Control Explained - The Former (Supplement) 

My personal theory is The Former got too close to a human, so close that it even refers to him (Ash Jr.) as 'Son' and The Board didn't like this because The Board views humans merely as tools. Further evidence to state this hypothesis is the fact that when you find Ash's secret lab it has a 'Mini Nail' in it, notes and a letter between him and someone (or something) named 'F'. The Nail seems to be a place of the Astral Plane where The Board either gets it's power/resides, maybe like a conduit? So maybe the 'Mini Nail' is where The Former resides when it split off from the original Nail/Board? Another subtle detail that stuck out to me is in the very last audio log from Ash Jr. He mentions something about wishing he could tell 'Father' how he's grateful for being given purpose, but in the subtitles it's specifically capitalized and no other time when he mentions Ash Sr. as father is it capitalized. So I'm thinking he's actually talking about Former as father in that instance. Just a little food for thought!

So we just gonna forget that The Former was in the real world after beating Marshall and cleansing Nail?

I fricking love this game. I hope that we will see a second game about the oldest house and the bureau. There is sooo much mystery that I want to solve.

This may be a longshot, but I think FORMER is somehow tied to Alan Wake. Main reason is that giant beam of light in their face that also rotates not unlike the Lighthouse that is such a key feature in fighting the Dark Presence. Maybe the thing that got FORMER expelled from the Board was because they did something related to the Dark Presence, either unleashing it or assisting Alan's fight against it. Maybe they were the one behind Zane, again given the beam of light they emit.

The board was telling a complete lie to Jesse towards the end of the events of the Foundation DLC it's easy to forget/miss, but they say (at least in a hotline call) that they are unableto control the ID in the foundation from the astral plane. Former, a solitary entity, demonstrates that this is false by sending and commanding Id with ease.

Didn't know you could attack Former in the DLC! That's awesome!

The Former kinda cute tho ngl

I had no idea you could attack the Former at that time. I didn't even thought about doing that because it wasn't being hostile yet and I always felt its side of the story was worth listening, haven't trusted the Board from day 1.

2:45 Listen, The Former set a VERY BAD impression with me when it attacked me in the fridge! I had no idea you could choose to NOT fight The Former prior to the Marshall fight. I see that thing, I shoot first, ask questions later lol

"Don't attack the Former" that's good to know for when the DLC comes out on the 25th for the xbox.

I think Former actually wanted to warn Jesse about the Board all along. I think the Board wants to invade this dimension to assume full control of it, and Former stood against this idea so he was kicked out. Imo he wanted to reach Jesse through the Altered Items to warn her, but she immediately started blasting upon seeing a Worm Monster (note that he tried reaching her twice, and the third time in the DLC). He clearly wants to tell her something important, but he doesn't have access to the Pyramid or the Hotline. He has to communicate with her physically, in person, so what comes out is gibberish. I think the Board low key wanted the Astral Bleed to happen so that they could physically access our dimension, and Former teamed up with Jesse to stop them. Former clearly does not want to control humans, maybe he even actually likes them, since Ash (Son) called him Father. Former is not hostile by nature... but the Board might be. They are only friends with Directors for as long as they do what benefits their (still unknown) intentions. When they no longer had use for Trench, they made the Service (note the word SERVICE!) Weapon kill him. And they don't actually want Jesse to be too powerful, hence they gave her only 1 power in the DLC, and Former gave her the other. If she is too powerful, she might oppose them easier. Imo we should worry about the Board, not Former!

I love that you put (supplement) in the title, great way to stick to the FBC format.

I just love the "multiword translations" from the hotline. My favorite pairing of words was "television / babysitter".

I just want to point out… the name of the Former and it’s linking with the pentagram could imply it’s seeking to return altered items to their “former” state… just as the pentagram was formerly a holy symbol. Expanding on this, maybe the Board’s choices of energy infusion are the cause of the corruption, not the Former; which I might add would be a very Remedy thing to do.

Finally watched this video as I hadn't got around to playing the DLC until just now! Looking forward to your breakdown on the DLC

I love these control videos I need more

Got a new sub! This game is huge, i think what you call "lore" in control is the world itself. I just finished the foundation. I can add some other thing that came to my mind while playing. I interpret this dlc story in this way: the nail at the basement is the symbol of the connection between real world and the astral plane, as an actual nail does, it keep things connected. Something happened and the nail was broken, blending those two realities. So Jesse is sent to make the situation right restoring the nail. The other symbolic reference I caught is referred to the cave paintings, that in the story was made by Ash (?) and they're linked to the cradle of humanity, the yiggdrasil and the suggestion that the oldest house was there for a really long time (in an audio or a document we know there were a forest in new york at that time) but in a different form, a tree. So after that rant (XD) i have some questions, like how those things are connected with the Former and the Border story? or why the Former is in the real world at the end of the dlc ?

What's really interesting to me is, after you accept the git from The Former, The Board starts being nicer to you. Whereas earlier they're pushy / talk down/ threaten you. After the first fight with The Former they tell you not to listen to it or else they'll erase you from existence. But if Jesse sides with The Former it seems to... idk, scare them? And they start making nice with you in subsequent dialogues. Lastly, and I'm not sure if you caught this but at the very end of the game, The Former can be seen in the physical world, in that big giant room with all the rectangle pillars in the foundation. I don't know if that doesn't occur if you decide to fight The Former instead of accepting its help but it would be really interesting to know if that's the choice that allowed it into the physical world or not. Another thing of note is, when the Hiss attacks the black pyramid, The Board grants vast power to Jesse making her invulnerable and all her attacks 1-hit kills. So this means they could be more helpful but they're choosing not to. And why that might be is of great interest to me. What do you think?

Just finished the DLC yesterday and I was honestly expecting the Board to ask Jesse to bring people to be sacrificed, and that's why all the red iron rust flakes are all over the place. That's why that team of researchers were left down there? The first Director was asked to sacrifice some sheep in order for more power? And that's why the former also stopped working for the board, they didn't want to sacrifice innocent lives...

Playing through Control again, I came across a few more... talking points, one of which related to the Former. That point is this, the message from the Board regarding the removal/firing/purging of the Former doesn't come till after the fight in the Ordinary Dump Recreation/Storage. This could mean that the Former was still part of the board at the start of the game, that it's removal is something that happens During the Hiss Invasion and after the arrival of Jesse.

I didn't even know you could attack former in the dlc, it showed up and scared the hell out of me and then I saw I could interact with it so I spoke to it and it was rather nice also when they show the glimpses of the former coming from the hazy darkness with it's arms and the light from it's pupil it looked terrifying to me. After the marshall fight you go out of the area and see the former past the pillars and he looked huge and terrifying and made me jump and just freeze for a second so when the cutscene played I was not paying attention at first and afterward I was excited to speak to the former after I finished the story of he dlc and was disappointed when I could not

I'm glad I've found someone who likes the song at the end of your video as much as I do... was always one of my favorite jrpg... hell just favorite video game songs ever! I'm just not naming it to see if anyone else will comment on it or guess it

Remember how jesse found a smaller nail? Well i think that the big nail is connected to the board while the little one us connected to former.

SECRET EASTEREGG: Hello, Just to add onto DragonFlame1994 theory. At the very beginning of the Foundation, as your acquiring your first control point. If you look up at the horizontal column above, you may see a spider-like creature (similar shape/features of the Former; but smaller) run across. I saw it on my first playthrough, and now googling the internet to see if anyone else saw it. One redditer describes seeing a spider-like creature run across the column, and that is what I saw as well. In the context of Control, it mostly resembles the image/structure of the Former. My theory is that, the reason why the Former was disbanded by the Board was that he adopted Ash Jr (who refused to leave the Foundation), and turned into a Former-like creature. OR the Former had a child who resides in the Foundation - as he mentions "Son" when talking to Jesse in their last dialogues. There is also a cutscene of the Former being in the Foundation "physically" but nowhere the size of what we (Redditer/and Chiak: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-GDGM1mi9g4c.html) saw running across the column. Interestingly, 1 week prior to the discovery of the Oldest House (and Foundation) Ash Jr's father had passed (we don't know why). Other theorists believe that the Former see's Ash Jr as a son as well.

The Former is a legitimate fear of mine! GIANT CREATURE IN A VAST ,OPEN ,ENDLESS AREA, OPENING ITS GIANT EYES ON ME AND I AM HELPLESS!

Dr. Ash would have conversations with "F". But with how little there is, the only F I can think of Dr. Ash talking to is Former.

I thought it was ur board that sent the Id! I think control 2 will be have the former helping Jessie take on the board. They give her the power of the service weapon but rely on her Polaris resonance. It seems after the events of the foundation that the board has access to the Polaris resonance securing its independence from Jessie.

i really wish i had that outfit with the backpack

I’m left wondering if the former is in anyway related to Thomas Zane, as his appearance gives off many similarities to the lighthouse and glowing light of Zane that’s present throughout Alan Wake. Furthermore, could that be why he was ejected from the board? The board wanted to leave the Bright Falls AWE alone but The Former insisted on interfering to help Alan?

The former is probably a former director of the oldest house that got corrupted.

I haven't actually picked up the dlc yet. Need to do that.

whoa, never occurred to me until seeing your vid : what if "the former" doesn't refer to "the past" so much as "the forming of something new" (p.s. didn't it totally apologize for eating the guy who was watching the fridge? an accident. he tastes like a panini?)

I just started playing the game. And I got through the DLC. Did anyone see the former at the very end briefly. After we close the nail. It looks like the former came into our reality for a second

the unintelligible words of the forms is depicted in some sort of cypher, with each symbol "#@%$*" being a letter, i just can't find the obvius word to do the translation

Uh oh. I'm like number 666. Great video.

How'd u get up outfit

I really wish they actually wrapped this up in AWE, man... I liked this game a lot, but I can't stand when plot points just don't get wrapped up, especially when they seem halfway done already.

I don't know if your pyramid filter theory is necessarily disproven. Maybe the pyramid still serves that function but the Former is just improvising with what it has.

Also the board in this finds out that Polaris is inside Jesse and says to get rid of her like get rid of your sidekick. I think that may lead to future conflict In the next game can someone confirm or deny what I’m saying is right? And correct me if I’m wrong?

i honestly find the board more annoying than that former.. at least he is trying to give us a choice rather than giving orders without asking questions.

Will you be making any videos on Quantum Break?

Am I the only one who thinks Emily is off? Something about her is just weird and I don’t know if i like it or not

i am here before 1 millions subs huehue

But why does the former look like that? A big worm?

first? hueheuheuheuehuehue

Okay but worst boss fight in gaming history.

What is your opinion on the Dissent Hotline call and how it relates to the Former? We receive a call from the Board warning us near the beginning of the game but then get that one quickly after as a follow up telling you the previous call was “Wrong/Fake News”. It names the Former by that name and ensures you the Purge has been completed and that you shouldn’t be concerned. I think a lot more is going on here and the conflict isn’t as ancient as we think

I feel like the reason we can understand the former now is that due to the astral bleed the former is now in our dimension. There are a couple of times in the foundation dlc that we see his model of in the distance near the mist covered pillers.

What I find interesting is a couple times when you fix the nail The Board refers to it as OUR Nail is Rebuilding/Loosening, instead of 'The Nail'. Or another time they say WE Are Nearly Whole/Fixed. And it makes me think back to Emily with one of her dialogues where she mentions the Nail isn't necessarily a part of the Oldest House. Perhaps that's why the Former wants to burn it and refers to it as a leech but why would the Board want to keep it? And go as far as harming a colleague of ours(Marshall) when that could potentially make us go against them? But i guess that also goes into why do they have two Hotline messages that say one line only. The one about Apologies/How Embarrassing is particularly interesting since it happens right after you fix the nail with the Astral Plane crumbling before you and then the Former says Nail*** Fix*** End. as the Board trying to get rid of you and then act like everything was ok since they failed? On top of that Jesse mentions in the 'Nail Field' dialogue with Emily, that it seems like the Board potentially wanted the Hiss to corrupt the Nail so Jesse could cleanse it. What does Polaris' abilities have to do with assisting their objective? Very strange, a lot to think about. Gonna have to dive deep into the game once more. Just wish there were multiple save files so you wouldn't have to erase the save with everything on it bc I really want to experience the game again without having to watch other people play to see what I might understand more on a second playthrough.

Ok so with the former and the board, I'm starting to side with the former even more. The board has threatened Jesse multiple times for questioning them and for encountering the Former. I never played Alan Wake but the Former is starting to show us what the board is really like. As we can see, The Board allowed Jesse brother to enter the foundation with the projector slide. Hoothmore was the first director but even the board didn't know that Hoothmore was corrupted. So that got me thinking, when the Hiss took over the foundation and started to leak over the place...why did they remove the Former from the Board?? The board didn't even attempt to fight the hiss back, they was nearly corrupted until the last misson where we had save Dylan. When they was nearly corrupted, the hiss was speaking and the board was speaking at the same time, their messages was like half and half. I think the Hiss was trying to show what the Board was truly like so that's why the board gave us a random boost of power and energy. Also didn't the board say that have complete control over the O.O.P?? So if they did, how did they allow the hiss and the former to get control of certain O.O.P??

definitely interesting theories, the nail is most certainly connected to all this and marshall definitely knew something, look forward to the other supplements

See when I read foundation dlc I'm thinking that they're acknowledging how close to Scp this game is.

ok can we Appreciate your voice tho😳

The former/outcast is a cool/chill dude.

What if the pyramid does facilitate communication, but only with the Board and blocks out the rest?

I'm a bit upset in that we didn't learn exactly what happened with Northmoor's demise, but more so I'm upset that we got next to nothing on teases for the next DLC. I mean, I'm glad this was it's own thing... but outside of some tiny tidbits like the final Hotline message being titled "Departure" there's NOTHING in this DLC that alludes to the investigations sector, the motel, or Bright Falls. I didn't expect much, but even Emily alluding to needing files in 'an old sector' to research the "mini-nail" more would have been super-hype.

Thanks/gratitude for/because the video/work.

I think the nail acts like an antenna for the hotline it fairly large an would provide good resonance the formers nail is much smaller in comparison. Get what I mean.

I'm late but I decided to play and do you need the foundation DLC to speak to the former? Or no

That's why Marshal fight was hard for me. She was actually a boss. People said beware of Salvador and tomassi but Marshal was actually a real boss. Took me 5 tries and a loy of source 😢. But what does former say when we don't attack him?

Wait, you can fight the Former before Marshall???? at 2:56

@2:12 "proximinaty" eh? lol

There is a room in the game (i dont remeber where) that have a drawing about some strange event where a "Red" pyramid comes and dock with the black one, so they "exchange" places. There are even some text explaining that "now we have this -other- board in control"

The Nail could be a former way of communication with the Board before the collective unconscious made the Phone the most associated way of communication. What we know so far is that the Oldest House was around for way longer than we can sensibly research and all the signs of worship and life in the caverns of the foundation might very well be what the FBC is now back in the past. Chosen priests/Directors communicate with the Board/Gods. If your theory is right that the proximity to the nail makes it possible to understand the Former to some degree, then its not too far off to theorize that the Nail was what the Hotline is now. A way to commune with higher beings. Prayer and worship in earlier ages throught a monument/altar, and instructions given via the cliche red phone. Just my 2 cents^^

What Dr Ash and the Note that you give to Emily. As Emily reads it. She said it was a mess up message to F. I believe F is the Former. As the Former said something about Son to Jessie. And Ash is the name Jr

My first instinct was to attack the Former and I did. All good though, because I took Hiss Marshall out first try. Lol

Wait... So there is an option to not fight Former in the first place in the fridge.. U just can't attack him? Thats all???

Off-topic question. What's the name of the song at the end of your videos.

Towards the end of the DLC, I started to think that the Former is actually Northmoor. Arish says that there is no information on Northmoor's death/departure from the Director's position. Written logs indicate that Northmoor saw himself as a divine figure, or at least claimed the role as Director as a divine right given to him by the Board. His lust for power and reverence could link to your theory of the Former wanting similar things when it changes the nature of Altered Items, along with severe repercussions if you don't follow its orders/rituals. Not to mention that the Former acts surprisingly human, even with the broken language it uses to communicate with Jesse. While the Board seems to navigate its speech like an alien that thinks it's speaking to a lesser form of life. The only thing that really breaks this theory apart is that Ash and Northmoor didn't get along, and Ash may have spoken to the Former (marked as 'F') when you find the 'mini nail' in the basement laboratory.

That's not how interpretation works. Based in part on what the author set up, but ultimately, what you get out of the work, any work regardless of medium is up to you. Interpretation is NOT the same thing as prediction, which is what you were ACTUALLY talking about in the intro

My theory was that the former was trying to help the board cause it wanted to get back on the good side of the board so it tried to help jesse to further that goal but i know i think that the board and the former are linked so if one dies then the other will too like polaris and hedron or maybe it literally is like polaris and hedron in which the former wants the board to dies so it can bind the board to itself and gain their power like hedron attaches itself to polaris in the end

Can you explain that bit from 2:45 until 3:00 ?? How did you fight former ?? And how can we attack it( former) in the final fight against corrupt marshel ?