The Wolf Among Usis an oddball inTelltale’s recognizable lineup. Its source material,Fables, is arguably the most obscure property the studio has adapted. Its status as a prequel to theFablescomics, as well as its combination of period piece storytelling, film noir aesthetics, and the premise of fairy tale characters secretly living in a New York ghetto contribute to it being a distinct experience.
Originally released in 2013,The Wolf Among Usbecame one ofTelltale’s most beloved series, but remained a standalone game after its fifth episode released. Its long-awaited sequel was finally announced, but Telltale’s demise broughtThe Wolf Among Us 2down too. Thankfully, the game is confirmed to be back in development now that Telltale is back, but the only information fans have come from screenshots and teasers. Considering how vagueThe Wolf Among Us 2’s content is and the vast potential of theFablesuniverse,The Wolf Among Us 2could go in a lot of different directions. One of these directions may be emphasizing the Farm.
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Locations in Fables
AlthoughThe Wolf Among Uscenters on a New York district inhabited by characters like theBig Bad Wolfand Snow White, the original comic has a plethora of different locations within the human world thatThe Wolf Among Us 2could explore. The Farm is prominant due to its proximity with Fabletown when compared to the fairy tale realms. Mentioned several times in the originalWolf Among Usby characters like Colin and Mr. Toad, the Farm is never seen, but its purpose is established. Theoretically a safe haven for non-human Fables that cannot disguise themselves, it is treated like a prison given it’s the only place on Earth these Fables can freely roam. The Farm’s infamy is shown by Colin regularly leaving, and Bigby using it as a threat when convincing Toad to purchase glamor.
In the comics, the Farm is the second important location to be introduced after Fabletown. It is the subject of controversial political decisions in the Fables’ community, as well as philosophical differences between the Fables themselves. ConsideringThe Wolf Among Us’ exploration of themes like prejudice and corruption, the Farm is a perfect location to explore such themes. IfThe Wolf Among Us 2were to do that, it would remain faithful to the storytelling of its predecessor and source material.
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Fables' Characters and The Farm
FablesandThe Wolf Among Us’ premise allows them to create a huge cast of characters. The term “Fable” does not just apply to fairy tale characters, but also characters from nursery rhymes, literature in the public domain, folklore, and mythology.The Wolf Among Useven went represented works that were irrelevant or absent in the comics. With the exception of Bigby, Snow, and a few exceptions, all the characters inThe Wolf Among Uswere created for the game. Among the aforementioned exceptions, there are major characters with minor or supporting roles (like Jack Horner, Bufkin, Beauty and the Beast, and Flycatcher), or minor characters that gained proper characterization (like Ichabod Crane, Mr. Toad, and Colin).
The Wolf Among Us 2will apparently introducenew Fables, meaning previously neglected classic stories and characters will appear. Characters like Peter Pan, Mr. Toad’s friends fromThe Wind in the Willows, or inhabitants of Wonderland beyond Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum could appear. On the other hand, the Jersey Devil’s presence in Fabletown confirms the existence of cryptids, meaning there could beWolf Among Usversions of Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster. The writers could even try making a character out nursery rhymes likeThe Itsy-Bitsy Spider.
While this is a legitimate way to keep things fresh, there are many importantFablescharacters who could also get a game counterpart, includingPinocchio, Boy Blue, Prince Charming, and Frau Totenkinder. Having familiar characters, and hopefully giving them more importance than what characters like Flycatcher got, is a way to entice comics fans and make fans of the Telltale interpretation more interested in the source material.
With the exception of Rose Red, who has not appeared inThe Wolf Among Us, there are a plenty of characters exclusive or important to the Farm in the comics thatThe Wolf Among Us 2could use. Plenty of famous non-human characters like Puss in Boots, Reynard the Fox, the Three Bears, andShere Kahncould be integrated, while Mr. Toad, TJ, and Colin could be brought back. Beyond animal characters, there is also theFablesversion of Goldilocks. Power hungry, depraved, and sadistic, she is the only human character who voluntarily lives on the Farm. AsFables' arguably first true antagonist, she spearheaded a revolution and has an impressive body count.
While writing Goldilocks as a main antagonist would be tricky, she is still an interesting character with proximity to marginalized Fables and a radically different personality than in her original story. Her appearance could be a nice throwback toFables’ early days and potentially add more suspenseful scenes intoThe Wolf Among Us 2. Using the Farm setting could keep its writing internally consistent while offering something new for fans.Bigby and Snow White’s dynamicis fun, but the story could even better with more major players.
