Curate, connect, and discover
Since Max has no dad now, would he be more involved in in the quest? Not to the degree of actually being with the questers ; but maybe around the circus crew more.
I would like to think he would become friends with Bendy and Oswald. Bendy due to them being similar in age and feeling guilty; feeling like he could’ve done more. The only thing he could think of his being there for Max as a friend that others haven’t done for him.
Oswald due to understanding how it feels to lose someone to the illness. He has known Max for years , he doesn’t want someone so young to go down the path he’s gone down for the past year. He wants to guide him and be there as a father figure for Max ; although he knows he could never replace Goofy.
Max would confide in them in these troubling times and would want to help in the quest in every way he can. He wants to avenge his father. He doesn’t want others to go through what he went through. He wants to help.