Narrator and the fourth wall

[GuruGuru214]

I was thinking about the Narrator and something occurred to me. Throughout the season, the Narrator breaks the fourth wall and tells the player that they are in control, influencing Sam and Max's actions. He continues to talk to us, up until Sam interrupts him, after which point he never breaks the fourth wall again.

This got me wondering, what if the Narrator isn't breaking the fourth wall at all? What if he's not talking to the player, but to another part of Max's brain? Possibly the ego?

Or maybe I just think too much.

[Falanca]

He continues to talk to us, up until Sam interrupts him, after which point he never breaks the fourth wall again.

If you don't count "Didn't think I could work the title in, did you?", sure.

This got me wondering, what if the Narrator isn't breaking the fourth wall at all? What if he's not talking to the player, but to another part of Max's brain? Possibly the ego?

Or maybe I just think too much.

"Welcome, my friends". Iunno, it's almost like he was trying to talk to the player to be in CONTROL not only in game, but in theirselves, so that they won't also be driven by id and you know, think in convoluted ways.

[GuruGuru214]

You've seen me discussing the timeline. I don't think any way but convoluted.

Also, okay, he did break the fourth wall one more time after Sam showed up, but he certainly never broke it again after leaving his room.

Also also, I had meant to but forgot to mention in the OP that I didn't remember his exact dialogue from the earlier episodes so I went in knowing this was a very weak and unsupported theory.

[The Gentleman]

Actually, he constantly stares at you for the rest of the time he is in his room.

[Falanca]

Also also, I had meant to but forgot to mention in the OP that I didn't remember his exact dialogue from the earlier episodes so I went in knowing this was a very weak and unsupported theory.

I was also trying to think of his lines from early episodes, but... Well it surely wasn't intended to be that way. Since he was explaining and summing the previous episodes' plotline, and also repeatedly saying how it's a 5-part story and all... My point is, ego would also be knowing about these if he was talking to it.

[sfox]

I wouldn't read too much into it, because the series has continually broke the fourth wall plenty of times in the past. So it's something common to S&M games.

[russell19831983]

he did do it twice after max interrupted him, first he said that we didn't think he could work the title in, then after sybil's water breaks and flaming max's start chanting save sybil, he says to the player a wonderful thing has happened.

[Falanca]

he did do it twice after max interrupted him, first he said that we didn't think he could work the title in, then after sybil's water breaks and flaming max's start chanting save sybil, he says to the player a wonderful thing has happened.

It's not necessarily true that he says that to player instead of other people around him.

Plus, it's not the point how many times he was addressing to player after the twist about him was revealed...

[tredlow]

I was thinking about the Narrator and something occurred to me. Throughout the season, the Narrator breaks the fourth wall and tells the player that they are in control, influencing Sam and Max's actions. He continues to talk to us, up until Sam interrupts him, after which point he never breaks the fourth wall again.

This got me wondering, what if the Narrator isn't breaking the fourth wall at all? What if he's not talking to the player, but to another part of Max's brain? Possibly the ego?

Or maybe I just think too much.

The Narrator is the super-ego, he aims for perfection. Though Max hardly ever uses him.

The id, the part that seeks pleasure, would be when Max is randomly walking around during game-play, as he does everything he wants.

The ego, which seeks to please the id’s drive in realistic ways that will benefit in the long term rather than bringing grief, would be when Max is actually being useful, such as when he's using is psychic powers to solve puzzles. Now, who is controlling Max when he does that? You.

Yeah, this all comes from Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Id,_ego,_and_super-ego). And yes, I am aware that I'm looking into the psychological aspects of a game with space gorillas.

[Player_2]

Max might not have an actual manifestation of his ego - it's probably something incredible meta, like the player is his ego, since we're the one's controlling him. Shaka! My mind blown.

[Keevi]

Umm I think the "you" in past games is meant to be him talking to Max, remember Max is very forgetful the EEEK gaint talking dog moment anyone?

[BlankCanvasDJ]

I think it's just classic Sam & Max fourth wall breaking, nothing more complicated than that. Sam himself does it a few times in 305.

So wait... if the Narrator was the villain pulling the strings through the series, and we were the ones he was telling to pull the strings, doesn't that make the ultimate villain of Season 3....US?!

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!