Does anyone have any theories on the Blue Butterfly?

[WarioLandGP]

I've seen lots of people here discuss theyr theories on Rachel Amber, Max's Powers, and various characters. But I haven't really seen anyone talk about the Blue Butterfly. I can tell it's importhant. Max talks about it, saying it's a very unusual butterfly that almost feels like a spirit.
And she discovered her powers after taking a photo of it.
Does anyone think the butterfly is somehow connected to Max's powers, or Rachel?

(By the way, this is my first ever post on steam, so I'm not very familiar with the rules. Hope I don't break any...)

[TargetLost]

Following the Game what was said for me Max most probabily got her power from the Butterfly.

My guess / speculation would be along the Line that someone has the skill to send those spirit and ghost animals which can transfear skills or power to others and I asume it has to do with the ancestors of that place whereas I somhow believe Rachel might be connected to (blood line). She has a certain look. So it might perhaps be sent from her in a way.

[flummiflummsen]

And why is it blue? I mean blue in a very Chloe-like way??

[TargetLost]

Dunno. Maybe it was meant for Chloe and Max accidently intercepted the "Skill"?
Or it's just a nice color for a nice looking Butterfly. Blue = spiritual.

The question I have is: Why did Chloe so want to keep the picture of the Butterfly. It sure was one of the better pictures that MAX had taken that day. Didn't like to give it to her. :)

[fenke]

Originally posted by DragonQuest77:

... Max talks about it, saying it's a very unusual butterfly that almost feels like a spirit.
And she discovered her powers after taking a photo of it....

That's it! She stole the butterfly's spirit, by taking the photo!?

I dunno, it's related, obviously, but I'd have thought Max's (guiding) spirit would be a deer, with the spirit deer at the end, and the one on her shirt. Also, remember how the science teacher talks about the region, to make the link to indian history (maybe Max has some indian ancestor).

Deer spirit stands for sensitivity, grace, determination, this is Max, the butterfly for transformation.

[fenke]

Mhh, that links right back to Amber, doesn't it?

[TargetLost]

not sure how you think this links to Amber.

You made a point. If the Deer is the spiritual guide/guardian of Max than the butterfly could be the spirtual guardian of Chloe. And than it makes sense that this guardian maybe gave Max the skill to rescue Chloe.

[[UCSC] KaraThrace]

I'm not sure about the butterfly giving Max her powers. I'm pretty sure she has the powers from right after her vision onwards--she just realizes how to use them after Chloe gets shot. Maybe the butterfly guided her towards an understanding of her powers, but I'm pretty sure she already had them.

Personally, I see the butterfly as a symbol of either Chloe or Rachel. There's an interesting video on the subject I might edit into this post. In any case, it also functions as a sly reference to "The Butterfly Effect."

[Eliran Cohen]

I figured out my self that either the butterfly is rachel ambers or its some kind of old spirit from the native at the time, nevertheless its been inspired from The Butterfly Effect as a symbol.

In my opinion there is a big possibility that even after episode 5 ends, we will never know what is the source of power nor will know the right link, just that its "happens" "sometimes" ... thats just my feeling and opinion.

[Eliran Cohen]

Also worth mentioning, that the Deer is not blue and many people relate blue for the whole concept ...

[devaunbeats]

Originally posted by Raptor:

Originally posted by TargetLost:

Dunno. Maybe it was meant for Chloe and Max accidently intercepted the "Skill"?
Or it's just a nice color for a nice looking Butterfly. Blue = spiritual.

The question I have is: Why did Chloe so want to keep the picture of the Butterfly. It sure was one of the better pictures that MAX had taken that day. Didn't like to give it to her. :)

Also I'm confused about how Chloe said "I've seen that!" when she grabbed the photo. So obviously she has seen the butterfly or something in the past... But she couldn't have in the bathroom shooting scene... Not sure about this one.

I was confused about that too until I realized that the butterfly stayed in the bathroom during the whole shooting incident. When Chloe went look around she just saw the butterfly sitting on the sink and recognized it from the picture that Max had taken. That's all.

When I played the game over again, I realized that the butterfly was still sitting on the sink after Max pulled the alarm and saved Chloe.

[E.]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ac3xWs9evg0
there you go.

[Kaziarl]

I kind of assumed it was just a nod towards the butterfly effect. Not the movie (but I guess that too) but just the idea that small things can later have a big impact, which seems to be an important part of the story.

[ShodaN]

Maybe it's Rachel ?

[slick-elbows moi]

Originally posted by rfickel1985:

I kind of assumed it was just a nod towards the butterfly effect. Not the movie (but I guess that too) but just the idea that small things can later have a big impact, which seems to be an important part of the story.

I agree that this is a worthwhile consideration. The plot of LIS hinges on Max's action in the bathroom which then defines Nathan and Chloe's day (retribution and reacquaintance). Perhaps we should also consider the importance of color symbolism in the character designs. Nathan is all warms and red-oranges (and I agree with Max that's he's 'unstable' aka volatile), and Chloe's blue hair is a near match to the blue of the butterfly.

I'd also like to bring up some VERY IMPORTANT FORESHADOWING that occurs after Max paint-pranks Victoria. Notice in the game that the sky is clear and calm. But in the conversation, lightning flashes in the background when you get to decide whether to mock of comfort Victoria. My pet theory based on Episode 1's events is that the tornado heading to town is not literally a tornado. It portends a terrible, human-made tragedy. Nathan is unraveling, emotionally distraught, trying to convince himself that he can bomb (or was it burn?) the school down as a comforting thought, and lashing out violenty at anyone he perceives as controlling him. Kate is at the other side of the expressed stress spectrum and is visibly depressed, humiliated, a possible victim of rape as speculated on the forums here (bear in mind Chloe was roofied and nearly video'd-- maybe Kate was as well), and at serious risk of suicide (note that the hotline for depression/suicide help is posted next to her dormroom). Rachel Amber is suspiciously missing. The 'storm' that hits in 4 days could actually be several murders or suicides. And just as Max gets to choose whether to further humiliate/anger Victoria in front of the student dorms, a storm brews in the background.

(This doesn't discount the possibility that the storm will strike, and I'm very interested in the mystical elements of LIS, but it's worth considering. Besides, there's a totem pole just beyond the dormitories! Max may thing a storm is coming, but maybe it's a sh*tstorm instead.)

[Danielle]

Pretty sure it's Philemon