The Player Characters | The Secondary Characters | The Villains
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Ethan's family
Grace Mars
"Wasn't it enough losing Jason?!...I'm sorry. That's not what I meant to say; I miss him so much."
Voiced by: Ginny Watson (English)note
Ethan's ex-wife, who divorced him following the death of their oldest son, Jason.
- Amicable Exes: Almost. There aren't any fights or arguments witnessed in the game, but it's clear that on some level, she holds Ethan responsible for Jason's death.
- Broken Bird: The poor woman breaks down when she witnesses her son and husband get hit by a car. It’s clear from her later interactions with Ethan that she hasn’t really been the same since Jason died.
- Cleavage Window: Her tank top in the prologue has a small one.
- Expy: She is similar to (and even resembles) Tiffany Harper. Both are the central protagonists’ exes.
- First Girl Wins: The "Innocent" ending implies that Ethan and Grace may mend their relationship. Averted in the other endings, where Ethan is either dead, on his own or with Madison.
- First Love: To Ethan. Their marriage sadly doesn't last after Jason's death.
- Happily Married: With Ethan at the start of the game. It doesn't last.
- High-School Sweethearts: In the prologue, Grace mentions that she and Ethan met and fell in love in high school.
- Limited Wardrobe: She wears a tank top in the prologue, a red spaghetti strap in The Mall, and a black jacket and blue jeans with black shoes for the rest of her appearances.
- Ms. Fanservice: If you count her red spagetti strap in the mall chapter, then yes. Definitely.
- Neutral Female: She is prominent in the prologue, but other than talking with Lt. Blake about Ethan, she doesn't have a bigger role besides being Shaun Mars' distressed mother hoping for her son to be found alive.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: She tells Blake about Ethan’s blackouts, which convinces him that he must be the Origami Killer.
- Outliving One's Offspring: She outlived her eldest son Jason, and can outlive both of her sons if Shaun dies.
- Relationship-Salvaging Disaster: Some players consider the "Innocent" ending to imply that Ethan and Grace may get back together.
- Significant Green-Eyed Redhead: Averted. Her only significance to the plot is to provide Blake (and the player) with evidence that Ethan may be the Origami Killer, which turns out to be false.
- Strong Family Resemblance: Her son Jason clearly takes after her.
- What the Hell, Hero?: She flings one of these speeches at Ethan after Shaun's disappearance. While she says it under stress and almost immediately apologizes for it before breaking down in tears, it’s clear that she does blame him for their son's death, and that this is not the first time she’s said something to that effect.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: Grace is notably absent from a lot of the endings, with the exceptions of "Innocent" and "Ethan's Grave".
Jason Mars
"Am I grown up now?"
Voiced by: Taylor Gasman (English)note
Ethan and Grace's oldest son. He dies after being struck by a moving vehicle.
- Age Lift: Meta example. Jason and Shaun’s ages were originally reversed, with the former being the younger sibling. This may explain things like him wanting to buy a balloon, wandering off, or deliberately running into the street.
- Ambiguous Situation: Is Jason on the autism spectrum? Would that explain his short attention span, impulsivity (wandering off from his father and crossing the road without looking both ways) and inability to recognize social cues?
- Attention Deficit... Ooh, Shiny!: Played for Drama. Jason constantly wanders off on his own and away from his father, which leads to him going to a comic book store across the street from the mall. When Ethan calls out to him, Jason doesn’t look before crossing the street and fails to notice a car coming, which causes his death.
- Censored Child Death: The camera pulls away to Grace's cries after Jason and Ethan get hit by a car. This was not originally intended to be the case, but Quantic Dream altered the scene following complaints from Sony to tone down the game’s maturity.
- Cheerful Child: From his introduction, the kid is full of energy and loves to play with his father and brother.
- Children Are Innocent: From thinking he's old enough to drive his father's car to begging for a balloon, Jason is your typical, innocent Cheerful Child. His innocence indirectly leads to his death, as he fails to look both ways before crossing a busy street.
- The Cutie: He's adorable, playful, creative and sweet. His death will pull a heartstring or two.
- Death of a Child: He dies in the prologue and it cannot be prevented.
- Family Eye Resemblance: In the remastered versions, he shares Ethan’s blue eyes. The exact same eye texture is even used for them.
- Gory Discretion Shot: After he is hit by the car, his body isn't shown. But judging by his mother's cries and the shocked faces of the crowd, the result must not be pretty...
- Iconic Item: The red balloon he had the day of his death. When Ethan has a panic attack due to his agoraphobia, he falls into a trance where he hears Jason calling his name, dragging his red balloon with him.
- Kill the Cutie: He dies after getting hit by a car in the prologue, and his death cannot be prevented.
- Look Both Ways: He didn't, and that's what sealed his fate.
- Plot-Triggering Death: Jason’s death and the resulting fallout caused Ethan to move to the city the game takes place in, allowing the Origami Killer to take notice of Shaun and later kidnap him. Later in the game, it’s revealed that the Origami Killer was also present at the mall the day of Jason’s death. Ethan attempting to save Jason is implied to be what motivated the Origami Killer to begin the trials.
- Small Role, Big Impact: He only appears for the first two chapters, but it’s his death that motivates the Origami Killer to start the trials, thus starting the entire plot.
- Strong Family Resemblance: He gets his light brown hair from his mother.
- Too Dumb to Live: He wanders off in a crowded mall and ends up outside, then runs out into the street to his father just as a car is coming toward him. This may be explained by his Age Lift, as he was originally intended to be younger.
Shaun Mars
"Dad... I knew you'd come save me."
Voiced by: Max Renaudin Pratt (English)note
Ethan and Grace's younger son. His kidnapping by the hands of the Origami Killer sparks the plot of the game.
- Affectionate Nickname: Ethan gives him a few of these, such as “kiddo,” “champ,” and “little man”.
- Age Lift: Meta example. He was originally supposed to be older than Jason, but this was changed during development.
- Break the Cutie: At the start of the game, Shaun is a bright-eyed, cheerful eight-year-old. Two years later, after Jason dies, he’s depressed and distant from his father.
- To make it worse, he can possibly witness his father be shot to death by the police right after being rescued.
- Censored Child Death: If he dies, the camera shows the interior of the warehouse from an angle.
- Cheerful Child: Definitely in the prologue, as well as the videotape Ethan can watch in his study. Ethan notes he's been detached and distant since his brother's death, though he can cheer him up if he successfully plays with him at the park. If he is saved and Ethan is still alive, he seems to have returned to his chipper personality in spite of his kidnapping.
- Death of a Child: Depending on player choices, it's possible for Shaun to drown like all the other victims of the Origami Killer before him.
- Distressed Dude: He's the Origami Killer's latest victim, and it's a race against the clock for his father and the other protagonists to save him in time before it's too late.
- Early Installment Character-Design Difference: Shaun originally looked completely different from his design in the final game, with noticeable freckles and a different hairstyle. He also appeared to have a stronger resemblance to Ethan than he does in the final game, sharing his blue eyes and some of his facial features.
- Friendless Background: He seems to be distant from other kids his age. This is especially apparent when Ethan takes him to the park, where he completely ignores the other children playing.
- Harmful to Minors: He witnesses his older brother and father get hit in a gruesome car accident, which has deeply affected him if the drawing Ethan can find in his room is anything to go by. Then there's being kidnapped and threatened to drown by a Serial Killer...
- If Shaun survives, but Ethan went to the warehouse alone, he will witness his father being shot to death by Blake and his men, and break down in tears shortly afterward.
- Innocent Blue Eyes: Meta example: an earlier model of Shaun seen in some trailers for the game had these, instead of the hazel eyes he has in the final game.
- Kill the Cutie: He can die in most of the outcomes at the warehouse if the player character loses the fight with the Origami Killer or if no one makes it. Averted if Ethan makes it to the warehouse (whether he is alone or not, he will always be the one to save Shaun), or if Norman goes alone or with Madison (he will be the one to save him).
- While Madison can save him alone, she must win the fight with the killer first, otherwise both she and Shaun will die.
- Momma's Boy: Ethan mentions to his psychiatrist that Shaun is closer to his mother Grace than he is to him. However, we never actually see proof that this is the case as we never see Shaun interacting with Grace, even in the one ending they both appear in.
- Nightmare Fuel Coloring Book: Ethan can potentially find a drawing of the mall accident in Shaun's bedroom in "Father and Son".
- Please Wake Up: He reacts this way if Ethan is killed by the police.
- Protectorate: Is this to Ethan by default. Ethan can possibly go through all of the trials in order to rescue his remaining son from certain death.
- The Quiet One: He doesn’t talk much, even if Ethan tries to start a conversation with him.
- Security Blanket: His blue teddy bear, which he cannot go to bed without.
- Shrinking Violet: Ever since Jason's death, Shaun is quieter than before and seems to prefer being alone over trying to socialize with other kids.
- Trauma Conga Line: His older brother gets killed in an accident and his father is put into a coma for six months. After Ethan wakes up, Shaun’s relationship with him deteriorates (his parents getting a divorce probably didn’t help) and just when things are starting to look up, he gets kidnapped by a serial killer. Depending on how events play out at the warehouse, he can potentially see Ethan get gunned down by the police just after being rescued.
- Troubled Child: Witnessing the death of his older brother definitely scarred him, as he is much more quiet and distant from his father in the present day.
- Video Game Cruelty Potential: If Ethan has Shaun go to bed without his teddy bear.
- When He Smiles: He's very quiet and wears a frown by default in the present day. However, if Ethan cheers him up in the park, Shaun will start to smile again, to his father’s delight.
- Worth Living For: His kidnapping reawakens the Papa Wolf in Ethan and helps him regain the will to live, which he lost after Jason’s death.
- Yank the Dog's Chain: If Ethan saves him alone, Shaun gets reunited with his father... only to have Blake and the police force gun down Ethan in front of him.
Parents of the Origami Killer's victims
Lauren Winter
"I swore on my son's grave I would kill the man who murdered him. I'm gonna keep my word. "
Voiced by: Aurélie Bancilhon (English and French)note
A prostitute and mother of one of the Origami Killer's past victims, a little boy named Johnny. She teams up with Scott Shelby to find the man responsible of her son's murder.
- Action Mom: Downplayed. While Lauren can be rescued by Scott on two occasions, she will stop at nothing to bring her son justice. In one ending, Lauren kills the Origami Killer by shooting him point blank, and has the distinction of being one of only two characters (the other being Ethan) who can possibly kill him without him putting up much of a fight.
- Aloof Dark-Haired Girl: While she's initially distrustful of Scott Shelby when he introduces himself to her, Lauren is shown to be missing her son a lot, and will warm up considerably to Scott if he saves her from Troy. However, if she survives "Trapped" and the Origami Killer doesn't die in "The Old Warehouse", she will reveal she knows who he is, call Scott out for it before shooting him dead.
- Because You Were Nice to Me: She will warm up considerably to Scott if he defends her against Troy in "Sleazy Place".
- Boom, Headshot!: How she kills the Origami Killer in the ending "A Mother's Revenge".
- Broken Bird: It's fair to say that the death of her son has taken a toll on her. Then she falls in love with the very man that killed her son, which messes her up more...
- Curtains Match the Window: Dark brown hair and eyes to match.
- Damsel in Distress:
- In "Sleazy Place", one of her ex-customers named Troy invites himself into her room and starts to get violent with her, making it up to Shelby to intervene.
- In "Trapped", she and Scott find themselves trapped in a sinking car, courtesy of Kramer, and it's up to Shelby (and the player) to save her in time.
- Dark and Troubled Past: The father of her son was a violent alcoholic who beat her, and her son was later murdered by the Origami killer. No wonder she's so sour when she meets Shelby...
- Dark Is Not Evil: She's often seen wearing black, but is a grieving mother yearning to give her murdered son justice.
- Determinator: Won't let anyone or anything stand in her way of finding her son's killer. Scott even lampshades it:Scott: You never quit, do you?
- Domestic Abuse: Lauren mentions to Shelby that the father of her child was "a loser without a job that loved to beat her after a few drinks".
- Et Tu, Brute?: She is hurt and betrayed when she learns the identity of her son's killer:Lauren: (standing over his grave) You killed my son, Scott. Were you thinking about that when you held me in your arms?
- Failed a Spot Check: She's too busy focusing on the ballerina music box in Manfred's shop to notice Scott sneaking away from her, murdering Manfred, and calling the cops to give him an excuse to further cover his tracks.
- Hime Cut: A Western example; she has two shorter sets of bangs on each side of her face.
- Hooker with a Heart of Gold: She became a prostitute in order to provide for her son Johnny. After his death, she is the one who fights the hardest to catch the Origami Killer, who murdered her son.
- Ice Queen: Beffitting of a woman with the last name of Winter, Lauren has been hardened by her life experiences and is very wary of Scott when they meet. Shall Scott save her from Troy, she will be grateful towards him and warm up considerably to him, even falling in love with him. If she survives "Trapped", she will always learn the truth about Scott, and either kill him herself or spit on his grave if he's been killed in "The Old Warehouse".
- I Gave My Word: She swore on Johnny's grave that she would murder his killer herself. If she survives the events of the game, she keeps her promise.
- Ironic Death: In a cruel twist of fate, she can die via drowning, just like her murdered son. And by the hands of the same person, at that.
- Irony: A rather cruel one. The man she partners with to find her son's killer and who she was just starting to fall in love with... is none other than her son's killer. She is not happy if she learns the truth.
- It's Personal: She is determined to discover the identity of the Origami Killer and has sworn to kill them upon doing so. In the ending "A Mother's Revenge", upon finding out that the Origami Killer is Scott, Lauren keeps her word.
- Last Disrespects: She spits on the Origami Killer's grave after berating the late Scott for killing her son and lying to her the entire time they spent together.
- Long Hair Is Feminine: Has long jet black hair reaching her back.
- Mama Bear: She is dead set on finding the man who killed her son Johnny, vowing to kill him herself. If she and Scott both survive, she will confront him and shoot him dead as promised.
- Meaningful Name: Winter is often described as the harshest season, and Lauren has become aloof and frigid after the death of her son.
- Morality Pet: She can be interpreted as this to Scott, as he truly seems to love and care for her despite the fact he killed her son. It's around Lauren and Lauren alone that Scott shows his more humane side.
- Ms. Fanservice: Lauren gives quite the eye candy in her introduction scene, where she's seen wearing lingerie underneath a short black robe. She later wears Scott's red robe after taking a shower, with a peak of her cleavage.
- Nice Girl: Doesn't seem this way at first, but if you decide to defend her from Troy, she will thank Scott and is also concerned about him afterwards. After she begins working with Scott, she stays this way.
- Outliving One's Offspring: Her son Johnny was one of the Origami Killer's victims.
- Precision F-Strike: After witnessing Manfred's death and Scott breaks their partnership: "STOP THE FUCKING CAR!"
- Pre-Mortem One-Liner: "I swore on my son's grave that I would kill the man who murdered him. I'm gonna keep my word." [BANG!]
- The Promise: After her son's death, she promised on his grave she'll find his murderer and kill him with her own hands. In "A Mother's Revenge", she keeps her promise as she confronts and kills Scott after finding out the truth.
- Raven Hair, Ivory Skin: She's got black hair and her skin is rather pale. It doesn't make her any less beautiful.
- Really Gets Around: She's a prostitute, it's a given.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Delivers one to her son's killer before shooting him in the head.
- Tranquil Fury: She's eerily calm when she faces Scott in the street, where she proceeds to quietly tear into him with her words before shooting him in the head for killing her son.
- Rescue Romance: If Scott saves her from the sinking car, her relationship with him takes a turn for the romantic, and he kisses her goodbye as he leaves her at the train station. However, she will be less than forgiving upon finding out the truth about him.
- Revenge: This is her main motivation to stop the Origami Killer, as he murdered her son Johnny.
- Sex for Solace: Implied to be why she keeps selling her body even after her son's death.
- Show Some Leg: Subverted at the last minute in "Kramer's Party". Lauren attempts to distract the stairway guards by performing a sexy dance. However, the guards are clearly under contractual obligation to not be Distracted by the Sexy. So at the end of the dance, Lauren pretends to be too drunk and faints, drawing both guards away from the stairs and allowing Scott to sneak past them.
- Ship Tease: With Scott Shelby. Considering he's the Origami Killer and that she can be left to die in one of the game's variants, it doesn't go far.
- Single Mom Stripper: Not stripper per say, but she became a prostitute to cover her son's needs when money was getting tight.
- Son of a Whore: Her son Johnny. She turned to prostitution to fend for her son when they started to struggle financially. She even mentions to Shelby that he got into fights with the neighborhood kids to defend her when they mocked his mother of being a whore.
- Spiteful Spit: If she survived but Scott didn't, she will spit on his grave for killing her son and lying to her.
- This Is Unforgivable!: Feels this way toward Scott in every ending where she survives. If he is alive, she shoots him. If he died, she spits on his grave, not before delivering this speech:Lauren: I don't know why you did all this. Nothing could justify it anyway. I feel nothing but contempt for you! NOTHING but contempt!
- Together in Death: She can possibly die the same way as her son Johnny: if Scott lets her drown in the sinking car. Note that Scott will end up saving her, however, if the player makes the good choices.
- Took a Level in Badass: In the ending "A Mother's Revenge", she murders the Origami Killer personally.
- Took a Level in Kindness: If Scott saves her from Troy, she will be grateful and is more concerned for his safety from that point forward.
- What the Hell Is That Accent?: It's not entirely clear what kind of accent her actress was going for, then again, Aurélie Bancilhon is French and her accent slips at times.
- Woman Scorned: She is understandably angry when she learns the man she trusted to find her son's killer is none other than said killer. If she doesn't spit on his grave on the event where he died, she kills him herself with a bullet to the head.
- You Must Be Cold: Scott can give her his coat to wear after the incident at Manfred's.
Hassan
"I was beginning to think that there was no good to be found in this place. I can see now that I was wrong."
Voiced by: David Gasman
Owner of a convenience store and father of Reza, a 12 year old victim of the Origami Killer.
- Ambiguously Brown: He appears to be of Middle Eastern origins. His name, along with his son's, Reza, hints to Persian or Iranian roots.
- Cheated Death, Died Anyway: By not understanding the clues sent in the shoe box by the Origami Killer, Hassan avoided many of the possible death traps that the seven fathers besides himself and Ethan potentially lost their lives to. However, he can possibly be killed by Andrew, a burglar trying to rob his store.
- Cruel and Unusual Death: He can be shot in the neck and choke on his own blood before succumbing to his wound.
- Defiant to the End: Even under the threat of a firearm in his face, Hassan refuses to give any money to the robber. It can possibly lead to his death if Scott doesn't intervene or takes too long to stop the robber.
- Foreshadowing: If Scott allows Hassan to die, Hassan tells him he wishes he could look into the eyes of the man who killed his son, and Scott closes his eyes once he dies. It's one of the first clues that Scott is really the Origami Killer.
- I Owe You My Life: He will become more helpful towards Scott if he saves his life from the robber.
- Locked Out of the Loop: He did not understand the clues to rescue his son sent by the Origami Killer and thus avoided the fate of the past fathers that attempted the trials, at the cost of his son’s life.
- Only One Name: Solely referred as "Hassan", with no clue of his last name.
- Outliving One's Offspring: Reza, his son, was one of the Origami Killer's victims.
- Together in Death: He can die if Scott takes too long to stop the robber or doesn't intervene, reuniting Hassan with his son.
Susan Bowles
"I just couldn't cope anymore. Just not having Jeremy around... He was such a good boy."
Voiced by: Elena Odessa Ray
The mother of Jeremy Bowles, the 8th and most recent victim of the killer before Shaun Mars' kidnapping.
- Broken Bird: She took the death of her son Jeremy hard, and she had already reached her limit when Scott comes to her house.
- Driven to Suicide: She attempts to take her own life by opening her wrists in the bathtub. Scott will stop her before she can succeed.
- Fan Disservice: She's a fair young woman seen in a low-cut night gown, yet when you first see her is in the middle of a suicide attempt.
- Interrupted Suicide: Scott arrives just in time before Susan takes her own life.
- Morality Pet: Scott thwarts her suicide attempt, treats her wounds and takes care of her infant daughter Emily, even wishing her luck. Considering he's actually the killer and was the one that killed her son in the first place, it shows Scott is trying to make amends.
- My God, What Have I Done?: When Scott saves her, she expresses guilt for attempting suicide with her baby in the next room.
- Outliving One's Offspring: Her son Jeremy was murdered by the Origami Killer.
- Worth Living For: Feels a great amount of guilt for trying to take her life and leave her baby girl Emily alone, and dialogue with Scott has her say she'll try to get to her mother, whom she is estranged of, for help.
Police Department
Lt. Carter Blake
"You think you can do a better job than me with your psychology degree and your great glasses?"
Voiced by: Mike Powers (English)note
The investigator in charge of the Origami Killer case, Norman Jayden has to rely on his help to catch the killer... despite the fact he engages in police brutality and is far from being a team player.
- Ax-Crazy: Despite being a cop, he is comically psychotic and bloodthirsty.
- Beard of Evil: His beard is one of his more distinctive features on his face.
- Big Damn Heroes: If Jayden loses the fight against Miroslav Korda, Blake will come to the rescue and knock him out from behind with a crowbar.
- Curiosity Is a Crapshoot: Showcased in the "Uploaded" ending. After Jayden's death, Blake gets his hands on his ARI glasses and Perry tells him to do whatever he wants with it. Blake gets curious and wears them, only to get greeted by a vision of Jayden, which implies ARI will destroy his mental health the way it did for Norman.
- Cybernetics Eat Your Soul: In the ending "Uploaded," he ends up stealing Jayden's ARI glasses following his death; on his first use of them, he's confronted by a vision of Jayden wearing a brooding expression, implying that Blake is going to suffer just as badly as Jayden did- if not worse.
- Deadpan Snarker: He might be a jackass, some of his sarcastic lines are Actually Pretty Funny:Jayden: [after Blake breaks into a suspect's home] I'm not sure that's entirely legal.Blake: [deadpan] Call the cops. [enters the apartment]
- Deconstructed Character Archetype: Of the Cowboy Cop trope. Blake is willing to cut corners and break any laws to save Shaun Mars. However, his actions are not viewed in a heroic light; instead, they are viewed as barbaric, reckless, violent, and unnecessary. His actions have endangered the lives of numerous innocents who he's sworn to protect, and by ruthlessly pursuing Ethan Mars (an innocent man) he's allowing the real killer, Scott Shelby, to escape justice. In short, Blake's actions paint him no better than the criminals he claims to despise.
- Everyone Has Standards: Blake is a total asshole, but there are a few moments where he showcases some strings of humanity:
- He might be a Rabid Cop, he truly seems to be disgusted by the Origami Killer due to the fact he kills children. As violent Blake is, he Wouldn't Hurt a Child.
- If Jayden gets beaten by Miroslav Korda in "Covered Market", Blake will come knock him out from behind. He might hate Jayden, he's not low enough to have him die on his watch.
- Objects to Captain Perry holding a press conference without Ethan's confession of being the Origami Killer, although he does nothing to stop him.
- If Madison makes it through his blockade, he orders his men to hold their fire.
- Expy: Looks like Henry Oak, who also has a similar Rabid Cop personality.
- Good Cop/Bad Cop: The Bad Cop to Norman's Good Cop.
- Good Is Boring: He thinks so. Good thing he isn't.
- Good Is Not Nice: Or at least he thinks he's good.
- Green-Eyed Monster: A major motivation for him is jealousy towards Jayden's intelligence and potential as an enforcer.
- Hair-Trigger Temper: He'll talk down to and belittle anyone all day long, but as soon as anyone stands up to him in even the slightest way, he goes off. For example, when Jayden is delivering his psychological profile of the Origami Killer, and Blake makes a snide remark. Jayden can choose to point out how Blake’s "vast experience" hasn't been able to prevent the murders of the killer’s previous eight victims, or he can remain calm and instead tell Blake that he will find the Origami Killer whether Blake helps him or not. Blake’s immediate response either way is to call Jayden a "fuckin' asshole" at the top of his lungs and throw a projector to the ground in a fit of rage.
- Hate Sink: Everything he does draws the ire of anyone good. And even some who aren’t so good - if Scott is taken to the police station after the death of Manfred, later he can think that Blake is a “twisted fuck.”
- Hero Antagonist: He's in the police force and head of the case to stop the Origami Killer, however, he does more harm than good through Jayden's investigation.
- Horrible Judge of Character: Fanatically pursues Ethan as the Origami Killer. Meanwhile, the only character in the game he acts genuinely friendly to is his old friend from the force, Scott Shelby - who really is the Origami Killer!
- I'll Take That as a Compliment: Says this word-for-word to Jayden after the latter calls him an “unbalanced, psychopathic asshole” to his face.
- Inspector Javert: He absolutely refuses to believe that anyone but Ethan could be the Origami Killer.
- Inspector Lestrade: A particularly antagonistic and unhelpful variant to Jayden's Holmes.
- Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique: Uses this on Ethan's psychiatrist, and it's implied that this is one of his preferred methods of getting information. Should Ethan get arrested once, he uses this on him as well when he refuses to answer his questions about Shaun’s whereabouts. The extent to which he injures Ethan depends on whether the player, as Jayden, chooses to interfere or not.
- Jerkass: He's one of the most unpleasant characters in the game despite not being a villain.
- Jerkass Has a Point: Has his moments.
- He calls out Jayden for being too soft to kill Nathaniel even though his life was on the line.
- While his treatment of Ethan's psychiatrist is inexcusable, he is correct that the man is obligated to break doctor/patient confidentiality if he has reason to believe a patient is a danger to themself or others, a point which Jayden acknowledges.
- Karma Houdini: The worst you can do to him is get him to retire, but this requires you to first have Ethan get shot by the police. Otherwise, he doesn't seem to get consequences for his Police Brutality. Unless...
- Karma Houdini Warranty: If Jayden dies, Blake will try on the ARI glasses for himself, only to see a vision of Jayden who does not look too friendly.
- Knight Templar: He is out to get the Origami Killer no matter who he wrongly persecutes.
- Lack of Empathy: To everyone except Captain Perry, Ash, Grace, and Scott.
- Laser-Guided Karma: Can have this in two instances, but some characters will have to die for them to happen.
- If Blake kills Ethan but Jayden is still alive by the end of the game, he will be suspended from the police force for an indefinite period of time.
- If Jayden dies during the investigation, he will be confronted by a vision of Jayden from the ARI glasses he stole after his death, implying that he will suffer the effects of the ARI even without the sunglasses on.
- Never Hurt an Innocent: While it's averted towards Ethan himself, it's played straight with Madison in the finale if she gets past his roadblock in the warehouse to warn him about the cops having their guns on him.
- Never Speak Ill of the Dead: In the "Uploaded" ending (which happens if Jayden died at any moment during the game), Blake passes on attending his funeral, saying they "didn't see eye to eye". However, he doesn't trash talk him, which is almost an achievement for someone like Blake.
- Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: Killing Ethan while Jayden is alive results in Blake getting suspended.
- Obliviously Evil: His actions complicate the plot and he has a temper that causes him to punch or shoot all the wrong people.
- Oh, Crap!: In the "Uploaded" ending, Blake visibly freaks out after seeing Jayden through the ARI device.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: In the "Uploaded" ending, Blake's douchebag demeanor goes out the window and he becomes terrified when he wears Jayden's ARI glasses and sees the deceased Jayden look at him in a sinister way.
- Pet the Dog: Has his moments depending on how the player does in various situations.
- He might be a violent sociopathic dickhead and his interrogating methods are more than questionable, but he seems to have a soft spot for kids as he is dead set on finding Shaun Mars in time and arrest the culprit who murdered other innocent children.
- He listens to Grace Mars and is compassionate over Jason's death and her worries following Shaun's disappearance.
- He saves Jayden from Korda in "Covered Market" if the player fails the QTEs.
- In the same chapter, if Jayden shot Nathaniel, Blake attempts to reassure him saying it always does something the first time you kill someone, until you get used to it. He also respects Jayden's belief of never wanting to get used to killing, which is the nicest he can be to Jayden in the entire game.
- Also, if Madison gets past his roadblock in front of the warehouse to warn Ethan about the police ready to kill him, he orders his men to hold their fire.
- Police Are Useless: Believes his methods of skirting around the law help him to get things done. They really just make him a shitty cop.
- Police Brutality: He always prefers to violently rough up people without any thought of getting any info out of them.
- Politically Incorrect Villain: When confronting Nathaniel, a man with a persecution complex and obsessive behavior, Blake accuses him of stereotypically killing people to silence the voices in his head. Granted, Nathaniel does show that he is capable of murder, but this is due to his fanatical fear of Satanic forces, not because he hears voices.
- Rabid Cop: To an almost comical degree, and he currently provides part of the page quote. Blake's disregard for standard police procedure hinders the case, and depending on the player's actions he can go so far as to kill an innocent man because he thinks he's the killer.
- Red Oni: To Jayden's and Perry's blue.
- Sir Swears-a-Lot: Expect him to drop more than one F-Bomb when Jayden is around.
- Smug Smiler: He smiles just to lay on his pretentiousness.
- Smug Snake: He’s super-confident in what he does and doesn't care if he breaks the rules.
- The Sociopath: If him being a violent cop wasn't enough, he also shows no sense of remorse over his acts of Police Brutality.
- Teeth Clenched Team Work: He and Norman clearly hate eachother and disagree on how to lead the case, yet they have to work together in order to catch the Origami Killer.
- Terms of Endangerment: Calls Jayden by his given name, Norman, to showcase his disdain of the FBI agent.
- Turn in Your Badge: Allow Ethan to be killed by him while Jayden survives, and this is the result.
- Uncertain Doom: The "Uploaded" ending has Blake wearing the ARI device and seeing Norman's "ghost", which gives the implication that Blake will suffer of its side effects and go through a Sanity Slippage the way Norman had.
- Unknown Rival: Jayden doesn't acknowledge him even if he puts him at gunpoint ("Under Arrest") and removes him off the case ("Solving the Puzzle").
- Verbal Tic: "NORMAN."
- Wouldn't Hit a Girl: Towards Madison in "The Old Warehouse". He just tells her to leave when it's obvious he won't listen to her claim that Ethan is not the Origami Killer, and orders his men to hold their fire when she gets past his roadblock.
- Wouldn't Hurt a Child: Implied. He's dead set on stopping the Origami Killer since his victims are young boys barely a decade old.
- Wrong Genre Savvy: He only gets more and more aggressive with Nathaniel as he presses his interrogation, thinking that the man's clear discomfort and dismay means he's guilty. In reality, he's just terrifying a mentally ill man.
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: Not the killing type, just tells Jayden to "fuck off" as soon as he and the police think they got the answer to who the Origami Killer is.
Captain Leighton Perry
"Which is more important, Norman? Finding little Shaun Mars or sparing that lowlife a few bruises? You can't make omelettes without breaking a few eggs."
Voiced by: Paul Bandey (English)note
The captain and head of the Homicide Division of the city's police department.
- Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Appears like a Reasonable Authority Figure... until he allows Blake to punch whoever he likes if that can help the case.
- Da Chief: To Jayden.
- Hate Sink: While is he seems more reasonable compared to Blake. He is revealed to be just as corrupt as him if Ethan is arrested & when Jayden tells Perry about Blake. Not only does he allow Blake to get away with police brutally, he is also willing to allow an innocent man in jail & let Shaun die just to end the case rather than catch the real killer & save him. This proves how much of a corrupt & a selfish prick Perry really is.
- Jerkass: He is fine with some police brutality to close a high profile case.
- Obstructive Bureaucrat: He declares to the press that Ethan is the Origami Killer without getting his confession.
- Police Are Useless: He is unhelpful at best and condones obstruction and violence at worst.
- Police Brutality: Not him, but he allows Blake to be a Rabid Cop if it can help find the Origami Killer.
- Pride: Wants to be the one to announce the arrestation of the Origami Killer... whether the suspect in question is guilty or not. All he wants is close the case as soon as possible.
- The Stoic: Normally unflappable even if Jayden and Blake are fighting.
- Not So Stoic: If Jayden accuses Blake of being the Origami Killer.
- Took a Level in Jerkass: In "Under Arrest", if Jayden tells him about Blake beating Ethan.
- Turn in Your Badge: Same goes with Blake if he kills Ethan.
- What the Hell, Hero?: He will call out Jayden if he accuses Blake of being the Origami Killer.
The Sheppards
John "Johnny" Sheppard
"A little rain never hurt nobody. Come on, let's go play!"
Voiced by: Taylor Gasman (English)
A young boy who drowned on Charles Kramer's construction site in 1977. He's revealed to be the twin brother of the Origami Killer, Scott Shelby.
- Affectionate Nickname: His mother and his brother called him "Johnny".
- Death by Origin Story: His death sparked the motives of the Origami Killer: to find a father willing to risk everything to save his son from drowning (something their own selfish father did not have the heart to do).
- Death of a Child: He died after falling into a concrete pipe filled with rain water, and drowned when his brother could not find help in time. Unused dialogue also indicates that his foot was broken after he fell into the pipe, helping explain his difficulty in getting out.
- Holding Hands: Played for Drama. John's twin held his hand as he drowned and was unable to save him.
- Innocent Blue Eyes: Had blue eyes and was a sweet playful child, and his death had more than one repercussion even 34 years later.
- Kill the Cutie: He died an easily avoidable death all because his low life of an alcoholic father couldn't lift a finger to prevent it.
- Momma's Boy: Was closer to his mother, who still remembers him to this day in spite of her Alzheimer's.
- Morality Chain: His death soured his brother Scott considerably and traumatized him so badly to the point of growing up to be an amoral Serial Killer.
- Morality Chain Beyond the Grave: Somehow; Charles Kramer puts flowers on his grave every year, as he feels some responsability overhis death since it happened on his construction site.
- One-Steve Limit: Averted. He shares his name with Lauren's murdered son, Johnny, and the killer also deliberately uses his name as an alias.
- Posthumous Character: He's been dead for 34 years before the main events of the game.
- Wham Line: In the "Hold My Hand" chapter, his last words reveal the name of his brother, the Origami Killer: "Don't forget about me, Scottie."
- Youthful Freckles: Had a face full of them, emphasizing his tragic fate at the age of 10.
Mr. Sheppard
Get the hell outta here... Go on, beat it, you lousy no-good brats... Come back when your fuckin' mother comes home from work...
Voiced by: Unknown
An alcoholic abusive father who kicks out his twin sons in the rain, which would lead to the death of John and his surviving son to become the Origami Killer.
- Abusive Parent: It's heavily implied that he beats his kids. We only see him too wasted to move.
- Alcoholic Parent: He was too drunk to bother to save one of his sons.
- The Faceless: Only seen from behind in a flashback.
- Karma Houdini: Aside from losing custody of Scott to foster parents the game doesn't bother to show him suffering any consequences for his actions.
- Kick the Dog: Not only does he abuse his kids physically and verbally, he claims John dying would be "one less mouth to feed" and basically didn't do shit to save his own son, leading to his death.
- Murder by Inaction: If he wasn't such an alcoholic asshole who treats his sons like garbage, John would probably still be alive.
- Small Role, Big Impact: Although he only has a minute of screen time, his negligence led to John's death and inspired Scott to become the Origami Killer.
- Social Services Does Not Exist: It's a minor miracle that both of his children didn't die before the game even begins, seeing as how he has no problem kicking the boys out into the pouring rain and letting them play at the local construction site by themselves.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: His son, Scott, became the Origami Killer because of his carelessness leading to John's death.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: The last we hear of him is during the flashback detailing his son's death. Nothing knows what happened to his marriage with Ann or if he was ever questioned by the police after John's death.
Ann Sheppard
"He must have thought I didn't love him anymore... But I loved him. If you only knew how much I missed him..."
Voiced by: Patricia Davidson (English)
Mother of the late John Sheppard and the Origami Killer, this sweet old lady is hospitalized for having Alzheimer's disease. Madison visits her in order to find the name of the Origami Killer.
- Amnesiacs are Innocent: A fragile old lady with Alzheimer's, she wouldn't hurt a fly and is polite and lovely.
- Boyish Short Hair: Her hair is cut even shorter than Madison's.
- Broken Bird: She was traumatized when her son John drowned, and it didn't help that social services placed her other son with another family and she was forced to stop visiting him after she was hospitalized. When she does remember those events, she still seems broken as if it happened yesterday.
- Cloudcuckoolander: Played for Drama. She's suffering from Alzheimer's, and she seems to ramble about anything but the information Madison is looking for.
- Early-Bird Cameo: She first appears in the intro of the game, which foreshadows her key role to find the identity of the Origami Killer.
- Nice Girl: She might have a hard time remembering things, but she is very polite to Madison, who is the first visit she got since who knows how many years.
- Outliving One's Offspring: Her son John drowned when he was 10 years old, and her living son Scott, a.k.a the Origami Killer, can possibly die as well if the player makes certain choices.
- Scatterbrained Senior: Due to her Alzheimer's, she rambles about her pills and random events from her past, which makes it difficult for Madison to get her to focus on discussing her second son, Scott Shelby. Her mind becomes a little sharper if she is shown an object that reminds her of a specific person or event from her past.
- Small Role, Big Impact: She only appears in the intro and a single chapter (named after her), but she is revealed to be the mother of the Origami killer. If Madison works hard enough to make her remember his name, she'll whisper it to Madison, who will then go investigate his apartment.
Others
Sam
Voiced by: David Gasman (English)
Madison's close friend and provider of information in her investigations.
- He Who Must Not Be Seen: He's only heard through phone calls with Madison or voice messages, but never appears in the flesh.
- Mr. Exposition: He finds Madison the information she needs about Dr. Baker, and Leland White in The Taxidermist.
- Platonic Life-Partners: He and Madison appear to be good friends outside of work. In the "Square One" ending, Sam left more than one messages to Madison expressing concern over her not leaving her apartment or returning his calls.
- Satellite Character: He's Madison's informant and close friend, but that's about it. It's unknown what he even looks like.
