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Life is Strange: Settling Dust #4 brings the multi-volume series to a close, and quite fittingly we end it in a way that echoes the main theme of the first volume: closure. It is a time of both happiness and sorrow for our wonderful group of characters and each one gets time to consider the road behind and the road ahead.
Closure In Settling Dust #4
The series began as an examination of the possible ending to the original game of sacrificing Arcadia Bay to save Chloe. Over the course of several volumes, Max has attempted to understand, justify, and at times forget her actions. But that is not the way the world works, we can run far and wide for as long as we want, but sooner or later everything circles back around again. So finally in Life is Strange: Settling Dust #4, Max is in her original universe, together with her Chloe, and travels to her Arcadia Bay. Running was what she needed then, a chance to collect herself and understand why she did what she did. Now, she has to face what that was and make right the best she can.
Everything comes back to the idea of closure and understanding one’s past actions regardless of what they were. The Chase Space, the picture from the alternate timeline Rachel and Chloe, the new status quo of Tristan, the relationship of Max and Chloe, Victoria’s redemption, The High Seas being connected, etc. All of this is to show that life moved on from those horrible events in Arcadia Bay back in 2013, and so now Max must do the same. We never forget the past but there comes a time when we must acknowledge it and then move past it to make new experiences that will then become the past. Or as Max so perfectly says “Acardia Bay isn’t just a place, and it isn’t just the storm. It’s the people who made up and make up the town.”
Kyle’s Goodbye
It might seem improper to devote an entire section of a review of the last issue of the series to talk about my personal experience with said series. If the above section talking about the way the series ties itself back around to the original theme of that first few issues doesn’t indicate to you I loved Life is Strange: Settling Dust #4 then I don’t know what to tell you.
Back in 2018, I was in a rough spot in my life for a variety of reasons. I had graduated from university in the UK, traveled back to the US, and was trying to figure out the trajectory of my life. Then I saw the announcement of a new series from Titan Comics, one exploring an alternate ending to one of my favorite games, Life is Strange. It was the right time, right place, as Life is Strange was bought for me as a graduation present years prior during High School. So in a strange twist of fate, I started my university days with Life is Strange and here it was again, ending it out.
Over the course of several years and several volumes, Emma Vieceli, Claudia Leonardi, Andrea Izzo, Richard Starkings, and Jimmy Betancourt have given us an emotionally raw yet still fun adventure through time and reality with these characters. And while my life change both for good and for ill, I knew every few weeks I could expect to find Max, Chloe, and Rachel up to some adventure to bring a smile to my face. It helped me a lot and while that may seem sappy and whatnot, it is the truth.
This creative team cared so deeply about this material that there is something for every kind of Life is Strange fan, and I appreciate that. I’m sure they have received hell on various social media for not giving enough time to certain aspects, but they still took you on a journey with these characters that was likely never going to happen otherwise. Thanks for everything, can’t wait for more work from all of you!
Life is Strange: Settling Dust #4 Is An Ending Worth Crying Over
After that emotionally true outro, I just want to implore everyone that is mildly interested in Life is Strange to pick this series up. Life is Strange: Settling Dust #4 brings it all to a close in a fashion that is both sorrowful and delightful.
Let’s just say I had a hella good time!