So, the Ending... (Spoilers)

[TeddyBearLemonButter]

So the darkness consumed Alan, and by doing this, it changed the story? To be honest i did not like the ending, i expected something much bigger and breathtaking. At the end, Alan finished his story, just like the darkness wanted.

[Vic 2.0]

Well the ending is very much open to interpretation. It's never revealed just where the darkness wanted Alan to end up, and just what it wanted him to do once he got there. We do know that Thomas Zane was the one who wrote the Clicker into that final episode (It wasn't done by Alan under Jagger's supervision), so it could be that this made the difference.

What I've seen most people agree on, though, is that Alan sacrificed himself to free Alice. At one point he talks about how Zane tried to "cut corners" which in this story means bringing Barbara back from the lake without offering a sacrifice to sort of balance the scales. It's implied that this was the wrong thing to do, so we can assume Alan had to stay in the dark place so Alice could be freed.

Alan finished the story, but we have no idea exactly what he typed, or if it was the ending the darkness wanted, before he made his escape.

[TeddyBearLemonButter]

Originally posted by Vic 2.0:

Well the ending is very much open to interpretation. It's never revealed just where the darkness wanted Alan to end up, and just what it wanted him to do once he got there. We do know that Thomas Zane was the one who wrote the Clicker into that final episode (It wasn't done by Alan under Jagger's supervision), so it could be that this made the difference.

What I've seen most people agree on, though, is that Alan sacrificed himself to free Alice. At one point he talks about how Zane tried to "cut corners" which in this story means bringing Barbara back from the lake without offering a sacrifice to sort of balance the scales. It's implied that this was the wrong thing to do, so we can assume Alan had to stay in the dark place so Alice could be freed.

Alan finished the story, but we have no idea exactly what he typed, or if it was the ending the darkness wanted, before he made his escape.

Yeah, it may also be that this corner Zane attempted to cut was an attempt of completely escaping the darkness, in result destroying him and his goal. It seems that Alan might have left the Darkness continue the story, knowing that if he attempetd to stop it, it could deteriorate Alice's chances of living. So yeah, in a way he did sacrifice himself for Alice. But my question is, could he have sacrificed the entire worlds safety just to bring Alice back. Like he said at the end "the Darkness not only controls the lake, it controls the ocean" -or something similar to that.

Thanks

[Vic 2.0]

The quote is "It's not a lake. It's an ocean." While most fans take to a metaphorical interpretation, I've always considered it quite literal, actually. That is, Cauldron Lake is an ocean, just turned on its side. As deep as oceans are wide (spanning into the center of the earth, which would explain many things and make a sequel all the more interesting, IMO).

I suppose it COULD be both, that Alan gave the darkness what it wanted just so Alice would be freed. It wouldn't explain him offing "Barbara Jagger" at the end, though...

[TeddyBearLemonButter]

Originally posted by Vic 2.0:

The quote is "It's not a lake. It's an ocean." While most fans take to a metaphorical interpretation, I've always considered it quite literal, actually. That is, Cauldron Lake is an ocean, just turned on its side. As deep as oceans are wide (spanning into the center of the earth, which would explain many things and make a sequel all the more interesting, IMO).

I suppose it COULD be both, that Alan gave the darkness what it wanted just so Alice would be freed. It wouldn't explain him offing "Barbara Jagger" at the end, though...

Interesting. Alan understood what needed to be done, something the darkness wanted but he never gave "There's light and there's darkness, cause and effect... But the scales always need to balance, everything has a price. That's where Zane had gone wrong" I dont know the full story with Barbara, but from what i understand, she is only the face of the Darkness, the Darkness has no ruler, only itself. Alan may have literaly offered himself, taking Barbaras place, capable of finishing the story, giving what the darkness wanted in order to free Alice from suffering.
With Barbara gone, who wanted to trick Alan to make the same mistake Zane had made, Alan was free to decide if Alice lives, but risked letting the darkness consume him. Darkness is an ocean, one has no control over it.

[Matticus]

in the special content dlc's final episode it shows that he started writting a story called return...

[Grodar]

What about Mr. Scratch that Zane mentions when Alan jumps into Cauldron Lake?
"Your friends will meet him when you are gone."

[Vic 2.0]

Originally posted by Grodar:

What about Mr. Scratch that Zane mentions when Alan jumps into Cauldron Lake?
"Your friends will meet him when you are gone."

Only two theories I can remember hearing on that, are that Mr. Scratch is:

A. Alan himself, about to wake up... in the wrecked car (which would explain the bandage) set to re-live the entire game over again... and again and again.
and B. He's the darkness' new face, just like it was wearing Barbara Jagger, it's now going to wear Alan Wake.

Idk which theory I prefer. They both sound intriguing, hehe.

Oh, but also people have taken a liking to what they've done with Mr. Scratch in the DLCs and spin-off American Nightmare (though I don't recall just what the STORY with him is, if it's ever even half-explained).

[Alondra]

The manuecripts in Alan Wake American Nightmare are related to this story, and if you read them you will understand what happened here. And the two specials in Alan wake are also releted to what happened in the end.

[Grodar]

Originally posted by Vic 2.0:

Oh, but also people have taken a liking to what they've done with Mr. Scratch in the DLCs and spin-off American Nightmare (though I don't recall just what the STORY with him is, if it's ever even half-explained).

Originally posted by Alondra:

The manuecripts in Alan Wake American Nightmare are related to this story, and if you read them you will understand what happened here. And the two specials in Alan wake are also releted to what happened in the end.

Hmm... Really looking forward to Alan's Wake American Nightmare then... Already added it up to my wishlist =D

[Vic 2.0]

Just bear in mind that American Nightmare is a spin-off, not part of the official Alan Wake story. That is, while most elements of the story are borrowed from the original game, Remedy might very well come out with a sequel (to the original) that completely disregards the events in American Nightmare.

[Theruss]

Lets us hope that Remedy does indeed make another Alan Wake game.