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sanotherhplaceitonhidey · 1 year

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another DHMIS theory

Roy and Leslie are just grieving parents.

Well I think that at this point in the theories we are all clear that one of Roy and Lesly's sons was hit by a car

BUT

What if their son doesn't die in the accident?

but he does remain in a coma

And what about the people who are in a coma? Well... they have to be controlled by a machine that keeps them alive

Now this is divided into three parts:

1) Before the series: Start of the coma

After David was hit by that car, he entered a vegetative state, and seeing how much his son was suffering, Roy decided to take him to a place where he could be happy even in a coma.

so he built the dream machine, a machine that kept David 'alive' also while he was in a coma he could have 'beautiful' dreams

Lesly really wasn't happy about this, she wanted her son to rest in peace because she knew he wouldn't wake up.

This led her to a terrible depression, causing her to end her own life.

but Roy didn't stop. he continued with the plan to make his son happy

2) First season: in the coma

The machine didn't work as Roy had planned.

it is true that it made yellow guy dream, the idea was going well, until Roy realized that at some point he lost control over this

and when it happened the dreams that yellow guy once had turned into nightmares

seeing all this, Roy regretted what he had done, but a father's pain did not allow him to disconnect David

he couldn't do it

That is why when Red Guy sees the machine for the first time, Roy appears, but not for what many think, rather to ask him to do what Roy never could, disconnect Yellow Guy and end his suffering.

3) second season: after the coma

to all this... and Lesly? well when yellow guy is finally disconnected from the machine, he clearly died. And what happened to Lesly? Well, as I said, she had also died, now they are both in the world of the dead, but until yellow guy goes up her stairs, he cannot see her. when he finally does, they reveal to us that now she controls them, not the way Roy did, but unlike him, she doesn't allow her son to have nightmares (well... at least not as bad as he had them in a coma...).

but let's remember that she didn't want this... so according to this theory (and I know many will completely disagree with me) In the second season, Roy continues to have more control than Lesly.

manipulating her so that she continues to control her son in dreams that he can enjoy, since Roy knows that if he does, yellow guy will suffer

It is true that shady things happen in this, and Roy has to go save him (chapter 3)

but hey! You can't have complete control of someone else's dreams.

NOW LET ME EXPLAIN WHY I SAY ROY HAS MORE POWER THAN LESLY

you have not wondered... what is this last room?

Where do those stairs lead?

well... there is nothing left but... the room where the initial machine is

Yep.

If you don't believe me, think of another room that could be there that is related to the story.

ㅤㅤ

Well, here I am, it's 11 at night and I think I can't process any more information

I hope you enjoyed the theory ^^

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germworms · 2 years

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DHMIS THEORY

!Spoilers for the TV show episodes ahead!

So what I've been thinking about if this is all a family tragedy, I think everyone who's seen the new season is agreeing that Lesley is somehow Yellow Guys mother. Or at least yellow guy is a representation of her dead son.

What if our three main protagonists aren't just friends? What if they're actually the brothers of this dead son, Yellow Guy?

So if Red guy is the oldest brother, have moved out, started a job, but then got the news of his dead brother and came home for the funeral. Blaming Lesley for the death. Red Guy can drive and is the only one who seems to have job experience, but doesn't want to work. Probably depressed.

Duck would be the middle child who still lives at home, he probably experienced how harsh Lesley would be. (Who knows, she could be an alcoholic or something, I'll touch on that later) He dreamt of moving away and starting his own buisness. He also seems to be the only one who talks against the lessons in the youtube series, but also is the first character to question reality in the first episode of the TV show.

Red guy mentions in the episode "Family" that they all share the same lawyer quite a lot. Might be a family lawyer, you need one for many reasons, but in this case it could be about how Lesley hit her own child with her car.

I believe Lesley and Roy divorced, Roy is barely a part the whole series and seems to only interract with Yellow Guy and Red Guy. He watched Red guy perform and it could be a son and dad bonding. If we take the youtube series lore into the TVshows lore, we could get a whole picture with Red Guy wanting to reverse Yellow Guys death, but getting stopped by Roy who knows what's dead should stay dead. (From "Dreams" youtube series)

Tho I do believe Red Guy became distant with his family, maybe because Lesley became abusive? He so desperate wanted to find a better family, which could be why he was so obsessed to be a part of a family in "Family". Red Guy managed to escape the house and find a solid job. Only to come right back in after the death.

Lesley became so depressed and guilty after having caused her favorite child's death, (Quote: "You're my favorite") and kidnaps her two other sons to take part in her forever family. Where she can play a happy family and give her son all the lessons she never got to give him through children songs. Sprinked with her own grief and insanity, hence the gore.

Lesley probably became so sad over Yellow Guys death she went to Duck, the middle child and let out her anger on him. She perhaps wished he was dead instead of Yellow Guy.

Also the three of them act like how siblings would act around each other, argue, tease the youngest brother.

In "Transport" we see that there's cigarettes in the "Lesley" car, which points towards she being a smoker, there's over 70%(in america) that smokes and drinks, she could be and alcoholic too, which is how she drove into Yellow Guy.

The visions Yellow Guys having about his "smarter" him, could be an aged up version of him, if he didn't die. His restless soul that so desperately wants answers for his death and to break free of this endless death loop.

One could argue they're step brothers in a disfuctional family.

#DHMIS #DHMIS theory #don't hug me i'm scared #Dont hug me im scared theory #dhmis spoilers

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geraldsverygerrythoughts · 2 years

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Here's theory for you all.But it is a spoiler if you haven't watched the new season.

Sketchbook,Notebook,etc. could be dead.Let me explain,with their absence without the entirety of the new season ,we didn't even see them in the checkered void.I know how everyone in the checkered void is dead(Tony, Briefcase guy,Roy,etc) or almost dead(e.i Steak guy),but however I do not believe they would have died and ended up in the void.They died because of the duck,the duck has a shredder as we all know ,and they enjoy go shred anything paper and probably anything that could be shredded.You probably see what I'm getting at now,I'm saying that Sketchbook was shredded.I don't really have any more evidence to support this so take this as it is ig

#dhmis #dhmis theory #don't hug me i'm scared #dont hug me im scared theory #dhmis show #dhmis paige #dhmis sketchbook #dhmis season 2

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ultimateloserboy · 7 months

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WHY DID NOBODY TELL ME ABOUT THE DHMIS STORYBOARDS WHAT THE FUCK I MUST ANALYZE IMMEDIATELY

Ok so Adam Beer storyboarded some of the scenes for dhmis, and looking over them they give some REALLY JUICY information that was cut from the actual scenes!!!

he did one for a scene in jobs as well as death, but those arent too different from the finished product. the scenes that werent included are cute but theyre not vital to the lore or anything, yaknow?

death is almost completely the same, but i appreciate this drawing of red guy hes so shaped

but anyway, like i said, these two aren’t necessarily important, all the info we have from these storyboards is the same general info that we get in the finished show. However, Adam Beer worked on one other episode that includes a good chunk of cut lines and you know what that is? ELECTRICITY!!!!!!!

THATS RIGHT BABY WE HAVE MORE LESLEY LINES THAT PROVE MY WHOLE POINT!!! FUCK YOU LESLEY HATERS I KNEW SHE WASNT THE VILLAIN FROM DAY ONE!!!!!!

HER MEMORY IS FOGGY. SHE DOESNT WANT “US” GETTING IN TROUBLE WITH SOMEONE ELSE. WHAT DID I TELL YALL. I TOLD YALL SHES JUST AS TRAPPED AS THE OTHERS WHAT DID I SAY.

and the fact shes labeled as the narrator the whole time is so interesting because the narrator of a story does not necessarily control or create it, they simply tell it in an organized manner. SHE ISNT CREATING THE STORY SHE IS KEEPING IT IN LINE, TELLING IT PROPERLY, KEEPING EVERYTHING IN ITS PROPER PLACE OR ELSE SHE GETS IN TROUBLE DO YOU UNDERSTAND?? SHE IS TRAPPED AND MEANS NO HARM. SHE FIXES THEM UP WHEN THEY ARE BROKEN. SHE IS SIMPLY THE MESSENGER.

AND THIS. THIS FUCKING DOOR. I KNEW IT MEANT SOMETHING AND LOOK. ITS ON THE FOURTH WALL. AND THE STAIRS LEAD UP. SHE IS NOT RUNNING THE HOUSE. THERE IS SOMETHING ABOVE HER, POSSIBLY IMPLIED TO BE THE IRL PEOPLE WORKING ON THE SHOW BUT THATS JUST MY GUESS.

but anyway dont yall EVER shit talk my girl lesley again you hear me?? shes just a silly old lady and she doesnt aim to hurt anyone. although it doesnt matter what she aims to do, because no matter her own wants, she is still dancing in chains.

ive told yall a million times. but she doesnt say “WE” for nothing. god im going to EXPLODE

#I LOVE HER SO MUCH I KNEW YOU WERENT EVIL LESLEY GET BEHIND ME #dhmis #dhmis fandom #dhmis lesley #lesley dhmis #dhmis tv show #dhmis tv series #dhmis electricity #dont hug me im scared #dhmis analysis #dhmis theory

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inbarfink · 9 months

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There’s something very ironic about the opening shot of (almost) every DHMIS TV Episode being the front door opening. Considering that in general, this show is about the claustrophobia and helplessness of these characters being trapped in their house unless let out by the capricious whims of their teacher - and specifically because of that, from our protagonists’ POV, that front door probably doesn’t exist.

Okay, so, judging from the layout of the house in both the opening and the show itself, the front door should be right here -

behind the kitchen, right next to the mirror and the coat rack (which, you know, it makes sense to have the front door right next to the coat rack).

But the characters themselves never directly explicitly interact with this location (and they only implicitly interact with it once, which I will get to a bit later). Instead, every time the characters are actually shown going in and out of the house - they use the door on the side of the Dining Room.

And this door might lead outside of the house -

Or it might just lead to the living room.

DHMIS loves to use the conventions of television to create a surrealist and oppressive atmosphere and that is just another example of this. Nonsensical house/apartment layouts are not unheard of in TV Production. You know, filming inside a real house is often a lot less convenient than building disconnected sets and cutting between them when the characters walk through a door - and sometimes flubs or inconsistencies happen or the production just straight-up doesn’t care about it as much as nerds online and whoops now the characters live in a canonical non-Euclidean pocket dimension. But in DHMIS this is not a flub, but an intentional element of unease and horror (and sometimes comedy).

Cause, you know, it’s not just that the trio live in a space that does not make any sense (where is the bedroom anyways? Is it also behind that same dining room door?) - it’s also that their own house is a space they cannot actually fully control or navigate.

They can’t determine whenever this is the living room door or front door. They can’t leave of their own volition, but any random stranger can come inside or force them out.

Just another reminder that is not really their house, as much as they are of the house. And meanwhile the space that should logically be the front door goes totally ignored by the characters - basically on the same logic none of them can see either the staircase or the empty chalkboard space lingering just past the fourth wall of their dining room.

If it is off-screen, it basically doesn’t exist for the characters. Again, this idea of turning a convention of TV Fiction into another part of the Puppets’ Actual Nightmare is a recurring theme in DHMIS.

And on that same note, I want to point out the moment that comes closest to acknowledging the front door, or whatever else lies behind that little nook.

In Episode 2, ‘Death’, during the Memories musical montage, Yellow goes to the coat rack area -

And then he goes outside.

Basically the only time in DHMIS’ TV Series that one of the Puppets has left the house on their own. Not accompanied by a Teacher or following a ‘lesson plan’ (quite the opposite, really). Considering that he was by the coat rack a moment ago - that’s the closest we’ve got to one of the Main Three Guys Around using the front door where it’s supposed to be.

It’s still all very… ambiguous. You know, and Duck was basically buried in their backyard, it’s not like Yellow was pulling a Transport and actually trying to leave. But I still think there’s something there. Cutting from the little coat-rack-hallway to the outside is suggestive of a certain kind of movement the same way heading towards the kitchen door and then cutting to the outside is.

And the fact this is Yellow Guy, the Puppet who is at the same time most oblivious but also the closest to being aware of what’s going on -

Is certainly very intriguing...

#don't hug me i'm scared #don't hug me #i'm scared #dhmis #dhmis analysis #dhmis theory #dhmis tv series #dhmis tv show #yellow guy dhmis #dhmis yellow guy #yellow guy don't hug me i'm scared #yellow guy #dont hug me im scared

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skyeoak · 2 months

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[MAGNUS PROTOCOL 10 SPOILERS]

[CANARIES SHOULD STAY ABOVE GROUND]

Not to ignore the, uh, archivist in the room, but the thing about TMP 10 that’s keeping me up at night is the circumstances around this *curse words* mascot horror.

The fact that, as a creative of any sort, you’re trying to do your best to make something that really resonates with your audience. And when you’re starting out [like I am, hi, I’m a writer], you’re working on a bunch of things, you’ve got lots of balls in the air, trying to break into the creative space you’re aiming for.

But you never know exactly what will be a hit, or why. And once it’s a hit, a truly viral one, it’s out of your hands almost entirely. It can overshadow your other work, work you might be prouder of, until no matter what you’ve made and what else you’ll make, you will always and forever be “the creator of XYZ” to the world.

And the manifestation of this in TMP as a literal thing that the creator is a servant to, potentially wasting precious time and energy in the upkeep of the one thing you’ll Always Be Known For—

Don’t talk to me i’m fucked up about it.

#anyways this is all to say I love the exploration of virality and multipanopticons so far in protocol #also how dare rusty quill make me fear for my creative freedom with god damn dont hug me im scared #the magnus protocol #tmagp #magnus protocol theories #tmagp spoilers #tmagp 10 #mr bonzo #NEW FEAR UNLOCKED

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dandymaximilian · 1 year

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If The Lamp's theory about the DHMIS world being a sort of purgatory is true, then this is what I think life might've been like for Duck and Red Guy before joining Yellow Guy/David.

(TW: mentions of suicide)

Duck:

Was a Sergeant and an Air Pilot in the British Mililary during WW2, hence why he is so fixated on it. As shown in DHMIS 2, Jobs, and Death.

Forged medical/enlistment documents, which lead to many deaths, a fact he tried to suppress in his mind, as referenced in "Worm in Our Brain" song.

Developed PTSD after the war, filled with regret over his actions during it. Wanted to establish a "digital currency based on respect" to make up for his actions.

Had constant fighting within his biological family, though he was in denial about this, as shown in Family.

Always wanted to be a father figure, but he never had the chance, hence why insists on being "the father" in Family.

Had a fascination with space, conspiracy theories, and the rapid expansion of technology, as referenced in Jobs, DHMIS 2 and possibly Death.

He had a blackbelt in Karate, as shown in Death.

Was a fan of James Bond, as shown on his poster in his "customized area" in Transport.

Secretly performed drag at underground bars for money, as shown in Family in his infamous crossdressing scene.

Won a tournament at some point, as referenced in Death.

Had bouts of rage due to PTSD, often resorting to biting others. (Yellow Guy would compare this behaviour to a dog whenever he visited his father, hence why Duck appears as one in the flashback in Transport.)

Witnessed Yellow Guy/David's death in a nearby (retirement?) home next to Roy. (Next to another full house/orphanage? Possibly the origins of the teachers?) As shown in the flashback in Transport.

Developed diabetes at some point, and died from kidney failure (a lack of water). Both are referenced during Death and Electricity.

Red Guy:

Worked a 9 to 5 office job that he hated and felt pressured into working, as shown in DHMIS 6. Eventually he climbed up the cooperate latter, becoming the boss, but he was still miserable, as referenced in Jobs.

Lived in a small community in England in the 40's by himself. As referenced in Transport, where Red Guy subconsciously wants and tries to return to "Clayhill."

Mostly lived an uneventful life.

Enjoyed puppet shows, junveille songs, and child-like hobbies, but he was rejected for this interest. He ended up developing a sense of apathy as an attempt to fit in, as referenced in DHMIS 6.

Enjoyed cooking as a hobby, as referenced in Death.

Often attended bars, where he would try to express his creatvity through dancing and singing. Unfortunately, he was frequently booed off stage, as referenced in DHMIS 6.

Was another witness to Yellow Guy/David's death.

Died as a result of suicide because of repeated rejection by his peers/family, drowning himself in a nearby lake, as referenced in Death and Family.

On a final note, I think Lesley might've worked at the Vaccum Cleaner Shop before she died? I think it would explain her fixation on inanimate objects. The figurine even looks like her.

#dhmis #dont hug me im scared #dhmis red guy #dhmis duck #dhmis analysis #dhmis theory #dhmis purgatory #ramblings

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m0th-gh0st · 2 years

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I feel like the "reincarnated as animals or objects" line from the lamp in episode 2 was bait but I'm about to take it hook line and sinker BECAUSE THE POSSIBILITIES ARE FUCKING ENDLESS WITH THAT ONE

#pine moment #dhmis #dhmis spoilers #dont hug me im scared #don't hug me i'm scared #LIKE??? DOES THAT MEAN THE TEACHERS USED TO BE PEOPLE THAT JUST FUCKING DIED AND GOT DRAGGED INTO THIS #canon gave me an inch and now im running a marathon #THE HEADCANNONS YOU COULD MAKE WITH THAT #im insane im the joker #me: dhmis is up to interperation and is hard to view beyond surface level. also me when theory bait is shoved in: 👁👁

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sweet-and-insane · 2 years

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So, watched DHMIS's new show. I figured I'd make a theory.

So first of all, the fact that Yellow Guy runs on batteries implies that Roy may ALSO run on batteries. Would make his statement "My dad is a computer" make more sense. And from Roy's behavior and appearance, he's probably had the same old batteries even LONGER than Yellow Guy has. He moves slowly unless there's a motivation, like we see in episode 3, and he rarely ever speaks. When he DOES, it's only one word; "Yum."

So both Roy and Yellow Guy never change their batteries. Why is that?

Well, let's say that this begins with Roy, and that he became smarter after receiving new batteries like Yellow Guy did, thus also becoming self aware.

Now we saw how Yellow Guy acted after getting his old batteries back. His brain could no longer process what he learned, and it kinda froze up a bit. Then he randomly put the book in the shreader while laughing, calling it "incredible," seeming to be a bit unhinged at the moment

He'll probably return to normal when the next season roles around. But what if he actually read the book? What if he had learned more that he did in that episode? Would it affect him even more?

Let's say that happened to Roy before the events of the show. He learned enough that when he got his old batteries back, it completely broke his mind, traumatizing him to the point that he refuses to ever change batteries, no matter how bad his mental state gets due to low power.

This leads back to Yellow Guy. It's likely that Roy never let him change batteries ether as a way to protect him from the truth, so that he won't end up like him. He never taught him to change his batteries, and probably also taught him to never remove them ether, because both times his batteries changed was because Duck Guy forced his batteries to change.

That just leaves the question: What will happen when their batteries finally die? Will a will be left with instructions to STILL not change their batteries? Or will they be forced to return with new ones, and learn even MORE things they shouldn't?

#dhmis #dont hug me im scared #don't hug me i'm scared #dhmis yellow guy #dhmis roy #roy gribbleston #yellow guy #theory #tv #show #tv show

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buzzheadchick · 2 years

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From my viewing of the show, I think lots of stuff in the DHMIS series, both web and TV versions, are meant to be metaphorical. That being said, I don’t think all those metaphors are connected, and I have no clue which (if any) are connected to deeper lore.

Like, I think the “puppets + singing anthropomorphic creatures + teaching lessons” is supposed to be at the very least inspired by children’s entertainment mediums, if not fully an attempt to emulate them. But I don’t know to what end. I may not like MatPat or his theories, but it being a commentary on the children’s programming isn’t totally out of the picture. An afterlife that mimics kids’ shows in a failed attempt to comfort a dead child? Idk, maybe. Or maybe it’s a simulation, or a dream. Maybe it was thought up by a child, or an adult missing childhood, or a parent missing their child. Maybe more than one of these options! Or maybe none.

But there are so many other metaphors I see. Each episode’s primary topic and how it’s taught, I see metaphors for common life situations. Also smaller things.

Yellow Guy getting new batteries feel like a struggling person finally getting proper medication or accommodation in a way that helps them feel much better and take more agency for themselves, but the people around them don’t like the change.

Stain Edwards’ enthusiasm being met with cynicism, poor explanations, and outright rejection reminded me very much of a child in a restrictive environment. They’re punished for natural curiosity and even joy.

The elevator “therapist” is the medicalization of poor living and working conditions, opting as a society to give coping mechanisms for stress rather than fixing the inherently flawed and infuriating parts of our system. It’s the option to give someone a pill so they don’t feel so bad about living in a corporate hellscape Though I’ll admit, I don’t really know what the Care Hound is. Tbh I’m tempted to think that part is more of a surface-level spooky thing than a metaphor.

The Twins’ “family” trying to get Yellow Guy to be the mother just so they can get the family discount on chicken reminds me of how forced to conform to heteronormative and patriarchal family structures they may not want because our system economically rewards such structures.

Obviously, not all of these metaphors can line up with other parts of the story. But it is interesting to me, and I think trying to parse out the intentional metaphors, even isolated ones, can help us discern the creator’s intent in terms of overarching themes.

#dhmis #dhmis spoilers #dhmis theory #don’t hug me i’m scared theory #dont hug me im scared theory #dont hug me im scared spoilers #dont hug me im scared

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sanotherhplaceitonhidey · 1 year

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We already talked about Red Guy.

But Duck...

help. I can't stop

LET ME CLARIFY

in the lost episode, wakey wakey, duck seems to love a bowling ball

and well... in the second season... clearly to the shredder

Or well, also a screwdriver... since the lamp in chapter two says that 'we return as the object we love the most' and well, yellow guy immediately looked at the screwdriver...

...

I need help 💀

#dhmis #dhmis duck #duck #dont hug me im scared theory #dont hug me im scared #don't hug me i'm scared #help me

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thingsaday · 2 years

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Lesley is… FASCINATING. It’s really hard to choose a favorite character in the series, but she’s up there with charged yellow for me.

~~~~~DHMIS SPOILERS AHEAD (Obviously) ~~~~~

As for headcannons, I definitely subscribe to the idea that she, Roy, and yellow are a family of sorts. Roy is most obviously yellow’s dad (based on yellow’s direct lines about him). As for Lesley being yellow’s mom… that ties into a more general (and probably not original) theory I have about the nature of the show.

I like to imagine that the show represents a purgatory of sorts. More specifically, that the main cast (not including teachers) represent people who have died and are forced to keep living the same day over and over again (June 19th or 20th; maybe when they died?). We get the most overt hints about this for yellow and Lesley in episodes 5 and 6 of the TV series.

In episode 5: Transport, we get these scenes - giving us a plausible reason for yellow’s death (car accident) and a perpetrator (LE5L3Y). Given that we can hear Lesley’s VA scream “CAREFUL!”, well... you get the drift. Then, of course, there’s the iconic line: “YOU’RE NOT MY REAL SON!” from episode 6.

How Lesley may have died is a little murkier, but given that she’s confirmed to be a puppet as well (and has those stitches/ scars), I imagine that she died in the car crash above or shortly afterwards.

You can find a number of theory videos about this, but based on the D on yellow’s jumper, and the appearances of the name “David” in the series (most prominently on the gravestone), I believe David was yellow’s name when he was alive. However, in my posts, I’ll stick to referring to the yellows as “yellow” and “Charged Yellow” (or “Smart Yellow) both to distinguish them from the human David, and avoid assigning non-canon names until we learn more! :)

I would have stopped there, but there’s also evidence to support the idea that Duck was perhaps an old man who died, due to his association with the symbols shown in episode 4 of the first series:

“An old man died” “-but look a computer!”

I’ve honestly got no clue about red, but I like to imagine that he’s around duck’s age for… reasons. I also don’t think he’s related to yellow’s family given his search for his own family, and his depiction as a neighbor in the clayhill daydream from episode 5.

Thus, my cobbled-together family tree looks a bit like this:

Of course, those are just my theories based on analyses and ideas I like - I may be dead wrong! (pun intended) Lmk what you guys think in the replies :)

~~~

@anonwithanaccount @iaminyourhouse @newbieboy and anons thank you for the asks!

#dhmis #dont hug me im scared #don't hug me i'm scared #long post #asks #lesley dhmis #red guy #yellow guy #duck guy #dhmis theories #dhmis headcanons #alooxis speaks #theories

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ghl-osty · 4 months

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wow one thing i love so Much about the Guys is that they’re all aware of their situation, one way or another. it’s such a cool little detail.

Red guy is the most obvious, being aware that he’s stuck. he wants out, he wants change. he might be the most aware of just how bad things are. he is constantly associated with testing things, even in the web series. in Love, when Yellow runs off, he says,

“He seems upset about something. I wonder what will happen.”

and again in Dreams, when he pulls the plug on the Computer,

“I wonder what will happen”

so right from the beginning, Red is associated with change. and in the tv series, he begins to start fighting back agains the Loop and the House, claiming several times that he wants to leave, that he wants a change.

we get to see this a lot in Transportation, pretty much through the whole episode. but when he’s telling Yellow about the neighbors, he makes a comment (though severely muffled due to Yellow’s daydream) about how their stuff won’t come to life anymore when they escape. and during his breakdown, he starts yelling at Duck that Groton and Hovris always end up back at home at the start of the next episode. it’s pretty clear that he’s actually talking about their life. and Red is desperate to get out of there.

he is aware, to some degree, that he is caught in a Loop.

Duck is different. Duck is aware that he is being watched. he knows to some extent that his actions are being documented. Duck is constantly associated with screens, and you can see more in this post and this post as well about how he breaks the fourth wall quite a few times, and is evidently the most accepting of their world, almost to an unhealthy extent.

so Duck is aware of an audience’s presence.

Yellow guy is aware of missing.

he doesn’t know what- probably a side effect of his old batteries. but he makes so many off handed comments through the show that truly make so much sense… he totally has a better grasp at what’s going on above the Guys then Duck and Red do. in Electricity, when Duck asks for help finding ‘the opposite of down. two letters.’ (which is clearly up) Yellow says,

“it’s when you can’t remember that over the top of you, there are… bigger ones, that are bigger, and bigger, and over the top of it there’s a smaller one and all of it, at the top of that.”

which is an exact description of what you find if you go up the stairs.

we know he’s done it before. based on the photo on the stairwell and Leslie’s comment about waiting for him, this obviously happens frequently. and i’m assuming that Yellow’s batteries get taken in most Loops, too. that’s why the other Guys haven’t read the Book yet.

Smart Yellow also makes it clear that he’s aware of his memory being messed with, and starts questioning the Loop and the Teachers (which Duck hates)

but Regular Yellow retains the memory of climbing the stairs. not by much, but enough to connect it with the word ‘up’ when he’s got no batteries and is already being controlled by whatever is keeping them in the House.

so Yellow is aware of the bigger picture, and of missing memories.

i just think it’s really cool to make all of them know that something is Wrong, but they’re too stubborn to just fucking talk to each other and maybe even escape

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ultimateloserboy · 1 month

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i just had a thought… you know how duck remembers things like winning a tournament? he didn’t actually, but he has it in his head? theres photos of him winning it, and flying planes and many other things, but it’s obvious none of that actually happened. do you think he imagines it? do you think he comes up with an entire life of being a father and winning awards because in reality he has no past or future? theres photos of him graduating, i think theres one of red guy too if im remembering right, but did that actually happen or is that ducks imagination again? do you think hes imagined graduating with red guy, having a childhood where theyre best friends, but in reality its just his imagination filling in the blanks? do you think he has a million fond memories of growing up together or causing trouble as highschoolers (or whatever british people call it) when in reality its just him imagining decades of friendship that never were? so when he asks red guy about the tournament or graduation or that time they snuck out together in the 80s or something, hes surprised to find out that red guy doesnt remember, because it never happened… or am i overthinking it…

#dhmis #dhmis fandom #dhmis duck #duck guy #duck dhmis #fluffybird #red guy x duck #dhmis red guy #dhmis analysis #dhmis theory #dont hug me im scared #dhmis tv show #dhmis tv series

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inbarfink · 9 months

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Among the various readings and interpretations of What the Hell is Up With the Ending to the DHMIS Web Show - one of the more interesting ones (from my perspective, at leas) has always been that it’s all a metaphor for repeating patterns of trauma and/or abuse.

As in, most of the narrative of the DHMIS Webshow has been some sort of surrealist metaphor for Roy being an overcontrolling and manipulative parental figure for his son and his friends

And then the ending shows them finally escaping his influence -

Only that without a frame of reference for just how screwed-up their upbringing really was and without any healthy way to process their various traumas, they end up being in danger of just replicating his abuse on their own. Either on each other or maybe on the color-swapped characters who can, like, represent their own children or something.

And so the vague ending of the Webshow is an open question, yes, the trio might’ve gotten physically away from Roy’s influence - but are they free from it mentally?

Or are they doomed to snap back into their old familiar world?

And the interesting thing about this is that like… that could be what the Web Show is about on a metaphorical level. But in the TV Show, with its greater emphasis on interpersonal conflicts and the characters - the idea of our main trio unknowingly replicating the abuse they live under is not just something we can hypothetically ruminate on. It’s something we can actually see, something we can actually feel.

Like, the first thing that made me think of Yellow and Red’s interactions with Stain Edwards.

This is basically the closest the Three of Them can get to being parental figures within the confines of the Format. He starts out as such a sweet and curious child-like being, his title for himself is literally ‘the Forever Boy’. And, well…

Red and Yellow are just so uncomfortable with his curiosity and thirst for adventure that they basically immediately try and stomp it right out. And that’s like a whole big thing about DHMIS, isn’t it? The way that children’s edutainment and the education system actually curbs children's curiosity and desire for learning so they can better memorize easily-digestible simplified concepts and Respect Their Authority Figures.

You know, it’s the whole thing with…

And that’s kinda how Red acts with Stain? He’s a lot less violent and more subdued about it - but he also discourages the little guy from asking questions and wanting to explore the world.

And he is trying to push him into fitting more into the Format. And, like, managing his life like the Trio’s own life is managed by the Format. First more generally into what being part of the DHMIS main trio is supposed to mean (‘just sit here and something will happen’) and then eventually literally turning him into something he didn’t want to be.

And from our more familiar perspective, it’s clear that Red Guy really just genuinely thinks at this point that sitting passively and Waiting to Be Taught At is how things are Supposed to Be and can’t really imagine things going any other way. He is honestly just trying to get Stain to understand how their life is supposed to work. (Well until it starts becoming about making a new Duck)

And it’s also clear to us how much Red Guy is motivated by just unaddressed grief about Duck and wanting to avoid conflict with Yellow Guy, who's a lot more explictly lashing out at Stain in his grief

"What's the matter with him?" "Nothing. Just don't look at him." "What? Where can I look? I can't look at him, can't look over there..." "No, if, if you want to look at stuff, just tell me and I-I'll make a list. Of where you should or should not look..." "Seems like a weird system..." "Yeah, well, you seem like a weird little...thing with...and you don't even... the other guy at least had his own clothes"

But looking at it from Stain’s perspective, taking aside our understanding of Red’s character and motivation. This is just an authority figure giving him a nonsense set of rules and then lashing out at him when he questions it. Never giving a deeper explanation than ‘this is how it’s supposed to be’ and basically punishing his curiosity.

Kinda like, well, how the Teachers tend to interact with the trio.

And then there’s Yellow Guy who’s just totally lashing out at Stain through the whole thing, because, again, he can’t process the grief of losing Duck. Because his environment did not give him the tools to properly process that trauma and he has no healthy frame of reference to grief and that’s kinda...

Yeah, that’s just what I was talking about. Stain’s subplot in ‘Death’ is just Yellow and Red having not interrogated their abusive environment and not really dealing with their trauma and thus repeating the patterns of the Teachers on their new child-like figure.

Which then culminates with either Duck killing Stain in the name of preserving the status-quo of the format (“there’s only supposed to be three of us”) or with Stain having internalized so much of what Yellow and Red (but mainly Red) taught him about what he’s supposed to be that he was willing to kill in the name of the Format - and then slotted in perfectly in the unadventurous, unquestioning role of Duck.

And this lil narrative is especially interesting if you believe any variance of the David Theory. Because Yellow and Red were mainly motivated in their mistreatment of Stain by their Grief about a ‘dead’ family member. Which could mirror Lesley's trapping and mistreatment of the trio and her own motivations.

But I think this idea of mirroring and repeating patterns of abuse are reflected in more than just this one episode. It’s also reflected in the way Red and Duck tend to mistreat Yellow.

Because while Yellow doesn’t slot as neatly into the Child position like Stain did- his simplistic naïveté does mean he often plays a Child-like role in our favorite Forced Family dynamic. And the way that Duck and Red can often condescend to him can… very well mirror the condescending way the teachers address all three of them.

Especially when you also consider the similar manner both the Teachers and Red + Duck react to Yellow being fully charged in ‘Electricity’. They are all so nervous about Yellow breaking away from his supposed ‘role’ as the Stupid One.

And they especially all seem so very insecure about the idea that Yellow might be smarter than they are.

And that’s, you know, also an aspect of children’s education that tends to actually harm children and their curiosity. This desire for ‘respect’ towards authority figures and this egotistical need for teachers and parents to always be smarter than their kids - causing them to subtly or bluntly punish children for just being clever or inquisitive.

It’s, you know “I’m the adult, you are the child. I am supposed to be the Smart and Knowledgeable one and you are the one who must be taught. And you need to play your role!”

Again, that seems to be the whole thing in ‘Time’.

Here it’s a lot more subtle and less openly hostile, but Yellow can tell that just like that Insurance Teacher, Red and Duck’s egos have also been hurt by the fact that they might not be smarter than Yellow Guy anymore. And he considers going back to the role he’s ‘supposed to be’, even though being fully-charged seems to feel better for him (‘this doesn’t feel wrong’), just for them.

That’s almost literally a child giving up on a pursuit of knowledge just to placate his parental figures.

And then, you know, his refusal to do so and his assertion of his own ability to make decisions for himself (his own maturity, "they're not in charge of us anymore" "Maybe they never were") is directly what leads to him ascending and disassembling not just the trio’s dynamic but the very structure of the Format.

And I think, it’s not just that Red and Duck’s treatment of Yellow mirrors the way the teachers treat the Three of Them - it might be a result of it as well. With how condescending the teachers are towards them in general, bullying Yellow is their way to assert some sort of maturity and intelligence for themselves. It's super-fucked up, but this is how they internalized expressing what ‘intelligence’ is supposed to look like. And they have no frame of reference for a way of feeling smart or in control that doesn’t involve shutting someone else down. Because that's what literally every authority figure does for them all the time.

Now, do I think that means that our trio is doomed to mirror those patterns? That they will always inevitability repeat the horrors they go through on each other and others? Well, just like with every ‘cycle of abuse’, it can always be broken. But it will take some actual understanding and self-awareness and personal healing from the trio.

And without this, they’re not just trapped within the Horrors physically, but also spiritually as well. Without it, no matter if they do manage to run away, on some level, their journey will always end up back at home....

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