The Dark Presence , known by the Federal Bureau of Control as the Shadow,[1] is a paranatural entity and the primary antagonist of Alan Wake, as well as a major force in Control's expansion AWE. The Dark Presence dwells within the Dark Place, and has similar abilities to a resonant-based entity, such as the Hiss, but is not resonant-based itself.
Just as the Hiss is capable of "infecting" human members of the FBC, the Shadow is capable of taking over the residents of Bright Falls, turning them into what the FBC calls "Shaded Individuals." For example, when Dr. Emil Hartman was taken over, his new form was referred to by the FBC as "Shaded Hartman". Similar to the nonsense verse of the Hiss incantation, individual Shaded repeat random phrases from their own lives.
Background[]
In the aftermath of the Bright Falls AWE, the Bureau discovered the existence of the Dark Presence, calling it "the Shadow" and labeling it paranatural entity A-010.
Shaded Individuals are what Alan Wake refers to as "the Taken." Shaded Hartman is referred to as a Type 2 Shaded Individual, the first to be examined alive. It's not known what other types exist nor how (or if) they map to the different forms of Taken.