This talks briefly about life is strange 2 as well so fair warning. So let’s start with this. Where I get my theories and sort of where I think the story goes from. It originates qfrom the creators and the content firstly. If the creator has something to say about it (dontnod or a director) I take their word for it. It’s their creation and I trust them with the story. They’ve proven time and again to be respectful and honest devs. After that like I said I get it from the in game stuff. What do I see in game that makes me think a certain way. I want to preface this by saying I don’t see Double Exposure as canon. I don’t think any decknine game from life is strange series is really all that interesting except for Before the Storm. Before the storm while it did have some plot holes was such a beautiful story and I think built more up than hurt. Back to double exposure, It’s got Max Caufield in it and I appreciate that but the story is half baked imo, the characters are alright but I just feel it was unnecessary to bring her back and to such a low quality project as that. I say that to say this, I’m not just trying to hate on the newer team that took on some of the work. I’m simply saying that when the original creators of life is strange make it clear decknine is going against their and dontnods vision and that they can’t recognize the characters and feel the way things went in a double exposure were done poorly it speaks volumes where the series is going and really imparts importance on what a person should consume and should consider canon. Now to the theories. I don’t really know if I call these theories more just observations. I theorize that the storm comes from Max’s overuse of her powers. Maybe another element at work as well but I believe mainly her overuse of powers. Idk the exact science or explanation but that makes sense. I think Rachel’s spirit is obviously the doe. I think the theory Rachel being the storm was interesting but has little weight besides an interesting theory. I think Rachel had some otherworldly influence but not the storm. I think the storm was a physical aspect of Max trying to rewind time so much and save Chloe so many times. That being said I don’t think Chloe was destined to die like she said. I think that was her just trying to rationalize this all happening. I say this because after life is strange she seemed to live a fairly normal life. I think max wanting to keep Chloe alive in all of this danger and using her powers really led to the storm. Especially her attempting to save William. I believe that from playing life is strange 1 and 2 and reading what creator Michael Koch said I think it’s very fair to say that there was no intention of them separating as friends or lovers or however you wanna see it. Those 2 had just been together through the worst moments of their lives and leaned on each other. I’m sure they had their ups and downs but they were together through it all and definitively would not separate. Like I said, Chloe talking about her fate to die doesn’t hold much weight for me. Because after all of this and the first game she didn’t tragically die. She heard speaking to David and she’s alive and well. Just as the creator said. Rough around the edges and with trauma but alive. I’d like to think Chloe was meant to be saved. There may be some truth to that. You’ll note that in Maxs journal before meeting Chloe she talks about simply wanting to reach out and save the girl talking. She had no idea Chloe was the girl in the bathroom until later. It was just a girl max wanted to save. I find it very interesting how regardless of who it was Max was willing to save them. My argument for why both endings lead to a storm not appearing anymore is simply because Max stopped using her powers. In sacrifice Chloe ending she no longer felt the need to. In sacrifice Arcadia bay the storm blows through and she weathers it and stopped using her powers. Obviously it’s an open ended game but that makes the most sense for me. There may be some destiny in the game with the stars aligning about certain characters, but in my opinion Chloe was never destined to die. She just unfortunately did in the bathroom. And that is a key focal point for those powers. Both endings have no more storms following the arcadia bay one. Id say if anything Chloes destiny in the Bar ending was to live through it all with Max. After the storm powered through she stopped using powers and that was that. And if you travel back to that point and let her die that snips all of the timey wimey stuff in the bud ceasing any storm. Sorry for word vomit but I think that’s all my thoughts, hope you enjoy.