Farewell Madeline

Lore & Background

Farewell takes place after the events of the base game where Madeline and Badeline reconciled at the summit. In this expansion, they explore the mountain's core alongside Granny, an elderly woman Madeline met at the mountain's base who warned her against climbing initially. The narrative focuses on developing a connection between Madeline and Granny before Granny dies in reality. Following this loss, Madeline visits Granny's grave where she sees a mysterious bird she believes to be a reincarnation of Granny. Driven by grief, she decides to pursue this bird through space within a dream/memory sequence as she processes her sorrow. Throughout the entire sequence, Badeline remains by Madeline's side; they do not separate due to conflict over the bird but instead climb cooperatively as a unified self. Eventually, they realize together that the chase is occurring within a dream and choose to free the bird rather than continue the pursuit.

In Their Own Story

The story arc in Farewell begins with Madeline meeting Granny at the mountain's base to explore its core. As they develop a connection, Granny passes away, leaving Madeline mourning her death. At Granny's grave, Madeline encounters a mysterious bird which she interprets as Granny's reincarnation. This prompts an impulsive decision to chase the bird through space. Badeline, acting as Madeline's pragmatic part, argues against this pursuit and abandons her. Alone in this dreamscape, Madeline is later warned by Badeline that she is dreaming and must wake up. Though she initially resists, she eventually agrees and decides to free the bird rather than continue the chase. She meets a manifestation of Granny in a cloud-filled area to apologize for missing her funeral. The narrative concludes with Madeline waking up and speaking via video call to Theo, who reveals that Granny was friends with his grandfather.

Reader's Guide

Farewell introduces Chapter 9 as a distinct section with no B-side or C-side levels and no ordinary strawberries. Gameplay changes include the addition of grabbable jellyfish functioning as parachutes and exploding pufferfish capable of launching Madeline upward. Collecting "double-dash" gems grants Madeline two dashes instead of one, altering the momentum-based platforming established in earlier chapters. While the base game features eight chapters with branching paths leading to hidden collectibles like crystal hearts and cassette tapes that unlock B-sides, Farewell offers a linear experience focused on narrative closure. The expansion retains the core mechanics of running, jumping, wall climbing, and dashing but integrates new environmental interactions to facilitate the story's emotional resolution.

Did You Know?

• The Farewell DLC was released on January 9, 2019, introducing a ninth chapter to the base game.
• Farewell features a B-Side level (Chapter 9: Farewell - B-Side), though it does not feature a C-Side.
• In Farewell, Madeline has the double dash ability active by default for the entire chapter; no collectible gems are required to unlock this mechanic.
• The expansion includes new mechanics like grabbable jellyfish that act as parachutes and exploding pufferfish for launching.
• Farewell concludes with Madeline releasing the mysterious bird in space, symbolizing her acceptance of loss.