post your silent hill theories

in appreciation of the release of sh4 i thought it would be kool to has a thread like this.
does silent hill exist or is it all in the mind?
or does that town affect people an its relatives a diffrent way individualy hence all the characters thus far in the series.
i know in the first 3 games they mention something about this guy starting a cult there a long time ago.
post your thoughts on this.

Vertabum knows the story well.

Yet this is what I know,

Silent Hill 2 explains the history of this town (at the Museum), The town does exist, it's not fake, but it's being engulfed in darkness as Dhalia explained in Silent Hill 1.

During the same period of the Witch Trials in Salem, the same senario was going on in this town in Silent Hill during early America. Except these "Witches" worshipped "Samael", the God of "Everything" to this cult.

Alyssa (aka Cheryl, aka Heather in SH3) was needed to be a sacrifice to bring "GOD" back to this world, but Harry Mason tried to stop this, but only post-poned it until 10 years later.

James Sunderland and Mary Sunderland didn't really have a bad problem with Silent Hill to start with in Silent Hill 2...until late in the game you find out.


My Theory, each story, each person has a purpose to bring back that certain someone to Silent Hill. It is a gateway into Hell almost, when your time has "Come" the town will call to someone (Just like James got the letter from his dead wife who died 2 years ago, but he recieved the letter only last week..)

The Town has alot of history of murder, sin, and worshippers of Samael for over 200 years. Almost each street and building has a dark history.

As we have learned 3 times already, Silent Hill is not just a get away...it's a Curse...whoever enters will leave with some kind of bad memory and if they do survive it, it will only haunt back, just like they came to Harry

Also another theory is all the images, all the scary crap is a manifestation of your memories, projecting all your worst fears.

Now in Silent Hill 3, Vincent says to Heather "They are monsters to you?" and grins...apparently what I learned was all these creatures that are attacking you are human or some what...especially when in SH3 when the Nurses have guns now..

Plus notice all the health packets, serums, and ambles in SH1-2-3...They dont look like medicial supplies that looks legal...and a majority of cults will drug you to death and end up dead...except these health items help you...or do they?

Notice how much darker it gets or when the monsters get stronger later in the game, for some reason they don't want you to progress any more...

I would call it a drug trip..but that's just an ideal of how I think those health items effect the story maybe..

I'm at work right now, so no time, but I'll post on this tonight!

kool this should be a very interesting thread!

James is more os a side story right? Actually, out of all the games, I enjoyed part 2 the best. The story line kept me intriqued throughout the game. I wish that they would continue a story with James.

Here is some basic back story about the town of Silent Hill:

First, Silent Hill does inded exsist. Indeed each person sees Silent hill in a different manner, in that "you see only what you take with you". People who are attracted to Silent Hill are those with unresolved issues. For example, James' need to come to terms with the Murder of his Wife, or Angela's need to reconcile her killing of her own father after being repeatedly raped by him. Each person has thire own "need" to go there.

Silent Hill is essentially built on a burial ground filled with the dead bodies of Native Americans and prisoners (both innocent and guilty) from the civil war. Silent Hill is also near the lake that was used to wash off the execution tools of blood from victims. "Blood Lake" as it is called.

These souls that walk Silent Hill essentially "Teach Lessons" to those brought there. By making them face thier deepst concernes, each person will come to closure of some sort. Each "creature" symbolizes a particular part of that persons mental facet: The creatures Jame's sees are representations of his sexual frustration and anger at both Mary and himself.

Crap, have to teach. More later!

I though that the town was only on the Head..
That each person was driven there by there nightmares and fears
and "IT" pick Silent Hill because of all the history it hides...
I mean look at the School, that scare the hell out of me, 5 years ago...
But I would love to see what Verbatum has to say about this...

Silent Hill was the most intense and scary game of all 3
Silent Hill II was great with the Story of James and Mary.
I still need to finish 3 (excellent so far)

Part 2:

In SH2, the main ideal is sex and death. The sexuality is shown through not just the make-up of the monster, but thier acts as well. The Pyramid Head is designed as a symbol of both the executioners from the Civil was, and as a way of illustarting James' frustration. The "Pyramid" shape is used to suggest pain, and death.

Of couse we can see this kind of symbloism in the others as well. Many of the creatures in SH1 are from the childhood books of Cheryl's/Alessa's childhood. In SH3, we see Vitale, who is responsable for the changes between the "dark" and "light" world. The insane cancer, is a representation of the Devil, seperate from Samaiel who is looked upon as "God". We see chained Bodies that are the figure of Alessa wraped in Bandages and such.

Like in any world, humans try to make sence of what we see, and often times the Idea of "God" plays a huge part in this role. The idea of "Giving Birth to God" is seen as comming in contact with that which is above us. Literally, "God" in Silent Hill is essentally the absolute resolution to each individuals problems, which is why we see "God" in both 1 and 3. In SH 2, the Idea od God is left out, so that we can focus on the dark love story between James and Mary.

Marie is in intersting character in SH2, in that she embodies that which James' wants of Mary. Also, she is there in a sense, to die. Like Jame's killing Mary, (and feeling awlful), James must watch helplessly as the embodiment of the perfect "Mary" dies over, and over again. A punishment indeed.

OK, Gotta run! More later!!!

So Marie is what James wishes Mary could be? THen the thing I don't understand is why is it during a couple parts of the game, James is sickened by Marie by the way she acts is that is what he is looking for or what he thought Mary should be like?

I see Silent Hill as a psychogenic fugue. Kind of the hallucination of a dying man, much the same as the movie Jacob's Ladder, on which the games are largely inspired. For example, in Silent Hill 2, it's about James coming to terms with having killed his wife, as he dies drowning after driving himself into the lake (water ending). Maria, and even Laura, represent aspects of Mary created by James to punish himself (notice you never see Laura and Maria together. When one appears, the other has just left). A clue to this is that the main title theme is named Theme of Laura.

Meanwhile, Pyramid Head (as revealed in the game itself) and the fat Eddie (and possibly even Angela) represent aspects of James. Eddie is the self centered side of James, which represents James' guilt that he killed Mary not for her sake but for his own...to make his life easier. To me, the scene in the opening of Laura kicking Eddie while he sits on the ground stuffing his face with pizza is telling.

Once he comes to terms with having killed Mary, James is able to continue to the afterlife. Much the same way as Tim Robbins' character in Jacob's Ladder, after he makes peace with his life and the fact that it's over, is led by his dead son to whatever comes next. He dies on the operating table in Vietnam, and the entire life he had supposedly lived from the end of the war until the "present" is revealed as the construct of his dying mind. The dual world and of course the hospital theme from SH 1 and 2 are also repeated from Jacob's Ladder.

So, I see Silent Hill as existing, as much as anything exists as perceived by our own minds. The game is subjective and open to interpretation, like life itself. Like the Buddist monk after dreaming he's a butterfly, awaking and not being positive he's not actually a butterfly dreaming he's a man. In other words, the fact that it may happen entirely in James' mind, doesn't make it not real.

Verbatum said:

Indeed each person sees Silent hill in a different manner, in that "you see only what you take with you". People who are attracted to Silent Hill are those with unresolved issues. For example, James' need to come to terms with the Murder of his Wife, or Angela's need to reconcile her killing of her own father after being repeatedly raped by him. Each person has thire own "need" to go there.

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That's how I see it, also... kind of like the White/Black Lodge from Twin Peaks.

Highlander67 said:

So Marie is what James wishes Mary could be? THen the thing I don't understand is why is it during a couple parts of the game, James is sickened by Marie by the way she acts is that is what he is looking for or what he thought Mary should be like?

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Somewhat, but the more he sees Maria, the more he starts to remember what happened between him and Mary.

Yet what confuses me is, was Maria real or just a ghost?

It wasn't until the director's cut "restless dreams" to give a quick story for Maria in "Born from a Wish"..but connects to the main story as a prequel somewhat


Also, Eddie's story...this was unique...you can understand his pain and suffering during the whole game "ALL THE SAME ONCE YOU'RE DEAD!" as he shouts to James. Yet he also says "You and I are the same James....they brought you here too..." Pointing out, that Silent Hill calls to those...

I don't think Eddie had a real purpose...except notice the Toluca prison puzzle? THE GLUTTONOUS PIG, THE SEDUCTRESS, and THE OPPRESSOR

The game has many hidden messages and many reasons for being

Great theories, and, seems like everyone liked Silent Hill 2 best, right?

All these great theories make me wanna play SH2 again, but I'm to fuk'n scared, if I could find my copy of SH1 I would do it.

Am I the only one who has ever thought WTF would happen if you (yourself) one day just entering a town like SH? Knowing my past and Dark mind I would be killed instantly Either that or the damn dog would chase me through the fog again....

Keep them coming, might work up some courage here.

SouthtownKid said:

That's how I see it, also... kind of like the White/Black Lodge from Twin Peaks.

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I always found the influence of Twin Peaks to be strongest in Silent Hill 1, especially in the beginning of the game, where there are a ton of coincidences similar to the atmosphere of the greatest television series ever.

gmw said:

I always found the influence of Twin Peaks to be strongest in Silent Hill 1, especially in the beginning of the game, where there are a ton of coincidences similar to the atmosphere of the greatest television series ever.

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Not the least of which is the twang of the bass in the theme...I love that game. And coincidentally, I just started rewatching Twin Peaks again a few days ago. How I can already be up to episode 19, I have no idea... It kills me that Artisan won't be able to do the second season box set...the commentaries and extras, not to mention the great menus and presentation of the first season set, were excellent. Still at this point, I'd be happy enough just to have the episodes themselves on DVD.

edit: Anyone who loves Silent Hill -- do yourself a huge favor and watch Twin Peaks. But for the love of all that is good in the world, do not watch the movie until you have watched the pilot and every episode of the tv show in order. Watching them out of order will completely destroy the experience. If you can't get hold of everything, in order, forget the whole thing...wait for the eventual domestic dvd release of the pilot and season 2. The final episode of the series is the finest television ever aired, IMO.

Is Twin Peaks really that good? I have the DVD box but never even opened, should I see it?

Mushiki said:

Is Twin Peaks really that good? I have the DVD box but never even opened, should I see it?

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First, you must get the pilot. You can NOT skip that. It's not been released domestically on DVD yet, but there are a couple region free HK releases pretty easilly found on eBay or some online stores. It is beautifully directed by David Lynch, and I have every reason to believe you will love it beyond almost anything you've seen. At least, you should be able to find and rent the domestic VHS release of the pilot, although that has an alternate ending tacked onto it (originally created for the european release), making it self contained. You can watch it without ruining the series, though.

The second season is more problematic. So far it's available primarilly on VHS (my copies dubbed from the excellent Japanese VHS release). There was a Spannish regon 2 (PAL, I believe) release, but that's already out of print. If there's a Japanese video rental near you, chances are pretty good you can find it there. Twin Peaks was huge there.

Definitely don't watch the box set until you find the 2 hour pilot, though (pilot comes before "episode 1").

Actually, there is a Spanish subtitled DVD set of the second season, but the video quality is not much better than VHS. Please Artisan, get with the program!

Make 100% certain that you watch the pilot before seeing the first season box set. As to whether TP is worthwhile - it's the best thing ever filmed for television. Period.

I've seen the entire TP cycle (the pilot, first season, second season, FWWM) at least 10 times all the way through.

I dare any of you to reveal what you think you'd find if you'd wander into silent hill.

Silent Hill 2 is so far my favorite too.

<spoiler alert!>

















I'm always curious about the nurses... no matter who goes there in any of the three games, they find them?? They look the same in almost every game. What's up with that?

There are many interesting symbols in SH series. Look at the Wheelchair. It represents pain and suffering. Just before you find the M-gun in SH3, the screen pans to carefully placed shot of an overturned wheelchair, its wheel slowly squeeking and turning as if it were used and abandoned recently. Reminds me of the box front for the old 70's flick the Changeling.

Coincidences and accidents come up from time to time. In silent Hill 3, Heather dreams of getting hit by the roller coaster, and then comes close later. She also finds a newspaper article about subway accidents. She later narrowly escapes getting hit.

Plus notice all the health packets, serums, and ambles in SH1-2-3...They dont look like medicial supplies that looks legal...and a majority of cults will drug you to death and end up dead...except these health items help you...or do they?

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Ahhh.. Very austute. Never thought of that. Maybe in the dark nightmare hell of Silent Hill, illicit substances have the inverse effect. They allow you to survive the mental and physical trama of this twisted world. They are actually medicines.

Do you think the music is appropriate in the games? Maybe during some of the cinemas with drama. Silence and static work very well. Whatever it is they play when a monster is around the corner in SH3 is very good. They could have ALOT more industrial in the game if you ask me.
I like to listen to "Death in Vegas" when I play these games.

well sh4 seems very wierd an diffrent from all 3 games
im only at the beging though.

A few things about these characters:

Marie is indeed a real person,but not in the way you might think: She was actually created by Silent Hill for James, using elements of Mary's memories. She is noth only there totorment James emotionally. gain, she is what James wants of Mary, but can't have, and again, a means to see "Mary" die without any power to stop it.

Angela, Eddie, and Laura are also real characters.

Angela, is tying to reconcile the abuse, and finaly the murder of her father. In case you didn't know: She Murdered her father by castrating him. There is actually a picture of it in the game during the final cinema with her. To my knowledge, this picture was blurred out in the US version. Also, the "Doormen" are representation of her being Raped by her Father, which is why she sees the creature as "Father".

Eddie, is simply to answer for his crimes.

Laura, is actually in search of Mary, and was a friend of her's in the hospital. She is also a key element into understanding that James killed his wife 2 weeks before he returned to Silent Hill. She too, is there for us to see that while James sees monsters created for his own self, Laura sees nothing. She is the only innocent so far.

Now, just so you folks know: These where all theories of mine at once, but they where confirmed after I watched "THe Making of Silent Hill 2 and 3". They are full of info, and helped to me to confirm my thoughts and suspisions.

Verbatum said:

Now, just so you folks know: These where all theories of mine at once, but they where confirmed after I watched "THe Making of Silent Hill 2 and 3". They are full of info, and helped to me to confirm my thoughts and suspisions.

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You got your interpretations, I got mine... This "Making Of..." is a dvd? Different than the "Lost Memories" dvd? Is it in english? Where did you find it? I love this kind of stuff. Cool coincidence about your apt. #, by the way...

yeah im looking for those dvds too, i beleive 2 were released.

SouthtownKid said:

You got your interpretations, I got mine... This "Making Of..." is a dvd? Different than the "Lost Memories" dvd? Is it in english? Where did you find it? I love this kind of stuff. Cool coincidence about your apt. #, by the way...

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Yeah, Room #302 man! Anyway, these DVD's are different than the Lost Memories or art of Silent Hill DVD's. They go in-depth with the creators and talk about both the artistic and philisophical ideals in the games. They also go into casting, Music, production, and other stuffs.

THe Making of Silent Hill 2 is only available in the European Version of the game. It's a double-disc set in a special case, with very nice artwork! The Making of Silent Hill 3 was included in an issue of a Swedish Mag called "Play". Both are in English as well!!

I forgot to mention: Many of my thought where also confirmed in the book: "Fade to Blackness", a program book on Silent Hill 1,2,3 that came with the LTD ED of Silent Hill 3.

Verbatum said:

The Making of Silent Hill 3 was included in an issue of a Swedish Mag called "Play". Both are in English as well!!

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Super Play actually. Glad to see it was useful.