Episode 1:
The Mechanic
Tropes featured in this episode of Alan Wake's American Nightmare:
- Asteroids Monster: We are introduced to the Splitter, a breed of Taken that, when light is shined on them, splits into two weaker versions of them.
- Contrived Coincidence: A satellite just happens to get hit by a meteor and hits the radio tower Alan needs hit.
- For the Evulz: In the recording he left for Alan, Mr. Scratch tells Alan that he plans on systematically destroying everything Alan has because he believes that he didn't know what to do with any of it before strangling a victim he has tied to a chair.
- Framing Device: The beginning of the episode shows the events of the story happening on another episode of Night Springs, hinting that the story might not actually be happening.
- We Hardly Knew Ye: Alan finds Michael Farabee tortured to death by Mr. Scratch, this being the first time we even encounter him. His only purpose in the story is to direct Alan to the Observatory.
- With Great Power Comes Great Insanity: In one of Alan's transcripts, he mentions that having the ability to literally rewrite reality can be inherently toxic to people who can't cope with such things and believes himself capable of it.
