Tired of typing up significant analyses of the lore in random threads, which generally get buried and go unacknowledged.
They shall just end up here, which is the most fitting topic section seeing as the Don't Starve Art, Music, Lore section is more for fanatic made works; and is for the base game not including A New Reign.
Note that these are in a thematic order and not chronological, rarely they will mention information established in anecdotes below them.
Inference on how Maxwell abducted the other Survivors :
The fact Maxwell needed Wilson to create a portal suggests that the one who sits on the Throne, as well as Them, have very limited influence outside of their own world. And so Maxwell required Wilson to build an actual machine capable of channeling Their power.
In some ways it throws into question if it would even be possible for the others to have been brought to the world, as it is not as if they all had the scientific knowledge to create a portal. However, the fact that every character is capable of creating a Science machine and so on; suggests that perhaps Maxwell gave them all Forbidden Knowledge which allowed them to build their own gateways. And so after traversing it, they retained the abnormal ability to know how to create such devices.
The fact that only Webber mentions Maxwell so explicitly in that he lied to him, suggests in turn that Maxwell did not lie to everybody in order to get them to build a portal. He likely seduced them with promises that indeed were fulfilled. Woodie has trees to cut, Wigfrid has things to kill, Willow has things to burn. And so on. This is potentially justified even more by the lack of outburst every character shows towards being in the new world, because most of them knew this was what they were getting into.
Thus, the backstory of most of the characters can be inferred that Maxwell approached them through an obscure, indirect means which hid his identity. Told them about something they could gain by taking his gift of knowledge and using it to build a portal, and then they went through.
Examination of Maxwell and Charlie as villains :
Maxwell was a better villain, Charlie is a stronger villain.
Charlie has the queen of darkness far over your head stature. Which does suit the world which is designed to be about players being dropped into oblivion and then expected to survive. Charlie also displays more noticeable control over the world then Maxwell.
However, Charlie is significantly more distant from players. Little is known or prominent on her identity, her behavior. Her presence on the throne is more comparative to that of a figurehead then anything else. She is in control, but at no point does it really feel like she is your real enemy. She is just the one currently in charge of your Hell.
Maxwell however was significantly better in style. He was the manipulator, the deceiver. He personally finds a way to transport the survivors into the world, he personally taunts them and appears to do so. He even erects statues of himself in the world. He is a dapper, sneering, intelligent and miserable person who wanted happiness and was given power over the world instead. And so he used it to torment others in order to find purpose. He has a very fleshed out and profound biography as a person, and his place as king of the world was both tragic and stylish.
His role as a confidence artist is thematically much more in sync with the fundamentals of the game, Charlie is far too grand and regal for the throne. Maxwell was just a man given power, a pawn, and he actively felt like a real character geared for his role. Charlie does not even remotely feel like a person or a character. Just the icon the plot tells you is your current opponent. She is simply just his mandatory successor. Whether or not her other identity is from Them, or is actually a split personality is the only dynamic element to her character. Otherwise she is just a replacement for the real villain in order to keep the plot rolling.
Maxwell as the original villain was designed to exactly suit the plot. Charlie is just his substitute, who was given a regal theme and alternate identity to make her seem more new and interesting.
Examination of Charlie as the current villain :
Charlie's pathology in this situation suggests she probably knows near to nothing. Their influence on Maxwell was using him as a pawn, they gave him power and it made him capture and torment others of his own will. For Their entertainment additionally. Charlie however has zero investment or background in this world because she was merely caught in crossfire. The fact she has appeared at all is likely because They did not want Wilson on the throne, and so They resorted to using Charlie as a tool in order to maintain control over the world because she was already accessible to them.
In all, it suggests Charlie is almost completely under Their control because they needed her as a medium to uphold command. Her behavior is likely either caused directly by Them, or she is essentially being poisoned.
Her behavior in the opening scene suggests that part of her was already afflicted by Them prior to her emergence, and the fact the normal her displays power over the shadows means she likely was in purgatory for some time during which this all happened to her. When she began to resist the shadow half of herself, it merged with her completely to create a single dominant being. Which is essentially, her body and Their mind.
The Survivors current goal :
From Wilson's point of view he believed he had to defeat Maxwell to escape, which led to him discovering that Maxwell was just a pawn.
Interpreting the game progression as relative plot, the survivors are very clearly aiming their exploration towards Them. With both Wilson and Maxwell on the field, everybody obviously knows about Them to some degree. Which is why they are actually delving into the Caves, then Ruins, then Atrium even though it would be obviously safer to just stay on the surface. Because they are trying to search for Them and a weakness. Instead of trying to find the shadow throne again and defeat Charlie, because Maxwell and Wilson already know it will not help them.
The most significant problem is just that so long as They are around, the survivors have no chance of finding or building any means of escape.
The Leader of Them :
The theme of using limbs as an extension of Their will is consistent. Maxwell and Charlie are pulled into the Codex by limbs, limbs attack survivor campfires, and limbs also pulled Wilson into the world. While some of Them do come out into the open, they are clearly aberrations that exist in nightmares. The presence of actual hands, which are normally a human feature, and the fact that in both their cinematic appearances they are paired; suggests that they likely have a consistent owner. Thematically, it would make more sense that this being is unique, and likely the strongest of Them if they have an actually stable humanoid form. This is amplified by the fact that in every canon appearance of the hands, they are performing exceptionally important tasks to Their will. Abducting survivors, or trying to kill them.
However it should be noted there is a distinct difference between shadow Charlie's arm, and the thin limbs that have been around since Maxwell and Charlie were abducted.
There is also a second theme of a tall figure. This figure appears sometimes at campfires, appeared in Maxwell's flat, hallucinations caused by the Fuelweaver; and can be seen between the film reels of Maxwell's Final Act. The figure is also the closest of Them to being humanoid. By its more structured towering stature, having a prominent head and the outline of hair.
Finally, these two themes are also consistently seen together. Both the limbs and the tall figure can be found at campfires, the limbs and tall figure are seen in Maxwell's flat, and the tall figure also can be seen between frames right before Maxwell and Charlie are pulled into the Codex. The figure is a single identifiable character.
Thus, in all, it can be presumed that the tall figure watching over campfires is either an abductor among Them; or more likely due to its significant form is Their leader. The fact they are humanoid alongside the obscure nature of the world, the theme of nightmares and dreams could be inferred to mean that they, as a humanoid, were the original being who started everything. Seeing as they are the only being among Them with the appearance of a realistic being, meaning that if they are not just a nightmare, they are potentially the oldest living member of the plot.
Which descends into the possibilities that they were a one of the Ancients who caused the disaster which spawned the nightmares, or the entire world itself may be generated from their own mind and they themself are some manner of magically ascended human. Again linking back to the possibility of a disaster causing the nightmares to emerge.
The Clockworks :
Thematically, on every level, the Clockworks bear no logical relation to the ancients who people believe created them.
The ancients built nearly everything from Thulecite, and had a very particular smooth and well cut shape to their architecture. The clockworks look like modern steam-punk inventions. The exaggeration of the horse-like faces on the Knight and the Rook, the bulging eye and dome cranium of the bishop, that style of design is absolutely nothing like anything the ancients have. And the metal as well looks nothing like what the ancients use, which makes even less sense since if they were using such a powerful material as Thulecite to build cosmetic statues because they had so much of it; why would they not use it to reinforce their own military. Only damaged clockworks drop Thulecite, fragments, and they are only found in the Ruins specifically. So the fact damaged clockworks are associated with Thulecite proves nothing because its presence is not even consistent and thus it is clearly not an actual material they use.
The technology as well, is nothing like that which the ancients use. The Ruins are extremely primitive, bare bones areas. Yet the Clockworks are made of, wires and clockwork. Why would the ancients build extremely complex machines, when they had magic to defend themselves. And why would this clockwork be used nowhere else in any of their civilization. The existence of clockwork in such a primitive, mythological and old society is completely illogical.
Which suggests that the clockworks came from another source, which is suggested to be far more modern and scientific then the ancients. Especially since the clockworks are based off chess; a surface world human game. Not an ancient magical horned subterranean being race. Meaning the clockworks were potentially used to invade the ancients, or at least the Ruins they left behind. However, because the clockworks in the Ruins are damaged, and do not fight with the nightmares, means that they likely did fight with something. Which in turns means, they probably invaded while the ancients were still there.
Further points towards the Clockworks :
Maxwell could not possibly have been the source of the Clockworks as the Ancients have been long dead by now, and they are the only known thing the Clockworks in the Ruins could have fought to become broken. Meaning the Clockworks fought them ages ago, far longer then Maxwell was imprisoned. However, the more modern design of the Clockworks contradicts the likelihood that they fought with an ancestral society many ages ago; long before modern human societies had become adept at even basic machinery. Thus, their existence is a completely anomaly.
If the Clockworks were with the ancients then it makes no sense why they are damaged. They do not fight with anything in the Ruins, not even nightmares, so there is absolutely no other known source for them to have fought with other then the ancients.
In terms of how the clockworks could have beaten the ancients. The magic the ancients use is mostly utility, not offensive, and their bodies are not even located in the Ruins. Their remains are scattered across the caves as fossil fuels. They were potentially driven out seeing as their only real equipment was basic Thulecite armaments, and the clockworks could have swarmed them. Especially if they were already being addled by nightmares, which ignore the clockworks.
Even if the ancients were given forbidden knowledge by the shadows in order to create the clockworks, it still does not make sense why the clockworks were at least not outfitted with Thulecite for better equipment. And the ancients, are ancient, it would be illogical for the shadows in the past to be able to give them technological knowledge which even in the present is still unrealistic.
Still ignoring all the original points explaining how the clockworks make no sense in affiliation to the ancients and; the clockworks do not fight with the shadows. They completely ignore each other. There is no evidence or reason to assume they ever would have, if they do not now. It could be interpreted that the clockworks were possessed to turn against the ancients, however that still does not explain how out of place the clockworks are to begin with. And while clockworks in Ruins show no real signs of being possessed.
The existence of shadow versions of the clockworks is an interesting connection, however it is completely ambiguous at the moment and has no definitive connections to anything else in the lore.
Examination of the Ancient Fuelweaver :
The dialogue basically reinforces the classic concept of, the ancients directly caused a disaster which allowed nightmares to become real; or the ancients were the first to fall prey to them when They arrived. Although the former is more likely.
However the skeleton is obviously not an insectoid or crustacean akin being. But, as bad as For Honor is, Apollyon's statement of sometimes a civilizations architecture; is simply just art, is very true. So the ancients may be absolutely nothing like their statues. Their bodies are nowhere to be found either. Although, the fact that the skeleton says My city; is a potential reference to them being the original head of the ancients. It is possible for a denizen to affiliate themself with their home in the same manner, but statistically usually the leader is the one who will claim ownership in speech over a land or culture.
It can be noted as well how, the closer the odd skeleton is to the ancients threshold when it is revived; the more literate and conscious it is.
Interpretation of where the Ancients went :
The Fuelweaver is likely what they actually were, horned beings, and the statues are either just artwork or renditions of something they saw and or worshiped. Seeing as the Fuelweaver makes explicit references to being the leader, or at least a high ranking member, of the ancients.
This is further supported by the fact that you can find fossil fragments buried all around the caves, and if you reconstruct them they form more then one different skeleton. Not just the Fuelweaver can be made, but other nameless skeletons as well. This can be interpreted to be that the ancients were scattered across the caves, possibly after the clockworks invaded or the nightmares spiraled out of control, and their remains ended up being buried in the earth. There are frequent tremors in the caves, it would not be difficult for their bodies to become submerged by falling rubble. And thus, you can find pieces of them all over; and when you rebuild their remains you can design several different models of the ancients because the remains are that of multiple beings and not just one.
The Fuelweaver, who is potentially their leader or a very powerful sorcerer among them, happens to be the only one you can resurrect. Possibly because of his power. And his consciousness after being revived specifically scales based on how close he is to the Ruins when it happens.
Differentiations in the scent of the Shadow Thurible :
Nightmares are subjective, just how Nightmare Fuel has no actual shape but the survivors can give it one by morphing it into equipment. But this is obviously a highly amateurish level of control seeing as the Fuelweaver confirms that the ancients had some form of established system for manipulating it.
The reason why They have independent shapes is because they all share a consistent source, they are not generated by the survivors but by the source of nightmares deep underground. It is also why the shadows can only attack insane survivors because insanity is closer to their element, and so outside of being near the source of nightmares they need mediums to interact with the world. Which is a consistent theme that They have a very selective spectrum of influence which obeys rules.
The Shadow Thurible is potentially just nightmare fuel, being burned. It has no specific conduit or source for its properties to be founded off of; and so it only acquires them when a subjective medium is in proximity. Like the survivors.
The Theme of Diverse Psychology and Wigfrid :
The survivors all, mostly, share a consistent theme of mental diversity. Wolfgang is a coward, Wickerbottom has insomnia, Willow has pyromania, WX78 is potentially masquerading as a robot, Wendy is extremely morose and depressed, Webber lives inside a spider and Wes is possibly a mute seeing as in older times, a mute would have trouble finding employment; so why not become a mime.
This is likely because people with unusual minds, have unusual minds, and their lack of higher sanity thresholds or normal thinking makes them more susceptible to the shadows.
Wilson though, maybe he is just hiding something unusual. Or he is generally just an exile like Maxwell.
Wigfrid however is potentially the most unique out of all them. She does not display any overt signs of being unusual, because behaving like a valkyrie is practically her standard. However it opens up many possibilities. As a performance artist, she could not be a valkyrie all the time. It is highly unlikely she performed the same act over and over, even in a self-run business that would eventually lead to quality of product issues. And, functioning in the real world as a valkyrie would also lead to many issues. Especially in older times where asylums were just torture prisons, Wigfrid likely would have ended up in one very quickly is she ran around screaming Valhalla.
There are multiple personality complexities which could explain her behavior. Perhaps she becomes incapable of telling the difference between herself and her role when she performs an act, and the valkyrie happened to be the last role she played. Or maybe, she retains every role she performs as a permanent identity.
While it could be claimed that she may still be acting, the fact she physically has the characteristics of her role even though she is a relatively average sized woman means on some level she actually believes she is a valkyrie. And the sheer will of her mind, or adrenaline, grants her the strength to validate her believed identity in the physical world.