I will be very surprised if **** doesn't come back.
I've seen quite a few prediction threads going around for Episode Five that have no mention at all of Jane, and I'm quite baffled as to why so many people think that she isn't coming back.
It would be (in my opinion) a colossal mistake on Telltale's part if she were to have left permanently in Episode Four after just being built up so well as the strangely sympathetic survivalist who saw her own sister in Clementine. If Jane truly was to have left the series permanently in Amid The Ruins, then the primary message of this season (family, which Jane clearly has some connection to) will be effectively substituted out for "Season Two: Clem's Running Around Trying To Survive With A Mixed Bag Of Non-Meaningful Themes". Now I realize that may read like an exaggeration, but if you really think about it, it would be entirely against everything that season two stands for if Jane were to not come back and the group had to find a way out on their own. In order to tie everything up in a way that doesn't make things seem like we just went through an amusing carnival of survival slideshows this season, Jane's appearance has to mean something.
If there isn't a reason they spent all that time talking about her sister and building her up, then Telltale has artistically failed. It worked with Molly leaving in Episode Four of Season One because Molly represented someone that Clem could become without Lee when she was on her own. Now, Jane and Molly have some blatant similarities and they obviously meant to evoke that sense (using the same exact music and camera angles at certain points), but telling the same exact story over again would be entirely meaningless in Season Two's case and I for one have at least the slightest faith in Telltale not to trip up quite so badly as that.
I will be very surprised and immensely disappointed if Jane does not appear in Episode Five, given that all the themes of Season Two coming together seem to depend largely upon her coming back. If she does not, then where has her story arc even gone? Why was it even included when some other character, perhaps even Clem by herself, could have been the subject? What indeed will the entirety of Jane's character have been if she is simply Molly 2.0 (because hey, we thought it'd be cool and stuff)?
I believe that Jane coming back for Clementine in Episode Five is quintessential to the effectiveness of the entire Season as a piece of meaningful storytelling, and without her, this season will really appear to me as a random joyride through zombieland (which works in some games, but not here).
Comments
Well I really don't think Jane will come back In episode 5, but she could be a protagonist of season 3?
Wow, I never thought about it like that.
But, great points.
In the end however, I feel that this season would be a "failure" if it ended without a definitive conclusion to Clementine's story arc
i think shes molly 2.0
I'm pretty certain she's going to have a change of heart and come back. No reason not to.
The closest thing Clem has to family isn't the pragmatic survivalist she's spent half a day with. It's the woman she spent nearly 2 years with. That's the person who needs to come back to tie this whole thing together. Not Jane (even though I like Jane too).
Jane serves as a counterpoint to what characters in the other episodes were saying: that family and loved ones are the most important thing in the world. Jane is an example of a survivor who has forsaken all of those things for a better chance of survival out on her own. She's alive and seems capable and knowledgeable enough to survive indefinitely, but she's also shown to be an incredibly lonely person.
Molly never really struck me as much of an example for Clem (probably because I didn't really like her character) and if she was meant to represent what Clem could be without Lee, then it doesn't seem like there's any reason for Clem not to head out on her own. And that I think is what runs counter to the theme of the series. Jane serves that role better because it's very clear that she's unhappy living the life that she lives. She shows us that while the life that Clem would lead if she were to sever her ties with those around her may be safer, it's ultimately unfulfilling.
If Jane comes back Luke's gonna be expecting more sex :P
I thought Jane will return in the beginning of Episode 5 to help Clem after hearing the gunfight. And say, "Lucky I was nearby".
Holy shit
Just one question, How do you like Jane's character and not Molly's character when they both are very similar? I never cared much for either especially Jane but if I had to choose I'd think Molly was the better created character. Molly seemed to have more heart for others. And I think Molly mentioned she would leave as to not cause any hard felt decisions or strife within the group when it came down to eliminating people for the sake of enough space on the boat like Kenny said. I'd trust Molly with Clementine's life before Jane. I feel Jane would eventually leave Clem as well like she did her own sister and wanted to do with Sarah. If Clementine ever got pinned down and or overwhelmed into a corner with walkers she'd fairly easily leave Clem to get torn apart too without helping out enough. She even said she didn't want to see it happen to Clem too and felt her luck would eventually run out like everyone else before of course inevitably leaving. In other words Jane's quicker of a cop out soon as she deems a situation as hopeless. She didn't even want to save Sarah originally both times, when the going got tough she wanted to leave Sarah to her doom at the drop of a hat. At least Molly helped Kenny,Lee and Clementine when surrounded in the back alley. And saved Lee's life twice. But both Molly and Jane are very similar in personality and might have been the best of friends if they ever got to meet.
Tell-Tale has already made some disappointing mistakes this season regarding a couple of character's development and I don't think you should hold your breath about Jane either. But I wouldn't completely rule out the possibility of her return. Personally I'd want to see Christa come back before Jane. Jane can maybe make a reappearance in Season 3 perhaps if they did want to do something like that.
Jane's character was more interesting to me precisely because of those things. Whereas Molly's character was all about strength and how awesome and badass she was, Jane's character felt like a better balance of strength and weakness to me. She was flawed.
Aside from the fact that she clearly had problems letting go of the past (something she ironically accuses another of doing), Jane is shown to be quite emotionally fragile, as shown by her self-hating reaction to robbing/threatening Arvo. And she wasn't even doing it for her own benefit. She did it because he had supplies that were useful for the group and because Rebecca and the others would have been easy targets if he found out about them and came back with his group.
Both Molly and Jane had reluctant "Oh I don't really want to help but I guess I will" moments (Molly had the alley, Jane had the beginning with Clem and Rebecca as well as the two Sarah scenes), but I felt like Jane's reasons for not helping was more justified. Molly wasn't going to help Kenny, Lee, and Clem because she just didn't care until Clem gave her the sad eyes. Jane explained why it would have been bad for her, Clem, and Rebecca to clump together and saving Sarah both of those times put her or Clem in direct risk.