Doug (Video Game)

"Anything I'd like to contribute needs batteries or tools I just don't have...I feel worthless on watch because I'm not wild about guns, and I just wish I was more helpful."

- Doug confessing he doesn't feel like he contributes to the group to Lee.

Doug is an original character who first appeared in Telltale Games' The Walking Dead: Season One. Doug is a likable and non-threatening IT technician. He is incredibly resourceful and extremely logical, and is passive-aggresive when it comes to conflict.

Macon, Georgia
Doug worked as an IT technician and considered himself to be a geek. He moved to Macon, Georgia two months before the outbreak to live with his uncle. When Carley and her co-workers were attacked by walkers, Doug only managed to save Carley. The two of them joined forces with the survivors in the Everett Pharmacy Drugstore.

"A New Day"
Doug is first seen in a pharmacy along with the other survivors. Throughout the game, he is assigned to keep a lookout on the street. If spoken to, Doug asks Lee if he wants to take a look outside. Once out there, Lee can choose to go back inside or examine what is around him. When they attempt to retrieve the keys off of Lee's brother, Doug uses his tech skills to program a universal remote from the drugstore office to turn on a set of TVs across the street. This distracts the walkers so Lee can sneak outside and retrieve the pharmacy keys from his brother's corpse. When the walkers notice Lee, Doug warns him and they close the gate as the walkers approach. When Lee and Lilly accidentally trip the pharmacy alarm, Doug helps Lee and Carley hold up the barricades against the walkers while the other survivors prepare to escape.

In-Game Decision
Lee will have to choose to save either Carley or Doug when the walkers attack the pharmacy. The two get pinned when trying to defend the windows, with Carley attempting to reach for her ammunition and Doug being dragged out of the window.

Save Carley (Dead)
If Lee chooses to save Carley over Doug, he will be pulled out of the pharmacy window and devoured by the walkers. Later, Carley will feel terrible about what happened to him, but understands Lee's decision.

Save Doug (Alive)
Carley is out of ammunition and is eaten by walkers while Doug escapes with everyone else outside. Later at the motel, Doug expresses regret that Carley is dead, but doesn't blame Lee claiming that this is just survivor's guilt. He still wishes Lee chose Carley instead of him.

"Starved For Help"
If saved in Episode 1: A New Day, three months later, Doug will be seen with the survivors when Lee and his group return from hunting. Doug will be a passive member in the discussion over whether to let Ben Paul and Travis/David Parker stay. However, he seems to agree with letting them stay. While Lilly gets upset and forces Lee to decide how to divide the day's rations, Doug is making an alarm system to keep the walkers away. If Lee asks Doug if he wants some food, Doug will refuse any offers (unless given the apple). When Katjaa calls out to Kenny and Lee to say that Travis/David isn't going to live, she and Lee are attacked. Doug tries to help by hitting Travis/David with a plank, only knocking him over. Just a few moments after Travis/David is killed, and Ben has told that it isn't the bite that makes you turn, Doug's alarm goes off to reveal the St. John brothers approaching. Doug goes with Lee, Mark, and Ben back to the dairy farm, where he takes the time to discuss with Lee the practicality of the St. John's electric fence. Upon arriving at the dairy, Brenda St. John hands over some food to Doug for the group. Doug and Ben go back to the motor inn to get the rest of the survivors. They both stay there while the rest head to the farm.

Doug later gets Lee's attention using a laser pointer he found earlier. Lee tells Doug and Ben to look for a way inside the house from behind. They arrive just as Andrew and Lee are in a fight. Doug saves Lee by blinding Andrew with the laser pointer. As they leave the farm, he fixes the video camera Lee found, where it is revealed that Jolene had been spying on the group.

"Long Road Ahead"
Doug appears if saved in Episode 1. He stays out of the argument between Kenny and Lilly, but adds that he thinks Lee should have tried to save Beatrice to Kenny's annoyance. He feels he doesn't do enough for the group and later goes to work on the fence. If asked about his position on guns, he says he is not wild about them, nor is he the best shot. When the group is rounded up by the Bandits, he escapes after Lilly snipes one of them. Seeing a chance, he quickly grabs the dead bandit's gun and shoots one of the bandits twice. He runs out of ammo, and runs to work on the RV. He aids Lee by warning him when and where bandits and zombies appear. After humorously using a hammer to fix the RV's engine, the group flees the motor inn in the RV, Lilly accuses Ben of being a traitor, with Doug trying to diffuse the situation. He stays out of most of the argument, but gets fed up with Lilly throwing accusations. When the RV pulls over, he joins in on the argument by defending Ben. When Lilly is about to shoot Ben, Doug pulls him out of the way but accidentally gets in the way and is shot in the back of the head in the process.

"400 Days"
If Doug was saved in "A New Day", then Russell will lie next to Doug's rotten body if he chooses to hide from Nate. If Russell stays on his feet, the player can only see his body laid next to Russell's feet very quickly. Curiously his body has been moved, and the zombie parted in two by Kenny is not present. His mouth is covered in maggots, his skin started to rot, and the hole he has through his front by Lilly's shot is still there.

Killed By
Lee has to choose in Episode 1 whether to save Doug or Carley from the walkers at the drugstore after the alarm is set off while retrieving Larry's pills. If Lee chooses to save Carley, then Doug is killed and devoured by the walkers.
 * Walkers (Determinant)

Killed By
After the RV pulls over, Lilly accuses Ben of being a traitor and fires her gun at him when he is distracted, but Doug shields him, taking the bullet to the head and dying instantly.
 * Lilly (Accidental)
 * Ben Paul (Indirectly Caused)

Non-Canon Deaths
If Lee fails to complete certain tasks, it is possible for Doug to be killed. These deaths are considered non-canon, and result in a game over. Lee will then re-spawn and be allowed to try again. Below is a pictorial list of when Doug can die.

"A New Day"

Killed Victims
This list shows the victims Doug has killed:
 * Linda (If saved in Episode 1)
 * Tess (Indirectly Caused) (If saved in Episode 1)
 * Possibly numerous counts of zombies.

Lee Everett
"...Actually, why don't you keep my share today. I know I said it didn't matter why you saved me and not Carley, but... I owe you a lot more than half a day's rations."

- Doug to Lee.

Lee and Doug seemed to build a quick friendship, with Lee thinking Doug's resourcefulness and technical abilities are a valuable asset. While defending the pharmacy, Doug said that if they don't make it, he wants Lee to know that he thinks he is a great man. In return, Doug respected and was loyal to Lee, sacrificing any rations given to him so that Lee would not go hungry and starve. When Doug said that he feels worthless, Lee seemed to be concerned about Doug's mental health, to the point of bringing it up with Lilly. After Doug was accidentally shot by Lilly, Lee was shocked and enraged.

Clementine
"Here, Clem. Want some, uh...batteries?"

- Doug giving Clementine batteries.

Doug took a liking to Clementine and cared for her, and vice versa. Doug is also shown to care for Clementine's well-being and mental health, as he asked Lee how Clementine was after they left the St. Johns Dairy Farm and if she knew that their dinner was actually human meat. Doug also generously gives her batteries for her walkie-talkie. Clementine also mentioned that Doug was a cool guy, and was saddened and shocked of Doug's death.

Kenny
"Cool it, Doug."

- Kenny to Doug, during an argument with Lilly.

Doug and Kenny had a passive relationship. Despite not being good with guns, Kenny seemed to value Doug's knowledge and technical skills. When Lilly accidentally shoots Doug, Kenny was enraged and shocked, and even suggested leaving Lilly behind for the walkers.

Katjaa
"He had spent some time in Belgium."

- Katjaa to Lee about Doug after his death.

Doug and Katjaa have a friendly relationship and cared for each other. Katjaa speaks warmly about Doug after his death in Episode 3. She says she liked him very much and that he had spent time in Belgium, suggesting they had a friendly relationship.

Carley
"I... I know it's stupid, we just met... it's dumb, but uh... I mean it's... it's... probably just that survivor thing, but I really liked her."

- Doug to Lee about Carley.

Doug and Carley had a passive relationship. Though not seen together much, through dialogue of Carley, she revealed Doug had saved her life, and viewed him as a hero. She had also seemed to develop feelings for him, which were mutual. Doug was deeply saddened by her death, and wishes Lee should have saved her over him.

Mark
"Of course it works! I told you so!"

- Doug to Mark, while discussing Doug's alarm system.

Mark and Doug were good friends and cared for each other. Mark commented on his strange behaviour of staying up at night at "just listing types of pie". Mark was seen talking to Doug about his alarm system and how it works, so it can be inferred they had a stable relationship. Mark was proud of Doug when his alarm system worked, and praised him. When Doug was about to head back to the motor inn to round up the rest of the group, Mark gave Doug his rifle to protect himself. Doug seemed shocked to later find out what happened to Mark at the St. John Dairy.

Glenn
"I don't know. You guys seem okay."

- Glenn discussing the group with Lee.

Glenn and Doug become friends for the short time they knew each other. Glenn and Doug worked and bonded with each other to get into the pharmacy for safety alongside Lilly, Carley and Larry. When Glenn and Carley took a risk and headed out to save Lee and the others knowing that they will attract walkers to the pharmacy, Doug doesn't blame Glenn, knowing that Glenn did the right thing. While discussing his next move with Lee, Glenn said that he planned on staying with the group, Doug included. This shows that Glenn trusts Doug as a friend.

Ben Paul
"Evidence or not, this isn't a way to treat one of us."

- Doug to Lilly defending Ben.

Doug told Lee that he thought he made the right decision bringing Ben and his group back to the motor inn. Doug seemed to have trusted Ben, as he brought him back with him to the motor inn and trusted him to help him guard it while everyone was gone. Ben and Doug become friends during their stay at the motor inn. The depth of their friendship is never properly explored but during Episode 3, Doug tried to stand up for Ben when Lilly aggressively accuses Ben of stealing supplies and saves Ben from Lilly's attempt to murder him at the cost of his own life, an event that left Ben visibly shocked. The guilt over Doug's death, along with Katjaa's and Duck's, makes Ben reveal to Lee that he was the one who gave the bandits supplies.

Lilly
"I dunno. I guess I'm sad. Nobody deserves to lose their parent like that."

- Doug to Lee about Lilly.

Lilly seemed to have a neutral relationship with Doug. Lilly didn't seem to dislike Doug and doesn't harbor any ill feelings for him, despite that he isn't very good with guns. When asked for his opinion on Lilly, Doug will say that he both feels sorry for her and fears for her mental condition after Larry's death. Doug was also accidentally killed by Lilly while saving Ben's life. Lilly seemed shocked and distressed over her actions, saying that Doug wasn't supposed to be killed and that she never meant to hurt him. This is in stark contrast with her reaction to killing Carley, where she shows little remorse.

Larry
"He's kind of a dick."

- Doug to Lee about Larry.

Along with most of the group, Doug showed a strong dislike for Larry. Larry seemed to hate Doug, backed up by him walking straight into Doug in Starved For Help. When Lee gives Doug some food, he declined and Larry shows up, calling him "Dough-boy", telling Lee to give him the food, but Lee refuses, saying he decides who gets the food, which causes Larry to angrily tell him to decide smart.

Andrew St. John
"You might wanna take someone with you. Remember, those roads can be dangerous."

- Andy to Doug.

Andrew seemed to take a liking to Doug, striking up a friendly conversation with him and the others on the way to the farm. When Doug said that he was going back to the motor inn to get the others, Andrew, concerned for his safety, said that he should bring someone with him. Their relationship was gravely wounded when Doug found out that Andrew and his family were cannibals and that they had chopped off Mark's legs for food. When Andrew held Duck hostage, Doug did not hesistate to blind him briefly with a laser pointer. Later, Doug discussed Andrew and his family with Lee, and thought that their actions were horrible.

Brenda St. John
"Holy moley!"

- Doug commenting on Brenda's baked bread.

Though the two only met each other briefly, Doug seemed to view Brenda as a kind and generous woman, even saying that her baked bread was amazing. Their relationship was gravely wounded when Doug found out that Brenda and her family were cannibals and that they had chopped off Mark's legs for food. Later, Doug discussed Brenda and her family with Lee, and thought that their actions were horrible.

Trivia

 * Not counting Shawn and Duck, Doug and Carley are the first pair of characters that pit players in a decision making situation and the first character that Lee successfully saves.
 * In an interview with Harrison G. Pink it was stated that the designers of the game took their friend, Doug Tabacco, and modeled the character Doug off of him.
 * A recurring joke within the Telltale Games staff is how they often encourage players to save Doug over Carley, as the character is based on a real IT staff member in the team. Even creating a group called "Save Doug".
 * There is also a Facebook page dedicated to saving Doug, which can be found here. It's a fan page created to encourage people to save Doug and see how long he will be able to live.
 * Carley was beginning to take interest with Doug in the pharmacy. If Lee chooses to save Doug, he would say that he liked Carley and that Lee should have saved her over him.
 * He also talks about his interest in Carley when being outside the Pharmacy with Lee, while looking for the keys to the office.
 * It is revealed that Doug dislikes Lilly and Larry through his conversation with Lee, which may explain why he chooses to stay out of any group discussions involving either or both of the two.
 * Doug is a very good technician, fixing the recording tape and examining the St. John's electric fence.
 * When Doug manages to fix the camcorder, he does it without using the batteries but instead gives Clementine the spare batteries presumably for her walkie-talkie, showing that he may care a lot about the well-being of Clementine.
 * Doug manages to build a trip wire system with string and bells to give the group warning of oncoming walkers or people.
 * Doug knows Morse Code.
 * In Episode 2, "Starved for Help", Lee has to decide who to give food to. Only 3% of players choose to feed Doug, the least out of any of the characters.
 * However, this is probably due to Doug only being saved by 23% of players initially.
 * Doug has saved the lives of two characters: Carley, and if he appears in Episode 3, Ben.
 * In Long Road Ahead, it is not possible to reveal Lee's past to the other survivors at the motel if Doug is saved in Episode 1.
 * Doug may have had a strong friendship with Ben from being alone with him for the day at the motor inn in Episode 2, as he selflessly sacrificed himself to save him from a paranoid Lilly in the next Episode. (Determinant)
 * In Episode 3, it appears that Doug may have developed some confidence issues, as he mentions to Lee that he wishes he was more helpful to the group, and that he was worthless on watch. These issues most likely stem from the fact that, due to the lack of tools and parts at the motor inn at this point, Doug's technician skills were almost redundant.
 * If you do not save him in "A New Day", Stranger will criticize you because Doug was in a more compromising position while being attacked, and also tell you that you saved Carley, the other choice, because she was "a pretty girl with a gun."
 * Alternately, if Doug was saved over Carley, the Stranger will criticize you for letting her die to protect your secret.
 * Doug and Carley are the first two characters to have multiple ways to be killed in-game.
 * Doug can either be devoured by walkers at the pharmacy or shot by Lilly.
 * However, Doug being killed by Lilly was accidental, whereas Lilly intended to kill Carley.
 * Doug has the same model as one of the silhouettes that appear at the end of "No Time Left".
 * Doug (Determinant) is one of the few original Season 1 characters to appear in further episodes/seasons, although appearing as a rotting corpse. Others are Carley (Determinant), Kenny, Duck, Boyd, Clive and Joyce.
 * On Telltale Games' Poker Night 2, Doug, a Save-Lots Bandit, and the statue of Dixon Kent III make a cameo appearance in the intro.