Gregory M. Wilson

Gregory M. Wilson
Stray Dog
Aliases	Greg Mr. Wilson The Mysterious Man
Social Rank	N/A
Gender	Male
Age	Adult (middle-aged)
Status	Deceased (suicide)
Hair color	Grey
Eye color	Blue
Occupation	Farmer (peas)
Voice actor	Christopher Fairbank

“

Once upon a time, there was a precious little girl...

”

Gregory "Greg" M. Wilson, also known as Stray Dog later on, is an important character in Rule of Rose.

He is a very mysterious figure seen lurking around the airship. During the game, he occasionally meets Jennifer and hands her one of his homemade storybooks, which usually contain dark plots akin to Brothers Grimm. For some reason, he addresses her by the name "Joshua".

In actuality, he is responsible for murdering the orphans of Rose Garden Orphanage—approximately 24 children, with the sole exception of Jennifer. As Stray Dog, he is the final boss.

Biography

Photo of Gregory and Joshua.

Gregory M. Wilson lived in the "Gingerbread House" in the rural countryside somewhere near Cardington. Gregory's appearance is very simple and disheveled, reflecting his life as a poor pea farmer. According to the manual, he would give children treats, presumably candy, akin to the Stray Dog legend. It is unknown if this is a simple act of kindness, or intention to lure with malice.

Any information on Gregory's partner, if he even had one, is unknown. Gregory had a son named Joshua who he loved dearly. He tried his best to give the boy a wonderful life despite living in poverty. He would have him go out and play, or work on the farm with him. But when Joshua was too sick to leave his bed, Gregory would simply do his best to take care of him. During the time the boy was ill and bedridden, the farmer often made him storybooks to read.

Gregory contemplating suicide in his basement.

After Joshua died from an illness, Gregory became heartbroken and began drinking and smoking heavily. His mental health soon declined. He kept a gun in the house and would often contemplate suicide with it. However, in June 1929, Gregory found a young amnesiac Jennifer, who was the sole survivor of an airship crash. He took good care of her for months. While Jennifer thought of him as a kind man, he treated her as if she were Joshua. As such, he would have her dress as the boy. Gregory would also read her the storybooks he wrote for Joshua.

In early 1930, with the help of Wendy, Jennifer fled Gregory, deepening his grief. Wendy also went into his study and took his gun in a bag. For months, the pea farmer's sanity deteriorated further from his alcohol addiction and suicidal thoughts. After being dethroned, Wendy came back to Gregory now disguised as Joshua. On November 23rd, 1930, Martha Carol saw Wendy dog-training Gregory, describing it looked like "dog training gone wrong" and reported it to the police in a letter. However, due to reluctance to help, tragedy struck.

Stray Dog wearing a noose as a leash.

On December 20th, 1930, Wendy brought Gregory to the orphanage in order to get revenge on the orphans, her specific aims unknown. His noose implies she found him just before he was about to kill himself. He has numerous red scratches, injuries, and rope-like burn markings all over his body, implying self-harm or abuse. Wendy may have manipulated Gregory by telling him Joshua was abducted, bullied and abused by the orphans.

Upon arriving at the orphanage, most of the orphans found Gregory and Wendy outside. However, he was apparently provoked by them and went on a murder spree, killing the orphans relentlessly. Gregory also killed Wendy after she took off her Joshua disguise, likely angered he was manipulated by a fake.

Little Jennifer found Gregory outside. He may have eventually accepted Jennifer was never truly Joshua or a replacement for him, as she was not in disguise, and he chose to spare her life. He then vaguely mutters "I'm sorry, Joshua." Immediately, he commits suicide using his gun, perhaps in hopes of being with his son again in the afterlife, or to atone for his actions.

Personality

Gregory is an introverted man who focused on his job as a pea farmer and taking care of his son. After the death of said son, he became heavily depressed and resorted to alcoholism to cope. He has a gloomy outlook on the world, believing everything is bound to end in betrayal. This is reflected in the stories he writes and optional dialogue in Once Upon a Time. He is also heavily depressed to the point of considering suicide multiple times. While Jennifer claimed he treated her well, he refused to let her leave believing her to be Joshua.

As Stray Dog, he instead acts animalistic. He is heard snarling and walks on all fours. Going off Martha's Letter, this is due to the training Wendy put him through. While Gregory will still occasionally speak in this state, he is mainly heard muttering storybook lines to himself. Giving him his gun has him snap out of it.

Rule of Rose

Gregory handing Jennifer a storybook.

For the game's intro cutscene, he is shown watching both Jennifer and Brown explore the airship. As the duo are distracted, Gregory proceeds to grab the teen and drags her inside the stall. In-game, Jennifer encounters Gregory a few times throughout the game, although he usually gives Jennifer a storybook and quietly walks away. Because Rule of Rose is assumed to be set in Jennifer's mind, she is recovering her memories of who he is, as he is already deceased. As such, he is akin to a dream character.

Gregory grabbing Jennifer in the Club Room.

After the three chapters for the three Aristrocrat girls, Gregory abducts Jennifer in the Club Room. He brings her to a memory of his house where she remembers living with him and leaves her in the rose garden. Throughout the chapter, entitled "The Gingerbread House", Jennifer can remember many figments of living with him, such as his addictions and suicidal ideations. He can also be muttering throughout the halls. After encountering him in the basement, he stops his suicide attempt and locks Jennifer in Joshua's bedroom, calling her Joshua. After Wendy comes to Jennifer's rescue, the player must avoid him or he will capture her, lock her in Joshua's room, and the process will repeat.

Wendy siccing Gregory on Jennifer.

In the "Stray Dog and the Lying Princess" chapter, Gregory comes to the orphanage and kills everyone. He is the game's final boss. It is recommended the Lumberjack Axe be used against him. In the Good Ending, Jennifer helps Gregory kill himself with his gun by giving it to him when he says, "I'm sorry, Joshua" which unlocks the way to the rest of her childhood memories. However, in the Bad Ending, Jennifer simply kills him and the game abruptly ends.

Gregory writing "The Little Princess" storybook

In the Good Ending route, "Gregory" appears in the "Once Upon a Time" chapter at the bus stop, writing "The Little Princess" storybook. It is unclear if this is a recreation of a real memory that happened, perhaps showing the first time Jennifer met Gregory, or if this never happened. Gregory comes up with the idea of creating a storybook about Jennifer.

If Jennifer talks to him enough, he will eventually have a conversation with her. He comes as very misanthropic during this conversation, saying humanity will always lie, betray and hurt each other, and that relationships are only about people trying to get others to serve their desires, and "everlasting love" isn't real. After the conversation, Gregory apologizes for coming off as too preachy.

Speculation/Theories

Cannibalism Theory

The Gingerbread House.

If one looks only at Gregory's Diary, they would come to the natural conclusion that Gregory was a kind, earnest man. However, there is some cut content pointing towards him possibly being a cannibal. Gregory's house is called the "Gingerbread House", a reference to "Hansel and Gretel" where two siblings are almost eaten by a witch. It is rumored that Stray Dog kidnaps and eats children by the orphans. This could be an allegory for Gregory. In the "Stray Dog Will Have His Peas" it is commonly theorized that Gregory is Stray Dog and the "peas" are children.

Stray Dog walks the streets each day

Collecting peas as he walks to and fro

Big peas, small peas, every which kind of pea

Come Monday, he finds a pea

Come Tuesday, he bags the pea

Come Wednesday, he shows the pea to his son

Come Thursday, the pea kicks and screams

Come Friday, he grinds up the pea

Come Saturday, he buries the pea outside: the pea is in the ground

And by Sunday, it can't be found

Good night, young pea

Good night, young pea

Rule of Rose unused cutscene with official audio

The unused cutscene.

An unused cutscene found in the game's files suggests a possible game over, or another way of ending the Gingerbread House chapter if Jennifer goes back to Gregory instead of escaping with Wendy. The cutscene also implies that Jennifer hasn't moved on from Gregory's massacre and deep down, still fears him. Gregory seems to be dropping a bloody child's shirt in a dug hole in his backyard.

Etymology

Gregory is the English form of Latin Gregorius, which was from the late Greek name Γρηγοριος (Gregorios), derived from γρηγορος (Gregoros) meaning "watchful, alert." This could refer to the dog-like traits he possessed, the attention and doting Gregory gave Joshua while he was alive, or it could ironically refer to his late inability to tell other children from his son in his grieving state.

Quotes

• "Clear skies. Today, I weeded the fields. Work went well."
• "Rainy. Weeding again. Tomorrow morning, I'll go into town to sell peas, so tonight I must make preparations. It is a busy day indeed."
• "Clear skies. I went to market and sold peas and carrots. I had hoped to be able to feed Joshua something nutritious, but sales were not good, so I was not able to buy much."
• "Cloudy. Weeding the fields again. It was chilly today. I'll have to give Joshua a blanket so he won't catch a cold."
• "Cloudy. Joshua is under the weather. He has a slight fever, so I fed him some hot pea soup."
• "Rainy. I spent the day in my room drawing a picture book for Joshua. I'm sure he’ll enjoy this one."
• "Cloudy. Today, I cleaned out the barn. Joshua told me he liked my latest story. Nothing pleases me more that to see my son happy."
• "Joshua told me he liked my latest story. There’s nothing I love more than seeing his beaming, happy face."
• "I'm sorry, Joshua..."
• "People will always lie, betray each other, and forget about the past... They only really want to get others to do as they wish... There's no such thing as everlasting love..."
• "It wasn't right of me to preach to you like that. Forgive me."
• "If I may, please let me write a story about you..."

Trivia

• In the introduction of the game, the voice saying "Once upon a time..." is Gregory's, as well as the voice that says "...and everyone lived happily ever after..." during a game over.
• Gregory is one of four characters in Rule of Rose to have his full name revealed; the other three include his son, Martha Carol and Anthony Dolittle.
• There are several mysterious faces carved around Gregory's house. These could possibly represent Gregory's longing for his son, or possibly a representation of children he may have kidnapped.
• In "The Little Princess," the stall where Gregory was during the introduction cutscene has a red bird drawing similar to Eleanor's bird.

Story Concepts

• There is an unused CGI cutscene where Gregory will attack Jennifer during the Gingerbread House chapter. It's purpose is unknown.
• There is an unused animation of Gregory comforting a sad Wendy/Joshua.
  • Going further into this, his normal form has several animations which indicate he was to be fought before Stray Dog and the Lying Princess. These include a grabbing, ducking, and attacking animation. There is also an animation of him going up the stairs and opening a door.
• Gregory's character and his stories appear to be based on Brothers Grimm.

Gallery

to see the gallery of Gregory M. Wilson click on Gregory M. Wilson/Gallery.

Navigation

Social Rank
Red Crayon Aristocrat Club	"Sovereign"	Princess of the Red Rose (Wendy/Jennifer) • Bear Prince of the Red Rose (Joshua Wilson/Wendy)
	"State"	Duchess (Diana) • Countess (Eleanor) • Baroness (Meg)
	"Bourgeoisie"	Poor/Miserable (Amanda) • Beggar/Irritable (Jennifer) • Susan • Olivia
Non-Members	"Proletariat"	Clara • Martha Carol • Headmaster Hoffman • Nicholas • Thomas • Xaviar
	"Stray Dog"	Gregory M. Wilson • Brown