Audrey Drew
- This article refers the protagonist of Bendy and the Dark Revival. For Joey Drew Studios Inc's concept artist, see Audrey Hotte.
"My father once told me, that just because we're born of darkness... doesn't mean we belong to it. We're always free to choose." |
Audrey Drew is an animator working for Arch Gate Pictures and is Joey Drew's daughter created from the Ink Machine. Drawn into the mysterious world of the Cycle, she navigates the ink-filled halls of monsters and demons in the hopes of finding a way home.
Biography
Early life
Though Audrey claims that she didn't know her father, mother, or the rest of her family when growing up, the truth was that she was a creation of the Ink Machine. Joey Drew had previously used the Machine to attempt to bring his own characters to life, but later tried to use it to make the family that he was never able to have in his later years.
After forming children that referred to him as an "uncle", Audrey was his greatest success and Joey came to love her as his own daughter despite her inky origins. However, at some point in the years since her creation, some sort of event caused Audrey to forget her true nature and relation to Joey.
By 1972, Arch Gate Pictures had been established by Nathan Arch whom purchased Joey's assets following his death. Audrey began to work for the company as an animator on a new series of Bendy cartoons soon after. She was so productive with her work that she was named 'Employee of the Month'.
Working at Archgate Pictures and descending into the Cycle
On June 18th 1973, over a year since Arch Gate's purchase of Joey's properties, Audrey is working late finishing up a series of frames for the latest Bendy animation. As a heavy storm rolls in, Audrey leaves her desk to get some coffee and runs into Wilson, the janitor. As their elevator gets briefly stuck, Wilson leads Audrey to an exhibit of Joey Drew's work and asks for her help with getting the power running again. Unfortunately, Audrey is tricked into fulfilling the ritual requirements to start the Ink Machine, and she is pulled into the Cycle at Wilson's hand.
When she awakes, Audrey discovers that the ink of the world has tainted her and she panics trying to find a way out. Learning Wilson has established himself as an authority figure in the Cycle after proclaiming to have killed the Ink Demon, Audrey narrowly escapes being attacked by a Piper before she is saved by Allison. Allison tells her to avoid the Ink Demon and to find a way to the upper levels.
Avoiding the hordes of Lost Ones that try to impede her progress in Animation Alley, Audrey runs into a real-life version of Bendy, whom she tries to befriend. However, her newly discovered powers accidentally trigger and hurt him, causing him to run away. Soon after this, Audrey is pursued by the Ink Demon himself, the entity claiming that she was born from this world and that he knows her secrets. She is successfully able to avoid him, but must continuously hide whenever he draws close.
When exploring the Sewers, Audrey encounters an ink manifestation of Joey Drew himself, a memory of the real man trapped in the Cycle along with everyone else. He explains the nature of the Cycle to her, claiming that someone from the outside is attempting to change it with new monsters from the ink, and that she is there for a reason.
When reaching the city that the souls of the Cycle have built, Audrey encounters Bendy again. She apologizes for their first meeting and asks him to accompany her. Bendy agrees and the two explore the streets to find a way into the nearby Gent building. While searching inside the Downside Motel, Joey appears again and draws Audrey into a memory of the studio entrance seen from the start of Henry's journey. It is here that he explains Audrey's origins from the Ink Machine itself and that she is Joey's daughter. Enraged at Joey telling her 'lies', Audrey returns to the hotel and discovers Bendy has disappeared.
Upon trying to enter the Gent facility, the Ink Demon appears to block Audrey's way, but mysterious towers suddenly activate and zap Audrey of her powers. At the same time, she witnesses the Ink Demon transform into the same Bendy she had met, realizing the two of them are the same being. Pressing on into the facility, Audrey meets the Keepers, creations of Wilson designed to enforce his rule. She avoids them, sneaking through the facility and into the prison area for the 'Cyclebreakers', entities within the Cycle that could threaten Wilson's plans.
Audrey discovers contraband and artifacts that Wilson has locked up to maintain order, and eventually meets the ink version of Henry Stein. Henry explains that Wilson is trying to prevent the Cycle from starting over again and that Audrey can undo everything he's done by locating a reel of film and showing it to the Ink Demon. Though she presses further on, a Keeper suddenly knocks Audrey out before she can get any further.
Audrey awakens inside a train with Wilson, who insists that he brought her here to help him save his father's life and destroy the Ink Demon, then allow them to return home safely. Though the Ink Demon speaks to Audrey and claims Wilson is lying, she follows him into his sanctuary where he explains that Gent's signal towers are what keep the Ink Demon subdued in his Bendy form. Promising to talk later, Wilson has his housemaid Betty show Audrey to a room to rest, but she is knocked out by the sudden appearance of Twisted Alice.
Audrey awakens in one of Alice's games, told that she will be free to go if she solves a puzzle laid out before her. Successfully able to escape, Audrey is then attacked by Alice and is nearly killed until Allison arrives with Tom to save her. With Alice dead, Audrey tells Allison that she's going to see Wilson's plan to destroy the Ink Demon through while Allison gathers their friends to help.
Returning to Wilson in his laboratory, Wilson tells Audrey that his plan is to create a new ink creature to challenge the Ink Demon, one born from a colored cartoon design of his own making and a soul that would allow it to be controlled: Audrey's soul. Realizing that he intended all of this to challenge his father, Nathan Arch, with power of his own and that he lied to her with the promise of a way home, Audrey knocks Wilson into his own machines, ripping him apart and sending his body into the inner workings of the Ink Machine itself.
Upon entering the chamber where the Ink Machine is housed, Audrey is suddenly attacked by an amalgamation of Wilson's cartoon character and Wilson himself. She is able to beat the creature after destroying the signal towers and unlocking her powers again, banishing Wilson's soul from the monster. However, the creature manages to grievously harm Audrey by ripping her legs off, just before the Ink Demon arrives and drags it back into the ink to kill it for good.
When Audrey comes around, the Ink Demon is waiting and taunts her, saying that her entire purpose inside the Cycle is now over and pointless. With no strength left to resist, the Ink Demon takes Audrey's body and fuses it with his own, merging the two of them together into Beast Bendy. Suddenly, the ink version of Joey reappears with the End Reel, appealing to Audrey who is still trapped inside the monster to see the end of the Cycle through. Though the Ink Demon briefly takes over and kills Joey, Audrey seizes control of the body and runs through the facility with an army of Lost Ones in hot pursuit. Allison and Tom, along with the now free Henry, and all the other friends Audrey made along the way, help to fight them back while Audrey reaches the projector. Sammy Lawrence briefly appears, preaching his 'savior's' return, trying to dissuade Audrey's allies from resisting any further, only to be shot dead by Allison with her Tommy Gun. Upon reaching the projector, Audrey inserts the reel and shines it at Beast Bendy, resetting the Cycle once again.
Legacy
Now appearing to be back in the real world, Audrey reflects on what Joey said to her about how people are free to choose what to believe and do despite where they came from. Accepting her nature not only as Joey's daughter, but a being born of ink and living as flesh in the real world, she vows to make things easier for her friends still within the Cycle before she turns to her side, revealing an in-color Bendy waiting for her. Unbeknownst to her, Gent corporation took the Ink Machine back to their workshop to continue with their experiments.
Characteristics
Physical appearance
In the real world, Audrey is a young woman with curly brown hair, styled typically of the 1970s era. She wears what appears to be a light blue knitted top, along with dark pants and flat shoes.
When she is pulled into the Cycle, Audrey becomes tainted by the ink. The colors of her clothing change to the sepia tones of the world, her hair turns black, her eyes begin to glow, and she is covered in ink stains. Her left arm is transformed to appear more skeletal and glowing symbols representing her abilities occasionally spread out from the back of her hand into tendrils up her fingers.
Personality
Audrey is a very driven person, seeming to enjoy her work as an animator on the newly revived Bendy cartoons and striving hard to reach her goals. While she is initially scared and confused of her surroundings when she enters the Cycle, she shows a determination to navigate whatever horrors await in the studio to find a way home.
Audrey also shows a degree of sympathy for some of the lost souls inside, shown when interacting with others like Allison or Bendy himself. By the end, she uses that sympathy in a vow to make things better for her friends still inside the Cycle.
Abilities
Audrey is given various abilities upon entering the Ink Demon's world; however, they won't work if signal towers are close by.
- Banish - An ability gifted by the Ink itself. Audrey can dissolve enemies by touching them with her left hand if she approaches while crouched and undetected, restoring a portion of her health if done successfully. This ability doesn't work against more powerful foes such as the Keepers.
- Flow - An ability gifted by Porter for helping him. Audrey can use this power to travel a large distance in an instant, allowing her to cross large gaps and get to out of reach areas. The downside is that she won't be able to reach the area if it is too far or something is blocking the way. This ability can also be used to quickly get by enemies or stay ahead of pursuers.
- Fast Travel - An ability gifted by Heidi for playing a game with her. Audrey can travel through connected ink pipes that allow her to reach different areas more quickly. She may even find hidden areas.
After fusing with the Ink Demon and gaining control of its body to become Beast Bendy, Audrey is granted the creature's physical powers. However, due to her recklessness to take control, she hasn't reached the power level of the Ink Demon yet, as seen when she can't open reinforced door or run at an immensely-high speed, and the Ink Demon generally can still speak as well as summon enemies.
- Superhuman strength - Audrey is very strong, allowing her to smash through large metal doors, instantly defeat enemies, and break stuff around her with ease. However, she can't break through reinforced doors and must rely on her allies' help to open them for her.
- Invincibility - Audrey's durability allows her to withstand attacks from multiple enemies at once, making it impossible for them to harm or kill her.
- Infinite stamina - Audrey can continue moving and fighting without getting tired out.
Behind the scenes
Audrey is the main protagonist of Bendy and the Dark Revival. She is voiced by Erin Lehn.
Audrey was first revealed from the game's early 2019 gameplay trailer, although her arms were only seen throughout the video. Her face reveal and name was later teased on November 2019.[Citation needed]
Inspirations
Audrey's appearance may have been a nod to the BioShock series, as she resembles Elizabeth from BioShock Infinite, her sweater resembles Jack's, the marks of her ink abilities on her left hand are extremely similar to plasmids.
Dialogue
- Main article: Audrey Drew/dialogue
- "We're always free to choose. To believe what we want to believe. But when you step back, when you really look at where you've been, and the things you've done, your past will come... to devour you."
Gallery
- Main article: Category:Images of Audrey Drew
"Look pal, if you think I'm doing my job AND yours, I'm outta here!" - Wally Franks
In other languages
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| Chinese (Simplified) | 奥黛丽·德鲁 Ào dài lì·dé lǔ |
| Japanese | オードリー・ドリュー Ōdorī doryū |
| Russian | Одри Дрю Odri Dryu |
References
- ↑ Bendy and the Dark Revival. Chapter 5: The Dark Revival. Developed and published by Joey Drew Studios on November 15, 2022.