This piece contains spoilers for key plot twists in Alan Wake 2
Alan Wake 2is full of compelling characters, from the wonderful Saga Anderson to the sharp-tongued FBC agent Kiran Estevez. However, my personal favourites have to be Ilmo and Jaakko Koskela, the Koskela Brothers.
These two lovable goofs are salt-of-the-earth hard-working folk but have become very influential in the region where Alan Wake 2 is set, primarily thanks to Ilmo’s entrepreneurial spirit. They own Ahma Beer, Bright Falls Organic Coffee and the theme park Coffee World, while also providing tour guide services around the area.
A Cheery Start
The commercials were a light-hearted accompaniment as I traversed Bright Falls, Watery, and the surrounding areas, except for the final one, which is actually quite dark for reasons that should be apparent to anyone who’s finished Alan Wake 2.
The pair is also very obviously into some criminal activity. It transpires that these guys are not only members, but theleaders, of the Cult of the Tree, the seemingly nefarious group believed to be behind the ritual sacrifices plaguing the area. I can’t deny that my heart dropped when I got this bombshell revelation, because the amiable Finns really warmed my cockles with their campy ads and chummy demeanors.
Thankfully, the brothers come good in the end, as Saga discovers that the true purpose of the cult was to protect the people of Watery and Bright Falls from the Taken that emerged from Cauldron Lake,notto turn people into Taken as she suspected. By scaring people away from the woods, people would be safe from the Taken that roamed the night. The Koskelas and their allies would then hunt the Taken under the guise of the Cult, performing rituals intended to permanently destroy the minions of the Dark Presence.
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The first hint you get about the true nature of the brothers, and one of my favourite little scenes in the game, comes when you profile the pair as Saga. The agent questions whether the Koskelas understand the true danger of the woods and witnesses a scene where Ilmo tells Jaakko that darkness is closer than ever and to “suit up.”
While Saga and I may have believed the brothers intended to further the spread of darkness, the complete opposite was true. These two are the protectors of Bright Falls and Watery, and they understand the danger posed by Cauldron Lake better than anybody. Their methods may have been questionable, but these two are the unsung heroes of Alan Wake 2.
While they haven’t always been correct in their actions, they’re pretty much a resistance movement, fighting against a dark, interdimensional force that threatens their homeland (or even the world). I don’t take issue with them trying to kill Alan, they have reasonable cause considering he emerged from Cauldron Lake, a hotbed of Taken (and, as it turns out, they were actually right to be wary). Yes, they send Saga on a dangerous path through the woods to get to Coffee World, knowing she might die there, but again, they’re doing it believing (not incorrectly) that Saga’s good-intentioned investigation might lead to disaster.
It’s an interesting ride with the Koskelas, as you go from believing they’re harmless local eccentrics, to evil cult leaders, to defenders of the Earthly realm. They are far more intelligent than they first appear to be, correctly identifying the Clicker as an object of power and cleverly utilising it to destroy Taken. They also had a plan to turn the Lighthouse into a Taken-destroying device, which is seriously thinking outside the box.
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Finn-ishing Up
Their intervention also stopped Saga from giving the Clicker to Scratch who was posing as Wake. Unfortunately, this move cost Jaakko his life. When I found out the true extent of the brothers’ innocence from Ilmo in this event’s aftermath, I felt very sorry for Jaakko. Even while grappling with his twin’s death, Ilmo agrees to help Saga protect the town from Scratch, a testament to his character.
These two did everything they could for their local area. They supported the economy, attracted tourism and protected its people from evil for over a decade. They can’t be called anything but true heroes of Bright Falls and Watery, and I’m sure Ilmo still has a part to play in the future. The Koskelas Brothers brought light to a dark, dreary and accursed region.
