Frank Breaker was a former police detective, sheriff of Bright Falls, Washington, and agent of the Federal Bureau of Control. Breaker's first appearance was in the Alan Wake 2011 supplementary comic Night Springs, which alluded to his role as an FBC agent. This role was confirmed by in-game documents in 2019's Control.

Like other characters involved with Bright Falls, Breaker's background may be influenced by the writings of Alan Wake and/or Thomas Zane.

Background

Much of Frank Breaker's background comes from the comic Night Springs, which is presented as an excerpt of Alan Wake's manuscript "Departure."

In 1976, Breaker was at Bright Falls, and helped clean up an incident which involved Odin and Tor Anderson. This is elaborated on by FBC case files which state that Breaker served as the sheriff of Bright Falls in 1976, and was present when an AWE happened in the town that year. During Deerfest, sudden storms occurred from the direction of Anderson Farm, causing flash flooding. Breaker managed to evacuate the townspeople before the flooding destroyed the festival grounds.^[2] Soon after, he was asked by Tor's daughter Freya to check on her father and uncle, who were at the farm. On investigating the farm, Breaker discovered them alive but wounded, with Tor struck by lightning and Odin now missing his right eye, claiming they had fought against the Dark Presence and won.^[3] However, with additional details in Alan Wake's manuscript of "Return," it is no longer certain if this event happened the way it is described in Control.^{[Note 1]}

Also according to Night Springs, Breaker left Bright Falls and worked as a detective with the NYPD (New York City Police Department) until retiring sometime before 2010. Breaker presumably became an FBC agent during this time, as he was familiar with William Kirklund, the Head of Investigations in 2010. By 2010, Frank had retired from the NYPD (and also the FBC) to his hometown of Bright Falls, Washington after 22 years of "drama and conflict," choosing to buy an apple farm and settle down outside Bright Falls. His daughter Sarah had become the sheriff of Bright Falls by that point, an achievement which he supported.

Night Springs describes Frank as not realizing "how little he understood about the world he lived in" until after he retired to Bright Falls, in spite of his prior involvement with the Andersons or his time with the FBC. Frank quickly became aware of the supernatural forces in Bright Falls and encountered a manifestation of the Dark Presence at least once: a man with the head of a wolf whose body dissolved into black goo which melted in sunlight. Due to his law enforcement experience and his involvement with the Andersons in 1976, Frank eventually became the leader of a group of townspeople who were familiar with the "weirdness" of Bright Falls and prepared to act in times of emergency.

Night Springs

The main plot of Night Springs details Frank's role during the Bright Falls AWE of September 2010. At the time, Frank was residing in his apple farm in Bright Falls. On September 10, he was alerted of the events in town by way of a phone call from Barry Wheeler, who had been asked by Sarah to contact several people around town using the codeword "Night Springs." In turn, the Federal Bureau of Control was alerted of the ongoing AWE by Frank, who made a direct phone call to Kirklund requesting for backup, only to be told that it would not arrive in time to help; the FBC's case file on Bright Falls confirms this.^[4]

After directing the other townspeople gathered by the codeword, Frank traveled across Bright Falls with the intent of saving his daughter, following in her and Alan Wake's footsteps and battling victims of the Dark Presence along the way. He ultimately made it to the Bright Falls Dam, witnessing Alan Wake leaving and safely reuniting with Sarah, Barry Wheeler, and Cynthia Weaver.

Alan Wake Remastered

A letter found in the Bright Falls Sheriff Station is addressed to Frank Breaker from William Kirklund, dated to September 6, 2010 (four days before Frank notified the FBC about the Bright Falls AWE). Kirklund addresses Frank as "Sheriff Frank Breaker" on the letter, although at this point Frank was no longer the sheriff.^[5]

Alan Wake 2

As of 2023, Frank has died. His nephew Tim, who is now the sheriff of Bright Falls, considers that Frank would have had knowledge about Mr. Door, a mysterious person or entity who is harassing him, but notes that Frank can no longer help him.^[6]

Notes

References