| “ | Wow. Nice shootin', Tex. | ” |
— Sam to Chris
|
Samantha "Sam" Giddings is one of the eight main protagonists, a playable character and the overall lead 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. Her nails are blue with lighter tips and small light blue snowflakes on them. She wears a woven bracelet.
One Year Ago[]
In the prologue, she wears a garnet and white patterned wool sweater with dark blue jeans and a pair of red snow boots. She also wears silver hoop earrings.
Until Dawn[]
Sam arrives on the mountain a year later wearing a purple shirt, black undershirt, black leather jacket, red plaid skirt, black tights, white socks, and brown boots. Outside, she also wears a fur hat and red scarf.
After bathing, she wraps herself in a white towel with the Washingtons' monogram on it. After she finds her backpack, she changes into 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.
Damage and other changes[]
Sam’s changes in appearance are as follows:
- Cut forehead: attacked by crow after Chris shoots squirrel (Determinant)
- Cut knee: failed stair QTE during chase (Determinant)
- Bloodied face, leg, and hands: tossed from the sanatorium explosion (Determinant event, fixed injuries)
- These injuries are gained from the sanatorium explosion in Chapter 9. However, they will still appear on Sam later if you met Mike in the mines instead.
The Scar’s Awakening[]
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 adventurous, the latter being brave in the remake. 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. Though her strong moral beliefs sometimes set her apart from her friends, she remains unwavering in her values. 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.
According to Dr. Hill, Sam's greatest fear is the supernatural. While Sam draws happiness from nature, she finds the occult to be unsettling, so when her friends find a spirit board and talk about having a séance, Sam promptly ducks out.
Sam is on board with Mike's plan.
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 Jessica 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[]
2024[]
Pacifist Sam is warm, compassionate and has a good relationship with all members of the group. She views the return to the lodge as a chance to catch up with her friends and put the tragic events of the past behind her. Despite her aversion to violence, Sam does not scare easily and is level-headed under pressure.[2]
2015[]
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.[1]
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 from pranking 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 spirit 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 seen in the bathtub with her eyes closed, using earbuds to listen to classical music (R&B in the remake). 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 well-being. If Sam was caught, she will be found unconscious in a chair by Ashley and Chris. 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. Sam is tied to a chair by her wrists and ankles. Mike tells her to move over to the grate, and he will use the machete or the lighter 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, and that she is the Wendigo who has been stalking them. 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 died, 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 need to 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.
The Scar's Awakening[]
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’s work alarm wakes her up at 6 AM. Sam is shown to have books about Indigenous myths and the Wendigo, 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, while a strange, red mist engulfs her. As she tries to stop the bleeding, the voice of Dr. Hill calls out her name.[3]
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[]
- Josh (Accidental, indirect, determinant)
While not killing Josh directly, Sam can miss a vital clue in Chapter 10, the Scrawled Journal, that ensures Josh's survival (in the original game). If Sam doesn't find the journal, she won't inform Josh about Hannah surviving in the mines, and he will recognize Hannah too late and be killed.
- Mike (Direct or indirect, determinant)
If Sam fails the first Don't Move segment during the lodge showdown in Chapter 10, or if she chooses to do nothing to save him, Mike will be attacked by Hannah and fatally injured. If Sam runs to the switch while Mike is still inside, he will be incinerated in the lodge's fire.
- Ashley (Direct or indirect, determinant)
If Sam chooses to run to the switch before Ashley makes it out of the lodge, she'll die in the explosion. Or, if Sam did nothing to save Mike or moved during the first 'Don't Move' segment, Hannah will attack Mike and afterwards approach Ashley (if Emily pushed her earlier or Emily is dead). If Sam does nothing to save Ashley, Hannah will grab her and gouge her eyes out.
- Emily (Direct or indirect, determinant)
If Sam chooses to run to the switch before Emily makes it out of the lodge, she'll die in the explosion. Or, if Sam did nothing to save Mike or moved during the first 'Don't Move' segment, Hannah will attack Mike and afterwards approach Emily (if she hadn't pushed Ashley earlier or Ashley is dead). If Sam does nothing to save Emily, Hannah will grab her and gouge her eyes out.
- Multiple Wendigos (Direct, determinant)
- Billy Bates (Direct, determinant)
If Mike blew up the Sanatorium, he will burst in through the heavy metal door while being attacked by Billy Bates. Sam will decapitate the Wendigo with whatever weapon she has, saving Mike.
- Hannah (Direct, determinant)
If Sam makes it out of the lodge alive, she will turn on the switch, and Hannah will be killed in the lodge's fire.
Relationships[]
Hannah[]
See Sam and Hannah for more information.
Sam is Hannah's best friend. In the Prologue, Sam stood up for Hannah, believing that the prank was cruel and that Hannah isn’t at fault for having a crush on Mike. She attempted to warn Hannah, arriving in the guest room too late and trying to comfort Hannah instead, telling her that the others were just playing a stupid prank. When Hannah runs away, Sam chastised her friends for their behavior, calling them jerks. In the remake, the pranksters use one of Sam’s sketches of Hannah to help them lure her, because of this, Hannah believed that Sam was in on setting her up with Mike. Therefore, she likely assumed Sam was involved in the prank.
As a Wendigo, can kill Sam by impaling her in the abdomen. When Sam runs to the light switch at the end, Hannah attacks a miner Wendigo who had been leaping at Sam.
Hannah keeps an old Halloween card Sam had sent to her and her siblings, has a photo of her on a pinboard, and, in the remake, has a photo of her taped to her mirror. The two are seen together in a Prom Photo.
Beth[]
According to Beth's relationship menu, Sam and Beth were good friends. They were among those - including Chris and Josh - who did not participate in pranking Hannah. Sam is listed as Beth's third highest relationship and highest non-familial relationship.
Ashley[]
Sam and Ashley don't interact much throughout the game, but Sam appears fond of Ashley and tells Josh that Ashley and Chris are sweet together. After Sam goes missing, Ashley and Chris return to the lodge to search for her. Though Ashley is terrified of the Psycho and wishes to leave, Chris is able to convince her to continue on for Sam’s sake. When Chris wonders if the Psycho killed Sam, Ashley will become distressed and tell him not to say that. She shows concern for Sam, becoming frightened when she discovers Sam’s clothes and bracelet. When Chris and Ashley are stuck in the gun trap, Sam and Mike help them. If Chris dies by failing his chase, Sam holds Ashley’s hands and comforts her. If Ashley caused Chris’s death, Sam still attempts to comfort her but Ashley will irritably brush off the concern. If Emily is bitten, Mike doesn't shoot her, and Ashley reveals that the bites are actually harmless, Sam defends Ashley's actions to a furious Emily, saying Ashley acted how she did because she was scared.
Ashley and Sam (along with Chris and Emily, if they are alive) will enter the mines together and work to find a way to the sanatorium. If Ashley separates from the group then returns, Sam will hold her hands and say she’s glad Ashley is safe.
In Sam’s base stats, Ashley is tied with Chris, Emily, Josh, and Matt; they are above Mike and Jessica. In Ashley’s base stats, Sam is tied with Matt and Josh for second; they are lower than Chris.
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 throughout the game as they joke around and show concern for one another. Both Sam and Chris have histories with the Washington siblings—Sam as Hannah’s best friend and Chris as Josh’s best friend. In the remake of the prologue, they are seen having a good time in a photo together, along with Josh, Matt, and Mike. Before taking the cable car to the lodge, they can potentially bicker (over Sam snooping in Chris’s phone and/or Chris shooting a squirrel). However, their relationship is often playful. Sam affectionately punches Chris in the shoulder while in the cable car, Chris goofs around with her when he sees her standing at the lodge window, and he pranks Sam and Josh while they are in the basement. Like Josh, Sam is interested in when Chris will ask Ashley out.
The two look out for each other throughout the night. After Chris and Ashley escape the first saw trap, they search for Sam in the lodge and old hotel, and Chris explains that is worried about Sam and cannot leave her if she’s in trouble. Sam can check on Chris once he comes back from his chase. If Chris is killed during his chase, Sam will be saddened.
In Sam’s base relationship meters, Chris is tied with Ashley, Emily, Josh, and Matt, and he is ranked above Jess and Mike. In Chris’ base stats, Sam is in second place, following Josh and Ashley who are tied.
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 generally get along well and appear together, alongside Mike and Hannah, in the Prom Night Photo. Although Sam was angry with Emily for her involvement in the prank, the two are back on good terms when they return to the lodge, as seen by their relationship statuses. In the remake, Sam may find a shopping bag full of adult materials and sigh, muttering "Ah, Emily." In both versions of the game, Emily claims she has to go talk to Sam in order to convince Matt to take the bags to the lodge alone. If Emily makes it back from the mines during Chapter 8, Sam and Ashley will help get her to a couch and attentively listen to her story.
In the safe room, Emily and Sam go over the group's options with Mike. When the others panic over Emily’s bite, Sam is the one to defend her, saying they don’t know for sure that the bites are infectious. When Mike threatens to shoot Emily, Sam attempts to calm him down. If Emily is shot, Sam cries out in horror and her relationship with Mike plummets. If Mike does not shoot and Ashley reveals the truth about the bites, Sam will assure Emily that she'll be fine. In the remake, Sam will approach Emily to see if she’s okay, and Emily will hold up her hand and shake her head.
In Sam’s base stats, Emily is tied with Ashley, Chris, Josh, and Matt, placing above Jessica and Mike. In Emily’s base stats, Sam is second after Mike and Matt who are tied.
Jessica[]
Sam and Jessica are friends, though they conflict in the prologue. Here, Sam argues with Jess about the group's plan to play a prank on Hannah, saying that it’s cruel. However, a year later, they appear to be on better terms. Jessica helps Sam and Chris get out of the cable car, and Sam is friendly towards Jessica, standing up for her when Chris steals her letter. She also shows an interest in the letter’s contents herself, saying that Jessica can tell them what it’s about. 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.
In Sam’s base stats, Jessica is tied with Mike, ranking lower than Chris, Ashley, Emily, Matt, and Josh. In Jessica's stats, Sam is tied with Ashley for fourth, placing lower than Mike, Matt, and Josh.
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 Decreases
Josh[]
See Josh and Sam for more information.
Sam and Josh know each other well, and Sam is best friends with Josh’s sister Hannah. Sam and Chris are the only protagonists besides Josh to not participate in pranking Hannah. In the remake, a digital camera picture shows Sam and Josh hanging out with Matt, Chris, and Mike during the party.
At the lodge the following year, Josh tells Sam that he is glad she came back to the lodge. He shows concern for her a few times while the two are in the basement. He states that he wouldn't want her to be down there alone and can go with her to explore the source of a strange noise. When the two are chased by a disguised Chris, Josh will try to shield Sam when they reach a locked door. Sam is supportive of Josh, assuring him that she and the others are there for him. They can potentially talk about Josh’s memories of his family, and they enjoy teasing each other, such as when Sam tricks Josh into looking behind him.
As the Psycho, Josh torments Sam. He eventually chases her through the lodge while taunting her efforts to escape. If he does not capture her, she will discover his workshop and read his medical file. When he reveals himself, she will then argue that he wanted to get caught as a cry for help. While Sam goes along with the plan to keep Josh outside, she will become upset if Chris admits to having hit him.
Sam and Mike see Josh again in the mines, and he gives her the key to the cable car. She can potentially tell him what became of his sister which saves his life later. In an interview with police officers, Sam admits to feeling betrayed by Josh, saying that she talked to him after he lost his sisters and that he had said that they had a connection.
It is possible, through the player’s choice, for Josh to tell Hill that Sam is his least favorite of the group. Hill responds by saying Sam is feisty but that he otherwise cannot see what’s not to like. He wonders if Josh is intimidated by Sam’s strength and beauty.
In Sam’s base stats, Josh is tied with Chris, Ashley, Emily, and Matt, placing higher than Jessica and Mike. In Josh’s base stats, Sam is tied with Jessica and Ashley, lower than Chris, but higher than Emily, Mike, and Matt.
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 friends, but don't directly interact during the game. They appear together—along with Chris, Josh, and Mike—in a picture taken during the party in the prologue. After the prank on Hannah, Sam calls Matt and the others who participated jerks. They can be seen together at the start of Chapter 2, where they possibly talk off-screen after walking in the opposite direction from Josh and Chris. If Matt falls from the cliff, Sam can ask Emily where he is and will react with disbelief and horror when Emily says that he is dead.
In Sam’s base stats, Matt is tied with Chris, Emily, Josh, and Ashley, placing higher than Mike and Jessica. In Matt’s base stats, Sam is tied with Ashley, following Jess and Emily who are in first place.
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, Mike and Sam conflict due to Mike’s involvement in the prank against Hannah. However, their trust and support for each other gradually increases as circumstances become more dire, forcing both of them to take action and eventually depend on each other for survival.
The two team up on several occasions. They run into each other after Mike leaves the sanatorium, and Sam can show concern towards Mike if he’d amputated his fingers. Together, they hurry to save Chris and Ashley. In the safe room they, along with Emily, discuss the best survival plan for the group. Eventually, Sam and Mike meet up in the mines and work together to survive an attack by a Wendigos and reach Josh. Despite their differing temperaments, they share survival skills and resourcefulness which allows them to develop a strong mutual trust towards the end.
Sam’s relationship with Mike is greatly impacted by Emily’s bite. If Mike decides to spare Emily, his stat with Sam will significantly rise, and she will state that he made a good decision. If he decides to kill Emily, he will become Sam’s lowest relationship. Regardless, the two of them will work together in the final scene to come up with the plan to explode the lodge. Mike can defend Sam from the Wendigo which will give him a fatal wound. If Sam gets Mike killed, either by needing rescue or by lighting the lodge too early, she’ll express grief and regret during her interviews.
In Sam’s base stats, Mike is tied with Jessica, lower than Josh, Matt, Chris, Emily, and Ashley. In Mike’s base stats, Sam is tied with Chris and Josh for third place.
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 in the original game, and increase a decent amount in the remake.
Relationship Decreases
Trivia[]
Playability[]
- Sam is the first and last playable protagonist in the game.
- She has 7 playable segments: one in Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 5, Chapter 7, Chapter 9, and two in Chapter 10 (06:00 and 06:36).
- Sam appears in 8 chapters.
- Sam has the second most playtime of the protagonists, at about 1 hour and 3 minutes in total.[4]
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.[5]
- In ten years, she sees herself making a difference to people.[5]
- Sam's favorite quote is by Mehmet Oz: "The opposite of anger is not calmness, it's empathy."[5]
- 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 can affect two chapter titles: Chapter 4 and Chapter 6.
- To obtain Loyalty in Chapter 4, the player must say he/she disliked Sam, Emily, Jessica or Matt the most during Dr. Hill's fourth therapy session.
- To obtain Vengeance in Chapter 6, the player must get caught by the Psycho in Chapter 5.
- To obtain Psychosis in Chapter 6, the player must hide and successfully evade the Psycho in Chapter 5.
- In the 2012 version of the game, Sam wore her hair down. The DPS 2014 trailer shows her with a similar hairstyle.
- Sam is the only protagonist that doesn't have a doll to represent her in the dollhouse during Chapter 6.
- However, a doll of her with her beta hairstyle does appear in Rush of Blood.[6]
- Sam participated in the prologue prank in an early PS4 version of the game, where she had hidden with the rest of the protagonists (minus Josh) before eventually trying to stop the prank when Hannah began to take her shirt off. This change is indicated in a few places:
- In the cut dialogue from the prologue and vaguely alluded to in the Psycho's Chapter 5 cut dialogue with Sam.
- On the website of Will McNally, the narrative designer of the remake.[7]
- In the concept art book added to the September 2025 patch of the remake.[8]
- Sam is one of the five protagonists - the others being Ashley, Emily, Mike, and Matt - who can get another protagonist killed. 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 whose player decisions can cause the most deaths, which is a bit ironic since she is a pacifist.
- Sam has a number of unused dialogues, including:
- A section during which she comments briefly on each of her friends.
- A phone call between Sam and her mother. Sam's mother tries to pair her with Chris, and Sam protests that he already has his eye on Ashley.
- More between her and Chris as well as the pair finding animal tracks.
- Sam, Chris, and Jessica talking. They joke about Sam and Chris' time at the shooting range being a date, and Jessica can comment on Sam's scratch if she was attacked by the crow.
- If Sam is caught by the Psycho, she will lose her bracelet which Ashley can find later. Ashley expresses concern, saying Sam never takes the bracelet off.
- In the original game, the bracelet has a similar design to the ones on the Remembrance Board.
- Sam has new voice lines 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.
- Her brief "Emily" when she sees the bags is reused from her cut dialogue commenting on her friends.
- The remake attributes the sketches during the fourth Dr. Hill therapy session to Sam. They are the same images seen in her art book.
- The prank group used Sam's drawing of Hannah for the back of their bait 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. Because of this, Hannah likely thought Sam was in on the prank as well.
- In the epilogue of the remake, Sam's lock screen depicts her hugging a German Shepherd.
- In the original game, Sam listens to "Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major" by Bach while in the tub. In the remake, she listens to "Oh Honey" by Delegation.
- In the remake, if Sam waits in the bathroom for a while, "O Death" will start playing through her headphones.
- Sam has been cosplayed by a member of the original development team. For a Halloween livestream, Jez Harris, a production manager of Until Dawn, dressed as her wearing a bath towel.[9]
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."
- "What? No... Where'd you get the first point?" - Josh.
- "It doesn't start at thirty?"
- "No. Fifteen." - Josh.
- "Oh. Well, I'm more of a ping-pong gal."
- "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."
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[]
- "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[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sam's character profile in the Your Companion app.
- ↑ PlayStation Store
- ↑ The voice is confirmed to be Dr. Hill's, as found through the website of one of the game's directors, Alessandro Gaudiosi.
- ↑ Character Playtimes
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 The class yearbook in the Press Kit Edition of the game.
- ↑ Sam's doll in Rush of Blood
- ↑ Will McNally's confirmation on Sam's cut prank involvement
- ↑ Concept Art Book
- ↑ Twitch stream with Supermassive Games
Characters
| |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protagonists | |||||||
 Sam |
 Mike |
 Josh |
 Ashley |
 Chris |
 Emily |
 Matt |
 Jessica |
| Supporting Characters | |||||||
 Hannah |
 Beth |
 The Psycho |
 Wendigos |
 Dr. Hill |
 The Stranger |
 Wolfie |
 Minor Characters |