YMMV / In Strange Woods

• Alternative Character Interpretation:
  • Howl's character is multifaceted and can be seen in many ways, from how Brett sees him as a misunderstood loner with an inherent goodness in him buried under years of grief, to Sandra seeing him as an evil man willing to let people die to prove his principles, to Peregrine seeing him as a surrogate father figure who was willing to listen when no one else would. In-universe, Brett and Peregrine wrestle with the conflicting information about Howl and how to perceive him. Depending on how you view Howl, the initial suspicion he's framed with could either be rightful foreshadowing or a case of Good All Along.
  • Peregrine can be seen as a grieving teen who came up with the Final as a way to honor her brother and help the town, or someone who recklessly put her friends and herself in danger to satisfy her own wants.
• Diagnosed by the Audience: A prevailing fan theory about Howl is that he's either autistic or has borderline personality disorder, stemming from Episode 2 and 4's stories of his childhood and how he was a "different child" and, as an adult, fled from the one person he loved because he couldn't handle the peace and love.
• Epileptic Trees: One fan theory that gained ground on very flimsy premises was that Howl was actually a werewolf, based solely on the recurring Noble Wolf in Episode 5, the ambiguity of Howl's disappearance, and his nickname.
• Funny Moments: In episode 5, Donald van Calcar mentions that his Rule of Threes includes coffee. "Three hours without caffeine? Somebody's gonna die."
• Wangst: While Peregrine's grief at losing Jacob is understandable, her feelings of betrayal and anger when Lexy blows the lid off the Final after John Francis was injured, and subsequent berating of her mom, can fall into this for listeners.

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