Alfred Woden

Alfred Woden
Status	Killed by Vladimir Lem
Personal Information
Birth Date	Unknown
Death Date	2003
Career Information
Affliations	Inner Circle
Occupation	United States Senator Inner Circle Leader
Weapon	None
Behind the Scenes
Voice Actor	John Randolph Jones (Max Payne and Max Payne 3) John Braden (Max Payne 2)
Performer	Markku Järvi (Max Payne) Edward Hyland (Max Payne 2)

Alfred Woden is a US senator, and one of the most influential members of the secret society known as the Inner Circle.

Biography

Background

Not much is known about Woden's life before the Inner Circle. He is a senator and a major member of the Inner Circle. In 1991, he was involved in Project Valhalla, a research program conducted by the United States Army, to develop a chemical substance that can enhance human stamina in order to train improved soldiers with superior endurance and morale. His nemesis, Nicole Horne, was also involved in the project. The project was canceled in 1995 after it turned out that the subjects were turned into psychotic killers. At some point after these events, he mentored the Russian mobster Vladimir Lem.

2001

Phone calls

Woden is first alluded to as "One-eyed Alfred" by the prostitue Candy Dawn in her diary. In 2001, he contacts Max Payne numerous times via various telephones, warning him of impending danger.

Face-to-face meeting

Later, Woden once again contacts Max after Max kills B.B. and tells the rogue DEA agent to meet him at the Asgard Building, the headquarters for the Inner Circle. Woden informs Max about the identity of his family's murderer: Nicole Horne. He then asks Payne to kill Horne, and in exchange, the criminal charges against Max will be dropped. After their meeting Horne's agents attack the building, Alfred escapes death by pretending to be shot. While fighting through the Asgard building, Max discovers a tape made by Candy Dawn; Horne had blackmailed Woden into silence using sex tapes of him and Candy. Max pockets the tape to ensure that Woden would keep his end of the bargain.

The end

"Woden was there... in the crowd, standing by the sidelines. It wouldn't be over till the man with the patch would say so. He'd say the right words. I knew he would. He'd better."

―Max Payne notices Woden in the crowd.

Woden is later seen in a crowd outside of Aesir Headquarters after Horne's death, smiling victoriously upon hearing the news. Payne smiles too, knowing that Woden will not betray him.

2003

Inner Circle leadership war

In 2003, it is revealed that Woden was a one time mentor to Vladimir Lem who eventually turned against Woden in a bid for domination over the Inner Circle. Woden has an unknown type of terminal cancer, and he can't walk anymore, so he moves around with a wheelchair. It soon becomes apparent that he has several ties to Mona Sax and that he hired her to combat Vladimir's growing power.

Revelations

According to Lem, Woden was responsible for sending the Valkyr files to Michelle Payne's computer in 1998, indirectly leading to her death and thus Max's thirst for revenge. Woden manipulated Max into eliminating Horne; with Horne (and many other members of the Inner Circle) dead, Woden became the undisputed leader of his organization.

Death

Later, Woden orders Mona to assassinate Max (likely as a backup in case Max finds out about Woden's involvement in the Valkyr case) but, in a change of heart, apologizes to Max. Shortly later, Woden is shot and killed by Vladimir Lem when he attempts to disarm the Russian mobster.

Behind the Scenes

• Alfred Woden's character is an allusion to Wōden, the one-eyed king of the Norse Gods who rules over the universe from his throne in Asgard. The Woden in mythology shares many similarities with Alfred: both are one-eyed, both are a valuable source of information, and both are the leaders of their respective domains.
• When Woden seemingly comes back from the dead, Max Payne says the saying: "In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king", a famous idiom.
• Woden is the only major character in Max Payne 2 that has no introduction scene.

Appearances

• Max Payne
  • Part I: The American Dream
    • Playing It Bogart (mentioned)
    • Let the Gun Do the Talking (voice)
  • Part II: A Cold Day in Hell
    • Angel of Death (voice)
  • Part III: A Bit Closer to Heaven
    • Backstabbing Bastard (voice)
    • In the Land of the Blind (cutscene)
    • Byzantine Power Game (mentioned)
    • Pain and Suffering (voice)
• Max Payne 2
  • Part I: The Darkness Inside
    • Elevator Doors (Heard)
  • Part III: Waking Up from the American Dream
    • Too Stubborn to Die (cutscene)
    • There Are No Happy Endings (mentioned)
    • Love Hurts (cutscene)
    • That Old Familiar Feeling (cutscene; killed)
• Max Payne 3
  • Multiplayer via Classic Character Pack DLC
• Max Payne 3 comics
  • "Fight and Flight" (appears in flashback(s))

Max Payne characters

Max Payne 2 characters