Silent Hill Monsters 2
May. 21st, 2018 02:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
isamerryjubeyThe Bladed Monster is a fan term given to a monster that appears in Among the Damned.
The Bladed Monster is humanoid with red, cracked skin. There appears to be a type of panel that hangs from its chest, although what it is made of is never hinted at. The creature's arms are composed of long blades, similar to a serrated sword or chainsaw. It attacks by stabbing and cutting the victim with its bladed arms.
The Chariot resembles a male humanoid with flesh from its arms and shoulders forming into a long hood over its head. Its lower body is made up of two large, trunk-like tentacles for legs at the front and rusty-looking metal frames with a large pair of wheels to the rear. It also sports several long, rusty, nail-like spikes from the back of its torso.
In its right hand, it carries what appears to be a long dual-shafted polearm, similar in appearance to a giant tuning fork.
Symbolism: The Chariot could represent the Major Arcana tarot card of the same name. As its name and similar appearance suggest, there are a few similarities to a chariot – the area where the wheels act as a carriage, the two large trunk-like tentacles represent pulling horses, and the long dual-shafted polearm that the creature is carrying in its right hand symbolizes the charioteers' spear.
They appear to be masculine creatures, with noticeable male genitalia. Their hands are fused into their faces, granting them the permanent appearance of someone who is weeping or in shock.
Greedy Worms are colossal, very lengthy creatures with streamlined bodies that are easily the width of large sewer pipes. They mainly resemble worms, even having clitellums like the decomposer, however, its tooth-filled maw is more associated to an enlarged leech's. The creature appears to have a slick, slimy exterior.
Although they are not a particular threat or even dangerous, the Greedy Worm is indeed a creature and a manifestation of Walter Sullivan's worlds; the monsters are much rarer than the game's ordinary beasts, but can, in fact, be seen throughout these various parallel universes, burrowing into the walls and floors of the structures, and can also be seen hanging or even moving about dramatically. They never attack Henry Townshend, or even block him, but they can be attacked, which causes the Greedy Worm to cringe and inhale sharply, but only for a moment before it resumes its ordinary behavior.
Symbolism: The Greedy Worms may link Walter's worlds, spanning universes. However, they do not seem to appear in the Building World, Hospital World or Apartment World, meaning that the idea of Greedy Worms "linking" Walter's worlds could be false since they only appear in 3 out of 6, or half of Walter's worlds.
It can be theorized that the Greedy Worm symbolizes the umbilical cord, although this has never been officially proven. If this theory is true, the Greedy Worm may represent Walter's dismay of being separated from his mother and her "magic cord", as described in a memo found in Room 302 of the Past, although the memo doesn't specifically address the Greedy Worm.
The name may hint at Walter feeling as if he was a lowly parasite to his real mother, with the umbilical cord being a "greedy worm" that stole nourishment from her. These feelings may have originated from the careless treatment and abandonment of him after he was born, and would help facilitate the belief that the room was his real mother.
They resemble green reptilian creatures, although their heads are white. Their claws make a distinctive clicking noise when they walk on hard surfaces that are easily recognized. Their limbs are extremely long and thin, similar to an insect's.
They are known to attack from the ceiling, or from below. Hanged Scratchers attack in groups of two or three and this is when they are most dangerous, as they will surround their prey, making it very difficult for Harry to evade them. This happens quite often, so caution is advised when dealing with them.
Symbolism: Hanged Scratchers represent the image of a composite of many insect specimens, due to Alessa Gillespie's fear of insects, the only exception being butterflies. Crickets or locusts have the most prevalent resemblance to the Scratchers.
The fact that they appear and move very reptilian-esque in nature could be akin to dragons, alluding to Alessa's love for fairytales.
They could also represent the way of the Order, sneaking up on and abducting Alessa. This could also explain their persistence when pursuing Harry and how, when they attack, they seem to screech "Let go of me!".
They appear as small, black mixtures between hummingbirds and bats. Their bodies are much like that of a bat, though they have long, needle-like beaks similar to those of hummingbirds. In addition, their wings flap extremely quickly, making a buzzing sound as they dart about, making their presence easy to detect.
They are not particularly dangerous alone, merely doing tiny bits of damage to Henry; however, in swarms or in conjunction with other foes, they can be quite irritating. Dealing with them is simple, as Henry can merely swat them out of the air and stomp on them to finish them off. If not crushed, they will quickly recompose themselves and begin flying again, though. They are the only creature that the bug spray seems to have any kind of effect on.
Symbolism: Hummers may represent the annoying, various flying creatures that Walter Sullivan probably has a great distaste for: flies, mosquitoes, and bats all represented in a single creature. Walter grew up in the forestry region of Silent Hill Woods in Wish House Orphanage and Water Prison, where these insects and creatures would presumably be.
Lobotomy is very humanoid in nature, resembling an emaciated man with an absent face, with the only feature being a huge, grotesque hole through which it emits inhuman, throaty "roaring" noises, along with an exposed brain.
Symbolism: The Lobotomy's name is a reference to a now-archaic surgical procedure called a lobotomy, which was once thought to reduce mental illness by literally scraping away brain tissue.
The Lobotomy could represent one of the asylum patients being physically experimented on or a victim of mental illness.
It could also represent Heather's fears of becoming mentally ill. Earlier, she said, "It's just one more thing to prove I'm going crazy!"
Lurkers appear as bald male humanoid monsters with huge claws, resembling mermen. Their legs are fused together or bound by layers of dead skin, so they drag them uselessly behind them. Their faces are blank save for a huge, vertical slit down the middle of their heads, filled with horrific teeth. Most notably, their wrists are severed and a series of three, sickle-like blades are grafted on to the stubs of their arms. They use their arms to crawl and attack. If one looks closely at the Lurker's arms one can see three small breathing holes on each of the Lurker's arms.
Lurkers have a tendency to crawl out of small hiding places and ambush Alex. They are located in the Silent Hill streets and in flooded buildings, therefore making water a constant risk to enter.
Symbolism: Lurkers may represent the restraint Alex felt throughout his life and the lack of love from his family. Similarly, it may represent Alex's feelings of incapability when it comes to finding his brother, being restrained or held back by those around him refusing to tell him the truth.
It could also symbolize Alex's intended fate by drowning, and his subsequent avoidance of it. Their legs are tied up, possibly hinting Adam Shepherd planned to tie Alex up and dump him in the lake. On the same note, they could also possibly represent the death of his brother Joshua, as Joshua drowned and Lurkers have an appearance similar to a twisted version of a mermaid. Its claws also highly resemble tools of torture.
It can be theorized that the Lurker relates to Alex's mother Lillian since it is encountered soon after Alex reunites with her and that it may represent his disdain, annoyance or resentment towards her for her cold treatment of him. The gross imagery, reminiscent of female genitals, could represent Alex's possible (subconscious) wish that he was never born, or at least, never born into his family. In this sense, the monster could represent Alex's frustration from being unable to escape and "run away" from his family's problems with its tied legs.
As well, similar to the Schism beast, Lurkers hold a more obscure symbolism to being "split"- upon observing a Lurker's chest area, the player can notice that the flesh appears to be sewn together vertically, possibly suggesting that it was once split open. The fact it is now sewn shut may allude to Alex's repressed memories of how Joshua died.
Their significance can be further expanded upon after obtaining the Kneeling Man Plate, which in the puzzle signifies penitence. If the tablet is examined, the picture displays a kneeling man in prayer whose upper body looks exactly like the Lurker when its body is at its most upright; this could imply that they mainly symbolize Alex's regret and need for penitence after what he did to Joshua.
Much like the Lurker, Alex's memories lay hidden just below the surface. When they emerge, they bring with them only pain and suffering.
The monster appears somewhat humanoid with a masculine torso, very synonymous to the normal human, but its arms and legs are replaced with very sharp blades which it uses to walk around, as well as to attack. These blades are grafted onto the severed wrists and ankles of the double-jointed creature. It seems as though the Needler's head had been removed, especially evident as it approaches Alex. However, its sharp-mawed mouth is located between its legs. Very vague traces of eyes and a nose can be detected only by darker regions of the visage. Two breathing holes are present on both sides of the Needler's chest and these holes open and close at a slow rate.
Symbolism: Its head is located between its legs, a design choice that, when combined with its reclining posture and stirrup-like leg blades, may be intended to viscerally symbolize childbirth (in the lithotomy position), which is a constant theme in the Silent Hill series, and a particularly emergent theme in Silent Hill: Homecoming. Elaborating on the childbirth reference, since Alex Shepherd had always been second to his brother Joshua, the Needler itself may be a physical manifestation of the way Alex perceives Joshua's birth.
The "needles" themselves may be expressions of the surgical orbitoclasts used in a frontal lobotomy, or simply represent hypodermic needles used to inject psychotropic medications. Alex would be the patient, according to the Doctor's Memo.
The severed head might also foreshadow the manner of Joshua Shepherd's death: a broken neck. In other words, the Needler could represent the truth, gnawing at Alex's subconscious.
The Needler's appearance is vaguely arachnid in nature, which may symbolize Joshua's interest in spiders.
Numb Bodies are relatively featureless, bipedal creatures that appear in various sizes. They waddle and hop side-to-side. They resemble tadpole-like creatures covered in purplish, pale skin which splits and cracks constantly. They consist of only two legs, which end in deformed, toe-like digits. From their backs protrude two triangular growths of presumably no real purpose. Their heads only have a single hole in it, from which they presumably see, and nothing else.
Symbolism: The Book of Lost Memories says its name is derived from its slow and clumsy movements and the fact that its body appears pale as though frozen.
It appears undeveloped, as to represent the premature state of God in Heather's uterus. The larger Numb Bodies could symbolize God growing. The fetus of a child in the womb develops what resembles a tail, but it loses this attribute in the later stages of development; the Numb Body is one of the few enemies not associated with animals that has a tail and suggests the underdevelopment of God as a type of fetus. They only appear in the first half of the game, further adding to this theory. They emit lamb-like, distressed cries when Heather causes them to collapse. The creature's head resembles a cervix, further relating to maternity and femininity, as do many of the game's monsters.
The Numb Bodies emit lamb-like cries they give off once fallen. Especially within a game of occult matters, this may be a mild nod towards the Christian Lamb of God, which is meant to symbolize the sins of the world being eliminated; Claudia Wolf even states the coming of God will "forgive every one of their sins". The Order has roots in various modern religions, Christianity included, so this also provides evidence for its sound-oriented symbolism.
The cries of the Numb Body could also be likened to that of a bear cub, especially when compared to the sounds the larger versions make and are possibly symbolic of the mother-daughter relationship that neither Heather nor Alessa had in their childhood.
The Pendulum has the appearance of two human torsos cut in half and connected at their hips by a metal circular device. Its arms are tied and bandaged behind their backs, with each torso facing the opposite direction of the other, and a pair of stilt-like, bladed legs sprout from the center of the mechanical device. It also has a blade attached to each of its heads and rotates its torso (like a pendulum moving in a single direction) while it moves as an attempt to cut Heather Mason. It makes a horrible loud screeching sound similar to that of rusty metal grinding, a noise which alters to a sound similar to a broken instrument's when harmed and grounded.
Symbolism: The Pendulum may represent Heather's upside-down, constantly changing feelings about the life she's having and the people she loves. The Pendulum also derives its name from the way it sways and moves while attacking.
The creature could also be a manifestation of Heather's giving birth to God, the head seen on top being Heather, and the bottom head which is God being birthed. In this case, the screeching noise could symbolize the physical pain of giving birth.
It could also be the dichotomy of Heather being Alessa Gillespie in truth and vice-versa, each side fighting for dominance while hurting those around them as a result. The screeching, in this case, would reflect the physical pain that Heather experiences when Alessa's memories begin to surface.
Juggernauts: Juggernauts look very similar to the smaller Minions, appearing as pale-skinned humans with tattoos covering their bodies and their faces twisted into permanent grins. They lack the metal contraptions of the Minions but have barbed wire wrapped loosely around their midsections and tightly around their arms instead. It appears that this barbed wire is threaded into their faces as well, keeping their expression frozen and leaving deep indentations in their flesh. True to their name, Juggernauts are huge and inhumanly strong, with muscular physiques.
Symbolism: The Juggernaut could represent Murphy's fear of the other inmates, or even the inmates themselves, as many, if not all of the said inmates could kill or attack Murphy without a second thought while he was in Ryall State Prison. The fact that they appear to have what look like tattoos or prisoner identification numbers on their bodies seems to support this.
Both variations of the Prisoner monsters may represent elements of Murphy's personality that have changed due to his time in prison. The Juggernaut specifically represents a fear Murphy may have developed of himself and the crimes he had committed. It shows a change in his self-image to something more monstrous, and his aversion to them is symbolic of his pent up remorse for his crimes.
Their aggression, strength, and dominance could also be a part of their symbolism, as there are cons in every prison who swing some weight by striking deals with other inmates, or with corrupt guards such as George Sewell, in exchange for protection or special favors (e.g. Sewell allowing Pendleton access to Patrick Napier in the sequestered prison shower) which could be symbolized by their pervasiveness, their ability to rip cell doors off hinges, and especially the scene where one Juggernaut is literally holding two Prisoner Minions on a leash.
Minions: Prisoner Minions appear to be dark-skinned, tortured humanoids covered in tattoos and lacerations. They all wear ragged brown pants secured with a cord. Their most distinctive feature, however, is the series of metal framework digging into their face. These metal strips stretch their faces, forcing open their blank white eyes and keeping their mouths taut into inhumanly huge open-mouthed grins. The straps appear to be bolted to their heads, and blood constantly drips from their mouths, covering their necks and chests. Stabbers are even more deformed, with withered left arms and the flesh of their knife-wielding hand mutated and fused into a tumorous lump.
They display a lot of violent twitching, having quick spasms and convulsions from the waist up very constantly. When left idle and unaware of Murphy Pendleton's presence, they appear to grapple with their restraints, trying in vain to remove them.
Symbolism: The Prisoner Minions represent the frequent fights and riots that prison inmates and prison gangs often participate in while incarcerated, as they are often quite violent struggles that usually end with someone dead.
The Prisoner Minions' eyes are forced open by a metal apparatus extending from the backs of their heads, which also pins their mouth back in a smiling position. This may have a connection to the controversial administration of intravitreal injections, to drug the more violent subjects into a docile state; which, could be re-enforced by the forceful smile that they portray, symbolizing a state of mind outside of their own control. The smile could also be representative of their initial concept art, which portrayed the prisoners as clowns. The theme of clowns ties in with coulrophobia.
Both variations of the Prisoner Minions may be representative of the elements of Murphy's personality that have changed, become more potent, or arose entirely due to his time in prison. The minions may specifically represent small pieces of his personality attributed to his time as an inmate, such as increased brutality, and willingness to kill.
In the light, it takes on the form of a floating bloody harness which casts a shadow. In the darkness, the Remnant resembles a shadow person.
Symbolism: Remnants could possibly symbolize Travis's fear of the other patients of the sanitarium when sneaking in to see his mother. The restraints could possibly symbolize the patients' straight jackets or general lack of free will; the fact that the restraints resemble a pressure-activated hunting trap could also possibly stand for the sharp, spiteful reaction young Travis could have received from other patients upon seeing him.
They could also symbolize the fear of the unknown.
The Romper appears to be a humanoid monster with a primitive physique. The beast is relatively muscular and has front arms that are longer than its legs, suggesting its supposed-to-be-human nature. It is covered in dull-brown skin that resembles a coat. It seems to have some sort of belt wrapped around its massive neck. In its artwork, it appears to have two large staples or metallic wire for eyes. It has tube-like appendages dangling from its slit-shaped mouth, which are presumably for tasting.
Symbolism: The Romper is a manifestation of Alessa Gillespie's fear of adults and her dislike of people older than herself because of what the Order did to her. This possibility is supported by the Romper's overbearing character, such as their incredible ease with knocking Harry over and biting at him vigorously. The Romper has a tendency to "trap" its prey beneath it, pinning Harry down and attacking roughly. This gives the beasts an authoritative aura.
Samael's place in the hierarchy of her kind is unclear. Whately, as a mediating member of the same race as Samael, refers to the otherworldy entity as "an emissary". Of what, exactly, isn't built upon. Whately claims that, because of her powerful nature, Samael can be likened to a god by human standards. In her natural plane of existence, Samael appears to take on the form of an anthropomorphic goat, while an empty vessel, typically the body of a physically and emotionally damaged person, is necessary when Samael wishes to exist in corporeal form on other planes of existence.
It is implied that many other beings like Samael exist, but they are never introduced.
Personality: As told by Whately, Samael is a voracious being, contented only with blood sacrifice and suffering. Wanting control of the mortal realm, it was that driving force that compelled Samael to allow herself to be born on Earth. When Samael finally crosses into the mortal world, She, possessing the body of Connie Mills, appears sentient but seeks only to ease her hunger by consuming the souls of those who cross her path and possesses concern for little else.
Powers and Abilities: Being a god-like figure, Samael is known to possess several supernatural abilities. Among them, Samael has demonstrated the ability to travel between numerous planes of existence. However, because of the sheer amount of energy required to do so, as well as needing a suitable vessel to contain her essence, doing so often is impractical.
In addition to traversing the various planes of existence, Samael is able to warp between locations situated within a single plane of existence, possesses enhanced durability, and the capability to consume the life forces of humans in order to increase her own strength. Had things gone as they were intended, Samael would have been able to recreate reality as she saw fit.
Birth and Death: Throughout the course of the series, several options are presented that could be used to foster Samael's birth.
Dying Inside
Whately is first introduced as the guardian of a female patient said to be sleeping within the depths of Brookhaven Hospital. This patient is implicated as being the progenitor of the darkness that has engulfed Silent Hill. Whether she is the woman who was impregnated with the seed of Samael or not is never confirmed.
Hunger
Douglas Brenneman begins to experience strange changes in the world around him on the 11th of June, during an unspecified year. The oddities seem to have been triggered by a bizarre murder early in the day, and the occurrences only continue to strengthen as the day presses on, culminating in Silent Hill becoming completely engulfed in an otherworldly inferno. Throughout this madness, Douglas searches for his fiancee, Rosy, and it's during his search that he encounters the stranger Whately.
Choosing Douglas to be the author of a book detailing the events that had begun in Silent Hill, Whately makes known to Douglas the existence and imminent birth of Samael. A human female, chosen by a Dr. Aickmann who practices out of Brookhaven Hospital, has been impregnated with the seed of Samael and struggles against the entity's will, trying to protect both herself and her world. According to Whately, the birth is not an assured event, and the possibility that Samael won't be born into the mortal realm is very real.
Taking into account the events of Dead/Alive, it appears that the female host was able to overcome the influence of Samael, though Silent Hill would remain forever changed.
Dead/Alive
Lenora, a powerful witch, and cohort of Whately, searches for a female candidate who is capable of receiving the essence of Samael and serving as a vessel for that essence. Such a host is found in the form of Connie Mills, a woman of no true notoriety, save she may have once held the unborn child of actor Kenneth Carter, a man who was born only half-human to a monstrous mother and human father. Kenneth is destined to kill the filled vessel and release the essence of Samael, allowing the being to fully integrate itself into the mortal realm.
To facilitate the implantation of Samael into Connie, Whately and the Order set about to seed nightmares and common knowledge with the strange atmosphere of Silent Hill by allowing Ike Isaacs to paint scenes from the town and implicating Kenneth in a series of murders inspired by such painting. In doing this, it gave Samael the strength needed to cross between worlds and arrive within its human host. When the entity is successfully integrated into Connie Mills, Samael begins to roam, consuming the souls of those unfortunate enough to cross her path. Her goal is the consumption of Christabella LaRoache, to enhance her strength.
As told by Lenora, it was Kenneth's destiny to kill Connie and complete Samael's birth into the mortal realm. However, by killing the host body with the love he once felt for her, the reality is torn asunder and those involved with the struggles in Silent Hill are placed into the lives they were meant for.
They are very similar in appearance and nature to the Missionary, though they are much weaker, as well as less threatening and significantly smaller. They appear as medium-sized humanoid males with dirty brown robes and brown sacks over their faces. They also wear bloody rubber gloves and corduroy pants. Their tonfa-like weapons end in blades, which they constantly scrape together, hence their name.
Symbolism: The Scrapers may be actual members of the Order or manifestations of Claudia Wolf's vision of the Order's members. The Book of Lost Memories only refers to them as humanoid monsters. They receive their name from their habit of scraping their blades together.
There is a running theme of maternity and femininity in Silent Hill 3 and its monsters due to the central conflict of the game centering on impregnation in the cult's attempts to force Heather to birth their god. The combination of the Scraper's title, his clothing, and his weapons may be seen as symbolism of abortion: "Scraper" here referring to scraping out the unborn fetus; rubber gloves, a mask, and a smock being reminiscent of surgical attire; and the long, sharp weapons being exaggerated imagery of abortion tools.
Its most distinct feature is its elongated head, which ends in a cruel blade. Its mouth runs down its entire head and splits vertically, much like several other monsters in previous entries in the series. It has a set of dull teeth that run down the length of its head, and when its mouth opens, its tongue flails about. However, it usually just uses its bladed snout and wicked claws to attack. The Schism's right arm and right hand are elongated, double jointed, and facing backward, whereas its left-hand faces forward. It does not have any discernable genitals, instead of having something of a metal plate affixed to its groin.
Symbolism: The Schism could represent duality because its head is split in two. Given that the head is shaped like a pendulum, a medieval clockwork torture device designed to elicit a confession from a prisoner by dropping a swinging blade incrementally toward their flesh over the course of hours, it could represent Alex's fractured mental state and his slow, steady realization of guilt. The image is even stronger as the Schism stands idle, letting its head swing side to side as it hangs downwards.
The split head could represent Alex's mental state, as he is separated from reality, similar to the mental disorder schizophrenia (from Greek: split mind). This also links to the ending where he undergoes electroconvulsive treatment, which was once the most popular form of treatment for schizophrenia and other mental disorders.
Defeating a Schism for the first time will award the player the achievement "Split Personality", perhaps referring to Adam Shepherd's kindness to Joshua and cruelty to Alex. It could also refer to Alex's schizophrenic tendencies. Back when schizophrenia was still largely misunderstood, many referred to it as a "split personality", not to be confused with a disassociative identity disorder. The name "schism" could also reference that, as there was a familial schism between Alex and the rest of the family.
Another quality to note is that the Schism's right hand is double jointed and facing backward, whereas its left-hand faces forward. This further symbolizes a dual nature. Alex is right-handed, and it was the arm/hand he used to hold onto the Shepherd Family Ring he struggled to take from his brother.
The Schism may also represent the split of the founders of Shepherd's Glen with the Order of Silent Hill. Since the pact was broken, monsters appear to punish the town for its actions. The name "Schism" may refer to the term used in a religious sense: a split/division between organization members, or even between the organization and their connected religions. Although it's easy to see why physical attributes of the Schism could be linked to their name, it may also refer to the broken pact between the people of Shepherd's Glen, the Order and their god, seeing as the Shepherds were unable to fulfill their end of the pact with a sacrifice. This could reinforce the connected symbolism.
t is first mentioned in a note, in which a worker thinks that an alligator lives down there. Other notes can be found that say the monster killed two of the workers. The writer of the note claims that they will kill the creature and that if someone (in this case Heather Mason) reads it, that means that they failed to do so.
The creature itself can be found a little further on, in the water below the bridge that Heather must cross. The first time Heather crosses the bridge, before reading the note, the creature can be seen moving below her for a few seconds. She must kill the monster with a hairdryer before passing by, or it will grab onto her leg and pull her into the water. Its appearance looks like a rather small eel, or leech-like monster with no visible mouth or eyes, and is flesh-pink in color.
Symbolism: It is unknown what the monster actually is. It is possible that Heather, after reading notes about a creature dwelling in the sewers, actually developed the image of it herself. What the workers actually saw could have been an alligator or some other creature. This may not be the case, as the scenario still triggers even if Heather does not read the notes.
At the same time, it could symbolize Heather's fear of the unknown. It may also symbolize Heather's and Alessa's hatred of insects and snakes.
Another theory is the Sewer Monster is a reference to the Bloodsucker from Silent Hill, as they are both worm-like in nature, have a similar meaning, and can kill the player if they try to advance without killing the monster beforehand. Both are also invulnerable enemies in the series.
There is a running theme of maternity and femininity in Silent Hill 3 and its monsters due to the central conflict of the game centering on impregnation in the cult's attempts to force Heather to birth their god. The Sewer Monster could be seen to resemble a severed umbilical cord.
They appear to be men wearing masks and what appear to be leather shorts. Their figure itself is notable for its long, tube-like snouts, much like an anteater's, which have a mouth with teeth and lips. They have a long tongue with which they use to "slurp" up carrion and blood. Slurpers have club-like front limbs.
They emit extremely loud, raw, monstrous screeching sounds of various pitches.
The beasts are often found in groups and appear frequently out of small crawlspaces and vents to ambush their prey. Slurpers are dangerous in the sense that they often come in groups and are also exceptionally deceptive and intelligent.
They are quick and can easily knock Heather flat on her back by either yanking her legs out from under her or "bowling" into them. Oftentimes they will then scurry over her, stomping on her for additional damage. A secondary attack of theirs is quite similar to that of the Double Head; they grab onto Heather's leg and repeatedly bite her until she shakes them off. Their third and most dangerous attack is sliding toward the target with club-like front limbs in front of them and making Heather fall down.
Symbolism: The Slurper may represent a child viewed in a much more grotesque manner. Firstly notable is their smaller size compared to other beasts in the game, therefore making it similar to an infant, and upon close inspection, one may notice that it appears to be a mutated and underdeveloped young person, perhaps even alluding to the game's ending. These traits involve incomplete limbs, but most importantly, what seem to be emerging eyes. Also easily associated with a child are the leather shorts the Slurper appears to be wearing, which could be a take on a diaper. Slurpers are also extremely noisy and only capable of crawling, traits it shares with a young human. Its behavior of attacking Heather and crawling all over her is reminiscent of a child's incredulous attachment to its mother, while the Slurper rolling into her and knocking Heather down can be considered metaphoric: an unborn baby poised for birth "knocks its mother down", alluding to the birthing position, albeit due to the nature of birthing the Order's god, it could also hint towards Heather dying if she was to give birth to it. Overall, the Slurper could be the manifestation of Heather's image of what the god would be like.
Similarly, it may be a monster of Claudia Wolf's, as there are multiple times where there are Slurpers behind gates and walls, unable to reach Heather or interact with her. Claudia may have felt that when Harry took Cheryl/Heather as an infant, they had been helplessly separated by him, and she could not reach out to her. This could be supported by the conversation between Claudia and Vincent Smith where he calls the Otherworld Claudia's own "personal nightmare".
Slurpers are also representative of the bottom-feeders and lowlifes of the human world. It is reminiscent of a drug addict licking the ground to slurp up any spilled chemicals in desperation, perhaps alluding to the Slurper's obnoxious, grating vocalizations. This is supported because they first appear (other than the brief sewer encounter) not too long after passing through the construction site where a homeless chemical abuser was squatting, and may even allude to PTV.
Considering their resemblance to well-built human males, their habit of surprise attacks and the way they shove Heather to the floor and climb on top of her, their symbolism could possibly be sexual in nature, representing fear of rapists and stalkers. It does not help that Heather wears a mini skirt either.
The death simulation there is in some way a thanatosis process (playing dead), used both to evade a predator or court a cannibalistic female. Adding to this, the Slurper is visible in the sewers, where it is completely still and does not set off radio static, which may mean it's either dead or is playing dead. In this sense, it can reflect the hostility and misgivings of Heather relative to the opposite sex.
Their hands appear like unusable lumps of meat, perhaps signifying incapability (just as drug addicts are incapable of controlling their addiction and lives) or a violent nature, such as the Closer. The incapability could very well be symbolic of Heather's absolute disdain towards the idea of birthing God.
There is a theme of maternity and femininity in Silent Hill 3 and its monsters due to the central conflict of the game centering on impregnation in the Order's attempts to force Heather to birth their god. The Slurper may adhere to this theme by representing the suction aspiration method of extracting a miscarried or aborted fetus. The creature's name and snout allude to this, as well as its passive actions in sucking up bodily fluids. The way it knocks Heather on her back when it attacks may be a reference to a woman on her back about to be given suction aspiration treatment. The subject of miscarriage can be tied to women's fears of problematic pregnancies.
They are the ghostly form of the Grey Children; small, child-like, knife-wielding monsters, the sole difference being that Stalkers are "invisible" (vaguely delineated, and as such, hard to see).
Stalkers' danger lies in their ability to remain unseen and attack Harry in groups and to also dupe Harry into thinking they are actually Larval Stalkers. They can be subdued with gunfire from the handgun; however, they can also be defeated quite easily with either the hammer or the ax if the time is taken. If Harry is cornered, it is best to use the shotgun to finish them before they can inflict serious damage.
Symbolism: Stalkers are essentially the dangerous form of Larval Stalkers, which represented how "invisible" and neglected Alessa Gillespie felt in school due to the cruel treatment from her peers. While Larval Stalkers are shy and seclusive, Stalkers pose a real threat and could be symbolic of Alessa's anger emerging and becoming known.
Swarms are large, beetle-like creatures with a flexible, leech-like mouth. They have shiny black exoskeletons and large wings with which they use to hover in front of Alex Shepherd before attacking. A Swarm's legs are edged with sharp ridges, which it will use to assure it achieves a firm latch onto Alex. This explains why removing one can be tedious.
Symbolism: They are a mixture of leeches and roaches, which are both common pests in times of war, especially in humid areas. However, they can also represent the decay of Shepherd's Glen and the rotten insides of the town's origins, and the perceived evil of Silent Hill invading Shepherd's Glen. The leech element in particular points towards lakes, rivers, and other bodies of water, where leeches are common, and in turn the events that occurred on Toluca Lake.
Swarms may also be reminiscent of Joshua Shepherd's fascination with bugs in general. It is also possible that the Swarms represent the memory of Joshua's death prying at Alex's subconscious. This is supported by how they will attach onto Alex and drain his blood, therefore making them a parasitic organism. Just as well, bad memories that fail to vanish are often described as being "parasitic", as they drain the "host" of liveliness and the will to continue on normally through life. It's also very important to note how Alex must immediately repel a Swarm, seeing as otherwise he gradually dies. Alex's behavior of throwing Swarms aside can be symbolic of how he has completely buried the memory of his younger brother's death.
Tremers appear to be huge leeches, varying in size between a foot long and the size of a human torso. They are consistently coated in slime and adhere themselves to walls, floors, and ceilings, leaving a trail of slime in their wake.
They come in two, negligible varieties: Blue Tremers and Red Tremers. Blues are dark, almost blue-black, and have a segmented, pointed appearance, whereas Reds are a solid, teardrop-shaped creature with a dull red tinge. When killed, they release a splatter of gooey blood, supposedly from recent meals.
They don't pose much of a threat; however, they can damage the player if one comes into any sort of physical contact with them. They start appearing in the Water Prison World. Tremers are mostly non-threatening in general. Their only method of attack is if they come into contact with Henry Townshend and then burst open, causing minor damage to him. They may also drop from the ceiling and damage Henry on contact as well.
Symbolism: They are parasites that live off of the carrion and gore of Walter's worlds.
The Tremers appear as a manifestation of Walter's feeling of disgust towards leeches. It is possible Walter or a childhood friend of his was forced to drink water or some liquid infested with leeches by the attending watchman at the Wish House Orphanage, Andrew DeSalvo, a sign of Andrew's abusive nature towards children. This is implied by a note which says, "I had to drink something with black things in it."
These present another example of Walter feeling as if he was a parasite to his mother.
They may also symbolize the cult's influence on Walter.
The Wall Corpse is a disemboweled human torso that appears female since it lacks any male genitalia and has a female shape. However, it is not highly sexualized regardless, and thus its gender remains questionable. It has been dismembered of all four limbs and is impaled on a metal contraption with large spikes, which looks like the Halo of the Sun, a representative symbol of the Order.
It screams in agony as it sprays blood from its lower body, which damages Murphy.
For the most part, Wall Corpses are environmental hazards. They do not need to be killed, but avoiding them is advised since these creatures spray a damage-dealing, blood-colored substance, tainted by what appears to be the occasional needle, alternating between a single spray and two quick sprays.
Symbolism: The Wall Corpse continues the theme of Downpour, that of helpless imprisonment, torture, and pain.
Alternatively, with the Wall Corpse being impaled in place, in a way it cannot help but attack, in the same way, that Murphy initially doesn't feel he is to blame for the actions which have led to his imprisonment. Like him, it cannot escape its pain and imprisonment and is helpless to do anything but attack and lash out at anybody who comes too close, with the only end to its agony being death.
Later in the game, even as Murphy comes to his revelation, the corpses become more mobile, possibly signifying that Murphy realizes he is choosing to attack others.
They are very lanky humanoid monsters attached to the wall at the waist; they sink into the wall and are perfectly camouflaged until they attack by swinging their powerful arms at their prey. Their skin takes on the exact same color and texture of the wall to which they adhere. They are also faceless, and their hands end in wicked claws.
The Wall Men prove to be quite intelligent but volatile monsters. They will typically remain hidden in the wall or be looking about in a pretty harmless manner until Henry Townshend comes within striking proximity, then the beast will strike very suddenly and quickly. Their blows are also extremely powerful, containing enough force to knock Henry flat on his back with ease. Wall Men will also strike relentlessly once Henry is close enough, which enables them to inflict quite substantial damage.
Symbolism: Wall Men may represent Walter Sullivan's possible claustrophobia and confinement and fear towards walls and closed spaces because he wasn't allowed to go outside the Wish House Orphanage, which manifested into this creature. They may also represent how he was always being watched in his cell through the walls in the Water Prison.
Another possible theory is that they represent how Walter feels about the people that surrounded him during his lifetime, as many of them seemed to hurt him, or kept him from his "mother". Thus the Wall Men come from a rather universal structure, walls, which can be found essentially everywhere.
The Bladed Monster is humanoid with red, cracked skin. There appears to be a type of panel that hangs from its chest, although what it is made of is never hinted at. The creature's arms are composed of long blades, similar to a serrated sword or chainsaw. It attacks by stabbing and cutting the victim with its bladed arms.
The Chariot resembles a male humanoid with flesh from its arms and shoulders forming into a long hood over its head. Its lower body is made up of two large, trunk-like tentacles for legs at the front and rusty-looking metal frames with a large pair of wheels to the rear. It also sports several long, rusty, nail-like spikes from the back of its torso.
In its right hand, it carries what appears to be a long dual-shafted polearm, similar in appearance to a giant tuning fork.
Symbolism: The Chariot could represent the Major Arcana tarot card of the same name. As its name and similar appearance suggest, there are a few similarities to a chariot – the area where the wheels act as a carriage, the two large trunk-like tentacles represent pulling horses, and the long dual-shafted polearm that the creature is carrying in its right hand symbolizes the charioteers' spear.
They appear to be masculine creatures, with noticeable male genitalia. Their hands are fused into their faces, granting them the permanent appearance of someone who is weeping or in shock.
Greedy Worms are colossal, very lengthy creatures with streamlined bodies that are easily the width of large sewer pipes. They mainly resemble worms, even having clitellums like the decomposer, however, its tooth-filled maw is more associated to an enlarged leech's. The creature appears to have a slick, slimy exterior.
Although they are not a particular threat or even dangerous, the Greedy Worm is indeed a creature and a manifestation of Walter Sullivan's worlds; the monsters are much rarer than the game's ordinary beasts, but can, in fact, be seen throughout these various parallel universes, burrowing into the walls and floors of the structures, and can also be seen hanging or even moving about dramatically. They never attack Henry Townshend, or even block him, but they can be attacked, which causes the Greedy Worm to cringe and inhale sharply, but only for a moment before it resumes its ordinary behavior.
Symbolism: The Greedy Worms may link Walter's worlds, spanning universes. However, they do not seem to appear in the Building World, Hospital World or Apartment World, meaning that the idea of Greedy Worms "linking" Walter's worlds could be false since they only appear in 3 out of 6, or half of Walter's worlds.
It can be theorized that the Greedy Worm symbolizes the umbilical cord, although this has never been officially proven. If this theory is true, the Greedy Worm may represent Walter's dismay of being separated from his mother and her "magic cord", as described in a memo found in Room 302 of the Past, although the memo doesn't specifically address the Greedy Worm.
The name may hint at Walter feeling as if he was a lowly parasite to his real mother, with the umbilical cord being a "greedy worm" that stole nourishment from her. These feelings may have originated from the careless treatment and abandonment of him after he was born, and would help facilitate the belief that the room was his real mother.
They resemble green reptilian creatures, although their heads are white. Their claws make a distinctive clicking noise when they walk on hard surfaces that are easily recognized. Their limbs are extremely long and thin, similar to an insect's.
They are known to attack from the ceiling, or from below. Hanged Scratchers attack in groups of two or three and this is when they are most dangerous, as they will surround their prey, making it very difficult for Harry to evade them. This happens quite often, so caution is advised when dealing with them.
Symbolism: Hanged Scratchers represent the image of a composite of many insect specimens, due to Alessa Gillespie's fear of insects, the only exception being butterflies. Crickets or locusts have the most prevalent resemblance to the Scratchers.
The fact that they appear and move very reptilian-esque in nature could be akin to dragons, alluding to Alessa's love for fairytales.
They could also represent the way of the Order, sneaking up on and abducting Alessa. This could also explain their persistence when pursuing Harry and how, when they attack, they seem to screech "Let go of me!".
They appear as small, black mixtures between hummingbirds and bats. Their bodies are much like that of a bat, though they have long, needle-like beaks similar to those of hummingbirds. In addition, their wings flap extremely quickly, making a buzzing sound as they dart about, making their presence easy to detect.
They are not particularly dangerous alone, merely doing tiny bits of damage to Henry; however, in swarms or in conjunction with other foes, they can be quite irritating. Dealing with them is simple, as Henry can merely swat them out of the air and stomp on them to finish them off. If not crushed, they will quickly recompose themselves and begin flying again, though. They are the only creature that the bug spray seems to have any kind of effect on.
Symbolism: Hummers may represent the annoying, various flying creatures that Walter Sullivan probably has a great distaste for: flies, mosquitoes, and bats all represented in a single creature. Walter grew up in the forestry region of Silent Hill Woods in Wish House Orphanage and Water Prison, where these insects and creatures would presumably be.
Lobotomy is very humanoid in nature, resembling an emaciated man with an absent face, with the only feature being a huge, grotesque hole through which it emits inhuman, throaty "roaring" noises, along with an exposed brain.
Symbolism: The Lobotomy's name is a reference to a now-archaic surgical procedure called a lobotomy, which was once thought to reduce mental illness by literally scraping away brain tissue.
The Lobotomy could represent one of the asylum patients being physically experimented on or a victim of mental illness.
It could also represent Heather's fears of becoming mentally ill. Earlier, she said, "It's just one more thing to prove I'm going crazy!"
Lurkers appear as bald male humanoid monsters with huge claws, resembling mermen. Their legs are fused together or bound by layers of dead skin, so they drag them uselessly behind them. Their faces are blank save for a huge, vertical slit down the middle of their heads, filled with horrific teeth. Most notably, their wrists are severed and a series of three, sickle-like blades are grafted on to the stubs of their arms. They use their arms to crawl and attack. If one looks closely at the Lurker's arms one can see three small breathing holes on each of the Lurker's arms.
Lurkers have a tendency to crawl out of small hiding places and ambush Alex. They are located in the Silent Hill streets and in flooded buildings, therefore making water a constant risk to enter.
Symbolism: Lurkers may represent the restraint Alex felt throughout his life and the lack of love from his family. Similarly, it may represent Alex's feelings of incapability when it comes to finding his brother, being restrained or held back by those around him refusing to tell him the truth.
It could also symbolize Alex's intended fate by drowning, and his subsequent avoidance of it. Their legs are tied up, possibly hinting Adam Shepherd planned to tie Alex up and dump him in the lake. On the same note, they could also possibly represent the death of his brother Joshua, as Joshua drowned and Lurkers have an appearance similar to a twisted version of a mermaid. Its claws also highly resemble tools of torture.
It can be theorized that the Lurker relates to Alex's mother Lillian since it is encountered soon after Alex reunites with her and that it may represent his disdain, annoyance or resentment towards her for her cold treatment of him. The gross imagery, reminiscent of female genitals, could represent Alex's possible (subconscious) wish that he was never born, or at least, never born into his family. In this sense, the monster could represent Alex's frustration from being unable to escape and "run away" from his family's problems with its tied legs.
As well, similar to the Schism beast, Lurkers hold a more obscure symbolism to being "split"- upon observing a Lurker's chest area, the player can notice that the flesh appears to be sewn together vertically, possibly suggesting that it was once split open. The fact it is now sewn shut may allude to Alex's repressed memories of how Joshua died.
Their significance can be further expanded upon after obtaining the Kneeling Man Plate, which in the puzzle signifies penitence. If the tablet is examined, the picture displays a kneeling man in prayer whose upper body looks exactly like the Lurker when its body is at its most upright; this could imply that they mainly symbolize Alex's regret and need for penitence after what he did to Joshua.
Much like the Lurker, Alex's memories lay hidden just below the surface. When they emerge, they bring with them only pain and suffering.
The monster appears somewhat humanoid with a masculine torso, very synonymous to the normal human, but its arms and legs are replaced with very sharp blades which it uses to walk around, as well as to attack. These blades are grafted onto the severed wrists and ankles of the double-jointed creature. It seems as though the Needler's head had been removed, especially evident as it approaches Alex. However, its sharp-mawed mouth is located between its legs. Very vague traces of eyes and a nose can be detected only by darker regions of the visage. Two breathing holes are present on both sides of the Needler's chest and these holes open and close at a slow rate.
Symbolism: Its head is located between its legs, a design choice that, when combined with its reclining posture and stirrup-like leg blades, may be intended to viscerally symbolize childbirth (in the lithotomy position), which is a constant theme in the Silent Hill series, and a particularly emergent theme in Silent Hill: Homecoming. Elaborating on the childbirth reference, since Alex Shepherd had always been second to his brother Joshua, the Needler itself may be a physical manifestation of the way Alex perceives Joshua's birth.
The "needles" themselves may be expressions of the surgical orbitoclasts used in a frontal lobotomy, or simply represent hypodermic needles used to inject psychotropic medications. Alex would be the patient, according to the Doctor's Memo.
The severed head might also foreshadow the manner of Joshua Shepherd's death: a broken neck. In other words, the Needler could represent the truth, gnawing at Alex's subconscious.
The Needler's appearance is vaguely arachnid in nature, which may symbolize Joshua's interest in spiders.
Numb Bodies are relatively featureless, bipedal creatures that appear in various sizes. They waddle and hop side-to-side. They resemble tadpole-like creatures covered in purplish, pale skin which splits and cracks constantly. They consist of only two legs, which end in deformed, toe-like digits. From their backs protrude two triangular growths of presumably no real purpose. Their heads only have a single hole in it, from which they presumably see, and nothing else.
Symbolism: The Book of Lost Memories says its name is derived from its slow and clumsy movements and the fact that its body appears pale as though frozen.
It appears undeveloped, as to represent the premature state of God in Heather's uterus. The larger Numb Bodies could symbolize God growing. The fetus of a child in the womb develops what resembles a tail, but it loses this attribute in the later stages of development; the Numb Body is one of the few enemies not associated with animals that has a tail and suggests the underdevelopment of God as a type of fetus. They only appear in the first half of the game, further adding to this theory. They emit lamb-like, distressed cries when Heather causes them to collapse. The creature's head resembles a cervix, further relating to maternity and femininity, as do many of the game's monsters.
The Numb Bodies emit lamb-like cries they give off once fallen. Especially within a game of occult matters, this may be a mild nod towards the Christian Lamb of God, which is meant to symbolize the sins of the world being eliminated; Claudia Wolf even states the coming of God will "forgive every one of their sins". The Order has roots in various modern religions, Christianity included, so this also provides evidence for its sound-oriented symbolism.
The cries of the Numb Body could also be likened to that of a bear cub, especially when compared to the sounds the larger versions make and are possibly symbolic of the mother-daughter relationship that neither Heather nor Alessa had in their childhood.
The Pendulum has the appearance of two human torsos cut in half and connected at their hips by a metal circular device. Its arms are tied and bandaged behind their backs, with each torso facing the opposite direction of the other, and a pair of stilt-like, bladed legs sprout from the center of the mechanical device. It also has a blade attached to each of its heads and rotates its torso (like a pendulum moving in a single direction) while it moves as an attempt to cut Heather Mason. It makes a horrible loud screeching sound similar to that of rusty metal grinding, a noise which alters to a sound similar to a broken instrument's when harmed and grounded.
Symbolism: The Pendulum may represent Heather's upside-down, constantly changing feelings about the life she's having and the people she loves. The Pendulum also derives its name from the way it sways and moves while attacking.
The creature could also be a manifestation of Heather's giving birth to God, the head seen on top being Heather, and the bottom head which is God being birthed. In this case, the screeching noise could symbolize the physical pain of giving birth.
It could also be the dichotomy of Heather being Alessa Gillespie in truth and vice-versa, each side fighting for dominance while hurting those around them as a result. The screeching, in this case, would reflect the physical pain that Heather experiences when Alessa's memories begin to surface.
Juggernauts: Juggernauts look very similar to the smaller Minions, appearing as pale-skinned humans with tattoos covering their bodies and their faces twisted into permanent grins. They lack the metal contraptions of the Minions but have barbed wire wrapped loosely around their midsections and tightly around their arms instead. It appears that this barbed wire is threaded into their faces as well, keeping their expression frozen and leaving deep indentations in their flesh. True to their name, Juggernauts are huge and inhumanly strong, with muscular physiques.
Symbolism: The Juggernaut could represent Murphy's fear of the other inmates, or even the inmates themselves, as many, if not all of the said inmates could kill or attack Murphy without a second thought while he was in Ryall State Prison. The fact that they appear to have what look like tattoos or prisoner identification numbers on their bodies seems to support this.
Both variations of the Prisoner monsters may represent elements of Murphy's personality that have changed due to his time in prison. The Juggernaut specifically represents a fear Murphy may have developed of himself and the crimes he had committed. It shows a change in his self-image to something more monstrous, and his aversion to them is symbolic of his pent up remorse for his crimes.
Their aggression, strength, and dominance could also be a part of their symbolism, as there are cons in every prison who swing some weight by striking deals with other inmates, or with corrupt guards such as George Sewell, in exchange for protection or special favors (e.g. Sewell allowing Pendleton access to Patrick Napier in the sequestered prison shower) which could be symbolized by their pervasiveness, their ability to rip cell doors off hinges, and especially the scene where one Juggernaut is literally holding two Prisoner Minions on a leash.
Minions: Prisoner Minions appear to be dark-skinned, tortured humanoids covered in tattoos and lacerations. They all wear ragged brown pants secured with a cord. Their most distinctive feature, however, is the series of metal framework digging into their face. These metal strips stretch their faces, forcing open their blank white eyes and keeping their mouths taut into inhumanly huge open-mouthed grins. The straps appear to be bolted to their heads, and blood constantly drips from their mouths, covering their necks and chests. Stabbers are even more deformed, with withered left arms and the flesh of their knife-wielding hand mutated and fused into a tumorous lump.
They display a lot of violent twitching, having quick spasms and convulsions from the waist up very constantly. When left idle and unaware of Murphy Pendleton's presence, they appear to grapple with their restraints, trying in vain to remove them.
Symbolism: The Prisoner Minions represent the frequent fights and riots that prison inmates and prison gangs often participate in while incarcerated, as they are often quite violent struggles that usually end with someone dead.
The Prisoner Minions' eyes are forced open by a metal apparatus extending from the backs of their heads, which also pins their mouth back in a smiling position. This may have a connection to the controversial administration of intravitreal injections, to drug the more violent subjects into a docile state; which, could be re-enforced by the forceful smile that they portray, symbolizing a state of mind outside of their own control. The smile could also be representative of their initial concept art, which portrayed the prisoners as clowns. The theme of clowns ties in with coulrophobia.
Both variations of the Prisoner Minions may be representative of the elements of Murphy's personality that have changed, become more potent, or arose entirely due to his time in prison. The minions may specifically represent small pieces of his personality attributed to his time as an inmate, such as increased brutality, and willingness to kill.
In the light, it takes on the form of a floating bloody harness which casts a shadow. In the darkness, the Remnant resembles a shadow person.
Symbolism: Remnants could possibly symbolize Travis's fear of the other patients of the sanitarium when sneaking in to see his mother. The restraints could possibly symbolize the patients' straight jackets or general lack of free will; the fact that the restraints resemble a pressure-activated hunting trap could also possibly stand for the sharp, spiteful reaction young Travis could have received from other patients upon seeing him.
They could also symbolize the fear of the unknown.
The Romper appears to be a humanoid monster with a primitive physique. The beast is relatively muscular and has front arms that are longer than its legs, suggesting its supposed-to-be-human nature. It is covered in dull-brown skin that resembles a coat. It seems to have some sort of belt wrapped around its massive neck. In its artwork, it appears to have two large staples or metallic wire for eyes. It has tube-like appendages dangling from its slit-shaped mouth, which are presumably for tasting.
Symbolism: The Romper is a manifestation of Alessa Gillespie's fear of adults and her dislike of people older than herself because of what the Order did to her. This possibility is supported by the Romper's overbearing character, such as their incredible ease with knocking Harry over and biting at him vigorously. The Romper has a tendency to "trap" its prey beneath it, pinning Harry down and attacking roughly. This gives the beasts an authoritative aura.
Samael's place in the hierarchy of her kind is unclear. Whately, as a mediating member of the same race as Samael, refers to the otherworldy entity as "an emissary". Of what, exactly, isn't built upon. Whately claims that, because of her powerful nature, Samael can be likened to a god by human standards. In her natural plane of existence, Samael appears to take on the form of an anthropomorphic goat, while an empty vessel, typically the body of a physically and emotionally damaged person, is necessary when Samael wishes to exist in corporeal form on other planes of existence.
It is implied that many other beings like Samael exist, but they are never introduced.
Personality: As told by Whately, Samael is a voracious being, contented only with blood sacrifice and suffering. Wanting control of the mortal realm, it was that driving force that compelled Samael to allow herself to be born on Earth. When Samael finally crosses into the mortal world, She, possessing the body of Connie Mills, appears sentient but seeks only to ease her hunger by consuming the souls of those who cross her path and possesses concern for little else.
Powers and Abilities: Being a god-like figure, Samael is known to possess several supernatural abilities. Among them, Samael has demonstrated the ability to travel between numerous planes of existence. However, because of the sheer amount of energy required to do so, as well as needing a suitable vessel to contain her essence, doing so often is impractical.
In addition to traversing the various planes of existence, Samael is able to warp between locations situated within a single plane of existence, possesses enhanced durability, and the capability to consume the life forces of humans in order to increase her own strength. Had things gone as they were intended, Samael would have been able to recreate reality as she saw fit.
Birth and Death: Throughout the course of the series, several options are presented that could be used to foster Samael's birth.
Dying Inside
Whately is first introduced as the guardian of a female patient said to be sleeping within the depths of Brookhaven Hospital. This patient is implicated as being the progenitor of the darkness that has engulfed Silent Hill. Whether she is the woman who was impregnated with the seed of Samael or not is never confirmed.
Hunger
Douglas Brenneman begins to experience strange changes in the world around him on the 11th of June, during an unspecified year. The oddities seem to have been triggered by a bizarre murder early in the day, and the occurrences only continue to strengthen as the day presses on, culminating in Silent Hill becoming completely engulfed in an otherworldly inferno. Throughout this madness, Douglas searches for his fiancee, Rosy, and it's during his search that he encounters the stranger Whately.
Choosing Douglas to be the author of a book detailing the events that had begun in Silent Hill, Whately makes known to Douglas the existence and imminent birth of Samael. A human female, chosen by a Dr. Aickmann who practices out of Brookhaven Hospital, has been impregnated with the seed of Samael and struggles against the entity's will, trying to protect both herself and her world. According to Whately, the birth is not an assured event, and the possibility that Samael won't be born into the mortal realm is very real.
Taking into account the events of Dead/Alive, it appears that the female host was able to overcome the influence of Samael, though Silent Hill would remain forever changed.
Dead/Alive
Lenora, a powerful witch, and cohort of Whately, searches for a female candidate who is capable of receiving the essence of Samael and serving as a vessel for that essence. Such a host is found in the form of Connie Mills, a woman of no true notoriety, save she may have once held the unborn child of actor Kenneth Carter, a man who was born only half-human to a monstrous mother and human father. Kenneth is destined to kill the filled vessel and release the essence of Samael, allowing the being to fully integrate itself into the mortal realm.
To facilitate the implantation of Samael into Connie, Whately and the Order set about to seed nightmares and common knowledge with the strange atmosphere of Silent Hill by allowing Ike Isaacs to paint scenes from the town and implicating Kenneth in a series of murders inspired by such painting. In doing this, it gave Samael the strength needed to cross between worlds and arrive within its human host. When the entity is successfully integrated into Connie Mills, Samael begins to roam, consuming the souls of those unfortunate enough to cross her path. Her goal is the consumption of Christabella LaRoache, to enhance her strength.
As told by Lenora, it was Kenneth's destiny to kill Connie and complete Samael's birth into the mortal realm. However, by killing the host body with the love he once felt for her, the reality is torn asunder and those involved with the struggles in Silent Hill are placed into the lives they were meant for.
They are very similar in appearance and nature to the Missionary, though they are much weaker, as well as less threatening and significantly smaller. They appear as medium-sized humanoid males with dirty brown robes and brown sacks over their faces. They also wear bloody rubber gloves and corduroy pants. Their tonfa-like weapons end in blades, which they constantly scrape together, hence their name.
Symbolism: The Scrapers may be actual members of the Order or manifestations of Claudia Wolf's vision of the Order's members. The Book of Lost Memories only refers to them as humanoid monsters. They receive their name from their habit of scraping their blades together.
There is a running theme of maternity and femininity in Silent Hill 3 and its monsters due to the central conflict of the game centering on impregnation in the cult's attempts to force Heather to birth their god. The combination of the Scraper's title, his clothing, and his weapons may be seen as symbolism of abortion: "Scraper" here referring to scraping out the unborn fetus; rubber gloves, a mask, and a smock being reminiscent of surgical attire; and the long, sharp weapons being exaggerated imagery of abortion tools.
Its most distinct feature is its elongated head, which ends in a cruel blade. Its mouth runs down its entire head and splits vertically, much like several other monsters in previous entries in the series. It has a set of dull teeth that run down the length of its head, and when its mouth opens, its tongue flails about. However, it usually just uses its bladed snout and wicked claws to attack. The Schism's right arm and right hand are elongated, double jointed, and facing backward, whereas its left-hand faces forward. It does not have any discernable genitals, instead of having something of a metal plate affixed to its groin.
Symbolism: The Schism could represent duality because its head is split in two. Given that the head is shaped like a pendulum, a medieval clockwork torture device designed to elicit a confession from a prisoner by dropping a swinging blade incrementally toward their flesh over the course of hours, it could represent Alex's fractured mental state and his slow, steady realization of guilt. The image is even stronger as the Schism stands idle, letting its head swing side to side as it hangs downwards.
The split head could represent Alex's mental state, as he is separated from reality, similar to the mental disorder schizophrenia (from Greek: split mind). This also links to the ending where he undergoes electroconvulsive treatment, which was once the most popular form of treatment for schizophrenia and other mental disorders.
Defeating a Schism for the first time will award the player the achievement "Split Personality", perhaps referring to Adam Shepherd's kindness to Joshua and cruelty to Alex. It could also refer to Alex's schizophrenic tendencies. Back when schizophrenia was still largely misunderstood, many referred to it as a "split personality", not to be confused with a disassociative identity disorder. The name "schism" could also reference that, as there was a familial schism between Alex and the rest of the family.
Another quality to note is that the Schism's right hand is double jointed and facing backward, whereas its left-hand faces forward. This further symbolizes a dual nature. Alex is right-handed, and it was the arm/hand he used to hold onto the Shepherd Family Ring he struggled to take from his brother.
The Schism may also represent the split of the founders of Shepherd's Glen with the Order of Silent Hill. Since the pact was broken, monsters appear to punish the town for its actions. The name "Schism" may refer to the term used in a religious sense: a split/division between organization members, or even between the organization and their connected religions. Although it's easy to see why physical attributes of the Schism could be linked to their name, it may also refer to the broken pact between the people of Shepherd's Glen, the Order and their god, seeing as the Shepherds were unable to fulfill their end of the pact with a sacrifice. This could reinforce the connected symbolism.
t is first mentioned in a note, in which a worker thinks that an alligator lives down there. Other notes can be found that say the monster killed two of the workers. The writer of the note claims that they will kill the creature and that if someone (in this case Heather Mason) reads it, that means that they failed to do so.
The creature itself can be found a little further on, in the water below the bridge that Heather must cross. The first time Heather crosses the bridge, before reading the note, the creature can be seen moving below her for a few seconds. She must kill the monster with a hairdryer before passing by, or it will grab onto her leg and pull her into the water. Its appearance looks like a rather small eel, or leech-like monster with no visible mouth or eyes, and is flesh-pink in color.
Symbolism: It is unknown what the monster actually is. It is possible that Heather, after reading notes about a creature dwelling in the sewers, actually developed the image of it herself. What the workers actually saw could have been an alligator or some other creature. This may not be the case, as the scenario still triggers even if Heather does not read the notes.
At the same time, it could symbolize Heather's fear of the unknown. It may also symbolize Heather's and Alessa's hatred of insects and snakes.
Another theory is the Sewer Monster is a reference to the Bloodsucker from Silent Hill, as they are both worm-like in nature, have a similar meaning, and can kill the player if they try to advance without killing the monster beforehand. Both are also invulnerable enemies in the series.
There is a running theme of maternity and femininity in Silent Hill 3 and its monsters due to the central conflict of the game centering on impregnation in the cult's attempts to force Heather to birth their god. The Sewer Monster could be seen to resemble a severed umbilical cord.
They appear to be men wearing masks and what appear to be leather shorts. Their figure itself is notable for its long, tube-like snouts, much like an anteater's, which have a mouth with teeth and lips. They have a long tongue with which they use to "slurp" up carrion and blood. Slurpers have club-like front limbs.
They emit extremely loud, raw, monstrous screeching sounds of various pitches.
The beasts are often found in groups and appear frequently out of small crawlspaces and vents to ambush their prey. Slurpers are dangerous in the sense that they often come in groups and are also exceptionally deceptive and intelligent.
They are quick and can easily knock Heather flat on her back by either yanking her legs out from under her or "bowling" into them. Oftentimes they will then scurry over her, stomping on her for additional damage. A secondary attack of theirs is quite similar to that of the Double Head; they grab onto Heather's leg and repeatedly bite her until she shakes them off. Their third and most dangerous attack is sliding toward the target with club-like front limbs in front of them and making Heather fall down.
Symbolism: The Slurper may represent a child viewed in a much more grotesque manner. Firstly notable is their smaller size compared to other beasts in the game, therefore making it similar to an infant, and upon close inspection, one may notice that it appears to be a mutated and underdeveloped young person, perhaps even alluding to the game's ending. These traits involve incomplete limbs, but most importantly, what seem to be emerging eyes. Also easily associated with a child are the leather shorts the Slurper appears to be wearing, which could be a take on a diaper. Slurpers are also extremely noisy and only capable of crawling, traits it shares with a young human. Its behavior of attacking Heather and crawling all over her is reminiscent of a child's incredulous attachment to its mother, while the Slurper rolling into her and knocking Heather down can be considered metaphoric: an unborn baby poised for birth "knocks its mother down", alluding to the birthing position, albeit due to the nature of birthing the Order's god, it could also hint towards Heather dying if she was to give birth to it. Overall, the Slurper could be the manifestation of Heather's image of what the god would be like.
Similarly, it may be a monster of Claudia Wolf's, as there are multiple times where there are Slurpers behind gates and walls, unable to reach Heather or interact with her. Claudia may have felt that when Harry took Cheryl/Heather as an infant, they had been helplessly separated by him, and she could not reach out to her. This could be supported by the conversation between Claudia and Vincent Smith where he calls the Otherworld Claudia's own "personal nightmare".
Slurpers are also representative of the bottom-feeders and lowlifes of the human world. It is reminiscent of a drug addict licking the ground to slurp up any spilled chemicals in desperation, perhaps alluding to the Slurper's obnoxious, grating vocalizations. This is supported because they first appear (other than the brief sewer encounter) not too long after passing through the construction site where a homeless chemical abuser was squatting, and may even allude to PTV.
Considering their resemblance to well-built human males, their habit of surprise attacks and the way they shove Heather to the floor and climb on top of her, their symbolism could possibly be sexual in nature, representing fear of rapists and stalkers. It does not help that Heather wears a mini skirt either.
The death simulation there is in some way a thanatosis process (playing dead), used both to evade a predator or court a cannibalistic female. Adding to this, the Slurper is visible in the sewers, where it is completely still and does not set off radio static, which may mean it's either dead or is playing dead. In this sense, it can reflect the hostility and misgivings of Heather relative to the opposite sex.
Their hands appear like unusable lumps of meat, perhaps signifying incapability (just as drug addicts are incapable of controlling their addiction and lives) or a violent nature, such as the Closer. The incapability could very well be symbolic of Heather's absolute disdain towards the idea of birthing God.
There is a theme of maternity and femininity in Silent Hill 3 and its monsters due to the central conflict of the game centering on impregnation in the Order's attempts to force Heather to birth their god. The Slurper may adhere to this theme by representing the suction aspiration method of extracting a miscarried or aborted fetus. The creature's name and snout allude to this, as well as its passive actions in sucking up bodily fluids. The way it knocks Heather on her back when it attacks may be a reference to a woman on her back about to be given suction aspiration treatment. The subject of miscarriage can be tied to women's fears of problematic pregnancies.
They are the ghostly form of the Grey Children; small, child-like, knife-wielding monsters, the sole difference being that Stalkers are "invisible" (vaguely delineated, and as such, hard to see).
Stalkers' danger lies in their ability to remain unseen and attack Harry in groups and to also dupe Harry into thinking they are actually Larval Stalkers. They can be subdued with gunfire from the handgun; however, they can also be defeated quite easily with either the hammer or the ax if the time is taken. If Harry is cornered, it is best to use the shotgun to finish them before they can inflict serious damage.
Symbolism: Stalkers are essentially the dangerous form of Larval Stalkers, which represented how "invisible" and neglected Alessa Gillespie felt in school due to the cruel treatment from her peers. While Larval Stalkers are shy and seclusive, Stalkers pose a real threat and could be symbolic of Alessa's anger emerging and becoming known.
Swarms are large, beetle-like creatures with a flexible, leech-like mouth. They have shiny black exoskeletons and large wings with which they use to hover in front of Alex Shepherd before attacking. A Swarm's legs are edged with sharp ridges, which it will use to assure it achieves a firm latch onto Alex. This explains why removing one can be tedious.
Symbolism: They are a mixture of leeches and roaches, which are both common pests in times of war, especially in humid areas. However, they can also represent the decay of Shepherd's Glen and the rotten insides of the town's origins, and the perceived evil of Silent Hill invading Shepherd's Glen. The leech element in particular points towards lakes, rivers, and other bodies of water, where leeches are common, and in turn the events that occurred on Toluca Lake.
Swarms may also be reminiscent of Joshua Shepherd's fascination with bugs in general. It is also possible that the Swarms represent the memory of Joshua's death prying at Alex's subconscious. This is supported by how they will attach onto Alex and drain his blood, therefore making them a parasitic organism. Just as well, bad memories that fail to vanish are often described as being "parasitic", as they drain the "host" of liveliness and the will to continue on normally through life. It's also very important to note how Alex must immediately repel a Swarm, seeing as otherwise he gradually dies. Alex's behavior of throwing Swarms aside can be symbolic of how he has completely buried the memory of his younger brother's death.
Tremers appear to be huge leeches, varying in size between a foot long and the size of a human torso. They are consistently coated in slime and adhere themselves to walls, floors, and ceilings, leaving a trail of slime in their wake.
They come in two, negligible varieties: Blue Tremers and Red Tremers. Blues are dark, almost blue-black, and have a segmented, pointed appearance, whereas Reds are a solid, teardrop-shaped creature with a dull red tinge. When killed, they release a splatter of gooey blood, supposedly from recent meals.
They don't pose much of a threat; however, they can damage the player if one comes into any sort of physical contact with them. They start appearing in the Water Prison World. Tremers are mostly non-threatening in general. Their only method of attack is if they come into contact with Henry Townshend and then burst open, causing minor damage to him. They may also drop from the ceiling and damage Henry on contact as well.
Symbolism: They are parasites that live off of the carrion and gore of Walter's worlds.
The Tremers appear as a manifestation of Walter's feeling of disgust towards leeches. It is possible Walter or a childhood friend of his was forced to drink water or some liquid infested with leeches by the attending watchman at the Wish House Orphanage, Andrew DeSalvo, a sign of Andrew's abusive nature towards children. This is implied by a note which says, "I had to drink something with black things in it."
These present another example of Walter feeling as if he was a parasite to his mother.
They may also symbolize the cult's influence on Walter.
The Wall Corpse is a disemboweled human torso that appears female since it lacks any male genitalia and has a female shape. However, it is not highly sexualized regardless, and thus its gender remains questionable. It has been dismembered of all four limbs and is impaled on a metal contraption with large spikes, which looks like the Halo of the Sun, a representative symbol of the Order.
It screams in agony as it sprays blood from its lower body, which damages Murphy.
For the most part, Wall Corpses are environmental hazards. They do not need to be killed, but avoiding them is advised since these creatures spray a damage-dealing, blood-colored substance, tainted by what appears to be the occasional needle, alternating between a single spray and two quick sprays.
Symbolism: The Wall Corpse continues the theme of Downpour, that of helpless imprisonment, torture, and pain.
Alternatively, with the Wall Corpse being impaled in place, in a way it cannot help but attack, in the same way, that Murphy initially doesn't feel he is to blame for the actions which have led to his imprisonment. Like him, it cannot escape its pain and imprisonment and is helpless to do anything but attack and lash out at anybody who comes too close, with the only end to its agony being death.
Later in the game, even as Murphy comes to his revelation, the corpses become more mobile, possibly signifying that Murphy realizes he is choosing to attack others.
They are very lanky humanoid monsters attached to the wall at the waist; they sink into the wall and are perfectly camouflaged until they attack by swinging their powerful arms at their prey. Their skin takes on the exact same color and texture of the wall to which they adhere. They are also faceless, and their hands end in wicked claws.
The Wall Men prove to be quite intelligent but volatile monsters. They will typically remain hidden in the wall or be looking about in a pretty harmless manner until Henry Townshend comes within striking proximity, then the beast will strike very suddenly and quickly. Their blows are also extremely powerful, containing enough force to knock Henry flat on his back with ease. Wall Men will also strike relentlessly once Henry is close enough, which enables them to inflict quite substantial damage.
Symbolism: Wall Men may represent Walter Sullivan's possible claustrophobia and confinement and fear towards walls and closed spaces because he wasn't allowed to go outside the Wish House Orphanage, which manifested into this creature. They may also represent how he was always being watched in his cell through the walls in the Water Prison.
Another possible theory is that they represent how Walter feels about the people that surrounded him during his lifetime, as many of them seemed to hurt him, or kept him from his "mother". Thus the Wall Men come from a rather universal structure, walls, which can be found essentially everywhere.
