You get TWO PILLS IN THE MORNING and then you'll be nice and calm... all day long. - ― Birch (as a Taken), Episode 4: The Truth
Nurse Birch is a minor character and enemy appearing on Alan Wake. He worked as male nurse at the Cauldron Lake Lodge, under Dr. Emil Hartman, and helped to deal with unruly patients.
Appearance[]
Birch is a well-built, Caucasian man with grey hair. He wears a white, long sleeved shirt, turquoise pants, with a black belt, and dark brown shoes. He also carries a pen on the left pocket of his shirt. After being Taken by the Dark Presence, his skin turned pale and his body became covered with darkness. He also carried an axe.
Personality[]
Being a nurse in a psychiatric institution, Birch attempted to remain patient and professional with the patients of the lodge, as shown when remained calm after Alan Wake insulted him by calling him a "gorilla". Aside from his regular nursing duties, Birch would also carry out questionable task for his employer, something that apparently caused him no moral problem.
After becoming a Taken, all traces of Birch's humanity and his former self disappeared, leaving only an empty shell at the disposal of the Dark Presence. In this state, like all other taken, Birch only repeated random sentences that he already said when he was alive.
Background[]
Bright Falls AWE[]
After falling into the waters of Cauldron Lake following his encounter the Dark Presence on Mirror Peak, Alan Wake was rescued by Emil Hartman and taken to the Cauldron Lake Lodge in an effort to have Wake under his control. The following day, Barry Wheeler, Wake's literary agent, was contacted by Hartman and told that his client was at the lodge. This was in reality a trap, and Wheeler was captured by Birch and another orderly and locked in an office of the institution's staff wing.
After Wake woke up, Hartman, accompanied by Birch in case the writer once again reacted violently, attempted to convince him that the recent events he had experienced were the result of a psychotic break caused by the death of his wife, Alice, and that he had been a patient on his Lodge for a long time. The doctor then proceeded to give Wake a tour of the lodge. Not long afterwards, when an unnatural thunderstorm began to form near the lake, Hartman instructed Birch to keep an eye on the writer while he was going to check the power. Birch later informed Sinclair of the doctor's orders but told her that she could call him if she had any trouble with the patients. Birch then told Wake that he should try writing ask Hartman asked him to.
Soon after, as he watched Wake, Birch heard a commotion coming from the lobby, caused by the Anderson Brothers. When Sinclair called him for help, Birch told Wake to stay in his room and keep writing. He and Sinclair tried to restrain the brothers, but they proved to stronger than they thought. In addition, Thor's plastic hammer had somehow turned into an actual hammer. After he knocked Sinclair unconscious, Birch hid in a nearby storage closet. When Wake arrived at scene, he was told by the Andersons use this opportunity to escape. The brothers then continued to taunt Birch.
Not long afterwards, when the Dark Presence began to take over the lodge, Birch was engulfed by the evil entity and turned into a Taken. As Wake attempted to escape the lodge, making his way through the hedge maze, he was confronted by the Taken Birch, along with a flock of Taken birds. The writer was able to kill him and the orderly's body disappeared.[1]
Gameplay[]
Description[]
Birch is a Chainsaw Assault Taken-type enemy that possesses a strong darkness shield, capable of withstanding an explosion caused by a flare gun or a flashbang grenade. As is usually the case with bosses, he also has more health than a normal Taken of this type or any other type of Taken.
| Weapon | Difficulty | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy | Normal | Nightmare | |
| Revolver | 8 | 11 | 16 |
| Shotgun | 4 | 5 | 6 |
Strategy[]
- This fight will consume a lot of resources. It is essential that the player collect all flares and lithium batteries in the hedge maze and waste as little as possible with normal Taken.
- Aside from Birch, the player will also have to deal with a flock of Taken birds. If they want to take them out first, they will have to maintain their distance from Birch as he is capable of killing the player in two hits or less.
- On the other hand, if the player wants to focus on the Taken, they will have to be careful with the birds as they may prove to be too distracting. Using a flare will not weaken Birch's darkness shield, but also protect the player from the birds.
- At the gazebo, the player will find, in addition to a First Aid box containing more batteries, a flare gun and a single round on floor. While a flare gun shot will not instantly kill Birch, it will be enough to wear his shield down.
- While Birch generally moves slowly, he will gain speed when coming close to the player.
- If the player chooses to continue forward, they will also be attacked by a Flanker and an Assault Taken. However, they will soon reach a Safe Haven and a small shed containing a shotgun.
Quotes[]
Taken[]
- "You can have the TV on, if you don't fight about the channels".
- "You get three pills in the evening, and you'll sleep like a baby".
- "What are you doing out of bed? Doctor Hartman will be so disappointed".
- "Stop struggling! We're all friends here. This is just part of the therapy".
- "We don't want any fighting. It makes people sad".
- "Doctor Hartman likes things to be nice. That way we don't have any trouble and I don't have to punish anybody".
Behind the Scenes[]
- Originally, Birch's head model was used for Robert Nightingale back when he was meant to be playable and have a different appearence.
Trivia[]
- In the Alan Wake novel, Alan witnesses Birch being attacked by the Dark Presence. In this account, the orderly has not hidden in the closet and is seen attempting to flee before stepping into a puddle of liquid darkness released by the Dark Presence and falling to his knees. Wake observes blood coming out of Birch's ears, who seems to be suffering from a terrible headache. Before leaving the man to his fate, Wake also notes that the liquid darkness is slowly covering Birch and overwhelming him, turning him into one of the Taken.
Appearances[]
Gallery[]
