Going into a bit of a deeper dive on how I view these guys in my brain dome B)
I like to stick to canon as closely as possible, but my mind does wander!
Characters included: Chains, Dallas, wolf, and Sokol
// All canon-typical things
// Slight mention of poor mental health?
Chains
Chains was once a Navy SEAL and had a girlfriend, so he clearly knows how to act like a well-adjusted person in society
But Chains is also quick to anger and can be impulsive (like how he broke that paintbrush in half for literally no reason đ)
Chains is a smart guy, and a highly capable individual but I feel like people forget he's also got a screw loose
From the main four, I think he's the second least sane (next to wolf, naturally)
He's also a highly impatient dude
So, in my head, in a tough (non-combat) situation Chains will know what he should do, but his anger issues make his natural instincts less logical ^_^''
But I don't think he'd flip his lid at the drop of a hat, he's still a reliable dude
You just can't test his patience, y'know?
Chains is a really smart and skilled guy, and his in-game dialogue with the other heisters (in casual situations) show that he can be approachable and sociable
But in the words of Damion Poitier, "Chains is an asshole[...] Chains is a fucking asshole."
He's witty and can have a sharp tongue, like Hoxton and Dallas
Chains is half charismatic and smart, and half impatient and impulsive
I do think Chains knows how to keep himself in check in combat though, he's a great soldier
It's just stuff like that damn drill, or trying to piece together things that are too small for his sausage fingers that gets him flying off the handle
Like they always say, "There is nothing more unforgivable than being slightly annoying"
Getting OOC for a moment; I like to imagine Chains as a medic xD
Realistically, he probably doesn't have fine enough motor skills and empathy to practice medicine, but he's a pretty alright field medic
He has the knowledge, just not the skills
Dallas
Dallas probably has the most patience out of everyone; a strong leader needs a strong mind to keep his crew in check
Actually, "patience" isn't the best word for it, he's the most tolerant
Dallas is witty, charismatic, thinks fast on his feet, is creative and inventive; the best qualities of a mastermind
But isn't nearly as in touch with his emotions as he is with his brain
I imagine heart-to-hearts and feelings aren't really in his repertoire, he's used to being on the run and not getting the chance to be vulnerable with many people
But I do think he cares deeply for his crew, he just isn't sure how to show it
He's very much a dad to them; he calls everyone "buddy" and nags on them in a humorous way
Dallas in the live-action series is too stone-cold IMO, definitely not the type to say "YIPPIE-KAY-YAY MOTHERFUCKER" like our tried-and-true Dallas
Speaking of which, he keeps things in order but isn't above goofing off with his friends (like that time he shot that Teddy Moo for some reason)
This made me realize that he's more than 5 years older than everyone in his immediate friend group (wolf, Chains, and oddly his best friend Hoxton, who's twelve years younger than him)
Despite being a genius, he struggles with things like modern technology and arts and crafts
He's very old-fashioned
I tend to struggle to envision Dallas's character in my head because my mind flips between the sharp Nathan Steele and the goofy, "I NEED A MEDIC BAG-" Dallas
Thanks to that, I have a bunch of seriously OOC headcanons
To try and mix in his live-action self with his in-game self, I imagine Dallas sees himself as a genuine, albeit twisted, Robin Hood for the US people
It's almost a God-complex of sorts, he sees his job as doing the dirty work for the betterment of America, he wants to literally be the face of the American people (which explains his odd mask choice)
Does he genuinely believe he's in the right? I think he's insane enough to say yes
But don't get me wrong, I don't think he's some Charlie Kirk; Dallas fucking hates the government
In a "I could do their jobs better" sort of way
wolf
I donât 100% agree with how Wolfâs intelligence is portrayed? Like how he was struggling with the emails in The Dragan Files despite having OWNED a video-game development company and being an engineer
Recently wolf's antics have been portrayed as silly mistakes because he simply doesn't know better
But to me, Wolf is smart and knows the outcome of poor and reckless choices which is exactly why he does them; itâs fun and he doesn't care about consequences đ
But by no means is Wolf an expert at everything
He doesnât care much for literature, physical sciences, history, and other categories of education that he doesnât actively work with
In fact, I think heâd hate philosophical subjects because he actively avoids confronting his inner demons with anything but a happy-go-lucky attitude
Wolf does whatever he can to bury the memories of his old job, family, and life but they still slip back in his darkest moments
I'm no expert but I imagine wolf would exhibit BPD-like symptoms; impulsive and often self-destructive behavior, unstable relationships that flip back and forth between obsessive love and unyielding hatred, unpredictable mood swings of anger, fear, despair, and emptiness, etc.
In the words of Bain, "He's as reliable as Swedish quality furniture"
when meeting new members of the gang, wolf is hostile and untrusting, often thinking the person isn't worthy of joining the Payday gang until he warms up to them
Before then, I imagine he'd attempt to intimidate that person into backing out (when Dallas or Bain aren't there to tell him off)
Despite becoming an entirely new person, there are small remnants of his old caring and nurturing personality from back when he was a father and a husband, nobody except Hoxton would know that though
He takes no offense to being called "insane" and "unstable," it actually makes him feel powerful
Sokol
I feel like people really under look how exceptionally talented and capable Sokol is, not just physically but mentally
He's been pulling off robbing dozens of jewelry stores and casinos all by himself while balancing his career as a professional hockey player
Not to mention he is a genius engineer whose work was in demand by the likes of Bain, someone who has unfathomable connections to scientists all over the globe
All this at just twenty-five years old, he's definitely earned his keep
Not only does he share a sharp wit and charismatic charm with Dallas, but he too struggles with his emotions
Sokol is a friendly and kind person to the people he considers his friends but is intolerant of things that don't fit in his definition of "normal"
Take Jacket and his tape recorder, for example
He can be an encouraging friend but also a rude prick
He's a blunt guy, I suppose
I don't actually have a lot to elaborate on because I think Sokol's personality is pretty solidified, he talks a lot
IMO Chains is massively underrated; I still need to make an actual drawing of him oughg shoot me </3
Everyone in the Payday gang has such a defined personality, I adore them :-)
I'm not sure who else I can add to this list, but it'd be fun to discuss the other members of the gang in the future
