Maxine Caulfield

"'I take photos. Of me, the world, everything. It may sound sad, but I have a blast.'""— Max Caulfield"Note: This page contains spoilers for all the currently released episodes of the game. Maxine Caulfield, better known as Max (born September 21, 1995), is the main protagonist in Life is Strange. The player controls her throughout their campaign. She is an 18-year-old aspiring photographer and senior at Blackwell Academy. She left her mom and dad in Seattle for the seaside town of Arcadia Bay, Oregon, where she grew up.

After saving her childhood friend Chloe Price from being killed by Nathan Prescott in one of Blackwell Academy's bathrooms, she discovers she has the ability to rewind time - and even stop it in its tracks. On the search for clues to solve the mysterious disappearance of Rachel Amber, Max must also discover how to use her powers to save the town of Arcadia Bay from a tornado.

Personality
Max is geeky, quite introverted and slightly self-conscious, particularly when it comes to her photography. According to herself, she rather likes to observe the world around her than actually participate in it; that's why several students including Juliet think she wouldn't really care for others. But on the contrary, she makes a genuine effort to show kindness to all of Blackwell's students. She's a clear, deductive thinker, smart and sneaky, but practical, reasonable, and mature for her age, especially compared to her best friend, Chloe. She is also brave, placing herself in harm's way to protect those she cares about.

She has a great affection for photography, always taking pictures of her surroundings, since she considers it a way to "be part of the world at a safe distance", and aspires to make it a career one day. She especially has a fable for old analog cameras and instant camera selfies. She also seems to like obscure movies and anime, much like her friend Warren. She's always dreamed of travelling and exploring the world, as well as going on "adventures" together with her childhood friend Chloe.

Max becomes more confident and decisive as her adventure continues, probably due to Chloe's influence combined with her newfound time-altering powers. This newfound strength and self-confidence takes its full extent in episode five when she is finally confronted with Jefferson and  has to save Chloe. Right from the beginning, Max feels deeply responsible for her actions and does not take her rewind power lightly, but perhaps doesn't yet realise the full consequences of her power. At the end, Max appears deeply troubled with the consequences of her decisions and the responsibility she has to bear, as represented in her nightmare.

Some people regard Max as "nosy" as revealed in her Blackwell student file. There are several instances throughout the game where Max is called that by other characters, including herself admitting to be nosy. It's obvious that Max is pretty interested in other people's stuff, but it's up to the player how far her curiosity goes, such as whether or to what extent she goes to nose around in other peoples' rooms.

She refers to herself as being clumsy after breaking and spilling a number of items and having to rewind time.



Autobiography
The following is what Max wrote about herself in her journal's diary:

"My name is Max Caulfield, and ever since I was a little kid I knew I wanted to be a photographer. I've always seen the world through my own lens finder. Maybe it's a way for me to be part of the world, but at a safe distance."

"For some reason I was always drawn to the old analog camera gear rather than digital tech. I love all kinds of styles and techniques but for me, the instant camera selfie is the one I love most. I don't care if people make fun of me or not. I'm in great company, right? And now I've come all the way back to my childhood home to study photography at Blackwell Academy, a private school for 12th grade seniors."

"On a scholarship even! I originally left behind Chloe, my 'best friend forever' (at least until I left without talking to her once in five years) and it feels so weird to be back here without seeing her yet. So I'm eighteen now, an official adult even though I don't always feel so wise or mature, and I'm ready to begin a whole new life here with retro camera at my side."

"'Say Cheese!'"

"At least I'm trying to climb out of my cocoon.I shouldn't expect my life to completely change after a few weeks of Blackwell Academy. As my parents love telling me on a loop, 'You have all the time in the world.'"

Background
Max grew up in Arcadia Bay, where she and Chloe were close childhood friends who always hang around each other and used to play pirates at their homes or in the woods, dreaming of their future and the adventures they would experience together.

In 2008, when Max was 13, she was with Chloe at her house when her father [|William] tragically died in a car crash. Although Max was supportive at the time, later the same year, she moved to Seattle with her parents, leaving her best friend and her old life behind. The two fell out of touch, especially after Chloe's mother [|Joyce] remarried. Five years later, Max is accepted into Blackwell Academy, a seniors-only school of arts and sciences, and moves back to Arcadia Bay; mostly due to her admiration for the work of her famous new teacher, [Jefferson|Mark Jefferson]. Max comments about how much she enjoyed her time in Seattle, saying it was perfect for photography.

It is clear that both her parents care about her greatly, due to their separate birthday texts and her mother's encouraging texts at various points in each episode. Her mother gets a special mention as Max talks about the coconut bites in her bedroom, revealing that she was given a $200 gift certificate with them for her birthday. On top of the money her father transferred to her account, we can clearly see that the Caulfields are a well-off family. She speaks fondly of her dad, reminiscing about them going to hockey games together, supporting the Seattle Thunderbirds. It's also revealed that Max's teddy bear, the Captain, is special to her because she remembers going to the ER with her mother to have his eye removed after she swallowed it.

Max dreams of becoming a photographer since being a child and has a passion for analog photography, greatly preferring it to digital images. When looking at the retro cameras in the art classroom, Max is thrilled. She even has a vintage camera website pulled up on her laptop in "[|Chrysalis]", dubbed "Camera Porn". Max also reveals that she had two friends back in Seattle; [|Kristen] and [|Fernando], although not much is known about them other than that they were drunk at the.

Max plays guitar, as evident from the butterfly covered instrument in her room and the player's ability to get her to play it. She plays right-handed.

Episode One - [1: Chrysalis|"Chrysalis"]
At the beginning of the game, the player finds Max in the midst of a fierce thunderstorm with an eerie lighthouse in the distance. Once the player reaches the lighthouse, a massive tornado comes into view from the cliff overlooking the sea. As it spins towards Arcadia Bay, it lifts a fishing boat that smashes into the lighthouse, which begins to fall on Max. Max wakes up in her photography class and deduces that it was a dream.

Later, in the girls' bathroom of Blackwell Academy, Max witnesses [Prescott|Nathan Prescott] in a heated argument about drugs with a blue-haired girl (who we later find out is Chloe). Nathan shoots her, and Max reaches out to stop him. However, Max wakes up again in her photography class, and discovers that she can manipulate time. The first significant action Max takes with this power is to save Chloe's life by activating the fire alarms before Nathan can shoot her.

After saving Chloe, Max heads back to her dormitory to retrieve her [|Warren]'s flash-drive. While there are many opportunities to talk to other Blackwell students, it is clear that she and Warren are close friends. On her way to the dorm, Max encounters Victoria and her two cronies, Courtney and Taylor, at the entrance. When they won't let her in, Max has to soak them with the sprinklers and then coat Victoria in paint before she can finally get into the dorm. The player has the opportunity to take Victoria's photo or comfort her. Once inside the dorm, Max discovers that her friend [|Dana] has taken the flash-drive. To get it back, she has to convince Juliet to let Dana out of the room. Juliet believes that her boyfriend [Riggins|Zach] is cheating on her with Dana - however, the entire thing is a prank set up by Victoria. Max searches her room for evidence, and brings it back to Juliet to claim Dana's freedom.

Inside Dana's room, Max grabs the flash-drive from the desk. If the player chooses to snoop, the fact that Dana was pregnant is apparent. If Max checks the garbage bin or pregnancy test kit, Dana claims she is nosy and gets upset with Max. The player can rewind and choose to ask about Dana's pregnancy instead. Flash-drive in hand, Max heads off to the parking lot across campus to meet Warren. Along the way, she comes across [|Kate] being hassled by [Madsen|David Madsen], Head of Security at Blackwell Academy. The player can choose whether to intervene, or take a photo. Afterwards, Max is either berated or thanked by Kate.

Meeting Warren in the parking lot, Max is harassed by Nathan, who accuses her of being in the bathroom and spying on his argument. The argument is broken up by an oncoming truck, which happens to belong to Chloe. Max jumps in while Warren distracts Nathan, and makes her escape with her old friend. In the car, they chat about Max's lack of communication with Chloe and her time in Seattle. They head back to Chloe's house, and talk about Chloe's friend Rachel Amber, and her disappearance, as well as what has been going on in Chloe's life. Max's camera is broken, so she leaves Chloe to smoke and explores the family garage to find the equipment to fix it.

Max discovers the tools and goes back upstairs to see Chloe. She fails to fix the camera, and Chloe gives her an analog camera that belonged to her late father, William as a replacement in exchange for the butterfly photo Max took in the girls' bathroom shortly before Max saved Chloe. They celebrate by dancing to loud music, but Chloe's stepfather, who's revealed to be David Madsen, comes home and complains about the noise. Chloe tells Max to hide so she won't get caught with a friend in the room. The player chooses the outcome here - whether or not Max hides, whether Max will take the blame for Chloe or whether Max comes out of hiding or not as the scene plays out. Depending on what you do, the two teenagers leave the house together and head to the lighthouse.

Max sits with Chloe awhile before passing out in another vision of the lighthouse. She makes her way past obstacles and finds a newspaper depicting that the date of the tornado is that Friday. Max jumps back to reality and tells Chloe about her power and the oncoming threat to Arcadia Bay.

Episode Two -
The second episode sees Max awaken in her dorm room ready for a new day. She heads to the bathroom and speaks to her friend Kate, who is extremely upset over a viral video of her kissing people at a Vortex Club party. There are several choices Max can make to help or hurt Kate throughout the episode. Supporting her and taking interest in her feelings lead to Max saving Kate's life, while being nonchalant and dismissive result in Kate's death.

Max grabs a shower, listening to Victoria tormenting poor Kate in the bathroom. Max returns to her room to change and grab Kate's book to return to her. Upon returning the book, Max discovers Kate's living conditions are incredibly reflective of her friend's state of mind. Kate confides in Max about what really happened at the Vortex Club party; she thinks Nathan drugged her and promised her that she would be taken to a hospital. Kate asks for Max's help and opinion on whether to go to the police about Nathan or not. It is up to the player to make the decision.

Max heads to meet Chloe at the Two Whales Diner, and on her way is interrupted by Warren, who asks her to see a movie with him at the drive-through. The player decides whether to accept or decline. When Max arrives at the diner, Chloe's mother Joyce takes her order and the two have a catch-up while they wait for Chloe. Chloe chooses to test Max's new power by asking about the contents of her pockets, and Max proves herself by predicting the items in Chloe's pockets and the future of the diner inhabitants.

Upon leaving the diner, Max gets a call from Kate - the player again chooses whether to take the call, or ignore it. They head off together to the American Rust Junkyard, where Chloe spends much of her time. Max collects bottles for Chloe's makeshift gun range, and helps Chloe practice with the weapon. However, before Max can have her turn, she passes out after over-using her power.

Unfortunately for the duo, Chloe's drug-dealer Frank turns up to tell Chloe that she must pay her debt before the week is out. Chloe reacts badly to seeing Frank wearing Rachel Amber's bracelet, and begins a fight with him. The player can choose whether or not to attempt to shoot Frank. Eventually, Frank leaves with the promise of his money being paid, and the girls leave the junkyard for the train tracks.

The two walk and talk about Frank, Arcadia Bay and Max's power. But their chat ends as Chloe gets her foot stuck in the train tracks and Max is forced to rescue her. The player has the choice of how to rescue Chloe; either to damage the tracks or not. Either way, Chloe is saved by Max and the two head back to Chloe's truck together so that Max can go to class.

Max is texted by Warren and goes to help him with his science experiment. The player has the choice to sign up for the next Vortex Club party at this point before helping Warren. After talking to him, Max heads to art class to see Kate and Jefferson talking; he is unsupportive of her and she walks away swiftly. Max tries to ask what was wrong, but Jefferson takes a phone call and Max heads into the classroom. She confronts Victoria and Nathan who are sitting on her desk, and then has a quick chat with Warren as he joins her and thanks her for helping him before the start of class. Class is interrupted as there is something happening in the dormitories. We discover that Kate is on the roof of the dorms, ready to jump. It's up to Max to save her.

As Max's powers temporarily fail on her way to save her, there are no do-overs with Kate's life. Ultimately, the player chooses whether Kate lives or dies. No matter the outcome, Max ends up in the principal's office after the incident to place blame on whoever the player thinks is most at fault for Kate's suicide attempt. Jefferson, Nathan and David are the options. The episode ends with Max and Warren discussing the day's events and marveling at the unscheduled solar eclipse which appears over Arcadia Bay.

Episode Three - "Chaos Theory"
After falling asleep in her room, Max is awoken by the sound of her phone. Chloe texts her about meeting to discuss what happened earlier that day. Max leaves the dorm and heads out past Principal Wells to meet Chloe. She has discovered her step-father's keys and the two girls enter the school to find clues about Rachel Amber's disappearance and Nathan's scandalous drug dealing. However the girls quickly discover that the key to Wells's office is gone, and that they have no spare. Chloe tries to pick the lock, while Max rings Warren to find a rather more explosive solution. Max finds the components to create a small makeshift pipe-bomb, and blows the door to the office. As the alarms go off, Max simply uses her rewind power after stepping into the office to go back before the explosion and safely open the door from the inside.

She and Chloe search the office for clues, and discover the files of many students as well as emails from Nathan Prescott's father to the Blackwell principal, threatening to cut off funding if his son is not treated appropriately with a spotless record. They also discover several creepy drawings from Nathan, proclaiming "Rachel in the Dark Room".

Leaving the office, Chloe and Max head for a dip in the Blackwell swimming pool. They talk about their friendship and Rachel Amber, as well as Max's power. The two end up leaving the school in a rush in Chloe's car after almost getting caught by Blackwell security. They head back to Chloe's empty house and stay there for the night.

In the morning, Chloe lends Max some of Rachel Amber's old clothes, urging Max to be a rebel. After heading downstairs and helping Joyce with breakfast, Max is given a photo from Chloe's past and explores David's secret files in his garage. Soon afterwards, Max and Chloe are involved in a fight as David comes home in disgust at the paperwork he had to complete due to vandals in the school the night before. The player can either be harsh or forgiving in support of David's behavior towards Kate and his surveillance addiction. The player's choice is crucial here, as one angers Chloe, while the other breaks up Joyce and David.

Max suggests to Chloe that they search Frank's RV next to find information about Rachel Amber. While Chloe searches for a food item to distract Frank's dog, Max may talk to the truck driver, the homeless woman, Nathan Prescott, Officer Berry and Frank Bowers. After obtaining the RV keys from Frank Bowers, Max may warn Alyssa who was waiting at the bus stop outside, and to decide where to throw the bone and cause Frank's dog to get hit by a lumber truck or enjoy its treat in the parking lot. Inside the RV, Max will obtain Frank's coded logbook and evidence of Rachel's relationship with Frank with the latter causing Chloe to become upset. On the way back to Blackwell in Chloe's pickup, Chloe blames her misfortune on the death of her real father, William, and becomes angry with Max over leaving her. Max finds herself alone in her room contemplating the past, looking at the old photo of her and Chloe. Much to her surprise, as she focuses on the photo she begins to hear voices from the past, and is transported back in time. In her thirteen year-old body, Max is faced with the prospect of saving William and changing the course of Arcadia Bay's history. After hiding his keys to prevent him from picking up Joyce, which would have led him to a fatal car crash, Max succeeds and alters time.

The episode ends as Max discovers the wrongs she has caused by keeping William alive. Her own history changes as she is seen to be a rebellious member of the Vortex Club. The biggest shock to her system is Chloe, who is blonde-haired, wheelchair-bound and heavily reliant on her parents.

Episode Four - "Dark Room"
The episode begins on the beach, as Max spends time with Chloe in the alternative timeline. Walking along the seafront, Max discovers that Chloe was in a car accident; William gave her the new car for her birthday, and she was hit by an oncoming SUV, causing her to become paralyzed from the neck down. Although Max kept in touch through letters, she never visited Chloe in the year after the accident. It is also revealed that Chloe doesn't have a friendship with Rachel Amber, probably due to Chloe not grieving and needing someone to talk to when Max left. Instead, she had a friendship with a girl called Megan Weaver.

Chloe starts to feel cold and the girls return to the Price Household. Her parents altered the garage to create a ground floor room for Chloe with an adjoining bathroom. Max discovers that most of Chloe's friends never kept in touch with her after the accident, and that Max herself was distant after moving away to Seattle, despite sending a few texts, letters and a selfie of her on a road trip. Max's parents were also considerate enough to send a postcard wishing Chloe well after her accident. Chloe asks Max for a drink of water, saying that it's probably the most she's talked all year. Max can also wipe sandy tears out of Chloe's face with a tissue. Max comments about how "such a small grain of sand can cause such a big mess". Chloe then quotes a Chinese proverb, and talks about the butterfly effect.

Max asks Chloe what she wants to do, and she comments that she feels like watching a movie together like old times; Max puts on the  DVD, and the girls watch together. Max warns Chloe that she had better not fall asleep like she used to when they were kids. Ironically, it's Max who falls asleep, while Chloe stays awake all night. Max wakes up, and begins talking to Chloe again about their childhood, and how much Chloe appreciates her friendship. She begins to get a headache, and asks Max to get her morphine injector from the bathroom for her. Her parents purposely keep it upstairs so she cannot get to it herself.

When Max leaves the room, she receives a text from Victoria; the player can also look through all the old messages the alternative timeline Max has been sent. Most of them emphasize her friendships with the Vortex Club members, and her being a disappointment to others such as her mother and Alyssa. Alternative Max seems to have a more outgoing and social outlook than the Max of the original timeline. She seems to be more of a troublemaker, involving herself in drugs and frivolous spending.

Max can chat to both William and Joyce, and discovers that they are both struggling with heavy medical bills and hold multiple jobs. Joyce now has a second job working in the new Pan Estates, belonging to the Prescott Family. Rachel Amber has obviously not been around the Prices, as they only know of her through the news. However, they remain very family-centered, and extremely close to their daughter. However, Max can discover that Chloe's condition is heavily deteriorating, and that she will die soon. Letters from the relatives of the Price family confirm that their troubles are significant, and that they are struggling with finding help.

Max can also discover that the family finally achieved their dream of going on a trip to Paris, and that Chloe would have liked to go to school there had it not been for her accident.

Returning to Chloe with the morphine, Max gives it to her to alleviate her headache. Chloe then mentions that she knows exactly what's going on, despite her parents not telling her about the doctor's report. She asks Max to increase her dosage to end her life and stop her suffering, keeping Max beside her as her last good memory.

Using the original photo she found, Max returns to the moment in which she let William live, and undoes her actions, burning the photo in the fire and letting William leave the house in the car. She has a heartfelt moment of apology with Chloe which she doesn't understand, and the timeline corrects itself.

The time Max spent in the alternate world seems to have also passed in the real one. Max ends up in Chloe's bedroom in the original timeline, and discovers that the girls made up after Chloe's angry outburst, and that they are now working to discover the culprit of Kate's drugging and Rachel's disappearance.

The girls decide they need to gather more evidence; firstly from David, then Nathan and Frank. Max heads downstairs to check David's garage for clues. If Max didn't bust David out of the house, she will find him in the garage working on a surveillance camera at his workshop and can talk to him. David will state that he's the only one who knows what's happening and that he wanted to protect future students from ending up like Rachel Amber and Kate Marsh with his surveillance system plans. David ends the conversation by warning Max this is dangerous territory she is heading into since she already knows way too much of what is happening at Blackwell.

Max can use a number of methods to open the locker to obtain the files, including entering the code from previous episodes, using a crowbar or finding the key. Grabbing the photographs, co-ordinates and files, she calls Chloe downstairs and the two leave the house.

If Max was able to save Kate Marsh, the girls leave for the hospital. Kate seems to have improved greatly, and is drawing illustrations again. The mass of get well soon messages and balloons seem to have encouraged her to get better. She talks to Max about Blackwell and Nathan. If Max brings Nathan up in conversation, Kate will agree that he needs to pay for the suffering that he caused her. She will also mention that she feels sorry for Victoria, who sent her an apology postcard showing remorse for her bullying.

Heading to Blackwell, Jefferson and Wells can be seen in discussion entering the Dormitory grounds. Chloe and Max engage Jefferson in conversation, and he compliments Chloe, asking why someone as cool as her isn't attending Blackwell. Chloe comments that he is "hot for a teacher" and heads off to talk to Justin about Nathan's whereabouts. Max can talk to several of the students and faculty around the grounds. By talking to them she can find out that Nathan is off campus, and that it's safe to search his dormitory.

Chloe minds the door while Max heads to Nathan's room to investigate. If Kate spoke to Max about Nathan, she will text him his room number (111), so Max can find it easily. She breaks the door open with the fire extinguisher, and can then search the room. There are many disturbing objects in there which are unsettling, including the incriminating photo of Chloe, and Nathan's other tortured photography images. After looking at his PC, Max discovers that he is close to his sister, who seems to have escaped the Prescott way of life, and is highly pressured by his father to conform to the expectations of his family. His couch can be pulled away to reveal a bag with his phone inside. Max takes it and returns to Chloe.

As they examine the phone, Nathan returns to the dorm, furious to see the pair. He becomes aggressive, and Warren turns up to intervene. Warren headbutts Nathan and subdues him as he pulls a gun on the three of them. Max has the option to intervene in the fight or not. If she lets Warren beat up Nathan, she will think of it as the right decision but find Warren's behavior scary.

Leaving the Dormitory, Chloe and Max head to visit Frank on the beach. Seing the beach again will blow her mind that she was just there with Chloe in an alternative reality. They approach the RV, and enter into conversation with him. The dialogue is complex, but there are three main outcomes; Returning to the Madsen Household after obtaining the code, Max and Chloe then have to discover the truth. By selecting the correct evidence, Max is able to find that Nathan visited a Prescott-owned barn the night Kate was drugged. The girls then head off to the abandoned building.
 * Nobody got hurt and the girls walk away with the code and Frank's well wishes.
 * Frank got injured (either by getting shot, or stabbed with his own knife).
 * Frank and Pompidou both got killed by Chloe, who protects Max.

Discovering fresh tyre tracks into the barn, they realize that someone was there recently. Entering through a hole in the side of the wall, Max discovers a trap door in the floor of the barn. After using an old motor and rope-hook to bust the lock, she and Chloe enter down a flight of steps to a high-security door. After unlocking it, they discover the Dark Room.

Set up like a photography studio, the bunker is full of survival supplies. Most importantly, a cabinet reveals red files full of incriminating photographs of drugged victims, including Kate and Rachel. There is also an empty file for Victoria, revealing that she is next on the list.

Recognizing the Junkyard in one of the Rachel photos, Chloe rushes out of the bunker, speeding in her pick-up truck. She and Max leave, heading for the Junkyard. They discover a body in the spot in the photograph, presumably Rachel, and as Max recoils from the stench, Chloe breaks down. Max's spirit animal appears, observing the scene and disappearing in reverence for the discovery of the body.

The "End of the World Party" hosted by the Vortex Club is in full swing when Chloe and Max arrive to find Nathan. On the way in, they meet Warren, who takes a photograph with Max "for prosperity". He walks off, and Max tries to catch up with Chloe in the party. After speaking to Stella, Max heads to the VIP section of the party to find Nathan.

Nathan is missing from the party, so Max decides to ask Victoria where he is. They have an in-depth conversation, which can become meaningful depending on the player's choices. How deep the conversation becomes contributes to whether she will believe Max if she chooses to warn Victoria about the Dark Room. After the choice is made, Chloe turns up at the side of the room, and Max heads to leave with her to check Nathan's dorm room. Jefferson intervenes, talking briefly to the girls before getting on stage to announce the winner of the "Everyday Heroes" contest. He picks Victoria as the winner, and Max stops Chloe to stand and listen to the speech. She dedicates the award to Kate, and leaves the stage to a mixture of cheers and hisses.

As Max and Chloe head for the dormitory, Chloe gets a text from Nathan saying that there will be no evidence left when he's finished. Chloe panics and the girls head to the Junkyard to check that Rachel is still there.

They head towards the spot, and discover that the body is still there. However, Max is drugged from behind, and Chloe is shot in the forehead; Jefferson stands over Max, gun in hand, and observes her as she passes out.

Episode Five - "Polarized"
Note: This episode still needs to be updated.

When Chloe and Max reach the lighthouse, safe and out of the way of the incoming tornado, Chloe realizes that Max saving her at the start of the week in the bathroom was the one event that has caused all of these strange meteorological occurrences to happen. In the end, Max is left with her final and biggest choice: Go back into the photo of the blue butterfly, letting Chloe die and saving Arcadia Bay, or rip the photo up and save Chloe, leaving Arcadia Bay destroyed and probably most of its residents and her friends to die.

If Max decides to save the town, Max will kiss or hug Chloe before she rewinds for the final time, depending on earlier choices on whether she kissed Chloe earlier, kissed Warren earlier or whether she defended and took Chloe's side throughout in previous episodes. With their final farewells, Max uses the photograph of the blue butterfly to return to the point where Nathan Prescott shot and killed Chloe in the bathroom in Blackwell. Only this time, Max does not intervene on Nathan. Mark Jefferson and Nathan were eventually arrested and questioned for their role in the deaths of Chloe and Rachel Amber. Time lapsing a few days later, the town is completely restored to normal without the ominous signs from the dead animals. Max attends Chloe's funeral at the cemetery close to the lighthouse, with David, Joyce, Frank, Pompidou, Warren, Kate, Justin, Trevor, Victoria, and Dana among the attendees. During the ceremony, a blue butterfly will land on top of Chloe's coffin before flying away.

If Max decides to save Chloe, she takes the photograph and rips it in half, already desiring that she could not lose Chloe yet again and giving her another shot in life. The storm subsides but Arcadia Bay is in ruins when the two return to the town in Chloe's truck. The two are last seen leaving Arcadia Bay and driving off into the distance.

Equipment
Camera - As an aspiring photographer, Max is almost never without her instant film camera. In Episode 1, she accidentally breaks her camera twice (first when she discovers her power, then when Chloe saves her from Nathan). When she fails to repair it, Chloe offers her a spare one. This becomes her camera for the remainder of the series. See here for a list of optional photos Max can take.

Cell Phone - Max keeps in touch with her friends and family using text messages. If the player managed to save Kate, she will later text you Nathan's room number.

Journal - Max keeps her diary, details on some characters, notes, optional photos, and SMS message records in her journal. Max writes entries on her journal at periodic intervals.

Computer - (TBA)

Pipe Bomb - In Episode 3, with help from Warren, Max constructs an improvised explosive device. She uses it to break into the Principal's office, then rewinds time to open the door from the other side without sounding the alarm.

Knife - In Episode 3, when searching in Frank Bowyer's RV for clues, Max uses Frank's kitchen knife to pry open a vent inside the RV where Frank hid the letters Rachel sent to him.

Fire Extinguisher - In Episode 4, Max uses a fire extinguisher to break open a locked door.

Powers and Abilities
Rewind - By holding out her right hand, Max can reverse time in short lapses, though she is limited in how far back she can go. This ability allows her to "teleport", as she does not return to the same position as she originally was in the time she rewinds to. However, this was shown to take a toll on Max's body in the form of headaches, nosebleeds and even unconsciousness, which is caused by either overuse or an attempt to rewind too far. The sounds Max hears while rewinding are reversed future and past dialog pieces and other enviromental sounds.

Time Jump - While her rewind usually enables Max to reverse time without moving her body, she is also able to "jump" back in time into a specific situation. The first and only time she time jumps is when she discovers her rewind in the Blackwell bathroom during her atte mpt of saving Chloe  and then suddenly finds herself back in the classroom. It's likely that this a deeper manifestation of her rewind ability that requires a lot of energy she only in that shock situation was able to focus.

Precognition - Max is able to see visions of and experience future events, but also appears to be physically present within the moment itself. The first and only vision she has seen (recurringly) is of a tornado destroying Arcadia Bay. Those visions usually follow after Max passes out. Since during those visions Max isn't consciously in the present and physicially experiences the future situation, it's possible that those aren't just visions but rather ti me ju mps.

Stop - Max can freeze time, while also being able to move. Though she cannot move through any living object, such as humans and birds, she can open doors. Si milar to her ti me ju mp,  Max discovers this ability during her attempt to save Kate from committing suicide, but the amount of concentration to maintain it proved extremely harsh on her body, as she was too weak to rewind after she made it to the roof.

Focus - By focusing on a photograph, Max can go back to the time period when the photo was taken in order to change the past. However, she is unable to pass the 'photographic bounds' of the background while the ability is in use. The ability also appears to be limited to photographs in which Max herself is present. After Max finishes using the ability, she is transported back into the present time while also retaining her memories of the previous timeline.

Forced Rewinds
Throughout the game there are multiple instances where Max is forced to rewind because she herself or a friend nearby is in a life-threatening situation, or because Max is required to do something specific in order to progress further.

Episode One - "Chrysalis"

 * Chloe Price gets shot by Nathan Prescott.
 * Paint can is allowed to hang nicely on scaffolding for Samuel to paint the wall, or paint can falls down onto empty ground below.
 * Box of precision screwdrivers falls under furniture with no easy way to get it.
 * Hit by the lighthouse debris.
 * Hit by boulder (avoidable).
 * Hit by falling tree (avoidable).
 * Hit by falling logs (avoidable).
 * Hit by lighthouse debris, again (avoidable).

Episode Two - "Out of Time"

 * Accidentally spilled soda on Kate's book.
 * Failed Chloe's challenge to guess what items are in her pockets.
 * Made a challenge to Chloe to predict the four events that will happen within the diner.
 * Accidentally broke a bottle while trying to get one of the bottles for Chloe.
 * Trapped by heavy debris while trying to get one of the bottles for Chloe.
 * Chloe Price misses her first two shots.
 * Chloe Price is directed to shoot at any target other than the wheel rim on the left or the car tire on the right (avoidable).
 * Chloe Price gets hit by bullet after being directed to shoot at car bumper (avoidable).
 * Chloe Price gets hit by moving train (avoidable).
 * Kate Marsh jumps off Prescott Dormitory rooftop.

Episode Three - "Chaos Theory"

 * Forced Rewind Max and Frank.jpgipal Wells finishes trying out all his keys and sits down to watch the dormitory exit.
 * Using pipe bomb to blow up door into principal Wells's office and triggering fire alarm.
 * Spotted by Blackwell security guard while in locker or toilet area in Blackwell swimming pool (avoidable).
 * Attacked by Frank Bowers when Max takes his keys or spills his beer or beans, he lunges at her saying he’s going to kill her, but it’s unclear how far he’d go.
 * Breaking the knife to open a vent with nothing inside while in Frank's RV (avoidable).
 * Allowing William Price to leave Chloe's house with the car keys.

Episode Five - "Polarized"

 * Overdosed by Mark Jefferson.
 * David Madsen gets bludgeoned or shot to death by Mark Jefferson.
 * Hit by falling electrical pole (avoidable).
 * "Two Whales" Diner explodes, killing everyone in the diner.
 * Giving an unconvincing answer and Chloe continues to head into the Vortex Club party (avoidable).
 * Spotted by any of the characters searching for her with their flashlights or lighthouse beam in her nightmare section (avoidable).

Alternative Timeline
In the alternative timeline, Max appears to be a different person after "Chaos Theory". Her clothes are different, more up-market, and she is seen hanging around with members of the Vortex Club; people she previously stayed clear of. She's clearly good friends especially with Victoria and Nathan who, according to Max's diary, helped her making her style more "fashionable" and celebrated her 18th birthday with her.

Victoria seems to be friendly and cautious around Max, calling her Maxine and becoming worried when she is corrected with the "Max-Never-Maxine" rule; Max also refers to herself as Maxine in texts to Chloe, proving that she is definitely a different person since letting Chloe's father live. The texts Max receives from Nathan and Victoria, as well as Taylor indicate that she could have replaced Victoria as the "Queen-Bee" of Blackwell. Nathan texts her about hanging out  and, according to Victoria's texts, is worried about her since she ran off. Furthermore, Max has clearly supported Taylor during the rough time with her mother's surgery. Alyssa also seems disappointed in her, commenting that she is disappointed that Max hung out with the popular students.

In this timeline, she seems to be more rebellious than usual, is often partying and drinking, and participates in taking drugs (Victoria offers her the chance for a smoke in the ladies room, and talks about scoring more drugs in a text). Although she still seems to have a caring relationship with her mother, Max is more snippy towards her and troubles her with high expenses.

Max had very little interest in her diary since moving back to Arcadia Bay. Her lack of attachment to it could be due to her confidence and new flourishing social life as a member of the Vortex Club, combined with the social stigma of keeping a diary at her age.

In the alternative timeline, Max kept in touch with Chloe through letters. She also sent texts to her in August before leaving for Blackwell. However, William is surprised to see her when answering the door, implying that she did not, in fact, keep in touch as much as she meant to. Max's diary entries and text messages reveal that Max only marginally thought about rekindling with Chloe since she's been back at Blackwell, and that she has been more interested in partying with her new friends. Unlike their first meeting in the original timeline where she is accusatory and apprehensive towards Max,  Chloe seems genuinely happy to see her best friend again. She is slightly abrasive when she mentions that writing is easier than visiting and dealing with awkward conversations about the accident.

It has also been revealed in a text to Nathan that alternative Max used a dark room to work on a photo assignment. It is unknown if this room is the Mr. Jefferson's Dark Room, but it is more likely a regular darkroom used for photography.

Relationships
The degree of advancement in these relationships is largely up to the player in many instances, and are therefore marked as Determinant.

Friends

 * Chloe Price - Max and Chloe are long-time friends, regardless of player choices. She was her best friend since childhood, and always believed in Max and her photography skills. Max supported her after her father's death, but they lost touch when Max moved to Seattle. The two are now reunited with Max's return to Arcadia Bay, and although Max didn't stay in contact with Chloe and didn't rekindle with her immediately after her return, she still considers Chloe her best friend, no matter what. The fact that she considers Chloe the only person she could talk to about her new-found powers despite not having seen her for five years just proves how highly she still treasures their friendship after all these years. The two girls care about each other a great deal, and spend most of their time together getting up to mischief and trying to solve the disappearance of Chloe's missing friend, Rachel Amber. Despite Chloe's abandonment issues, she and Max retain their firm friendship. Max considers Chloe her number one priority, and sometimes appears envious of Rachel's bond with Chloe. Chloe will eventually replace the picture of Rachel and herself together with a picture of Max on her mobile phone if Max is seen by Chloe to defend her, take her side and to help her with her problems. Chloe trusts and supports Max in her decisions, always reassuring her to make the right choices. (See here for more information on their relationship.)
 * Kate Marsh - Kate and Max soon started to befriend each other at Blackwell. They share an affection for tea and hold weekly tea sessions. Max spends time with Kate, trying to support her throughout her time at Blackwell. As Kate's depression worsens, Max is the only true friend she has to turn to at school. It is up to Max to save Kate's life in episode two. If Max saves Kate, she will text Max in episode three sincerely thanking her. She will appear again in episode four, rejuvenated with hope, thanking Max for being supportive of her at her worst time.
 * Warren Graham - Max considers Warren the first real friend she had at Blackwell. She describes him as a sweetheart and a "supercool geek brother" who she has a lot in common with, and who makes her smile. Max's friendship with Warren is sometimes strained by the fact that he has a crush on her. While his advances are neglected by Max, the two remain firm friends. However, she truly cares a lot about him, despite feeling quite uncomfortable with him pressing his feelings onto her too much.    When Max asks him to give her the photograph of the night at the Vortex Club, before focusing on the photo, she has the option to hug or kiss Warren.  If the player neglected Warren's offers until then and kissed Chloe in episode three though, the kiss option is not available. If Max hugs Warren, she  will comment to herself saying she hopes Warren knows just how much she cherishes their friendship.
 * Joyce Madsen - Max seems to get on very well with Chloe's mother. The two joke about old times and Joyce seems glad that Max is around to remain a good influence on her daughter.
 * David Madsen - (Determinant) Although David is suspicious of Max for hanging around inside Blackwell Academy during the fire alarm when everyone else is supposed to evacuate, and the friends Chloe has, David will try to explain his actions on Chloe and Kate to Max the following day. David will eventually allow Max to stay at and roam freely around the Price residence, as well as explain his failed bid to apply for a surveillance system on Pan Estates if Max sides with David during the argument between Chloe and David. Regardless of Max's earlier choices, David will rescue Max from Mark Jefferson in the Dark Room bunker, and acknowledge her friendship with Chloe. He may also confide his struggles as a step-father and his feelings towards Chloe depending on Max's decision to tell him about her death.
 * Victoria Chase - (Determinant) Although Victoria frequently picks on Max due to her jealousy of Max having her own unique identity in the retro zone and her popularity, Max may appeal to Victoria through the similarities both Max and Victoria share on photography. Max will acknowledge Victoria's kind-hearted traits, as she recognizes how she truly regrets what she's done to Kate and even sends her a lovely postcard offering her help. Victoria may eventually believe Max warning her about Nathan Prescott and accept her as a friend. She may also admit that she would like to hang around with Max and offer Max to text her if she needs anything.
 * Dana Ward (Determinant) - Max often talks with Dana and seems to be good friends with her despite Dana's popularity. Dana is more receptive to the friendship if the player chooses to rewind after discovering the pregnancy test, and comforts her about the rumours spreading around the school about her pregnancy. Dana trusts in Max and is on her side even after Max fails to save Kate.
 * Alyssa Anderson - (Determinant) Max seems to have a growing friendship with Alyssa, especially if Max decides to save her from the ills that befall her in each episode. Ultimately, Max feels like they should become better friends due to their common interests of photography and keeping to themselves. Alyssa also supports Max's relationship with Warren.
 * Daniel DaCosta - (Determinant) Daniel and Max are both classmates in Mark Jefferson's photography class. Daniel is a very shy person, but has a good eye for details. Daniel will be happy if Max stops to talk to him and allows Daniel to draw a portrait of Max which Daniel will later help to put up on Max's social media profile page. Later when Daniel's photo entry in the Everyday Heroes contest is eliminated, Max may console Daniel and encourage him on in his artistic skill with drawing, and to also encourage him to attend the Vortex Club party.
 * Justin Williams (Determinant)- Max seems to be impressed by skater boys like Justin, and finds him and his friends cute. He seems to enjoy Max's company, particularly if she doesn't come off as a poser. Max may impress Justin with her knowledge of skating moves, and he offers her to join them and take shots of him and his skater friends whenever she likes.
 * Taylor Christensen - (Determinant) If Max chooses to speak to Taylor about her mother's illness, and comforts her, Taylor becomes more friendly towards her, despite being friends with Victoria.
 * Brooke Scott - (Determinant) Brooke is generally friendly towards Max if you take an interest in her drone, but can come across as rude, especially if Max accepts Warren's invite to the movie drive-in. Brooke may eventually choose to forgive Max if Max manages to persuade Daniel to attend the Vortex Club party on Thursday and Daniel manages to arrange a date with Brooke to attend an art gallery exhibition instead.
 * Hayden Jones - Despite being a member of the Vortex Club, Max thinks that Hayden is actually a nice guy. Hayden is always friendly towards Max and clearly interested in hanging out with her. He later enjoys meeting her at the Vortex Club party offering her to spend some time with him and his friends and to take a hit from his bong.
 * Samuel - (Determinant) Max seems to have a friendship with Samuel, the groundskeeper of Blackwell. He is made fun of by many of the students, but Max takes a kind approach when talking with him and seems to respect him as a person. The two talk fondly of spirit animals.
 * Frank Bowers - (Determinant) Although Frank has a threatening appearance and Max is genuinely afraid of him, Max may admit she was scared of him threatening Chloe with a knife and appeal to Frank's better nature by mentioning that he rescued his dog from illegal dogfights and his love for Rachel Amber. Frank and Max may eventually come to good terms if Max convinces him of their genuine concern in finding Rachel; he may forgive Max and entrust Max and Chloe to find out what happened to Rachel Amber providing them his support. He will later text Max and tell her that he gets why Chloe likes her, and offer them to party with him later.
 * Truck Driver - (Determinant) The truck driver is initially unfriendly to Max, but if Max can show the truck driver that she knows the model of his truck, and that Rachel Amber spoke highly of his truck, the truck driver will allow Max to take a photo of his truck and consider allowing a possible interview in future.
 * Homeless Lady - (Determinant) The homeless woman hangs at the back alley behind the Two Whales Diner and is happy if Max stops to talk to her. The homeless woman will tell Max about the Prescott family, the Price household or of Frank Bowers. The homeless woman will also believe Max if she chooses to tell her of the tornado that will hit Arcadia Bay on Friday.

Family

 * Ryan Caulfield - Max has a close relationship with her dad, going with him to sports games in Seattle. He sends her a thoughtful text message for her birthday and is clearly very caring towards his daughter. Her father also keeps in close contact with Max regarding Max's attempt to save Kate and the threatening messages by the Prescott family.
 * Vanessa Caulfield - Max is also close with her mother, appreciating the cookies and text messages that her mother sends her. Her mother also keeps in close contact with Max regarding Principal Wells's report about Max, Lisa and Max's attempt to save Kate. In the alternative timeline, Max's mother expresses concern with Max spending money too extravagantly, and sends Max a reminder not to be too much of a spendthrift.

Enemies

 * Nathan Prescott - (Determinant) After seeing Nathan shoot Chloe in the girls' bathroom, and learning of his drugging of both Kate and Chloe, Max is firm enemies with Nathan, particularly if the player reported him for any of his misdeeds. This situation is made worse after Nathan catches Max and Chloe breaking into his dormitory room and stealing his mobile phone.
 * Victoria Chase - (Determinant) Victoria is one of Max's adversaries, as she constantly belittles and makes fun of Max. The distrust between them grows if the player messes up Victoria's photos, or decides to take the photo of her covered in paint instead of comforting her. Max also has the option of whether to warn her about the drugging, or to leave her at the party unwarned.
 * Taylor Christensen - (Determinant) As one of Victoria's "minions", Taylor can take her side in issues with Max. However, Max can talk to her on several occasions away from Victoria, and ask her about her ill mother, earning favor with the girl.
 * David Madsen - (Determinant) Although David is usually brisk and stern, he and Max can have a varied relationship. He and Max become enemies if she takes blame for Chloe's weed, or by not defending him in front of Joyce about his surveillance addiction.
 * Principal Wells - Max is often dismissed by Wells in favour of the Prescott family; Wells is often nice to other students, causing Max to feel like he dislikes her. He also considers her as nosey, as stated in her Blackwell record. Principal Wells may choose to suspend Max from her studies at Blackwell if Max was not consistent in blaming Nathan for the gun in the bathroom and for Kate's suicide attempt, intervened instead of taking a photo of Kate being hassled by David or had been reported by David earlier for dealing drugs to Chloe.
 * Frank Bowers - (Determinant) After the incident in the junk yard in Episode 2, Max and Frank become enemies as he threatens Chloe. This situation is made worse if Max attempts to shoot Frank, or harms Frank's dog. Frank may eventually get shot or stabbed by Chloe if Max fails to persuade Frank to give up his logbook cipher, which can result in his death.
 * Mark Jefferson - Max is ambushed and drugged by Jefferson in the Junkyard after she and Chloe discover the body of Rachel Amber. Jefferson was heavily involved in the Dark Room Conspiracy, and drugged Max, Victoria and countless other victims, including Kate and Rachel. He has an unhealthy obsession with Max, as shown in the last episode while he has her captured in the Dark Room.
 * Alyssa Anderson - (Determinant) The friendship between Max and Alyssa is more and more restrained, if Max doesn't or just rarely chooses to warn her, since from Alyssa's point of view bad things always happen to her when Max is around. Alyssa won't be much talk-active towards Max and will be very disappointed with her for not helping her out. If Max does not assist her in every episode, she will be unable to save her from her death in episode five.

Romantic

 * Chloe Price - (Determinant) There are several romantic implications in the relationship between Chloe and Max, revolving around their fondness for each other and the player's option to kiss Chloe in the third episode. Max is also often seen to be jealous of Chloe's close relationship with Rachel that has been formed during her absence. Based on the player's behaviour and decisions, Chloe will change her mobile phone background from Rachel, who is considered to be her former love interest, to Max. After their Blackwell night trip, Chloe d ares Max to kiss her, which will impact their relationship as time goes on. If she decides to kiss Chloe, Max will later refer to that kiss in Frank's RV, when Chloe is daydreaming about a trip to Portland, saying, "And you'd probably want me to kiss you again."  After returning from the alternate timeline, based on the players' earlier decision, Max expresses the wish to kiss Chloe again in her journal, or to joyfully kiss her for the first time after seeing her alive and well. Additionally, if Max turned down Warren's invitation to the drive-in and decided to kiss Chloe, Warren will write Max a message and tell her he understands why she did it and that she should go to the drive-in with Chloe. The way Chloe is portrayed in Max's nightmare, flirting with other people and talking Max down, reflects Max's insecurities towards Chloe, and heavily implies feelings of jealousy and fears of rejection. In the last episode, Max writes in her journal that she didn't know if it was jealousy she felt when seeing Chloe in her nightmare flirt with other people, and questions whether her feelings were those of friendship or love. If Max and Chloe kissed in episode three and Max didn't kiss Warren at the diner earlier, Max's last journal entry states that Chloe is more than her best friend, and that's why she probably hated "Chloe being mean... calling me names and flirting with those people" in the nightmare. She then goes on to wonder if it was the "power of friendship... or love" and that she was about to find out, showing that Max holds romantic feelings for Chloe.   If she didn't kiss her in episode three (kissing Warren earlier might also lead to Max writing in her journal that Max didn't kiss Chloe even if she did in episode three), her entry is more inclined to friendship and Max states that Chloe will always be her best friend, but nonetheless, she says she's about to find out if it's more than that.  When Max and Chloe have to face their final obstacle at the end of "Polarized", Max refers to Chloe  as her top priority and all that matters to her, after constantly desperately trying to keep her by her side.  If Max chooses to sacrifice Chloe (and if she kissed her and supported her enough until then), they will share one final kiss before Max allows Chloe to die to save the town. If Max just kissed Chloe but didn't make enough choices that defend her or take her side, or if Max kissed Warren earlier, they will share a hug instead. If Max sided with Chloe at least three times (and got Chloe to place the picture of Max on her mobile phone), she finally beats her insecurities and fears about Chloe's rejection, especially after her nightmare, and kisses her in the sacrifice Chloe ending. Chloe will tell her that she will always love her, and Max will say that she will never forget her. With the decision to sacrifice Arcadia Bay, she may even decide to sacrifice a whole town to keep Chloe alive and to be with Chloe for the rest of her life. (See here for more information on their relationship.)
 * Warren Graham - (Determinant) Although Max neglects his affection, sometimes even being flat out oblivious to it, it is clear that he has a crush on her. Warren asks Max to go to see a movie with him, and the player is given the choice of accepting or rejecting this offer.  Based on the players' decision and behavior, she will either reflect on it as having fun with Warren and "taking a chance" or feel bad about it for leading him on.  Regardless of whether Max accepts or rejects Warren's movie date, Warren stays by Max's side to support her after Kate's suicide attempt. In the alternate timeline, Max appears to be confused that Warren has a relationship with Stella, but this could simply be a result of her astonishment of how severe the butterfly effect was. If Kate was rescued by Max, Kate comments that she and Warren would make a perfect couple and supports the optional date between them when Max visits her in the hospital. Based on Max's previous decision, she will either tell Kate that she turned his invite down, or mentions the date and says that she'll see, referring to Kate's previous comment about him liking Max. While in the boys' dormitories, Max can write a cute message on Warren's slate, admitting to herself that she finds him cute.   When Max asks him to give her the photograph of the night at the Vortex Club, before focusing on the photo, she has the option to hug or kiss Warren. If she decides to kiss him, Warren tells Max he's always wanted to tell her something, but Max cuts him off and tells him she knows. She will also comment to herself stating that at least she kissed Warren once to let him know how she feels. If she hugs him, she will comment to herself saying she hopes Warren knows just how much she cherishes their friendship.

Spirit Animal
Max is heavily associated with the Doe. This is symbolic of kindness and compassion, as well as being intuitive, quick-thinking and resourceful; all aspects of Max's personality.

Max wears her Jane-Doe shirt in "Chrysalis", and another shirt with a Doe design in "Out of Time". The Doe spirit animal image follows and guides her to the lighthouse and is prominent in her visions, as well as appearing to her in American Rust with Chloe. The Doe can also be spotted as an image in the bathroom of the Two Whales Diner, and during episode four upon the discovery of Rachel's body. Max has a conversation with Samuel about spirit animals, in which he confirms that she's right about the Doe being her spiritual guide. It would make sense that the Doe would lead her to safety, as well as guide her to Rachel's body. The Doe guided her through her vision of the storm to the lighthouse, and in episode five, it became apparent that the lighthouse was actually the only safe place for Max and Chloe during the storm. Additionally, if you chose to sacrifice Chloe, at her funeral Max can be seen wearing a doe necklace.

Symbolism
Colour symbolism is prominent in the game, linking characters together.

Blue is a key colour in the game; Max wears the same colour wristband as Chloe's hair and nailpolish, the blue butterfly, the blue-jay, Kate's marker, Alyssa's nailpolish and Joyce's hair clip. Max's 13-year-old self also wears a shirt of a similar blue shade. There is much debate among fans about the meaning of this colour, but it is known to be associated with hopefulness for the future, as well as vulnerability. These meanings make sense when applied to the characters associated with the colour.

Max's clothing and the motifs on her shirts change with the atmosphere of the game.

The colors black and white are heavily associated with death in the game; in the fourth episode, Max wears a black shirt for the first time, which is hugely symbolic of the many deaths in the episode. This shirt also features the, made popular by the film . This symbol emphasizes the importance of death in the episode.

The dreamcatcher that Max wears in episode five in the reality where she won the Everyday Heroes Contest represents becoming an artist and her artwork being displayed in a gallery being her biggest dream and passion. The dreamcatcher is supposed to be able to trap bad dreams in its web; only good dreams are allowed to filter through a small opening in the center of the circle - like Max is able to forget all the bad experiences she went through for a few moments in that reality; everything seems quite perfect in that scene, all that horror she went through far away. It's actually the most perfect outcome for all characters Max could've created in that week (with herself winning the Photo Contest, Nathan and Jefferson captured and brought to justice, David as the big hero, Nathan, Victoria and Kate still alive, and Chloe full of hope, planning to attend school again). It could also represent her wish to get over everything she's experienced over the week.

Name Meaning
With its Latin origin, the name Maxine means "the greatest", and is a very noble, strong and feminine name. The fact that Max prefers the shortened form of her name, which is more gender ambiguous and simple, shows that she doesn't identify with the noble, self-confident and feminine nature of that name. She doesn't consider herself something special or unique, and she also doesn't set great value upon femininity which is expressed both in her style and attitude.

The name Maxine also implies a special power or fate for its owner, and so refers to Max's time-controlling powers and the great things she is able to do and undo with them.

Theories
It's unclear whether Max changes reality or creates new timelines that run and exist parallel to each other for each time she rewinds and alters the past. If the second was confirmed, the end would not boil down to "save the city or save Chloe", but Max would only decide which reality she prefered to live in. In other words, even if Max sacrificed Chloe, the tornado would still be going on, but in another reality that she left behind.

Trivia
Cray: Cray - Papi
 * When Max was a child she swallowed the eye of her stuffed bear which resulted in an emergency trip to the hospital. She later brought her teddy bear to Blackwell Academy.[note 20][2]
 * Max keeps a hand sewn cushion she made with her mother on the bed in her dorm room.[note 21][2]
 * Max's mother sent her a box of chocolate coconut bites and $200 gift certificate for her 18th birthday at Blackwell.[note 22][2]
 * Max keeps a photograph of her parents inside her locker.[2]
 * Max and her father are fans of the Seattle Thunderbirds.[note 23][2]
 * Max prefers to be called "Max". Only her parents and Chloe appear able to call her "Maxine" without reproach.[4]
 * Max's plant is named "Little Lisa".[2]
 * Max's favorite photographers are Phillip-Lorca diCorcia, Julia Cameron, Dali, Robert Doisneau, Henri Cartier-Bresson and David Hamilton.[2]
 * "Are you cereal?" is a personal phrase of Max's only judging from Chloe's remark in the truck.
 * During the EGX Rezzed presentation for "Out of Time", Chloe remarks that Max has "Irish Luck", suggesting someone in her family (presumably her father) may have Irish ancestry.[20] Additionally, "Caulfield" is considered a predominantly "Anglo-Irish" surename.[21]
 * According to Max's school file, Max has a 2.8 Grade Point Average.[4]
 * Max's school file make a reference to IEP. The Individualized Education Program is a federal organization meant to help children in the education system with learning or behavior difficulties.
 * For players that have Max and Chloe kiss in Episode 3, Max's last journal entry, if Chloe is saved, states that Chloe is "more than just my best friend" and that's why she probably hated "Chloe being mean... calling me names and flirting with those people" in the nightmare. She then goes on to wonder if it was the "power of friendship... or love" and that she was about to find out, showing that Max had romantic feelings for Chloe, if the player chooses to see their relationship that way. [note 24]
 * If the player does not choose to have them kiss, the entry states that she sees her more as family and wonders if it is the "power of love... or friendship." The developers chose to do this so that you can interpret Max and Chloe's relationship as either romantic or platonic.
 * Warren and Max may be frequent players of World of Warcraft:
 * In "Chrysalis" after Warren texts Max a photograph of his black eye, Max ends their conversation with "Kek", a term that is largely considered Orcish language.[2]
 * In "Chaos Theory", when Max calls Warren for help with Principal Well's door, she tells him to "Bubble Hearth", which suggests Warren's player class is Paladin.[4]

The Walking Dead: Clementine - Lee - Kenny - Jane - Carley - Alvin Jr - Michonne

The Wolf Among Us: Bigby - Snow - Bloody Mary

Yandere Simulator: Yandere - Senpai - Kokona - Osana

Life Is Strange: Maxine - Chloe

"Hey Jessie" Challenge: Jessie - Luke - Zuri - Emma - Ravi - Daisy - Adam - Amanda

Yandere Simsulator: Yandere - Taro - Kokona

Other Games: Kitty - Meatballs (Kitty Powers) - Bob - Meatballs (High School Dreams)