Carl Stucky

Carl Stucky is a minor character and enemy appearing on Alan Wake. Stucky was a resident of Bright Falls and the owner of the Stucky's Gas Station and a cabin rental business. He was also the caretaker of the Biltmore Logging Camps, owned by the Biltmore family.^[1] He was one of the first individuals to be killed and possessed by the Dark Presence during the Bright Falls AWE of 2010.

Appearance

Carl Stucky was a middle aged caucasian man with dark hair and brown eyes. He used to wear a light blue overalls with his surname written on the left side of his chest and the logo of his gas station on the back, and a pair of black boots. After being taken by the Dark Presence, his skin turned pale and his body became covered with darkness. He also carried an axe.

Personality

Carl Stucky seemed to be a friendly and upbeat person. He was friends with Paul Randolph and greatly enjoyed his hot dogs, considering them the best in the state. Stucky had a preference for meat over vegetables such as salad, claiming that he needs a "hefty meal to get to the day". He would also often play with Maurice Horton's pet dog, Toby, and give him treats.

After becoming a taken, all traces of Stucky's humanity and his former self disappear, leaving only an empty shell at the disposal of the Dark Presence, as shown when he mercilessly killed Toby. Like all other taken, Stucky seems to be incapable of proper communication, being only able to repeat random sentences that he had already said when he was alive.

Biography

Early Life

Carl Stucky was born in the town of Bright Falls, Washington. After the volcanic earthquake of Cauldron Lake in July 1970, Stucky, who at the was on high school, was interviewed for the Bright Falls Record.^[2] At some point in his life, he became the owner of the Stucky's Gas Station. He would also later expand his business and own a cabin rental service for tourist. This gave him the title of "Bright Falls Businessman of the Year".

Bright Falls AWE

For the vacation she was planning in Bright Falls for her husband, Alice Wake made arrangements with Stucky to stay in one of his rental cabins, near the Cauldron Lake. After arriving in the town, Alice sent her husband, Alan, to retrieve the keys of their cabin from Stucky, who at the time was having lunch at the Oh Deer Diner before going to the restroom. However, the Dark Presence, using the appearance of the late Barbara Jagger, intercepted Wake, telling him that Stucky was unable to come because he was ill, and handed him the keys of the Bird Leg Cabin on Diver's Isle instead. As the Wakes headed to their cabin, Stucky desperately exited the diner to deliver them their actual keys but failed. Unbeknown to him, Stucky had been touched by the Dark Presence and was already starting to feel its effects.^[3]

Several days later, after Alan Wake was trapped by the Dark Presence and forced to write a manuscript that will ensure its escape, the dark entity began spreading through the area of Bright Falls. Stucky was at the time working in his gas station late at night, still feeling unwell, when the Dark Presence appeared before him and, after a brief struggle, engulfed him, turning him into a taken.^[4] Stucky would then proceed to attack the Biltmore Logging Camps and kill its workers, who would also be turned into taken just like him.^[3] At some point, he also found and murdered an strayed Toby.^[5]

Following his escape from Cauldron Lake, in which he lost all memories of the previous week, an injured Alan Wake woke up in his crashed car and, seeing Stucky's Gas Station nearby, decided to head there in the hopes of finding a phone. Passing through one of the logging camps, Wake watched in horror as Stucky murdered a lost hunter with his axe before being subsequently attacked by the taken. Hiding on a nearby logging trailer, the writer attempted to call the Sheriff Station for help, but Stucky knocked down the phone lines before a possessed a bulldozer sweeps the trailer over the edge of a cliff, with Wake barely managing to escape in time. As he continued moving forward through the forest and the abandoned camps, now armed with a gun and a flashlight, Wake was repeatedly ambushed by groups of taken loggers, while still being stalked by the possessed Stucky.

After facing and killing Stucky and the remaining taken, Wake managed to reach the trashed gas station and contact local authorities. Sheriff Sarah Breaker arrived at the place shortly afterwards.^[3] While explaining the situation to the Sheriff, Wake denied having seen Stucky and hid his encounter with the taken, as she would have believed him to be insane. After Wake was taken to Sheriff Station, Deputies Mulligan and Thornton were sent to inspect the gas station and logging camps in search for the missing Stucky, but no traces of him were found.^[6]

Strategy

Stucky is similar to regular Taken, but has more durability. It is best to take out the other Taken before attempting to kill him ashe will stay out of the fight for a good portion of the time. Be sure to evade his attacks and use all the light to your advantage. If possible, it is also recommended to instantly use the flare gun.

Quotes

• "You can see the sights and keep your cholesterol levels down!"
• "During your stay, I recommend trying Nordic Walking... it's the latest thing".
• "Incontestably proven health benefits!"
• "Premium cabins for rent in Bright Falls!"
• "Fair and square."
• "I offer premium cabins, but a non-refundable reservation deposit is... required".
• "Fail to arrive, you lose the deposit!"
• "Sparkling River Estates. That's where I go when I want something special to eat".
• "Paul makes the best hot dogs in the state! Belly Buster is the best no contest. Monster dog... is second best".
• "I... Never... touch... salad... though. A man like me needs a hefty meal to get through the day".
• "You got to change your... oil more often".
• "Changing a spark plug in your vehicle is not as simple and safe as you may think... it can be dangerous and requires patience!"
• "Even with the hood open, the engine block takes hours to cool!"
• "You should always leave the job... to a professional".
• "Dropping tools in the engine with moving belts is an easy and fatal mistake to make. Count your tools before and after! A misplaced tool, forgotten inside the engine, has destroyed more than one car".

Trivia

• A newspaper clipping from 1970 mentions a man named "Jack Stucky", who, at the time, owned the cabins that Carl would eventually take over. It is unknown what relationship exist between the two men.^[1]

Behind the Scenes

• In early versions of Alan Wake, Carl Stucky was originally going to be an employee of Doctor Emil Hartman while Ben Mott was the owner of the gas station. The two character's role were eventually switched.^[7]

Appearances

• Alan Wake
  • Episode 1: Nightmare (single appearance)
  • Episode 2: Taken (mentioned)
• The Alan Wake Files (quoted on a newspaper clipping)

Gallery

"Taken" Stucky

Closeup of the Taken Carl Stucky.

Stucky's character model in Alan Wake Remastered

See also

Manuscript pages

• Stucky Taken
• Toby the Dog

References