Maxine Caulfield (Life is Strange 2) (2024)

Maxine Caulfield, better known as Max (born September 21, 1995), is the main protagonist of Life is Strange, Farewell (a bonus episode for the prequel game, Before the Storm), and Life is Strange: Double Exposure, and mentioned in Life is Strange 2. She was Chloe Price's best friend before moving to Seattle in her early teens, leaving Chloe in their hometown of Arcadia Bay, Oregon. They rekindle their friendship during the events of the original game when Max returns to Arcadia Bay five years later.

She is the daughter of Vanessa Caulfield and Ryan Caulfield whom she left back home in Seattle to live and study at Blackwell Academy.

For detailed information on Max's original appearance in the franchise, click here. To read more about Max's childhood with Chloe, click here. To read more about Max's rekindled friendship with Chloe during the events of Season 1, click here.

Appearance[]

A photograph kept by Chloe's step-father, David Madsen, in his trailer at a remote desert commune in Arizona shows Max's appearance has not changed much in Season 2 other than her bangs looking either grown out or swept aside more.

There is no date to the photograph, but there could be a clue in Chloe's hair:

• Chloe appears to be growing her hair out into its natural color (strawberry blond). The green that extends down from this could be what remains of the blue-turquoise hair she was seen with in the original game, as blue-turquoise dye fades to green due to its undertones being green (unless it is primed with a purple toner which neutralizes yellows).
• If Chloe was no longer dying her hair after the events of Season 1, then 6 inches of average human hair growth would put this photograph at approximately one year after the events of Season 1. If she continued to dye her hair in a blue-turquoise or even deliberately green, then she could have decided to stop doing this at any time, making it more difficult to date the photograph.

Background[]

Max grew up in Arcadia Bay and became best friends with Chloe who lived just half a mile away. They were both "only children," which made them so much closer. They both engaged in many fun games and activities as well as daydreaming of their future and the adventures they would have together.

In 2008, Chloe's father tragically died in a car crash. Max was at Chloe's house on that day and found this hard to deal with as William was like a father to her. Soon after this tragic event, Max had to move to Seattle with her parents, leaving Chloe to deal with her grief alone. According to the original game, Max didn't call or text Chloe at all over the five years she was in Seattle. While she was away, the combination of William dying, her leaving for Seattle, and Chloe's mother remarrying caused her best friend to rebel by hanging around with bad boys, taking drugs, and running away from home. Chloe had even changed her outward appearance to the punk-rock style seen in Season 1. She also got into varying degrees of mischief and thus earned a bad reputation with the local police over the years.

In late 2013, Max returned to her hometown of Arcadia Bay after winning a scholarship to study at Blackwell Academy. She has just turned 18 years old and is an aspiring photographer. (The original game starts from here.)

After saving Chloe from being shot and killed by Nathan Prescott in one of Blackwell Academy's bathrooms, she discovers she has the ability to rewind time and even stop it in its tracks. While searching for clues to solve the mysterious disappearance of Chloe's friend, Rachel Amber, Max also discovers how to use her powers to save the town of Arcadia Bay from a tornado.

If Arcadia Bay had perished in the storm in the original game, Max and Chloe's friendship has continued into July, 2017 (as discovered in Life is Strange 2, Episode 5) and may have evolved into a romantic relationship.

Episode Five - "Wolves"[]

Chloe's step-father confides in Sean Diaz that he used to hate Max and Chloe for running away - hitting the road and never looking back while he was trying to rebuild. Once he acknowledged that the past was the past and moved on, like they did, he reached out to them, and they made peace with each other. They both stayed at "Away" for a while. During the conversation, he pauses as he refers to Chloe as his "daughter," almost as though he is still getting used to using that word.

The above conversation is interrupted by David's cell phone ringing, and he takes the call in the privacy of his trailer. He opens the call with, "Hey, Sweetie! What's up?" As the conversation unfolds, it becomes clear that this is a call from Chloe. The call implies that Max and Chloe are either in New York or had just had a bad experience with somebody from New York. The experience seems to concern Max and a gallery, and Max may have been trying to submit her work to a gallery or was perhaps applying for a job at one. David is heard to ask Chloe, "How about that other gallery she told me about?" then follows it up with, "Cool! Fingers crossed then!" After his comment about them checking out his working solar panels the next time they come by, he suggests they could maybe drive down to Louisiana or Texas, which could mean they have plans to visit soon. He ends the call with, "Wish Max luck for me, okay? Bye bye, love ya!"

If Arcadia Bay was sacrificed, polaroids can be seen inside David's trailer depicting him and other members of Away. Considering that these only show up if that ending was chosen, and David mentions that Max and Chloe visited some time ago, this seems to suggest these were taken by Max and that her interest in retro photography has also continued.

Relationships[]

Friends[]

• Chloe Price - Max abandoned her childhood best friend when she moved to Seattle shortly after Chloe's father died. They were reunited when Max began attending Blackwell Academy five years later, but Chloe still retained some negative feelings from their separation. Even so, Chloe cared very deeply for Max and they quickly rekindled their friendship. Chloe feared losing Max again and had the wish to always stay by her side. In the final episode of Season 1, if Max decides to sacrifice Chloe for the sake of Arcadia Bay, they will share a long hug or a kiss, and Chloe will tell her that she will always love her. If Max decides to stay with Chloe, they will leave the town, promising to always stay together. It is clear from Life is Strange 2 that, if Arcadia Bay was sacrificed, Chloe and Max continue to be there for one another. (See here for more information on their relationship.)

Family[]

• Ryan Caulfield - Season 1 showed that Max had a close relationship with her dad, going with him to sports games in Seattle. He sent her a thoughtful text message for her birthday and was clearly very caring towards his daughter. Her father also kept in close contact with Max regarding Max's attempt to save Kate Marsh and after she was receiving threatening messages from the Prescott family. It is unknown what their relationship is like in Season 2.
• Vanessa Caulfield - Season 1 showed that Max was also close with her mother, appreciating the cookies and text messages that her mother sent her. Her mother also kept in close contact with Max about various events.

Romantic[]

• Chloe Price - From the beginning of Season 1, there were several implications that Chloe had romantic feelings for Max. She often made insinuating and teasing comments to Max, like when she joked about Max's rewind power with, "Maybe you made a move on me and I would never know"^[2], and her comment of, "I just don't think anybody is good enough for you... besides me."^[3] She even dared Max to kiss her. The choices Max made throughout Season 1 will have influenced the emotional depth of their relationship.^[4] It is clear from Life is Strange 2 that, if Arcadia Bay was sacrificed, Chloe and Max continue to be there for one another and may even be in a romantic relationship (determinant). (See here for more information on their relationship.)

Theories[]

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Trivia[]

• It’s very likely that Max pursued her dream in photography. When listening to David’s call it’s clear he’s taking to Chloe and shows that she and Max are in New York. During their conversation they talk about an art gallery and say fingers crossed and wishing Max good luck. This could be hinting that Max continued her career in photography and its now being displayed in an art gallery like in one of the alternative timelines. This is confirmed in the game Life is Strange: Double Exposure, as Max is now a professor as photographer-in-residence at Caledon University.

Gallery[]

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Notes[]

References[]