| Life is Strange |
"No, it was just the right thing to do. I couldn't stand to see those poor animals treated like slaves. That's how I came to own Pompidou." — Frank to Max and Chloe about how Pompidou came into his ownership in "Dark Room" (determinant)
Pompidou is the dog of Frank Bowers, Arcadia Bay's resident drug-dealer. He was reportedly rescued by his owner from dogfights. This previous environment may explain his vicious tendencies, as well as his loving nature towards Frank.
Personality[]
Pompidou is generally loving and affectionate towards his owner. It is also well known that the dog is fond of Rachel Amber, thanks to photos of her with the dog and a drawing of the two together, found in the junkyard.
He can be aggressive toward strangers and barks when Max Caulfield goes near him. Officer Berry comments that Pompidou is Frank's "personal drooling bodyguard" and wouldn't be surprised if Frank had "trained him on blood." However, Frank gets offended at any suggestion he abuses his dog and says he trained Pompidou how to be his friend.
Episode One - "Chrysalis"[]
The dog is first seen sleeping outside Frank's RV at the inner corner of the parking lot at Blackwell Academy. Max will comment about not disturbing the dog if she looks at him. At the end of this episode, the dog will be barking outside Frank's RV on the beachfront during the snowstorm.
Episode Two - "Out of Time"[]
During this episode, Pompidou makes a small appearance lying next to Frank and the RV at the parking area next to the Two Whales Diner. Pompidou will bark loudly at Max's approach from the same area. Max may move to the back alley behind the diner and safely take an optional photo of Pompidou without him noticing. Pompidou is also featured in a drawing in the Junkyard, next to a picture of Rachel Amber.
At the end of the episode, Pompidou will be shown staying at Frank's side on the beachfront and Frank will pet Pompidou to keep him happy while the solar eclipse occurs.
Episode Three - "Chaos Theory"[]
During this episode, Max and Chloe Price need to distract Pompidou in order to sneak around in Frank's RV. Chloe digs up a bone from the trash and leaves it up to Max to throw it to the dog. There are two possible outcomes.
Throw the bone into the Parking Lot
Pompidou takes off after the treat to the parking lot and munches happily away from the road. As Chloe drives away from the scene, Pompidou barks loudly after the truck as she pulls out of the diner.Throw the bone into the Road
If Max throws the bone to the road, Pompidou runs toward the road to chase after the bone. The dog is hit by oncoming traffic.Episode Four - "Dark Room"[]
Nathan's photo of Pompidou
If Pompidou was hit by traffic in the previous episode, Max can discover a sinister photo of him in Nathan Prescott's dorm room at Blackwell Academy. Nathan's artistic vision of tortured beings is emphasized by the shocking photo of Pompidou.
If Max had thrown the treat in the parking lot, Pompidou is in Frank's RV while Chloe and Max are talking to Frank. Max has the option to ask Frank to close the door to the RV which stops Pompidou getting out and intervening in the conversation if it gets heated (only available if Chloe had already shot Frank and Pompidou and Max decides to rewind).
If Chloe is armed, if Pompidou was not injured by traffic, and if the RV door is open, then any instances that cause Frank to become enraged and attempt to attack Max will result in Chloe shooting both Pompidou and then Frank. If Chloe is unarmed, Max is forced to rewind as Pompidou moves to bite her leg. If Frank closes the RV door on Max's request, Pompidou doesn't make an appearance.
Initially, Frank warns Max that if she tries anything, Pompidou will bite her head off and says he's done it before, but in contrast to this, Frank becomes enraged at any attempt to discredit Pompidou by suggesting he is trained to kill or fight (or if Max mentions Pompidou's name). If Max tells Frank that she also loves dogs, he will mention that Pompidou's former owner was a very bad person who is dead now, implying that he killed him.
If Frank is injured during the conversation, he will comment within the RV that he needs his Pompidou. He seems to be extremely comforted by the dog and its presence.
Episode Five - "Polarized"[]
If Pompidou is still alive[note 1], he will be at the diner with Frank, taking shelter during the storm. He now seems friendly toward Max, perhaps due to her having thrown a "treat" earlier or because she did this while wearing Rachel Amber's clothes - a person he was familiar with. If Max sits down to reflect on the day's events at her usual seat in the diner, Pompidou will nuzzle his head against her leg.
If Max told the truth about Rachel Amber to Frank, Frank will lament that he sold the drugs to Nathan Prescott which caused Nathan to overdose Rachel Amber to death. He will also add that Pompidou always hated Nathan for some reason.
In Max's nightmare, Pompidou texts Max, telling her not to mess with him or Frank and then asks if she has a snack. He will also be sitting near Frank in the diner sequence of the nightmare.
If Max decides to sacrifice Chloe to save Arcadia Bay, Pompidou will follow Frank to watch Chloe's funeral at a distance. If Max decides to sacrifice Arcadia Bay, he presumably dies in the storm.
Trivia[]
- In the Blackwell parking lot, Max spots a sleeping Pompidou and calls him "Cujo." Cujo is a rabid canine and the titular character in a novel written by Stephen King.
- If Max and Chloe manage to convince Frank that they are not there to fight with him in Episode 4, he reveals that Pompidou has bitten off someone's head before. He says, "Okay, we're cool for now... but my dog isn't. And if you try any shit, he'll bite your head off. He's done it before."
- During the same conversation, if Max says, "I love dogs," Frank reveals that Pompidou's former owner is dead now, implying he might have killed him.
- His previous owner was Damon Merrick, who was indeed killed by Frank
- Pompidou appears to be a German Shepherd Pitbull Mix - a common mixed breed typically used in dog fighting.[2]
- Pompidou is likely named after the French president Georges Pompidou (1969-1974).
- Max thinks the name Pompidou is a poodle's name.[3]
- Pompidou doesn't die if Max throws the bone into the road outside the diner in Episode 3. A conversation between Max and Frank at the beach in Episode 4 suggests that Pompidou is alive but injured.[4] However, in Episode 5, Frank reveals that Pompidou died, most likely from succumbing to his injuries later.
- Pompidou develops a soft spot for Max, as evidenced by the diner scene in "Polarized."
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ Max calls Pompidou this name several times throughout the game; for instance, when she first meets him on Blackwell's parking lot. This nickname is a reference to the rabid canine and central character in the same-titled novel written by Stephen King.
- ↑ See here for further information: German Shepherd Pitbull Mix (dogable.net)
- ↑ Max:""Pompidou"... For reals? That's a poodle's name..."
- ↑ Frank: "Okay, we're cool for now... but my dog isn't. He got out of the RV and a motherfucking big rig hit him. I beat that fucker down." - Max: "God, Frank... that's awful. How... how is he?" - Frank: "Little bastard is lucky to be alive. Again, like you give a shit."
Notes[]
- ↑ See contributing circumstances in Episodes 3 and 4.