Little Nightmares II - About That Story And Ending... (Theory)

[JoaLoft]

Probably shouldn't need to put this here, but, you know:

 

Spoilers.

 

The ending of this sequel alright let's just cut to the chase: it seems clear that Little Nightmares II is a prequel. Which begs the question: how does everything fit together?

 

It's been implied by an alternative theory that Mono taking over the Thin Man's powers and Six following in the Lady's footsteps is nothing but a passing of the torch. While that very well may be the case for the Lady and Six (unless the devs have some equally sinister time-bending plot twist in store for them later?), the secret ending shows that Six has yet to enter the Maw

 

Six is seemlngly a lost girl at the start of this second game (not including "Very Little Nightmares", a mobile entry into the franchise) when Mono finds her in a hut, having been locked up for over a month by the Hunter when she undoubtedly walked into one of his many traps, the likes of which Mono has been able to avoid. This is shown by the tally on the wall, as she's been keeping track for how many days she's been locked up. She's playing a small music box, which will end up having significant importance later on. And her response to Mono's arrival is very different than the Six that we've come to know well in the first game: here, she crawls away and cowers underneath the table, terrified once Mono starts chopping his way through the wooden door. That's because this Six has not experienced the terrors that she has yet to. She's innocent.

 

Along the way, being drawn by the mysterious humming of the Transmission, she finds her signature yellow coat. At the time, I was already thinking to myself why she would accidentally find an identical coat after having escaped the Maw? One possible theory is that this is not just to establish the fact that this child is indeed the same Six from the first game. That's because she hasn't escaped the Maw yet: this is the first time she finds her coat, as rain starts falling down on the Pale City. However, there is also a mobile game in the same franchise called "Very Little Nightmares" which takes place before this one, and also features Six in the same yellow raincoat. If that game is considered canon, then this is not the first time she acquired the raincoat: the yellow coat is simply there to reveal and confirm her identity to players.

 

As they traverse the Pale City and survive the School and the Hospital, the Thin Man ends up kidnapping Six through one of the many television screens that Mono wanted to interact with, the humming possibly luring him to his inevitable fate. Mono chases after her, defeating the Thin Man in the process with the same powers he acquired, possibly via reaching out through the television sets multiple times.

 

Entering the tower and into the Transmission itself, which seems to be a loophole in time, as demonstrated by the many staircases and doors connecting to one another, he finds Six, playing with a music box, having transformed into a hideous monster. Time flows differently in this place, as has become apparent by how long it took Mono to transform into the Thin Man, and it changes you. So too did Six wait countless ages for Mono to find her, to no avail. And it changed her, but she held onto one thing all that time to stop time from breaking her completely: her innocence. The same innocence that was displayed when she played the same music box back at the cabin. The music box is a representation of the remaining innocence inside her. Take note that Six does not harm Mono at all when he approaches her for the first time, and when he calls out to her, she listens. It is only when he attacks the music box, and the last remnants of her innocence, that she becomes very aggressive.

 

Mono destroys the music box - and also inadvertently the last part of her innocence - through clever manipulation of the loophole in time and space and is able to revert the process. But Six is not as she was before, and as they flee the tower and the Transmission being chased by the Flesh Walls, she betrays Mono at the last second. One would speculate that maybe she had learned the truth about Mono becoming the Thin Man, and decided to drop him in a feeble attempt to alter the outcome, but I'd wager that the loss of her innocence and the despair she felt, having waited forever for Mono to find her, is what made her drop him.

 

Mono survives by using his powers he acquired and returns the walls to normal, sitting on a chair. Waiting forever, growing deeply resentful towards Six, slowly changing into the Thin Man. More proof for this can be found by the fact that the Thin Man's music theme is called: "The Man In The Hat". And what has Mono been wearing ever since he woke up, next to a working TV set no less in the forest? Correct, a hat. Even the collectibles focus completely on wearable hats, which cements this fact even further.

 

He waits for his chance at revenge, forever, trapped in that same room on the chair. Which is exactly what he does once young Mono arrives at the city and reaches through to open the door once more: he escapes and kidnaps Six as payback and chases a young Mono afterwards to stop him from attempting to save Six, thereby paradoxically keeping the cycle alive.

 

The moral of the story is the following ancient saying: "He who seeks revenge, should start by digging two graves." If Mono had not decided to go after Six for what she did, inexcusable as it is, the cycle would have long been broken.

 

In a secret ending cutscene, Six emerges from the Transmission, having escaped through one of the live TV sets. But her dark side has manifested physically too, a resonance of her time in the Transmission. The theory has been suggested as well that this is her Glitching Remain, the static that remains of someone after they've been taken into the Transmission. All up for speculation, though. We hear her hunger for the first time, a byproduct of having been in the Transmission for so long. The hunger could also indicate a growing desire for more blood. Shadow Six points to a flyer depicting the Maw, where children are being kept captive and served up as food to the rich and powerful gluttonous human-like monsters. My take on this? Six is out for blood and revenge herself, and infiltrates the Maw (Little Nightmares I) to destroy every single one of its inhabitants and set the children (including the former children, the Nomes) free.

 

Which is exactly how Six wakes up at the start of Little Nightmares I, finally giving its intro meaning after this second game's reveal: in a suitcase, having supposedly smuggled herself onboard with the luggage. Ready to commence her killing spree against the kidnappers of the Maw.

 

The story's pretty fascinating to sift through, and I'm a huge sucker for intriguing storylines, especially if they deal with the notion of time. Something that us humans have always been incredibly fascinated by: just take a look at how many pop culture media have drawn inspiration from the subject.

 

I can only hope that Tarsier Studios will be at the helm again, if they ever make a potential Little Nightmares III.

 

Because not only was the first game pretty damn good: this one just completely nailed it.

Edited January 27, 2022 by JoaLoft
Editing to clarify the yellow raincoat

[Mojo-9000]

Dude this is an extremely good take. Nobody's replied to your comment and i just wanted to let you know ... thanks for the write up!

[JoaLoft]

11 hours ago, Mojo-9000 said:

Dude this is an extremely good take. Nobody's replied to your comment and i just wanted to let you know ... thanks for the write up!

 

Thanks for commenting!

 

I just love being able to puzzle something together, and then sharing a theory with others to discuss the essence of the narrative. Did the same thing with The Dark Pictures: Little Hope, and I went much deeper into The Last of Us Part II as well, although that last thread focuses much more on motives rather than actual plot twists.

 

A shame that Little Nightmares III seems highly unlikely right now - Tarsier Studios already announced they're done with the IP and moving on to new endeavors.

[Miss_Valkyria]

This was really well written. I think you nailed it. I just finished my blind playthrough tonight and it all makes much more sense now. 

[insane2201]

I feel I need to add this, it's not the first time Six found her raincoat. Though it's clear this is a prequel. There was in fact a mobile game called Very Little Nightmares which takes place in location called "The Nest". It even had a character that may have been taught to take over the role for the Lady once her time had passed.

 

Although I'm unsure of it's canon aspects now that Little Nightmares 2 has cemented itself as the prequel.

[JoaLoft]

On 3/4/2021 at 0:24 AM, insane2201 said:

I feel I need to add this, it's not the first time Six found her raincoat. Though it's clear this is a prequel. There was in fact a mobile game called Very Little Nightmares which takes place in location called "The Nest". It even had a character that may have been taught to take over the role for the Lady once her time had passed.

 

Although I'm unsure of it's canon aspects now that Little Nightmares 2 has cemented itself as the prequel.

 

I totally forgot to comment a year ago, but you're correct: that mobile game does take place before this one.

 

I'll add it to my original post, thanks!