Can you believe this guy said he used 'Indian magics'? What an asshole. |
— Cecil, in "Glow Cloud" |
The Apache Tracker was a white man (apparently Slavic in origin) who wore a huge and cartoonishly inaccurate, horribly offensive Native American headdress. Although considered a racist asshole by the Night Vale community, the Apache Tracker served his town by investigating numerous strange happenings in the Night Vale area.
History[]
He is introduced in the "Pilot" (referred to as "The Indian Tracker"), in which he swears to investigate the "great howling" heard from the Night Vale Post Office. The results of his investigation are mentioned in more detail in "Glow Cloud". The Tracker (now referred to as "The Apache Tracker") claims to have used "ancient Indian magics" in order to slip through the City Council's security into the Post Office, reporting that all the letters and packages had been thrown about as in a whirlwind, there was a heavy stench of scorched flesh, and that the words "More to come, and Soon" had been written on the walls in blood.
The Tracker then disappears for several months. His house also vanishes, replaced by a bucolic meadow that even children avoid. Regarding the Tracker's disappearance, Cecil, speaking on behalf of the community, says "Good riddance to that local embarrassment. He made the whole town look ignorant and racist."
Several months later the Apache Tracker reappears, except that he has been transformed into an actual Native American who can only speak Russian. He is later seen talking to Mayor Pamela Winchell on the day of her disappearance, possibly in the company of The Man in the Tan Jacket. He is still considered an asshole.
The Apache Tracker also features in "A Story About You." He talks to You (in Russian, of course). He says "Вы в опасности. Они идут. Они придут снизу. Пироги не помогут.", which roughly translates to "You are in danger. They are coming. They are coming from below. Pies won't help".
The Apache Tracker dies in "One Year Later" while saving Carlos from the Underground City's attack. Upon saving Carlos at the cost of his life, Cecil no longer considers the Apache Tracker to be an asshole, although he still thinks him to be a racist embarrassment.
Legacy[]
In "First Date", Cecil reveals that the City Council has erected a monument to the Apache Tracker for defending the citizens of Night Vale (and Carlos) from the violent hordes from the Underground City. The monument was dedicated in a secret, silent ceremony, with no one in attendance, and then immediately buried out in The Empty Desert where no one will be able to find it. According to Cecil, this was done because the Apache Tracker, while a hero, "was also a racist embarrassment and we don't want our town associated with that kind of thing."
The Apache Tracker's final words were: "Ладно, ладно. Я знал, это случится. Ты можешь взять мою машину." (Roughly translated to "Okay, okay. I knew this would happen. You can take my car.")
Mentions[]
- Episode 1 "Pilot"
- Episode 2 "Glow Cloud"
- Episode 7 "History Week"
- Episode 11 "Wheat & Wheat By-Products"
- Episode 13 "A Story About You."
- Episode 21 "A Memory of Europe"
- Episode 24 "The Mayor"
- Episode 25 "One Year Later"
- Episode 26 "Faceless Old Woman"
- Episode 27 "First Date"