Argumental theory about the ending [Spoilersssssss]

[Banterus Maximus]

In the post following below, we are going to refer to the final moments of the game as "The Realisation".

So, the "theory" (it's not a theory, just an analysis and rejection/approval of all the possible outcomes) starts with the - not so crazy - axiom that Georgie sees the face of the first woman whose ribbon he removes.
Possibility 1: The face of the first woman whose ribbon he removes is Nerissa's (glamoured or unglamoured). Impossible. That way, Georgie would think/know that Nerissa is dead, therefore teaching her Pole Dancing later the same night would be at least awkward...
Possibility 2: The face of the first woman whose ribbon he removes is Lilly's (glamoured or unglamoured). Impossible. Truth be told, Lilly's murder was the only one for which we know every detail. From all the information in the game it is certain that Lilly was killed after the first head was placed on Bigby's doorstep (Crane: "Tell her I am coming early for my massage" after he learnt the news of the first murder).
Possibility 3: The face of the first woman whose ribbon Georgie removes is Faith's (glamoured or unglamoured).
-- Possibility 3A: Faith was indeed Faith (or Faith unglamoured). And that is the version of the story as we know it before The Realisation. I do not need to repeat it, it's the story "Nerissa" explains in the trial and also the details she says to Bigby afterwards.

But, if we go with Possibility 3A, The Realisation is pointless. The mere existence of The Realisation nullifies Possibility 3A and through the law of the banned list leaves us only with the final possibility:

-- Possibility 3B: Faith was not indeed Faith (or Faith glamoured). In this possibility Nerissa is glamoured as Faith, Faith survives and with her mastery in the art of the disguise she impersonates Nerissa for the rest of the game.

The only thing missing is, why would Nerissa be glamoured as Faith in the first place. However, the absence of an answer to that question does not change anything. If one believes the axiom set at the beggining of my post, the rest are just facts, they cannot be denied.

[emello89]

There is actually an undisputable fact that proves this theory: the mirror won't show Faith's body when asked to. This can only mean the spell is still active, which can only mean she is still alive. No need for any speculations, interpretations, or analizing quotes, that's just how it is.

[Dasu]

I agree with you. Also, the girls use glamour to cover each other's shifts. I don't think it's that impossible that Nerissa was glamoured as Faith when she was killed.

[Banterus Maximus]

Originally posted by emello89:

There is actually an undisputable fact that proves this theory: the mirror won't show Faith's body when asked to. This can only mean the spell is still active, which can only mean she is still alive. No need for any speculations, interpretations, or analizing quotes, that's just how it is.

I agree. Plus, if you have played the game and experience the trial, the explanation, the tension between Faith and Bigby at the first episode, the quotes at the end, the dramatic music on the quotes "I hope you find what you are looking for", "see you around, Wolf", it kinda feels like the game is telling you that Faith is alive. And she is impersonating Nerissa.

[Banterus Maximus]

Originally posted by Dasu:

I agree with you. Also, the girls use glamour to cover each other's shifts. I don't think it's that impossible that Nerissa was glamoured as Faith when she was killed.

A valid speculation.

[keeveek]

When you ask in the first episode "where is Faith" the mirror says "those lips are sealed". That's because Faith was glamoured as Nerissa and still had a ribbon.

Nerissa glamoured as Faith was already dead, so if it was real Faith, it would show her body.

[Zaltys]

Originally posted by emello89:

There is actually an undisputable fact that proves this theory: the mirror won't show Faith's body when asked to. This can only mean the spell is still active, which can only mean she is still alive.

Nah, that doesn't seem right.
If it were true, why does the mirror say the exact same thing about Lily? She's definitely dead.

[Kernest]

Let's consider the pole dancing here for a bit. They all obviously had been working there for quite some time, but "Nerissa" had trouble performing the whole mermaid-routine when Bigby first walked in.

I don't know exactly how this all can be explained away, but I think it's a good assumption that the girls could glamour as each other to cover shifts and such, so based on that I'd say the first head, the one that "Nerissa" brought to the door of the woodlands was actually Nerissa, glamoured as Faith, and "Nerissa" is actually Faith

Why Faith? Perhaps because she had already met Bigby and the real Faith knew that Bigby would know where to start looking. Though one thing I can't wrap my head around is why Georgie would go along with it, allowing Faith to glamour into Nerissa.

I haven't read that much of the comics, but I think it could have something to do with the fact that there are ramifications if some of the more popular Fables die (also, they're supposedly harder to kill for this reason, and can recover from greater amounts of damage), so maybe Faith told Georgie that Nerissa couldn't just disappear from the world without someone figuring it out. Maybe it was actually Faith who confessed to Georgie, and that's why she was allowed to live, but needed to be glamoured as Nerissa.

Still, there are quite a few important questions left unanswered, but I think Faith is alive glaroumed as Nerissa.

[keeveek]

Originally posted by Zaltys:

Originally posted by emello89:

There is actually an undisputable fact that proves this theory: the mirror won't show Faith's body when asked to. This can only mean the spell is still active, which can only mean she is still alive.

Nah, that doesn't seem right.
If it were true, why does the mirror say the exact same thing about Lily? She's definitely dead.

So is it a loop hole? Pulling off the ribbon should mean breaking the spell for that one person

Also, I don't recall asking the mirror about Lily while she was dead.

[emello89]

Originally posted by Zaltys:

Nah, that doesn't seem right.
If it were true, why does the mirror say the exact same thing about Lily? She's definitely dead.

When do they ask the mirror about Lily? I don't seem to recall that.

[Selvec]

Its actually all proven by one tiny bit that is forgotten about in the first episode. When you try to ask the mirror to look for Faith, and the mirror cannot find her. But latter when you ask him to find lilly, he finds her corpse fine.

Thus, Faith is still alive, and nothing through the entire game proves otherwise. This is how faith got out. She started this whole thing, so she could get out.

[keeveek]

Originally posted by RavenDice:

Its actually all proven by one tiny bit that is forgotten about in the first episode. When you try to ask the mirror to look for Faith, and the mirror cannot find her. But latter when you ask him to find lilly, he finds her corpse fine.

Thus, Faith is still alive, and nothing through the entire game proves otherwise.

Thank you, case dismissed.

[Kernest]

Originally posted by RavenDice:

Thus, Faith is still alive, and nothing through the entire game proves otherwise. This is how faith got out. She started this whole thing, so she could get out.

It's got to be slightly more complicated than that. She didn't "start" the whole thing to get out, I believe that what she said in the final discussion was true, excepts for a few names here and there. They wanted to get out, Faith pleaded to Georgie which is why she was allowed to live, and then for revenge AND perhaps in order to get out, she brought the head to Bigbys doorstep.

As for why they were glamoured as each other, I think I had a pretty decent explanation couple posts up...

[You takin motes]

Spoilers in the title, not everyone has finished the game yet.

[Zaltys]

Originally posted by emello89:

When do they ask the mirror about Lily? I don't seem to recall that.

Arrest Woodsman, and get him to admit that he's been sleeping with Holly's sister.

Then you can ask the mirror about her, before doing the autopsy.

[BooSnaga]

At the very end when Nerissa repeats what Faith said in the beginning ("You know, you're not as bad as everyone says you are"), and I chose the option to run after her, I got the achievement called 'Happily ever after...', and I thought for a moment that Bigby and Faith (Glamoured as Nerissa) hooked up and lived happily ever after.

But then, I presume the achievement was probably just a generic one for completing the story. :-)