Jack Stanton

"For the first time in my life... I'm afraid as hell to pull the trigger.
 * —Jack, contemplating suicide."

Jack "The Pup" Stanton was a professional hitman and the protagonist of Sinner's Reward.

Personality
Jack Stanton is good at what he does. He kills. Being a paid murderer, Jack is obviously lacking moral strength in certain areas, though his jobs are never personal affairs. Showing neither enjoyment nor true regret for the murders he'd committed, Jack certainly isn't beneath enjoying the monetary benefits his job provides him with. There are times, though, that Jack will sometimes wonder if maybe there isn't something more to his life than just bullets and blood. Still a man, his job doesn't keep him from finding the one person he would walk through Hell and back for, and it's his feelings and devotion to this person that lands Jack in a pretty bad spot.

Always keeping a level head, he does his best to make sure any given situation is always under his control. As a hired gun, he's used to having things happen on his terms, though he is able to roll with the punches when things can't go his way.

Background
His mother dead by the time he was two, Jack was raised by his father and "bred" to be a hitman. His father, Michael Stanton, was fond of saying that, like him, Jack was born to kill-- and born to die. While other kids his age were getting baseball mitts from their fathers, his dad instead gave him a revolver. Michael would say that the boys Jack knew had it wrong. Handing Jack his first pistol, he said this was what America is all about. He emphasized to his boy never to forget that.

When Jack was eight, his father has already made it his personal mission to see that his son was brought up a proper gunman. As a way to desensitize his son, Michael forced Jack to shoot his dog, Digger. Though the boy protested, Michael grew irritated, telling his son he could be no man in this world unless he had what it takes to kill anyone, even those closest to him. Still hesitant, Jack's father continued until the boy squeezed his eyes shut and pulled the trigger, shooting Digger in the right eye.

After that, Michael bragged to his friends about his boy's skill, earning Jack his nickname as The Pup.

Sinner's Reward
Jack, ten years ago, entered into the services of Irish mob boss Finn Conway. Some time after he began to work for him, The Pup fell in love with Jillian Conway, Finn's wife, and she, in turn, fell for him. The two began seeing each other behind Finn's back, until the two lovers made the choice to leave their current life behind and start over.

Determined to be together, Jack and Jillian, with a fair amount of money in Jack's possession, take their leave of Finn Conway. Trying to put as much space between themselves and Finn, the two drive and drive. A little over a day into their great escape, Jill, needing a restroom break, has Jack pull into a little filling station and eatery named Charon's Bar-B-Q. After asking the attendant how far the nearest main highway is from their present location and paying for a fill-up, Jack returns to the car, only to be greeted by a sight he'd rather not see.

The O'Conner Brothers and a man named Jimmy Shea have picked up their trail. Having been sent to hunt Jack and Jill down, per Finn's orders, the three men are to bring the erstwhile couple back to him. Shea subdues Jillian, while Dewey pistol-whips Jack. As Jack falls to the ground, demanding, in his mind, that he climb back to his feet, the station attendant rushes out and begins to shoot off rounds from his shotgun, killing Dewey and Liam. Jimmy Shea, however, gets away with Jillian as Jack passes out a short time later.

As Jack lies on the ground, he begins to dream of his father and the day of his first job. His father had ordered him to kill Digger, and he had. His first hit.

When he comes to, Jack is told by the old gas station attendant that, though he was able to take care of two of Jack's aggressors, the third had gotten away, Jill in tow. Frantically, Jack asks which direction they headed off into. The old man tells him they headed into the same place all folks who come to these parts do; the town of Silent Hill.

Before entering Silent Hill, Jack happened upon a strange sight- a pair of dogs have caught up to Jimmy Shea, pulled him out of his car, and have begun mauling him. Panicked, Jack begins to scream for Jill. Rather than Jill, it's Jimmy Shea, who by all means should be dead, that responds. Informing the gunman that his love has gone on ahead into town, Jimmy begins to taunt Jack by singing "Jack and Jill went up the Hill", before realizing it doesn't quite fit the situation. Jack warns Jimmy to keep away from him before he kills the man. Jimmy's reply is that he's well aware that Jack is willing to, and even asks him to.

Obligingly, Jack shoots the thing that had been Jimmy Shea four times, before hopping back in his car and heading into Silent Hill.

As he enters the town proper, Jack's car dies, finally having run out of gas. Searching frantically, he eventually finds Jill near Pete's Bowl-O-Rama, after Jack kills a monster out of self-defense. Enraged, Jill calls Jack the monster, saying that he had killed an innocent person. She runs off shortly after, believing there is someone nearby she needs to help.



As Jack tries to give chase, he is sidetracked by the frantic pleas of a young woman named Sara Linwood, who is tied to a cross with a group of monsters at her feet. Dispatching of the creatures, Jack cuts Sara down and they both restart the search for Jill. Asking Sara how she had come to be in Silent Hill, the girl replies that she had been with her parents when she heard a siren, then only black.

Before long, their search brings the two to Brookhaven Hospital, where they seek shelter from the same dog-like things that previously killed Jimmy Shea. Once inside, it dawns on Jack that, given that Jill was wearing a nurse's outfit and was screaming of someone needing help, she had to be inside. Combing the hospital, Jack and Sara come to a morgue-like room, with Jill inside and standing over a body, weeping.

Jack grows apprehensive at the scene laid out before him. Confused, he can only question Jill's activity. Still hysterical, Jill can only reply that she tried to make the situation at hand alright but she was too late. Telling her to calm down and put away the surgical tool she's holding, Jack assures Jill that everything will be alright, and that they can fix the situation. This doesn't have the desired effect, as it only incites Jill's hysteria further. Sara, feeling ill at ease, tells Jack that they should be going, because something isn't right in the room--The people laid out on the different gurneys are all dead. Trying to deal with Jillian's breakdown, Jack yells in disbelief that these aren't people, they're monsters. Jill, having regained some composure, tells Jack that Sara is right-- She can see things for what they are.

Still aggravated with Jill for her previous behavior, Jack can only yell at her to shut up, so he can have a few minutes to think the situation through. Jillian tells him he doesn't need to think, he just needs to see because the truth is all around them. As Jill tries to talk to Jack, Sara approaches a gurney holding two bodies and covered with a sheet. Catching the movement, Jack tells the young woman to keep away. She doesn't, though. Having reached an understanding thanks to Jill, Sara pulls the sheet back over the bodies, revealing her parents. Each bears a bullet entry wound to the forehead.

Having yet to see what lies on the table, Jack turns to tell Sara that these aren't her parents when he stops, reality finally dawning on him. Behind him, Jillian confirms that she had been right all along. Jack can now see the truth-- all of the monsters along the way have been the wandering victims of Jack's past. Kneeling in a corner, Sara hugs her knees to her chest, her forehead weeping blood. The only thing she says to Jack is "It was you". A siren then begins to wail, and everything goes black for Jack.



Councilman Linwood, Sara's father, has stirred up a hornet's nest of trouble with Finn Conway. Wanting to get the Councilman off of his back, Conway hires Stanton to kill the councilman and his wife. Doing the job like a professional, Jack runs into Sara on his way out of the Linwood home. Wanting to leave no witnesses behind, Jack kills Sara and heads off.

Coming to, both Jack and Jill stand, and Jill breaks down once more, telling Jack that it's over for them, that it's too late for them, Jack tries to take control of things, telling Jill that things will work out. Before he can finish his thought. Sara, standing before a collection of nurses, tells Jack that Jill has the right idea and the time has come for the two of them to accept responsibility for their crimes. Jack, defending himself, tells Sara that her death wasn't a personal issue, just business. Sara stands in disbelief at the thought of murdering a loving family being business.

Determined to open Jack's eyes to the wrongs he's committed, Sara explains that the two lovers have an addiction, a disease-- Murder and greed. Jack jumps to Jill's defense, exclaiming his love has done no wrong. Sara, however, thinks different. Jill is guilty of taking pleasure in the money that thievery and murder has brought her, while ignoring that darkness.

There is a chance for redemption, however. The choice must be willing, but they can be forgiven of their pasts. Jill understands the situation, and wishes to be "cured" of her disease. She tells Jack that it isn't too late for either of them, and says goodbye. Walking toward the nurses, Jillian is stabbed to death.



Attempting to save her, Jack fires at the nurses, but it's a wasted effort. Still not understanding, Jack can only ask why Sara has done all of this. She replies that if Jack needs to ask, he either wasn't listening, or he is in the "ultimate" state of denial. Frustrated, Jack can only tell her to go to hell. Smiling, she replies she won't be, and Jack doesn't have to either. All he has to do is make the right choice.

Refusing to give up, Jack aims his gun at Sara, demanding she move so he can go. Telling him that he isn't being forced to stay, Sara only asks Jack where he'll go. Back out of Silent Hill, he says. Sara points out that it was "going back" that got him in so much trouble to start with. Jack was always going backwards, choosing not to step out of his past. Sara suggests that he move forward. In a panic, Jack runs out of the hospital room, yelling at Sara to leave him alone. At every turn, Sara tells Jack that he's alone, just his sins and himself.

Reaching the exit, Jack yells a final time for Sara to stop. Throwing open the doors, Finn Conway is waiting for him outside. Looking to punish Jack for his betrayal, Finn wants Jack's gun. Stepping out of the hospital, Sara tells the man that he can't have it because Jack will be needing it soon. Not stepping down, Finn returns with the idea that the only thing Jack needs to do is to explain where Jillian is. Passively, Sara says she's dead. Flabbergasted, Finn raises his gun at Jack and says he'll be dead soon, too. Sara replies though that may be, but it won't be Finn who does it. A Pyramid Head then kills Finn.



Fleeing the scene, Jack is assailed by visions of his past, his final illusion being Digger, his boyhood dog. Unable to bear the guilt, Jack pleads for it all to stop. Sara, appearing behind Jack, tells him that stopping it all is his choice.

Kneeling on the sidewalk, Jack attempts an apology to Sara for what he's done to her family. Rather than forgiving him, Sara just tells Jack that he passed the point of apologizing a long time ago. Saying he knew that, he tells Sara to step back, because things are about to get messy. Jack then shoots himself in the temple.