Poppy Playtime Chapter 4 changed a few preconceptions that players had about characters and their motivations by dropping lore bombshells, particularly at the end of the chapter. As usual, only bits and pieces of the full story are given in this chapter, but these small details change the relationships between different characters. In particular, the relationship between the Prototype and Poppy Playtime receives a mysterious moment in the spotlight.

The Prototype speaks directly to Poppy for the first time while the player is close enough to hear the conversation. Although short, the Prototype drops multiple lore bombs in Chapter 4, and each one changes the story so far. Unfortunately, the Prototype leaves players with even more questions, meaning that there won't be answers until the next chapter at the earliest.

Poppy Might've Been In The Glass Case For Her Own Good

Preventing The Decay Of Toys

When Poppy is first seen in the game, it's at the end of chapter 1. She's found in a glass case inside an area that's designed to look like the inside of a house. The reason why she's in the glass case is never explained, but Tericho on YouTube has a theory as to why she was in the case based on what the Prototype says and even goes into what the Prototype's plan might be. It turns out that her confinement might've been done for her own good.

Although Poppy is one of the older toy experiments that was successful, she hasn't lost her mind and become aggressive like other toys. Players even witness toys losing their minds in front of them, most notably with Doey the Doughman in Chapter 4 because he couldn't cope with being unable to save the toys in Safe Haven. However, it's possible that Poppy was put in the case as a form of stasis to prevent her from going mad.

The Prototype Needed Sawyer Alive For A Breakthrough

An Effort To Save The Remaining Toys

One VHS tape in Chapter 4 reveals that the Prototype has been keeping the Doctor alive because they were working together on a breakthrough. There are a lot of possibilities as to what the breakthrough could be, but Tericho suggests that one likely option is that the Prototype wants to find a way to keep the toys from going mad. The Doctor would be the best partner for this endeavor since he created the Bigger Bodies Initiative, but it also provides a reason why the Prototype wants to put Poppy in another case after her escape.

While Poppy seems to receive the most attention from the Prototype, she's not the only toy he's shown to care about. He lets the toys who still have their minds live without him interfering for the most part, and he gives up his chance to escape when the factory is operating to save Theo instead. His plan regarding the Hour of Joy even involved stopping more experiments from happening. The Prototype isn't a hero, but he has clearly tried to take care of the orphan and other toys to the best of his ability.

Why The Prototype Might Want To Save Poppy

They Could Be Related

A VHS tape in Chapter 4 strongly implies that Poppy is Elliot Ludwig's child. She says on the tape that the company was better when her dad was in charge, and the only person who's known to have been in charge previously but no longer was after a point is Elliot. This also provides evidence for the theory that the Prototype is Elliot Ludwig. It explains why he cares so much about Poppy and the other children, and it would provide an explanation as to why his face is blacked out in every image.

The company erases him and his desire to make kids happy rather than seek profit, keeping him from interfering by making him into an experiment. Additionally, he could've been willing to become an experiment if it meant that children could be saved through the process. There are a lot of possibilities for why he could've been the Prototype, including betrayal by Leith Pierre, just like Harley Sawyer would later be betrayed. But at this point, it seems like the most likely identity for the Prototype and explains his desire to save Poppy.

Prototype seems like the best chance for Poppy and the rest of the toys to avoid going mad, letting them continue to live without fear of attacking each other

Like other toys, Poppy is likely doomed to become mindless and aggressive, and she's shown signs of this. Her eyes are changing and becoming bloodshot, and she has increasingly frequent outbursts. In a turn of events, the Prototype seems like the best chance for Poppy and the rest of the toys to avoid going mad, letting them continue to live without fear of attacking each other. Unfortunately, this is all speculation, and there aren't concrete answers to this situation, which can be found in Poppy Playtime Chapter 4.

Source: Tericho/YouTube