweet when we see how Barnby interacts with Wally. He doesn't judge or make a big deal of it, he's just understanding and let's Wally be Wally. It's very believable that they're best friends cause of that.

[@diddylieutenant9146]

The more I hear the tapes, the more and more Wally reminds me of me as a kid. Speaking matter of factly, shy and confused by jokes. Not quite the monotone voice but most of the other stuff.

[@mspaint7384]

“MERCHANDISE??? GOOD FOR YOU. GOOD FOR YOU, DAMN RIGHT! GOOD! GOOD!!! DESERVED.” Was so wholesome ❤

[@kindestegg9989]

oh!! my heart! jumping and crying how kind of you to stop by and speak of my little pixels specially ;_; thank you thank you... making two variants of each neighbor was the best decision we could have made!!!

[@justaperson8381]

You worked on the pixel art?? That's so cool! Thanks for your work :))

[@kindestegg9989]

@@justaperson8381 yep!! Some of the others were done by xamag, so be sure to thank them as well! The credits should be on the "from me to you" ooc page

[@AltKaxREAL]

​@@kindestegg9989they are SOOO ADORABLE your pixel art skills are amazing, never stop what you're doing because, it is... *beautiful*

[@spaghetti3054]

Good work, they honestly look really good and soo cute

[@bloxinate8507]

I feel like Barnaby is slightly aware. He’s in basically every video and even notices Wally. Notice how he didn’t even say his name in the paint video and was genuinely concerned why he stopped. I wouldn’t be surprised if Barnaby plays a bigger role

[@BlueJaguarRanger]

I’m reaching a point where I’m wondering why Clown hasn’t just *made* an actual kids show. Like, yes, finances, but they clearly have the talent and vision!

[@LeoWolfish]

Maybe that will be the end goal, after this is finished. Probably not but you never know.

[@Electrolux219]

I hope they do, I feel like with this level of talent it would be just an absolutely joy to watch.

[@gregvs.theworld451]

Legit. With a lot of webcomics and online series getting shows/movies, talent like Clown's absolutely deserves a bigger budget and a wider media outreach, if they were so inclined. Whether it was Welcome Home or something new, I'd absolutely turn up for a show, movie, or special spearheaded by or heavily worked on by Clown.

[@legokirbymanchannel]

Who knows, maybe they are actualy making it? After all, ARGs were used for hyping up the public for years already.

[@faithlindbom1177]

I know, I would've loved this shoe as a kid!...minus the horror elements 😅

[@fruitgummi9084]

I think Wally is really lonely. The neighbors seem to be all in hoots with each other, but Wally seems to be overlooked quite a lot, or he doesn't seem too "involved" with everyone else. Even Barnaby talks to Home better than he does! He seems to be desperate to connect with someone. Poor guy.

[@inotanzen]

I think the most interesting audio clip for me personally was one of those last ones of Barnaby talking to House, where he also finally seemed to be on the same page as us, the audience/viewer/“You” and notice something “off” about Wally. From all of this, I’m in agreement with the suggestion Wally seems to be a victim in this, and House could possibly be what’s controlling him (hence the very “off” inflection to his voice.) What if because Barnaby was occupying House’s attention directly, it slipped up and wasn’t controlling Wally as much? Like it can only do one at a time, and because Barnaby is the “best friend” (which makes him a bit sus, imo, even tho I can’t tell in what way yet) it got a bit too distracted from enjoying itself, especially given that the transcripts imply House is meant to seem very expressive in the clip. Idk it’s just a very interesting twist on the concept for a “haunted house”. (Also very on-board with the idea these clips are all somehow in-universe candids, and not segments from the show, which reinforces this whole comment as well.)

[@beatboxing1122]

Time stamp? I’ve been trying to find it

[@table2.0]

I like the implication that Wally drawing the pictures onto the screen and the pictures having the links in them means he’s the one putting the audio clips there trying to talk to the viewer 15:39 I think he’s still upset that he can’t see beyond the screen to see his Neighbour (you) He can see the art and things happening on and around the website clearly, but he can’t see YOU. I wonder what would happen if someone made a live video directly addressing Wally so he can ‘see’ them via the screen?

[@FiSH-iSH]

i would like to do a whiteboard with wally, thatd be fun i think

[@chronoxxe]

I'm sure I'm not the only one, but after this update, I'm really fond of Wally. The sort of helplessness I get from him makes me think he's also a victim to whatever is going on in the series.

[@thekitty-o-kat]

no yeah i feel the same way... i'm always so surprised when i talk to others and their idea of wally is so sinister- like, creepy, maybe! but i also feel so much sympathy (or maybe empathy?) for him!

[@durratulaishah3703]

He's reminded me alot of myself when I was little honestly, he make me want protect him even more from harassment BC I understand how he feels and thinks, but I don't know how. It make me feel...helpless.

[@nyxcat3621]

@@thekitty-o-katI feel like in the neighborhood he acts as a puppet for home to speak or move through: (he’s still most of the time, the one time we hear him talk to other characters in the show is when he asks if HOME can play croquet, he seems to be best friends with barnaby and barnaby is the only other neighbor who is shown to speak to home, etc.) But when he’s outside of the neighborhood (in the website), he has some kind of autonomy and wants to escape or warn people of something. Just my theory though

[@fluffnugget1812]

Maybe he is dealing with trauma since we are literally seeing him dissociate through his eyes and snaps back to 'reality' when his name gets called.

[@edge-of-nowhere4224]

Same

[@lucy9364]

As someone who works in a university, welcome home is such good representation of the madness of research. The research team feels so real and their communication is spot on. (also we love Rick Rocturn)

[@IronicCliche]

Barney really sounds like he's controlling Wally throughout the audio. It's creepy how subtly it's done. Like it's one thing if the horror is felt by the people reacting to a character that's "not right" but it's a whole different thing when the horror is the experience of the one that is "not right".

[@Canev821]

I could see that

[@durratulaishah3703]

Reminds me of my dad.😅 Minus constantly making jokes and stuff.

[@backbonepictures78]

Barney?

[@suziebelle3738]

Whos Barney? I only know Barnaby

[@lashee6573]

I feel like Wally saying “do you know who I am?” Could also be interpreted as him knowing who he is but wondering if you know as well. It could be that he doesn’t know who he is but I feel like there’s enough stuff to put that idea into doubt. It really could go either way though, both do give really interesting ideas on how it ties into everything else

[@diddleysquin]

I'm just 15 mins in but can't help point out the distinctive voice of Lauren Call as Juliet, and doubly worth noting as she's an experienced puppeteer who worked on Avenue Q as Kate. They've truly got a real star cast working on this who actually have experience with the subject matter, even when that's not what we're seeing them do; makes me pretty certain that we're actually gonna get to see puppets at some point.

[@msmochpaws3585]

Holy cow really???? I haven’t heard abt avenue Q in years I remember seeing all the animatics of the songs from there ! My fav song was “ if you were gay”

[@diddleysquin]

@msmochpaws3585 I was in secondary school when it came out and we'd all infra red and blue tooth the songs to each others phones :) I think "Internet is for..." first and learnt all the words before I found out it was from a full musical and not just a KZbin video.

[@axeblade1128]

I KNEW I RECOGNISED THAT VOICE FROM SOMEWHERE

[@wendys_lemonade2459]

REALLY?????? OMG

[@pokemonfreak6669]

Omg! I knew that voice sounded familiar!

[@silverflight01]

Hearing Nick dying of laughter while watching the videos is an absolute highlight.

[@katiekawaii]

It's incredible how it really feels like Wally is there with you, on the site, drawing on the screen in real time right in front of you.

[@ahorribleterribleperson]

I think Wally's power and demeanor depends on Welcome Home's popularity of a sort. The more popular the show is, the more emotive and energetic he is. It's not the strongest theory. but i think it could work;

[@tablescissors67]

It’ll be VERY interesting to see if that’s true, I agree with this curiosity

[@WanderWomble]

Conversely, given how Wally is pretty near canonically autistic without spelling it out, I wouldn't be surprised if: A. As some people point out how little real support and respect Wally seems to have with the rest of the cast, the audience and fans become more of a shoe-in for a supportive environment. or B. As I'm very familiar with being also neurodivergent and dissociative, the more he's SEEN, the more he has to mask and perform. Truly taking to his role as a puppet in view of many judging people.

[@tablescissors67]

The levels of narcissm built on this new Tumblr gentleman continue to stun me - I think now Wally's ego is equally meant to reflect that; narcissistic behavior is such an ignored topic with self-identified disasociasion and "nerodivergence" that it's frankly exciting to see that openly exhibited.

[@mlogeebobee7176]

I really just love how expressive the VAs are from their voices alone, because I could actually imagine what their mannerisms would be and how they’d move around in certain scenes despite Wally’s locked-in POV.

[@roryforshort5465]

To everyone else they just see a house.... But, what if Home is literally and figuratively an abusive home? After all, what are the common phrases abusive /strict parents speak to their children? "You should only speak when spoken to." "Children should be SEEN and not heard."

[@onerosegrowing936]

Interesting thought, I haven't seen anyone bring that up before.

[@sleepysartorialist]

Wally reminds me of me. I have autism. I'm often monotone, confused and I've been called a robot on the phone at work (if you call customer service don't do this, idc what business it is, that's rude as hell). The concept of Alexithymia comes to mind when it comes to how he reacts to things,

[@spenceduggs]

I genuinely love watching this evolve, and your coverage is brilliant. I'm hoping Clown gets the resources/help they need in order to "find" actual "video footage" of the show. I'd love to see actual Wally & Friends puppets/costumes!

[@housewilma4904]

i think the sounds you hear from the records from wally in this video is actually a HEART BEAT i turned up my headphones and listend closely its definitly a heartbeat the HOUSES heartbeat im assuming. which means wally is inside the house as he responds to us perhaps hes traped in the entity within his own world a prison within a prison.

[@CareenasAdventures]

I think you're right! For anyone looking, a good example is at 11:00

[@RealSquidShady]

So that’s what the site meant by “Home is where the heart is”

[@CareenasAdventures]

​@@RealSquidShady 😳😳😳

[@davidstuckey9289]

​@@RealSquidShadyIt's an old saying, but in this one. . . The context is disturbing.

[@RealSquidShady]

@@davidstuckey9289 i know, which is why i said what the *website* meant by that

[@journeyrivenburgh1052]

8:43 My guess is that this is a reference to Dante's Inferno. At the end of Dante's Inferno, Dante meets the devil, and Virgil and Dante escape hell by climbing down the devil's legs. When they do so, they find themselves back on the surface of the earth, with the devil's legs pointing straight up. It reveals that the Devil isn't trying to escape hell so much as still in the process of trying to flee from God. When Dante asks Virgil how the logic of their escape was possible, Virgil explains that things that happen on earth also occur in higher and lower plains of existence (As Above, So Below, and As Below, So Above). I think the clothespeg upside down is a reference to Wally being depicted in the Baphomet pose.

[@CareenasAdventures]

As a literature history lover, I love this possibility! It would certainly a fascinating route that would open up a whole plethora of interpretations.

[@eeelorde9962]

Godam is that dmc REFRENCE!??!?

[@theonlyvampirateable]

​@@eeelorde9962please tell me you're joking

[@eeelorde9962]

@@theonlyvampirateablenooooo....?

[@cez_is_typing]

@@eeelorde9962 DMC references dante inferno, not the other way around :)

[@reviewman]

21:29 "IF YOU HAVE TO EXPLAIN A JOKE, THERE IS NO JOKE!" The joker

[@xionsreverie1577]

Y'know if you don't fixiate on Wally being a villain and think of him as someone suffering from a mental disorder, this all just feels very sad. In a lot of the videos where we're viewing the world through wally's eyes, he's silent and staring at whatever object that's infront if him. Ex. Staring at the sunday, staring at the script that was presumably given to him by Sally, the drawing he did of himself next to the spiral, and the stick people in the dirt (I wonder if wally was the one who burried it). Either way, Wally disociates A LOT for some reason. Is it stress? prolonged anxiety? I feel like he is weary of something and isn't able to process it.

[@DukeOnkled]

I want so badly to give Wally a hug. I think he needs one.

[@wormswithteeth]

Yeah...don't do that.

[@DukeOnkled]

@@wormswithteeth Consequences be damned!

[@necoolpreson5419]

@@wormswithteethlol yeah

[@MrLegendofLP]

Personally I feel like “consequences be damned” isn’t the problem. The problem is that Wally is such an autistic child it hurts. He likely isn’t a fan of physical touch.

[@Donjonneau]

@@MrLegendofLPExcept physical touch reaction depends on the autist person. I do like hugs from my friends, relatives and my parents… It calms me down, it helps me put my anxiety aside for some time.

[@bro.that.is.adorable.2633]

Night Mind’s excitement about the merchandise is so cute lmao

[@average-art3222]

And his laughter was such a delight 😊 omg.

[@ChandlerWithaZ]

i think he thought it would be a way to buy official merch too. which i wish it was as well!

[@BeatboxToaster]

I won't lie, I thought it was official real merch to buy too, so I had a similar reaction lol

[@CrimesOptimal]

At 1:10:30 but Wally 100% strikes me, as an autistic person myself, as a representation of how autism separates and others you, disconnects you from yourself and the things you enjoy, separates you from the world of fun and socialization that your friends seem to occupy so effortlessly The fact that Wally is, so far, the only one with a voice in the "present" of the story drives this home; he's reaching out, looking for connection. So far he doesn't seem to have some kind of nefarious end, he's just kind of off-putting and he's trying to exist again and make friends. Edit: 1:29:01 YEP THERE IT IS

[@FiSH-iSH]

ring. ring. ring. click.

[@L0rdOfThePies]

The way he always sounds a little unsure and usually has barnaby talking for him and explaining almost when they’re together reminds me of myself when i was a little bit younger

[@indy_com]

I'm not finished watching the vid yet but the "bad vibes" the other characters get around Wally reminds me of those parody comics where we see the family of the cartoon character who speaks to the audience being exactly as weirded out and worried as normal people would be if their friend/child/sibling suddenly said out loud "Do you know where the Map is?" and then stood in silence for 10 seconds staring into space before picking up the map and saying in the exact same tone "Great Job! You found the Map for us!".

[@kestreldomann2787]

1:35:14 as a Theatre Props Artisan/Designer I can confirm Sally talking to Poppy about the cake is how about... 98% of my meetings with directors go 🎭🎭

[@LeoWolfish]

I really don't think Wally is evil in this, since it has been confirm and really relates to what some of us on the spectrum (Clown confirmed it as others in the comment section have mentioned. I also found out I am earlier this year, along with the fact I had been talking somewhat if not fully monotone for years without even knowing I was). Even when I try to add more tone I often get mistaken for shouting. To be honest if he is on the spectrum as much as I think he is the idea of being that famous is in fact a living nightmare. That being said it will also prove interesting to learn how this show came to be in the first place let alone came to an end.

[@michellewagner7619]

That part about talking is a mood, if I don't pay attention to my tone I go monotone. For most of my life I talked... Like... Idk tbh, the way I talk is compared to someone who's in a play, which isn't wrong when I hear recordings of myself.

[@DNGNDriver]

Totally agree with your point about it being a nightmare. I'm at the interview at 59:06 and I can just hear the discomfort in Wally's voice at the love life question

[@elidiac5045]

just to specify, clown confirmed Wally as being on the spectrum? if so, that's amazing cuz ever since I noticed it I can't get the idea out of my head and it affects how i view the project, so if it's 'canon' then my viewing experience makes much more sense!

[@Canev821]

I think he does it on purpose

[@WhatRobodoom]

did nobody else catch on that during the bit between sally and howdy at the store, with the instant mashed potatoes, that howdy was selling her soap suds, a sponge, and woodchips and sawdust, all as food? anybody? just me??

[@properjellydontbeproper3652]

Aw 🥰 hearing Wally laugh. It sounds so innocent. But i fear he's hurting now?..... Not so much simpler times anymore perhaps?...

[@properjellydontbeproper3652]

Just realized is it just ur laugh? Lol

[@jackmcnulty7808]

1:15:10 two things I noticed about the line of pixelated characters that separate the page: 1) Wally and Home are not separated by a heart like the other characters and 2) all the characters are looking at each other, except Wally (and possibly home, hard to tell) who is looking dead ahead, right at us.

[@luniari7242]

When I first found the audio about Wally having more eyes I opened up my sketch book and waved at a drawing of Wally. And then I found the recording where he draws eyes on the screen, fricked out and closed my sketch book.

[@12MyNameIs]

Amazing profile picture

[@midvamp]

Omgg I would too LMAO

[@aneitalt]

He wants to see you, too, but he can't see.

[@chocoholicbatloverstudios]

That’s actually really funny 😂😂😂😂

[@lightsora34]

One thing that I noticed about the phone that gives weight to the idea that the neighbor's interactions are real is the way that they don't seem to realize they are being recorded on the call. Aside from Wally, they seemed to be expecting a response instead if silence.