Special Agent Francis York Morgan Real name: Francis Zach Morgan
A FBI agent with a lot of weird mannerisms, but a big talent in the field of profiling. He is very passionate about the cases he investigates, as well as getting his daily cup of coffee. Just call him York. That's what everyone calls him.
Badass Normal: By the end of the game, he's killed a super-empowered mutant human and a trans-dimensional cosmic horror, both on his own in one-on-one fights.
Celibate Hero: Despite showing an attraction to women, he refrains from going anywhere with it. When he's hit on a couple times (Gina and Diane, respectively), he shows anywhere from disinterest to deflecting the subject altogether. Justified when it's revealed it's not just women, but people he doesn't want to get close to after losing both of his parents. Later subverted when he falls in love with Emily.
City Slicker: Played straight and lampshaded by one of the minor characters.
Jim Green: I want to keep them away from the filth of the material world as long as I can. So that's why I'm asking you to solve this crime quickly then go home.
York: I guess I do reek of the material world, don't I.
Cloudcuckoolander: What he comes off as due to his conversations with Zach.
And, let's be honest, due to his conversations with everyone about everything else.
Cool Car: It is unfortunately totaled at the beginning of the game, though it can get repaired after a chain of sidequests. Once it is repaired, it is one of the fastest cars in the game which cannot break down no matter what.
Decoy Protagonist: In a manner of speaking. You've been playing the entire game as the "York" personality, the final moments of the game have you playing as Zach, who could be called the actual protagonist due to having a bigger connection to Forrest Kaysen than initially thought.
Establishing Character Moment: Driving down a road in a heavy storm, smoking, typing on a laptop with one hand, and on the phone to his superiors discussing the sadomasochistic relationship of Tom and Jerry. He then starts chatting with his imaginary friend when he loses reception. It's a establishing moment for the entire game, too.
Fascinating Eyebrow: At the very beginning of the game when he finds himself in a disturbing dream, complete with a red room filled with doors, deer heads, random furniture and twin angels whispering and laughing amongst themselves. How odd.
Good Scars, Evil Scars: York has two pretty much healed scars on the left side of his face. Zach's scars, however, are worse, one of them even screws up his eye.
Good Is Not Nice: York may be an FBI agent who seeks out criminals to bring them to justice and risks his life for other people on multiple occasions, as well as being a guardian for a traumatized child, but he also rubs a lot of people the wrong way with his blunt tongue, arrogant attitude, tendency to throw his weight around, disregard advice, and complete disinterest in explaining many of the odd things he does.
Hairstyle Inertia: Bizarrely subverted in a serious case of Fridge Logic. His child self doesn't look a thing like he does as an adult... but does look like his original character design◊, which was changed after it was deemed too blatantly similar to Twin Peaks' Dale Cooper. Guess the developers didn't have time to change the younger self's appearance as well.
Pop Cultured Badass: Specializing in B movies, but if his conversation at the start of the game is anything to go by, York's also given a lot of thought to the relational dynamics of various cartoon characters.
Smoking Is Cool: Has an incredibly distinctive way of lighting his cigarette.
The Stoic: York spends the vast majority of the game as a man who absolutely cannot be flapped by anything, be them grisly murders or supernatural horrors. At the story's climax, however, it starts to crumble. Zach also turns out to not be as stoic as York was at the game's beginning.
Tomato in the Mirror: Zach is the real personality. York was developed in order to protect Zach.
The Unsmile: York simply cannot smile like a natural human being.
The Woobie: Zach in a nutshell. Mother is killed by a demonic tree, father commits suicide after opting out of shooting her, Kaysen injures him and places him in the Red Room to suffer, and it's not until decades later of being his own split personality he's finally able to come out and take control of his life...after having the girl he loves fall for another man. Someone give him a hug, please.
Deputy Sheriff Emily Wyatt
One of Sheriff Woodman's two deputies, who moved to Greenvale during High School. She assists George and York investigation of Anna's murder.
Only Sane Man: She thinks she's the most sane out of the people in the town. She's probably not wrong.
Signature Laugh: Emily throws her head back and slaps her knees in a very characteristic fashion.
Reasonable Authority Figure: She's dutiful, dependable and honest, as well as the first to console someone in a time of need, such as when Olivia thinks her husband might have been near the crime scene when Becky was murdered.
The sheriff and "king" of Greenvale, George Woodman is dedicated to keeping peace and order in Greenvale. He is currently trying to track down Anna's murderer.
Abusive Parents: George reveals that his mother was psychotically abusive. This turns out to have played a key (possibly the key) role in his descent to evil.
A God Am I: He committed the murders under the belief that they would make him divine.
Depraved Bisexual: Sort of. Though he is passionate about women, and has feelings for Emily, there is the fact that he uses Thomas as a replacement for Emily.
Love Makes You Evil: Was driven to commit the murders partly out of Emily not reciprocating his feelings.
Nice Hat: No sheriff would be complete without it.
Obfuscating Stupidity: During the deaths of Becky and Diane, it looks like they were killed due to George's clumsiness. However, George knew what he was doing and was not only able to finish the job in front of York, but also to make it look like an accident. Clever moves, Woodman.
Villainous Breakdown: "M-Mommy? Please, no mommy, don't hurt me! It wasn't my fault!"
Deputy Sheriff Thomas Maclaine
Another deputy sheriff with dual occupations: by day, he work's for the sheriff's department. By night, he mixes drinks at his sister's bar, the Galaxy of Terror. His biscuits are to die for.
Ignored Epiphany: He kidnaps York, only to have York attempt to calmly talk him out of what he's doing and give him a chance to escape. Thomas is momentarily touched, only to fall back into his psychosis and follow through with George's plan anyway.
The first murder victim, her death kicks off the main plot to the game.
Cruel and Unusual Death: Sliced open from from the chest to the crotch and left to bleed out. And yet hers still manages to be the tamest of the murders...
Punny Name: Though it's debatable if this is intentional, as anagrams don't appear to play any role in the game.
Becky Ames
Anna's best friend. Her death causes her to bury herself in her own home.
Cruel and Unusual Death: Flayed alive, then strangled to death with her own bloodstained bedsheets.
Carol Maclaine
Thomas's sister. She owns the Galaxy of Terror as well as sings for it.
Love Makes You Crazy: Tries to kill Emily. Isn't even under the influence of the red seeds.
Replacement Goldfish: Along with Thomas, she was a romantic substitute for Emily.
Deadpan Snarker: Shows elements of this if you talk to her between singing breaks.
York: The name of this place, Galaxy of Terror, did you get it from the movie of the same name?
Carol: And what if I did?
York: Then you must remember the scene where the giant worm attack the woman. You know, and then…
Carol: Don’t tell me you came here to talk about giant space worms?
York: I guess I did. Unless you want to talk about something else? But I think that’s a great topic to break the ice, you know.
Carol: …You were dropped as a baby, right?
Diane Ames
Becky's sister who owns the Muses' Art Gallery. Infamous amongst the women of the town for being a seductress.
Cruel and Unusual Death: Beaten, had her tongue bitten off, then graphically crushed to death by an absurdly pointy sculpture. If you look, you're actually able to make out pieces of her brain.
Driven to Madness: Tries to kill Emily under the influence of the red seeds.
To say nothing of her deranged ramblings about the sculpture that ultimately kills her.
Freud Was Right: She invokes this in her description of a big red pointy sculpture right before it kills her.
Really Gets Around: And offer to sleep with York shortly after meeting him.
Slasher Smile: Right before her death by falling sculpture.
Forrest Kaysen
A traveling sapling salesman who frequently stops in Greenvale. Forrest is almost always seen with a tree sapling in one hand and his Canine Companion Willie by his side. He also appeared as a minor villain in the PS2 game, Spy Fiction, which was also written by SWERY (Although it has nothing to do with Deadly Premonition's continuity.
Acrofatic: He can run pretty fast and has some great stamina for a fat guy. His first form during his boss fight can really move as well.
Ascended Extra: In a sense, the Forrest Kaysen character in Spy Fiction was done in by the purple gas he himself wanted to turn into a weapon about three levels later. In this game, he's the one behind everything.
Big Fun: He calls himself a "jolly old bumble bee, spreading pollen wherever I go" and is quite well liked by the Greenvale inhabitants. It's an act...however, the desciption he gave is quiteaccurate.
For the Evulz: He claims that he's acting as an emissary for the "Red World", but it's pretty clear that he's tormenting Greenvale simply because he's bored.
Hellhound: Willie is Kaysen's keeper and the relayer of messages from the Red World.
Hoist by His Own Petard: If you complete Sidequest 11, you get the infinite magnum, which happens to be in Willie's doghouse.
Large Ham: Though he's isn't very loud when he pretends to be a nice guy, when he drops the act, he goes all out.
"And NOOOW, LADIES and GENTLEMEN! The GRAAAAAND FINALEEEE! REEEEEED TREEEEEEE!!"
Leitmotif: The theme that accompanies him most is "Comic Relief", due to his bumbling, ridiculous nature. He has his own, self-titled Leitmotif that plays when it's revealed he's the Big Bad.
Mythology Gag: In Spy Fiction Forrest Kaysen is a corrupt scientist who creates a highly lethal virus that resembles purple gas. In Deadly Premonition He is a Humanoid Abomination who uses a purple gas to spread death and horror.
Obfuscating Stupidity: While he doesn't act particularly dumb prior to The Reveal, he shows that he's far more intelligent and cunning than one might initially suspect.
One-Winged Angel: Several times. Ironically, his final form looks the most human.
Plucky Comic Relief: In fact, the background music that often plays during his scenes is titled "Comic Relief. Subverted with his true personality.
He actually lampshades this in one of the chapters, saying that he thought he was gonna be one of the heroes, and not some "nameless side-character" like in films.
Psychopathic Manchild: Interesting how an extradimensional alien fits human definitions of immaturity.
Rape as Drama: Heavily, heavily implied to be the way he grows his Red Trees.
Really 700 Years Old: Looks exactly the same fifty years ago, which no one else seems to notice.
Sadistic Choice: Seems to be his favorite trick; kill your loved one yourself, or let the sapling do it. He gives the choice to both Zach and his father, and also Harry Woodman.
The Voiceless: Initially, he gets Michael Tillotson to relay his messages to York. Later on however he decides to talk to him directly.
Well Done Son Guy He is this to his adopted son, Michael after you finish an end-game sidequest.
Isaach and Isaiah Ingram
The twin sons of Keith and Lilly Ingram who were the first to witness Anna's dead body. For some reason, York sees angel versions of them in his dreams.
Children Are Innocent: Enforced by the townsfolk, actually; nobody's willing to explain the concept of death to them.
Creepy Twins: Especially when the purple gas drives them along with the rest of the town insane.
Subverted at the very end, in a touching scene where, at the forest leading out of town, they point out to Zach that York and Emily are nearby. Doubly so when Isaac takes a gift from Emily to give to Zach, claiming she's too embarassed to do it herself. Aww.
The Raincoat Killer
A mysterious character from Greenvale folklore said to come out whenever it is raining. Is believed to be behind the current murder situation.
Breakout Character: Swery has thought about making a video game where you play as the Raincoat Killer.
Expy: The Raincoat Killer bears a superficial resemblance to Pyramid Head, appearing in a Dark World, dragging his weapon, being unkillable by the protagonist, and wearing bloody clothes with a hidden face. That said, the Raincoat Killer's motives and origin are completely different from Pyramid Head's.
In the Blood: The original Raincoat Killer was Harry Stewart's father, AKA George's grandfather.
Jack the Ripoff: the Raincoat Killer York encounters is actually the 'New Raincoat Killer'
Only Sane Man: When playing as him, your only objective is to make it to the clock tower where the fog is spewing from before the bell rings thirteen times - everyone is trying to kill you, but you aren't required to kill them to proceed. There's also the theory that he was committing mercy kills in the first place.
Brian the Insomniac
A pale, tired-eyed man who lives at the graveyard.
Dead All Along: During the game, a distraught Brian gives you a sidequest to recover pieces of a human skeleton from a disturbed grave. In the epilogue, the player can return to the graveyard to find the grave refilled with a fresh marker - with Brian's name on it. Zach thinks this is all just a joke in poor taste, though...
Park Ranger of the Greenvale Forest Park and Grandfather of Isaach and Isaiah. They both adore him.
Keith Ingram
Owner of the Milk Barn and father of Isaach and Isaiah. Likes to rock out.
I Call It Vera: Grecotch, his guitar. It's also the strongest melee weapon of the game.
Surfer Dude: Despite being a rocker, his speech pattern is littered with this. Duuuuuude!
Lilly Ingram
Wife of Keith and the mother of Isaach and Isaiah. Is more organized than her husband.
Women Are Wiser: She's a little bit closer to earth than her husband, who's about a decade younger than she. That is to say, she's more attentive and less forgetful.
Michael Tillotson
Mr. John Q Troper.(Alternately, use Mrs., Ms. Miss., and Jane - the method of address remains still the same.)He is my, that is to say, Mr. Stewart's, mysterious aide. When it comes to his work, he certainly makes the grade. So says Mr. Stewart.
Bishōnen: Michael Tillotson is quite pretty, but if you ask him, he'd say he's witty.
Rhymes on a Dime: Michael Tillotson does likes to rhyme. It's uncertain all the time. Although it might just be the name, of his, or perhaps, Mr. Stewart's, game. So says Mr. Stewart. Although he is shocked enough to stop doing it if Zach breaks into his room and reads his diary.
Nick Cormack
The chef and owner of the A & G Diner. Husband of Olivia Cormack.
She does give York some pretty nifty items for putting up with her babbling though. The catch is that you have to drive her all over town. For no reason.
"The General" Lysander
A Vietnam veteran who owns a junkyard. He sells York cars.
Phony Veteran: Played with, as while York notes that he wears a sergeant's uniform, he is actually a general. Finishing his junkyard sidequests causes him to reveal that he retains his sergeant's uniform out of guilt.
Non-Idle Rich: Revealed by Fiona to have made big bucks in Los Angeles as a doctor before he moved to the small, quiet and much less expensive town of Greenvale to do forensic on top of medical work.
Flash Step: They occasionally turn into a tan mist and become incredibly fast for a second. Sometimes it's used to close gaps, sometimes to dodge your shots.
Kill It with Fire: Actually not the best idea, as it causes them to go nuts and charge towards you, causing damage on impact. However, it does make fighting the Crawling Shadows easier.
Orifice Invasion: They seem to love sticking their arms down York's throat, and given the chance, their entire bodies. The latter of which kills York.
Useless Useful Stealth: Sort of. York can hold his breath, which makes it so that the shadows can't see him. However, it raises his heart rate quickly and makes him move really slowly, so it's not very useful in sneaking around them.
Zombie Gait: How they move around, but they'll also Flash Step to close the distance between their target or to throw off York's aim. Also, for some reason, they'll sometimes move backwards or limbo towards their target.
