Ryan Whittaker Ryan Whittaker is a character in " " voiced by . Second in command to Captain Gray Edwards , Master Sergeant Ryan Whittaker is the glue that holds the Deep Eyes squad together . Appearance and Personality . Nothing if not loyal , Ryan Whittaker is Gray Edwards ' personal friend , accessible , brave , and true . He is the soul and conscience of the Deep Eyes team . Though his size , stature and appearance led to an intimidating impression , Ryan is ultimately selfless and courageous ; always looking out for the well being of his fellow teammates . Story . Born in New York City in 2035 , Ryan was one of five children . After the death of his father in the Phantom Cleansing mission , Ryan enrolled in the Houston Military Academy becoming an expert in combat and infantry . His selflessness and courage became an example for fellow officers and he was highly regarded within the academy . After several successful wasteland reconnaissance and heroic efforts during the failure of the San Francisco barrier , he was appointed to the highly regarded Deep Eyes squadron led by Captain Gray Edwards and became the squad ' s second - in - charge , often finding himself quelling the bickering between Jane Proudfoot and Neil Fleming , allowing Gray to focus on the mission . While retrieving a plant in the New York wasteland , Aki Ross was found and assisted by the Deep Eye squad consisting of Gray , Ryan , Jane , and Neil before being brought to the New York Barrier City . Following Aki ' s testimony to the city ' s council , Ryan and Neil " helped " her and Gray ' s relationship out by trapping them in a scanning tower . The couple ' s time together was inadvertently helped furthermore by a suspicious Douglas Hein , who temporarily assigns Gray ' s Deep Eye squad to accompany Aki on her remaining voyages , with Major Elliot inserting some of his own men into the squad to ensure compliance . Aki ' s search for the seventh wave - form led her to the Tucson wasteland and the remnants of the Phantom Cleansing Mission . As ordered the Deep Eye squad accompanied her through the wasteland , deducing that the spirit was the living energy inside the Ovo - pack of a dead soldier . However , almost immediately after the spirit ' s retrieval , Aki is overcome by the infection within her , the presence of which began drawing other Phantoms towards the party , and falls into a dream - filled coma . She awakens momentarily during the hectic escape only to be shot accidentally by one of Hein ' s men and falls back into the coma . Returning to the New York Barrier city , Dr . Sid manages to reinforce the infection ' s containment by introducing the waves from all the currently collected spirits . During this process Gray had to act as her spiritual support , entering into her dreams to make sure she would not be overtaken by the Phantoms before the containment was complete . The containment a success and her chest plate repaired Aki awoke from her coma only to be thrown into a detention cell along with Dr . Sid and the rest of the squad after General Hein found cause to suspect that she was being controlled by the Phantoms . This incarceration , however , was short - lived , as soon after , due to General Hein ' s attempts to stage a Phantom invasion , the Barrier City ' s power grid went off - line . Released the group escaped from the prison ward to discover the Barrier City being overridden by Phantoms . Eventually acquiring transport they made their way to the hangars where the " Black Boa " was being detained , however , while helping Aki and Gray escape the New York Barrier City , Ryan ' s leg is broken , causing him to be left on the assault car while the team tries to get the ship prepared to leave . During this time , Ryan notices a large Phantom heading towards Aki and Gray and begins firing the assault car ' s turret to deter it . Ryan is then subsequently killed by an additional Phantom . Other appearances . Thriller Easter Egg . Ryan makes an appearance ( along with the rest of the film ' s virtual cast ) in a hidden parody of Michael Jackson ' s " " music video created for the DVD release of the film . The parody is set shortly after Douglas Hein inadvertantly causes the destruction of the New York Barrier City ' s barrier control room . As he runs away he runs into Aki , Gray , Ryan , Jane , Neil , Dr . Sid , Major Elliot and three alive Phantoms who proceed to , as a group , perform the dance number to " Thriller " with Aki as the lead .