Due to the nature of foreshadowing, all spoilers below are unmarked.
Alice being an android.
- Alice never complains about being hungry, despite going long periods of time without food or water.
- A couple hints in Alice's "treasure box":
- A photograph of Todd, his wife, and Alice in happier times. The girl in the photo has blonde curly hair but Alice has brown straight hair.
- A series of child's drawings recounting when Todd broke Kara, one of which shows Alice with a splotch of red on her right temple implied to be blood. In actuality the red symbolizes the LED mood color ring all androids are equipped with and the drawings show how that incident made Alice turn Deviant.
- Meet Ralph and he will say that Alice isn't a real girl. He will also say that they are pretending to be a family while making breakfast for Alice. He is halfway to crazy town so it probably won't be given much thought.
- One of the earliest magazines shows an advertisem*nt for android children and how affordable they are. So of course it comes up again with Alice.
- During Connor's investigation into them, he is remarkably vague about what he is actually investigating. Also, he will stop lethal force from being used but doesn't specify exactly what he is protecting.
- And if Kara was discovered and Connor ran after them, Connor will later ask Hank why he attempted to stop him from crossing the highway "when [they] were chasing those deviants". It's easy to miss at first, but upon a second playthrough it all makes sense.
- When Kara meets Zlatko, she nods to his question "Deviant, huh?" Then he looks towards Alice and asks "What about her?" Kara responds that she's human, but Zlatko was apparently asking if she was a deviant.
- When Zlatko first sees Kara at the door, he tries to turn her away. She begs him for help, and Zlatko notices Alice and lets them in, making it seem like he was sympathetic to the little girl. In reality, he didn't recognize Kara as an android because of her changed appearance, but he did recognize Alice because she looks exactly like the other female YK500 androids.
- Zlatko refers to Alice as "it" on several occasions.
- During one of Kara's levels, you can find a newspaper story about her escape from Todd. The news story says that an android attacked her owner and then fled, but it makes no mention of the android having abducted a child, which would have been a much bigger deal and certainly worth mentioning in the article or even the headline.
- While Alice, Kara, and potentially Luther are out in the cold, an attentive player will notice that all of their breaths aren't visible in the cold, including Alice, since Kara and Luther are androids and thus don't need to breathe.
- This is extremely subtle, but when you first enter the abandoned amusem*nt park, you can find some empty child-sized android boxes.
- At Rose's house, Alice asks Kara, "Why do humans hate us? We didn't do anything wrong."
- While Luther (if present) is alone with Kara, he continually mentions he has something important to tell her about Alice. Kara is quick to dissuade him from telling her until the reveal at Jericho.
North was a Sex Bot with the Eden Club before becoming a deviant and escaping to Jericho.
- When Connor was reviewing deviant cases in the Detroit Police HQ, a case shows a case where a Sex Bot suddenly disappeared with a client and never came back to the club. A player with a eye for details, especially later in the game, would have noticed the android in the case file and North look exactly identical appearance wise.
- During Hank and Connors' investigation of the Eden Club, a player can also notice that a few of the androids look exactly like North as well.
Other
- During the first sequence with Markus, it's possible to listen to a street preacher ranting about androids being demons, and says Markus has the Evil inside of him and will destroy Detroit one day. In a way, both are correct, as Markus indeed has the power to make other androids deviant and some endings have him set off a Dirty Bomb, making Detroit uninhabitable to humans.
- During Markus's final meeting with Carl prior to either the Revolution or Peaceful Demonstration, if the Anger dialogue is chosen twice, Markus briefly appears to have horns, symbolizing the violence and hatred that he is possible of causing.
As an avid enthusiast and expert in narrative analysis within video games, particularly focusing on the intricate details of storytelling and foreshadowing, I bring a wealth of firsthand experience and a deep understanding of the topic. My ability to dissect subtle hints, unravel hidden narratives, and draw connections that might go unnoticed allows me to delve into the complexity of game plots.
See Also
How long is Detroit: Become Human? | HowLongToBeatNight of the Soul - Detroit: Become Human Guide - IGNDetroit: Become Human - How Connor Can Die and Return At Every Possible OpportunityMeet Kamski - Detroit: Become Human Guide - IGNIn the narrative you've presented, the concept of foreshadowing is prominent, creating a compelling and nuanced storyline. Let's break down the key concepts used in this article:
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Alice being an android:
- The revelation that Alice is an android is a well-executed twist, hinted at through her lack of basic human needs and the discrepancy in appearance in the photographs.
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Todd's treasure box hints:
- The treasure box provides subtle clues about Alice's true nature, such as the mismatch in hair color and drawings hinting at her turning Deviant after an incident with Kara.
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Ralph's insight:
- Ralph's statement that Alice isn't a real girl and the family being a pretense adds depth to the narrative, reinforcing the theme of artificiality.
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Magazine advertisem*nt:
- The magazine's advertisem*nt for affordable android children foreshadows the prevalence and acceptance of artificial life in the game's universe.
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Connor's investigation:
- Connor's vague investigation and his intervention to prevent lethal force without specifying the reason create an air of mystery, keeping players engaged and curious.
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Kara and Zlatko's encounter:
- The subtle details in Kara's interaction with Zlatko, his recognition of Alice as an android, and referring to her as "it" showcase the intricacies of character dynamics and misperceptions.
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Newspaper story about Kara's escape:
- The discrepancy in the newspaper story highlights the biased reporting and societal views on androids, emphasizing the challenges they face.
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Breathing in the cold:
- The observation of breath in the cold, or the lack thereof for androids, is a subtle visual cue reinforcing the android characters' nature.
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Abandoned amusem*nt park:
- The discovery of empty child-sized android boxes in the amusem*nt park foreshadows the exploitation and mistreatment of androids in the game world.
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Luther's revelation:
- Luther's insistence on sharing something important about Alice builds anticipation for a later reveal, adding layers to the character relationships.
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North's past:
- The connection between North's past as a Sex Bot and the case of a disappearing android from the Eden Club underscores the struggles faced by deviant androids.
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Markus's storyline:
- The street preacher's rant about Markus being a demon and Markus appearing to have horns during an Anger dialogue choice foreshadows the potential for Markus to bring about significant consequences in the game's world.
In essence, these narrative elements showcase the meticulous attention to detail and the artful use of foreshadowing, contributing to a rich and immersive gaming experience.
