The Big List
Minors do not interact, spoilers, light talk of sex/intimacy, lore dump.
Consider this a layman's terms comprehensive canon lore post for Date Everything.
Here I am summarizing my thoughts and more clarifications for the Date Everything lore, and while I did go in the game and pull the written lore, any speculations/theorized points are my own [though I think it goes unsaid, if you are a writer, fan, creator, etc. and want to ignore game lore that is up to you! I simply wanted to put this together, more for myself and for anyone who may be interested]. For those that haven't or don't wish to read either the first or second post I made regarding the lore of Date Everything, in those posts, I was using quite a bit of imagination/guess work, whereas here I have finished speaking to Skylar about all the lore she can provide. Masterlist with more here.
I tried to give a brief warning for some storyline spoilers for specific characters, but just know in this and other related posts there will be specific character lore, and some regards to things that are revealed during their routes. I do not believe I mentioned anything about how to get certain endings, though.
Skylar is not just the glasses (i.e. frame, lenses, normal components), but specifically something called the "suspension of disbelief" inside of them that functions as an inter-dimensional translator.
The dateables are physically tied to objects (or the mental stimulation of concepts), but their personhood is actually a wavelength Skylar calls "animus," and exist in a different reality.
This alternate reality experiences time and space differently than we do, but seems to correlate with the physical objects in our reality. They also communicate in an entirely different way, so the "suspension of disbelief" acts as some kind of neurological bridge between how the dateables exist, and our capabilities of perception.
Skylar herself is a kind of mechanism that predetermines how the dateables appear (Skylar says "... I can shape [the dateables] into whatever form I want... it's just my representation of what they are in total."), influencing their perceived human forms that later become "fully" human after Realization. This decision is impacted by where the object was made, but subtle changes like accessorizing seem to be voluntary on the dateable's part.
On the topic of appearance and what she makes from "what they are in total," Skylar brings up wavelengths; each "animus" of an object or concept operates at a different frequency. She provides Luke as an example: Luke was created when microwaves were created, that's when his distinct frequency was established. every microwave is Luke, and Luke is aware of all of his instances. Another example, Dorian, is the "animus" of every door: He is always Dorian because he is a frequency. His small appearance changes, even just in the player's home, are completely voluntary (Skylar says, "sometimes it's just fun to put on a costume.").
Small note on this: Skylar mentions that everyone looks "human" because she is a pair of human glasses. If she were made to fit dogs, everyone would then look like dogs.
Dateables can change from being one to another-- think of Dirk and Clarence. Technically, they are the same, but depending on the state in which one finds them will determine who they speak to (Skylar says: "...with objects, it happens as a plank of wood slowly becomes a toy boat. The wood didn't change, but the status did, and once it's more toy boat than plank of wood it changes its wavelength... once the object or idea becomes large enough to have its own state, it breaks off the wavelength and forms a new one."). This wavelength is what Skylar calls "animus."
Eddie talks about making Volt; in this situation it can be assumed that Volt started branching off as his own frequency until he was able to separate from Eddie and exist independently. How much of Volt's existence did Eddie actually have a hand in? How much was it Volt trying to gain autonomy? [SPOILER] Based on the dialogue, it seems that Volt only exists here in this house because of the stress of the faulty wire, though Volt seems to share some memories with Eddie, so do they actually have distinct frequencies, or is it more like Volt is the same frequency just... [in music terms] an octave difference? The frequency is the same, but the pitch is different?
This also provides context into how some objects seem to have relatives, Like Stefan. Stefan mentions his mother, Chiminea (which is an older version of an oven), meaning that when the stove/oven appliance was created from the idea of previous stoves and ovens, Stefan was made. It's possible he was pulled from her wavelength, though I think it's more meant to make "relatives" as the predecessor items. Rongomaiwhenhua is the animus of the earth, hence her referring to many objects like Beau and Gaia as iterations of herself (her using terms like "children" I think are more from her acting like a goddess). Freddy mentions being the "runt of the litter" for his fridge siblings, perhaps different models.
This would also imply that Diana, for example, used to be Lyric or Penelope before we wrote in her.
So, for appearances, Dorian will always have brown hair as long as Skylar imagines him to have such. However, I would enunciate that even wavelengths can have gender if they want (as it is personal expression and a social construct). The objects don't actually have genitalia, so when Skylar gives them sexually dimorphic features typically seen in humans, she's operating under how they identify/refer to themselves as wavelengths. I would think there would be some kind of conversation between Skylar and each dateable in regard to their appearance, ensuring they are being represented as comfortably as possible... though since they aren't human I suppose that's like trusting someone to draw a character you describe.
I also believe that while Doug is the animus of a true concept, one could argue Skips is in fact tied to shadows which... are sort of physically existing? Though, shadows are the absence of light, light is just information, so Skips would be... the absence of information. Which to me, is not really a concept, but that's where some very complicated discussions about what defines something as "physical" and whether or not shadows are a state of mind. :)
Quick mention of the mobility of dateables:
While there isn't too much Skylar mentions/we have options for dialogue in regard to objects moving for lore, there are a few hints that I have used to come up with a theory. Skylar mentions that when we "activate" objects/concepts, they do a little wiggle (that we physically see). This wiggle is Skylar activating her translation between realities: "Dateviators can vibrate at the same wavelength as these objects, which is why when we awaken something it wiggles a little." I believe that, once "awakened," the bridge between realities is lessened, and the objects are able to exercise some physical autonomy... if they want to. Some dateables, like Dasha or Abel, seem to be content to stay where they are/how the person living around them positions them. That goes for most of the dateables. Others, like Bodhi or Bobby exhibit a clear desire to move, and once they have been attuned to our physical reality with the dateviators, are able to do so. Hypothetically, any of the objects could leave (except for those who are literally built into the house like Celia, Florence, or even Dorian), but they already exist elsewhere in other instances.
Quick side note: the existence of Bodhi would indicate any time period that has a time capsule creates an animus of (at least) a particular decade. Thanks to @sugarcubedd for confirming this: Bodhi mentions a grandmother who is a time capsule of another decade.
Why does Gaia insist she can't go places then? Probably to have an interesting character and questline. Maybe, she doesn't want to just go places, but to experience them from the perspectives of those who live/are from there (and to have assistance in meeting people/socializing). Why does Jacques not move around the house on his own? If I recall, he was specifically looking for a good adventure, not just mobility, which requires input from other parties (and gaining a cockroach crew basically gave him friends to hang out with).
Skylar also mentions some of what happens when the dateables are Realized, so lore spoilers ahead:
Skylar isn't actually making anyone human, just human-like (she likens it to veggie-burgers). There is no actual flesh being supplied, but the wavelengths of each object are strengthened through intense emotions (like love or friendship, presumably hatred as well), and are then able to be given a different physical form. This is also contingent upon the person wearing the dateables increasing their SPECS points.
When an "animus" in human form "dies," they just... lose their human form. No corpse, because there is technically no flesh. They still exist as a wavelength, and simply go back to being an object/concept. Skylar also mentions that humans have an "animus" as well, though whether we are all the same wavelength in "different costumes" or individually distinct wavelengths is uncertain.
Presumably, this indicates that the dateables still have an awareness of their iterations as objects across the universe, even when in human form. Though, the.. shall we say... site-specific events don't necessarily carry over, only the knowledge of things occurring (if a cup is shattered on one side of the planet, Daisuke just knows it happened, it doesn't mean every instance of him is then injured. He just retains the memory of that pain).
This could imply an afterlife for humans, or at least that we exist in the same alternate reality that the objects do, but because of our organic forms we can't perceive it. So once the player dies, hypothetically one could argue that we can talk to/be with the dateables in their reality. Perhaps we get reincarnated into another body, but the organic constraints mean we lose memories.
There is a very clear relationship that we, as humans, have with affecting the animus of the objects/concepts both individually and as a species.
Skylar mentions that the vast, rapid, and continuous commercialization and consumerism has helped to distinguish certain personalities, and has crossed over into skewed but relative cultures for objects. Things like their names are a direct result of the words we use to describe them.
This related to describing how objects can change from one to another animus, but this shows that we, as humans, perhaps have a much greater role than anyone realizes. Teddy and Diana are examples of this theory. Teddy makes it clear he was young when you were, and grew up with you. Diana is a direct product of the player's canon spontaneous thoughts and incoherent ramblings, would she be different if the player canonically wrote more coherently? Things like Luke and Friar Errol are a direct result of human innovation, so our ability to make new things quite literally creates new people. We [humans] had a hand in making Dirk/Clarence, though he only mentions his mother (a loom?) making him. Perhaps we are viewed as more of a force of nature? A natural event like a hurricane that can hold equal parts devastation, but bring unprecedented changes and new opportunities.
[Spoiler?] Monique, being the animus of savings, seems very concerned with us spending her. I'm under the impression that if everyone were to no longer save their money, have no savings to speak of, Monique would... disappear? But just as easily as she would be gone, the moment someone saves money again, she would be back [this was a dialogue option regarding forgetting/destroying each object that exists in the universe with Skylar that I didn't pick]. Not to mention, if everyone on Earth were to do away with Monique, if she still exists that would confirm life elsewhere in the universe that has the concept of saving money. [Spoiler] In some of Tony's dialogue, he mentions that an uncle of his (who he isn't actually related to) was a toolbox who fell from a crane and completely shattered. Tony says that he didn't actually die, but was essentially disabled and retired-- I suppose we must assume that this other toolbox was a different kind from Tony for both to independently exist, and we can use this example to support that the dateables don't actually die if one instance of their object (or somehow concept) is destroyed.
Vocabulary:
Animus- Skylar's term for the wavelength that is an object/concept's persona. It can hypothetically take any form, determined by who or what is meant to wear the dateviators.
Dateable(s)- a term I (and others) use to describe the characters in the game that are either objects/concepts. I use this term because I feel it better describes them as people even though they are non-human.
Known familial relationships (feel free to mention if there's more, this is all I have come across in-game):
Stefan has a "mother" named Chiminea
Freddy Yeti has siblings, [presumably] other refridgerators
Dirk/Clarence has a mother who is a loom
Diana mentions taking out pages, which could potentially make her own children
Kristof mentions [presumably] other cross-fit trainers as his clan/family group
Dunk has a father who shares his name, and is described as just a shuttlecock (whereas Dunk seems to be multiple pieces of equipment)
Johnny mentions his grandfather [maybe great-grandfather or father, I can't remember] was a septic tank. Another grandfather/father may have been mentioned as a shower as well (though his lore was a bit questionable/potentially made up) [thank you @rorydrawsandwrites for adding, I thought he mentioned having shower relatives, but I definitely remember septic tank being mentioned in his lineage. Further investigation is needed.]
Bodhi has a grandmother who is another decade/time capsule
honorable mention for Tony's "non-uncle" who he described as not actually being related to him
Bobby Pinn mentions their family of bobby pins [thank you @of-chaos-and-flame, I hadn't gone through their storyline yet]
Curt has a mom (Mrs./Ms. Chaffon) [thank you @kirukimi]
Vaughn Trapp mentions a mother, presumably another trap (though unconfirmed)
Rebel mentions over a million other rubber ducks in a familial way
Known frequency/animus changes [of one object becoming another] (feel free to mention if there's more canonically mentioned by characters other than Skylar, this is all I have come across in-game) [I edited this to highlight which I feel are truly canon (and which are more headcanon), because making the distinction between voluntary alternate appearances and true splits in wavelengths requires more discussion]:
Rongomaiwhenua mentions Gaia is a representation of her, Beau and Jacques are both different forms of her (perhaps her goddess status is because being all known metals/minerals)
Volt splits from Eddie, this isn't explicitly stated to be a familial relationship, and being able to thruple with them would support that it isn't. Perhaps they are more like positive/negative charges that split independently from the unified circuit, Eddie being the major frequency before
Diana mentions potentially making children (which would imply splitting their frequency from hers)
[potentially] Dirk becomes Clarence (and vice versa), the status of him being clean or dirty determine his animus
[potentially] Connie splits herself? Then coalesces? Could be read as a minor change in her animus, but her character/appearance doesn't really change
[potentially] Isolde is Beau, but an alternate version. The two are described as "not quite twins," so it's likely the state of being able to be locked (a chest) that makes Isolde unique
[potentially] River mentions changing states [of matter], it's possible the solid and gas version of her would be different from her being liquid (like Dirk/Clarence), but ultimately it's still her same frequency [...if one makes soup, does that mean River becomes Mitchell?]
[potentially] Bobby Pinn was "bent" at some point, which seems to have altered their personality and could indicate a change in frequency compared to a non-bent bobby pin
Should I add known relationships between characters here as well? That may require a more comprehensive, perhaps visual element.



















