The world of Bendy and the Ink Machine is a hauntingly beautiful one, filled with retro animation aesthetics and a creeping sense of dread. One of the most poignant elements of this world is the fate of Boris the Wolf, Henry Stein’s cartoon companion. Players repeatedly encounter different versions of Boris, some friendly, some monstrous, leaving them to wonder: Can Boris be saved from the ink’s corruption? This article dives deep into the lore of Bendy, examining Boris’s various forms, analyzing the game’s narrative, and ultimately, exploring the possibility of a happy ending for our lupine friend.
Understanding Boris’s Forms: A Journey Through Ink
Boris the Wolf, in his original cartoon form, is a cheerful and helpful character. However, the ink machine and the twisted experiments within Joey Drew Studios have resulted in several corrupted versions of Boris. Understanding these forms is key to grasping his story.
The Original Boris: A Symbol of Innocence
The original Boris, seen in the studio’s old cartoons, represents the innocence and optimism of classic animation. He’s a friendly face, a loyal companion, and a source of lightheartedness. This image of Boris becomes increasingly significant as the game progresses, highlighting the tragedy of what the ink has done.
Boris the Wolf (Bendy and the Ink Machine Chapter 3): A Fleeting Ally
In Chapter 3 of Bendy and the Ink Machine, Henry encounters a seemingly friendly Boris. This version of Boris helps Henry navigate the studio and offers a brief respite from the horrors lurking within. However, even this Boris is not entirely free from the ink’s influence. He remains silent and his movements are somewhat stiff, hinting at the corruption that still clings to him.
Brute Boris: A Monstrous Transformation
Perhaps the most shocking transformation of Boris is Brute Boris, encountered in Chapter 4. This hulking, monstrous version of Boris is a powerful enemy, a terrifying example of the ink’s ability to warp and corrupt even the most innocent of characters. The fight against Brute Boris is a poignant moment, forcing Henry to confront the tragic fate of his friend.
Tom (Bendy and the Dark Revival): A Glimmer of Hope?
Bendy and the Dark Revival introduces a new version of Boris known as Tom. Tom is a hardened survivor, wielding a pipe and possessing a gruff demeanor. He distrusts Audrey at first, but eventually becomes a valuable ally. Tom’s existence offers a glimmer of hope, suggesting that it’s possible for a Boris to retain some semblance of his original self, even after being subjected to the ink.
Analyzing the Narrative: Hope and Despair in Joey Drew Studios
The narrative of Bendy and the Ink Machine is filled with themes of lost innocence, creative ambition gone awry, and the consequences of playing God. Boris’s story is interwoven with these themes, serving as a constant reminder of the human cost of Joey Drew’s obsession.
The Cycle of Creation and Corruption
The ink machine is capable of bringing cartoon characters to life, but it also corrupts them, trapping them in a nightmarish cycle of existence. Boris is repeatedly brought into existence, only to be twisted and tormented by the ink. This cycle highlights the dark side of creation and the ethical implications of unchecked ambition.
Henry’s Role: Redemption or Despair?
Henry’s return to Joey Drew Studios is driven by a sense of guilt and a desire to understand what happened to his former colleague and the studio they built together. Throughout the game, Henry witnesses the suffering caused by the ink machine and confronts the consequences of his own past decisions. The question of whether he can find redemption, and potentially save Boris, is a central driving force of the narrative.
The Power of Friendship: A Beacon in the Darkness
Despite the pervasive darkness, the theme of friendship offers a glimmer of hope. Henry’s relationship with the original Boris, and his eventual alliance with Tom in Bendy and the Dark Revival, demonstrate the power of connection in a world consumed by ink and despair. This connection provides a motivation for fighting back against the corruption and seeking a better future.
Exploring the Possibility of Saving Boris: Theories and Speculation
The question of whether Boris can be saved is complex and open to interpretation. While the game never provides a definitive answer, there are several theories and speculations that offer potential solutions.
The Ink Machine’s Control: Breaking the Cycle
One theory suggests that the key to saving Boris lies in breaking the ink machine’s control over the studio. If the machine can be deactivated or its power neutralized, the cycle of creation and corruption could be broken, freeing Boris and the other cartoon characters from their tormented existence. This would require understanding the machine’s inner workings and finding a way to disrupt its influence.
The Power of Memory and Identity: Restoring What Was Lost
Another theory focuses on the power of memory and identity. Perhaps by reminding Boris of his original self, or by restoring his lost memories, it might be possible to counteract the ink’s corruption. This could involve finding objects or locations that hold significance for Boris, or using some form of technology to manipulate his memories. This approach emphasizes the importance of preserving identity in the face of overwhelming forces.
Audrey’s Role as the Ink Demon: A Potential Savior?
Bendy and the Dark Revival reveals that Audrey is the new Ink Demon, imbued with the power to control the ink. This revelation raises the possibility that Audrey could use her abilities to purify Boris, or to create a new, uncorrupted version of him. This theory relies on Audrey fully understanding and controlling her powers, and choosing to use them for good.
Tom’s Survival: A Proof of Concept
Tom’s survival, and his ability to retain some semblance of his original personality, suggests that it is possible for a Boris to resist the ink’s corruption. This could mean that there are specific factors that contribute to a Boris’s survival, such as a strong will, a connection to others, or exposure to specific substances or environments. Understanding these factors could be key to developing a method for saving other versions of Boris.
Analyzing the Ending: A Ambiguous Resolution?
The ending of Bendy and the Dark Revival leaves the question of Boris’s fate somewhat ambiguous. While Audrey manages to defeat Joey Drew and seemingly break the cycle of the ink machine, the ultimate outcome for Boris is not explicitly stated.
A Glimmer of Hope: A New Beginning?
The ending implies that Audrey has created a new world, free from the corruption of the ink machine. This new world could offer Boris a chance to start over, to exist in a pure and uncorrupted form. However, it’s also possible that Boris’s fate remains tied to the old world, and that he will continue to exist in some form, either as a friendly companion or a monstrous enemy.
Open to Interpretation: The Power of Imagination
Ultimately, the ending of Bendy and the Dark Revival is open to interpretation. The game encourages players to draw their own conclusions about the fate of Boris and the other characters. This ambiguity allows for a sense of closure, while also leaving room for speculation and imagination.
Conclusion: The Enduring Mystery of Boris
The question of whether you can save Boris in Bendy is a complex and ultimately unresolved one. Throughout the series, players witness the tragic consequences of the ink machine’s corruption, and the suffering of the cartoon characters trapped within. While the ending of Bendy and the Dark Revival offers a glimmer of hope, the ultimate fate of Boris remains uncertain. However, the enduring mystery of Boris serves as a reminder of the power of friendship, the importance of hope, and the enduring legacy of Bendy and the Ink Machine. Perhaps, in the hearts and minds of players, Boris can always be saved. The game leaves us with the idea that even in the darkest of ink-soaked worlds, the spirit of a character, and the bond they share with others, can endure. The true salvation of Boris may lie not in a definitive ending, but in the ongoing story we create for him in our own imaginations.
Can you actually save Boris in Bendy and the Ink Machine?
No, realistically, Boris is not truly “saved” in Bendy and the Ink Machine. While Bendy eventually rescues a version of Boris in Chapter 3, this Boris is corrupted and transformed into a hostile enemy called “Brute Boris.” Henry is forced to fight him, and ultimately, he doesn’t survive the encounter. There’s no way within the game’s narrative to permanently restore Boris to his original, uncorrupted form and have him escape the studio with Henry.
The narrative suggests that Boris is a recurring character, constantly being remade and altered by the ink machine. Even if Henry could prevent the transformation into Brute Boris, the underlying issue of the ink corruption and the cycle of creation and destruction would remain. Therefore, a truly happy ending for Boris, at least within the context of the original Bendy and the Ink Machine, seems impossible.
What happens to Boris after the Brute Boris fight?
After Henry defeats Brute Boris, the corrupted version of the character is defeated, and his body dissolves back into ink. He doesn’t die in the traditional sense since he’s a being made of ink, but his current form is destroyed. Henry expresses sorrow and regret at having to fight him, acknowledging that this wasn’t the Boris he knew and wished to help.
The ending doesn’t offer any possibility of reviving this specific Brute Boris or restoring him to a friendly state. This outcome contributes to the game’s overall tragic and unsettling atmosphere. It reinforces the idea that the ink machine and the studio environment are inherently corrupting, making true salvation or a happy ending incredibly difficult, if not impossible, for the cartoon characters.
Is there a “good ending” where both Henry and Boris survive?
There isn’t a straightforward “good ending” in Bendy and the Ink Machine where both Henry and a benevolent Boris escape the studio unharmed. The game’s ending is ambiguous, with Henry returning to his apartment and seemingly reflecting on his experiences. While he survives, the fate of the ink world and its inhabitants, including Boris, remains uncertain.
The final scene suggests that the cycle of events might continue, hinting at the possibility of a repeat or continuation of the story. This ambiguity leaves the door open for interpretation but doesn’t provide a definitive resolution where Henry and Boris achieve a lasting, happy ending. The game focuses more on the themes of obsession, regret, and the dangers of unchecked creation rather than a traditional heroic escape.
Why is Boris always being experimented on?
Boris’s repeated experimentation is likely tied to Joey Drew’s ambitions and the ink machine’s ability to bring cartoon characters to life. Joey seems to have been driven by a desire to perfect his creations, pushing the boundaries of what the ink machine could produce. Boris, being a simple and recognizable character, likely served as a recurring subject for these experiments.
The various versions of Boris seen throughout the game—some friendly, others monstrous—suggest a process of trial and error, where Joey attempted to create the perfect cartoon character, possibly even with the intention of achieving immortality through his creations. The ink machine itself might also have a will of its own, constantly generating and modifying the characters based on the studio’s environment and the emotions and desires of those within it.
What is the significance of Boris’s different appearances?
Boris’s varying appearances throughout Bendy and the Ink Machine highlight the unstable and unpredictable nature of the ink creations. His initial appearance as a lifeless, strapped-down figure sets a tone of unease and implies that something terrible has happened within the studio. Subsequent variations, like the friendly Boris in Chapter 3 and the monstrous Brute Boris, showcase the corrupting influence of the ink machine and the environment.
Each different Boris represents a stage in Joey Drew’s experiments and the ink machine’s chaotic processes. They are reflections of Joey’s ambition, the studio’s decay, and the twisted reality that has been created. The transformations emphasize that these are not simple cartoon characters; they are beings subjected to constant change and manipulation, trapped within a nightmarish world.
Is the Boris in Dark Revival the same one from Bendy and the Ink Machine?
The Boris encountered in Bendy and the Dark Revival is likely not the exact same entity as the one featured in Bendy and the Ink Machine, but rather a similar creation, perhaps a copy or a variant generated by the ink machine. Dark Revival presents a new story with new challenges, even though it builds upon the lore of the original game.
While there are familiar elements and characters, it is implied that the ink machine continues to create and recreate beings based on the memories and desires of those trapped within the studio. Therefore, the Boris in Dark Revival should be viewed as a similar, but potentially distinct, character existing within the same twisted universe, rather than the direct continuation of the previous Boris’s storyline.
What is Boris based on?
Boris the Wolf is primarily based on classic cartoon characters from the 1920s and 1930s, particularly those found in Disney and Fleischer Studios productions. His design, featuring a simple, rounded shape, pie-cut eyes, and a generally cheerful demeanor, evokes the style of characters like Mickey Mouse, Goofy, and other anthropomorphic animals common in that era.
The character’s name and overall wolfish appearance further contribute to this inspiration. Boris is intended to be a nostalgic throwback to the golden age of animation, designed to evoke a sense of charm and innocence that contrasts sharply with the dark and twisted world of Bendy and the Ink Machine. This juxtaposition makes the corruption and suffering of Boris even more poignant and disturbing for players.