| “ | Wow. Nice shootin', Tex. | ” |
— Sam to Chris
|
Samantha "Sam" Giddings is one of the eight main protagonists, a playable character and the overall main protagonist in Until Dawn. She was voiced and motion captured by actress Hayden Panettiere.
Appearance[]
Sam is a teenage girl with blonde hair, tied in a messy bun at the back of her head with a few locks framing her face. In the remake, these locks are shorter. She has hazel eyes and often wears dark lipstick. During the trip, her nails are painted blue with small light blue snowflakes on them.
During the Prologue, she wears a garnet and white patterned wool sweater with dark blue jeans and a pair of beige snow boots. She also wears gold hoop earrings.
From Chapter 1 to Chapter 2, she wears a purple long-sleeved shirt, a black leather jacket, a red scarf, a black lingerie shirt, a red plaid skirt, black tights and gray boots with white trim. Outside, she also wears a fur hat.
Later on, she is clad in only a white Washington towel, as the Psycho had taken her clothes while she was bathing. When found by Mike, she retrieves her backpack and changes into a white shirt, a red hooded jacket, gray yoga pants with black vertical lines and dark sneakers. She also wears a head lamp to navigate through the dark. Sam wears this outfit for the remainder of the game.
In the Epilogue, Sam wears a white tank top and blue jeans.
Personality[]
| “ | Sam and I have a few things in common, such as being huge lovers of animals, she's vegan. She's a pacifist, I'm not quite sure if I'm going to say that I am a pacifist, but she's spunky and cool. I think that she's made fun of a little bit by the rest of them who think that her morals and beliefs in that area are a little ridiculous and they don't agree with them, but she doesn't care. It doesn't stop her from being herself. And that's something I hope I have in common with her. | ” |
— Hayden Panettiere on Sam
|
Sam is described in-game as diligent, considerate and brave (the latter being adventurous in the original game). She loves animals, dislikes violence and dreams of becoming a conservationist.[1] With a warm attitude and an infectious charm, Sam is the kind of person people tend to gravitate towards. She's developed a solid relationship with all members of her diverse friend group and enjoys spending time with them. While she has a silly side, Sam seems to be the most level-headed member of the Blackwood Pines clique: she is rarely the cause of any drama.
She often spends a lot of time outdoors, allowing her to indulge her love for nature, wildlife and adventure. She occasionally carries food around to share with small woodland critters, and her fondness for animals has no doubt influenced her decision to be a vegan. She's also an athletic, adept young woman who's skilled at running and rock climbing, but is just as comfortable relaxing on her own with music and candlelit baths.
Sam is on board with Mike's plan.
According to Dr. Hill, Sam's greatest fear is the supernatural. While Sam draws happiness from nature, she finds the occult to be unsettling. When her friends find a Ouija Board and talk about having a séance, Sam promptly ducks out. Sam is a pacifist with a disdain for violence or conflict. In fact, while she has a resolute confidence in herself and her beliefs, she nonetheless has trouble standing up to the more strong-willed members of the group like Emily or Mike when they're doing something she thinks is wrong. Even when Hannah becomes infatuated with Mike despite the fact he's dating their friend Emily, Sam makes excuses rather than address the problem with Hannah. Despite her responsible nature, she's unable to stop the prank that's played on Hannah and is devastated by the humiliation and subsequent disappearance of the Washington girls that results from it.
Despite how the prior year went, Sam is committed to the well-being of her friends. Her attendance at the Washington Lodge comes down to her desire to move past the past tragic events, honor the memory of Hannah and Beth, and focus on healing relationships with her friends, particularly Josh. As the night spirals out of control, Sam is repeatedly able to push past her fears and fight in order to save herself and her friends. Sam demonstrates calmness, decisiveness and bravery when under pressure, proving herself to be one of the most capable members of the group.
Until Dawn[]
Biography[]
Nature-loving Sam is a warm and caring individual. The others might find her a little quirky, but she's comfortable in her own skin. She is strong willed and doesn't scare easily. The weekend away is a chance for Sam to catch up with friends, enjoy the mountain air, and put the past behind her.
Involvement[]
| Chapter Appearances | |
| Prologue: | Debut |
| Chapter 1: | Appears |
| Chapter 2: | Appears |
| Chapter 3: | Mentioned |
| Chapter 4: | Mentioned |
| Chapter 5: | Appears |
| Chapter 6: | Determinant Cameo |
| Chapter 7: | Appears |
| Chapter 8: | Appears |
| Chapter 9: | Appears |
| Chapter 10: | Appears |
| Credits: | Determinant |
One Year Ago[]
In the remake[]
Sam argues with Jessica over the impending prank on Hannah.
In the original game[]
Sam discourages the group about the impending prank on Hannah.
Chapter 1[]
A year later, Josh invites all his friends back to his lodge on the mountain. Sam is seen on a bus and listening to a radio segment about the anniversary of Hannah and Beth's disappearance and then later watches a video of Josh inviting them all back to the lodge. After she gets off the bus, Sam is greeted by the tall, metal gate into Blackwood Pines. On the bars is a note from Chris that says, "The gate's busted, climb over!".
She can then try to open the gate, but that will have no effect. Sam then walks to the stone wall on the left and can choose the safe or the quick way to climb the wall to the other side. In any case, she climbs the wall using QTEs from the player. If the player fails at any, Sam will simply drop back down and have to start over again. After climbing over the wall, Sam drops down and starts walking again. On the way, she sees a squirrel and holds out an open hand with food in it. This starts the player's first Don't Move segment, and if the player moves, the squirrel will run away.
Sam comes across a sign detailing Indigenous tribes who once inhabited the mountain, and their beliefs that butterflies showed prophecies. The colors of the butterflies indicated what the possible nature of the prophecy was. Below the sign, Sam finds a totem with yellow details, indicating it to be a Guidance totem.
After setting it down, Sam turns and is at the cable car station, which leads to the Washington lodge. To the left of the station, she can find a map of the mountain with red graffiti on it, saying, "THE PAST IS BEYOND OUR CONTROL". Going to the station, Sam sees Chris' backpack on a bench, but not the man himself. While in front of the bag, Sam notices Chris' buzzing phone sticking out of it. She can then choose between closing his bag or snooping on his phone. Either choice will lead to the butterfly effect named, "Any of Your Business".
Sam and Chris in the cable car.
Chris then appears behind Sam and tells her that he "found something kinda amazing" and takes her to the back of the station. On the way, she can see a Wanted Poster and mention it to him. Chris shows her a shooting range and asks her if she wants to try shooting. She declines and watches Chris practice. After a few shots, he can decide to shoot a squirrel. If Chris does, a raven will attack Sam and injure her forehead. They then walk over to the station's door and Sam finds it locked; Chris explains Josh wants it locked to "keep people out". Chris unlocks the door, and she watches the car come down the line while Chris can explore the station. After, they enter the cable car when it comes. During the ride, she learns of how Chris and Josh became best friends.
The duo then meet up with Jessica at the upper cable car station, where they can learn of her new relationship with Mike (whether or not Sam looked at Chris' phone). As Jessica insists on waiting, the other two head towards the lodge where they meet Josh, Ashley, and Matt.
Chapter 2[]
"Monked" by Chris
Sam is shown to be aware of Chris' crush on Ashley as she often teases him about it. Along with Matt and Ashley, she will wait outside for Chris to open the lodge door. When he does, Sam and Ashley will laugh at Chris' reaction to the wolverine's escape. Inside, as things escalate between Mike, Matt, Jess and Emily, Sam opts to stay out of it along with Chris and Ashley. When everyone else defuses and leaves the lodge, she decides to take a bath. After Sam finds out there's no hot water, she can look around (specifically Hannah's room for clues about the twins) before going downstairs to tell Josh about the lodge's water problem.
When she heads down, Sam can overhear Josh telling Chris and Ashley about a spirit board somewhere in the lodge. He then tells both to go find it, and he'll help Sam. Josh grabs a flashlight from a drawer near the cinema room doors and says that he teamed Chris and Ashley up because they could use some "alone time". She can choose to be mocking or flattering about their relationship.
She then follows Josh down the basement. Once they get there, he tells Sam he is grateful everyone has come and thanks her personally for coming. She can either reassure him or admit to feeling uneasy about coming back. They both head down the stairs into the basement, and Josh makes a comment about the broken step to her. Josh then opens a cupboard in the basement for the boiler. Sam can then discover a baseball bat resting inside it, which leads to the butterfly effect, "Something for Later". If she does find it, Sam can either serious or humorous about it.
Either way, Josh comments on it, then puts down the baseball bat in a box. As they stand near the boiler controls Sam turns and hears a noise, but Josh ignores it. He then tells her to shine the flashlight in the boiler so he can see what he's doing. This starts a Don't Move segment, and if Sam moves, she will shine the flashlight over to where she heard the noise. Josh will tell her to move it back, and the segment will start over.
Josh then tells her to increase the water pressure before starting the boiler. The player must turn the red knob and press the button once the red light on the right side of the panel turns on. If this task is failed twice, Josh tells her how to do it. Once it's done, Sam can high-five Josh with a QTE. After completing their task, both hear a noise again, and Josh taunts Sam about it. She can choose to either protest or prank him. After, a repeating banging is heard and they investigate, only to be chased by a robed individual. When they reach the top of the stairs, the unknown figure is then revealed to be Chris playing a prank on them. Sam gets annoyed while Josh jokes about her reaction. As they leave the basement, Sam hesitantly admits the prank "had a slight whiff of humor to it". When meeting up with Ashley again, Sam decides not to get involved in the Ouija board affair and to finally take a warm bath.
Chapter 3[]
Sam is mentioned very briefly in this chapter by Chris, when he tells Ashley about he and Sam finding the Wanted Poster at the cable car station in order to piece together the clues of the "criminal on the mountain".
Chapter 4[]
Sam does not physically appear in this chapter, but she is mentioned a few times. After the situation with Ashley and Josh, Chris tells Matt and Emily where he thinks Sam is located (in the lodge). The couples decide that Chris and Ashley should look for Sam, while Matt and Emily go and get help.
Chapter 5[]
Sam is later seen using earbuds to listen to classical music in the bath, with her eyes closed. The Psycho is seen standing behind her, looking at her. As he closes the door, the candles around the bath get snuffed out by the draft, which causes her to remove her earbuds and call out to her friends, thinking it's them. As she wraps up in a towel, she notices that her clothes have gone missing. She gets annoyed, thinking that her friends are tricking her. In the lodge, she notices lit candles and red balloons with arrows on them that lead her to the cinema room. The Psycho shows up near the stairs, waiting for her to enter. Sam doesn't notice him, and instead grabs the flashlight from the nearby drawer and walks into the room. Annoyed at whoever is pranking her, she calls out at them before the door violently slams behind her. Sam screams, then the Psycho starts talking to her and shows projects a video he recorded of her taking the bath, and the video of Josh being sawed in half from Chapter 4. Following this, the Psycho gives her ten seconds (though he actually gives her three) then comes in the room and starts chasing her.
Sam escaping.
Sam will only escape if she makes the following choices (in order of occurrence):
- She runs OR throws the vase, then immediately picks jump after she encounters the bed, or kicks the Psycho when hiding.
- After she runs down the stairs, she runs straight to the next hallway OR hides, turns off her light, stays still, then runs and hits the Psycho with a baseball bat. Note that even if you fail to stay still, you can still hit the Psycho with a bat once he's caught you and escape.
- After moving through the wine cellar, Sam will walk towards the camera down a long hallway. She will then have to choose between running and hiding. She must choose to hide in the dumbwaiter, then turn off her light and stay still.
However, it is possible for Sam to make all the correct choices and still be captured. If she was attacked by the raven in Chapter 1 due to Chris shooting the squirrel, the wound on her head will reopen during her fall, causing her to leave droplets of blood that alert the Psycho to her final hiding spot in the dumbwaiter. The player will not be prompted to turn off the flashlight or stay still if this is the case.
The Psycho will either capture Sam (and the others) by either a gas mask or a syringe, depending on what the player chooses in the sessions with Dr. Hill.
Sam is captured if she makes any of the following choices:
Sam getting captured.
- She stays under the bed, chooses to grab the bed, or fails to kick the Psycho when prompted.
- Failing the "Don't Move" prompt in the wine cellar, or failing to turn off the flashlight.
- Hiding in the wine cellar for too long, or failing to defend herself if she has the baseball bat within her reach.
- She goes through the door to the left of her after passing through the door with no handle.
- Failing the "Don't Move" prompt in the dumbwaiter, or failing to turn off the flashlight. These prompts will automatically be failed if Sam was attacked by the raven in Chapter 1.
- She runs further down the hallway instead of hiding in the dumbwaiter.
- Unable to make a choice when it comes.
Chapter 6[]
Sam is also mentioned in this chapter several times by Chris and Ashley, worried about her whereabouts and wellbeing. If Sam was caught, she will be found unconscious in a chair by Chris and Ashley. Otherwise, a dummy will be wearing her clothes and will be in the chair instead.
Chapter 7[]
If Sam was caught by the Psycho, she will be awoken by Mike, who is on the other side of a wall, only seen through a wall grate. He tells her to move over to it, and he will use the machete to free her from the ties on her wrists, then gives it to her so she can cut the ones on her ankles. Mike asks if she's okay, and Sam can either answer curiously or shocked at his state. Next, he asks her to find a way to unlock the door for him to enter the basement. Looking around (still in the towel), Sam finds a video camera, then her backpack with the flashlight in it on a door. If Sam was not caught, she will snoop around the basement and see the Psycho messing around with some controls. Here she can find multiple clues leading to the true identity of the Psycho, such as the Psychiatric Report, a Remembrance Board and a Voice Recording.
Sam locates a door and is able to open it, which leads to Mike. After reuniting, Sam will tell Mike to turn around so she can put on new clothes. They exit and will find Chris and Ashley strapped into a trap the Psycho has set for them, with another camera on a tripod recording everything. As they approach, the Psycho pulls off his mask to reveal that he is actually, to their shock and horror, Josh. Josh reveals that he played a prank on all of them, like the prank they played on Hannah, but this time his games were not lethal. Sam and the others listened to Josh's explanation of how he faked his own death. When Chris and Mike take Josh away, Sam stays behind in the lodge with Ashley.
Chapter 8[]
Sam will next be seen if Emily returns to the lodge. She and Ashley will comfort Emily, and then a mysterious man will appear. All the friends listen to the Stranger's warnings about the Wendigos, and Sam points out the basement would be a good safe place to stay. He agrees, and the group heads down to the basement. They end up staying at the Old Hotel, inside the Psycho's monitor room.
If Chris perishes while looking for Josh, she will next be seen comforting Ashley. The group, consisting of Sam, Mike, Ashley, and potentially Emily and Chris, then looks through the Stranger's belongings. When Ashley finds out that Emily had been bitten, Sam is the sole person in the group that pleads for Mike not to shoot her.
After Ashley looks through the Stranger's journal, the group finds new information about the Wendigos. The group decides to warn Mike (presumably about the fact that there are plenty of Wendigos imprisoned in the Sanatorium, which Mike did not know) and leave the lodge to travel to the Sanatorium.
Chapter 9[]
While venturing to the Sanatorium, Sam tries to open the door and realizes that Mike locked the doors behind him. Ashley suggests traveling through a sewer grate instead and is supported by the rest of the group. This forces the group to climb down into the sewers (which leads into the mines), with Sam going first.
The group almost reaches the Sanatorium, when they find most of the scaffolding leading up destroyed, blocking their path. The other survivors tell Sam that they are unable to climb the rock wall, so Sam proceeds by herself after telling them to head back to the lodge. While climbing, Sam has multiple choices as she climbs up, with QTE's to follow. After climbing the wall, Sam will stumble upon Mike in one of two situations. If Mike failed to blow up the large barrels of gasoline during the dual-Wendigo pursuit in the Sanatorium basement, Sam will find him there, holding off a Wendigo. If Mike successfully blew up the basement, a single Wendigo will have survived and Sam will find Mike bursting through a door in the mines, a burned-up Wendigo in pursuit.
Sam's jump in the wooden structure of the mines
Regardless, Sam will use whatever weapon she has available (a pipe or a shovel, depending on which route you took) to beat the Wendigo off of Mike. If the Wendigo was burned, she will decapitate it. If it was not, and thus she and Mike are still in the Sanatorium, she will beat it back into the gasoline barrels and Mike will proceed to shoot them with his shotgun, blowing up the basement and causing them both to flee the building before heading back down to the mines together.
Chapter 10[]
Mike and Sam begin to look for Josh in order to retrieve the cable car keys that he had stolen. On their way to the Wendigo's lair, Mike can inform Sam (depending on what he discovered in the Sanatorium) about how one of the miners transformed into a Wendigo, and he thinks it was the one they just dealt with. She and Mike can discover the truth about what happened to Hannah and Beth one year ago. They find a grave with Beth's watch in it. As Sam and Mike are wading through the underground lake, Sam can choose to not follow Mike and instead go left out of the water, which leads to them finding the Scrawled Journal. They find out after the fall, Hannah later dug Beth up to eat her body when she was starving. It slowly descends into scribbles, mainly depicting how Hannah was "hungry". Sam deduces that Hannah buried Beth, who died from falling into the mines. Soon afterwards, Sam and Mike find Josh talking to himself in a cave. If Sam learned the truth about Hannah, she will attempt to tell him before being cut off by Mike. Since Josh was not physically or mentally prepared to climb out of the mines, Sam climbs out by herself while Mike escorts Josh through the sewers.
Sam climbs out of the mines and runs back to the lodge. When she gets to the lodge, she pleads with the other survivors, if there are any, to let her back in, but gets no response. Mike, having just escaped from the mines as well, appears behind her and tells her that they need to get into the lodge, causing Sam to break through the window with a rock. They travel to the basement to see if there are any survivors and are instantly greeted by either Ashley, and/or Emily, and/or Chris (if any of them survive, depending on the player's decisions) fleeing upstairs from Wendigos in the basement. At the door, Sam can either follow them or lock the door. If the other survivors are all dead, Mike would spot the approaching Wendigos and flee with her out of the basement upstairs.
Death inches away
Sam runs upstairs and finds everyone else frozen in their tracks. She looks up and sees that a multitude of Wendigos, including Hannah, have broken into the lodge. This triggers a Don't Move segment, and if she moves at all, Hannah will pounce at the remaining survivors, injuring Mike in the process. If she stays still, the Wendigos then began fighting each other, causing a gas leak, as one of them is thrown onto the gas pipe for the fireplace.
Mike and Sam notice the leak and non-verbally coordinate a plan to incinerate the lodge by switching on a broken light bulb to ignite the gas. After Mike breaks the lightbulb, any remaining survivors will flee the lodge one at a time, with Mike being the last person to escape. Sam can choose to run to the light switch at any time, but doing so before Mike and any other survivor(s) flee the lodge will result in their deaths.
Turning on the switch
In her choice to save Mike, she must yell to attract Hannah's attention as it patrolled near him. Throughout the Don't Move sequences after, failing to stay still at critical moments will result in Sam's death by impalement in the stomach. Regardless of the player's actions, Sam will always survive until the very end and can only die from Hannah in the lodge. As Sam runs to the switch (should this happen), a slow-motion sequence shows Hannah pouncing at another Wendigo who is lunging at Sam.
After the lodge explodes, the rangers that Emily radioed will arrive and pick up any remaining survivors on Blackwood Mountain.
Credits[]
The resulting lodge explosion pinpoints rangers Emily radioed earlier from the radio tower to their location, and takes them away to safety. Sam, along with the others who survived, is questioned by the police about their experiences throughout the night.
Depending on the actions of the player's choices, Sam's dialogue may vary.
- In her first interview tape, she will admit how she feels betrayed by Josh, believing that they had established a connection after his sisters' deaths. She also rebukes the interviewer's effort to get her to open up about it.
- If Mike dies, she will say how it is her fault that Mike died as she didn't stay still like she was supposed to.
- She then tells the police that they should launch an investigation at the North West Mines, stating that the horrors she witnessed would make her "give anything to unsee it."
She may also be mentioned by Ashley.
- Should Ashley survive the night, while Sam, Mike and Jessica do not, she will briefly mention Sam, saying Sam and Mike went to find Josh and that everyone was supposed to meet up with them.
Some Years Later[]
Sam notices her scar.
If Sam survived in the 2024 version of the game, she is seen in her home in Los Angeles, California a few years after the game, where her phone wakes her up at 6 AM. Sam is shown to have at least one book about Indigenous myths, along with multiple bottles of antidipressants, implying that she struggles to cope with the events on Blackwood Mountain. When she wakes up and shuts off the alarm, she notices a strange scar on her arm bleeding nonstop. As she tries to stop the bleeding, a voice calls out her name.
Possible Death[]
| Possible Death | |||
| Chapter | Event | Caused by | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Impaled through the abdomen | Hannah (Wendigo) | Sam fails any of the "Don't Move" segments besides the 1st one OR fails to make a decision between hiding and running (to the switch). |
Killed Victims[]
- Mike (indirect, determinant)
- Ashley (indirect, determinant)
- Emily (indirect, determinant)
- Josh (indirect, determinant)
- Multiple Wendigos (direct, determinant)
- Billy Bates (direct, determinant)
- Hannah (indirect, determinant)
Relationships[]
Hannah and Beth[]
Sam was Hannah's best friend before her disappearance and attempted to warn Hannah about the prank set up by her friends. Sam was angered when she was too late to intervene, chastising her friends for the antic. Despite the close friendship, after turning into a Wendigo, Hannah is merciless and will brutally kill Sam by impaling her in the abdomen if given the chance.
According to Beth's relationship menu, Sam and Beth were good friends. Sam is listed as Beth's third highest relationship and highest non-familial relationship.
Ashley[]
Sam and Ashley are not seen interacting much, but It is implied that they are good friends. Sam and Josh often tease Chris and Ashley about their relationship, telling Chris to make his move on her. Sam can choose to say Ashley and Chris would make a cute couple during one of her conversations with Josh. If Chris dies, Sam, along with other survivors in the lodge, will comfort Ashley. If Emily is bitten, Mike doesn't shoot her and Ashley reveals the bites are actually harmless, Sam defends Ashley's actions to a furious Emily, stating that she was just scared and didn't intend for Emily to be harmed. If Ashley survives in the tunnel to the Sanatorium, she will be relieved to see her safe and sound.
Relationship Increases
- If Emily was bitten, Mike shot Emily, and Ashley confessed the truth about the bites, her relationship with Ashley will drastically increase.
Relationship Decreases
Chris[]
See Chris and Sam for more information.
Sam and Chris are good friends, which is seen by their interactions at the shooting range and in the cable car where they discuss how Josh has been doing and how Chris and Josh met. Their relationship is often playful; Sam will affectionately punch Chris in the shoulder while in the cable car, Chris goofs around with Sam when he sees her standing at the lodge window, and Chris will prank Sam and Josh while they are in the basement. Like Josh, Sam seems to be interested in when Chris will ask Ashley out. The two show concern for each other throughout the night. Chris is worried about Sam’s wellbeing when he and Ashley are looking for her in the Old Hotel, and Sam can check on Chris once he comes back from his chase. However, Sam will get angry with Chris if he shoots a squirrel during target practice. If Chris is killed during his chase, Sam will be saddened.
Relationship Increases
- If Sam closes Chris' bag, her relationship with Chris will slightly increase.
- If Chris doesn't shoot the squirrel, her relationship with Chris will slightly increase.
Relationship Decreases
Emily[]
Sam and Emily appear to be good friends. Although Sam criticized Emily for her involvement in the prank, the two seem to be on good terms according to their relationship statuses. The pair are seen together in a Prom Night Photo. After Emily makes it back from the mines, Sam will attentively listen to her story. If Emily is bitten, Sam will defend her by urging against hastily shooting her. She will assure Emily she'll be fine if Mike spares her and Ashley reveals the truth. If Emily was killed by Mike, Sam will be upset over her death.
Jessica[]
Sam and Jessica are not the closest of friends - at the start, Sam argues with her about the group's plan to play a prank on Hannah. Jessica also starts out as one of Sam's lowest relationship statuses. Though when Sam and Chris are stuck in a cable car station, Jess helps them out. Sam can later ask Mike about Jessica after he returns from the Sanatorium, indicating she cares about her well-being. When Mike replies that he believes Jess is dead, Sam will be shocked.
Relationship Increases
- If Jessica insists on taking the letter back from Chris, her relationship with Jessica will slightly increase.
- If Mike didn't amputate his fingers and Sam shows concern for Jessica after Mike returns from the Sanatorium, her relationship with Jessica will increase.
Relationship Increases
Josh[]
See Josh and Sam for more information.
Josh and Sam went to each other for support after the loss of the twins. Sam’s relationship with Josh can become closer, depending on the player's actions. Sam can be supportive of Josh, reassuring him that she and the others are there for him.
Josh scares Sam along with Chris and Ashley as part of his revenge scheme, not only showing her footage of himself being sawed in half but also chasing her around the lodge while dressed as the Psycho. If Sam escapes him, she can uncover clues that lead her to discover Josh is in fact the Psycho. When he reveals himself, she will then note that his fingerprints were all over it, and that he wanted to get caught as a cry for help.
In an interview with police officers, Sam admits to feeling betrayed by him after the prank he pulled on the group, saying that she thought they had a connection.
Relationship Increases
- If Sam chooses to be serious upon picking up the baseball bat, her relationship with Josh will slightly increase.
- If Sam chooses to be heroic when checking out the noise in the basement, her relationship with Josh will increase.
- If Josh prefers Sam over himself, her relationship with Josh will slightly increase.
Relationship Decreases
Matt[]
Sam and Matt are not seen interacting at all during the entire game, and can only be seen together at the start of Chapter 2, where they possibly talk off-screen when they walk in the opposite direction as Josh and Chris. It is assumed, however, that they are good friends, as their relationship status is one of the highest relationships that Sam initially has. Sam may express remorse over his potential death when Emily returns from the mines.
Relationship Increases
- If Matt saw Mike and Emily flirting, challenges Mike, but then apologizes afterwards, her relationship with Matt will slightly increase.
Relationship Decreases
Mike[]
See Mike and Sam for more information.
Mike and Sam have markedly different personalities that can put them at odds with each other at the beginning of the game. However, their trust and support for each other gradually increases as the situation becomes increasingly grim, forcing both of them to take action and eventually depend on each other for survival. When they are reunited after being separated they are happy to see each other alive and Sam can even show concern towards Mike's fingers if he had them amputated, showing that she cares for his well being. Regardless of Mike's and Sam's differences in personality, their survival skills and resourcefulness allowed them to rely on each other and develop a strong mutual trust for each other towards the end. However, if Mike shoots Emily after she is bitten and Ashley reveals this was unnecessary as the bites aren't infectious, Sam's relationship with Mike will be irreparably damaged. Despite this, Sam will always express grief and blame herself for Mike's death in her interview if he is killed.
Relationship Increases
- If Mike didn't amputate his fingers and Sam shows concern for Jessica after Mike returns from the Sanatorium, her relationship with Mike will increase.
- If Emily was bitten and Mike spared Emily, her relationship with Mike will drastically increase.
Relationship Decreases
Trivia[]
Playability[]
- Sam is the first and last playable main character.
- She has 7 playable segments, that being one in Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 5, Chapter 7, Chapter 9, and two in Chapter 10 (06:00 and 06:36).
- This makes her the protagonist with the second most playable segments (tied with Mike and Matt).
- Sam appears in 8 chapters.
Totems[]
- Sam is tied with Emily for finding the third most totems out of all protagonists, with four.
- In the remake, Sam can find six totems.
Clues[]
(See: Clues found by Sam)
- Sam can find the second most clues out of all the protagonists, with eighteen.
- Sam can find 11 clues in the Mystery Man Clueline, 7 clues in Twins Clueline and 0 clues in 1952 Clueline.
- Sam is able to find the most clues in the Mystery Man Clueline.
- Sam, Chris, Matt and Ashley are the only protagonists able to find clues that have been missed or have already been found by other protagonists.
Facts[]
- Sam's dream job is a conservationist.
- She loves animals and hates violence.
- She is voted most likely to become an activist.[2]
- In ten years, she sees herself making a difference to people.
- Sam's favorite quote is by Mehmet Oz: "The opposite of anger is not calmness, it's empathy."
- She lives in Los Angeles, California.
- Her highest traits are brave, charitable and honest.
- Her lowest traits are romantic, funny and curious.
- Sam is the most charitable and most brave, as well as one of the least funny, romantic, and curious out of all the protagonists.
- Sam's highest base relationship statuses are with Josh, Chris, Ashley, Emily, and Matt.
- Her lowest base relationship statuses are with Mike and Jessica.
- Sam is the only character who isn't any character's highest relationship status at the start.
- Sam is the only character who can have her relationship with another character decrease to zero without having her directly interact with them: Mike if he shot Emily, and Ashley if she conceals the truth about the bites. However, these low relationships will not affect her actions.
- Sam has a fear of the supernatural, according to Dr. Hill.
- Sam, along with Emily, is affected by 5 Butterfly Effect segments.
- This makes them the third least affected protagonists.
Deaths[]
- Sam is the seventh protagonist who can die.
- Sam is one of three characters that can only be killed in Chapter 10. The other two are Mike and Josh.
- Sam has only one death: impaled in the abdomen by a Wendigo.
- Ashley's cut line in her final interview “they never came back!” indicates that, in an early version of the game, both Sam and Mike could possibly die before the final scene at the lodge.
Trophies[]
- In the original game, Sam has two trophies relating to her:
- "The Psycho Path," given when she or Ashley attack the Psycho with a weapon.
- "Instant Inferno,” given when Sam runs to the switch instantly.
- In the remake, she has two:
- "When a Psycho Calls,” given for escaping the Psycho.
- This is a reference to the film When a Stranger Calls.
- “The Psycho Path”, given for if she or Ashley attacks the Psycho with a weapon.
- Though the phrasing of the trophy does not mention Sam, "Carnival of Solitude” (achieved for shaking the Snow Globe) is completed while playing as Sam. This is a reference to the film Carnival of Souls.
- "When a Psycho Calls,” given for escaping the Psycho.
Other[]
- Sam is the only protagonist that doesn't have a doll to represent her in the dollhouse during Chapter 6, due to the fact that she had tried to warn Hannah on the night of the prank instead of participating in it.
- Cut dialogue, however, imply that Sam participated in the prank in an early version of the game, and had hidden with Jess before eventually stopping it when Hannah takes her shirt off.
- In the 2012 version of the game, Sam wore her hair down. The DPS 2014 trailer shows her with a similar hairstyle.
- Sam is one of the four protagonists - the others being Ashley, Mike and Matt - who could possibly kill another protagonist. In Sam's case, she can miss the Scrawled Journal (which is essential for Josh to survive) and set the lodge on fire while Mike, Emily and Ashley are inside or do nothing whey they are threatened by a Wendigo in Chapter 10.
- That makes Sam the protagonist with the most potential killed victims.
- Unused game files reveal cut dialogue of a phone call between Sam and her mother. Sam's mother tries to pair Sam with Chris, with Sam protesting that he already has his eye on Ashley.[3]
- Sam has unused dialogue where Chris brags about how strong he is to her and Jess.
- More unused dialogue where she talks to Jess.
- Sam has new voicelines in the remake, when she notices Emily pink bags in the car, asks if Emily is OK after Mike chooses to not shoot her, and another time when she picks up a snow globe, a collectable referencing Until Dawn: Rush of Blood.
- Sam enjoys drawing sketches and seems to have a keen talent for it. The sketches she draws of her friends in the Prologue are later seen during the fourth Dr. Hill therapy session and her art book can be found by Ashley.
- In the remake, the group used Sam's drawing of Hannah for the back of their note. In her diary entry before she meets Mike, Hannah writes about how she thought Sam was 'in on' her meetup with Mike because of the drawing, thus thinking Sam was trying to couple them. Because of this, there is a possibility Hannah might have thought Sam was in on the prank as well.
- In the Epilogue of the remake, it is revealed on her phone that Sam owns or had owned a dog at least once.
- In the remake, Sam does not listen to classical musical while she is in the bath like the original, but to a more modern tune.
- If Sam stands still in the bathroom for a while, there is an easter egg where O Death will start playing through her headphones.
Quotes[]
- "Wow...nice shootin' Tex."
- "Well actually the towel didn't turn out to be the best outfit for fighting off killer maniacs, you know?"
- "Let's put this thing to bed."
- "HEY! Fatty, over here!"
- "I've seen what's down there... and I'd give anything to unsee it."
Prologue[]
- "Don't you guys think this is a little bit cruel?" - Sam arguing about the prank.
- "You guys are jerks, you know that?." - Sam to the pranksters.
- "Y'know I kinda think you're the LAST person she wants to see right now, Mike." - Sam to Mike after he suggests going after Hannah and Beth.
Chapter 1[]
- "Wow, nice shootin' Tex." - Sam complimenting Chris' shooting skills.
- "Thanks, bro! Good talk." - to Chris.
Chapter 2[]
- "Josh. We're here for you. Really. Whatever you need. Whenever. We're all gonna make it through this... together." - Sam reassuring Josh.
- "Don't be an a-hole, okay?! I totally didn't jump! All I said was "what was that" which is a totally normal reaction to hearing a super creepy noise in a super creepy basement." - to Josh teasing her.
- "Thirty-love." - Sam
- "What? No... Where'd you get the first point?" - Josh
- "It doesn't start at thirty?" - Sam
- "No. Fifteen." - Josh
- "Oh. Well, I'm more of a ping-pong gal." - Sam
- "If it were me I wouldn't want this place to burn down on my watch." - Sam commenting on the weird noises in the basement.
- "I've just been through enough spooking for one night, okay? I see a hot bath in my crystal ball." - Sam
Chapter 3[]
The character does not appear in this chapter.
Chapter 4[]
The character does not appear in this chapter.
Chapter 5[]
- "Oh for Pete's sake. My clothes? Really? Whichever one of you did this is off my Christmas list. Seriously, not cool, guys. Not cool at all." - Sam discovering The Psycho took her clothes.
- "Chris? Mike? Emily? This is really getting out of hand, okay? It was all very funny, ha ha, look at Sam walking around in a towel, but now I just really want this to be over, alright? You had enough?"
- "You in the kitchen?... "Cooking" something up? ... Hehheh."
Chapter 6[]
The character has no notable quotes in this chapter.
Chapter 7[]
- "This is....this can't be right. Oh God."" - Sam discovering the Death Machine Plans.
- "Jeez. You look like hell." - finding Mike.
- "Well actually the towel didn't turn out to be the best outfit for fighting off killer maniacs, you know?" - Sam to Mike.
- "Let's put this thing to bed."
- "Josh... Your fingerprints were all over this. It was obviously you. You're crying out for help, Josh... Come on, you wanted to get caught, didn't you?" - if Sam found all the clues in the workshop after Josh reveals himself as the Psycho.
Chapter 8[]
- "Shh. Shut up Mike!" - to Mike when he accuses the Stranger.
Chapter 9[]
- "Wow great. Piece of cake." - when stumbling upon a rockwall.
- "I beat you. I fuckin' beat you." - after climbing successfully.
- "HEY! Fatty, over here!" - Sam saving Mike from a Wendigo.
Chapter 10[]
- "HEY! HEY!!!!! COME ON OPEN UP!!!! GUYS COME ON ARE YOU IN THERE?? LET ME IN!!!"
- "Shit, Mike! Oh gosh you look terrible-" - when reuniting with Mike.
Credits[]
- Sam: "I thought we were close... After his sisters disappeared.. he'd come and talk to me... He said I was the only one who understood him. I thought... I thought we had a connection."
- "If you need someone to talk to-" - Interviewer
- "I'm fine."
- "Sometimes after a traumatic experience-" - Interviewer
- "I said I'm fine."
- "You need to listen to me. I don't care if you believe me or not. Doesn't matter. Because you will. You need to go down to the mines."
- "What's in the mines, Sam?" - Interviewer
- "I've seen what's down there... and I'd give anything to unsee it."
Gallery
References[]
- ↑ Sam's character profile in the Your Companion app.
- ↑ The class yearbook in the Press Kit Edition of the game.
- ↑ Sam's phone call with her mother
Characters
| |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protagonists | |||||||
 Sam |
 Mike |
 Josh |
 Ashley |
 Chris |
 Emily |
 Matt |
 Jessica |
| Supporting Characters | |||||||
 Hannah |
 Beth |
 The Psycho |
 Wendigos |
 Dr. Hill |
 Jack |
 Wolfie |
 Minor Characters |