Alex Balder

Template:CharacterInfobox Alex Balder is a character featured in Max Payne.

Overview

Alex Balder is a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent and a close friend of Max Payne. He is interested in having Payne transfer out of the New York City Police Department to help him with undercover cases, but his friend declines his offer, citing his willingness to spend more time with his family. Soon after the violent deaths of his wife and daughter, however, Max Payne does indeed transfer to the DEA. For years since then, Payne and Balder keep tabs on Jack Lupino's valkyr trafficking and build a case against him.

In 2001, one dark and stormy winter night, Balder and Payne are set up by B.B. Hensley to have an urgent meeting at the Roscoe Street subway station, located in the Bronx, New York City. The two find themselves in the middle of a bank robbery executed by associates of the Punchinello crime family. Soon after they met up, Balder is shot and killed by a hidden assassin, later revealed to be Hensley himself. Payne is soon framed for Balder's murder and is forced to run from the police; his best friend's death also triggers the start of his feverish revenge vendetta against the mobsters.

Personal life

Alex Balder, along with Max Payne, was known to play poker. He reminded Payne about one of the games taking place one Thursday night, just right before Max leaves work for his home in New Jersey where he finds his family slain.

Behind the scenes

Balder's last name could be a possible allusion to Baldr, the Norse god of light and peace. In Scandinavian mythology, Baldr is killed by his blind brother, Hod, after Loki, the God of Mischief, persuades Hod to throw a dart of holly at Baldr. Baldr's death shares many similarities with Alex's death in Max Payne.

Appearances

• Max Payne
  • Prologue (The American Dream) _{(graphic novel only)}
  • Live from the Crime Scene
• Max Payne film

Quotes

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Gallery

External links

• [1]