A Thief's End: Speculation on the Characters
Nadine and Rafe
Thus far we know very little about our new antagonists Nadine and Rafe outside of the above concepts and a couple of short descriptions; but that leaves us all the more room for conjecture. Nadine Ross is the driven owner of a South African security company (believed to be called "Shoreline", judging by the art bellow); with an entire army at her disposal (par for the course for an Uncharted villain). Her troops are said to outmatch any that we've seen before in the series in terms of capability, though that may just be down to the much improved AI in Uncharted 4 as supposed to their superior skill in combat. Given her background we can make a safe guess that the accented mercenaries in the demo belong to her, and I must say, they have some magnificent facial hair.
It has often been said by the writers of the Uncharted series that each character reflects a different facet of Nathan Drake; for better or worse. In a Thief's End, Rafe Adler appears to be referred to as a sort of anti-Nate; employing "different morals" and "questionable methods" in his ruthless quest to obtain what he desires. Perhaps he will represent the very worst of the treasure hunting world, and act as a cautionary example of what being "in the game" can do to a man (though maybe the same could be said of Sam, to some extent). Note that his design appears very simple; no golden guns or scarred faces to distract you, just a cold, aloof expression. I'm scared of this guy already.
Rafe's alliance with Nadine makes the pair a force to be reckoned with, though we have little to go on with regards to the nature of their relationship; is it laden with conflict? are they 'friends'? or are they rivals forming an uneasy union for a mutual goal? It'll be very interesting to find out, especially with Naughty Dog's desire to focus and develop the villains more than in previous games. One last thing to think about is casting. With Dominic Monaghan's apparent association with the project, it wouldn't be too foolish to assume that he'll be taking the role of Rafe, though no doubt there are unannounced characters that he could also be playing (if he 'is' in the game that is).
Sam
Sam, what to say about Sam. We had no idea that this man even existed until the recent Playstation Experience demo, but now it seems that he'll be the driving force behind Nate's 'final' adventure. Roughly 5 years older (but probably not wiser) than his little brother, Sam (err Drake?) does indeed share the same parents as Nate (as confirmed by Naughty Dog), a fact which in itself raises many questions about the sibling's childhood and history (we'll explore this in a future article). Having been assumed dead by Nate, his reappearance after years of absence will inevitably be a huge shock... but this isn't a simple family reunion; Sam needs his brother for a reason, and his life depends on it.
The revelation of Nate having a brother gives context to the very first teaser for Uncharted 4; released back in November 2013. It adds perplexing meaning to the mysterious voice's (which we now know to be Sam's) bitter words:
"Some chains can never be broken. I lost 15 years; buried alive, erased. You left me rotting in that hellhole and never looked back. But you can't outrun the past, and when it catches up, when all your lies collapse around you, I'll be there, sifting through the wreckage. You owe me."
Going through the monologue with what we know, unbreakable "chains" likely means the irrevocable bond of family or brotherhood. "Buried alive" is possibly a metaphor for Sam being abandoned (from his perspective) by Nate when they last crossed paths. As Nate did not believe that his brother was alive, we can make the guess that something happened to Sam that he was unlikely to have survived, perhaps a tomb collapsing or Sully's choice of pseudo death: being shot. Here's where things get even more interesting though: "but you can't outrun the past... when all your lies collapse around you" implies much about a shady chapter of Nate's life that we've not been privy to, and that chapter is about to be unearthed.
Now it's worth remembering that this trailer was released before the departure of Creative Director Amy Hennig; at which point actor Todd Staskwick was in the role (it's been confirmed that he was originally playing Sam before Troy Baker came onboard). For all we know, the borderline animosity we hear here may have been significantly turned down with Neil Druckmann and Bruce Straley at the helm; indeed, Nolan North (the voice of Nate) has commented that the pair did not separate on bad terms, well, per se. That said, the two are hardly going to see eye-to-eye all the time; there is a difficult and mysterious past alluded to, and a sense of regret and betrayal between these two characters which we will inevitably explore.
The complicated dynamic of Nathan and Sam will shed a fresh new light on the former that we've not seen before. As Neil says, "even Sully doesn't know everything about Nathan Drake... there are things that [he] doesn't talk about, and having someone else there that knows those things gives us the opportunity to poke at them and get them out". It sounds like Sam's presence will allow us to go through the skeletons (or in this case entire legions of dead mercenaries) in Nate's closet. There's also ample opportunity for some fun sibling rivalry and banter, with the both being more or less equally matched in terms of skill set and historical knowledge (well, maybe Nate has the edge); allowing for different character interactions than previously depicted in Uncharted.
The impression is given by Nolan and Troy that despite his being older in years, there is an underlying recklessness and in some ways, immaturity with Sam compared to his brother (yep, someone even more foolhardy than Nathan Drake). Troy perhaps describes it best: "Sam has never really quite moved on, but Nate has; he's found Elena, he's found Sully, he's found his calling". Sam has essentially been left behind, remaining immersed in the addiction to a dangerous life... and he's one of the few people who can draw Nate back into it. I get an ominous feeling that this pursuit of pirate treasure can only end badly for the brothers, and something tells me that Sam can't be completely trusted.
The complicated dynamic of Nathan and Sam will shed a fresh new light on the former that we've not seen before. As Neil says, "even Sully doesn't know everything about Nathan Drake... there are things that [he] doesn't talk about, and having someone else there that knows those things gives us the opportunity to poke at them and get them out". It sounds like Sam's presence will allow us to go through the skeletons (or in this case entire legions of dead mercenaries) in Nate's closet. There's also ample opportunity for some fun sibling rivalry and banter, with the both being more or less equally matched in terms of skill set and historical knowledge (well, maybe Nate has the edge); allowing for different character interactions than previously depicted in Uncharted.
The impression is given by Nolan and Troy that despite his being older in years, there is an underlying recklessness and in some ways, immaturity with Sam compared to his brother (yep, someone even more foolhardy than Nathan Drake). Troy perhaps describes it best: "Sam has never really quite moved on, but Nate has; he's found Elena, he's found Sully, he's found his calling". Sam has essentially been left behind, remaining immersed in the addiction to a dangerous life... and he's one of the few people who can draw Nate back into it. I get an ominous feeling that this pursuit of pirate treasure can only end badly for the brothers, and something tells me that Sam can't be completely trusted.
Sully
Interestingly, there has been very little said about Sully and Elena's involvement in Uncharted 4. The two have always been an important part of the core games; so with any luck their appearances won't be severely diminished compared to the PS3 instalments. We know that Sully will be accompanying his partner in crime for some duration of the game; he reluctantly agrees to aid Nate after he pitches his "surefire plan" to him in the E3 trailer. It's unknown whether Sully knew of Sam's existence until now, though one would presume so, even if he's not aware of all that he and Nate did together. As new things about Nate's past come to light, even Sully could be in for some revelations.
Elena
Though Naughty Dog have not categorically stated her return for A Thief's End, Elena's presence is all but confirmed for this new adventure. The obvious reason being the game's nature as a sequel; given the last one's conclusion it would hardly make sense for Mrs Fisher/Drake to be absent from her husband's current struggles. Additionally, a number of hints have been peppered throughout the currently released game footage such as the "call Elena" in Nate's notebook (pictured bellow) and the wedding band on his ring finger. In which case, the question isn't so much is she in the game as what role will she play? and how big will that role be?
It would be easy to assume that given this story's fraternal focus that the attention on Nate's other relationships would be of less significance, but I would argue the contrary. The return of Sam and the exploration of Nate's past will introduce a new conflict with his present; which I would bet on being one of the core themes of A Thief's End. As Game Informer wrote in their recent coverage of Uncharted 4: "Drake will face the tough decision of who takes precedence throughout the game, the family he built for himself with Elena and Sully or his blood relative, Sam". Ultimately we will be seeing the impact of his choices on all involved, Elena arguably more than anyone.
In the same Game Informer article, Neil gives an overview of Elena and Nate's complicated history:
"Throughout the games, and even in the gaps between the games, [their relationship] has been interesting to see... At the end of Uncharted 1 [Nate's] got this woman and they're both adrenaline junkies and both treasure hunters. And then we come to Uncharted 2 and they've grown apart. There are certain things that are very important to Elena's life that are very different than the things that are important in Drake's life. And then between the adventure, they come back together with Sully's help as well at the end of Uncharted 3."
As each game has progressed both characters have changed and grown. Though undoubtedly still as charming, witty and tenacious as her other half (described by Amy Hennig as the 'female version of Drake'), the plucky young woman we saw in Drake's Fortune has steadily become more wary and cynical; owed perhaps in part to Nate's struggle with commitment (getting blown up by a grenade can't have helped, either). She seems to understand him better than anyone, and recognises the potential for damage in his obsession with the dangerous lifestyle... and by the sound of it, Uncharted 4 may realise her fears.
"You can't have your cake and eat it too, and that's why I think their relationship keeps falling apart. The process is exploring the toll of [pursuing] this thing that is almost like an addiction. Like an addict who's not paying attention, there's a cost to this. You're neglecting everyone else around you."
I'm willing to predict that the narrative of A Thief's End will take the time to explore the effect of Nate becoming re-immersed in his 'addiction' on Sully and Elena. After settling down to a life with some semblance of normality, Elena is going to struggle with the appearance of Sam and the trouble he brings with him. This doesn't mean that for the whole duration of the plot she'll be nothing more than a vexatious stick in the mud, constantly telling off her husband and demanding him to come home. I think it's more likely that she'll express the same concern and exasperation for Nate that she did in Uncharted 3; questioning the wisdom of his decisions.
Indeed, Elena isn't one to sit around while Nate goes galavanting off. Hopefully she won't be limited to brief appearances at the beginning and ending of the game; the woman who was prepared to venture to the Rub' al khali desert alone to save Sully would hardly take things lying down. It wouldn't be foolish to assume that she may even join Nate for some part of the search for Avery's treasure, albeit reluctantly. She does have extensive skills and contacts that could be invaluable to the brother's quest. There is the question however of whether Elena will even be aware of what Nate is doing, the fact that he has to call her could be to update her on the situation, or to come up with some far fetched cover story (which she'd probably see right through!)
In the concept art above, notice someone who appears to be a woman in the back of the boat, the hair in the bun could be an indicator of Elena indeed accompanying Nate (and Sully) on the adventure at some stage. It certainly doesn't resemble Nadine, and hopefully Elena would take precidence over a new female character in this case. The numerous phone numbers in Nate's journal are also worth mentioning, it could be that with her job as a foreign correspondent her contact details are constantly changing. This would suggest that Elena may be away in another country when Nate is on the island in the demo with Sam. The list of minutes is also a sign that he's called her several times before on his journey, perhaps to keep her up to date.
Now much of this is pure speculation. Naughty Dog have been very tight-lipped about Elena; dodging most of the questions regarding her. With any luck though, we'll get to see plenty more of her in Uncharted 4.
Other Characters
It's really quite difficult to predict who else will make an appearance in A Thief's End. With the emphasis on Nate's past, his relationship with Sam, the better developed villains and the effects on Sully and Elena for this instalment, it may be difficult to give anyone else the attention they'd deserve if they were to be in the game. Even though Chloe has been a much loved recurring character in the series, it is unlikely that her involvement in the narrative will extend beyond a cameo appearance of sorts, perhaps at the end of the game with Charlie Cutter. Though taking into account that this is the conclusion of Nate's story, it'd be a great shame not to see them both back at some point. There will inevitably be more peripheral characters in the vein of Tenzin, Salim or Rameses, one of which may be whom Dominic Monaghan may be playing. Beyond that, there's not much we can say on the matter.
What are your thoughts and theories on the characters of Uncharted 4? Let me know!
*Just to clarify, I am not an expert on game development or the gaming industry. I get my information from multiple reliable sources, but I may sometimes get things wrong or be inaccurate. If you do spot something such as a piece of information that is inaccurate please let me know and I'll correct myself.
*All images/screenshots are under the copyright of their respective owner. I do not intend to distribute my blog for profit and will gladly remove any images if asked to.
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