With Death Stranding 2: On The Beach just around the corner, we’re counting down the days until we can reconnect with this world and experience the game firsthand. The story of Death Stranding revolves around the importance of connection—how unity and solidarity help people achieve great things. It’s a theme that feels more meaningful than ever in today’s world.
Sam Porter Bridges – The Lone Delivery Man
Sam Porter Bridges, the main character of Death Stranding, is a loner who prefers to work alone and carries the heavy burden of reconnecting the country. He’s the adopted son of the last President of the United States, Bridget Strand. Sam became an orphan after a tragic event (which we’ll explain later), and Bridget took him in as her own. Over the years, Sam stayed emotionally connected to his adoptive sister Amelie, whom he deeply cared about, through a mysterious place called the Beach.
Sam once settled down, married, and lived in one of the cities—but his wife suffered from severe depression. Tragically, while pregnant, she took her own life. In the world of Death Stranding, death can cause massive supernatural explosions called Voidouts, killing thousands. After his wife’s death triggered a Voidout that wiped out the city, Sam—who was away at the time—survived but was deeply traumatized. He left his presidential family behind and chose the life of a porter.
Porters are couriers responsible for delivering vital supplies in this post-apocalyptic world, playing a key role in helping survivors stay alive. But Sam is no ordinary porter. He has DOOMS level 2—a rare ability that lets him sense invisible ghost-like beings known as BTs. He can also come back from the dead, reviving himself through the Beach every time he dies. This makes his role absolutely critical.
Fragile – She’s Fragile, But Not Broken
Fragile may mean delicate, but she’s anything but weak. She’s the daughter of a major figure in the Death Stranding world and inherits the independent delivery company Fragile Express after her father dies. At one point, she works with Higgs and helps connect cities to the Chiral Network, a kind of supernatural internet.
But things change when Higgs betrays her. He joins a terrorist group called Homo Demens and gives her a nuclear bomb, forcing her to carry it out of the city during a Timefall storm—rain that ages and deteriorates everything it touches. To protect the city, she agrees, but Higgs covers her face with a mask so no one knows she saved them. Her exposed body is permanently scarred by the rain.
After the incident, people wrongly blame Fragile for the bombing. Her company is distrusted, and she becomes an outcast. Still, she keeps working quietly—until she meets Sam. He believes her and offers his help.
Higgs – A Piece of God
Higgs, the game’s main villain, also has DOOMS level 2 and can resurrect himself. He once worked with Fragile, delivering supplies—but suffered from mental instability and felt life in the post-apocalyptic world was meaningless. Then he met Amelie, who convinced him to follow a mysterious purpose.
After meeting her, he gained strange powers linked to the Beach. He could control Timefall and command BTs, believing himself to be a piece of God. He formed the Homo Demens terrorist group and later kidnapped Amelie when she left him. Discovering that she was the Extinction Entity—the one destined to bring about the end of humanity—he planned to use her to do just that.
Believing the world was doomed, Higgs wanted to end it himself, blaming Amelie for all the pain and nightmares caused by the BTs.
Die-Hardman – The Man Behind the Mask
Die-Hardman, real name John, was Bridget’s right-hand man and took over leadership after her death. He guides Sam across America and becomes the head of Bridges, the new government.
John has a hidden past—he served in the military under Clifford Unger and later became a high-ranking officer. After a critical event (explained later), he rose through the ranks to eventually become Vice President. At the end of the game, thanks to Sam reconnecting the country, he becomes President and vows to restore the United States.
Deadman – The Frankenstein of the State
Deadman calls himself a Frankenstein—he was created in a lab, not born from a mother. That’s why surgical stitches circle his head. Brilliant and emotionless by design, he was made for science and served as Bridget’s physician during her battle with cancer.
He later becomes one of Sam’s most loyal companions, offering scientific insights, repairing Sam’s gear, and helping care for BB-28, the baby who eventually becomes known as Lou. Sam’s connection with Lou helps Deadman experience human emotions for the first time.
Heartman – The Man Who Dies Every 21 Minutes
Heartman is a top scientist for Bridges who suffers a cardiac arrest every 21 minutes and is revived via a device connected to his heart. In those brief moments of death, he visits the Beach and studies the connection between life and death.
When large numbers of people die at once (like during a Voidout), the Beach links the souls of the dead—this phenomenon is called Strandfield. Heartman investigates corpses, uncovering major truths about Bridget and Mama.
Mama – A Loyal Mother
Mama is a gifted scientist in charge of the Chiral Network’s software. When Sam’s equipment malfunctions, she fixes it, while her twin sister Lockne handles hardware.
Trapped in the ruins of a hospital, Mama was giving birth when terrorists bombed the building. Buried under rubble, she survived—but her baby died. However, the baby’s ghost, now a BT, stayed connected to her via an umbilical cord. She later reveals the baby was actually Lockne’s—Mama had agreed to carry it for her infertile sister.
After severing the connection with the BT, Mama weakens and eventually dies during a long journey with Sam.
Lockne – A Soul in Her Sister’s Body
Lockne, Mama’s twin, was a talented engineer who left the government due to her distrust of Bridget. After Mama’s death, she decides to help Sam, believing in the mission to reconnect people. Through a deep spiritual bond, she somehow keeps Mama’s spirit alive within her own body.
Bridget Strand – The Cause of Extinction
Heartman’s research reveals that Bridget is an Extinction Entity, passing this power on to her “daughter” Amelie through DNA. But there’s a twist—Amelie was never physically real. After a stroke caused by cancer, Bridget’s soul split and part of it stayed in the Beach. That part became Amelie.
Bridget then pursued risky and secret experiments to unlock the mysteries of life, death, and the Beach. Her obsession led to catastrophic consequences.
Amelie – The Future is in Her Hands
Amelie lived alone on the Beach for a long time, watching humanity fall apart. She believed reconnecting people through the Chiral Network could restore hope—but over time, she grew tired and considered ending it all.
As the Extinction Entity, she believed humanity’s end was inevitable. But in the end, through Sam’s love and connection, she realizes there’s still hope. She decides to delay humanity’s extinction, perhaps for centuries, giving people a chance to build something better together.
Cliff – A Father and a Victim
Clifford Unger, a war hero, becomes involved in secret government experiments involving BB Pods—devices that connect babies to the world of the dead. His wife Lisa falls into a coma, and their premature baby is placed in a pod. John (Die-Hardman) warns Cliff that Bridget has dangerous plans, and he tries to escape with his baby.
Forced to kill his comatose wife to stop the experiments, Cliff tries to flee but is cornered and shot—by none other than John, under Bridget’s orders. The baby in his arms is Sam.
Sam Bridges – A Bridge to the Future
Sam Bridges is the son of Lisa Bridges and Clifford Unger. After dying as a baby, he is revived on the Beach by Amelie, who heals his wounds and brings him back to life. That’s why Sam can walk on the Beach and why he’s so crucial to humanity’s survival.
He becomes the one person who can reconnect the world, bring people together, and offer hope in a broken world.
“You showed me how much connection matters… you showed me what people can achieve when they come together… you showed me that humanity still matters. I’ll stay on the Beach longer, just so they can stay connected.”
— Amelie
Which character’s story in Death Stranding did you find the most moving? Be sure to share your thoughts with us!
