Game Theory: Bendy 2, Return to the Ink Machine (Bendy and the Dark Revival)

MatPat confesses that he and most viewers have underestimated the Bendy series from a storytelling standpoint, believing the games are more sophisticated than initially apparent.

• Characters who melt away are creatures made entirely of ink • Characters whose bodies persist after being killed are infused with real human souls • This distinction is essential for understanding the entire plot but is never explicitly stated in the game

Sammy Lawrence's dramatic death in Chapter 2 and unexpected reappearance in Chapter 5 initially confused viewers, but careful attention to design details reveals hidden clues about his return.

Across Bendy's five chapters, two types of candles are used: candles in bacon soup cans and tall white candles. White candles are concentrated in places associated with music or where Sammy is physically present.

Bacon soup candles are used practically everywhere throughout the game as standard environmental decoration.

• Concentrated around Sammy's prayer altars and sacrificial bowls in Chapter 2 • Found at the memorial wall set up by Sammy and the Lost Ones in Chapter 5 • Appears in an unexpected location: Chapter 4's caves around an ink pool

In Chapter 4's caves, white candles surround an ink pool containing a Swollen Searcher, along with Sammy's iconic mask hidden on the ground, suggesting Sammy was attempting to summon something.

This discovery was pieced together by Tumblr users Dreamfisher and Adobe-outdesign, recognized as the two most prolific Bendy theorists on the internet, whose work prompted deeper examination of the game.

The Bendy series contains substantial design noise, where many extraneous details obscure which elements are intentional world-building and which are simply filling empty space.

• Walls are covered in many different handwritten messages that repeat across chapters • Mysterious footprints scattered across floors • Doors that open and shut seemingly at random • The messy, ruined world aesthetic makes intentional details harder to identify

Five Nights at Freddy's uses clean, stripped-down design where meaningful data points stand out clearly. FNAF 2 uses mandatory death mini-games to force important details into player awareness, making it clear what matters.

The game needs more theorists to unpack its details because there is significant material to sift through. As the game has progressed with new chapters and updates, more design elements appear intentional rather than decorative.

According to creator Mike Mood on Twitter, Bendy and the Dark Revival is neither a sequel nor a prequel, leaving it as either an alternate universe using the same characters or a side story.

The teaser mentions that 'the choices you make' are central to the game, suggesting player decisions will significantly impact the narrative and story progression.

MatPat uses 'Bendy 2' in the title to introduce viewers to the game based on traditional titling conventions, avoiding naming confusion similar to Kingdom Hearts' complicated sequel titles.

What exactly is being revived, and what are the new game's core themes? The teaser provides minimal direct information, requiring deeper analysis of available clues.

After beating Bendy, players can replay the game using a Lens of Truth to see secret messages throughout Joey Drew Studios, revealing that they are stuck in a loop indicated by tally marks on the opening hallway wall.

• Tally marks in the opening hallway total 414, suggesting the player has gone through Joey Drew Studios 414 times • The Dark Revival teaser was officially uploaded on April 14th (4/14) • A final audio recording combines previous audio and introduces a new mysterious voice, dated April 14, questionable year

Audio logs uploaded to the Joey Drew Studios YouTube channel construct a studio timeline: Bendy's premiere (1929), studio growth (1931), Alice Angel's premiere (1932), Butcher Gang appearance (1935), Bendy Land troubles (1940), and ink machine takeover (1943).

A mysterious new voice in the final audio recording speaks about knowledge and observation, establishing a connection between the time loop Henry experiences and this new character researching the ink machine and studio secrets.

Before Chapter 5's release, three audio recordings labeled '???' were uploaded, made by Henry during his imprisonment by Alice Angel and Tom in an underground prison.

Henry mentions being watched by something other than demons and angels, expressing fear of an additional observing entity, suggesting setup for a new character in the upcoming game.

This watching entity is not Bendy himself, as indicated by the official Bendy Twitter account's letter-by-letter message suggesting someone else is reawakening a benevolent demon, implying Bendy is the subject being revived, not the observer.

The identity of the mysterious observer who is researching the ink machine and connected individuals remains unclear but is linked to the new game's central mystery.

The official Bendy Twitter account tweeted letters daily leading to the reveal. When assembled like Wheel of Fortune, the message indicates someone is reawakening the benevolent demon, with Bendy as the subject being revived.

• Sammy Lawrence is the only character who sees Bendy as a force for good and speaks in Biblical heightened language • The phrase 'benevolent demon' appears to come from Sammy specifically • In the original game, Sammy transitions from Bendy devotee to complete disillusionment after repeated death

Sammy's return to calling Bendy the benevolent demon suggests this might be Sammy from an earlier point in the timeline or story loop, before his faith in Bendy was broken by constant sacrifice and death.

The phrase 'reawakened the dark' indicates the dark (ink) was alive before, suggesting the ink machine is coming back to life after years of dormancy.

The final jump scare in the Dark Revival teaser, when slowed down and brightened, reveals the shape of the Piper, one of three members of the Butcher Gang, distinguished by the ear, hairline, and elongated face.

• Butcher Gang members are twisted, tortured creatures with mutilated and dismembered bodies reassembled together • Unlike other characters who are ink blobs or cartoon versions, they are remixed and mutilated with removed and added body parts, swapped heads and ears, and sawn-shut mouths • One gang member, the Fisher, has 'Liar' written on his belt, indicating punishment for human behavior

• The Butcher Gang were human at one point or at least a subset of them were • Many melt into ink when defeated, but many don't and remain intact in Alice Angel's morgue in Chapter 3 • Their intact bodies after death indicate they possessed human souls when alive

The Butcher Gang are shown on Bendy's side in the demon route ending of Chapter 3, where Bendy leads an army of Searchers and Butcher Gang members, suggesting they are allied and on the same team.

Chapter 3 of the original game had the only actual decision point, allowing players to choose the demon route or angel route, which changed only the final chapter image shown at the end.

The demon route's ending image showed Bendy leading a charge of Searchers and Butcher Gang members allied together, establishing a clear faction system within the game world.

The Dark Revival teaser states players can 'walk with angels or cower before demons,' indicating players must pick sides in the new game, determining which faction they align with.

This choice system suggests that player decisions will directly influence how the gameplay loop progresses and which narrative path unfolds in this new iteration of the story.

The mysterious observer is reactivating the ink machine, likely the dormant one in Joey Drew's house, with the potential to change the course of Henry's story and create a new iteration of the gameplay loop.

• This isn't a prequel or sequel but the 414th iteration of the gameplay loop • This time, things might change based on player decisions and which faction they align with • The path chosen (demon or angel) will dictate how the loop plays out

• Who are the Butcher Gang members, and what were they punished for? • Whose Tommy gun appears in the game? • Can the player finally escape the ink realm?

Bendy and the Dark Revival appears to be a new story iteration where player choice matters, potentially revealing more about the Butcher Gang while offering a chance to escape the ink realm once and for all.