A Thief's End: Speculation on the Characters

A Thief's End: Speculation on the Characters

As we've entered the year of A Thief's End, it's time to fully open the metaphorical floodgates for some good ol' speculation. So, what better way to start than with the mainstay of any Uncharted game: the characters? Now, we'll fully explore the past and prospects for Nathan (not really) Drake in another article; here, we're going to look at the old friends, new enemies and surprise siblings that'll swing onto our screens in Uncharted 4. Who are they? what role will each of them play? and what could their presence mean for our hero?

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.

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.

I Hope You've enjoyed this post, I'm new to blogging and feedback is always appreciated, let me know your opinions :-)

Undiscovered Adventure

Here We Go.

Here We Go.

It finally feels like things are really kicking off with Uncharted 4. From the recent demo at the Playstation Experience last moth to the bevy of new information coming from Game Informer (Check out this awesome interview with Neil and Bruce), A Thief's End finally feels like it's not an eternity away! 

As for this blog, I've got a lot of stuff in the works, from looking Nate's shady past to speculation on that mysterious brother of his. Stay tuned! 

*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.

Undiscovered Adventure

A Thief's End: Would A Playable Elena (or Sully) Work?

Should Drake's Pals Get Some Time In The Limelight?

Here's something I've been thinking about for a while now concerning Uncharted 4: would Naughty Dog give us the chance to play as say, Sully or Elena in A Thief's End? and furthermore, should they? Its a possibility I find exciting, though I'm unsure whether it would fit within the context of the series.

In my time browsing the Uncharted forums, I was actually rather surprised at how many people were suggesting that we have a chapter to two in Uncharted 4 with a playable character besides Nathan Drake. Its an idea that I thought would be largely unpopular, but on the contrary, a considerable number of posts highlighted it as something they would like to see in the new game. This led me to ponder, is it something Naughty Dog would do? and more importantly, would it work in Uncharted?

*A quick note before we start, what started off as a simple discussion has turned into a look at the characters, their motives, relationships and arcs, and the potential plot of A Thief's End. It's a big one, so be prepared! 

Drake's  Story

Before we dive into this discussion, first we need to look at the narrative ark of the series so far. In the past Uncharted games, right from Drake's Fortune to Drake's Deception, we have always played purely as Nathan Drake, at least in the single player campaign (of course I'm not counting the unlock-able player skins in 1 and 2). This choice is effective, because it allows us to see the story through 'Drake's eyes' so to speak. He's the protagonist, so naturally its his journey that we focus on. We've seen him progress from an orphaned teenager with a constructed historical identity to a man who's finally found something better, coming to terms with who he really is.

Going into A Thief's End, we know that he's returning as the lead, not only that, but this adventure has been described as his most personal yet. Given this information one could (understandably) conclude that playing as another character, even for a short part of the game, would be highly unlikely. I would argue against that, however.

We last saw Nate with the two people that mattered most to him; his lifelong friend and mentor and his wife: presumably about to start a far quieter life than he was used to. Nate's retirement from adventuring has been reinforced by recent lines such as "out of the game" and "forced back into the world of thieves". We can thus surmise that between Drake's Deception and A Thief's End, Nate has been embracing a more mundane existence. Unfortunately, it seems that his past has caught up with him. Something has happened that gives him no option but to set out once more to (as has been implied) "save the ones he loves".

So, what am I getting at? this is going to take some explaining, bear with me...

Looking at the current information we have, it seems that Nate was successful in his endeavour of "settling down" with Elena. To me, this would indicate that one of his main character arcs has indeed come to a close; with him overcoming his obsession with the facade he built as a child (symbolised by losing Sir Francis' Ring and replacing it with his wedding band). Not only that, but also (at least to some extent) his fear of commitment, which until now has prevented him from maintaining his relationship with Elena for more than one game (I'm assuming/ hoping they're still together).

Entering this new chapter, I believe (and this is pure guesswork mind you), that all of this clears the way for a story centred even more than before on relationships (that is not to say the others were not). The one between Nate and what appears to be the antagonist (the man narrating the first trailer) will probably be at the forefront, given their implicit history. However, the lengths Nate is willing to go to for Sully, Elena and his other friends (maybe even his child if he has one), will also be explored in depth, and perhaps, the lengths they are willing to go to for him. 

It is this that gives me reason to believe that we may actually get to play as Sully or (especially) Elena, but before I continue with this point, I would like to look at Naughty Dog's most recent (and arguably best) game...

A New Approach

*WARNING! SPOILERS FROM THE LAST OF US FOLLOW!*

Ok, you may be a bit confused as to where I'm going with this argument, but just hang on in there. So far we've established that Uncharted 4 will likely be concentrated on the actions of the characters when pushed to their absolute limits in order to protect one another. This is where I segue into The Last of Us.

Now I admit, I am not the authority on this game, (to my shame) I haven't even played it. However I have, I must confess, watched it played through on youtube (in "movie" form), and seen numerous spoiler casts and story analysis's (I know, I'm a terrible person). The setting and gritty tone of The Last of Us just isn't my kind of thing, though I do sorely regret my descision to ruin the story for myself (we all make mistakes).

There is one big thing in particular that I did take away from my somewhat limited experience of the game, and that's what I'd like to talk about. There are two points in the main campaign (I'm not including the DLC Left Behind), where you deviate from playing Joel. The first is with his daughter, Sarah, and the second, with Ellie. Both of these occasions help to establish or invigorate the player's connection with each character respectively; and when you do return to Joel's perspective you feel more of a responsibility towards them, and an increased concern about what happens to them.

Of course, I have come to this conclusion through indirect means: player reactions, developer documentaries, interviews and so forth, not first hand. Nevertheless, I can appreciate the effect it had on the narrative and how it benefited the player's investment in the story. So, would this approach work in a similar way if it was applied in Uncharted?  

How Could It Work?

To answer this question, we have to look at the characters, their relationships, and the overall plot of the next installment in the series. Let's assume that if we play as anyone it will be either Sully or Elena (I'm not focusing on the rumoured "past flashbacks" theory, where you could play as Sir Francis, Henry Every etc.). Would seeing things from their point of view make sense? particularly given the premise of the new game and all of the implications it has?

*From this point onwards, we're crossing into the realm of utter speculation, so keep that in mind. I'll also be making infequent references to The Last of Us: we're not out of SPOILER territory yet (I'll indicate these by an S*). 

In order to fully determine whether the concept of playing either character is appropriate, we'd need to know the storyline of the game. Unfortunately, we currently have little more than a couple of teaser trailers, a cryptic description and some comments from Naughty Dog; but that's enough to form some idea of what could happen in A Thief's End.

I've harped on about this notion enough already, but I (and many others) believe that the supposed villain in this game is exacting his revenge on Nate by targeting those close to him. It doesn't seem to be Sully; after all he's the one whose help Nate is seeking in the most recent teaser, so one could fairly deduce that Elena is the one in trouble, if anyone. However, the official summary hints that she's not the only one: "what he's willing to sacrifice to save the ones he loves". Due to the lack of context we can't really say if this means someone else is in jeopardy (their child for instance?), or if at some point Nate will have to make a decision that will determine the fate of what could be any of his friends, but I digress. 

Assuming that Sully will be accompanying Nate throughout this adventure, playing as him would be rather redundant. This is where we get to Elena. As I just mentioned (again this is based on conjecture), the evidence insinuates that she may (at least partly) be the object of Nate's expedition ("with the stakes much more personal").  So, lets delve into the theoretical scenario where she's being held captive by our bad guy. Note that this is not the only possibility, but I'd like to use as example here.

*Just wanted to add a little edit here. Upon further discussion, it seems less likely that Elena is in danger, at least to begin with. Some people have rightly pointed out that Sully would not be as reluctant as he appears in the trailer, if Elena was indeed the one being harmed. However, I think it still presents a valid illustration of where a playable Elena could be effective. 

Playing As Elena

If, and this is a big if, saving Elena is the goal, then there are a few problems that Naughty Dog will have to address. Firstly, they'd need to build a connection between her and the player; otherwise it will be difficult to sympathise with Nate throughout the story. Of course, if you've played the other games this should have already have been founded. Though considering that Naughty Dog have said that you don't have to have experienced the past Uncharted's to enjoy this one, they need to give us a reason to care.

Secondly, what the hell will Elena be doing while she is held prisoner? I think it would be a doing her a massive disservice if she was merely the damsel in distress. The whole "rescuing the girl" thing has become a bit of a video game trope, one that Naughty Dog would surely avoid, especially considering their history of challenging such expectations. Besides, she is far too independant (her plan to rescue Sully on her own in Uncharted 3 comes to mind) and, in my humble opinion, too strong and complex a character to delegate to the position of "Nathan Drake's captured wife". 

Though there are a number of possible solutions, I believe that playing Elena for a segment of the game is one that woulld tackle both of these issues. We would see her situation, see what she's doing about it, and have an interest in what happens to her as a result. Then when we do return to Nate, our motivation would allign with his: we'd want to get Elena out of there. 

My point can be aptly summarised by All Things Uncharted, with whom I was discussing this theory: 

"If she's playable, she has power. She becomes subject again, rather than object"

S * Ellie was given agency in her position in The Last of Us; and it worked to not only grow her as a character, but help the player feel the same obligation to help and protect her as Joel. I understand that Elena is a very different character in a very different game, but the base logic behind making someone else playable to progress the story is the same *.   

Other Advantages

There are additional benefits besides character progression when it comes to playing as someone else, and they can be summed up in one word: variety. A change in pace, in gameplay and maybe even in tone, it can really bring something new and different to the game.

The closest example I can think of in the Uncharted series are the young Nate chapters in 3. Whilst still the same person, playing as a teenager isn't the same as playing as a grown man. Nolan North explains the gameplay changes Naughty Dog had to make in Drake's Journal:

"Cartagena was a challenge for the team because they couldn't leverage some of the core mechanics of the game. Specifically, they couldn't have a 14-year-old Drake running around Columbia beating up people and firing a gun! They had to come up with some things that are a little different" 

Case in point, due to the limitations and strengths of the individual, the way the game played was different whilst still feeling familiar. S* Again this was especially relevant in The Last of Us: Ellie can't handle herself like Joel, she can't use brute force to take down enemies, and so must rely much more on stealth, avoidance, and taking people out from a distance.* 

I feel that something similar could apply to Elena. Yes she's a grown woman, but all the same I can't see her monkey-climbing up walls or snapping guys necks like Nate (though she's still proficient in traversal and combat). We would be forced to approach things a little differently; perhaps Elena would be more effective at sneaking past enemies undetected than her other half, and maybe she could have a few unique abilities of her own, further adding something new to the experience (I'd love to hear your ideas by the way!).

The reason I'd put less of an emphasis on Sully here is that in terms of skill set he largely resembles Nate, after all he's the one who probably taught him what he knows. He would also be limited by his increasing age, what with him pushing 70. Though there's no doubt he'll still be able to hold his own in the new game, I'm less sure how it would translate into gameplay. I'll admit it though, it would be awesome to play as Sully, I can just imagine having a 'press L2 to smoke cigar' prompt.

The Element 0f Surprise

I think this is what I find most exciting about this prospect: it would be a surprise. Despite theorising about this so much, it would still come as a complete shock to me if we suddenly transitioned from Nate to Elena, or anyone else for that matter. Just picture it: our protagonist gets knocked out (I'm not sure how, but it does seem to happen to him quite a lot), screen cuts to black, then the camera opens on a certain blonde journalist. A small cutscene plays out and then BAM, we're in control of her (I think I would jump up and down like a child on christmas day). A pretty weak example, but I'm sure Naughty Dog would be more creative. 

S* I've seen people's reaction to being thrust into Sarah/Ellie's shoes without prior warning, and Neil Druckmann, creative director of The Last of Us, has stressed how important it was for it to be a surprise.* Just as no one saw playing as young Nate coming, or Sully "dying" (twice), or Elena, well, having a less than fortunate encounter with a grenade, twists and turns like this can make the story that much more memorable. 

Counter Arguments

I want to make something clear, playing as a character is not the only way to connect to them, and neither is it a guarantee that you will. We can still adore the likes of Sully, Elena and Chloe without ever having played them in the campaign (I'm not counting that jet ski segment in Uncharted 1, by the way) and a persons' fondness for Nate could not have been founded on playing as him alone. Our affection for these characters was established because of stellar writing, dialogue, interaction and game design. It is thanks to moments of drama, humour, tenderness and, most importantly, those simple, subtle details that make them more believable and more human. 

Nor is it the only way to create diversity in a game. Look at the tibetan village chapter in Uncharted 2: we remained as Nate, but things played out very differently. No combat, no climbing, not even any puzzle solving, and yet that short, seemingly pointless section of the game left a big impact, and personally is one of my favourite parts in the whole series. 

I should also add that I don't think it would work if it in anyway undermined or took away from Nate's story. Elena and Sully are fantastic and very important characters, but they aren't the fundamental protagonists, Drake is. Thus it mustn't become their own little detached sub-story, but complement and enrich the overall plot.  

To Conclude

I'm in favour of getting a chance to play as someone else (for a part of the game), for the reasons I've discussed, but it should never, ever be a gimmick. There are an infinite number of ways for Naughty Dog to enhance the narrative and bring something new to Uncharted, and this is just one of them. Story, characters and gameplay should always be the priority, and I know the developer would only ever add something like this if they thought it would fit with their vision for the game. Its entirely possible that they want to keep things just from Nate's perspective, and they have good reason too. 

Would they do it? I have no idea. S* They could implement what they learned from making The Last of Us with Sarah and Ellie (after all, people praised the opportunity to play as them), especially with the leads of the project at the helm of A Thief's End.* There's also that ambiguous comment from Evan Wells and Christophe Balestra, that we will get to "experience Drake and is crew in a new way", but that could mean anything.     

Overall, the game will no doubt be amazing, whether we get to play as anyone else or not. It isn't essential or required in any way. All the same though, I think it would be pretty awesome. 

I've started a poll on this topic (linked below), so let me know your opinion! 

http://www.easypolls.net/poll.html?p=53c65386e4b0602ff83c4abf

*Just to clarify, I am not an expert on game development or the gaming industry (or The Last of Us for that matter). 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.

I Hope You've enjoyed this post, I'm new to blogging and feedback is always appreciated, let me know your opinions :-)

Undiscovered Adventure

A Thief's End: Is Someone Going To Die?

Is this the end for one of our favourite characters?

After the excitement brought on by the reveal of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, thoughts have turned to the possible meaning of the cryptic information we have received thus far. Many are wondering what the implications of having a darker, more emotional and personal Uncharted game will be. 

I have noticed that a key point of discussion surrounding this topic is the prospect of a major character death. Honestly, I can't blame people for seeing it as a strong possibility, the mere title of the game is enough to make one jump to that conclusion. However, I suggest we have a proper look at the evidence. In this article, I will attempt to cover why Drake's next adventure is going to be his most personal yet, and who could be facing their "End" in the upcoming game. I'll warn you, this is going to be a long one.  

A New Direction

Until recently, one of the most talked about matters concerning Naughty Dog's next title was the apparent exodus from the studio. What came as the biggest shock was the departure of Amy Hennig, creative director and writer of the Uncharted series, who was initially confirmed to be working on the forth instalment. This was then followed, to everyone's confusion, by the loss of the game director, Justin Richmond and voice actor Todd Stashwick. Since then, co-presidents Evan Wells and Christophe Balestra have revealed that the Last of Us leads, Neil Druckmann and Bruce Straley have taken over the project. 

I am not here to speculate on what happened internally with the developer; regardless of the events that transpired, this change of leadership is definitely significant. Neil and Bruce are by no means strangers to the world of Uncharted, both having played significant roles in the making of the first and second games. However, their recent experience with the Last of Us will undoubtedly have an effect on A Thief's End. To get to the point, its best said by the two men themselves (check out the full interview):

"We're taking what we learned from Uncharted 2, evolved into the Last of Us, and bringing it back [to Uncharted 4]... Each journey dovetails into the next, so we've taken that chronology, the story lines and the relationships and [evolved them]."  

The Uncharted series is reaching a new stage in it's development. We will likely never fully know what Amy's original vision was; it may have been in keeping with the more lighthearted tone of the previous games (though of course these weren't devoid of emotional moments), or perhaps it was heading in this direction all along. After the hard-hitting, thought provoking themes of their last title, Naughty Dog, Neil and Bruce in particular, seem keen to heighten the emotional stakes for the characters in A Thief's End. But does this necessarily mean we could be saying goodbye to one of them?

Its Personal

Aside from the new personnel heading Drake's next adventure, what else indicates that this new Uncharted will take a slightly different approach to its story from its predecessors? Well, what little concrete information we have received in the form of trailers, interviews and official publications does suggest the sort of journey we are to expect.

Back in November, we were given our first taste of the new game; a short, cryptic teaser. As the camera pans over an old map, we hear the bitter voice of then Uncharted actor Todd Stashwick, speaking of revenge. This trailer has been analysed to death, but in light of subsequent news and reveals, we may have a clearer picture of its meaning. Now that Nathan Drake is officially remaining the protagonist of the series, there is every reason to believe the threatening words are directed at him (though most of us assumed this already). 

So, here's my theory: as many (myself included) have suggested before, the mysterious narrator of the teaser is most likely an old friend or associate (or relative?) of Nate. At some point, 15 years before A Thief's End (presumably), Nate apparently 'left him', in what circumstances we do not know. Back in the present said man has returned, intent on tearing Nate's life apart. Using what we've learned since from both the E3 reveal trailer and the official game description, we can add more pieces to the puzzle. Nathan is "forced out of retirement" (from adventuring, he's not that old!) and back into "the game" (the "world of thieves").

Now back onto what you're reading this for, why on earth should any of this mean that somebody will die? Consider these words from the Naughty Dog website summarising the plot:

"It's [Nathan Drake's] greatest adventure yet and will test his physical limits, his resolve, and ultimately what he's willing to sacrifice to save the ones he loves"

Granted, that could mean anything, but the premise is enough to hint at a huge emotional event occuring in the storyline of Uncharted 4, and what with this possibly being the final game in the series, you could bet on it being a death.

Who?

I've argued why I feel the tone of A Thief's End gives us cause to consider a main character dying as a possibility. But what is perhaps an even more interesting area of speculation is who it could be. Lets go through each of them; who's death is more likley, and what are the potential conequences of loosing them?

Sully

Poor Sullivan, he's allready had two "deaths", it would be really unlucky if it happend a third time. Jokes aside, I definitely wouldn't rule out Drake's old partner in crime as a candidate, though of course there is the glaring problem of retreading old ground. In the first game, Drake's fortune, he was shot in the chest, but was saved by Sir Francis' note book, which was in his breast pocket. In Uncharted 3, it appeared that Sully had been shot in the back (in what was a very convincing scene), but it turned out that Nathan had halucinated the whole thing.

I can't say the first incidence was nearly as emotional as the second (seriously, compare Nate's reactions in each, its actually rather amusing how quickly he recovers from the sudden demise of his dear friend and mentor in Uncharted 1). One can really see how far ther series' storytelling has progressed when Sully is "killed" in the third game: it comes as a complete shock to the player, and most of us genuinely thought he was dead. He wasn't, but the game gave us long enough to experince the horror Nate must have been feeling. People have questioned whether it was wise to let Sully live, I have heard some say that to them it ended up feeling rather cheap. Maybe Naughty Dog should have gone all out; I have a hunch that they may have considered it, but in the end Sully survived to fight another day. 

Now here's a question, what would happen if Victor Sullivan did die in Uncharted 4? It would certainly be sad, but perhaps not as impactful or shocking as it would have been had we not seen it before. It all comes down to execution (pun intended). Sully is still a logical choice: he's the closest thing Nate has to a father, loosing him would be devastating, but maybe not so much that it would make the story flat out depressing (Don't worry I'll elaborate). And besides, I can't help thinking that Nate calling on him for "one last time" in the new trailer was somewat foreboding.  

Elena

I'll admit it, I don't really wan't anyone to die, but of all of the Uncharted crew (excluding Nate), I especially hope it isn't Elena (there's a number of reasons, but we'll get to that). Like Sully, she's no stranger to near-death experiences, after being on the receiving end of a grenade explosion (damn you Harry Flyn!) in Uncharted 2. Again, a lot of us thought she might have been a goner (I'd played Uncharted 3 first, so I knew she wasn't) but in the end she made a full recovery. 

I wasn't aware of this until recently, but Neil Druckman (who co-wrote Among Thieves with Amy Hennig) apparently wanted Elena to be killed off . Obviously, this didn't end up happening in the finished game, but perhaps now he has creative control of Uncharted 4, Neil could have it in for her once more (not that I'm suggesting that Neil has some sort of vendetta against her or anything).

There's another reason Elena is particularly at risk. The actress who plays her, Emily Rose, has a successful TV career with the SyFy show Haven. Filming takes place in Nova Scotia, Canada, on the other side of the continent from Santa Monica, where Naughty Dog are based. This has raised a number of logistical problems in the past when making Uncharted. The following quote from Emily is in Drake's Journal, a book by Nolan North documenting the making of Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception:

"[Having a TV show] takes me out of commission for six months of the year. That could take me out of what [Naughty Dog] could feasibly do with [Uncharted 3]. In fact, I went to Amy [Hennig] and Evan [Wells] and told them if they had to kill [Elena] then I'd be okay with it. I immediately regretted it, but Amy quickly assured me that it wasn't an option"

Naturally, the task of shooting Haven and acting/providing Mo-cap for Uncharted puts a lot of pressure on Emily. Add now that she became a mother last year, and her time is further limited. I'm positive that she will be in Uncharted 4, but never the less, would Emily reconsider Elena's fate?

Nate

The big man himself, would the guys at Naughty Dog really kill gaming's favourite wisecracking fortune hunter? My knee jerk reaction would be a straight up no, but looking at what we've learned so far, I can't say that its beyond the realm of possibility. Perhaps the most obvious indication is the title: A Thief's End. Is Nate the "Thief" and does "End" mean death? Maybe. I recommend an excellent article by All Things Uncharted, which goes in depth on the subject. 

What other facts do we have that hint at his next adventure being his last? Well, as mentioned earlier, the whole "what he's willing to sacrifice" line does have some serious connotations, could Nate "sacrifice" his own life to save Sully or Elena? There's no doubt it would be a very bold move, but one that I don't think would be taken very well. 

Personally, I do take issue with the idea of  Nate dying, and there's a big reason for it... 

The Problem

So, why am I against Nate, or for that matter Elena, getting killed off in Uncharted 4? Honestly, I'm unsure whether it would really work. 

Let me explain; if, as has been suggested, this is the final Uncharted game, then why climax the series on such a tragic note? To me, it just doesn't fit with what Uncharted is; an over the top adventure series. Yes it can be an evolution in storytelling, yes it can up the emotion and the drama, but I for one wouldn't consider killing off the protagonist or his wife something that "people will be comfortable with" if they've played the previous games. 

This argument could really apply to any of the characters, but here's where I see a difference. Sully's death would be tragic; however, if done right I would argue that the story could still maintain a hopeful tone. I don't think that would be possible if we lost Nate or Elena; the story would hit a dead end, and consequently, the whole adventure would close feeling rather hollow.

Don't get me wrong, I love Sully, and I'd hate it if he did die, though in many ways I believe that Nate could push through his pain and recover (hell he did that in the first game easily enough, not that I'd wan't him to just shrug it off again). Elena on the other hand, I don't know. To me she represents his future (especially if she is with child, if rumours are to be believed), l can't imagine him gong back to his witty, adventurous self after losing her.

Obviously, this is purely my own opinion, and if any one could do it effectively, its Naughty Dog. I just don't feel that ending Nate or Elena's life is the conclusion to Uncharted many people would want. 

*Feel free to argue against me though, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Other Possibilities

How many words in and I haven't even mentioned Chloe Frazer! Whilst the big 3 (Nate, Sully and Elena) will definitely make an appearance, there's no  guarantee that we'll see Chloe in A Thief's End. She is however a fan favourite, not to mention that her absence in Uncharted's last instalment would assuredly be noticed.  

Naughty Dog may bring her back, but only if its isn't superfluous and serves the plot, they'd need a good reason to do so (same goes for Charlie Cutter). If that reason was significant enough, then she could well die (I know, this is such a cheery topic). Is it likely though? hmmm, I'm not sure. Chloe is a main character in her own right, and her death would be poignant, perhaps she even is the "Thief"in the title? We're entering the territory of pure conjecture here.  

Now there's one more possibility (other than another minor character dying, RIP cameraman Jeff), what if its the mysterious man in the trailer who will have a dramatic death? All evidence says he's the antagonist, and antagonists usually die in Uncharted, but I have a feeling that he will be so much more than a villain. 

Maybe he and Nate were once close friends, or (in what would be a shocking twist) it may be revealed that he is in fact Nate's Father. Either way he could have a deeply emotional end (this is particularly true with the latter), perhaps with a scene of redemption in his final moments (or in the case of him being the father, apologising for abandoning Nathan when he was young). I don't think its a potential scenario we can overlook. 

To Conclude

I've led you down the perilous road of guesswork and speculation; we've looked at what we know so far, and what it all means for the characters we love. Is this really the end for one of them? well, despite all I've said, we just don't know. Someone could die, no one could die, It could be Nate, it could be the villain, there is no "surefire" way to be certain. 

Right now the only people who know the answers are working away at what promises to be a phenomenal game (no matter what happens), and a fitting end to an incredible series...

...if it is the end, that is.

*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.

I Hope You've enjoyed this post, I'm new to blogging and feedback is always appreciated, let me know your opinions :-)

Undiscovered Adventure