This is Pat Maine for KBF-FM, and now some music. - ― Pat Maine, Episode 1: Nightmare
Pat Maine is a character who appears in Alan Wake and Alan Wake 2. He used to be the night host of Bright Falls' local KBF-FM Radio Station, where he hosted the show "The Night Owl." As of 2023, he has since retired, though he still hosts a show from his bedroom at the Valhalla Nursing Home, known as the Pat Maine Radio Hour.
Background[]
Pat Maine hosted the town's local nightly radio shows, which could be heard by Alan Wake at various points in his adventure. He also took a disliking to FBI Agent Nightingale's tenacious pursuit of Alan, claiming that he needed a "lesson in manners and a boot up the ass".
Bright Falls (mini-series)[]
Though he never physically appeared, he could be heard in episode two early in the morning where he talks about the meaning of Deerfest.
Events of Alan Wake[]
Maine on the ferry
Pat played a fairly minimal role in the events of Alan Wake. He was the first local who Alan met - being on the ferry which Alan rode on at the story's beginning. When Pat recognized him for who he is, he requested an interview which Alan denied. Later, when Alan was at the Bird Leg Cabin, Pat could be heard on the radio mentioning that an unnamed celebrity has arrived to enjoy the Deerfest. However Alan's anonymity was destroyed when Rose Marigold phoned in and excitedly proclaimed the writer's presence in Bright Falls. Throughout the game, Pat's radio show could be heard on radios in particular locations. These extracts included music, interviews and call-ins from locals.
In Episode 3: Ransom, Pat's radio station became Alan's goal of refuge when running from the police. He broke into the sound room and requested to speak with Pat, right before Agent Nightingale shot unexpectedly at both of them through the window. Later, Pat could be heard in more radio broadcasts referencing to the shooting and professed to be on Alan's side of the dispute.
In Episode 5: The Clicker when Sheriff Sarah Breaker asked Barry Wheeler to phone a group of locals and inform them of the trouble with the code word "Night Springs", Pat's name was notably on the list. When asked why that codeword, Breaker explained that it was an inside joke about how Bright Falls was sometimes just as weird as the TV show.
At the very end of Episode 6: Departure, Pat was one of the locals who could be seen celebrating Deerfest.
Night Springs comic[]
On the night of September 13, 2010, Pat is one of the townspeople alerted of the ongoing crisis by Barry Wheeler's codeword phone call on Sarah Breaker's behalf, who end up gathering outside town limits. Others include Bright Falls deputies Mulligan, Thornton, Grant, and Janes, as well as Frank Breaker, who directs Pat to go to the radio station and coordinate in case a town evacuation became necessary.
Events of Alan Wake 2[]
Pat retired from working at the KBF-FM Radio Station, and in 2018 moved to the Valhalla Nursing Home to be looked after in his old age. However, he continued to host a radio show called the Pat Maine Radio Hour from his bedroom of the nursing home, which Saga Anderson would often listen in on.
In his broadcasts, he would often make references to Wendy Davis and her delicious jerky, however in later broadcasts, the populace would inform him that Wendy died many years ago as part of the Cult of the Tree murders, which confused him as he claimed to have seen her recently. Whilst some believed this may be due to his old age and a potential sign of dementia, Pat swore blindly that Wendy was not dead, indicating he may actually be recalling events before Alan Wake's story began to alter reality.
When Saga eventually visited the nursing home, she encountered Pat broadcasting from his room and decided not to interrupt him. When the Dark Presence attacked the nursing home, Pat was escorted by Ahti and the other retirees in a lighted area on the front porch of Valhalla to protect them from Taken. Upon meeting him, Saga informed Pat that she was a fan of his shows, where Pat invited her to come on his show sometime.
Pat would later end up in a fictional reality created by Scratch where he proclaimed "Deerfest is cancelled" on his radio show. In this reality he, alongside the town populate, gushed about Alan Wake's latest novel, Return.
Interactions[]
Nightingale Interview[]
- Pat Maine had an interview with Agent Nightingale two days after the shootings. This can also be found in The Alan Wake Files.
NIGHTINGALE: I'm interviewing Pat Maine, the local radio host. Thanks for coming in, Mr. Maine.
MAINE: Against my better judgment. You realize that the only reason I'm talking to you at all is because Sarah asked me to?
NIGHTINGALE: Yeah, I'm very touched by your--
MAINE: Agent, I'm not going to take any abuse from you. Not after our last encounter.
NIGHTINGALE: Listen, that was all a misunderstanding.
MAINE: No, it wasn't. No. It was reckless, dangerous, and stupid and you were in no condition to be working.
NIGHTINGALE: Look, I'm... can we just concentrate on this interview, get it over with? Please, sit down.
(A brief pause.)
NIGHTINGALE: Please.
MAINE: All right. What do you want to know?
NIGHTINGALE: What did Wake want with you?
MAINE: I have no idea. We really didn't have any time to talk. I thought he dropped in for an interview. We met on the ferry when he and his wife were coming to town, and he wasn't interested in one then. I said he should look me up if he changed his mind. It would've been a bit of a catch, especially with the Deerfest coming up. A celebrity would attract people outside the immediate area.
NIGHTINGALE: That's not why he was there.
MAINE: He said that. He couldn't say what he wanted before we were interrupted. If I hadn't said he was at the studio on the air, things would probably have gone differently.
NIGHTINGALE: Trust me, you got lucky. Wake's trouble.
MAINE: Really. I think I'm a fair judge of character, Agent Nightingale, and that's not the impression I got.
NIGHTINGALE: Suit yourself.
MAINE: I did wonder if he had anything to do with the situation at the trailer park, but it seemed so unlikely. I suppose I was wrong about that. Even so, I really can't imagine that anything Mr. Wake has done could be worth all this effort.
NIGHTINGALE: You probably can't. Me, I don't have to imagine.
MAINE: That sounds ominous.
NIGHTINGALE: It is ominous, Mr. Maine, trust me on that. It's no joke. I've seen things you wouldn't believe.
MAINE: You should consider the possibility that your experience doesn't make you an expert, or improve your judgment. It may not make you as unique as you think.
(There's a pause.)
NIGHTINGALE: What do... are you telling me that you know what Wake is up to? Is that it?
MAINE: I don't know anything about Mr. Wake. Perhaps if you were to tell me what he has done...
NIGHTINGALE: That relates to an ongoing investigation. I can't discuss it with you.
MAINE: Or the sheriff, or anyone else, it appears.
NIGHTINGALE: You're friendly with the sheriff, huh?
MAINE: This is a small community. Agent Nightingale, it's obvious that you have no idea what you're doing. I'm not trying to offend you. I'm just trying to tell you something important.
(A short pause.)
NIGHTINGALE: Please, Maine. You know something. I... I need you to tell me. I need help here.
MAINE: Frankly, I'm not prepared to discuss that with you. I'm sorry, Agent Nightingale, but I don't trust you.
NIGHTINGALE: But you trust Wake, is that it?
MAINE: I really don't know him at all. But he seems to be less of a loose cannon than you are.
(A pause.)
MAINE: Get out of here. Just get the hell out.
(Recording ends.)
Appearances[]
- Bright Falls
- Episode 2: Time Flies (in a radio show)
- Alan Wake
- Episode 1: Nightmare
- Episode 2: Taken (in radio shows only)
- Episode 3: Ransom
- Episode 4: The Truth (in radio shows only)
- Episode 5: The Clicker (in a radio show only)
- Episode 6: Departure (body only)
- Night Springs (Comic)
- Alan Wake 2
- Return 1: Invitation (in radio shows only)
- Return 2: The Heart (in radio shows only)
- Return 3: Local Girl (in radio shows only)
- Return 4: No Chance (in radio shows only)
- Return 5: Old Gods
- Return 6: Scratch (in radio shows only)
- Return 7: Summoning (in radio shows only)
- Return 8: Deerfest
Trivia[]
- Pat Maine can be heard in the Bright Falls mini-series during Episode 2 "Time Flies", when Jake is driving to the diner.
- In Bright Falls and Alan Wake, Pat Maine is voiced by actor R.J Allison, who is also noted for his work in Grand Theft Auto IV were he provided the voice for John Smith.
- He recently published the book, "What a Hoot: Midnight Musings from the Night Owl: Volume 1".
- He likes taking trips to the nearby town of Watery.
- The surname 'Maine' could be another of the many references to Stephen King, who lives in the town of Bangor, Maine, and sets many of his books in fictional areas within the state.
- His name rhymes perfectly with 'Max Payne', also worthy of note is that his initials would be the same as Max Payne's if reversed. This could be a reference to the protagonist in the 'Max Payne series' also created by writer, Sam Lake.
Gallery[]
