Who is Cybil Bennet? Why is she in Silent Hill?
Upon close examination, everyone who appears in Silent Hill has a purpose. Dahlia is trying to hunt down Alessa. Kauffman has been dragged into Alessa's reality to be punished for what he did to her. Lisa is the bearer of the Hospital's Virun VII Crest (as suggested by Moeru and F), and is there to non-violently try and impede Harry's progress by appealing to his sensitive side (also the fact that she's a hot blonde nurse could sway Harry to staying with her). Harry is there because he was with Cheryl when she got sucked into Alessa's reality, and perhaps Cheryl herself subconsciously wanted to be saved from her fate by Harry.
The only person who doesn't make any sense for being there is Cybil.
Now, it could be argued that she's there for the same reason Harry is: because she was near Cheryl when the dimensional transfer occured. However, consider her smashed-up bike: when Harry crashes, he awakens in his totaled Jeep, appearing slightly injured by it (he limps out of his van, and it could account for his slow running in the game). This seems to indicate that his crash also happened in Alessa's reality. That is to say, the shift from reality to Alessa's reality didn't negate the Jeep crash. By extension, Cybil's crash on a motorbike at a high enough speed to bend the wheel like it is would have killed Cybil, easily. However, when we encounter Cybil next, she is fine. She doesn't even mention any motorcycle crash.
Also consider Cybil’s appearances in the game. She appears for the second time after Harry is butchered by Alessa’s demons, in the cafe with a mysteriously unharmed Harry. She provides Harry with a gun, and talks to Harry long enough for him to remember what happened and to get hell-bent on finding Cheryl. After Cybil leaves, Harry also conveniently finds a map of Silent Hill, the flashlight, and the pocket radio all in the Cafe. All these items are vital to Harry’s survival and direction in Silent Hill. Everything in this sequence brings Harry closer to finding Cheryl. Does that not seem a little coincidental to you?
She also mentions not seeing any monsters. Now, we know that in games like Silent Hill 2 that Silent Hill may be what you make it. However, one must remember that the circumstances surrounding the events of SH2 and SH1 are markedly different. Whereas in SH2 the town punishes those with a guilty conscience, the events of SH1 (and SH3, but that’s another story) are much less random. It’s like a very calculated chess game. Dahlia Vs. Alessa. The reality the first game takes place in is controlled and conjured by Alessa (and to a smaller extent, Dahlia, since she can enter Misty Silent Hill). Therefore, the appearance of Alessa’s monsters should be seen by everyone in this reality. Indeed we know that Lisa sees them (“I’m not the only one who’s walking around out thereâ€), as well as Kaufmann (obviously, since he kills an air screamer and is attacked by one of the monkey creatures). Dahlia never says one way or the other if she sees the monsters, but I think she would. Out of everyone in Misty Silent Hill, Dahlia would be the one person Alessa would most like to see killed. However, I think Dahlia can cloak her presense in Misty Silent Hill, and is able to avoid being slaughtered because of it. However, even if Dahlia cannot see the monsters, that fact would also act to support the theory I am about to present to you.
So besides Dahlia’s questionable ability to see the monsters, every single other person in the game can see the monsters. Except for Cybil. Why? Let us look at Cybil’s next appearance: The Green Lion Antique Shop.
She appears just as Harry is about to enter into Dahlia’s Chapel. She expresses some concern for Harry, but her main reason for appearing here is to tell Harry that Cheryl is headed towards the lake. Once again, she provides some direction to Harry about how to find Alessa, who is now in control of Cheryl. The timing of this could also have been an attempt to keep Harry from entering Dahlia’s Chapel. Cybil claims not to know who Dahlia Gillespie is. This is contradicted later. I will explain when I reach that point of the game. She also drops another important hint for my theory: she discusses the drug ring and the Police Department’s inability to find out who’s behind it.
Upon learning of Cheryl’s whereabouts and finding the Chapel, Harry is once again sucked into Dark Silent Hill, Alessa’s second reality that Dahlia cannot enter as long as the Seal of Metratron is present and Alessa is at full strength. He reappears in front of Lisa, who is able to provide information on Dahlia Gillespie to Harry. Alessa is trying to out Dahlia for who she really is. However, Lisa can only tell Harry what she knows, and Harry is soon whisked away back into the Antique Shop.
Harry’s progress back to the Hospital is greatly impeded by a very aggressive assault by Alessa. The Cheryl part of Alessa’s psyche manages to break through and cries out for her father, much like it did at the school. Harry makes his way back to Alchemilla and asks Lisa for information on how to get back to the lake. Lisa, who despite being a creature of Alessa’s, still exercises some of her own free will and tells Harry what he wants to know. She then suddenly acts frightened as Harry is about to leave and begs him not to leave. Alessa is trying to use her to impede Harry’s progress. However, Harry responds by suggesting Lisa come with him, which Lisa cannot do, as the Virun VII Crest. She has no choice but to stay behind alone, as Harry is obviously not going to stay with her.
Alessa then tries to kill Harry repeatedly once again, through the Giant Moth and the monsters in the sewer. Failing, she allows Harry to find Kaufmann, perhaps hoping that Harry will discover the truth about him and, by extension, Dahlia, which Harry does get closer to through his find of the Aglaophotis and the drugs.
When Harry arrives at the boat, he again encounters Dahlia Gillespie, who now seems to be able to make her way into Alessa’s Dark Silent Hill. She is still, however, unable to locate and subdue Alessa until Harry gets close enough first and uses the Flauros on her. Cybil also makes her first appearance in Dark Silent Hill, and appears frightened and confused, but still doesn’t come right out and mention any monsters. After Dahlia’s arrival, Cybil doesn’t seem to directly acknowledge Dahlia, or speak to her. Upon revealing the two remaining locations Alessa will go, Cybil heads to the Amusement Park, where she is attacked by a parasite.
Now, where it gets a little murky here is the outcome of the battle between Cybil and Harry. Regardless of whether it is the Good + ending, or the Good ending that are the true endings of Silent Hill (Regardless of what Lost Memories says, neither ending contradicts the events of Silent Hill 3). If the Good ending is indeed true, Cybil is killed at this point, and my detailing of her appearances is finished, and I can move on to my theory itself. However, let us consider the Good + ending, for more tidbits of interesting info come from the two remaining Cybil scenes that occur after this fight.
First of all, Cybil discusses Cheryl’s true origins with Harry, and further strengthens his resolve to find Alessa. The Flauros weakens Alessa enough for Dahlia to finally make her move, and everything literally goes to Hell from there. Alessa’s realities merge and fracture, and Lisa disintegrates.
In the final scene in the Good + ending, Cybil directly acknowledges Dahlia for the first and only time, drawing her gun on her. Dahlia speaks about the Talisman Of Metratron, and says to Cybil that “WE (emphasis added) must be thankful to that man for his help.†Cybil fires on Dahlia, but is blown backwards by Dahlia’s forcefield. Kaufman intervenes, Harry kills the Incubus, and both Harry and Cybil escape with Heather as Alessa uses the last of her strength to open a gate to reality, and to have Lisa kill Kaufmann.
So, what in God’s name am I getting at, you ask? Well, by analyzing Cybil’s scenes, I noticed (and hopefully you did too) that she seems to act in the directly opposite way from Lisa. Rather than impeding his progress, Cybil appears to help Harry and to give him direction towards Alessa/Cheryl, rather than away. The only aspect that Lisa aids Harry more than Cybil in is with regards to Dahlia Gillespie’s identity. While Dahlia/Cybil lead Harry to Alessa, Alessa/Lisa guide Harry closer to the truth about Dahlia and Kaufmann.
My theory is that much as Lisa is Alessa’s subtle pawn to impede Harry, Cybil is Dahlia’s pawn to aid Harry.
Consider Cybil’s knowledge of the Silent Hill Police Department’s investigation of the drug ring. Obviously there has been some communication between Brahms and Silent Hill. I believe that the SHPD may have asked the BPD for help, and Cybil may have been one of, if not the only, officer aiding the SHPD. The FMV of Cybil in the SH1 intro video of her getting a call from Silent Hill and heading to the town is not, as previously thought, someone from the town calling for help, because there is no one in danger in Silent Hill who is still in reality. I believe Cybil got too close to the truth, and was killed for it, possibly by being run off the road on her motorcycle, the image of which Harry sees on the highway.
Cybil would make the perfect pawn for Dahlia. She never encountered Alessa, so she’s a non-entity in Alessa’s mind. If Dahlia could plant the Memory Of Cybil into Misty Silent Hill, much the same way she planted her soul self into Misty Silent Hill, then Alessa would have no plan factored in to account for her. One could argue it’s possible that Alessa wouldn’t even know about Cybil’s presense unless it was made clear to her. She’s way off Alessa’s radar, so Cybil could work behind the scenes to help Harry. Alessa was obviously aware of Harry, and took measures to stop him. Dahlia’s not stupid. She’d know this would happen. What better contingency plan than to give Harry and ally who is invisible to Alessa?
Cybil doesn’t see the monsters because as Alessa does not know she’s there, she doesn’t conjure any up to attack her. It’s not until Lakeside is engulfed in Dark Silent Hill and Dahlia and Cybil make their way into it that Cybil is promptly either removed from the picture entirely, or at least swept to the side for a time.
Much like Lisa was clueless about her own true nature, Cybil too is clueless about her nature. She is compelled to do certain things like help Harry and provide him with clues to Alessa’s whereabouts by the person pulling her strings (Dahlia) much as Lisa is compelled to stay in the Hospital and beg Harry to stay with her by the person pulling HER strings (Alessa). It’s very much like a chess game between Dahlia and Alessa. Harry’s sort of a wild card that can be used by either side, so each has their own piece on the board to try and sway him one way or the other.
Dahlia hints at some sort of connection between herself and Cybil in the climax of the Good + ending, one that Cybil doesn’t seem to be aware of. Dahlia and Alessa are now focused on each other, and their soldiers (Cybil and Lisa) are no longer maintained so strongly by either one. In the case of Lisa, Alessa cannot maintain her at all, so she becomes a Puppet Nurse. Cybil is now left to her own devices, as Dahlia has no further use for her.
So how could Cybil subvert Alessa’s senses? We know that Alessa can keep Dahlia blind to her and far away through sheer force of her will and power. However, once her mental powers are weakened by the Flauros, Dahlia is finally able to make her move. This suggests that Alessa can only consciously manipulate the variables in her world. Without any knowledge of Cybil, she can’t touch her. Once Cybil appears in Alessa’s hideout realm of Dark Silent Hill, she is able to detect her, as well as Dahlia, and steps up her assault on everyone involved.
If Cybil has been conjured by The Order, she would presumably cease to exist once Dahlia died unless someone else had done the conjuring. Leonard, perhaps? Either way, it’s probable that Cybil would not be able to leave Silent Hill after their escape. She would either disappear or simply not be able to go with Harry. It’s hard to know, since it’s either that the Good ending is true and that even spirit Cybil is now dead, or because Harry jsut doesn’t mention Cybil in SH3 at all. Perhaps she said she was going back into town for help. Maybe she and Harry went into the real town and Harry left from there. Really, due to Cybil’s noninvolvement in SH3, none of this is important.
I have to go fall down now, for my fingers are bleeding.
_________________ "I dreamt last night I saw you A single spark explosion negotiating with the dead By the bright lights in some ICU on my chest you put your head and said "There you are. There you are. There's my heart..."
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