| “ | I am a man of fortune and I must seek my fortune. | „ |
| ~ Sam paraphrasing Henry Avery. |
| “ | We were meant for this, Nathan. You, me, together. We were destined for something great. | „ |
| ~ Sam to Nate. |
Samuel "Sam" Drake, born Samuel Morgan (born 1971) is one of the two tritagonists (alongside Chloe Frazer) of the Uncharted video game series, serving as the deuteragonist of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End and the tritagonist of Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. The older brother of infamous treasure hunter Nathan Drake, Sam was presumed killed during an unfortunate prison break. He returned 15 years later asking for the instance from his retired younger brother as he was in trouble.
He is voiced and motion-captured by Troy Baker (who also played Joel in the The Last of Us series, Booker DeWitt in Bioshock: Infinite, Talion in Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor series, Rhys in Tales from the Borderlands, Orkos in God of War: Ascension, Erron Black in the Mortal Kombat series, Alec Mason in Red Faction: Guerrilla, Jake Muller in Resident Evil 6, Jack Mitchell in Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Delsin Rowe in Infamous: Second Son, Snow Villiers in the Final Fantasy series, Robin in Batman: Arkham City, Kanji Tatsumi in Persona 4), and Chase Austin young.
In the 2022 Uncharted film, he was portrayed by Rudy Pankow.
Biography[]
Background[]
Samuel Morgan was born in the 1971 to an unknown father and Cassandra Morgan, a few years later, his younger brother, Nathan, was born.
Eventually, his mother had a terminal illness and committed suicide where his father admitted his sons to the Saint Francis Boys' Home.
Saint Francis Boys' Home[]
At the age of 18 years old, Sam had a paying job and was relieved from the orphanage though Nathan was underage and couldn't leave, however this didn't stop Sam from meeting with Nathan time to time. Eventually Sam got a job that would take him out of the state and feeling bad, decides to show Nathan his newly-bought bike and their mothers old research at an estate across town.
He and Nate went to the place where the journals were sold and broke inside. The brothers found their mother's journals but were then confronted by an old woman who owns the manor. The tension was eased when Sam revealed that their mother was Cassandra Morgan, who used to work for the old woman before she died. The old woman gave Nathan their mother's journal, believing that they could finish what their mother had started. Before she could call off the police who had responded to the break in, the sickly old woman passes.
After escaping from the police, Nate realized that they couldn't go back to their lives. Sam suggested that they leave their old lives and start new ones with new identities. In honor of their mother's belief that Sir Francis Drake had heirs, he and Nate adopt "Drake" as their surname. Sam believed that both he and Nate were destined to do great things, though he initially didn't know exactly what. He decides to dedicate his life to finishing his mother's work, and convinces Nate to join him.
Panamanian Prison[]
Whilst searching Henry Avery's lost treasure, Sam and Nathan partner with the aristocrat, Rafe Adler and the corrupt guard, Vargas to break into Avery's first mate, Jonathan Burnes prison cell. As Nathan climbs the abandoned Spanish prison and finds a crucifix though hides this from Vargas, Sam is dealing with several inmates outside but breaks away with Nathan and Rafe when they learn Vargas wants a larger cut of the treasure.
They discuss the crucifix Nathan found and determine their next location for Avery's treasure is Scotland but they are ambushed by Gustavo and several other inmates that Nathan caused a fight with earlier. A brawl ensues which is broken up by Vargas, he then takes the three into his office to cut a deal. Just after reaching an agreement, Rafe murders Vargas and this forces them to escape the prison by force. The Drake's are separated from Rafe but eventually catch up, however, before Sam can escape with his brother he is shot and falls from a great height.
Unknown to Nathan and Rafe, Sam survived and was patched up by doctors only to be thrown back inside a cell for thirteen years until he was rescued by Rafe who bribed the prison warden. They spent two years tracking the second Saint Dismas cross and Avery's treasure before Sam betrayed Rafe to find his brother and hunt the treasure together.
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End[]
15 Years Later[]
Sam finds Nathan at his place of work early one morning, shocking and delighting his sibling. After being regaled by Nate's exploits, Sam lies and tells Nate that he's in deep trouble with his former cellmate and sadistic crime lord, Hector Alcázar, who wants half of Avery's treasure in return for breaking Sam out of jail. With a three month deadline, Sam insists that he needs his brother's help. Nate initially refuses, citing that he is retired and that Rafe has spent the last fifteen years looking and hasn't yet found it. Sam reveals that he has located the key to finding the treasure, another St Dismas cross. Nate tries to convince him to use one of his contacts, though Sam says that he only trusts Nate. Nate relents, coming out of retirement to help his brother.
The Rossi Estate[]
To help break into a black market auction where the Saint Dismas Cross is being sold, Nathan calls his old partner and mentor, Victor Sullivan to Sam's dismay. They use the cliffside to break into the estate where Sam watches Nathan and Sullivan embrace after two years apart. However, to their surprise a mysterious buyer has made the cross the first item in the auction. The three plan to cut the power to the estate and have Sam pose as a waiter to be close enough to steal the cross.
Nathan and Samuel travail through the kitchen and air vents, avoiding numerous armed guards, and find a waiter outside which Sam knocks out and steals his uniform.
As the auction commences, Sam is disguised as a waiter as Sullivan spars with Rafe and Nathan searches for a way into the circuit breaker. The lights go out and Sam is able to successfully steal and make a clean getaway out of the auction room. However, he is eventually spotted by guards and this forces a huge firefight to ensue in the ballroom with Nathan, though with Sullivan as the getaway driver they are able to escape with the cross.
The three celebrate their victory and discover the next clue is at Avery's supposed grave in Scotland. As Nathan answers a phone call from Elena, Sullivan and Sam have a briefly tense conversation regarding his brother but this broken by Nate returning to the conversation. The three than decide to make their way to Scotland.
Saint Dismas Cathedral[]
Out in the highlands, Sam and Nate look over their map of the area. Sully stays with his seaplane, keeping in contact via radio. As the brothers make their way towards the graveyard, they are periodically impeded by Shoreline, Nadine Ross' paramilitary organization working for Rafe. They then find Avery's grave and, noticing the skull on the tombstone resembles Avery's sigil when turned sideways, reveal a secret entrance into a crypt.
They descend and discover three statues of Jesus, the penitent thief Dismas, and the "jerk" thief Gestas. After solving a light puzzle which opens a view port, they use the markings on the glass to triangulate where to go next. In order to continue onwards, they must go back towards where Rafe has set up shop.
Slipping past Shoreline patrols and traversing the landscape, the two find a cave beneath the cathedral. Inside are more trials and dangers which they overcome. The two briefly eavesdrop on Nadine and Rafe through a crack in the wall before continuing. They soon reach a large room with a set of scales in the center, holding a jeweled cross and a pile of coins. Knowing now the puzzles they've come across were tests for past recruits, Sam picks up only one of the coins.
This triggers a sequence in which the torches in the room light up, creating a map of Madagascar and King's Bay. Nadine then enters the chamber, and Nate tricks her into picking up the cross. This sets off a trap, collapsing the floor and destabilizing the entire cave. Sam and Nate fight their way out of the cathedral and fly off with Sully.
The trio head for Madagascar, using the coin's image of a volcano — similar to one in King's Bay — to pinpoint their location.
Kings Bay[]
Sam, Nathan and Sullivan rent a 4x4 and head towards the volcano. They encounter many towers and several Shoreliners, once they came close to falling off a cliff though fortunately the cable was attached to a tree and Nathan was able to gain control of the situation. The three reach another Saint Dismas statue and a map of Kings Bay which they deduce two possible towers could be the next clue to Avery's treasure. Sam goes to one and Sullivan and Nathan go to another.
However, Drake and Sullivan's towers was the correct one. The two contact Sam for help with a puzzle and Nathan finds that Avery and the eleven other Founders (wealthy pirates) had created their own safe haven pirate utopia, Libertalia. Before they can rendezvous, Sam's tower is ambushed and he has to use a motorcycle to escape from a convoy which Nathan intercepts. After a crash and lengthy chase, Nathan destroys the APC hunting the brothers and they make their way to the motel.
There, they pinpoint the latitude and longitude of Libertalia but they are shocked to encounter Drake's wife, Elena inside. Though there marriage is severely damaged and she returns to the States (and Sullivan goes with her), Sam and Nathan go to Libertalia together.
Libertalia[]
Sam and Nate manage to reach the island of Libertalia, narrowly surviving an attack by Shoreline and their vessels. On shore, the Drake brothers reunite and briefly argue before Nate discovers Avery's sigil, sending the siblings to find the ruins of the pirates civilization. Exploring the ruins and dealing with more of Nadine's men, the brothers reach the treasury and learn that Avery and the founders kept their and the colonist's wealth in New Devon. While traversing down from the tower, they are attacked by Shoreline and narrowly escape before being ambushed by Nadine. The battle is stopped when Rafe arrives, revealing that he was the one who got Sam out of jail as Alcazar was killed in a shootout in Argentina.
The confrontation ends with Rafe attempting to kill Nate, but is stopped by Sam, causing his younger brother to fall off the edge of the cliff. Sam is then forced to lead Adler and Shoreline to Avery's treasure, but he managed to have them fall into one of Avery's traps underneath his manor. During his escape, he is assisted by Nate and Elena and attempts to persuade his brother and allies in pursuing Avery's treasure. However, the trio refuses, with Nate imploring Sam to let go of his obsession as they aren't those kids anymore. He reluctantly agrees and goes with Nate, Elena and Sully to reach the plane.
While on a platform to reach the plane, it falls apart, forcing Nate and Sam to jump off in different directions. Seeing his opportunity to continue his pursuit, Sam apologizes to the trio for getting them involved and leaves, much to their frustration. Making it to the cove, Sam steals one of Shoreline's boats and enters Avery's ship, but triggers one of the traps when reaching below deck. While unconscious, Nate and Rafe duel each other after being abandoned by Nadine, but Sam awakes to help his brother by giving him a sword. Following Rafe's death, Sam and Nate escape from Avery's ship as it sinks and reunite with Elena and Sully.
Returning home, Sam says his goodbyes to Nate and Elena, placing several coins into her jacket before leaving. He then speaks with Sully, deciding to partner with him since he hasn't gotten over his thrill-seeking tendencies. Years later, Sam has retired from fortune hunting, but continued to meet with Nate and Elena once she they had a daughter named Cassie.
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy[]
Following the search for Avery's treasure, Sam partnered with Chloe Frazer in searching for the Tusk of Ganesh and worked as a so-called Hoysala expert for Asav to throw him off the trail. Despite buying Chloe more time, Asav deduced that Sam was tricking him, keeping him prisoner and later captured Chloe and Nadine. Brought to a chamber holding the tusk, Chloe solves the puzzle and Asav leaves the trio to die. However, they escape with Chloe using a lockpick and Nadine helping her break Sam out of his cuffs. The trio continue their pursuit for the tusk, discovering that Shoreline is under the command of Orca and has partnered with Asav.
The trio defeat Orca and obtain the tusk, but learn that Asav sold the item in exchange for a bomb to destroy a nearby city. Sam joins his allies in pursuing Asav and his train, but Drake is left behind in the 4x4 as Chloe and Nadine get onboard. He catches up with Frazer to help her switch the tracks, and stays behind once again to hold off the insurgents. Drake survives his encounter with the insurgents and reunites with Chloe and Nadine, learning that they stopped Asav and the bomb. Giving them the tusk, Chloe explains that she intends to give the tusk to the Ministry of Culture as Sam attempts to persuade her not to. He continues the discussion when having pizza with Meenu, who tells him not to ruin the moment.
Skills, Abilities and Weaknesses[]
Sam proves to be equally talented in regards of climbing and fighting as his brother, Nathan, he actually taught Drake most of his skills as an adult. He is able to overpower opponents even with military background such as multiple Shoreline mercenaries however he has been overpowered occasionally. In fact he was almost killed by Nadine should Nathan not have intervened. He is also skilled with guns and all firearms, including handguns, rifles and shotguns.
So far Sam's most adamant talent aside from his brother is that he is a talented cyclist.
As a thief Sam is also a talented pickpocket something which Drake informs Sullivan. He is capable of swiping an item from someone without them even noticing, a good example is when Drake cut the power during an auction he was able to steal the crucifix in front of a crowd.
Sam is also very intelligent despite his humble upbringings. He has demonstrated the ability to read Latin and understand Morse code. Together, he and Nathan created many theories about historical treasures or conspiracies such as Sir Francis Drake faking his own death and placing his real coffin off the coast of Panama and the location of Libertalia.
Personality[]
Between the two Drake brothers, Sam appears more level-headed, grounded and optimistic but at times equally as impulsive and reckless as his brother, as well accompanied with a dry sense of humor. After being orphaned with his little brother he took it upon himself to be the main provider of the two of them, acquitting Nathan to an orphanage as it was the "best place for him" and working for some stability. Perhaps due to his humble beginnings, Sam believed that he and Nathan were destined for something great and after coming into his mothers research this idea was confirmed. He and his brother later dedicated their lives to discovering and exploring the lost treasures of the world.
Also, Sam possesses the world and mind view of a thief. When telling Nathan they were going to steal back their mothers work he says "it's not stealing if it belongs it you."
When pushed, Sam is not above cold-blooded and ruthless tactics as to survive. Examples are lying to his brother after being reunited with him for 15 years about him getting out of prison and once held Nadine Ross as hostage as to stalemate Rafe. When he actually did push him, Sam was fully prepared to shoot her at pointblank if Nathan hadn't intervened.
Similar to Victor Sullivan, Sam is not adverse towards tobacco and has been seen smoking cigarettes something that Nathan is against him doing.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Sam was originally going to be voiced by Todd Stashwick.
- Troy Baker and Nolan North have worked together in The Last of Us, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, Middle-earth: Shadow of War, and 2018s God of War.