Rayman Headcanons

[SpaceJoker]

WHY DID RAYMAN 2 MESS UP EVERYTHING!?

Despite I don't like Rayman 1 designs

[Master]

Hmm, I know some franchises don't tie themselves well to continuity, and rather give free rein to each instalment so that they're not restricted.

[MisterDark'sFanClub]

THAT THE VALLEY EXISTED?!

It never existed. The first game takes place in a setting identified only as "Rayman's world". The word "valley" was an idiosyncrasy that somehow made its way into the Game Boy Advance version, only to be hijacked a decade later and crowbarred into the context of the sequels in a vain attempt to make the original fit more neatly with them. One of my many regrettable contributions to the Rayman mythos. If we respect the intentions of the developers, the setting of the original game corresponds directly to the setting of the sequels. The valley IS the Glade of Dreams. No distinction is ever made.

But the original will NEVER fit with the designers' concept of Rayman 2 OR the GLade of Dreams.

And didn't the Gameboy version specifically say Valley? I have next to NO memory of what the Glade of Dreams from Rayman 2 and Hoodlum Havoc look like, but I'm pretty sure they weren't a Valley, right?

And anyway, the Valley HAS to have existed! Because EVERYONE there were Toons (force of habit to call them that)! And no one in the sequels were. Do you just think they ALL either left or died out or something?

[SpaceJoker]

Well Betilla, Electoons and Darktoons (and other enemies from R1) are in RO and RL as well

[spiraldoor]

But the original will NEVER fit with the designers' concept of Rayman 2 OR the GLade of Dreams.

That's broadly correct.

And didn't the Gameboy version specifically say Valley?

The Game Boy Advance version has the Magician referring to "the valley", but this port was outsourced to Digital Eclipse, so it offers us no clues in terms of authorial intent. The modification of the dialogue is essentially a quirk of translation or localisation – it means nothing.

I have next to NO memory of what the Glade of Dreams from Rayman 2 and Hoodlum Havoc look like, but I'm pretty sure they weren't a Valley, right?

Again, my point is that the idea of "the valley" as a distinct geographical location that co-exists with the settings of the subsequent games is essentially fan fiction. In the eyes of the developers, the world of Rayman 1 simply became the world of Rayman 2. (In any case, what does it matter? None of the levels in the first game appear to exist in a valley either.)

And anyway, the Valley HAS to have existed! Because EVERYONE there were Toons (force of habit to call them that)! And no one in the sequels were. Do you just think they ALL either left or died out or something?

The didn't leave, and they didn't die out. They just stopped being included in the games.

[Haruka]

My headcanon is that the Valley is located in one of the tiny islands from the southwest of the Glade of Dreams, while the events of Rayman 2 and Rayman 3 all happen in the continent.

[Adsolution]

^That's precisely my headcanon. Maybe I got it from you?

[Master]

Hmm, I think that's a pretty common one 'round here, I go by that one as well.

[MisterDark'sFanClub]

Well Betilla, Electoons and Darktoons (and other enemies from R1) are in RO and RL as well

But Betilla has limbs in that, as if she'd never been a Toon to begin with.

And RO and RL were miserably failed attempts to try and go back to the original style.

In my opinion anyway.

[Master]

Hm, while I'll agree that Origins really complicated matters further, what Spiral said rings true from the developer's perspective.

[SpaceJoker]

I think that the "Valley" is very related to RO worlds, such as Gorumand Land, Desert of Didgeridoos...

[spiraldoor]

My headcanon is that the Valley is located in one of the tiny islands from the southwest of the Glade of Dreams, while the events of Rayman 2 and Rayman 3 all happen in the continent.

^That's precisely my headcanon. Maybe I got it from you?

Hmm, I think that's a pretty common one 'round here, I go by that one as well.

Another fanwanky notion conceived by my teenage brain I'm afraid. I was very misguided! In retrospect it's clear to me that the archipelago was simply dotted in by the artist for no particular reason – certainly not to tie into the original game.

[Master]

I see, still, we know it's merely a fan theory, right?

Still, looking at the RayWiki articles, perhaps we ought to amend them, as it seems theory is being presented on a bit of a wobbly scale:
https://raymanpc.com/wiki/en/Valley
https://raymanpc.com/wiki/en/The_Glade_ ... #Geography

[PluMGMK]

Spiral, wasn't another one of your theories that the little inlet next to the Woods of Light corresponded to the valley on the Rayman 1 World Map? That one still has a special place in my heart.

[Haruka]

Another fanwanky notion conceived by my teenage brain I'm afraid. I was very misguided! In retrospect it's clear to me that the archipelago was simply dotted in by the artist for no particular reason – certainly not to tie into the original game.

I know that it is not officially confirmed or anything, but it is just my theory as a fan. A headcanon.

[OCG]

GBC picture of Valley pretty much gives away that it is very possible that is true.

[spiraldoor]

I see, still, we know it's merely a fan theory, right?

Still, looking at the RayWiki articles, perhaps we ought to amend them, as it seems theory is being presented on a bit of a wobbly scale:
https://raymanpc.com/wiki/en/Valley
https://raymanpc.com/wiki/en/The_Glade_ ... #Geography

I always used the wiki as a platform to promote my silly ideas, whether I realised I was doing it or not. Yeah, a lot of that stuff should be removed.

Spiral, wasn't another one of your theories that the little inlet next to the Woods of Light corresponded to the valley on the Rayman 1 World Map? That one still has a special place in my heart.

I'm afraid so! It appears I dreamt up quite a lot of these things, maybe even the majority. The only one I still stand by is that the Great Protoon is the Heart of the World. They are the same in the way that the valley is the Glade of Dreams.

Come to think of it, it would be fascinating to compile a list of notable Rayman fan theories and try to pinpoint their origins. Maybe it could even be an article on the wiki?

[Master]

While the Wiki is meant to be factual, maybe it wouldn't so bad to have a dedicated area for fan ideas and the like (with an obvious disclaimer, of course).

[Haruka]

I also defend that the Heart of the World and the Great Protoon are the same object, but with a new name since the R2 redesign of the world.

Come to think of it, it would be fascinating to compile a list of notable Rayman fan theories and try to pinpoint their origins. Maybe it could even be an article on the wiki?

It would be interesting to see the theories of each fan in a single article. I would try to contribute with some of my headcanons.

[OCG]

That would be awesome article