Cassidy Sharp

Cassidy Sharp is a female video game character that appears in the game Darkwatch: Curse of the West. She is the game's first female protagonist and Darkwatch agent. Cassidy assists Jericho Cross on his journey to the Darkwatch Citadel to help him lift the vampire curse and save his soul from eternal damnation.

Her role in Jericho Cross's life turns out to be much more important than first thought.

Biography
As a little girl, she was orphaned when vampires killed her parents, and raised as a ward of the Darkwatch. Cassidy Sharp has spent all her life training to be a Darkwatch agent. With such a headstrong personality in a man's world, Cassidy has to ride, shoot, and fight as skillfully as any man, and think faster than them all, just to maintain the respect she deserves. Cassidy harbors deep doubts about her abilities and her courage in the face of the supernatural due to haunting visions of her family being slaughtered by vampires who did not think of killing her. She compensates for these doubts by being the most career-driven agent in the Darkwatch.

Appearance
Cassidy is a young woman of presumably average height, with an athletic and attractively proportionate figure. Her blonde hair is cut short, and her eyes are a light greenish-blue. In contrast to Tala's uniform, Cassidy's is more conservative, with a red bandanna tied around her neck. After Cassidy is killed by Lazarus, she appears again to Jericho later on, but as a ghost.

Personality
Despite her young age, there is a seriousness about Cassidy that lends an aura of maturity beyond her tender years. A fine agent by any standard, Cassidy is limited by her blind conviction that the Darkwatch and the work she does for it are beyond reproach. Although she is a good shot and she keeps her cool in deadly situations, her slight frame means she must rely on brains rather than brawn when the chips are down.

Summary
A young Cassidy Sharp tries to stop Jericho Cross from opening the vault containing the Vampire Lord Lazarus Malkoth on a train in the opening sequence of the game. In failing to do so, Jericho is bitten by Lazarus and is slowly turning into a vampire. When Lazarus escapes and Jericho is the only survivor of the raid on the Darkwatch train, Cassidy reacts in typical fashion, deputizing Jericho Cross into the Darkwatch and leading a desperate attempt to warn her superiors about the Vampire Lord's escape. She must then guide Jericho in their search for the Darkwatch Citadel before Lazarus' curse fully consumes him. While entering a secret tunnel to reach the Darkwatch Outpost located within a church, Jericho is temporarily immobilized by a large cross sitting on top of an alter. Cassidy notices this and goes to check on him, but Lazarus sneaks up behind her and kills her by grabbing her neck, crushing it, and decapitating her. Cassidy later returns as a spirit and aids Jericho, assisting him in the fight against the undead and stoping Lazarus before it's too late. Cassidy served as Jericho's ghostly advisor in his fight against Lazarus, helping to guide the outlaw and new Darkwatch agent in his quest. The inexperienced Jericho would have likely failed without Cassidy's guidance.


 * Good Ending: Jericho and Cassidy pursue Tala after she steals Lazarus' powers for herself. Cassidy and Jericho enter through a portal that transports them both into an ancient chamber where they find Tala, who seems to have been expecting them. As Tala once more tries to sway Jericho, he refuses, remaining loyal to Cassidy and his commitment to ending the curse. In response, Tala transforms into a winged demon and engages in a duel with Jericho, which ultimately ends in her death. With Tala's defeat, the curse finally lifts, and Jericho is human once again. After a quick kiss with Jericho as a final goodbye, Cassidy grows wings of light and ascends to heaven with the last words, "remember me".


 * Bad Ending: After defeating Lazarus, Jericho embraces the curse and becomes the new Lord of Vampires, then allying himself with the vampiric Tala. Due to Jericho's betrayal of the Darkwatch as well as humanity, Cassidy attempts to stop him from reclaiming his power. When Jericho and Tala enter the ancient chamber, Cassidy's spirit appears and stops them from performing the demonic ceremony. During the confrontation, Cassidy transforms into an angelic being, and Tala taunts her before ordering Jericho to kill her. So long as the curse of the West exists, she cannot pass on into the afterlife.

Quotes
"“Hold it right there!” - Cassidy's first encounter with Jericho.""“My friends call me Cassidy Sharp, but you can call me boss. Watch my back if you want to live.” - On the Darkwatch train with Cassidy.""“The curse, it's taking hold! We gotta get you to the Darkwatch Outpost-' - When Lazarus attacks and kills Cassidy.""“No, he's not like you! He hasn't come this far to throw everything away!' - Cassidy's confrontation with Tala."

Trivia

 * Cassidy was voiced by Jennifer Hale.
 * Cassidy is a strong-willed woman with a commanding personality. Throughout the game, she usually orders Jericho with a firm tone, given the urgency of his mission.
 * The player will be scolded by Cassidy if they make a bad choice. If they make good choices, Cassidy will praise you.
 * In her "spirit form," she appears to be similar to Cortana from the Halo franchise.