Barry Wheeler is the childhood friend and literary agent of novelist Alan Wake.
Biography
Events of Alan Wake
Born in New York in 1981, Barry has been Alan Wake's best friend since childhood and later became his literary agent once Wake began writing as a teenager. For years he helped Alan secure writing jobs, such as staff writer on the TV show "Night Springs" and later on getting his "Alex Casey" novel series published.
While riding the ferry to Bright Falls, Barry calls Alan to check up on him and see if the Wakes have settled in yet. Following this call, Alan and Alice stop responding for a week, prompting a worried Barry to fly out and arrive in town just in time to intervene as Alan assaults Emil Hartman in front of Sheriff Sarah Breaker.
After hearing Alan's story about what has been happening, and witnessing the Dark Presence rampaging in the nearby forest as well as being attacked by Taken birds, Barry decided to help Alan save his wife Alice. Later, per Sheriff Sarah Breaker's request, Barry placed a call to her father and ex-FBC agent Frank Breaker, who then alerted Mr. Kirklund that an AWE was in progress.
After traveling with Alan and Sheriff Breaker to the Well-Lit room within Bright Falls dam, Barry sheds some tears and gives Alan one last hug before the writer leaves on his own to confront the Dark Presence.
Events of Alan Wake's American Nightmare
By 2012, Barry Wheeler had become the manager and producer for the Old Gods of Asgard. While on tour with the band somewhere in Arizona, Barry is seen sleeping in a motel with a TV playing an episode of Night Springs, featuring Alan Wake as the central character.
Events of Control
Barry does not appear in Control, however the FBC case file for the 2010 Bright Falls AWE mentions his call to Frank Breaker, which subsequently alerted the Bureau to the event.
In the AWE expansion, one of Alan's Hotline messages mentions Barry setting up the Valhalla Nursing Home for the Anderson brothers in 2014, after cancelling the Old God's comeback tour early.
Events of Alan Wake 2
Barry does not make an appearance, but several emails found in Alice Wake's apartment reveal clues as to what he has been doing over the years.
By July 2021, Barry had moved to Los Angeles to protect Alan Wake's creative legacy, and by May 2022, Barry had been staying at the Blessed Wellness Retreat, a place run by a "miracle worker" named Chester and which he jokingly describes as a "cult".