Daniel Powell/Relationships

Overview

History

Relationships

Season 1

Mark Sollinger

Mark and Dan have been friends since at least college. Dan considers Mark his best friend, for good reason, as Mark is consistently shown to go above and beyond to help Dan. The two are very close and care about each other a great deal, and talk to each other with a casual comfort rarely seen from Dan.

Mark knows Dan very well, being very in-the-know about his life including his personal projects, and has known Dan well for long enough to make fun of his dating history. Dan seems to know who Mark's coworkers are, and thinks of him when making terrible jokes. He is the first person Dan calls when he needs help, clearly someone Dan trusts and can rely on a great deal. In season 2, Dan suspects Mark is the reason he got captured, not intentionally, but a lack of security when releasing the podcast, and is somewhat frustrated with him for it.

Mark goes so far as to join The Cult and become Dromen in order to get Dan out of The City, and even after becoming Dromen, Dan still considers them his best friend. Dromen is also still incredibly fond of Dan; Static Man taunting them with Dan's voice about an apparent betrayal is a less appealing prospect than seeing more members of The Cult killed, and they are willing to let Chris and Nicholas go in order to free him, despite all the destruction they have caused.

Tanya Molova

Tanya is Dan's girlfriend at the start of Season 1. The two seem quite close, she understands him well, including his bad habits. She tries to look out for him, sending him off with a sunlamp, crockpot, and chia seeds, and checks he is eating and exercising right. He has been helping her with a renovation project, and she even agrees to save some painting to do together. While she is initially eager to look out for him, she is also willing to cut him off when he fails to maintain their relationship on his end, and becomes uncomfortable to deal with. She worries about him even after this, but not enough to want to see him again.

Ratty

After becoming lonely in his isolation, Dan encounters an inquisitive rat, which he initially attempts to shoo away, not comfortable with harming it but not delighted at the idea of having it in the building. After being unable to do so, and swayed by the creature's cuteness, Dan gives in, feeding it and giving it the name Ratty. Dan quickly becomes very fond of the little creature, leaving out leftovers, petting him, letting him sit on his shoulder, watching movies, and talking to him at length. Ratty is very fond of Dan as well, becoming very comfortable very quickly and eventually coming to Dan when called. On the occasions he attempts to leave the archive, he always plans to bring Ratty with him. Unfortunately, the last such attempt leads to Ratty's death, much to Dan's distress.

After being taken to The Outpost some months later, Dan brushes off Ratty's death, saying he was "just a rat", but privately admits missing having the little creature around the archive, if only to talk with.

Liam Davenport

Excited for his new job, Dan initially attempts to impress Davenport, but quickly realises Davenport is untrustworthy and does not have his best interests at heart. Despite this, Davenport manages to continually manipulate and steamroll Dan.

Davenport is later responsible for tracking Dan down after he flees, and granting Rat permission to modify him, though with some concern he'll be affected by weirdness to the same degree that Rat has been.

After the surgery, Davenport lies to Dan, assuring him they'll bring him home and "take out that pesky recorder", in order to get him to comply. When Dan threatens to damage his new body, Davenport gives him more information.

Dan finally gets a chance to confront Davenport after escaping the outpost, though is ultimately unsatisfied at Davenport's answers. Dan is shocked and upset at Davenport's death, though this seems more of a reflection of how Dan is as a person than any real concern.

Melody Pendras

While Dan and Melody don't get to meet until season 2, Dan is initally very impressed with her work, noting she "seems to know what she's doing" with an admiring tone. He becomes very invested in her work, and curious as to what has happened to her.

Both Rat and Davenport question if Dan may've had a crush on her, a suggestion which Dan seems particularly unimpressed with.

He's excited finally getting to meet her, and she does her best to help him, both before and after leaving The City. She expresses some guilt over his modifications, stating that she feels partly responsible. She listens to his story with some patience, and answers all his questions.

Melody retains some sense of responsibility, or at least care for him in season 3, finding out he's involved with Nicholas and Chris' ritual may be the only reason she agrees to help. She also gives Chris a letter for him, some mystery errand to do when he gets home. Additonally, he seems confident he could ask her to keep an eye on Nicholas.

Alexa Pendras

Though they don't meet until the end of season 2, Dan gives little opinion on her before then, bar a respect for her and Melody's relationship. When they finally do, though it is brief, Dan is a little nervous but polite, and Alexa is gentle, friendly, and reassuring with him. She is the only person who never remarks on Dan's changes, reacting as though he were perfectly normal.

Season 2

Rat

Dan seems to find Rat generally exhausting and a bit frustrating, and although initially very unimpressed, by the end of season 2, can't seem to bring himself to actually dislike him. On face level, Rat seems to care about and try to be a good friend to Dan, though it becomes quickly apparent his affection is mostly for his "finest creation", and partially as a fan of the podcast, rather than for Dan as an actual person. Rat also has remarkably little room for Dan's own worries or opinions, often dismissing them out of hand, and somehow has even less consideration for Dan's bodily autonomy. He seems to also frequently withhold useful information, ensuring Dan becomes better acquainted with both The City and his new body in order to find it.

His affection may be misplaced, but still offers Dan some comfort in an otherwise hostile Outpost; their trip to the theremin room is one of Dan's only positive experiences in The City, or with Weird Stuff at all. Once it becomes clear something is wrong at LMG, and having no real reason to stay at the outpost, Rat agrees to leave when Dan does. Rat is determined that Dan learn to love and appreciate his new body and it's connection to The City, to approve of the hard work Rat is so proud of. Thinking Dan is like him, Rat often wonders why Dan bothers worrying about "the humans" (Clara and Lou). While he seems to worry about Dan, this does not appear to extend to his mental or emotional health, instead just his physical well-being, worried that his prize project, or the Leviathan incubating in it, will be damaged.

This is not to say Rat is not fond of Dan, he is, greeting him excitedly, being outwardly polite, calling him cute, and taking joy at Dan calling him by his nickname. Rather, he does not have affection for who Dan is as a person, and the two are never truly able to connect interpersonally.

Because the way in which Rat is affected by his weirdness, it is unclear if he's able to understand what he's done to Dan is wrong, and whether he is capable of forming human friendships in the conventional sense, but he does call Dan a "good friend" and appear to attempt to connect with him a bit, so he may have some version of it. He also refers to Clara and Lou as friends, it may be best to take this with a grain of salt. Dan feels Rat is confused, and has a hard time blaming him for the awful things he's done, simply trying to treat him "kindly". While Dan does not return Rat's affection, he does seem to progressively develop a care toward him, though this may simply to be pity, stating "he's been kicked around enough".

Suit/Caroline

Dan has a lot of sympathy for Suit and is often checking on them. While Rat insists Suit is an "it", Dan takes offense to this, using "she" and "they", and protesting when Rat is unkind to her. Dan tries to look out for them, rushing over to help when hearing her "malfunction" (sing), trying to make conversation, and asking them to leave the outpost with him. As Caroline begins to surface, Dan returns her name, and Suit seeks out Dan's help to remove her finger, to release her in part from LMG. After this point, Caroline looks out for Dan as well. She understands Dan is gentle by nature, not trusting that he'd be able to use The Boatwoman's knife, and scold

ding him for his kindness to the people who've wronged him. Despite Caroline's hatred for "abominations", and all things weird (including herself), she never puts any of this on Dan, even requesting Dromen find some way to help hTE]

Clara

Though not immediately obvious, of everyone in the outpost, Dan's situation is closest to Clara's: both trapped in The City and forced into the expedition under threat. Dan and Clara do not start off on very good terms, both thinking the other is there willingly, and Clara having a hard time conceptualizing Dan's status as a person.

Clara is wary of Dan from their first meeting, refusing to shake his hand, and asking other people invasive questions about him, right in front of him. Dan has no reason to like her; she is constantly rude, and does not hide her disgust of his modifications or thoughts about his supposed obsessions. Clara has a tendency to get cruel when scared, and it's pretty clear that Dan freaks her out. She seems to see him as obsessive, driven by the need for secrets and stories, and assuming he's willing participant in both his own modification and LMG's expedition. Closed off and hostile, Dan has a difficult time getting any sense of what Clara is actually like.

After discovering Clara is debt to LMG, and witnessing Cynthia threaten her family, Dan comes to understand that she's there about as willingly as he is, becoming sympathetic and trying to get her to open up. Misreading this as intrusive curiosity, she initially rebuffs him, the two growing increasingly frustrated with each other.

Eventually, Dan confronts her about the way she treats him, explaining his situation, convincing her he's still a person, and promising to get her home. Clara relaxes, apologises, and the two bond over music and get to know a bit more about each other. They become fast friends and her attitude to him changes quite dramatically, no longer just seeing him as a part of the weirdness, but another person affected by it. Clara is the first person to acknowledge he's the same person as before the operation, and Dan is relieved to have someone who actually understands his position. While they never become especially close, Clara eventually becomes Dan's most comfortable ally in the outpost. This may be true for Clara as well, and although she warmly admits Dan still weirds her out, she grows more comfortable around him over time, and seems to make casual conversation with Dan more easily than she does with even Lou. The two quickly develop an "emotional connection" enough for him to connect with her while broadcasting.

Once friends, Clara's behavior changes in other ways; after being previously cagey with information, Clara seems to actively start collecting and sharing more, including not only useful but also interesting details. She expresses genuine concern for his well-being and emotional boundaries, checking he's alright and dropping topics when he seems uncomfortable. She quickly defaults to asking him questions over everyone else, frequently taking his opinions with more consideration than she does for Lou.

Another major change is trust; once friends, they never outwardly doubt the other's intentions, no matter how bad things get. After The Contest, Clara and Lou could have easily gotten their boon and left The City without so much as telling Dan, but he instead (correctly) assumes they are in danger, and likewise Clara (correctly) assumes Dan is trying to contact them, but is being blocked somehow, and has not just left them to die.

As is his nature, Dan worries about Clara and Lou from the first time he meets them, but once friends, becomes a significant degree more distressed when she is in immediate danger. Dan has repeatedly proved uncomfortable with causing people harm, but goes so far as to join Clara in The Contest, knowing he'll have to help her kill someone. Their association is far from perfect, however. When scared, Clara has a tendency to lash out, going so far as to call Dan a monster at one point, and the two can become quickly frustrated with each other's vagueness and poor communication. Neither seems to have a good grasp on emotional or interpersonal matters, and attempts at comfort from either are rarely successful.

The two part on good terms, Clara thanking Dan, and seemingly giving him a hug in addition to her real name, so they can meet up again up for coffee when he gets back.

Lou

Lou and Dan never become close but are never actively hostile, either. While Lou initially has trouble with the idea that Dan is human, surprised to learn he went to high school, and later stating "told you he was a hipster" (the original script clarifying "was" to "used to be"), he does make some effort to be polite, accepting Dan's handshake and often trying to make conversation. Dan is, on occasion, a bit taken aback by this, surprised by his overall familiarity. Lou never attempts to make conversation with Rat or Suit, apparently a bit more comfortable with Dan, and is generally more talkative with Dan over radio than in person. They both occasionally make teasing jabs at each other.

During the incident at Vining Towers it becomes clear that until this point, Lou has little to no actual trust in Dan's motives, though once Dan gets them out this changes, Lou now apparently trusting Dan to do right by him, and even confiding in him on occasion. Dan seems to find Lou's lack of self-control tiring, but a little amusing, and he and Clara often struggle to keep Lou from doing something unwise. Dan and Lou have little in common, both in terms of general interests and motivation. Lou's goodbye to Dan is kind, but reflects the lack of understanding they have for each other.

In Season 3, Dan expresses his first personal sentiment to Chris and Nicholas, "If you see Lou again, say "hello" for me". He also notes Lou's matured a lot since knowing him, and trusts him to be able to help Chris out.

The Green Lady

A Leviathan with a strong dislike of LMG, Green quickly connects with Dan in an attempt to convince him to sabotage the expedition. Dan quickly grows frustrated with her vagueness, and is unwilling to cooperate with her plans to lead Clara and Lou to their deaths. He quickly resolves not to trust her, but continues taking advice. She appears to be using him as a means to try escape The City, and establish on Earth.

Mr. Brown

Dan seems to find Mr. Brown tiring and tedious, and resents his lack of concern for Clara and Lou. Mr Brown is unconcerned with much but productivity, and so is neither kind nor actively cruel to Dan, though has little patience for other people, and dismisses Dan's concerns and attempts to gain information.

Cynthia Closer

From the moment they first meet, Cynthia is awful to everyone in the outpost, and, refusing to provide her name, quickly earns the title of "The Asshole". When expressing concerns to her, Cynthia not only shuts Dan down but makes an effort to strip him of his humanity, calling him a monster and telling him to "stop trying to pretend [he's] a person... Monsters are cool". Overall, she's awful to everyone, and really doesn't seem to consider his being human to be important in the first place, just targeting him where it hurts most. It does notable damage to Dan's self esteem, however, and although he does not question his status as a person, he does begin to think of himself as a monster on some level as well.

Season 3

Nicholas Waters

Dan aids Nicholas and Chris through tapes and vague messages throughout season 3, though as we never what's happening on his end, we have little information as to what he thinks of the siblings.

When they finally meet, Dan misunderstands Nicholas' priorities, possibly based on Nicholas' own previous statements on tape, possibly projecting his own desire for a normal life, maybe both. Regardless, this, and Dan's uncertainty around Static Man, produces a surprisingly hostile result from Nicholas. Nicholas returns Dan to New York, and in return Dan promises to try to leave him alone.

Christine Anderson

Dan is able to send Chris tapes via her vomiting them up. The two only interact very briefly, but Chris does not see Dan as a threat, trying to get Nicholas to relax around him, and supporting Dan's story. It is unclear what Dan thinks of Chris, though he freely offers a way for her to return to The Irons.

Static Man

While we never hear them interract, they are both aware of eachother's existance. Dan has heard Static Man:

• Murder a bunch of people (note Dan's extreme discomfort with murder, including his distress at that of Davenport, the man who ruined Dan's life in almost every aspect)
• Harass Dan's closest friend with Dan's own voice
• Admit to breaking into someone's house and leaving a bull's head in her freezer
• Admit to manipulating someone into sex
• Get on Alexa's bad side (Alexa has never anything but exceedingly kind to Dan, the only time he's heard her act like she does with Static Man was with Chad)
• Murder a bunch more people
• Make what (to Dan) must sound like a bunch of light-hearted jokes about it.

So it is not especially surprising he his uncomfortable with Static Man or the idea of Nicholas helping him.

Static Man is aware of Dan's voice and some history with Dromen, though how he is, is unknown. The popular theory is he is heard the podcast.