Alan Wake 2 Ending Explained

WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for Alan Wake and Alan Wake 2. The story of Alan Wake 2 is a direct continuation from the cliffhanger ending that the original 2010 title left off on. It expands the lore and characters, providing answers to some previously clouded elements, but introducing a number of further mysteries in its winding plot. Though fans need not play Alan Wake to enjoy the sequel, both encompass a mind-bending tale of reality-warping events and convoluted threads, with multiple connecting ins and outs that are often purposefully difficult to follow.

Alan Wake is a complex story centering on time loops and terrifying creatures emerging from a supernatural lake, masterminded by a Lovecraftian monster that wants to reshape and dominate the world via those with exceptional artistic abilities.

During the events of the first Alan Wake, the titular writer figures out the nature of what’s happening, and uses his talents to halt (although not fully defeat) this monster that menaces reality. After sacrificing himself to save his loved ones and the town of Bright Falls, Alan winds up stuck in a kind of limbo. At the end of the original he utters, “it’s not a lake…it’s an ocean.” Trapped in this otherworldly “ocean” for 13 years, Alan has been desperately attempting to find a permanent solution to his predicament by writing the perfect novel that will vanquish the beast by its own rules.

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The Ending of Alan Wake 2 Explained

The Dark Place, The Dark Presence & Mr. Scratch

The villain of Alan Wake is an entity known as the Dark Presence that resides in an alternate dimension called the Dark Place, where accepted rules of reality only loosely apply. It reaches out specifically to artists and those with vivid imaginations. The Presence makes art change reality itself, and it wishes to control talented individuals in order to increase its power and influence over the world, plunging it into its vision of ruling an endless loop where everyone eternally worships it. Since Alan Wake is a writer of great ability, the Presence latched onto him, manipulating him into writing a horror novel that would see this scenario come true by literally overwriting reality if the story were composed correctly.

Mr. Scratch is what Alan becomes during the times the Presence is able to fully possess him. In this form, he writes the tale precisely the way it needs to be, altering events in the world accordingly. This process creates increasingly dangerous versions, fracturing the very fabric of reality as it splits and overlaps itself. Meanwhile, the real Alan is submerged into a reoccurring nightmare world of his doubts and fears. He experiences visions and flashes of the real world while struggling to recover his senses and memory to outwit the Presence/Scratch by regaining control of himself and steering the story back on track to where the Presence is thwarted.

Alan Wake And Saga Anderson’s Escape Plan

In Alan Wake 2, this ongoing editing arms race draws FBI Agents Saga Anderson and Alex Casey into its shifting space. They were inserted into Alan’s novel as the heroes who would assist him in righting reality, combining forces across transdimensional space-time to create an ending where the horrors finally cease and normality returns. But they must navigate the devious repeating loops and surreal setbacks the Presence throws in their path. Their lives become wrapped up in the constantly changing drafts, forcing them to question their sanity as they experience the story morphing not just their perceptions, but the entire world around them.

Eventually, Alan discovers he is able to communicate via Saga’s Mind Place detective power with her across the void of the Dark Place. Once he explains the nature of the threat, they collaborate on a plan. As powerful as the Dark Presence is, it’s still bound by the rules of the art it’s manipulating. In this case, narrative consistency; they can’t simply write a happy ending out of nowhere. It must match the conventions of the genre, the scales must balance, and the heroes must pay the price. This grim Faustian catch is Casey becoming the new Scratch, stalking Alan and Saga again through the Dark Place.

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Alan Wake 2’s Ending And Future

The Fate Of Alan, Saga, And Casey in Alan Wake 2

Upon confronting Scratch-as-Casey, Saga manages to momentarily force the Presence out of him and back into Alan, shooting Alan as she does. This seemingly kills both him and it, stopping its impending rule, at least for the moment, as an eerie calm settles. They ostensibly have prevented the worst possible scenario, and saved many, but are left wondering about the cost. Casey comes to and gruffly asks, “is it over?” while Saga attempts to call her family to check if they’re alright. Both are left hanging worryingly in the air as Alan Wake 2 cuts to black and credits roll. The implication is that the two are left in a familiar situation; adrift in the Dark Place without knowing if they can escape again, or even how if it were possible.

Of course, that isn’t everything. Adhering to its own meta tone, the game slips in a mid-credits stinger showing Alan waking up once more and stating, “it’s not a loop…it’s a spiral.” Bookending his previous similar revelation at the conclusion of the first title, Alan Wake 2 ends on another cliffhanger, one which raises the stakes even higher. It can be heavily assumed all three characters are indeed stuck, but having navigated the depths of the Dark Place and prevailed against the Presence once, they now possess the knowledge and tools to claw their way out again, and hopefully seal it away for good. Aside from these major events, there are numerous open questions involving tangential characters and plot points, which will almost assuredly be addressed in forthcoming content.

Indeed, fans craving more may be glad to know that New Game+ mode and story updates for Alan Wake 2 have already been announced. These promise the possibility of providing further answers in the near future, while in true Remedy fashion, likely introducing more mysteries.