Mike Schmidt's Nightmares - Theory

[Jezza The Regular Troller]

Alright, so I was typing up a post about The Box when I out of the blue thought of the parallels between FNaF 1 and FNaF 4.

First of all, I need to establish that Michael Afton/Purple Guy is Mike Schmidt from the first game. I'm not just saying that because "they have the same first name" (that, and "MIKE" was on the Hand Unit keypad), but for the reasons Mike was fired:
http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/freddy-fazbears-pizza/images/6/60/I_didnt_want_to_work_here_anyway.png/revision/latest?cb=20140827063313

- Odor
- Tampering with the animatronics

This makes even more sense now with Michael Afton. Michael is literally a decaying purple corpse; OF COURSE he would smell bad. And in SL Michael had the job of a technician - so it makes sense he would be able to tamper with them. Also, it makes even more sense now that Mike is an ugly corpse. He said in the final cutscene he was "living in shadows" - he would have to because he's turned very ugly, and if he works as a night guard it makes sense to avoid people seeing him. For the same reasons, Michael could also be Fritz Smith from FNaF 2, which I also believe, but that doesn't have any relevance to this theory.

Now, I want to turn back to FNaF 1's gameplay mechanics. You have two doors to close. Bonnie attacks from the left, Chica attacks from the right. Foxy resides in Pirate Cove and has different warning stages to show when he is ready to attack. Chica also randomly goes into the kitchen from time-to-time and you hear the distant sounds of pots and pans clanging around. Freddy also laughs whenever he moves. And Golden Freddy's jumpscare is merely a static image of his face, plus an individual scream.

Now, we turn to the main gameplay sequences of FNaF 4. We once again have two doors to shut, plus a closet and a bed. Bonnie once again attacks from the left, Chica again attacks from the right. This appears reminiscent of the first game. When Nightmare Foxy gets into your room, he charges into the closet and has similar warning stages showing when he is ready to attack - once again reminiscent of Pirate Cove from the first game. Nightmare Chica also goes into the kitchen (again) occasionally. Nightmare Fredbear/Nightmare laugh whenever they move, like Freddy from the first game. And Nightmare's jumpscare is a static image of his face plus an individual jumpscare. That, and Nightmare has a GOLDEN hat and bowtie. Seems like intentional design choice by Scott... ;) And if you know Scott well enough, you know he doesn't do things randomly.

Now all of this seems like merely a callback to the good 'ol days of FNaF 1. Since FNaF 4 was, after all, intended to be the final chapter. But because of all these parallels, I believe FNaF 4 could be some kind of nightmare Mike Schmidt made up in his head derived from his experience working at Freddy's.
But when we get to SL, this theory holds even more ground. The FNaF 4 cameras in the private room show that the house from the main gameplay physically exists, and isn't some area dreamt up in Mike's mind. The breaker room map also proves this:
http://img05.deviantart.net/58b0/i/2016/312/b/7/sister_location__breaker_room_map_layout_by_freddydanformer1328-danqqd7.png

But wait, take a closer look at the private room area. We see the FNaF 4 house, ironically enough, is CONNECTED to it's area. Now maybe it isn't so farfetched of a claim now to suggest that the house in-between nights in SL is that very same house, and Michael lives in it. Now I'm just saying that because "they have the same lamp" but it makes sense with the Fake Ending. I mean, how the hell did Ennard randomly appear in his house? Well, if we consider the fact that after 6AM, Mike escaped the private room area and used the stairway into his own house, then it makes sense Ennard followed him and interrupted the newest episode of The Immortal and the Restless. The reason his house has a child's bedroom in it though is possibly because he may have lived in it when he was younger. Or maybe he had a child of his own... :0

Now let's go back to FNaF 2. What part of that game has gone almost completely forgotten about? Oh yeah, the cutscenes in-between nights. They clearly take place in the FNaF 1 location, with the same building, and the same animatronics:
http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20141215025449/freddy-fazbears-pizza/images/3/39/2ndNightCutscene.png

These cutscenes are labeled "dreams" in the game files. So who's having them? None other than Michael Afton. These cutscenes are taking place in-between his nights working at the FNaF 1 location. He is in the eyes of Freddy because he's imagining the animatronics confronting him after he's been stuffed. Like how Phone Guy described to him. And even after he was fired from his job and the pizzeria closed, those very same animatronics haunted him in his nightmares long after. In FNaF 4 we play as a young Michael in his nightmares, attempting to defend himself once again from those same animatronics he defended himself against in real life, now in his nightmares and in a much-worse form.

The nightmares haunted him long after, that he couldn't deal with it anymore. As we see in FNaF 3, Mike returns to the pizzeria long after it's abandoned to destroy the animatronics that have haunted him once-and-for-all. But in doing so, the spirits are released and he becomes Springtrap. But he helps the souls find peace with the help of The Puppet in the Good Ending, they are finally at peace in their Happiest Day. But he is now stuck in a dingy-old rabbit suit fot 30 years until he's uncovered.

I really like this theory and all, but there are some issues it doesn't explain/address:
1). The IV, pills and flowers that Scott placed for a reason in FNaF 4. These go seemingly unexplained in this theory.
2). Why would Michael imagine himself as a child? Any specific reason?
3). Why would William be watching the house?
4). How do the Plushtrap sequences fit in?
5). Why are the Nightmare animatronics marked on the breaker room map?

If anyone has a reason or explanation for these, be sure to let me know!

[ARuarkGuy]

I like the theory. Filled with detailed ideas, theories, and opinions. It would make sense about his nightmares and all.

[Jezza The Regular Troller]

Originally posted by ARuarkGuy:

I like the theory. Filled with detailed ideas, theories, and opinions. It would make sense about his nightmares and all.

Thanks. :) I'm happy with this theory, so I'm going to try to work around the issues I presented in an attempt to fit it all together. Because something tells me that the details of FNaF 4&1 feel all too intentional to just be a mere coincidence.

[ARuarkGuy]

Originally posted by M.E.J:

Originally posted by ARuarkGuy:

I like the theory. Filled with detailed ideas, theories, and opinions. It would make sense about his nightmares and all.

Thanks. :) I'm happy with this theory, so I'm going to try to work around the issues I presented in an attempt to fit it all together. Because something tells me that the details of FNaF 4&1 feel all too intentional to just be a mere coincidence.

You have a point there. Good luck with the work bud!

[Jezza The Regular Troller]

Originally posted by ARuarkGuy:

Originally posted by M.E.J:

Thanks. :) I'm happy with this theory, so I'm going to try to work around the issues I presented in an attempt to fit it all together. Because something tells me that the details of FNaF 4&1 feel all too intentional to just be a mere coincidence.

You have a point there. Good luck with the work bud!

Thanks. Will do. :)

[The Sandwich]

#3 is answered, he is watching his child to make sure he is not telling anyone about the murders. Oh and fredbear plush is a security cam.

[Jezza The Regular Troller]

Originally posted by bacongamer2132:

#3 is answered, he is watching his child to make sure he is not telling anyone about the murders. Oh and fredbear plush is a security cam.

Again, WE ARE PLAYING AS SEPARATE CHILDREN IN THE MAIN GAMEPLAY AND MINIGAMES. The houses are different, as shown as SEPARATE on the Breaker Room map. Stop trying to convince yourself it's the same house as the minigames. Also, if we play as CC in the nightmares, why is FREDDY the plushie on the bed and not his favourite Fredbear? You are right about one thing, though, the Fredbear Plush is a security camera (NOT a walkie-talkie) but he is also possessed by the spirit of Afton's Daughter, AKA: his sister.

Anyway, stop trying to brainwash yourself into believing MatPat's theories. His theories are great, but not all of them are correct.

[Rollerwings]

Agreed, great theory. For fanfiction purposes, I've tried to figure out a few of these as well. All comments below are my theories only, not stated fact. :)

1). The IV, pills and flowers that Scott placed for a reason in FNaF 4. These go seemingly unexplained in this theory.

The main FNaF4 gameplay kid is an actual child, and he/she is Mike's kid. This child either witnessed Ice Cream Girl's death or heard about it from Crying Child, hence the hallucinations/nightmares about animatronics with teeth in their bellies. (Baby basically "ate" Ice Cream Girl by pulling her into her belly.)

This poor kid has "seen a lot" and may be hallucinating the pills, IV stand and flowers because he/she associates those with someone seen ailing in a hospital or at home. Meanwhile, he/she knows something isn't quite right, because Daddy (Mike, post-scooping) is coming home from work each day looking stranger and stranger.

At any rate, William seems to be "watching" this child at night while Mike is at work, but rather than babysitting he is watching the kid via cameras and possibly by causing the kid to hallucinate or dream the Nightmares.

2). Why would Michael imagine himself as a child? Any specific reason?

Since the room itself, complete with toys, appears on camera in SL, I think it's far more likely that this room is an ordinary room in a house and occupied by an actual child -- Mike's.

3). Why would William be watching the house?

Simple: He's a manipulative control freak. The house may have "been in the family" and he offered to let Mike and his family stay there, only to fill it with hidden cameras so he can monitor their every doing, including those of his grandchild.

4). How do the Plushtrap sequences fit in?

That's less certain, as they appeared to be part of the FNaF4 main gameplay house due to the decor that fell in line with the rest of the house, but the Plushtrap hallway appears to be a separate house according to the maps revealed in SL.

It's even less clear why the Plushtrap player's actions would have bearing on how long the FNaF4 main gameplay child's nights would be -- anyone? Do you think that was purely for gameplay purposes or something else?

5). Why are the Nightmare animatronics marked on the breaker room map?

I'm not sure if they're "real" in any way, as in actual robots, or just hallucinations/dreams, but if William is controlling what the child sees, he probably gets a kick out of manipulating every detail, including where the child's nightmares originate from.

[kazbaer20]

"murders"?.. Fredbear did not killed boy kid.

I saw there game "five nights with 39" they say that Michael Afton's son?... named San Schmidt?
right?.. uh.. not me.
I was read there game five nights with 39..