The thing about Max is, I don’t think she’s a bad person at all. But I do think she’s one of those people where, like, of course this power fell into her hands. Not because she’s terrible, but because she suffers from something a lot of people do. Just trying to find the easy way out. And it’s not from maliciousness or ill will, it’s just, like, why wouldn’t you? If you could fix things in the snap of a finger, why wouldn’t you?
Because ultimately Max has been in Arcadia Bay for a month. And it really wouldn’t have been hard to reach out to Chloe. Seattle to Arcadia Bay is not that far. You would think that once in five years maybe she could have visited for a summer, or hosted Chloe, something. But she doesn’t.
And when Chloe brings it up Max kind of deflects. And I think a lot of people say Chloe is too angry, but she has every right to be. Your dad just died and your best friend just leaves and never texts you again ever. Max knows what she did was wrong, she just doesn’t really want to look at it. And again, she’s not a bad person, you can see that she’s inherently kind, but that doesn’t absolve her of the bad behaviors and the guilt.
And now she uses the rewind constantly. Every chance she gets to find the perfect answer, she takes it. It’s kind of like us looking everything up online instead of just using our brains. I think she’s way more of a flawed character than people give her credit for, it’s just subtle, and it’s easy to miss.
I don’t blame people who can’t see the underlying guilt, who can’t see that she’s using the power to put a band aid on the last five years. Like, if she can fix this, if she can save Chloe and help find Rachel, maybe everything will just fall back into place and it’ll be fine.
But it won’t. You didn’t talk to your friend for five years when she needed you the most. And the last time you ever see her is when she dies. You’re not evil. But that’s the consequence. And it’s a harsh one.
