Aytiel

The game is really great there are just some things that prevent me from being able to recommend it to friends. The humor is sometimes predictable and comes across a bit too much as being 'for children' for its simplicity (most of the time, there is a fine line). It fits with the theme cause its literally a story told to a child tho I guess... Another small thing is that I sometimes wish that they would have looked more at the current state of meta games like Undertale and Deltarune for more inspiration. Alot of those use everything a 4th wall break can offer. Like the horror aspect for example. The creepyness of being called out really goes under the skin in them. And they're being more consistent with alot of the details so that endless theories can be formed. Undertale even stays a "(semi-)conventional story" by fusing the barrier between game world and reality. It's really hard to explain but I think I have a video that explains it pretty good if anyone is interested.

I noticed that captain lila was coincidentally also one of the people to walk through the door at the end. The three that walked through the door resemble the children at the beginning... This is some nice theory material but I haven't seen anyone think up of one. Maybe doors are symbolic for the seperation and connection of two worlds like in Psychonauts or Deltarune. Only that it's more than just symbolic in those games. It could be that it's also like that in Monkey Island and some magic-time-meta-story stuff is up with them. The random doors in melee island (tm) are also very freaky.

Very possible but too boring for me imma think more about my bullcrap cryptid theory. Way more fun.

That is somehow super creepy. What if the monkeys became some sorts of cryptids and are just out of sight/behind everyone. What if their master is the legendary three headed monkey. What if the monkeys are just behind the camera and thats why we can't see them... What if we're the monkeys? The monkeys are listening, remember? They were in the audience in the theater in MI3. And monkeys are now associated with being behind someone, out of their view just like the fourth wall. When they look around to search for the three headed monkey there is nothing tho, because they are looking the wrong way... Would be funny and cool if they took all this as foreshadowing (aftershadowing?) and made a small plot out of it.

This story is missing one more thing to be on the ultimate meta level. The incorporation of the player and/or the knowledge that it is a game into the 'canon' instead of being just in the comedy level. It could be really creepy while still being a real story like in Undertale or Deltarune. It can be small stuff like the voodoo lady saying: "-But don't worry you're being guided well." and then "Yeah I know you've been a great help!" only for her to say "It is not me who I was talking about" "Huh? Weird." Or it can be more impactful stuff like what I first thought when seeing the end scene of Tales. The voodoo lady steering the possibilities, flaming up the rivalry between Guybrush and LeChuck from the shadows, putting variables into the equation so that there are always great adventures with up's and... down's for us/her/Guybrush to witness. She can be the symbolistic stand in for the writers of a story. Would have been cool if a sequel to the narrative Tales established would've gone into that direction. They kinda planted the seeds with the whole diary thing.

The ones who walked through the door at the very end were LeChuck, Guybrush and Captain Lila. All three resemble the three children we saw at the beginning. How can this be interpreted?

I wanted to share how I decided to perceive the game cause I'd really like some feedback on this: I think the world of monkey island is a special one where stories and dreams can become 'real' and it's here to tell us that. It's a story about stories. That can be seen with surface level stuff like the wishing well materializing actual tangible stuff even in the 'reality level'. Or Guybrush miraculously healing his broken bones to be able to pursue his goal. By changing the story with the control the player has, the whole reality of this future actually changes (can be evidence that the story Oldbrush tells is 'real' and in the same world). As seen by the different endings. Also if you decide to let Guybrush drown three times you forcefully break the story. The second time he says that he tries to be more serious and he really is, literally... It cuts back to the future and it gets revealed that YOUR narrative actually changes the reality for real real. Canon and the interpretations were always very fluid with every iteration of monkey island. The creators of these games had control and the freedom of what to make you believe in that world. And so have you of course. There is a greater theme of escapism in here. Yes, you want that story to be real as Bill Tiller stated. RTMI doesn't lie to you tho and even tells you that it is a story but it's okay and even if you "deny what you saw" it ends with what you want to see. It doesn't cut to the future anymore and returns you to the world you know and love. It's possible to go back through the ride as much as you like. You can look at it in so many ways. Find one or even several you're happy with. Your reality your rules. Pure subjectivity. You can change so much in your life if you mindfully change your attitude and inner narrative towards something... I feel like I've only scratched the surface.