Sam’s Hair Change in Death Stranding 2 Says More Than He Ever Will

Ahead of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach‘s release, Sam’s hair change has been one of the game’s most mysterious aspects. In one of its earliest trailers, Sam was shown with gray hair, accompanied by an aged complexion and an expression of weariness glued to his face. In later trailers, he appeared with his normal hair color. Naturally, this led to numerous theories being formed about Death Stranding 2‘s story and Sam’s place in it, with many wondering if these were two different versions of Sam in alternate timelines or if there would simply be a considerable time jump in the game.

However, it seems as though the mystery of Sam’s hair change in Death Stranding 2 has finally been solved — somewhat. The game never explicitly explains why Sam’s hair changes colors, but instead more implicitly explains it if players are willing to connect the dots, and it says more about the beloved character than he likely ever would.

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Sam’s Hair Change Reveals More About Him Than Death Stranding 2 Ever Does

The Game Never Explains It, but Sam’s Gray Hair Speaks to Grief’s Quiet Toll

Death Stranding‘s Sam is a thoroughly complex character, and it’s largely because of how quiet he is. In fact, it can be a bit awkward at times how silent he is, as other characters speak to him or ask him questions and get no response in return. Much of this is due to the Sam that he was in the first Death Stranding — a reluctant porter who cut himself off from his emotions after the loss of his wife and daughter — and while he does talk more in Death Stranding 2, those moments are still very intentional, making them few and far between.

In light of that, there is plenty of space for interpretation when it comes to how Sam may be feeling, as players are often given little more evidence of his emotions than his quiet, sullen expressions. In Death Stranding 2, this is all the more evident after Lou’s apparent death during a raid on his home within the game’s first couple of hours.

Shortly after learning of Lou’s death in Death Stranding 2, Sam kills himself in a clear attempt to evade the emotional turmoil it caused. However, as a repatriate, he is revived every time he dies, but he continues taking his own life regardless in a heartbreaking cinematic sequence until Fragile convinces him to stop. At this point, his hair had turned gray, and while that might normally signal a major time jump, only around a month had passed. This is where the “somewhat” part of the hair change mystery being solved comes into play, as it’s clear this isn’t a result of time having passed.

Rather, Sam’s aged appearance in Death Stranding 2 is more likely the result of underlying grief that has been left unchecked and avoided. It’s the appearance of a husband or wife whose spouse has passed, leaving them with little to live for. Of course, all of this is only implied, as the Corpus doesn’t explain it, and Sam, who is known for being emotionally disconnected, can’t be expected to explain it either. In this way, Sam’s gray hair becomes a visual language for everything he would never say.

Repatriation May Reset the Body, but Trauma Leaves Its Mark

Repatriation may allow Sam to cheat death, but it could be that Sam’s hair change in Death Stranding 2 is the game challenging the idea that repatriation resets everything. Sure, his physical body is revived, but it does nothing for the grief he dealt with before taking his own life. In the real world, everything would come to an end here, but in Death Stranding 2, Sam only gives himself temporary relief from the pain. The trauma of his experiences then still leaves a mark on him with his gray hair, suggesting that even though his body may be alive, his soul is dying.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach

Systems

Released

June 26, 2025

ESRB

Mature 17+ // Violence, Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Strong Language

Publisher(s)

Sony Interactive Entertainment

Engine

Decima

Franchise

Death Stranding

Number of Players

Single-player

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