Maxwell (NPC)

See also: Maxwell (Character)

“Say pal, you don't look so good. You better find something to eat before night comes!”

Maxwell appears during the beginning of the game, telling the player to start gathering food to not starve. He is the main antagonist of the game, and is the one who transfers all Characters to the world of Don't Starve.

Origin

Main article: William Carter Puzzles

In 1901, before the main events of the game, William Carter boarded a ship from London to the US, with hopes of proceeding a career as a magician in New York. After his acts appeared to be a flop and was in debt from unpaid magic props, William decided to move on to San Francisco, California. After a train accident, William discovers a blueprint for an Obelisk which seemed to contain knowledge of powerful magic, and eventually deciphered it to understanding. William then started to incorporate this knowledge into his magic acts, and became known as "The Amazing Maxwell".

Maxwell later met Charlie and she performed with him as a female assistant during his magic shows, all of which seemed very successful. As time went on, Maxwell seemed to start thinking irrational thoughts and possibly began to go insane, after carving nonsensical words and symbols into his apartment walls. Eventually, Maxwell and Charlie performed their big final act, where Maxwell would pull a shadow out of a book. During the act, Maxwell put his hand into the book, but instead of pulling something out, something inside of the book was pulling him. After breaking free, both Maxwell and Charlie are grabbed by shadow hands and are captured by Them. The exacts details of what happened next are unknown, but ultimately Maxwell was put on the Nightmare Throne and Charlie was turned into the night monster. About 20 years later in the game's setting, the events of the Forbidden Knowledge video take place. In the video, Maxwell appears and communicates with Wilson through a radio, offering him secret knowledge, which Wilson gladly accepts, and Maxwell began streaming huge amounts of information into his head. Wilson then began building a mysterious machine with the knowledge given to him. When the machine was finished, he was hesitant to pull the start lever until told by Maxwell to 'DO IT'. As Wilson pulled the switch the machine began rising and taking shape, showing a silhouette of Maxwell. Demonic hands then rose from the floor and pulled Wilson into a mysterious world of wilderness.

Adventure Mode

This section contains plot central information and thus contains spoilers.

In Adventure Mode, Maxwell will come to greet you while you are knocked out, like in Survival, but now he is wearing a dapper cloak instead of a tuxedo. He will say different things in each World and will get angrier and angrier as you progress. Maxwell's anger seems to weaken him; as he becomes more furious, he starts to deform.

Wilson & Maxwell in the first chapter of Adventure Mode

Trivia

Maxwell's name is a reference to the scientific thought problem "Maxwell's demon"
Maxwell's playable character counterpart is named "Waxwell" in game's files to avoid any file conflicts between the NPC Maxwell and the playable Maxwell.
Maxwell as an NPC is tall and lean, while as a playable character he is as short as the other characters.
If the player examines Maxwell (NPC), each character has a quote.
- Wilson - "I hate that guy."
- Willow - "He is so condescending."
- Wendy - "I feel a strange kinship with him."
- Wolfgang - "A fancy suit is no match for my muscles."
- Wickerbottom - "What a rude gentleman."
- WX-78 - "HE IS UNKNOWN."
- Wes - "..."
- Maxwell - "Looking good!"
- Woodie - "Why does he hate me?"
- Wigfrid - "Arrg! Is that the antagönist tö my saga?"
- Webber - "That jerk tricked us."
Given his past as a magician, his name may be a reference to Charles Carter, a stage magician who performed in the early part of the 20th century
In the William Carter puzzles, twins are mentioned. It is theorized that Abigail and Wendy are these twins. This theory is supported by what Wendy says when she examines Maxwell.
As of the "All's Well That Maxwell" update, upon exiting the game, a popup says: "Maxwell will miss you!", instead of: "Wilson will miss you!".
In the games Alpha, Maxwell shared the same voice as Wilson, except with a lower pitch.
Seeing as Maxwell's real name is William, all playable characters technically do start with W.
The rose that Maxwell wears on his lapel is the same one that Charlie used to wear in her hair. This is reinforced by the scene in which the two are pulled into the Don't Starve world ("grand finale") and directly after ("resumptus").