Part 486

Learn about Gary Marshall, a minor character in Hitman: Absolution. Discover his role in 'A Personal Contract' and his unique status as an optional target.

Hey there! So, you're diving into the world of Hitman and came across a name that might not ring a bell immediately: Gary Marshall. He's a character from *Hitman: Absolution*, and while he's not a main target, he plays a small but interesting role in the mission "A Personal Contract." Let's break down who he is and what you need to know. ## Gary Marshall: The Basics Gary Marshall is a minor character you'll encounter during the third segment, 'Cliffside,' of the mission "A Personal Contract." What's interesting about Gary is that he's actually classified as an optional target. This means you have a choice whether to eliminate him or not, and it won't affect your mission score since the point system is disabled for this segment. ### Where to Find Him You'll find Gary and his colleague, Marshall Huxley, hanging out on the cliffside balcony outside Diana Burnwood's Mansion. They're just having a chat, and Gary seems to be the more by-the-book type. He'll even give Marshall a bit of a scolding for smoking, reminding him that their client, Diana Burnwood, isn't a fan of it. After that, they'll both be seen gazing at the Chicago cityscape while Gary sips on some coffee. ## Behind the Scenes Shenanigans It turns out Gary Marshall has a bit of a history with the game's development. In an early prototype build of *Hitman: Absolution*, there was an extended dialogue between Gary and Marshall. Marshall was apparently quite cheerful, celebrating his good health and embracing a 'Carpe Diem' attitude. Gary, however, was still telling him to smoke off-duty. This whole exchange was cut from the final game, leaving Marshall with no response to Gary's criticism. Also, when the Contracts Mode was released, some mission segments were dropped, including 'Cliffside.' This meant many minor NPCs, like Gary, were left unidentified. Luckily, his name can still be found in the game files, and it's up to you whether you consider his name canon or not. There's also a pre-release screenshot for the 'Disable the security system' objective where Gary is shown standing in front of the security system. However, in both the prototype and the final game, he never actually stands there. Just a little development quirk! ## Trivia Time As mentioned, Gary is an optional target. Since killing him doesn't impact your score, it's entirely up to you if you decide to take him out. No pressure either way! So, that's Gary Marshall for you. A small character with a few interesting development stories. Now you know who he is if you see him pop up in "A Personal Contract"!