#killed 7? Which is canon to Henry? Hm? What’s canon?

[henrysglock]

Funny to me how almost every negative trait ascribed to Henry in the VR game is Shadow Brenner talking. Like okay, sir, who are you trying to convince here?

It’s also hilarious to me that Vecna’s taunts sound just like Shadow Brenner irt choices of taunts/vernacular/etc…I smell bullshit. I smell “Oh, I’m the one in control, I’m not being influenced” when really it was entirely too easy to take control and all of Vecna’s shit reeks of Shadow Brenner. The best indicator of brainwashing is believing you’re resistant to brainwashing.

Which…it’s all 100% giving NINA, something we all know isn’t straightforward.

Hell, they even reference NINA-type dynamics for Shadow Brenner making Henry relive his old memories, particularly of the lab:

So I really, really am wary of claiming most of this as canon (something I’ve been saying since they teased it back in November).

Also: They’re very protective of 001, but Vecna shows up in things as un-canon as the Puzzle Tales game. So…I don’t take Vecna canonicity very seriously here, especially not as a meter to judge Henry/001 by…not to mention that they wouldn’t make any major, canon-altering reveals in a fucking video game. Like…come on, guys.

And on top of that: Half the shit we supposedly know about pre-Vecna Henry from the game is told to us in memories being replayed to Henry by the Shadow as Vecna tries to pull his shattered/jumbled mind together and keep control of the hive. The other half is given to you by the Shadow when it’s studying Henry! There’s no way in hell they’re as straightforward as you think they are. It’s all silly, terrible gameplay!

And they say as much:

It’s all a big experiment! And you think it’s going to just tell you everything you need to know about Season 5??? Be serious.

Didn’t think I’d have to say it, but: Let’s not fall for the NINA “taking everything at face value” trap again.

Even further…Vecna isn’t even subtitled as Henry/001:

As far as I’m concerned: We have net zero new information about Henry/001 as a person scoping out of his lab flashbacks…which is consistent with games and novels and comics not being strictly canon!

You’re telling me you’re gonna worry about the canonicity of a game where Virginia’s hair is brown and the Creel house layout is fucked up while Vecna struggles to put his mind back together? None of this is strictly canon. It can inform on canon, it can (and does) double down on existing subtext, but it’s honestly nothing that we haven’t seen already.

As always, never forget: THE FILM IS THE THING. The play, the TV show…they’re canon. Not a video game.

(the link to the interview will be added when I’m back to my laptop)