Why Michael Afton is (probably) still alive

The last time we saw Michael Afton, he died in FNAF 6's fire with everyone else...or did he really? There have been hints slowly building up that he may actually still be around. And I think he's going to be an important character in FNAF moving forward.

This video took me absolutely forever to edit.

CREDITS
Burntrap Endo and Blob renders by RamChoops
Burntrap, Glamrock Freddy, and Candy Cadet renders by Amqerica
Mimic render by CharlieTsuntime
Gregory, Glitchtrap, Vanessa, and Freddy renders by Scrappyboi
Scooper render by Emeraldite 367r
Above models by Steel Wool Studios
All music is FNAF OST by Leon Riskin (Don't Open the Door, Where Dreams Die, Venta Black, Phantogeusia, Black Lava)

00:00 How Michael could have survived
02:27 mafton email address
03:46 Michael's Room in Security Breach
05:00 Why didn't he stop Fazbear Entertainment?
06:46 The wall code in Michael's room
13:36 Gregory's "friend" in Ruin
16:22 Sister Location maps
22:04 The "team" against the Mimic

[ImmenseAndrew]

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, one of the white sticky notes in Security Breach says "Groceries: Butter, Butter, Butter" which could be a reference to exotic butters. I don't think it necessarily means anything, but it's funny to think that Michael wrote it.

[rifarira]

William : " I always come back. "
Michael : " I always escape. "

[quiet_white_kid]

I think mike lived because it’d be a funny contrast between his father’s unwillingness to die ending in the fire, and mike’s acceptance of death being rejected in the same fire. (If mike even wanted to die in that fire, of course)

[WolfPackGamingOfficial]

“This suggests that unfortunately, Gregory is a robot.”
**game theory music intensifies**

[MisterMks]

Micheal the second Henry mentions escape for him: 🏃💨

[darthvaderreviews]

The mental image of Mike hearing "There was a way out planned for you, but I have a feeling that's not what you want" and immediately scrambling around the room trying to leave _is_ very funny, I will admit

[luluu]

i dont have much to say. this is pretty much a perfect theory that i consider completely canon. the best interpretation of the wallcode ive ever heard, i definitely agree that Michaels room is the real one that the pizzaplex was just built around. 10/10 chefs kiss.

[avanittersum]

i can also explain why micheal deciided to leave in FNAF 6. it's because michael burned springtrap in FNAF 3 and when he saw him in FNAF 6 he realized that Henry's plan wouldn't work, but he still had to follow through on the plan because of legal obligations.

[kiIIcrites]

Also worth noting than in the Dawko interview, JTop and Ray said that an early pitch for Security Breach included a mysterious old man leading the player through the Pizzaplex.

[AstralAlibis]

Wasn't it also mentioned in Sister Location that there are two elevators? One for maintenance (the one used in SL), and then another that customers would be able to ride down? Even if it wasn't mentioned, I feel it's a given that they wouldn't exactly let customers into the maintenance room. So it could be that as well for the elevator in Ruin.

[bee]

also! in help wanted 2 there is a drawing of helpy running out of a burning building that i find particular interesting, since helpy is the one who’s with us in pizzeria simulator. it could be symbolic of michael actually being the one who escaped the building.

super great video! i’ve also liked the idea of michael being alive but this definitely solidifies it.

[TomasTHF]

23:40 missed opportunity to say “together, they are, fnaf”

[craftingranger]

Man this is a good theory and would make sense why Sister Location lore has been popping up constantly. People seem to forget that FNAF is more about environment then directly telling the story and it is for sure true that Scott and Steelwool have made some design changes to fit the better hardware they can make these games with now.

[ashemabahumat]

The blob is a mass of Agony- no souls, just the pained remnants of the ones that were there. The popscicle is significant, but only in SB original. Its replacement isn't too important since, well, the thing it signifies either happened already or isn't relevant to Cassy's situation. It signified peace, a resolution of sorts, while the whole meaning of the Brazil ending is that its a coping moment for Cassy

EDIT: Maybe Mike built Gregory- should he be a robot- before he died with the purpose to destroy any iterations of the band that pop up? If he's a robot, he could theoretically just... do it for infinitum if he has the knowledge and means to repair himself, which he seemingly does from both the tapes in HW1 and the fact that he's in a place with the tech to respectively

[Huoasis]

It could be that Michael is a higher up in the Company, perhaps on the Board of Directors (like Edwin) or Ceo or some important position...
Someone had to have approved Vanessa being made head of Security and someone has to know alot about the company.
It should also be noted that Michael may have the rights or ownership of Afton Robotics LLC as the only surviving member of his family.
This means that he has a company that the higher ups may want due to the advanced nature of the animatronics which could get him a high role in the company.

[VictorianError]

The “break and mend” part reminds me so much of William destroying the fnaf 1 animatronics for remnant and infusing it into the fun time animatronics

[AloneTheorist]

Michael probably contains the missing Golden Freddy remnant after the events of sister location. This matches up with Fredbear claiming scraptrap post pizzeria simulator for ultimate custom night to happen which then sets up security breach. An important parallel exists in the original novels too, particularly in the fourth closet; one of the main cast is injected with remnant by William Afton which comatoses him giving him access to the hive world of the fragmented MCI spirits. Long story short when he frees four of the souls he attempts to return to the piece he was injected with to the fifth one, Golden Freddy who refuses this because to quote him; ' You'll die if you do that. Besides you can give it back to me next time you see me.' and then tells the character to have a nice life. This could be how Michael survived pizzeria simulator in the games as Cassidy could have rewarded with a new life for bringing her to William Afton so she could get her revenge through ultimate custom night. Plus the scooper in sister location ONLY used 4/5 remnants between 3 Animatronics as Baby is 100% controlled by Elizabeth Afton. So there's a significant gap as part of the canon story anyway regardless of which world you look at and in both the name Michael is at the centre of these paradoxes so someone needs to elaborate on this ever present mystery at some point.

[IrlRamona]

William Afton:"Remember son, dying is gay"
Michael Afton:"Yes father and also burn in hell"

[m.i.g.]

I think the simplest yet unnoticed fact suggesting Michael is still alive is that, if he was to burn with the pizzeria, *he wouldn't get an ending.*

[Daniel-tvrc]

Michael IS that online friend Who you are every 4 months do some crazy shit and he spends another 4 months to come