Nathan Prescott


 * "Everybody hates me... Everybody..."
 * ―Nathan while he's rolling around on the floor after he's beaten up by Warren.

Nathan Prescott is the deuteragonist in Colors and is later mentioned in A Thousand Miles.

Personality
Nathan is outwardly aggressive, spoiled, rich, and acts in the manner of an archetypal brat. Max Caulfield describes him as "Victoria Chase's male clone, with way more money and attitude." He often uses his family's influence to escape any responsibility for his actions, believing himself to be above the law. He appears to lack empathy for others and shows no regard for the suffering of those he deems a threat to his authority.

Nathan is inwardly mentally unstable, has been in psychiatric treatment for years and takes various medications, as implied by the pills found in his dorm room in "Dark Room" and in his locker in the Blackwell swimming pool in "Chaos Theory". It is Nathan's own father who has been telling him to take medication, evident from notes found in Nathan's dorm room in Episode 4. These medications include Risperidone - an antipsychotic medication used in treatment for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

It is suggested that Nathan may suffer from anxiety, paranoia and muscle spasms due to the bathroom scene in "Chrysalis". It is also heavily implied that he suffers from psychosis, judging from the drawings found in Episode 3 and Episode 4. Furthermore, one of his psychiatrists explained in a letter to his father that Nathan is "disconnected from reality" and considers him a threat to himself and the people around him. His medications suggest a diagnosis with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, the side effects of which (Restless Legs Syndrome) are visible throughout the game.

Nathan appears to be traumatized and bullied by many adults forcing him to act out throughout the game. He is under a lot of pressure, especially from his father. He is convinced that nobody likes him and that his life is hell. His excessive partying and taking drugs, as well as his outward egocentricity and lack of empathy might be his way of trying to cover up or redirect his emotional pain.

Nathan is cultured and has a collection of art, film, and photography in his bedroom. He has an affinity for a dark expressionist style. His photography collection leads Max to believe he enjoys "tortured subjects" when she explores his room. He has a photographic penchant for dead animals and his admiration of graveyards. When Max examines his dorm room, she finds pictures of dead birds and a dead Pompidou if he has been killed earlier. For the Everyday Heroes Contest, Nathan entered a photograph of a janitor working at a graveyard.

History
The Prescott family is known to be the oldest and most influential family of Arcadia Bay. The Prescotts are wealthy and supply substantial funding to Blackwell Academy, going as far as donating a new dormitory for the school's use. Nathan's father, Sean Prescott, has a lot of influence on Principal Wells which, in turn, affects his son's treatment at the academy. There is a wide rumor around town that even the local police are under the thumb of the Prescotts. The Prescotts are also responsible for a new development called "Pan Estates" that is scheduled to be built in Arcadia Bay.

Despite owning most of Arcadia Bay, the Prescotts may be from Florida instead of Arcadia Bay considering Nathan was born in Florida and there are many instances where Nathan's father and Nathan call Arcadia Bay a "shithole".[3] It's possible that Nathan's family lived in Florida for a while, but considering their ancestors already ruled over the town, they later returned to continue the family's legacy.

Nathan is presumed to be the youngest son in the Prescott family and has a record of being violent and acting out, which is implied to be due to the pressures placed upon him by his parents (specifically his father) in order to keep the Prescott reputation intact. According to Blackwell school records, Nathan, at least once, referred to himself as "Nathan Prescott the third" evidencing a condescending attitude among many Prescott family members rooting from the family's abundant wealth.

Nathan has been in psychiatric treatment for at least five years, which is evident by a letter from one of his psychiatrists and can be found in the Dark Room in Episode 4.

Letters can be found sent from Nathan's father regarding Nathan's unruly behavior in school. However, Nathan's father seems to be willingly disconnected from his son and his son's mental health and instead pacifies Nathan's outbursts with threats to the school and its financial support supplied by the Prescotts.

While searching through Nathan's computer during "Dark Room", Max can find a caring email sent to Nathan from his supportive older sister, Kristine, who states she is in Brazil, leaving Nathan on his own to deal with his father. Despite this, she tries to encourage Nathan to stand up to their father.

At Blackwell, Nathan retains the position as one of the main Vortex Club representatives and, by most Blackwell students, a recreational drug dealer. Nathan is evidenced to cut his drugs with powerful laxatives bought online after buying them from local drug dealer Frank Bowers.

Nathan is also a known partier and drinker and usually supplies the drugs and alcohol at the parties he attends. Nathan's family influence affords the Vortex Club with prestigious benefits, such as note-worthy DJs and the lack of surveillance by the authorities--a fact indicated by Nathan while referencing The End of the World Party.

Colors
In Colors, a softer, more protective side of Nathan is shown when it comes to Paisley. They are always hanging around each other and even allowed her to join the Vortex Club, they have a friendship built on trauma that is a ticking timebomb, one Paisley created when she and Max began rewinding to fix everything and help everyone.

In Chrysalis he is seen to be aggressive towards her especially after the bathroom scene and in the parking lot, after hitting her one accident and in the heat of the moment, but he argues and rationalizes it as being a way of keeping her close from afar. In the parking lot he is seen to have defended her by yelling at Madsen to stop manhandling her.

In Out of Time, he remarks about doing the shit he does and how he doesn't think it's okay to follow in his footsteps. After finding out they're kidnapping Victoria on Friday from the party and that Paisley's taking the pictures, he becomes panicked and she takes them back to the dorms where she assures him she won't let it happen.

In Chaos Theory, he is even more panicked and wants to hear her plan to save Victoria from Paisley's uncle, the famous photographer Mark Jefferson. As he's storming out, she begs him not to leave and he realizes it's because Mark had attempted to make a move on her. She confesses and says it's nothing but he threatens to kill him because of it. He confesses how he felt when Rachel died and how she was there for him and how they were there for each other. He even gifts her a bracelet that is supposed to bring her good luck.

In Dark Room, Nathan, after getting beat up by Warren, knows Max and Chloe took the phone according to their plan. Paisley reveals she's in on it and helps him to his room where he realizes what happens if Mark finds out. Paisley drives to Chloe's house with Nathan where they help with the case until they find the Dark Room, that's when things begin going south and they find Rachel buried in American Rust Junkyard.

Paisley takes Nathan back to the dorms and leaves him, saying she'll return later and he knows he'll die and that Jefferson's after him already. He makes voicemails, one for Max and one for Paisley. Right before storming the Vortex Club party, Paisley returns to search for Nathan and finds him gone and realizes she's still donning his jacket which contain his keys and his room is a mess, signaling his death.

A Thousand Miles
In A Thousand Miles, he is mentioned to be in a mental health facility and has spent his time writing letters to Paisley. It isn't until the Save Esteban Ending that he gets out and is actually physically there to be with Paisley once more, it is implied that he now has romantic feelings for her now that she is almost of age.

Powers and Abilities
In Colors he is known to have the time traveling ability but is unable to use it due to being under the influence most of the story to get rid of his precognition.

In life is strange, the unused audio shows he has precognition but it is unknown if he actually has time traveling powers.

Alternative Timeline
When Max enters the Alternative Timeline, Nathan can be seen talking to Zachary on the Blackwell Campus lawn. Max is a member of the Vortex Club and sits in the same group on the lawn. Nathan and Max seem to be friends since he texts her about hanging out, and according to Victoria's texts, he is worried about Max after she ran off suddenly (to Chloe's house).

Also in the Alternative Timeline, he doesn't recognize Paisley due to her staying in Seattle. In the ending where she stays in the alt timeline, they bump into each other and meet. She then exposes that she knows him after a couple of years of being friends.

Associated Deaths

 * Chloe Price (Caused, Direct, Determinant) - Nathan accidentally shoots her in the Blackwell Girls Bathroom in the original timeline. This is rewound by Max in Episode 1. However, at the end of the story, if Max chooses to save Arcadia Bay, Chloe's death is inevitable as in the original timeline.
 * Kate Marsh (Involved, Indirectly Caused, Determinant) - It is implied that Nathan dosed Kate, as she tells Max that he had been the one to offer to take her to the hospital and did not. This dosing led to her viral video which is the main contribution to her suicide/suicide attempt.
 * Rachel Amber (Caused, Accidental) - It is revealed by Mark Jefferson that Nathan had a lust for Rachel, and kidnapped her to follow in Mark Jefferson's footsteps by photographing her while she was drugged, but he accidentally overdosed her.

Friends

 * Victoria Chase - As both popular members of the Vortex Club they've spent a lot of time together and became pretty close; she's seemingly the best and closest friend he has. A photo of both of them fooling around and several party shots as well as a lot of exchanged emails, which can be found in Victoria's room, prove their familiarity. Victoria seems to know Nathan better than anyone as she states he wouldn't be what everyone believes him to be, and that nobody really knows what he's actually going through. She evidently knows about his mental problems and how his family treats him, and from that, it's evident that Nathan trusted in Victoria and confided his struggles to her, since she clearly was someone who listened to him and tried to support him through his hard time. Nathan, for his part, also really seems to care for Victoria. When Victoria cries after Kate's suicide (attempt) he visits her in her room and comforts her. He's also seen to defend her if Max took the picture of Victoria covered in paint. Despite this, she mentions that he has been "freaking her out" lately, regardless of their friendship status, which proves that his mental state had become more unstable and although Victoria had tried to support him, she was unable to cope with his behavior.
 * Hayden Jones - He's one of the very few people at Blackwell who defend Nathan and who doesn't care what others talk about him. He thinks that Nathan is just like a "voodoo doll" who everybody prejudges and tries to cast the blame on due to his wealthy family background. Hayden describes Nathan as alright and a fun guy to hang out with who's also really hilarious when he's high.
 * Rachel Amber - They hung out together frequently in the Vortex Club. It's suggested that they had a rather close relationship since Nathan seems to be happy to see her when he mistakes Max for Rachel, and he knows a lot about her relationship to Frank Bowers. On the other hand, he accused her of drug dealing before she disappeared, and, according to Mark Jefferson in Episode 5, Nathan was apparently obsessed with Rachel and in lust with her; he drugged her to follow Jefferson's footsteps, but accidentally killed her by giving her an overdose. After her death, he is apparently traumatized and feels deeply sorry for what happened to her, since he "never wanted to hurt Rachel, or anybody". However it can be assumed Jefferson could've been lying.
 * Other Vortex Club members
 * Max Caulfield - He and Max seem to be friends in the alternative timeline since he texts her about hanging out and according to Victoria's texts, is worried about her since she ran off.

Family

 * Sean Prescott (father) - Nathan is put under a lot of pressure by his father regarding his role as a Prescott family member, and his father doesn't really seem to care about Nathan's mental health issues, since he doesn't support Nathan's therapist's advice and just urges his son to take various medications. Moreover, he always avoids actual confrontations with his son and just tries to solve his problems with his influence and money, instead of actually talking with Nathan and trying to help him. Nathan himself expresses a lot of hatred against his father, even calling him an "asshole" in Episode 3. His Best Son in the World Diploma from 2006, which still hangs on his room's wall, and several photos showing his father or both of them when he was still a child, indicate that their relationship hasn't always been that bad and that Nathan still wishes it to be better. It shows that Nathan values the respect and admiration of his father, and is desperately trying to redeem himself and win back the love he once had as a child, which drove him into looking for a substitutive father figure.
 * Mrs._Prescott (mother) - According to the letter from Kristine, Nathan's mother has been worried about him and is aware and doesn't approve of Sean's treatment of Nathan.
 * Kristine Prescott (older sister) - He has a positive and caring relationship with his sister, unlike the rest of his family. She cares a lot about her little brother and they text regularly.
 * Harry Aaron Prescott (probably grandfather)
 * Martin Lewis Prescott (probably a great-great grandfather)
 * Mark Jefferson (father figure) - Due to Nathan and Sean having a bad relationship, Nathan looks to Mark Jefferson as a mentor and father figure, and Mark uses this to his advantage.

Enemies

 * Max Caulfield - The intensity of his hostility toward Max can be determined on whenever or not she has made choices that could harm Nathan in any way. Despite his apparent dislike for her, his behavior towards Max is less aggressive if she has chosen not to tell Principal Wells about him carrying a gun in the girls bathroom, to make fun of Victoria for getting paint on herself or to blame him for Kate's attempt to commit suicide. Nevertheless, Nathan attacks Max at the parking lot in Episode 1 and when he catches her and Chloe breaking into his dormitory room and stealing his mobile phone in Episode 4. Also, in the same episode, she's not reluctant in helping Chloe to get her revenge against him for killing Rachel. However, regardless of Max's choices, in Episode 5, Max will get a voice message from Nathan in which he apologizes for everything and warns her about Mark Jefferson.
 * Chloe Price - Chloe and Nathan despise each other. Chloe met Nathan at a bar when he was wasted, and tried to use his drunken state to con him out of money she could use to pay back Frank. But Nathan spiked her drink and took photos of her in her vulnerable state before she could escape his dormitory room. Deducing that Nathan deals drugs at Blackwell, she planned to blackmail him for money. Nathan grows angry at Chloe and threatens her to stay away, and even accidentally shoots her without Max's intervention. After it becomes clear that Nathan is partially responsible for the drugging, photographing and death of Rachel Amber, Chloe is on the warpath with him and resolves to get revenge for her friend.
 * Luke Parker - Like many students at Blackwell, Luke despises Nathan. Max can talk to Luke about Nathan getting attacked by Warren, resulting in Luke being satisfied.
 * Warren Graham - When Nathan attacks Max in the parking lot, Warren tries to intervene, resulting in a fight between the two that gets Warren a black eye. Later on, when Nathan is about to attack Max in the male dormitory, Warren again puts himself between them. Warren head-butts Nathan to the floor, causing Nathan to pull out a gun and levy a death threat against Warren, Max, and Chloe. Warren kicks the gun out of Nathan's hand, and, if Max chooses not to intervene, Nathan receives a brutal beating from him.
 * Kate Marsh - Nathan drugged Kate on a Vortex Club Party, which led to her being filmed while kissing strangers and ending up in Mr. Jefferson's Dark Room, which she doesn't recognize, but she knows he's done something terrible to her. She wants him to pay for what he's done to her and even thinks that there's something evil about the Prescotts that connects them with death.
 * Mark Jefferson - Jefferson is responsible for taking advantage of Nathan's mental condition and bad relationship with his father in order to use him as a scapegoat and tool to further his twisted agenda. Nathan looks to Mark Jefferson as a mentor and father figure, and Mark uses this to his advantage. He also murders Nathan to cover up his own crimes.
 * Samuel Taylor - Most Vortex Club members view Samuel as a "freak," it seems Nathan is no exception, he even threatened him for unknown reasons.

Romantic Edit

 * Rachel Amber - According to Jefferson, Nathan was in lust with Rachel. They were likely engaging in intimate behavior before Rachel's disappearance, as Rachel was known to have hooked up with many Vortex Club members. It is also worth noting that Nathan wrote, "69 REASONS TO BANG RACHEL" in the boys' locker room. According to Jefferson, his obsession went so far that he chose her as a model by following Jefferson's footsteps to impress him and drugged her, but accidentally killed her by giving her an overdose. After her death, he was traumatized and feels deeply sorry for what happened to her, since he "never wanted to hurt Rachel or anybody". However, Jefferson could be lying, especially seeing the photos of Nathan, spaced out and lying under Rachel as well as the fact that he seems oblivious to Rachel's death (he assumes disappearance) in the diner scene when Max enters wearing Rachel's clothes.
 * Victoria Chase - There are a few implications of Nathan having romantic feelings for Victoria, such as starting many emails with "Hey gorgeous." When Max asks the people at the End of the World Party for Nathan's whereabouts, everybody says that it's Victoria who usually knows where he is. As Taylor Christensen said, "Vic is close with Nathan. They're more like brother-sister. Or something... She really cares about him." According to Dontnod, Victoria and Nathan have a relationship that is not quite clear. Many believed that their relationship was just one-sided, but it was already proven that Nathan also cares about Victoria.

Spirit Animal
It's discussed whether the whale could be Nathan's spirit animal. This is due to the fact that Nathan listens to whale songs, and also, the deaths of the whales in Arcadia Bay could have been foreshadowing to the death of the Prescott heir.

Color Symbolism
Nathan is associated with the color red (his jacket and his car), which can symbolize a number of things including danger, rage, wrath and stress as well as passion, longing, lust, sensitivity and action. Nathan is most obviously characterized by his blatant aggression and stress and paranoid behavior, as signified by red. The circumstances of the pressure placed on him by his family name and several other people can also be presumed to be reflected by the color. He also strives to emulate Mark Jefferson's photography. The color red also represents lust which Nathan has for Rachel. His coat can also symbolize the fact that he is a "red herring", for Mr. Jefferson.

Red is considered a particularly "emotionally intense" color that "increases respiration rate" and "raises blood pressure".] This is a testament to Nathan's anxiety and quick-to-anger attitude, as well as the previously mentioned danger in relation to his personality.