South of Midnight: Two-Toed Tom's Story Is Heartbreaking…

South of Midnight's story kicks off in the middle of a severe storm, with player-character Hazel's mobile home being whisked away in a flood, her mother still trapped inside. Hazel embarks on an arduous journey to find her, an adventure that brings her face to face with a handful of monsters plucked from real-world Deep South folklore.

The first big monster that stands in Hazel's way is Two-Toed Tom, a gigantic albino alligator that has a miniature island growing on its back. Two-Toed Tom acts as South of Midnight's first proper boss encounter. But before players face off against the terrifying creature, they need to dive into his memories, and the poor gator's past will be a tough pill for animal lovers to swallow.

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By Cameron Swan

The Tragic Tale of South of Midnight's Two-Toed Tom Explained

A Gator Kept on a Leash

For most of his life, Tom the alligator was kept on a tight leash and forced to remain at his master's side. Tom's owner had a daughter named Jolene, who left the family when she was young to pursue her dream of becoming a country singer. Jolene made her dreams come true, much to the chagrin of her father at home.

While Jolene was off making music, Tom was stuck at home with his owner, who began to starve the restrained alligator. Tom would go days without eating, only being able to end his starvation when his master allowed it. Legend has it that Tom once became so hungry he began eating his own toes. On the rare occasions Tom was fed, it was always accompanied by the ringing of a bell.

Upon returning home and once again being told by her father that her career was an embarrassing stain on their family's name, Jolene grew hateful. Longing for freedom, Jolene snuck behind her sleeping father and rang Tom's bell. Seeing no other food in sight, Tom closed his jaws on his abusive owner.

Two-Toed Tom is directly inspired by a Deep South legend. In the legend, Tom was a 14-foot alligator that terrorized Florida and Alabama residents, eating livestock and people. This version of Tom lost his toes to a steel trap placed by hunters. In most legends, Two-Toed Tom is an invincible monster that's impervious to bullets and even dynamite.

Back in the Wild, But Far From Free

Grief-stricken and remorseful, Jolene let Tom go back into the wild. Tom eventually came upon a pig farm, and was overwhelmed by the sight of so much food. Tom broke into the farm and ate every single pig he could find, growing larger with each bite.

After having spent his entire life on the brink of starvation, Tom learned to never take a meal for granted, as any meal could be his last. With this fear rooted deep within him now, Tom developed an insatiable appetite that only continued to grow over the years. Livestock, humans, kitchen appliances, and eventually, even entire buildings were continuously consumed by Tom, turning him into the hulking two-toed monster that the Prospero townsfolk all know and fear.

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