The world of Alan Wake is populated by a colorful cast of supporting characters. Alan encountered a number of residents in the small town of Bright Falls during his prior adventures, eventually coming to know some of them quite well. Each provided an extra layer of flavor, adding to the overall world-building and variously playing off (or sometimes against) Alan. Most of them were largely friendly and helpful, coming across as quirky yet harmless, while others had entirely more threatening demeanors. As Alan Wake 2 is set in and around the same location as the original, it will likely feature several returning cast members alongside the fresh faces already revealed.
With Alan Wake 2 also leaning towards a more serious and darker style of horror compared to the original title's campier atmosphere, fans may be wondering which of the supporting cast might return, and how they could be portrayed in the sequel. Between Alan's circle of friends and the folks he met along the way, it's worth taking a look at some of the ones who played more major roles, and what direction their appearances in Alan Wake 2 might be like.
Alan Wake's Supporting Cast's History And Role In Alan Wake 2
Alan's wife Alice, and his best friend/literary agent Barry Wheeler, are the most important of his cadre. Alice is his steadfast emotional bedrock, and it was her abduction by The Dark Presence in Alan Wake that started the whole events of the series. Meanwhile, Barry initially served as comic relief, the wacky sidekick to Alan's seriousness. He eventually found his courage and fought valiantly alongside Alan to free Alice, though in the aftermath her exact whereabouts remain unclear. The two play the biggest supporting parts, and either showing up in some way to assist Alan, either conjured by him while in The Dark Place or in actual reality, would fit well within the story so far.
Alan Wake 2's new playable character Saga Anderson has been featured heavily in promotional and marketing material. Saga shares her surname with Tor and Odin, the two elderly brothers and former bandmates of the rock group 'Old Gods of Asgard' in the setting. The Andersons had an encounter in their youth with The Dark Presence and provided Alan with vital directions as he unraveled its plan. Given that, and combined with strong speculation about the nature of Saga's connection to them, it's also very likely they will turn up in Alan Wake 2, perhaps as a cameo in the form of another of their songs that contains hidden messages or clues for Alan.
Along with Saga, Alan Wake 2's FBI agent Alex Casey is another new addition to the cast. While Saga is investigating Alan's disappearance and the fallout surrounding it in Bright Falls, Casey is looking into the missing Robert Nightingale. Nightingale was the hotheaded FBI agent who rubbed elbows with Alan in the first game, just to later be killed or possibly "erased" from reality by The Dark Presence. Alan Wake 2 has a lot of room to allow for them to cross paths with him, and each other, in some manner.
Other more minor characters Alan previously bumped into include Sheriff Sarah Breaker, Cynthia Weaver, aka the "Lamp Lady," and local diner waitress Rose Marigold. Rose in particular is conjectured by fans to possibly take up Cynthia's role as the "Lady of the Light" in Alan Wake 2. Doctor Hartman, the town psychologist specializing in treating artists, was last seen in Control's AWE DLC being defeated by that game's protagonist Jesse Faden. Given the nature of Alan Wake's setting and its established events, there are multiple possible paths for any of these supporting figures (and other completely unexpected ones) to make an appearance in some surprising ways.
Alan Wake 2 releases October 27, 2023, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
