The Woodsman (Video Game)

The Woodsman (Video Game)
Biographical information
Aliases	Woody
Status	Alive
Species	Fable
Gender	Male
Hair Color	Brown
Eye Color	Green
Appearance
First Episode	"Faith"
Last Episode	"In Sheep's Clothing"
Voiced by	Adam Harrington
Images	Woodsman Gallery
Original Source	Little Red Riding Hood

“	Jersey was wrong, you know. About those girls. There IS somethin' you can do about it. You can GET the fucker who did it. Ain't that the plan?	”
	— The Woodsman to Bigby about the murders.[src]

The Woodsman, called "Woody" for short, is a main character and a Fable featured in The Wolf Among Us. He is the unknown-by-name lumberjack who saved Little Red Riding Hood from the Big Bad Wolf (now Bigby Wolf) in the Homelands. His signature item, used to cut open Bigby, is his axe. A drunk with a history of violence, he is initially thought to be closely connected to the murder of Faith. He is a tenant of Toad's apartment. He's also a regular in Holly's bar.

Background

He and Bigby have a centuries-old history of fighting, and the Woodsman is the first hostile character encountered by the sheriff in the game. The Woodsman is beating Faith, but later proclaims his innocence when she is found dead. He also has an entry in the Book of Fables. He later explains that the prostitute who would usually visit him was Lily, and she was willing to give him credit if he was short on cash, but on that night Faith covered for her, and she was not willing to make the same kind deal with him. Combined with the facts that the Woodsman was both broke and very drunk that night, he flew off the handle and assaulted her.

In a twist of irony, the Woodsman drunkenly tells Bigby when their first meeting happened, he initially wasn't there to save Red Riding Hood or her grandmother; instead, he was there to rob them and found the wolf there instead. His demeanor while telling the story, indicates that he is full of self-loathing over the fact that he has been hailed as a hero after the event.

Synopsis

Episode 1: Faith

“	I saved Liddle Red Raiding Hood frum this monster... I cut this fugger open... And filled hids belly full of... stones. AND THREW HIM IN THE FUCKING RIVER -- That's who the fuck I am, YOU STUPID BITCH!	„
	~ The Woodsman as he corrects his facial injuries after his scuffle with Bigby

At the start of the game, Sheriff Bigby Wolf gets a call from Toad about the Woodsman making a lot of ruckus and damaging the apartment. He is then shown assaulting Faith, and when told to stop, engages in a fight with Bigby. This fight ends with both of them going out the window, and the Woodsman getting an axe shoved into his head. Faith begins to work the axe deeper in his head, and Bigby can choose whether to stop her or to let her keep going. The Woodsman seen can be seen again through the magic mirror if Bigby asks where the Woodsman is. If the player does so, he can be seen, just outside of the Lucky Pawn struggling to walk. He ends up at the Trip Trap, and is not seen again until Bigby enters the bar later on. Confusing the wolf he tells Bigby that he was there to rob Riding Hood rather than save her, but Bigby was already in the bed. Bigby then informs him of the murder of Faith, but the Woodsman claims he had nothing to do with it and begs him to not be taken in and that the people he was working will kill if he spills evidence. Grendel, who is defending Woody, starts a fight with Bigby, which ends in Bigby winning and tearing off Gren's left arm (Determinant). After the altercation, Tweedledee steps in the bar, and upon realizing Bigby is there, tries to run, which Woodsman who also sees this opportunity to escape. Bigby then has to choose who to arrest.

In-Game Decision

(Arrest Dee)

If you decide to arrest Dee, Bigby catches him and pins him against a wall while the Woodsman escapes through what is assumed to be the backdoor.

(Arrest Woodsman)

If you decide to arrest the Woodsman, Bigby catches him and pins him against a wall while Dee escapes through the exit of the Trip Trap. Bigby marches Woody back to the Woodlands, but upon seeing the police lights around the entrance, secures him to a light post and goes to investigate.

Episode 2: Smoke & Mirrors

If Bigby arrested the Woodsman, he is heard deliriously singing to himself when Bigby and Crane return to the Woodlands. They walk to the basement to find Bluebeard sharpening a knife while Woody is strapped to a chair. Crane grows angry at Bluebeard for using violence, and they step aside to let Bigby handle the questioning. Through either peaceful or violent means, Bigby gets Woody to reveal that he was fighting with Faith because the prostitute he normally got, Lily, usually comped him the cost of their sessions. When Faith, refused to, he was set off and started beating on her. He then regretfully admits that Lily was the sister of Holly, the Trip Trap's owner and bartender. He begs Bigby not to tell her and Grendel, thinking that they wouldn't understand. At that point, Crane or Bluebeard will confront Bigby over their disagreements with his interrogation tactics. If Bigby was violent, Crane will demand that he stop, leading to Bigby pinning him against the wall and threatening to punch him. If Bigby was peaceful, Bluebeard will push him out of the way and start beating on Woody. Bigby, in turn, pulls him away and the two start brawling. Regardless, Snow then arrives and demands to know what is going on, stunning all of them into silence. 

If Dee was arrested instead of Woody, he can be observed drinking by himself in the Magic Mirror after TJ is questioned.

Episode 3: A Crooked Mile

“	Gren, the doc said you needed to rest --	„
	~ The words that set off Gren

The Woodsman appears in the Trip Trap with the drugged Holly and Grendel. When Bigby arrives, he hears Woody and Gren arguing about Woody waking Holly. After announcing his arrival, Gren lets Bigby in. If Bigby previously arrested Woody, he explains that Snow let him out of jail as there was no real need for him to be there. He then explains that Swineheart gave his two compatriots painkillers, which caused Holly to fall asleep and Gren to become high. Woody displays concern for Gren, who repeatedly ignores his advice of getting some rest and not drinking. Gren grows increasingly hostile towards Woody, and after the three have a toast to Lily, he punches Woody in the face, demanding that he stops pestering him. The two begin brawling, and Bigby can either break it up or wait it out. Gren reveals that he and Holly found out that the Woodsman was sleeping with Lily behind their backs, and continually berates him doing so knowing how angry it would make Holly. Eventually, Woody has enough and starts to walk out. Bigby can stop and defend him or ask him a question before he leaves.

Later, Bigby and company are confronted by Bloody Mary and the Tweedles in an alley outside of the Pudding & Pie. After nearly killing Bigby with a silver bullet, Mary pulls Woody's axe out of her car and moves to behead Bigby with it. However, Snow stops her and offers Crane in exchange for his life, to which Mary agrees after being given the Crooked Man's approval. She then exits the scene with the axe in tow.

Episode 4: In Sheep's Clothing

“	I'm not gonna lie. I was havin' trouble deciding which one of you to hit with this thing.	„
	~ The Woodsman shortly after helping Bigby (Determinant)

Offscreen, Woody discovers that his axe was stolen from his apartment and is told by Grendel that it was taken to the Lucky Pawn. He seeks out the shop's owner, the Jersey Devil, finding him in Battery Park and following him all the way back to the store demanding that Jersey returns the axe.  Bigby finds them arguing either entering the shop or in it depending on where he investigates first. The two begin to brawl, and Bigby can choose whether to restrain Woody or Jersey. If Bigby restrains Woody he can then choose to stop his assault on J.D. or let him carry on the assault. Regardless, J.D. soon reverts to his true form and attacks both of them. While Bigby and Jersey Devil are fighting, Woody finds his axe hidden in a safe in the back of the store, apparently returned by Mary after the previous night. He then uses the axe to strike the Jersey Devil in the head and helps Bigby to interrogate him. Jersey reveals that the Crooked Man's door is magical and changes locations at certain intervals. If Bigby visits the shop second, he also finds Crane's coat and the missing mirror shard.

Satisfied, Bigby and Woody go outside and Woody asks Bigby for a cigarette, which he can agree to or refuse. Woody will regret hitting Jersey and not Bigby if Bigby refuses, though he will acknowledge that he was unsure which one to attack if he agrees. Woody then encourages Bigby by saying that even though he can't save the two dead girls, he can at least catch the murderer. As a taxi pulls up for Bigby, Woody says goodbye and walks off down the street with his axe over his shoulder. If Bigby asks him what's next for him, he will state "We all got our roles to play, Wolf. I'll see ya." His current whereabouts after that are unknown.

Personality

During his first encounter in-game, the Woodsman seems to fill in the role of the stereotypical town drunk; he is seldom sober, he is violent and impulsive, and is without a qualm in his beating of Faith. However, as seen in some of his later scenes, he does show some signs of intelligence and rationality. Woody can be honest and direct to people when he admits that he did something. He also, shows remorse for Faith if Bigby informed him about her death and if arrested at the end of Episode 1, will be singing odd songs to himself during the interrogation scene in Episode 2 (in what Bluebeard describes as being a "defense mechanism"), he will be positive about Faith if treated nicley but he will be negative about her if he was treated harshly in the interrogation. During his final appearance in Episode 4, he seems to have forgiven Bigby and assists him in his fight against Jersey, and as shown during their final conversation, he almost seems to respect him.

Powers and Abilities

The Woodsman is quite physically refined despite his somewhat stocky build and is a capable fist fighter as he was able to hold his own against Bigby, managing to cut and severely beat Bigby (Determinant) although he eventually has to use his axe to gain the upper hand. He was also able to thrust Bigby clean out of the second-story window. He then showed a quick recovery despite the fall, managing to recover before Bigby and choke the wolf, nearly succeeding in forcing Bigby to have to enter his half werewolf form although he was stopped by Faith. He also easily slammed the Jersey Devil into a glass stand (Determinant). He does appear to struggle if his opponents show their true forms however, being easily overpowered by Jersey when the Fable entered his true form, having to be saved by Bigby. The Woodsman hardly defends himself especially when Grendel hit him for pushing him.

He also is very potent with his axe, which he seems to have a nearly-emotional bond with as his determination to find it displays in Episode 4, where he gets into a fight with Jersey over it and hacks it directly into the latter. His aim wasn't quite as potent in his fight with Bigby although this may have been because he was drunk.

Like other fables, he can survive fatal injuries that would normally kill a mundy, his most impressive being able to survive being hacked in the head by his own axe. He also displayed quick recovery, being able to run away only a few moments after the normally fatal injury.

Book of Fables Entry

"The Woodsman is one of the few men who went toe to toe with Bigby in his Black Forest days and lived to tell the tale. In an attempt to save Little Red Riding Hood, he split the great wolf's belly open with his axe, filled him full of rocks, and threw the beast into a river. To his dismay his popularity faded. Even his name is forgotten, and he is only known as The Woodsman."

Appearances

The Wolf Among Us "Faith" "Smoke & Mirrors" (No Lines if not arrested) "A Crooked Mile" "In Sheep's Clothing" Fables: The Wolf Among Us Fables: The Wolf Among Us Volume 1 "Issue 1" "Issue 2" Fables: The Wolf Among Us Volume 2 "Issue 10" "Issue 11" (No Lines) "Issue 12" Fables: The Wolf Among Us Volume 4 "Issue 27" Fables: The Wolf Among Us Volume 6 "Issue 36" "Issue 37" "Issue 38"

Trivia

• Cry Wolf is the only episode in which he doesn't appear in, though if he was arrested in Faith, then the Crooked Man will criticize Bigby for his mistreatment during arrest (though if Bigby persuaded him and didn't torture him, then Bigby can call out Bluebeard as being responsible).
• The Woodsmans emblem which is shown on his axe and in the book of symbols is known as a Triquetra. The Triquetra originates from Celtic imagery and has been used as a religious symbol.
• The Woodsman rarely appears in the comic series, only appearing in flashbacks from the fairy tale in the March of the Wooden Soldiers story arc and in The Runt. He's also mentioned in The Great Fables Crossover, in which Bigby implies that he still harbors vengeful feelings for him and is just as mad at him as he is at Jack (which means a lot). According to Bigby, his current whereabouts are unknown.
  • Despite not appearing, Bill Willingham identified him as the third tourist along with Mowgli and Feathertop. Given his role in the game, the Woodsman hasn't become a tourist yet.