Foreshadowing for Adam, big ol' spoilers.

Poor Alex ... his momma don't seem to like him much. We wonder why in here ...

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stopped_clock
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Foreshadowing for Adam, big ol' spoilers.

Post by stopped_clock »

By now we all know about the foreshadowing in the Jacob's Ladderesque opening sequence of Homecoming, however, whilst playing through again I've noticed (or at least I think I have) a fair amount of foreshadowing for one other event in particular.

I'll put it in spoiler tags I guess.
PRIME_BBCODE_SPOILER_SHOW PRIME_BBCODE_SPOILER:
The death of Adam, is clearly shown in the opening sequence, as, in the guise of a doctor he is lovingly sliced in half by the BM, which is what happens to him towards the end of the game.

Shortly before his demise, whilst in the otherworld church, a stained glass window is seen depicting a Knight being stabbed from behind by a figure who Alex defines as an Executioner. The Knight here is most probably a stand in for the Master at Arms - Adam Shepherd. Alex wonders what the knight did to deserve such a fate, well now we know.

Thirdly, and this is either much more subtle or I'm just reading too much into it, in the basement of the Shepherd household, through the cloth draped doorway, Adam can be seen standing (facing away from Alex?*). Alex's combat Knife is a miniature version of the weapon that BM carries around with him, and once you've sliced the cloth in half Adam is gone.

I was just wondering if anybody else had noticed this, or if indeed there are more events in the game that hint at Adam's eventual fate.

(apologies if this topic has already been discussed, I searched and checked the quicklinks)

*If he is facing away from Alex, which I'm not sure of, then this again is an almost perfect re-enactment of his ultimate fate.
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Nillin
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Post by Nillin »

I think those are the only ones, but I think it's a really neat touch. And everyone complains about how straight forward and uninteresting this game is. :wink:
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Returbuliz
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Post by Returbuliz »

Nice theory.
I've seen that reflection in the basement too.
PRIME_BBCODE_SPOILER_SHOW PRIME_BBCODE_SPOILER:
The double deaths of Adam remind me of deaths of Maria in SH2. I think in this game Boogyman symbolizes Adam's behaviour in general, as the punisher whose children are afraid of, but at the same time it is Alex that sees him as such. Remember the drawings about the boogyman? Deep in his sub-conscious Alex sees his father as the ruthless executioner, i think that's why he's able to see BM. And also if you compare Alex's feelings towards Lilian's & Adam's death, it's clearly apparent that Alex feels 'no' remorse for Adam (well, guilt maybe). As when you click on Adam's corpse he just says: "Remains of dad".
Alex still wonders why the 'knight' would deserve such a fate. In fact Adam's the more subtle of the four leader townmembers, as he justifies his sick behaviour towards Alex as a way of 'preparing' him for his fate.
Another guessing would be that Alex literally becomes the boogyman throughout the game, based on the boogeyman ending & Alex's knife.
Overally, I think BM represents both Alex & Adam's feelings.
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Nyarlathotep
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Re: Foreshadowing for Adam, big ol' spoilers.

Post by Nyarlathotep »

stopped_clock wrote:*If he is facing away from Alex, which I'm not sure of, then this again is an almost perfect re-enactment of his ultimate fate.
I haven't thought of this. Adam is definitely facing away when you look through the sheet.
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