The story of Amanda the Aventurer 2 is as intricate as it can get. Woven like a web, it may take you a while to untangle yourself from the lies this game throws at you. So, which parts are the truth, and can you make sense of what you’re seeing?
Here is our rundown of Amanda the Adventurer 2‘s complex story, with an explanation of the events, alongside our theories and interpretations. We hope it answers some of your questions.
Warning: Spoilers throughout.
Amanda the Adventurer 2 plot, summarized
The Masked Figure appears in the attic after Riley broke the television set in Kate’s attic. Going over the events of the first game, the Masked Figure drives to Kate’s workplace to find the remaining tapes and destroy them. Playing through the tapes, Riley is attacked by Amanda’s monstrous form after handing her the treasured Dolly. It is only by handing over the Wooly plushie that she is refrains from attacking Riley this time around, and runs to the call of another monster (off-screen).
In the end, the remaining tapes are gathered by the Masked Figure after Riley discovered a secret hatch at the back of Kate’s office. A tape is destroyed, freeing an orb that floated up to the ceiling as Amanda comes crashing through, landing atop the Masked Figure. Riley is ordered to run. With only one place to go, she ran to the hatch and looked back. As she peered through the closing doors leading back into Kate’s office—we say goodbye to our friend—and begin our descend into the hatch.
Amanda the Adventurer 2: Our theories and interpretations
Who is the Masked Figure in Amanda the Adventurer 2?
We finally have confirmation on the Masked Figure’s identity—but only by achieving the secret ending. Revealed to be Joanne Cook—a friend of Aunt Kate—her wearing of the black eyeless mask is perhaps the strangest feature in her appearance. We assume this was to avoid being tricked or worse, transported into the cursed television show. We can see in the first secret tape that Kate had turned the television to face the wall, demonstrating her paranoia and uncertainty against the mysterious powers at force. It’d make sense if this worry manifested into Joanne, whose brother mysteriously disappeared after being transfixed with Amanda the Adventurer.
Joanne’s desperate search for her missing brother may have directly contributed to Kate’s car crash—or at least, she seems to think so. But the question arises when we think about one particular character that makes a recurring appearance throughout the tapes, and who we never saw in first game…
Who is the opossum in Amanda the Adventurer?
I’m torn with this one, as all evidence points towards the opossum being Joanne’s missing brother, Jordan. Referred to as a stranger and “he” by Amanda and Wooly, his ability to recognise Joanne’s voice through the walkie-talkie in the Do You Feel Safe alley tells us that the opossum has to be linked to our side character. We know that Jordan vanished after watching Amanda the Adventurer, but there is a possibility (albeit a small one) that the opossum is Kate. There is less information to back this theory, however.
There is a chance that while it was established that Kate died in a car crash, heard on the cassette tape, and confirmed by Joanne in the secret ending; her body could be kept alive in a comatose state, while her mind is moved into the tapes. We know that Hameln are capable of transferring a person’s essence into the tapes. If Amanda only spoke to Kate through the television, could it be that she just wouldn’t recognise her in a new form and incapable of speaking? But why would they pick this particular form? Because of this, we believe the opossum has to be Jordan Cooke.
The opossum features a lot of slapstick comedy as he causes havoc in every tape, with Amanda kicking and throwing him if you get involved. He’s even seen playing dead at one point. But does this behavior and physical manifestation link to either Jordan or Kate? There is symbolism behind the opossum. Said to be a beacon of wisdom in darkness and referenced in the Bible to surprise people when they least expect it (by playing dead), could it be that the opossum is attempting to remind Amanda of her true identity?
Another curious thing worth mentioning are the nameless victims that appear throughout each tape, sporting googly eyes on inanimate objects and food items. These “characters” look quite similar to our googly-eyed cursor, hinting that they were likely transported into the television show, rather than made a part of the show through the use of their soul. This would mean that the opossum’s mind must still be intact, linking back to Rebecca’s secret tape. It’d also link to David, who Kate asked about in the first tape by saying “are we going to talk about David?” (suggesting something bad happened to him too). Caroline and Peter, who investigated Hameln with Kate, were also said to have died.
What do we know about Hameln?
The most interesting point made in the first secret tape is that Rebecca has been trapped inside the show for 14 years. The group theorize she was five years old at the time of signing the Amanda the Adventurer contract, meaning that she would be between 18 to 20 years old at the time of the Amanda the Adventurer 2‘s events. The first secret tape also tells us that Kate’s participation in the Hameln investigations likely took place around eight months before her death.
The same tape also revealed that Hameln has a cultist background, possibly dating all the way back to the Middle Ages, with references to Belial, Mara, and Iblis. Here is a quick rundown of these three ancient demons with descriptions most relevant to Amanda the Adventurer:
- Belial: New Testament describes Belial as the devil, but has also been used to describe wicked or worthless men.
- Mara: Buddhist celestial being linked to killing, death, delusions, hate, and greed. Also used as a metaphor of the conditioned existence. This could mean that Mara is the creator behind Amanda the Adventurer’s complex web.
- Iblis: Master of illusion, Iblis can control demons and lures the unworthy into a web away from reality.
Based on the information above each deity have distinct similarities to one another that could explain how the television show works. The “unworthy” worship Belial and are lured into the web, only to be trapped by Mara’s intricate world of delusions.
We learn that Caroline’s family was investigating an ancient cult who Kate believed may be the same group that either infiltrated Hameln or founded it. They used the harmless and friendly façade of Sam Colton’s television show, combined with Kate’s Kensdale Public Library to lure children into its domain.
Not only was more information given on Hameln’s origins but, we’ve also learnt more about Amanda’s greatest fear—Butcher (Meatman). This name is not to be taken literally, however, even though we are often shown images of pigs and meat, and can bring up Wooly or “mutton” to make Amanda laugh. It appears the Butcher is a Hameln surgeon and may be the leading scientists who gives anaesthetic to execute “incisions.” This was demonstrated by the Meatman dialogue in the We Can Fix It tape:
“Close your eyes. Count down from ten. You may feel this pinch. We at Hameln believe every child has a light within.” (That “light within” makes an appearance when Joanne breaks the Do You Feel Safe tape in the default ending).
Alongside this, Amanda was said to have broken the mold by BlabBot. It sounds like Rebecca was the first to truly connect to the deities. Perhaps many other children were sacrificed before Rebecca successfully linked to the web?
What happened to Rebecca and Sam Colton?
We’ve learnt so much about Rebecca and Sam Colton in the sequel. I believe the secret tapes show a timeline of events, separated into three key events: Sam reached out at the Library by a Hameln representative, his confinement, escape and search for Rebecca, and ending with Kate’s Hameln investigation.
Creator of the show, Sam spent his free time reading books to children that visited Kensdale Library. He would work alongside Kate, encouraging children to visit the Library and create their own stories, as if they’ve unknowingly fulfilled the pied piper role for Hameln.
What’s strange about Kate’s presence in the sequel is the fact that there’s a secret hatch at the back of her office. The keys to unlock this safe are hidden around the Library, with puzzle solutions located within the cursed tapes. Either these codes were left behind by Kate (who is now inside the tapes), or (more likely) Hameln installed the secret hatch without Kate knowing. This would either mean that Sam and Rebecca’s rooms will be found underneath the Library in a secret facility, or it’ll be a basement of Kate’s findings.
Wooly makes his return—this time in a new form
The greatest revelation in Amanda the Adventurer 2 is the Wooly demon at the end of the secret ending. Although hard to distinguish clear markings and make sense of his form, you can clearly see that the creature killing Joanne is indeed Wooly. His method of killing is significantly more aggressive than Amanda as he tears the flesh off Joanne, leaving her screaming in the darkness before her life is taken.
But who exactly is Wooly? It’s a difficult one to figure out as there’s a chance we haven’t yet seen or heard about the real identity behind the fluffy, friendly exterior of Amanda’s sidekick. Although Wooly disappeared at the end of the first game, he returns in the Let’s Practice Patience tape. Frustrated that she can’t get rid of him, Amanda wants nothing more than to see Wooly suffer.
The dynamic between the two is strange as their friendship is one-sided, with Wooly seemingly trying to control Amanda’s thoughts and feelings. He can even be seen re-burying the dirty clothes west of the Let’s Find That Treasure tape, where Amanda said “sometimes you just have to bury things.” The audio muffles at this point as if we’re the one behind buried. Then, moments later, Wooly is buried as Amanda leaves him behind, dropping a filthy toy in the hole with him. We believe these two occasions are connected.
Much like the opossum, the lamb has symbolism in the Bible too. Representing triumph and suffering, the lamb is gentle, innocent, meek, obedient, and submissive. A lamb is also seen as a scapegoat, or a sacrifice—which could link to Sam.
I strongly believe Wooly is Sam, but with Amanda’s clear distrust towards him and pleasure to attack or laugh about his death, this identity doesn’t add up. That is unless Amanda doesn’t know the truth (which Wooly tries so desperately to hide). Maybe Sam was coerced into joining the show or he willingly put himself inside to watch over his daughter. Finally, Sam was seen reading to the children at Kensdale, linking to Wooly’s Read-a-Thon that was cancelled because of his disappearance.
The sequel showed Wooly tell his knight in shining armor story to Amanda, a classic tale of a princess needing saving from a dragon. This makes Wooly a more authoritative figure, hinting he may be a trapped adult, rather than another child. Something I think is worth mentioning is Wooly’s Herd of Mouth tape in the first game. Showcased in a white room, Wooly appears trapped in solitary confinement, much like Sam in the sequel’s secret tape.
The secret tapes indicate that Sam may have escaped from his confinement after hearing an authorization code. Searching for Rebecca as he attempts to make his escape, he fails to grab her in time because she isn’t alone. Tied up to monitors with a biohazard container in sight, Rebecca—alongside other patients—are kept in a comatose state. An incision is mentioned, just like the Meatman’s words.
There is always so much to unpack in Amanda the Adventurer and with Riley descending down the hatch to conclude the sequel—we can expect more complex lore to follow in the third game—and I couldn’t be more excited.
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