Bendy and the Ink Machine Characters Guide: Meet the Cast

Who Are the Main Bendy and the Ink Machine Characters?

A familiar cartoon face can mean trouble inside Joey Drew Studios, and this Bendy and the Ink Machine characters guide helps you recognize the difference. Knowing who gives you objectives, who travels beside you, and who hunts you makes the studio easier to navigate. Use this Bendy and the Ink Machine characters guide to keep the cast straight as Henry’s return turns into a fight for survival.

Spoilers ahead for character encounters and boss fights across all five chapters.

The cast mixes former studio employees, cartoon personalities, and creatures made from ink. Those categories overlap, but a character’s appearance alone doesn’t explain their behavior.

Character	Role in the story or gameplay	Detail to remember
Henry Stein	Playable protagonist and former lead animator	Returns after receiving Joey’s invitation
Joey Drew	Central figure behind the studio’s history	Invites Henry back to the workshop
Cartoon Bendy	The studio’s popular animated character	Mischievous, playful, and attention-seeking
Ink Demon	A dangerous creation of the Ink Machine	Pursues Henry through the studio
Boris	Henry’s companion during Chapter Three	Helps with exploration and a paired-lever door
Alice Angel	Gives Henry tasks in Chapter Three	Sends him after parts and ink-related items
Sammy Lawrence	A threatening figure encountered during the story	Has a combat encounter in Chapter Five
Projectionist	An enemy encountered in the studio’s lower areas	Appears in Chapters Three and Four
Bertrum	Chapter Four boss	Fought through a large amusement ride
Tom	An ally during Chapter Five	Fights alongside Alice during the swarm battle

Start by separating cartoon identities from the ink creatures you meet. That distinction matters especially for Bendy: the cheerful mascot on the walls and the creature stalking the halls have very different roles.

Official page: Bendy and the Ink Machine (joeydrewstudios.com)

Henry, Joey Drew, and the Two Faces of Bendy

Henry gives you a personal connection to the abandoned workshop. He worked as the lead animator during the studio’s 1930s heyday, then returns many years later after Joey contacts him. Exploring familiar workspaces becomes a way to uncover what happened to the place and its people.

Joey’s influence reaches beyond that invitation. His name belongs to the studio itself, and his office appears in Chapter Five’s Administration area. Pay attention to the recordings and spaces associated with him as you work toward the vault.

Cartoon Bendy

Cartoon Bendy is a mischievous little imp whose personality centers on playfulness and attention. His devilish appearance belongs to the studio’s cartoon identity; it doesn’t make every image of him a hostile creature.

You encounter that identity through posters, dolls, and cardboard cutouts. Some become part of objectives or achievements. In Chapter Three, interacting with 25 Bendy dolls unlocks Inner Child, while Alice later sends Henry to destroy Bendy cutouts.

The Ink Demon

The Ink Demon is an artificially created monster spawned from the Ink Machine. His presence turns the studio’s familiar mascot into a direct survival threat.

In Chapter Three, Little Miracle Stations provide hiding places during dangerous encounters. Locate one before starting an objective that sends you through unfamiliar corridors.

The 2.1.0 update increases the Ink Demon’s Chapter Three spawn frequency and prevents him from catching Henry while Henry is actively entering a Little Miracle Station. Account for those changes when following older routes.

Keep this distinction at the center of your Bendy and the Ink Machine characters guide: cartoon Bendy explains the studio’s appeal, while the Ink Demon makes its corridors dangerous.

Boris and Alice Angel: Companionship and Demands

Boris gives Chapter Three a quieter opening. You begin in his safehouse, prepare soup for him, and then explore together. That shared routine makes him an important companion before the chapter’s more demanding errands begin.

Before leaving the safehouse, return to the room where Henry woke up. After preparing the soup and opening the exit, you can find a bone beside the box near the soup can. Give it to Boris to unlock Knick-Knack Paddywhack.

Finish checking the safehouse before stepping outside. Its door locks after you leave.

Boris also helps Henry open a door that requires two levers to be pulled simultaneously. Remember that moment when sorting the cast: his role here involves cooperation and companionship.

Alice Angel changes the pace. Her Chapter Three tasks send Henry between floors to retrieve materials, destroy cutouts, and survive attacks. Her requests provide a practical route through several character encounters.

Alice’s task	Destination or target	What you need to do
Retrieve gears	Room containing Bendy dolls	Collect three gears from boxes
Collect thick ink	Swollen Searchers on Level 11	Defeat three and retrieve their glowing ink blobs
Retrieve valve cores	Level P	Complete the three valve-panel puzzles
Destroy Bendy cutouts	Level K	Break the cutouts required by the objective
Collect ink hearts	Inky abyss on Level 14	Retrieve five hearts

Plan your remaining exploration before handing over the final hearts; that hand-in moves you toward the chapter’s ending.

For this part of the Bendy and the Ink Machine characters guide, connect each task with the enemy it introduces. Swollen Searchers become collection targets, the Butcher Gang attacks during Alice’s sequence, and the Projectionist threatens the search through the lower level.

Sammy, Jack Fain, the Projectionist, and the Butcher Gang

Several memorable characters stand between Henry and his next objective. Their encounters require different responses, so avoid treating every ink creature as an invitation to fight.

Image: Steam / Joey Drew Studios

Sammy Lawrence and Jack Fain

Chapter Two takes Henry through recording spaces, musical puzzles, and Sammy Lawrence’s office. The musical puzzle uses an instrument order given by an audio log inside the closet opened with Wally’s keys.

Listen to the recording during your current run. The instrument order is randomized, so memorizing a sequence from another playthrough won’t solve it.

Jack Fain appears as the Searcher holding the second valve. Use the machinery to crush him, then collect the valve to unlock A Special Hat. His encounter ties a named character directly to the drainage objective.

Sammy returns for a fight in Chapter Five. Keep track of the surrounding area during that encounter, since a larger enemy battle follows.

The Projectionist and Recurring Enemies

The Projectionist appears in Chapter Three, including the Level 14 area where Henry searches for ink hearts. Defeating him there unlocks Norman’s Fate.

He also appears during Chapter Four’s Maintenance sequence. Follow his movements carefully while looking for the recording in the back-left part of the room.

Enemy	Encounter detail	Practical response
Projectionist	Can be fought on Chapter Three’s Level 14	Use the Tommy Gun if you have obtained it
Swollen Searchers	Carry ink needed for Alice’s task	Retrieve the glowing blob after each required kill
Piper	Can threaten Henry during Chapter Three errands	Retreat to the stairwell hiding station when needed
Butcher Gang	Attacks during Chapter Three	Prepare for combat when returning to Alice’s area
Piper, Striker, and Fisher	Patrol Chapter Five’s Administration area	Watch their routes before moving between rooms

The 2.1.0 update also changes one Projectionist detail: after he is killed on Level 14, he no longer appears on Level 11.

Use this Bendy and the Ink Machine characters guide to distinguish an objective target from a patrol. Fighting a required Searcher advances Alice’s task; moving carefully around Administration supports a different objective entirely.

Bertrum, Boris, and the Chapter Five Allies

Chapter Four turns the character roster into a series of larger encounters in this Bendy and the Ink Machine characters guide. Bertrum’s amusement ride demands attention to exposed machinery, while the Boris fight uses a nearby item-making machine.

Bertrum’s Ride

Activating the recording in Attraction Storage starts the Bertrum boss fight. Pick up the axe from the crate associated with that recording.

Wait for an arm to slam down and expose its illuminated circular joints, then attack those weak points. Destroying the joints across the ride’s four arms ends the fight.

Stay around the outside perimeter while waiting for an opening. Move toward an arm after it lands, strike the exposed joints, and withdraw before continuing.

Boris’s Boss Encounter

The Chapter Four Boris fight unfolds across three phases. Dodging gives you the opportunity to obtain ink and create a weapon with the machine in the arena.

Encounter stage	Attack or opening	Response
Bertrum	An arm lands and exposes circular joints	Strike the joints with the axe
Boris, first phase	Charges Henry, then weakens and produces an ink blob	Dodge, collect the blob, and make a weapon
Boris, second phase	Leaps and slams down	Keep moving and attack while he is grounded
Boris, final phase	Throws carts before weakening	Dodge three carts, then take the opening

The cart throws can kill Henry instantly, so prioritize avoiding them over preparing an attack.

Alice and Tom in Chapter Five

Chapter Five includes allied support from Alice and Tom during the swarm battle after Sammy’s fight. They attack enemies alongside Henry.

The encounter requires Henry to make 25 kills and clear the current wave. Keep attacking rather than waiting for the allies to finish everything.

Their involvement also matters for Goldbricking, which unlocks after the allies kill 15 enemies during that battle. Separate that achievement goal from the requirement for ending the encounter.

Audio Logs, Archives, and Character Details Worth Revisiting

Recordings give the studio’s employees a presence even when they aren’t standing in front of Henry. They also connect character names to practical information: Wally’s keys open the closet containing Chapter Two’s musical instructions, and Joey’s office holds a Chapter Five recording.

Listen when you find a log, particularly around objectives. Some recordings help explain the workplace; others give you information needed to continue.

Chapter Three has a specific completion wrinkle: the Demon and Angel paths each contain a unique audio log. Collecting all ten chapter recordings requires two playthroughs.

After completing the story, load the completed save, open Chapter Select, and choose Chapter ?: The Archives. Henry has an exhibit space there; standing on it unlocks Standing Proud.

The 2.1.0 update adds the Projectionist to the Archives and expands descriptions for other characters. Return there after the ending to put names and appearances together.

For a final pass through this Bendy and the Ink Machine characters guide, revisit the cast in that order: Henry’s former coworkers through recordings, recurring enemies through their encounters, and the Archives after completing the story. Each gives you a different piece of the studio’s history.

FAQ

Who do you play as in Bendy and the Ink Machine?

You play as Henry Stein, a former lead animator at Joey Drew Studios. Joey invites him to return to the old workshop, where Henry explores its abandoned rooms and uncovers its dark history.

Are cartoon Bendy and the Ink Demon the same kind of character?

Cartoon Bendy is the studio’s playful, mischievous mascot. The Ink Demon is a dangerous artificial creation of the Ink Machine. Keeping their roles separate is a central point of this Bendy and the Ink Machine characters guide.

Does Boris help Henry?

Yes. Boris accompanies Henry during Chapter Three and helps operate a door with paired levers. Before leaving his safehouse, you can also give him a bone for the Knick-Knack Paddywhack achievement.

Where can you view character exhibits?

Complete the main story, load the completed save, and select Chapter ?: The Archives through Chapter Select. The 2.1.0 update includes the Projectionist and additional character descriptions there.