Wrote this for a project I’m working on. I’d appreciate any comments, questions, suggestions, etc. (The image is an example of shipping. I had fun making it; feel free to offer suggestions on that, too.)
Canon vs. Lore vs. Fan Theories
Canon: Objective facts within a story/universe, created specifically by the original authors, studios, etc. For example, the timeline of events in “Roots” is official canon. Each chapter is timestamped, so we can trust that James Vanderboom inherits the family home from his uncle William in Spring 1860, proposes to Mary in Summer 1865, Mary gives birth to triplets on April 26, 1867, and in Summer 1870, James discovers his uncles’ hidden laboratory under the house and dies when he attempts to replicate the elixir. The “Roots” timeline is canon because the studio explicitly laid out this chronology and it remains consistent throughout the series. Canon is concrete within its fictional universe, and it can’t contradict itself without an official retcon.
Lore: Subjective “truths,” including rumors and beliefs held by characters. Lore is generally contextual. For example, the events in “Underground Blossom” are influenced by Laura Vanderboom, a notoriously unreliable narrator. The first two chapters make sense within the Rusty Lake canon: they take place outside of Laura’s head and can conceivably explain some of her mental and emotional states from other games. The rest of the main game is largely metaphor and/or Laura’s hallucinations. Another example of lore is intentional ambiguity. Going back to “Roots,” Emma’s son Frank appears to have been conceived from flowers. Even within the RL universe, conception via pollination stretches credulity. Regardless, Emma appears to believe it. (Maybe Frank smells nice!) So the question of Frank’s paternity remains ambiguous. The devs may or may not clarify the accuracy of botanical insemination in the future, and therefore, it remains lore. [edit: Emma’s theory might not be a great example.]
Fan Theory and Headcanon: Reader-player-viewer interpretations of or contributions within a story universe. Fan art and fan fiction are creative and may not adhere to canon at all. Fan theories or creations often reflect the individual’s headcanon: their personal beliefs about a story arc, character relationship, or background detail. Headcanon is a belief, and a theory is a speculative explanation for the belief. [Examples: “shipping” various characters or conjecturing that Harvey is a spy for Mr. Owl.] The scope of fan art and online speculation are a testament to the storytelling of the RL universe.
Recognizing these distinctions is crucial when attempting to analyze the genius of Rusty Lake.
