Daniels is a side character from Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number, specifically from Beard's storyline from the Russo-American war in Hawaii. He appears in all of Beard's levels, alongside Barnes and Jacket.
Profile[]
Description[]
Daniels is an appropriately overweight caucasian man, his hair is shaven, and he has large ginger eyebrows. His face is mostly covered by a white keffiyeh. He wears a soldier uniform.
Personality[]
Before the war, Daniels used to be a school teacher. He is the most serious of his squad, and he likes picking on Barnes for his lack of field experience. During their time in Hawaii, Daniels and Barnes developed a rivalrous friendship. Just like Barnes, he also appears to be an alcoholic, though to a lesser degree. His keffiyeh could hint at a previous Middle-Eastern assignment or a hygienic interest in protection from the jungle environment.
Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number[]
March 17th, 1985 (Ambush)[]
The first appearence of Daniels.
After Barnes and Beard admit they're abnormally drunk apparently from the heat, Daniels boasts that he could go for another round or two. He tells everyone to head on back and that he'll catch up later. Barnes is determined to outdrink him, but Beard and Jacket leave. That night, Daniels is the only one still at the campfire by a pot with several empty bean cans and an empty food tray.
Upon arriving, Beard finds Daniels in a fort with a Russian intelligence officer who either committed suicide or was
executed. He's standing over a map of the region and says that they've found good intel that should be given to the Colonel as soon as possible. He mentions that he has no idea what to do with the captives, joking that it'd make the job back to camp easier if Barnes killed all of them before sighing.
October 25th, 1985 (Stronghold)[]
Daniels playing card with Barnes
Daniels is playing cards with Barnes by several empty bean cans and a cooler full of beers on the beach. Barnes says he's been thinking about opening a bar when he gets home and Daniels jokes that he does like drinking. Barnes gets annoyed and wants his real opinion, asking him what he'll do when he gets back. Daniels says he's already a teacher and has a job for when he gets back. He jokes that Barnes would make a great bar owner and that nobody wouldn't want a sociopathic drunk as a boss. After Beard expresses desire to own a convenience store, Daniels comments that it sounds like he's got it all planned out. After the mission, Daniels is with the D Company Commander, leaning on a wrecked car by himself with Jacket and Barnes together on the adjacent side. Later, he's leaning on a wall in the resort and says that them apparently going home now is cause for celebration. Beard asks Daniels when he thinks the Colonel will arrive, and Daniels comments that the roads are rough and he'll feel safer when D Company arrives, suggesting they settle for water and get some sleep.
October 30th, 1985 (Casualties)[]
At night, Barnes critiques the plan to take a Soviet controlled power plant as a bullshit reason to get them all killed, and Daniels says he agrees with him "for once." Barnes to asks why he's always picking on him if they're all in the shit together. The next morning, an armed Daniels is facing Barnes at the campfire. Daniels has his shotgun over his shoulder and is talking to Barnes, regularly lifting his head above his keffiyeh. After taking the power plant, Daniels tells Beard it looks like the Russian General has completely lost it, the camera panning up to reveal the General has shot all the engineers and killed himself. As the plant goes into melt down, Barnes is mortally wounded and a shocked Daniels drops his shotgun to run over to his friend to be with him in his last moments. Daniels is never seen after this, implying he died in the plant explosion 50 seconds later.
Trivia[]
- In the comics, Daniels is depicted with a scar running across his left eye and sporting hair. The scar and hair are not depicted in-game. He also makes a cameo appearance after his apparent death in 1985.
- Although their appearances are very similar, Jake and Daniels are two completely different people: the first is an unemployed redneck ultra-nationalist alive by 1989, while the latter is a teacher in civilian life who likely died in 1985, apparently without relevant political views, and relatively calm.
- Daniels appears to be a recoloring and slight edit of the Phone Hom Manager seen in the first game. They have differing hair amounts, eyebrows, and eye colors.
- It is unknown why Daniels wears a Shemauge/Keffiyeh or how he got it. It's most likely a personal item and not standard issue uniform. The U.S. Military did not incorporate Shemauges until their involment in the Gulf and Afghanistan Wars which took place in the early 90's (Gulf) and 2000's (Afghan). Also in that regard, Shemauges are mostly associated with desert environments. On the other hand, Daniels mentioned that he was a teacher, which might imply that he travelled the world at one point to teach in a desert country or might be a teacher in geography or history/culture with certain interests.
