The Canon of Little Nightmares Explained

[@SuperpanotMalihan]

What if the reason canon stories kept changing is because little nightmares actually have parallel realities, meaning the comics are canon the game is also canon? Yet they're both not connected

[@kolanotngs3819]

Complicated and completely plausible

[@ashlazdanovich8396]

Or they are connected within the same universe; but not directly…? Would explain the unreliable narrators..I think anyway..

[@indecisivesimp-leton6236]

Takeing place in the same reality yet diffrent forms of that very reality.

[@Volti-Vagra]

0:48 canon: truth to a set story cannon: *danger be ye on the far end, lay down yer gold or lay at the bottom of the sea!*

[@resevilfan214]

I'm so so excited for the third game!!! This is really good, please keep it up!

[@DrAmadeusRaven]

Very good video! I really enjoyed the effort you put in citing the sources. And really did give me another prospective on the 2017 comics. The idea that they are canon but unreliable really explains the similiarities and differences of some characters and environments as depicted in the franchise.

[@ZaltnD]

You know, I have this idea in my head that Otto start his own organization all about getting people back from the nowhere

[@rocketraccoonsleftwhisker3898]

otto never cared about noones safety or keeping her safe from the nowhere the podcast ends with him willingly deciding to torment more children by forcing them to enter the nowhere to further his own studies

[@ZaltnD]

@@rocketraccoonsleftwhisker3898 Yes I know Otto don’t care about the kids s I’m talking about people like otto Type of people that don’t really care about ethics

[@meyes1098]

Honestly I would consider the author's thoughts to be the REAL authority on canon. In my mind, the creator of a story is the sole authority on that story, doesn't matter who buys the story (or the rights to it).

[@__Soya__]

Original intent ≠ The Canon

[@meyes1098]

@@__Soya__ But I'm not arguing for original intent, I'm arguing for what the author says. If the author stops working on it, then for me, the canon ends there. Because a story is the brainchild of a person, and that person alone decides the story.

[@mrreyes5004]

@@meyes1098 Except that fails here, because Little Nightmares does not have one individual author. Indie Xplorer here even directly calls out that despite Dave Mervik's credentials, not even Mervik and his individual statements can be conclusively determined as "official canon" (I.e., him implcitly disregarding the print comics) Similarly, a similar thing happens when a story gains multiple writers over time. Look at Marvel or DC, for instance. If one of the first character manuals/guidebooks states that a superhero can only lift 15 tons, but then SEVERAL different stories with a separate writer than show that character consistently lifting way more than that... welp, that 15-ton statement goes out the window (such as Spider-Man, who was described as being a 10-15 tonner early on but he has since performed _DOZENS_ of strength feats surpassing that ostensible limit). Or Star Wars, where much of Lucas' approved EU now rendered definitively and inarguably non-canon by Disney's new universe. Sorry, but "In my mind..." and "for me..." are worthless headcanon opinions that do nothing for actually deciding canon. Don't get me wrong, I quite wish that they did because that would make things *_so_* much easier, but that's just not how any of it works. It is nice when stories are written to the end with only one author because that makes canon very open-and-shut, but that situation is just rare outside of independent books compared to the myriad of stories with multiple creators/contributors (again, comic franchises like Marvel, film sagas like Star Wars, game franchises like Little Nightmares).

[@Nanda-bc1bp]

But the authors really don’t WANT to be in charge in this case

[@justwobert9850]

I'm from the doctor who camp of everything is canon within the same universe, and different stories may say the same thing differently because of them being from set incomplete/distorted perspectives

[@inaminayo5327]

"Timey-wimey" seems to also work as an explanation for contradictions in the Little Nightmares lore as well, actually.

[@sidtheguy313]

Absolutely awesome work putting this video together, great work 👍 Something i haven't really heard anyone talk about is how we gain some really big info from the achievements. So are they in some way Canon? Other achievements hint at some interesting things. The 1st game referred Six as different animals (Canary, Rat and Fox) Beating the final chapter gives you an achievement "Lady's Quarters with the sub text "A storm is coming. That coat should come in useful". Makes me wonder if some of these foreshadow the next installment of the series.

[@indiexplorergames]

Yeah that's a really good question...personally I would err on the side of achievements being canon, since they are *technically* part of the game, but I think it's kind of a grey area for sure. At this point it also depends on whether Supermassive considered them at all when writing Little Nightmares III, so I guess we'll find out soon enough if any of that foreshadowing pays off!

[@benicio-williams]

You have all of my respect, just because your sources.

[@bluecat3338]

Me, who came to this video because I have a love of fun theories and a passing interest in little nightmares: there’s comics? There’s a podcast!? >adds it to my listening list

[@RandomAnimeFighter]

You’re good at what you do

[@ayeitzdj]

I go by what the story creator says, if he doesn’t consider it canon then there’s surely a reason as to why.

[@mrreyes5004]

Really appreciate videos like these for series' continuities, ESPECIALLY games that are even more vague and dialogue-less like Little Nightmares.

[@thetravelerkureno1371]

This feels mildly relevant to me again with people saying theyll pretend reanimal is the new little nightmares 3 instead if LN3 by supermassive is bad.... Nice clearly sourced vid!

[@wearegonnadance]

"But let's be honest, you have already listened to it, haven't you." I couldn't help but laugh in a good way, not at all meant to be offensive. I simply found your little humor surprisingly pleasant. Though my comment is unnecessary since it does not add into the theories, I wanted to compliment you as I was astonished. Do continue.

[@gweg92371jlkjdggfcygf]

This guy is so much better than so much of the people with theories who are more popular! He seems to know everything

[@bentennyson3824]

Happy footage not found 💀

[@WorldWeave]

One thing I would rather not be canon, purely because I think it’s more interesting otherwise, is the fact that Nowhere is a nightmare realm…I just find it more interesting if the world of little nightmares is just, NATURALLY fucked up, and not some weird dream realm that children get sucked into

[@jonathanlau7673]

I dont care , as long as i want it to.believe, it canon Even shb and jord lore make canon

[@_snail9234]

16:07 PLEASE tell me that was a wooden nome toy or something there’s no way you threw one into the furnace💀

[@indiexplorergames]

Yup, just a lil wooden guy 😉

[@swanandXD]

Damn you are underrated.

[@BluecarKing]

The Little Nightmares franchise kinda reminds me of Bendy due to the devs kinda making everything up as they go.

[@gloonkinc]

they dont really make it up as they go, they had shown characters like the teacher and thin man wayyyyy before little nightmares 2 im pretty sure they've had almost everything planned

[@cookies_and_mustard6414]

Everything seems to have been properly planned at least since the second game and probably the dlc from the first game as well. It really is just a matter of how they want to show their story rather then them trying to make stuff up as they go.

[@Audacity74-h]

They planned their lore and story before even making the games.

[@williamhanekom9882]

I think its a little bit of both, the general outline of where the franchise is going seems solid at this point. But like with most creative projects certain things have to change along the way. I'm fairly sure at some point the kids from the digital comic were going to appear in LN2 but didn't due to time constraints, which is they are still in the games files.

[@newagehero9605]

⁠@@williamhanekom9882this!!! Little nightmares 3 is either going to answer more questions or bring more questions if it’s the latter it’s definitely made up as it go

[@DavidSabillon-d3n]

Hello. I loved the video, you made everything very clear. I am someone from the Little Nightmares Spanish ❤ community and our community does not have many official sources, do you give me permission to share this content in the Little Nightmares Latam group? I'll give you credit.❤

[@indiexplorergames]

Sure! Feel free to share 😊

[@RangerBloxs]

Almost anything from the team is usually cannon

[@soradisneyable]

What happened to six?

[@GoulGames]

be patient, the games only coming this year.

[@LisaaP.T.]

AM I CANNON??? AM I??? HELLO??!?!?!

[@LisaaP.T.]

@Little_one283 I was noone when I said that so

[@Miss_Rawr_Rawr]

AHA! I SEE! I LET DIAVOLO DIE SO MY AU ARE CANON!

[@newagehero9605]

Are yall serious? The word canon literally means true 😂 I think the reason the interviews don’t answer is because they don’t even know themselves 😂💀💀 is one of those IPs that are made up as it go. I don’t think everything has been figured out yet.

[@indiexplorergames]

It's a little more complicated than that in the context of fictional universe canon, though, which is what I tried to explain in this video. The LN Comics can be canon, AND also be inaccurate, ie. "not true," because the stories within are told by an unreliable narrator. Put another way, the canonical Truth is that the children DID tell these stories, but that does not influence the objective truth of the stories themselves.

[@cccantv6457]

reality is whatever you want it to be

[@trinstonmichaels7062]

Its cannon if it's made by the creator unless it's stupid than it's noncannon.

[@d00mnoodle24]

I'm one of the few people who dislike Little nightmares, the world is interesting but the gameplay is ass and they're buggy and overpriced. Won't be getting LN3 as a result. However i did watch this video because i LOVED your afterimage and ender lillies videos. This one, despite my moderate interest in the franchise was still a very well made video

[@Audacity74-h]

I respectfully disagree with the game being overpriced and the gameplay being ass. Though, I do agree that the game has some bugs and problems, but they are very minor and are uncommon. Story and lore is really intriguing and has good mystery.

[@d00mnoodle24]

@@Audacity74-h the depth perception really fks with me, and things like throwing something at a button is clunky because of that. The chase sequences also suffer because of this. Combat in LN2 also feels horrible. I like the visuals, world design and especially the audio though but it wasn't enough to carry the grievances i have

[@Audacity74-h]

@@d00mnoodle24 I had no problem with throwing items at things or such. But man, the combat on LN2 does have some problems and were very strict on how you time your attack. It took me a while to get used to. But thankfully, from what it looks on LN3 gameplay, they fixed the combat. Though I wished we didn’t use weapons at all to have the feeling of being weak and defenseless, but it is cool to see the two protagonists on LN3 (Low and Alone) have a bow and arrow for range attacks, and a wrench for close combat.

[@d00mnoodle24]

@@Audacity74-h i'm glad you like it, i hope LN3 turns out wonderful so you get to enjoy it very much

[@Audacity74-h]

@@d00mnoodle24 thanks man, hope you have a good day.

[@bjseaward27]

cannon is the writer/author's purgative