Sam Drake's History
Samuel "Sam" Drake (born Samuel Morgan) is the deuteragonist and a minor playable character of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, and the tritagonist of Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. He is a professional thief and treasure hunter, as well as the older brother of Nathan Drake. Initially thought to have died during a prison break, fifteen years prior to the events of the game and even before the events of the other games in the series, he returns in order to seek Nate's help in finding the lost treasure of Henry Avery.
Samuel Morgan was born to Cassandra Morgan and an unnamed father in 1971. He is older than Nathan by five years. By the age of 10, his mother had either succumbed to a fatal illness or committed suicide, and he and his brother Nathan were surrendered to the state by their father. This brought them to the Saint Francis' Boy's Home where the nuns taught him and his brother Latin. In his time there, he developed a sense of adventure and engaged in criminal activities that later forced him to drop from the orphanage.
By the age of 18, he had found a job to support himself and his brother. He occasionally (and secretly) visited Nathan at the orphanage until he had enough money to purchase a motorcycle. One evening, he visited Nathan to inform him that he had found where their mother's journals had been sold. He and Nate went to the place where the journals were sold, a manor, and broke inside. The brothers found their mother's journals but were then confronted by an old woman who owns the manor. The tension was eased when Sam revealed that their mother was Cassandra Morgan, who used to work for the old woman before she died. The old woman gave Nathan their mother's journal, believing that they could finish what their mother had started. Before she could call off the police who had responded to the break in, the sickly old woman passes.
After escaping from the police, Nate realized that they could not go back to their lives. Sam suggested that they leave their old lives and start new ones with new identities. In honor of their mother's belief that Sir Francis Drake had heirs, he and Nate adopt "Drake" as their surname.
Sam believed that both he and Nate were destined to do great things, though he initially didn't know exactly what. He decides to dedicate his life to finishing his mother's work, and convinces Nate to join him.
Early treasure hunting
Throughout the early-to-mid 1990s, Sam and Nate stuck together throughout the years and went on several adventures and expeditions as they traveled together. At one point however, Sam wound up in prison somewhere leaving Nate by himself in Cartagena, Columbia to search for the astrolabe belonging to Sir Francis Drake where he met Victor Sullivan. Sam eventually befriended Victor , although unlike his brother never trusted him, the two maintained an uneasy alliance as they often did not meet eye-to-eye on several occasions, according to Samuel it is suggested that Victor may have double-crossed him in the past.
Hunt for Henry Avery's treasure
In 1999, Sam and Nate helped Rafe Adler attempt to track down the lost treasure of the Gunsway Heist, conducted by Captain Henry Avery, which was estimated to total $400 million. In order to conduct their search, they needed to gain access to a centuries old fort in a Panamanian jail, which in the past had housed Burnes, a shipmate of Avery's.
The trio gain entry to the tower with the help of the corrupt warden, Vargas, who Rafe had bribed. Nate tells them that Vargas, knowing they are after a large sum of money after reading a note meant for Nate, demanded a cut of the loot.
Sam, Nate, and Rafe head to the laundry room to look over the cross that Nate found in Burnes' cell. The cross, instead of depicting Jesus, instead resembles the penitent thief crucified beside him, Saint Dismas. Sam declares that there is a St Dismas' cathedral in Scotland, near Avery's last resting place. They go to leave but are ambushed by a gang of inmates, one of whom Nate had an earlier altercation with. They fight before being rescued by Vargas, who takes them to his office. He berates them for attempting to cut him out of the loop, and demands a 50% cut. However, he is talked down to 25%, as he would never get the treasure alone. Despite coming to an agreement, albeit reluctantly, Rafe kills Vargas with a shiv. Vargas manages to fire his gun, alerting the nearby guards.
The brothers and Rafe then begin their escape plan, though now with the guards on high alert. Once they get to a high building separating them from freedom, a pole collapses from Nate's weight as he traverses the rooftops. Separated from Nate and Rafe, Sam jumps and Nate catches him. As Nate pulls his brother up, three consecutive bullets hit Sam in the back. Horrified, Nate watches as Sam coughs up blood before going limp and falling, seemingly to his death. Nate reluctantly leaves with Rafe.
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
Sam, however, survived the gunshots and the fall. The guards took him to the infirmary, had him treated and returned him to his cell, the guards also blocked attempts by Nate to reach him, by sending leads making him believe he (Sam) died and vice-versa in retaliation for Vargas' death. After fifteen years, Sam was released once Rafe, who was still looking for Avery's treasure, found out he was still alive. After bribing the warden to let Sam free, the two worked together for two years, scouring every inch of the Saint Dismas cathedral in Scotland. Sam bided his time, making certain he had every clue that Rafe did before double-crossing the latter and stealing his work out from under him and vanishing. Once he had laid the groundwork and discovered a second Saint Dismas cross up for auction via the internet, Sam went to find Nate.
Sam finds him at his place of work early one morning, shocking and delighting his brother. After being regaled by Nate's exploits, Sam lies to Nate saying that he is in deep trouble with his former cellmate and sadistic crime lord, Hector Alcázar, who wants half of Avery's treasure in return for breaking Sam out of jail.
With a three month deadline, Sam insists that he needs his brother's help. Nate initially refuses, citing that he is retired and that Rafe has spent the last fifteen years looking and has not yet found it. Sam reveals that he has located the key to finding the treasure, another St Dismas cross. Nate tries to convince him to use one of his contacts, though Sam says that he only trusts Nate. Nate relents, coming out of retirement to help his brother.
They first head to the Rossi Estate in Italy, where the black market auction is being held. After infiltrating the compound and meeting up with Victor Sullivan, they discover that the cross is already up for bidding, leading them to believe the lot order has been changed. Coming to the conclusion they need to steal the cross in plain view, Sam suggests killing the lights so they may do so under cover of darkness.
In agreement, and deciding Sam should be the one to take it, the trio consult their blueprints of the estate and divvy up their responsibilities. Sam will disguise himself as a waiter in order to get close to the cross without arousing suspicion, and Nate will head to the cell tower in order to turn off the lights.
Nate pickpockets a sommelier for his key card and uses it to open an electronically locked door. He and Sam venture further into the building while Sully stays in the ballroom as a lookout. Sam and Nate sneak their way through the vents and storage rooms, ending up outside. After Nate lowers a ladder for them to climb up, a waiter walks outside for a smoke break and sees him. Sam knocks him unconscious and drags him inside to take his uniform.
As a properly disguised Sam returns to the ballroom and situates himself near the cross, Nate continues toward the power room. Eventually, the power goes out and Sam takes the cross seconds before the emergency lights kick in. Sam escapes with Sully. Along the way, they split up so that Sully can retrieve the car.
Traversing the rooftops and finding Nate under attack by armed guards, Sam tosses him a gun and tells him to meet up in the ballroom. Later, Nate makes his entrance via crashing through the window. Together, Sam and Nate fight their way through the ballroom and out the back door, jumping into the getaway car driven by Sully.
Back at their hotel, Sam breaks open the Saint Dismas cross with a hammer. Initially pretending it's empty as the first was, he then reveals a piece of rolled up parchment hidden inside. Inscribed on the paper is a picture of a tombstone and a Latin phrase. Realizing what they are looking for is still in Scotland, just not where Rafe has been digging, the trio make plans to go there.
As Nate goes out on the balcony to call Elena and lie about where they are headed, Sully and Sam talk about him. Sully is worried that Sam is disrupting Nate's domestic life and feeding his obsession. Sam refutes this, then passive-aggressively asks why Sully's with them. Sully claims someone has to be there to watch over Nate, silencing Sam. Nate returns after ending the phone call, and the three prepare to leave.
Out in the highlands, Sam and Nate look over their map of the area. Sully stays with his seaplane, keeping in contact via radio. As the brothers make their way towards the graveyard, they are periodically impeded by Shoreline, Nadine Ross' paramilitary organization working for Rafe. They then find Avery's grave and, noticing the skull on the tombstone resembles Avery's sigil when turned sideways, reveal a secret entrance into a crypt.
They descend and discover three statues of Jesus, the penitent thief Dismas, and the "jerk" thief Gestas. After solving a light puzzle which opens a view port, they use the markings on the glass to triangulate where to go next. In order to continue onwards, they must go back towards where Rafe has set up shop.
Slipping past Shoreline patrols and traversing the landscape, the two find a cave beneath the cathedral. Inside are more trials and dangers which they overcome. The two briefly eavesdrop on Nadine and Rafe through a crack in the wall before continuing. They soon reach a large room with a set of scales in the center, holding a jeweled cross and a pile of coins. Knowing now the puzzles they have come across were tests for past recruits, Sam picks up only one of the coins.
This triggers a sequence in which the torches in the room light up, creating a map of Madagascar and King's Bay. Nadine then enters the chamber, and Nate tricks her into picking up the cross. This sets off a trap, collapsing the floor and destabilizing the entire cave. Sam and Nate fight their way out of the cathedral and fly off with Sully.
The trio head for Madagascar, using the coin's image of a volcano �?? similar to one in King's Bay �?? to pinpoint their location.
Sam, Nate, and Sully make their way to the volcano, finding towers marked with the sigils of pirate captains from Avery's time along the way. They eventually find a tower marked with Avery's sigil and discover a map that reveals the locations of all twelve towers and their sigils.
Using the coin, which is also minted with a sigil, they narrow down the best possible location of Avery's treasure to two towers on opposite ends of King's Bay. The trio splits up, with Sam heading to Joseph Farrell's tower, and Nate and Sully heading to Edward England's tower.
While Sam deals with his own tower, he gets calls and texts from Nathan requesting help in identifying the pirate sigils, and eventual confirmation that Nate and Sully are in the correct tower. Before they can rendezvous, Nathan calls Sam to warn him about Rafe, who has hacked their phones. Shoreline ambushes Sam and he is forced to flee on a motorcycle.
Nate catches up to Sam after a lengthy chase, but collides with a truck. After Nate crawls out from under his burning car and shoots two Shoreline mercenaries, Sam drives back for him and pulls him up onto the motorcycle. They're chased by an APC through the streets and shipyard, but force it to crash and explode. They return to the motel and regroup with Sully.
A Latin cipher Nate and Sully discovered in their tower points to the existence of Libertalia, the legendary pirate utopia which was likely founded by Avery and the eleven other pirate captains he had recruited. When they enter Nate's motel room, Nate is confronted by Elena, who is emotional over Nate lying to her about the Malaysia job and Sam's existence. Elena walks out on Nate and is followed by Sully, who stays back to watch over her.
Nate and Sam continue onwards to an island depicted in the map they had discovered. On the island, they solve elaborate puzzles which points them to another, larger island where they hope Libertalia is located. Just as they are about to leave, Rafe and Shoreline mercenaries arrive and a storm brews. Nate and Sam race towards the larger island while being attacked by Shoreline vessels. Before they can reach the island, their boat is rammed by a larger Shoreline ship, separating Sam and Nate and marooning them both on the island.
After the storm passes, Sam uses his flashlight to send morse code to Nate as a signal, but doesn't see the response. Later, in the jungle, he reunites with Nate after hearing him climb up a rock wall. Sam is eager to get moving, but Nate stops him and questions what they are doing. Sam dismisses his worry, inadvertently instigating an argument. Suddenly, Nate discovers a plaque of Avery's sigil hidden behind vines.
Following where it leads, they come across the remains of a civilization �?? Libertalia. Sam expresses his excitement for the discovery, and they make their way to the treasury. On the way, they find clues about a rebellion and a civil war that broke apart the denizens of Libertalia. When they arrive at the treasury, with remnants of a battle on the front steps, they find the main storage room to be picked clean.
According to manifests and evidence, Nate and Sam conclude that the twelve founders of Libertalia stole from the colonists and kept the treasure for themselves, keeping it safe in the neighborhood where they lived, New Devon.
As they make their way toward it, using a partially destroyed map on the ceiling of the treasury building as guidance, they are ambushed by Shoreline mercenaries. The brothers are then confronted by Nadine, who singlehandedly bests them in a hand to hand fight.
Just as they get the upper hand, Rafe and other mercenaries arrive. After attempting to strike a deal, Rafe reveals that he was the one who had freed Sam from prison, and that Hector Alcázar had been killed over six months prior. Betrayed and furious, Nate still bargains with Rafe for their safety when he aims his gun at Sam, claiming Rafe will need them.
Rafe acquiesces, but only for Sam. In his attempt to execute Nate, Sam takes the bullet but accidentally knocks his younger brother off the cliff. Sam is then taken prisoner by Rafe and Shoreline. Forced to lead the way to New Devon, Sam takes them to Avery's dilapidated manor. Inside, they find a secret passage leading to a series of tunnels filled with booby traps.
Sam buys an opportunity to run from Shoreline after leading them into one of Avery's traps, and seeks refuge on a scuttled ship. He is soon reunited with Nate and Elena, then later with Sully. Though the three plan to fly off the island, Sam is reluctant, imploring Nate to find the treasure with him using a shortcut Rafe does not know about. Nate, seeing his own obsession rear up in Sam, refuses and explains they are no longer children with something to prove.
Sam tries to refute this, but with Elena and Sully backing Nate up, he agrees to leave with them. The four cut through a port town to get to Sully's seaplane, which is docked nearby. They come across a rudimentary sky rail transportation system, and use it to cross a large gap. After Sully and Elena make it to the other side, Sam stays on to help Nate climb up. However, the platform's support breaks and, left hanging, the two brothers are separated when they jump to opposite sides.
Despite the ease in which Sam can jump across and reunite with them, he stops when he realizes he is on the right path towards the shortcut. Seeing him hesitate, Nate orders him not to go, lying that he will not follow. Apologizing for everything, Sam ignores Nate and goes on ahead.
In the cove where Avery hid his ship, Sam steals one of Shoreline's boats and heads towards the ship. Followed by Rafe and Nadine, Sam triggers a trap and sets off an explosion, resulting in a support beam breaking off, simultaneously pinning him and knocking him unconscious.
In the treasure hold, Sam later awakens to a burning ship and Nate and Rafe dueling with swords. Seeing Rafe has the upper hand, he shoves another sword Nate's way. Nate kills Rafe by dropping a pile of treasure on him, then goes to help Sam. Though initially cooperating with Nate, Sam realizes the futility and tries to convince him to leave without him. Nate refuses and, using a cannon, blows a hole in the ship.
Water floods the hold, giving Sam enough leverage to push up the beam and swim out from underneath it. He and Nate then escape the ship and swim out to where Elena's waiting, and head back to Madagascar aboard Sully's plane.
On the dock and in a new change of clothes, the four say their goodbyes. Sam hugs Elena and, unbeknownst to her, slips a number of Libertalia coins into her jacket pocket as a present. Sam and Nate close the book on their childhood adventure, though Sam is not satisfied. Nate reasons the journey is always more fulfilling than the destination. They part ways with Sam planning on catching up to Nate's achievements.
On their own, Sam and Sully discuss what they mean to do now. Sully explains that, before Nate dragged him into the adventure, he had been working on a deal with some unscrupulous people. Interest piqued, Sam asks in a roundabout way if Sully will accept his assistance. Claiming he is "good enough," Sully agrees, and the two partner up.
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
Sam worked with Chloe to collect the Tusk of Ganesh and get the disc from Asav, but went missing, leading the latter to ask Nadine to help her. Sam works with Asav as a self-proclaimed Hoysala "expert", putting Asav and his men in circles to buy Chloe some time to rescue him.
Asav eventually learns that Sam was undercover and is no expert, then has him tied up while going through the tunnels. After Asav captures Chloe and Nadine, Sam is shocked to see Nadine, with the two bickering at each other until they reach to the central chamber. Chloe is forced to solve the puzzle, despite Sam's claims to not give Asav what he wants. After Chloe solves the puzzle, Asav sets a trap and leaves them to drown. Chloe, using her lockpick, saves Nadine as the latter saves Sam by breaking his handcuffs with a rock.
The three survive and head towards Asav's group to get the tusk. Though reluctant to work with Nadine, due to their last encounter in Libertalia he stays with them and eventually saves the former by stopping Orca from killing her. Retrieving the tusk, Chloe learns that Asav traded it for a bomb onboard his train to destroy the city. Sam agrees with her plan to stop him, as Chloe states that she is tired of running away. Nadine orders Sam to leave the seat, stating she called shotgun. Driving to the train, Sam is force to be left behind in the jeep as Chloe and Nadine jump onboard the train. Sam battles the insurgents as Chloe returns driving in a stolen jeep, telling Sam that they to switch the train tracks. The two successfully do so, with Sam staying behind to deal with the insurgents as Chloe heads back on the train to aid Nadine.
Sam finds Chloe and Nadine alive from the train crash, learning of Asav's death. While staring at the city, Sam makes a little teasing game, proclaiming he lost the tusk before revealing it, causing Nadine to hit him and lose his last cigarette he was smoking. Chloe and Nadine become business partners (as Sam attempted to ask her and she reclined), and the former states they are giving the tusk to the Ministry of Culture for large substantial fee, much to Sam's horror. In the mid-credit scene, Sam attempts to persuade Chloe and Nadine to sell the tusk to private collector rather than selling to Ministry of Culture to make more money, but is silenced by Meenu to not ruin the moment, handing him a slice of pizza.
Retirement and years later
Years later, Sam and Sully are still friends, but retired from the treasure hunting business. They periodically visit Nate, Elena, and their daughter Cassie at their beachside home. He also reminds Drake not to put any more "shitty" beer in the fridge.
