Decoding the Conclusion of Alan Wake 2 - Insights and Future Possibilities

In Alan Wake 2, the story takes unexpected turns, with elements of mystery and the influence of supernatural forces from the Dark Place. The actions of Saga Anderson and Alan Wake intertwine as they work together to thwart the antagonist, Mr. Scratch. In the concluding moments, the events may become perplexing, offering insights into what lies ahead and shedding light on any overlooked details in the complex plot. For a more comprehensive understanding, refer to our recap of the Alan Wake story.

The Clicker and Saga's Plan

To begin, it is crucial to grasp Saga and Alan's intentions during the final moments of the game. Throughout the narrative of Alan Wake 2, their plan revolves around Saga assisting Alan in taking control of the conclusion to Return, the unfolding story within Saga's campaign. As Return progresses, it begins to reshape reality, with one notable plot point being Saga's belief that she and her daughter Logan resided in Watery, where Logan tragically drowned years ago. However, this reality contradicts Saga's actual memories, as prior to the events of the game, Saga lived alongside Logan and her husband, David. The couple had never separated, Saga had never inhabited Watery, and Logan was still alive.

Saga requires a resolution in Return that ensures the alteration of Logan's history is not permanent. The narrative must acknowledge the changes to reality and reverse them. To achieve this, Alan and the Clicker are necessary.

The Clicker holds significant importance in the original Alan Wake game. It is a pivotal item that needs to be understood within the story. Originally, it was a light switch attached to Alan's angel lamp. As a child, Alan's mother gave him the Clicker, claiming it possessed magical powers capable of dispelling the monsters from his imagination and alleviating his fear of the dark. Initially, it was just a comforting tale aiding a young boy's fears. Yet, the influence of the Dark Place has transformed the Clicker into something more.

With all the belief and reality-altering abilities derived from the Dark Place in Bright Falls, the Clicker possesses a remarkable amplifying effect. When utilized in conjunction with a narrative or any other form of art brought to life by the Dark Place, the Clicker has the power to make the changes to reality permanent, as influenced by the art. As an illustration, the Cult of the Tree has harnessed the Clicker to manifest their rituals into tangible existence (although their understanding of its workings is likely limited), thus effectively eliminating the Taken creatures. If Saga employs the Clicker in conjunction with Alan's revised story, it has the potential to make the alterations to the story's universe enduring—thereby theoretically rescuing her daughter, vanquishing the Dark Presence, and freeing Alan from the clutches of the Dark Place.

The Eternal Deerfest

Scratch, also known as the Dark Presence, is on the verge of complete victory. Prior to the events of the original Alan Wake, the Dark Presence became trapped in the Dark Place, unable to break free. Its influence is limited to the vicinity of Cauldron Lake. The Dark Presence has been attempting to exploit artists in order to achieve freedom and spread its control throughout the world. By manipulating and possessing Alan, it has finally crafted a narrative that will accomplish its goal. All it needs is for the story to unfold and become reality.

Alan's strategy for thwarting Scratch entails revising the conclusion of the book Return. To accomplish this, he finds himself trapped in the Dark Place once again. The critical step is to be within the confines of his Writer's Room, where he possesses peak creativity and authority, enabling him to execute the necessary edits. However, it's essential for Alan to possess a thorough understanding of the original storyline in Return so that he can effectively alter it.

Returning to the Dark Place, we catch a glimpse of Scratch's intentions: the creation of an everlasting Deerfest. Its objective is to gain full control over reality and reshape it to its liking. The eerie festival serves as a symbolic representation of this notion, but envisioning it spread across the entire world gives us a clear understanding of the situation. Fortunately, the whimsical and surreal nature of Return allows Alan to stumble upon a physical copy of the book. By reading it, he can uncover the ending of the story and alter it.

Alan navigates his way to the Writer's Room, which surprisingly exists within Valhalla Nursing Home. With assistance from Rose and Ahti, he successfully reaches his destination. However, he encounters the same predicament that has plagued him for 13 years.

The reason Alan has been trapped in the Dark Place all this time is his inability to craft a story that will set him free. Despite numerous attempts, the influence of the Dark Presence and the mind-altering nature of the Dark Place prevent him from writing a sufficiently powerful narrative. This challenge persists in the present. Additionally, he faces a time constraint, as Scratch is relentlessly pursuing him, determined to prevent him from completing his work. If Scratch succeeds, Deerfest will become eternal, and Logan will perish.

The Collaborator

However, the X-factor in this situation is Saga. She manages to break free from the doubts imposed on her by the Dark Place and embarks on a journey through a version of Alan's ever-shifting reality. While she still requires the Clicker, a solution to this problem exists.

Do you recall the time when Ahti tasked you with retrieving Alice's photos from the basement of the talk show set? Shortly after, you received a phone call instructing you to store those photos in a shoebox. It turns out this was all part of a carefully orchestrated plan. Saga stumbles upon the photos within the shoebox, but due to the influence of the Dark Place on Alice's artwork, the photos transform into powerful entities: the Clicker and the bullet crafted from pure light. By utilizing the bullet, Saga can eliminate Scratch, while the Clicker has the ability to manifest Alan's rewritten ending.

Saga establishes contact with Alan through her Mind Place, and together they collaborate on revising the ending of 'Return'. The suggestion is that incorporating a fresh voice and perspective into the narrative is the key to enabling Alan to craft a version that can overpower the Dark Presence. It was impossible for him to accomplish this alone, but by joining forces, he and Saga can create a story with enough strength to prevail.

However, sacrifices must be made. Alan emphasizes that this tale falls within the horror genre, and it is essential to adhere to its conventions. Without an adequately dark ending, the narrative would lack satisfaction and authenticity. For their plan to succeed, a bleak conclusion is necessary.

When Saga finally reaches the Writer's Room, the climax unfolds. Casey, now in the guise of Scratch, arrives with unwavering determination to prevent them from altering the story. Yet, Saga utilizes the Clicker to transform fiction into reality, expelling the Dark Presence from Casey and transferring it to Alan. In a moment of decisive action, Saga shoots Alan, ostensibly ending Scratch's existence. The story concludes with uncertainty as Saga attempts to contact Logan to verify the success of their endeavor and ensure the survival of her daughter. Unfortunately, we are left uncertain whether Logan answers the call.

More to the story

Was it effective? It remains uncertain. Saga and Casey find themselves still in the Writer's Room, seemingly trapped in the Dark Place. The beam of light appeared to be the final blow against Scratch, but its outcome remains unclear. Alan successfully eliminated manifestations of the Dark Presence in both the original Alan Wake and Alan Wake's American Nightmare, yet it continues to return.

There's more to the story, especially for Alan. Remedy has already announced two expansions to the story: Night Springs and Lake House DLC. However, there are few details available about them at this time. Additionally, a significant mid-credits scene adds a new perspective to the narrative.

The mid-credits scene primarily focuses on Alan's wife, Alice. Throughout his journey in the Dark Place, Alan discovers Alice's involvement in creating a new photo exhibition and a documentary about her work. Alice is tormented by visions of Alan appearing in her apartment. Initially, Alan believed it was Scratch attacking Alice, but as the story progresses, he realizes that his persistent attempts to contact her in their old apartment were the cause of her visions. The documentary ultimately reveals that Alice tragically ended her own life to escape the torment.

The truth, however, is unveiled in the mid-credits scene where it is revealed that Alice's death was a mere deception. She resorted to faking her demise as she came to the realization that her experiences in Bright Falls, as depicted in the original Alan Wake, were authentic. Moreover, it became evident that Alan has been confined within the Dark Place ever since. This revelation actually pertains to plot elements found in Control, another captivating Remedy game, along with its AWE expansion.

In AWE, Alice pays a visit to the Federal Bureau of Control to inform them about the visions of Alan she has been experiencing. She managed to capture one of the apparitions on film using motion-activated cameras. Alice had previously interacted with the FBC after the events of the first Alan Wake story, and her journey to the Oldest House in New York triggers her recollection of the Dark Place. AWE strongly implies that these occurrences are part of a story being written by Alan in the Dark Place, as new manuscript pages mysteriously appear in the Oldest House during the downloadable content (DLC).

In the mid-credits scene, it becomes evident that Alice's apparent suicide was actually her deliberate return to the Dark Place, this time with a specific plan in mind. Alice contacted Saga and guided her through the Dark Place, seemingly with the intention of ultimately saving Alan. The exact method she intends to employ remains unclear, but she believes her intimate familiarity with the Dark Place will provide her an advantage.

It's Not a Loop, It's a Spiral

In the mid-credits scene, Alan awakens after being shot by Saga, delivering the line, "It's not a loop, it's a spiral." Despite experiencing multiple deaths in the Dark Place, it appears that Alan cannot be permanently killed, as even a bullet made of light fails to eliminate him completely. Therefore, he remains alive and trapped in the Dark Place.

Clearly, there is more to this story. We are aware that Alan contacted himself from a "different point in the narrative" in order to instruct himself to leave Alice's photos in the shoebox. However, we have yet to witness this phone call taking place, suggesting that it occurs at a later stage in the game's storyline that goes beyond its current conclusion.

The spiral line holds significant implications that connect to earlier events in the game. In the movie "Nightless Night" directed by Tom Zane, which is shown during the cinema section of the game, the line is spoken by the character Alex Casey. This repetition serves as a realization wherein Casey discovers something ominous. The film revolves around Casey being sacrificed by a cult led by Barbara Jagger, the woman he loves. However, Jagger is in love with Zane, as depicted in the movie. Essentially, the concept portrayed is that Jagger manipulates Casey into becoming a ritual sacrifice in order to free Zane from the Dark Place. When Casey utters the phrase, "It's not a loop, it's a spiral," he implies that he has been sent down into the Dark Place to take Zane's place.

Alan could potentially use the loop as a way to escape the Dark Place by ascending, rather than simply going in circles. However, the inclusion of Nightless Night in the game suggests that someone else may need to take Alan's place in order for him to be rescued. Additionally, the presence of Tom Zane as a potential antagonist in the future is hinted at. Alan confronts and shoots Zane, but it seems that like Alan, Zane also has a way of coming back to life. Zane has been actively trying to escape the Dark Place and even worked with Mr. Scratch. The concept of Nightless Night paints a grim picture of Zane and implies that his role will be significant in upcoming events.

What About Saga?

Saga's fate remains uncertain at the conclusion of Alan Wake 2. It is suggested that she is still trapped in the Dark Place with Casey, and it is unclear how she would be able to escape, regardless of the outcome of Return impacting reality.

However, there appears to be a potential resolution to this lingering plot point. Following the summoning ritual and Saga being thrown into the Dark Place by Scratch, Tor and Odin venture into Cauldron Lake to retrieve her. Although they never make another appearance in the game, it is presumed that they are still in the Dark Place. It is reasonable to speculate that Saga's story will be concluded in one of the DLC additions, with Tor and Odin playing a significant role in aiding her escape alongside Casey.

Let's not overlook Warlin Door and Sheriff Tim Breaker, who appear to have unfinished roles in Alan Wake 2. Door carries the impression of being well-informed about Alan's story and willingly participating in it. Similarly, Tim seems to have a yet-to-be-fully-realized part to play.

There are numerous elements to be addressed in the story, indicating that there is still a significant amount of untold story in Alan Wake 2. Currently, the conclusion suggests that Alan made a sacrifice by choosing to remain in the Dark Place in order to protect Saga, Casey, Logan, and Bright Falls. The success or failure of this sacrifice remains unknown, but what is certain is that there are individuals still committed to assisting him. It appears highly probable that the Alan Wake narrative possesses the potential to evolve into a trilogy.

Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z fan, I'm thrilled about the release of Alan Wake 2 and eager to dive into its intricate plot and captivating narrative. The conclusion of the game presents a thought-provoking exploration of the power of storytelling and the influence of supernatural forces. The interplay between Saga Anderson and Alan Wake creates a compelling dynamic as they confront the antagonist, Mr. Scratch. The twist regarding Saga's memories and the revelation of her true past add depth to the story, highlighting the complexities of the Dark Place and its impact on reality.

The concept of the Clicker, a light switch imbued with magical abilities, adds an intriguing layer to the story. Its evolution from a comforting childhood object to a powerful amplifier of belief and reality-altering abilities showcases the transformative influence of the Dark Place. The potential for Saga to utilize the Clicker in conjunction with Alan's revised story opens up exciting possibilities for shaping the narrative and ultimately determining the fate of characters like Logan and the Dark Presence.