This is Agent Nightingale, FBI! Get 'em up, Hemingway! You're under arrest. You move a muscle, I'll unload right in your goddamn face. Stay right where you are, Spillane! - ― Robert Nightingale to Alan Wake
Robert "Bob" Nightingale is a major character in the Alan Wake franchise, and an antagonist in Alan Wake and Alan Wake 2. A Special Agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Nightingale was one half of the "Righteous Brothers" along with his partner Finn, known for their exemplary conduct. However, after the Finn's death under unclear, though seemingly paranatural, circumstances, Nightingale turned to alcoholism and was subsequently fired from the FBI. Somehow, he came to the conclusion that writer Alan Wake was responsible for the disappearance of his partner. In 2010, he traveled to the town Bright Falls, Washington in order to arrest - and potentially kill - the writer. However, he was ultimately taken by a paranatural entity known as the Dark Presence and became trapped in the Dark Place beneath Cauldron Lake.
Thirteen years later, Nightingale emerged from Cauldron Lake. Employed by Scratch, Wake's evil counterpart, he was sent to retrieve the Clicker - a "magic" light switch that helped the writer defeat the Dark Presence years prior and could be used by Scratch to rewrite reality. However, Nightingale was intercepted and killed by the Cult of the Tree. However, before they could complete their ritual, the cult was interrupted by tourists Tammy and Ed Booker. The ritualistic murder was investigated by FBI Agents Saga Anderson and Alex Casey. After Nightingale was resurrected as a Taken, Anderson fought and killed him in an Overlap located near Cauldron Lake. Shortly after this, Alan Wake washed up on the lake's shore after being likewise missing for thirteen years.
Appearance[]
Robert Nightingale was a Caucasian man with dark gray hair and brown eyes. During his visit to Bright Falls in 2010, he wore a white shirt with a black tie under a standard blue FBI jacket, black pants, with a brown belt, and black shoes.
Thirteen year later, Nightingale had lost hair and had what seemed to be text written on his body, most notably on his right arm and shoulder. When he first re-emerged from the lake, Nightingale was naked, having been stripped by the Cult of the Word. After being stabbed by the Cult of the Tree and having his heart removed, Nightingale was left with a huge open wound on his chest.
When agent Saga Anderson inspected Nightingale's body, it had swollen, a sign of long-term water exposure; notably, his right arm, left shoulder, and left leg were slightly more swollen than the others. His skin had also turned pale and had defensive wounds on his wrists, caused by his struggle with the Cult of the Tree. When Anderson confronted him in the Witch's Ladle Overlap, his chest wound had grown considerably and both his ribs and intestines were now protruding from it. His body had also swollen even more; the left side of his face and neck, in particular, more than the right.
Personality[]
- A partner isn't like a co-worker, or a friend, or even a brother. He's your guardian, your keeper, your other wife. He keeps you on the dead straight, calls you on everything the others let slide, and he has your back when the shooting starts. That's where I failed Finn. I owe it to him to keep going even when everything's gone dark. When the craziness back east started, he couldn't explain it either. That's when he needed me most. But I blew it.
- ― Excerpts from Robert Nightingale's field notes
Initially, during his time working for the FBI, Robert Nightingale, much like his partner, Finn, was a man who possessed a strong moral code, refusing to engage in misconduct, and was described as being “solid and dependable”.[1] Nightingale considered a partner to be more than a co-worker, a friend or even a brother, describing them instead as a “guardian”, “keeper” or an “other wife”, someone he could rely on to have his back when doing his duty, but who would also keep him “on the dead straight” and call him on “everything the others let slide”.[2] After Finn’s death, Nightingale became a shell of his former self. The trauma of losing his partner, coupled the guilt of having ignored his claims and warnings about the darkness, led him to descend into alcoholism.[3]
More than a year after the incident, Nightingale had become a far cry from the model agent he once was, having turned into a bitter, paranoid and unstable man obsessed with avenging his partner's death by catching Alan Wake at any cost. His quest for revenge led him to take questionable, if not outright illegal, actions, such as making use of excessive force or lying about still being a federal agent in an official investigation. Moreover, his mental instability often led him to act impulsively and recklessly, endangering both himself and others in the process. This was best seen during his first encounter with Wake, in which he shot at the unarmed writer when the latter escaped despite there being a civilian in the line of fire, something for which he not only showed little concern for, but that he would repeat not long afterwards. In order to get what he wanted, Nightingale would impose his (former) authority as FBI agent, expecting others, such as Sheriff Sarah Breaker, to follow his orders without questioning, and would resort to the pretext of “Federal businesses” in order to elude other people's inquires about him and his investigation.[4] He would also resort to verbal and even physical violence, as seen when he threatened the deputies assigned to him with taking their jobs as punishment should they fail to capture Wake,[5] or when he attempted to force his way into the Cauldron Lake Lodge by threatening Dr. Emil Hartman with assault if he refused to comply.[6]
Nightingale’s attitude and disregard for the law would often lead him to clash with Sheriff Breaker, whose authority and inquiries about his investigation on Bright Falls he would repeatedly ignore. As Clay Steward suggested based on the former agent’s field notes, in which he stated that the sheriff showed a “usual hostility towards feds” during their first meeting, something she later denied to be the case, it is possible that Nightingale was already predisposed to clash with Breaker, this feeling most likely stemming from his dislike for small communities such as Bright Falls. Nightingale was also shown to be contemptuous of the town residents, considering them to be too ignorant to understand the gravity of his investigation and the danger that Alan Wake represented, yet he was at the same time distrustful of them, believing that they were hiding information from him or even working for the writer. This distrust only worsened due to their refusal to cooperate with him,[7] though it appears that Nightingale failed to realize that this distrust on their part ultimately stemmed from his own actions.
Nevertheless, traces of the man he once was still remained, as seen when he comforted Rose Marigold when the latter broke down in tears.[8] The most telling example of this, however, is when he could not bring himself to kill an unconscious Wake when he had the chance, opting instead to arrest him.[9] Moreover, while he was undeniable motivated by a desire for vengeance, part of his reasons to capture the writer were so that he would not hurt anyone again.[10]
Apparently, Nightingale was also well informed when it came to literature based on his tendency to refer to Wake by the names of various crime and/or horror writers, such as Stephen King, H.P. Lovecraft, James Joyce, Mickey Spillane, Raymond Chandler, Dan Brown, Bret Easton Ellis, Edgar Allan Poe and Ernest Hemingway.
Taken[]
After being taken by the Dark Presence and becoming trapped in the Dark Place, Nightingale, unlike other Taken, seemed to still retain some of his mental faculties, as evidenced by a recording left by him during his investigation of the Cult of the Word during the first draft of the “Initiation” manuscript.[11] Moreover, his obsession for catching Alan Wake had not diminished either.[12] While the cause behind this is unknown, it is possible that this is the result of him becoming a character in a story. When he re-emerged from the Dark Place, Nightingale initially had no memory of who he was,[13] and was afraid of Scratch's looming presence.
After being killed by the Cult of Tree and subsequently resurrected, Nightingale became an empty shell at the disposal of the Dark Presence. Like other Taken, his speech was now limited to quoting excerpts from the Return manuscript, including those specifically written for him to utter at specific moments. One line in particular, added by Wake, made reference to his old habit of referring to him by the names of other famous writers.[14]
Biography[]
Early life[]
Robert Nightingale was a federal agent in the FBI and partner of Agent Finn. The two were known for never drinking alcohol or going against the rules, which earned them the nickname "The Righteous Brothers". Finn also saved Nightingale's life on several occasions. Nightingale was also an acquaintance of Agent Alex Casey, whom he had crossed paths with several times at Quantico, although they never worked together on any cases.[15]
Finn's disappearance[]
Alan Wake
Around 2009, Finn started acting erratically and developed an obsession with darkness, dark rooms, and shadows. He had also begun drinking. Nightingale scolded him for his unprofessional behavior, reminding him that he was a federal agent, and advised him to take a vacation. Not long after this, Finn died under strange circumstances. Although the exact details of his death are unknown, Finn was officially declared dead in the line of duty by the FBI. The incident caused Nightingale to suffer a severe mental breakdown. He also started drinking heavily to cope with the guilt for his perceived role in Finn's death. He was soon discharged from the FBI. At some point, Nightingale became convinced that the famous writer Alan Wake was responsible for his partner's demise became obsessed with catching him. How he arrived to this conclusion is unknown, though it is possible that, similarly to Madison resident Clay Steward, he might have experienced dreams and nightmares involving the writer.[16]
Bright Falls AWE (2010)[]
In September, 2010, after arriving at Bright Falls, Washington for a vacation, Wake and his wife, Alice, were captured by a paranatural entity known as the Dark Presence. Trapped in Cauldron Lake, Wake was manipulated into writing a manuscript that would free the evil entity, with events that would subsequently unfold in the town over the next two weeks being all part of the story. A week after his disappearance, the writer managed to escape from the lake, losing his memory of his time trapped in the process, and was later found by local authorities. Upon learning of Wake's presence in Bright Falls, Nightingale immediately flew to Washington.[16]
Investigation, day 1[]
- Wish I had the bureau’s backing. Some official resources world help. But then there'd be a lot of explaining to do. And I've got no better way to burn my free time. Still have a few favors i can call in if I need some heavy lifting. Better this way.
- ― Excerpts from Nightingale's field notes
Nightingale arrived at Bright Falls on the night of September 9; his trip took 2 hours longer than expected and he missed his turn.[17] Despite his reluctance to be there and his wish to turn the car around and leave, he decided to stay and continue with his mission.[18] Nightingale stayed in room 2 of the Majestic Motel. Although he initially wished he had the support and resources of the FBI, he soon decided he was better off on his own, as it saved him the trouble of justifying his actions to his superiors. Nevertheless, there were still people he could turn to for assistance.[17]
Investigation, day 2[]
- Johnny law turns out to be Janie law. Sheriff breaker. Comes from cop family. Knows diddlysquat. Usual hostility to feds. Don't know whether to use honey or salt on this one. Don't know if I have enough honey in me. She did make the phone call I needed. Let's consider her pliable.
- ― Excerpts from Nightingale's field notes
Sheriff Sarah Breaker, with whom Nightingale would often be at odds.
The following day, Nightingale went to the Bright Falls Sheriff Station to talk with the local sheriff. To his surprise, the sheriff turned out to be a woman, Sheriff Sarah Breaker. While she showed some hostility towards him (at least from Nightingale's perspective), she did contact Wake on his behalf, for which he considered her at least pliable. After this, Nightingale went to the Oh Deer Diner to have lunch and to know the residents. Entering the diner, he saw a cardboard standee of Wake and was later told that it had been left there by one of the waitresses - Rose Marigold - who was a fan of him.[19]
The identity of the man was Bright Falls resident Ben Mott.
Nightingale went to the cabin Wake had rented at the Elderwood National Park in search for him, but to no avail. While searching for him, he came across a unknown man who looked as if he had been in a fight recently. Secretly recording their conversation, Nightingale asked him if he had seen anything strange, specifically about Wake, but the man laughed at him and told him to leave the matter alone, claiming that he had no idea of what he was messing with. The conversation became increasingly hostile, with the man refusing to answer his questions and making cryptic comments about a new "system on its way", prompting Nightingale to take him to the sheriff station. However, as the man refused to comply, the two got into a scuffle that ended with the former fleeing. Nightingale tried to chase after him, but quickly lost him.[20]
Chasing Wake[]
- What on Earth is going on? My deputies tell me you fired at Wake, and he didn't have a gun. You almost hit a civilian instead, over.
Sheriff, Wake's running, I'm giving chase. I don't have time for this.
Well, make the time! You can't just go shooting at people in my town, over!
I'm a federal agent pursuing a fugitive. You want to discuss my methods, Sheriff, make an appointment. Over. - ― Sheriff Sarah Breaker and Robert Nightingale
Nightingale and the Bright Falls police department arrive at the trailer park.
Much later, at night, the sheriff station received a call from Paul Randolph, owner of the Sparkling River Estates trailer park, who called to report that Wake and his manager, Barry Wheeler, had spent the entire day on the trailer of one his tenets, Marigold, for whom he was worried about. A group of deputies, led by Nightingale, soon arrived at the scene. Holding Wake at gunpoint, the former FBI agent told him that he was under arrest and warned not to move. When the writer decided to flee, Nightingale and the deputies immediately opened fire, their bullets narrowly missing both Wake and Randolph. Wake leaped through a hole in a nearby fence and ventured into the dark woods. Randolph then rebuked Nightingale for almost killing him, but the he ignored him. Nightingale ordered the deputies to search the area for Wake, threatening to fire them if they failed. Sheriff Breaker soon learned about the disturbance at the trailer park and called Nightingale, berating him for shooting at Wake despite being unarmed and for almost hitting a civilian. Nightingale ignored her complaints on the pretext that he was busy chasing Wake, much to the sheriff's frustration, who then informed him that she was on her way.
Nightingale and the police arrive at the radio station.
Unbeknownst to both Nightingale and Breaker, the writer was also being chased by the Dark Presence. The agents sent after Wake soon began to be slaughtered by the evil entity. After losing contact with most of the men assigned to him, Nightingale called Breaker again, telling her that Wake was responsible. Despite his insistence, however, the sheriff was not convinced that a mere writer was capable of such a thing and warned Nightingale not to jump to conclusions. Not long after, local radio host Pat Maine inadvertently revealed on his radio show that Wake was on the KBF-FM Radio Station. Upon arriving at the scene, Nightingale ordered Wake to back away from Maine and not to hurt him. While both Maine and Breaker tried to defuse the situation, Nightingale, without warning, fired at the station's broadcast room, narrowly missing Wake and Maine and breaking a window. As Breaker scolded him for almost killing a civilian again, Wake took the opportunity to escape through the broken window. The writer escaped to the nearby woods, leaving Nightingale unable to do anything but swear to him that he would catch him even if it killed him.[15] Following this, an enraged and humiliated Nightingale stared through the broken studio window. When he marched towards the exit, Maine grabbed him by the arm and berated him for almost killing him, but the former shook his arm free and left without saying a word.[21]
Interviews[]
- Interviewed locals at trailer park. Suspect there's some thing behind all these dopey country facades. Everybody knows more than they're telling. Or maybe they just don't. Which is even scarier. Wake did a number on that waitress, sweet kid, but can't tell night from day.
- ― Excerpts from Nightingale's field notes
Unbeknownst to Nightingale Marigold had been touched by the Dark Presence.
Nightingale later returned to trailer park to conduct interviews.[22] Among those he interviewed was Randolph, who was initially hesitant to speak with him due to what happened earlier on the trailer park. However, after Nightingale managed to convince him that he was in no danger during the shooting, while also assuring him that any information he could provide him would help Marigold, the trailer park owner decided to tell him what he knew about Wake.[23] Nightingale would also conduct interviews on Marigold, Wheeler and Maine: with the waitress, communication was a struggle as she had trouble focusing on the interview. Nightingale began by questioning her about the recent disappearance of park ranger Rusty Johnston, but Marigold only rambled about her relationship with Rusty before asking Nightingale whether it was day or night. Growing impatient, Nightingale tried to inquire about what had happened with Wake in her trailer. Marigold continued to ramble, now about Wake, before stating that she was forced by the "woman in black" to "betray" him. Nightingale continued to pressure her, asking her if the two were having an affair, before Marigold finally burst into tears. Apologizing, Nightingale stopped the interview and comforted her.[24]
Pat Maine.
With Wake's manager, Nightingale questioned him about the whereabouts of the writer and his wife, while also making suggestions that he was helping his client cover up his wife's murder. Wheeler denied this, claiming that he was victim, having been drugged by Marigold, and threatened to take legal action against Nightingale. After confirming that Nightingale was not going to arrest him, Wheeler immediately left.[25] With the radio host, Nightingale questioned him about what Wake wanted with him during his visit to the KBF-FM station, but Maine, who was still resentful of him, told him that he interrupted their meeting before the writer could say anything to him. He did, however, expressed his opinion that Wake was not the threat Nightingale claimed him to be. While Nightingale disagreed, claiming that he had "seen thing that [he] wouldn't believe", Maine told him that his experience did not make him an expert and asked him to explain his reasons for pursuing Wake, but the former FBI agent stated that he could not disclosed that information. Aware that Maine did knew something, Nightingale pleaded him to tell help him, but he likewise refused, citing his distrust of him, much to the latter's frustration.[26]
Investigation, day 3[]
- How to get to Wake. Is someone hiding him? Extremism in the cause of sanity is no vice. Whatever it takes.
- ― Excerpts from Nightingale's field notes
Barry Wheeler.
Nightingale returned to his motel room, but strange noises, apparently caused by animals, kept him awake. He later went out, but got lost in the woods. In the morning, he spoke to the motel clerk, asking if he knew anything about Wake, but to no avail, although he did found his subsequent silence suspicious.[27] Due to his lack of sleep, Nightingale had difficulty going out in broad daylight. While on the town, he saw local eccentric Cynthia Weaver walking in broad daylight with a lamp. Writing on his field notes, Nightingale wondered if someone was helping Wake hide. During his investigation, the name of local psychiatrist Dr. Emil Hartman came up repeatedly.[28] At night, his police scanner picked up a confusing response to a distress call, with the deputy alternating between domestic violence, robbery, vandalism, and kidnapping. The strangeness of the town made Nightingale convinced he was on the right track. He later came across Wheeler and followed him for a while, with the latter trying to lose him.[29]
Investigation, day 4[]
- I wrote it. It's my fault.
That's right, James Joyce. It's your fault, and you're gonna pay for it. - ― Alan Wake and Robert Nightingale
Nightingale was unable to sleep at the night as his police scanner had "[gone] weird". While writing on his field notes, he questioned if Wake was acting alone and reiterated his resolve to do what was necessary when the time came.[30] In the afternoon, he expressed on his notes his feelings about what Finn meant to him as his partner and his regret for having failed him when he needed him the most, stating that he needed to make things right.[31]
Dr. Emil Hartman.
A drunk Nightingale later followed Wheeler to Dr. Hartman's clinic, the Cauldron Lake Lodge. Suspecting that Wake was inside, Nightingale, recording his conversation with the speaker, tried to enter the clinic, but was denied access by Dr. Hartman, who also denied that the writer was at the Lodge. While the former FBI agent tried to exert his authority, the doctor responded with unflattering comments about the former's bad reputation among Bright Falls residents for his unprofessional behavior and obvious alcoholism. Persisting in his effort to enter, Nightingale threatened to assault Hartman if he did not comply, but the doctor advised him to be careful with what he said as he was also recording their conversation and concluded their conversation by stating that any further communication would be done through his lawyer. Defeated, an enraged and frustrated Nightingale returned to his car and drove away from the lodge, forgetting that his recorder was still on.[32] Suspecting that Hartman was somehow involved, Nightingale leaf through his book, The Creator's Dilemma, which he found to be absurd. Unable to think clearly and fearing that might end up like Finn, he went for a drive.[33]
Nightingale holds Wake at gunpoint.
Later that night, Nightingale heard a commotion, accompanied by flashes of light, coming from a farm on the outskirts of the town, which belonged to the old local rock stars, the Anderson Brothers. While he believed it to be children playing with fireworks, he decided to investigate. Inspecting farm house, Nightingale found Wake and Wheeler, both passed out. He aimed his gun at the unconscious writer with the intention of killing him. However, he lost his nerve.[34] Wake then woke up, mumbling that "it was his fault", to which Nightingale agreed and added that he would pay for it.[35] Police deputies later arrived at the farm and took Wake and Wheeler to the Bright Falls Sheriff Station. Meanwhile, Nightingale examined the stack of manuscript pages that the writer carried with him. Seeing his name in some of the pages, Nightingale realized that this was the evidence he was looking for and that he had been right about Wake all along.[36] These, however, were not the first manuscript pages that he had found, as he had discovered at least six of them while exploring the area of Bright Falls.[37]
Investigation, day 5[]
- Get... get back in the cell, Stephen King! The only way you're leaving this place is over my dead-- Wait a minute! I know this-- Haaaargh!
- ― Nightingale's last words before being taken by the Dark Presence.
Nightingale is dragged away by the Dark Presence.
After Wake was detained, Nightingale read the disjointed manuscript pages, trying to make sense of them. One page in particular described the events unfolding at that very moment, including his reading of said page, which left him bewildered.[38] By nighttime, Nightingale went to the sheriff station's cell block, where Wake and Wheeler were being held. Sheriff Breaker demanded to know what he was up to, as he had not even interviewed Wake. Nightingale replied that he needed to do some reading first and proceeded to mock the writer, telling him that he now had evidence against him for conspiracy to murder a federal agent. Breaker demanded to speak with his superior, but the former FBI agent told her that that was not possible at the moment. The lights of the station suddenly went out and Wake collapsed on the floor in pain. Breaker opened the cell to check on him despite Nightingale's protests, who claimed that it was a trick. Fed up with his attitude and no longer believing that he was in Bright Falls on official FBI business, the sheriff sided with Wake. Desperate, Nightingale held the two of them and Wheeler at gunpoint and ordered Wake to stay in his cell. Although he intended to shoot, a sudden sense of déjà vu made him hesitate. Realizing that he had read about that very moment before, Nightingale took a page from his jacket to verify. The horror of the idea of being a character in a story was cut short when he was dragged out of the cell-block by the Dark Presence, leaving the those present speechless.[39]
Aftermath[]
The Taken Robert Nightingale.
Even though Wake eventually managed to banish the Dark Presence, those that had been taken by it still lurked in the area of Bright Falls.[40] During the 68th annual Deerfest, while the town residents celebrated, the Taken Nightingale watched them from inside the Wahlberg warehouse.[41] When the Dark Place receded, the current pulled the all Taken into the lake, including Nightingale.[40]
Clay Steward.
After the Deerfest concluded, Clay Steward arrived at Bright Falls, having been drawn to the town to by a series of nightmares involving Wake. Staying in room #2 of the Majestic Motel, Steward discovered a stack of documents in the air vent, left there by Nightingale as a precaution. The stack included his field notes, some of the manuscript pages found by him, various photographs, recordings of the interrogations conducted by him, The Creator's Dilema book and excerpts from Bright Falls: A History, and various newspaper clippings and documents related with the town's history and Wake himself. Believing that his dreams had lead him to find the documents, Steward decided to further investigate what had happened in the town before his arrival. After submitting a Freedom of Information Act request to the FBI soliciting Nightingale's records, he received a response stating that they could not be provided due to an "ongoing investigation of an unrelated matter". The FBI also denied having any knowledge or responsibility for his activity in Bright Falls. All of Stewards findings, along with all the documents on Nightingale's dosier, were later compiled on a book titled The Alan Wake Files, published in 2011. While some of the documents did not painted Nightingale in a good light, Steward, after some hesitation, ultimately decided to include them in order to provide a complete picture of the tortured agent.[37]
Trapped in the Dark Place[]
- This is the ritual to lead you on.
Oh fuck me, oh fuck me, this is the real thing. Oh shit, oh fucking Hemingway, oh shit... - ― Nightingale witnessing the Cult of the Word's ritual.
Wake finds Nightingale's Murder Site in the Dark Place.
Nightingale wandered for years in the Dark Place along with all those who had been taken by the Dark Presence.[40] During one of Wake's attempts to write a way out, in which the Dark Place had taken the form of a dark version of New York City, Nightingale was cast on the role of an FBI agent who was investigating a series of murders perpetrated by group known as the Cult of the Word, who worshiped the the writer and reenacted the murders in his crime books. Nightingale followed the trail of the cult to the abandoned subway tunnels that the cult had made their home in search of the writer. Entering through the Caldera Street Station, he made his way through the dark tunnels, passing by an unnamed abandoned station where the cult had murdered the subway's previous inhabitants, the Torchbearers, before finally arriving at the Shrine Street Station. There, Nightingale witnessed the cult performing a summoning ritual, which caused him to flee in terror. However, before he could reach the subway exit, he was hit on the head with a wrench and dragged into the collapsed tunnel by the cultist, leaving a trail of blood behind him.[42] Nightingale was sacrificed and had his heart torn off from his chest. Wake, taking the role of the fictional detective Alex Casey, would later follow the cult's trail and find Nightingale's corpse. When he tried to grab his heart, it suddenly vanished. Nightingale was eventually "reborn out of hate".[43]
Bright Falls AWE (2023)[]
Murdered[]
- ...the Cult... the Cult of the Word... Hemingway...
- ― Robert Nightingale
The Cult of the Tree murders Nightingale.
While trapped in the Dark Place, Wake was possessed by his dark counterpart, Scratch, and wrote another manuscript - Return - to escape the Dark Place. On the morning of September 13, 2023, Nightingale washed on the shores of Cauldron Lake, having been sent by Scratch to retrieve a light switch known as the Clicker, which the writer had used to defeat the Dark Presence in 2010. Afraid and confused, Nightingale had no idea of why he was there or who he even was.[44] Ed and Tammy Booker, a couple that was visiting Bright Falls, saw him as he staggered towards the woods. Although Nightingale tried to ask them for help, from their perspective, he was shouting nonsense at them. Entering the woods, Nightingale began having violent visions of Scratch and hallucinations of the Cult of the Word. He was then ambushed and captured by the Cult of the Tree, a group of Bright Falls and Watery residents who protected their home towns from any Taken that emerged from the lake. As he was being dragged away, Nightingale mumbled about the Cult of the Word and "Hemingway" before he was strapped to a picnic table. The cult's leader, Ilmo Koskela, then carved his heart so that he could place the Clicker on his chest and activate it as part of their ritual. However, he was interrupted by the untimely appearance of the Bookers. After the couple flee, the cult members were forced to abandon the area, leaving Nightingale's body and heart behind.[45]
Taken[]
- Hemingway brought you here, witch. Get out of my house!
- ― The Taken Nightingale to Saga Anderson
Nightingale's corpse.
That very day, FBI Agents Saga Anderson and Alex Casey arrived at Bright Falls for their investigation of the Cult of the Tree murders. Upon arriving at the crime scene and inspecting it, the two were informed of the victim's identity, with Casey being surprised that it was his former co-worker. He then explained to his partner what he knew about Nightingale, including Finn's death and his firing from the agency, though he omitted why he had come to Bright Falls. Using her profiling technique to enter Nightingale's mind, Anderson discovered that he had come from the lake. However, the path he had come from was now blocked by a rock on Witch's Ladle, to the FBI agent's confusion. Inside the tree, they found one of the pages of Return, which they assumed was a message left by the Cult of the Tree. By profiling Nightingale about the page, Anderson learned that there was another one on his chest and asked the body to be transported to the Bright Falls Sheriff Station for examination.
The Taken Nightingale attacks Anderson.
Later that day, Anderson and Casey, accompanied by the current Bright Falls Sheriff, Tim Breaker, went to the station's morgue. Performing an external examination on the corpse, they discovered it showed signs of being submerged on water post mortem, which was inconsistent with what they knew about the murder. Moreover, not only his body, but also his heart had text on it. Examining the interior of his body, Anderson found another page, which described Nightingale attacking her. Having found manuscript pages before, Sheriff Breaker grabbed a dosier containing more of them, but before he could give it to the FBI agents, the morgue lights began to flicker and the sheriff disappeared. A second later, Nightingale's corpse got up, exclaiming "show me the Clicker", and began strangling one the deputies. The FBI agents tried to stop him, but were overpowered by the Taken. Anderson shot at Nightingale, but he throw her across the room before attacking and killing another deputy. Seeing that Anderson was still alive, Nightingale went after her, exclaiming "I'll make you pay." Remembering what the page said, Anderson went into light, becoming imperceptible for Nightingale, before making a break for her discarded gun. Nightingale chased after her, exclaiming "Hemingway brought you here, witch. Get out of my house!". Upon grabbing her firearm, Anderson shot at the Taken, which suddenly vanished.[46]
Nightingale was transported to an Overlap - a location where reality merged with the Dark Place -, becoming its guardian. Overlaps formed due to the legends and stories associated with a certain area and a piece of art crafted in the Dark Place that could propose an alternate narrative to said tales having softened the walls of reality.[47][48] Nightingale being taken by the Dark Presence - whose human guise at the time inspired the legend of the "Scratching Hag" of Bright Falls -, and having his heart ripped from his chest by the Cult of the Tree perfectly echoed the legend associated with Witch's Ladle: a young woman was once accused of witchcraft by a sheriff whose love she did not reciprocated and was drowned on the lake. When her ghost returned to avenge her wrongdoers, she ripped the sheriff's heart from his chest, locking it in a box, and drowned him in the lake. With the heart in her possession, she would use it to summon the sheriff to enact revenge on her behalf.
Anderson fights the Taken Nightingale.
Anderson and Casey later returned to Cauldron Lake in search for the Taken Nightingale, having read in one of the manuscript pages where he was. As she explored the drowned woods of Cauldron Lake, Anderson felt Nightingale's presence. She later learned from another page that she could reach him by using his heart in a ritual to open the Overlap. By profiling Nightingale, Anderson learned that the missing heart was located in a freezer at the Cauldron Lake General Store, having ended up there after Wake attempted to grab it in the Dark Place. After opening the Overlap and entering, Anderson soon confronted by Nightingale, who attacked her with a branch of the Witch's Ladle. After an arduos fight, the Taken was finally killed. Anderson was transported to the shore of Cauldron Lake, where she met with Wake, who was finally out of the Dark Place.[49]
Trivia[]
- Nightingale's name was likely influenced by The Nightingale a song in the first episode of Twin Peaks, a show cited as influence for Alan Wake. Furthermore, a passage in the Nightingale's Arrival manuscript page, which noted Nightingale's dislike for the trees and the coffee, may be a reference to Twin Peaks' Agent Dale Cooper, an FBI agent who is known for his love for the scenery and foodstuffs of the titular town.
- Nightingale was also the surname of Florence Nightingale, a famous English nurse of the 19th century. Coincidentally, she was dubbed "The Lady with the Lamp", like Cynthia Weaver.
Behind the Scenes[]
- During the development of Alan Wake, Nightingale was considered as another playable character, and would have showed his early life with his partner Finn. One early mission involved them investigating Bright Falls in search of Alan Wake. Finn would have become a Taken and Nightingale would have to fight him.
- Originally, Nightingale was supposed to become a Taken and be fought in a Sawmill. Eventually the concept of Nightingale as a taken was abandoned, leading to the boss fight and the area to be cut from the final game (though the Sawmill would later be brought back in Special 1: The Signal).[50]
- In the game files of Alan Wake, Nightingale's final model is named "Nightingale_2010", but his textures and named "Finnegan" - most likely the full name of Finn. There is an entirely different model named "AgentNightingale" in the files that went unused, meaning that Nightingale's final model was originally going to be used for Finn but was later given to him, likely when Finn was no longer planned to appear in the game. It should also be noted that the face of Nightingale's unused model was reused for Birch. Nightingale's textures are correctly named in Alan Wake Remastered.
- Behind the scene footage of his live action segments in Alan Wake 2 show Nightingale wearing an FBI jacket. This was never seen in in game.
Appearances[]
- Alan Wake
- Episode 3: Ransom (First appearance)
- Episode 4: The Truth
- Episode 5: The Clicker
- Episode 6: Departure
- The Alan Wake Files
- Alan Wake 2
Gallery[]
Alan Wake[]
Alan Wake II[]
Behind the scenes[]
Game screenshots[]
See also[]
Manuscript pages:
Recordings:
References[]
- ↑ The Alan Wake Files, page 123
- ↑ The Alan Wake Files, page 16
- ↑ Alan Wake (novel)
- ↑ Alan Wake: Episode 3: Ransom, page "Sarah Distrusts Nightingale"
- ↑ Alan Wake: Episode 3: Ransom
- ↑ Alan Wake: Episode 4: The Truth, recording "Agent Nightingale's Mighty Authority"
- ↑ The Alan Wake Files, page 36-39
- ↑ The Alan Wake Files, pages 28-31
- ↑ Alan Wake: Episode 4: The Truth, page "Nightingale Arrests Wake"
- ↑ The Alan Wake Files, page 6
- ↑ Alan Wake 2: Initiation 2: Casey
- ↑ Alan Wake 2: Return 2: The Heart, page "Nightingale In The Dark Place"
- ↑ Vision 03
- ↑ Alan Wake 2: Return 1: Invitation, page "Saga Fights Nightingale With Light"
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Alan Wake 2: Return 1: Invitation
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Alan Wake (novel)
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 The Alan Wake Files, pages 2-3
- ↑ Alan Wake: Episode 2: Taken, page "Nightingale In The Majestic"
- ↑ The Alan Wake Files, pages 4-5
- ↑ The Alan Wake Files, pages 22-23
- ↑ Alan Wake: Episode 3: Ransom, page "Nightingale in the Radio Station"
- ↑ The Alan Wake Files, page 6
- ↑ The Alan Wake Files, pages 24-27
- ↑ The Alan Wake Files, pages 28-31
- ↑ The Alan Wake Files, page 32-35
- ↑ The Alan Wake Files, page 36-39
- ↑ The Alan Wake Files, page 8
- ↑ The Alan Wake Files, page 12
- ↑ The Alan Wake Files, page 10
- ↑ The Alan Wake Files, page 14
- ↑ The Alan Wake Files, page 16
- ↑ The Alan Wake Files, pages 40-43
- ↑ The Alan Wake Files, page 18
- ↑ Alan Wake: Episode 4: The Truth, page "Nightingale Arrests Wake"
- ↑ Alan Wake: Episode 4: The Truth
- ↑ Alan Wake: Episode 4: The Truth, page "Nightingale Finds the Manuscript"
- ↑ 37.0 37.1 The Alan Wake Files
- ↑ Alan Wake: Episode 5: The Clicker, page "Nightingale Reads the Manuscript"
- ↑ Alan Wake: Episode 5: The Clicker
- ↑ 40.0 40.1 40.2 Alan Wake 2: Return 2: The Heart, page "Nightingale Enters The Lake"
- ↑ Alan Wake: Episode 6: Departure
- ↑ Alan Wake 2: Initiation 2: Casey
- ↑ Alan Wake 2: Return 2: The Heart, page "Nightingale In The Dark Place"
- ↑ Vision 03
- ↑ Alan Wake 2: Prologue: The Cult
- ↑ Alan Wake 2: Return 1: Invitation
- ↑ Alan Wake 2: Return 2: The Heart, page "The Murder Sites"
- ↑ Alan Wake 2: Return 2: The Heart, page "The Overlap"
- ↑ Alan Wake 2: Return 2: The Heart
- ↑ Alan Wake: Illuminated