A Tome for the Ignorant (Or: Things that Confused You)

Post by **MisterGrey** » 19 Apr 2008

All right... so I've been able to analyze the psychological undercurrents of SH2 and SH4... And SH3 was a breeze as far as grasping everything that went on. However, I must admit general ignorance when it comes to the whole story structure and plot points of both SH1 and SH0. Now, SH1 I've been steadily grasping, over the course of some time, albeit I still haven't gotten as firm a grip on all of its subtleties as I have with the rest of the series. However, SH0 has left be utterly befuddled. I notice that this forum does not have a sticky section yet; hopefully this, and a few other posts, can help form the groundwork for a collection of plot discussions (read: explanations for thick-heads like me) for this entry in the series.

* Samael/God: After having read for years on forums and discussion boards that Samael is just a crackpot name cooked up by Dahlia to lead Harry astray, we suddenly get an article telling us outright, with no apparent motivation to manipulate Travis, that the Order does indeed refer to The God/Lord of Serpents and Reeds/whatever as Samael. Is this to be taken as canon now, or treated as an inept retcon?

* The purpose of the Flauros and the Demon Flauros: OK, so, I get that at the end of the game, the demon Flauors comes out of the item Flauros and Travis fights it... um... why? What purpose did the Flauros actually serve in Origins? Why did Alessa want Travis to collect it for her, why did Dahlia scatter it, and why did it seem to be partially responsible for creating Cheryl? Was that demon supposed to hop out and kill everyone? If that was the case, Travis seemed to be hindering Alessa's plan more than helping it, by, you know, defeating the demon and all.

* The girl at the end: So, there are three Alessas, then? Cheryl, burned up Alessa, and the girl in blue (GIB)? Is the GIB simply an astral projection of the essence of Alessa left inside the burned up body?

Post by **Rule of Rose** » 19 Apr 2008

I think that the connotation of the word "ignorant" is being used in the wrong way. "Ignorant" is having the lack of knowledge of a particular subject. "ignorant" shouldn't be confused with "stupid", "hard-headed", or "unable to floow someone else's logic".

People also get offended when you refer to them as "ignorant", perhaps a better vocabulary word could be used instead?

Also, shouldn't this topic belong in another sticky area? Don't mean to offend or anything....

Post by **MisterGrey** » 19 Apr 2008

Well, I think that the term is being properly used here. I am ignorant of the meaning of the game's ending, ignorant of the role that Flauros played in the story, and ignorant of the canonicity of Samael as the name of the cult's god. I seek the answers to these things so that I will no longer be ignorant of them.

Post by **Rule of Rose** » 19 Apr 2008

So then why do you browse through the forum or go to the quick search area and type in the topics??

Post by **MisterGrey** » 19 Apr 2008

...er, because I did? Typing "Flauros," "final boss," and ending? And I was unsatisfied with the scattershot of vague answers I found in threads not directly related to those topics, and so, voila, this thread.

If you're going to go on some kind of personal attack, I'd appreciate it if you relegate it to PMs... If not, links or discussion would be much more helpful and productive.

Post by **Video Gamer** » 20 Apr 2008

The Flauros is powered by the demon. Putting all the pieces together released the demon, and broke up the Order's ritual to birth God. Alessa still needed it to split her soul into Cheryl, so she had Travis fight it, and seal it back in. Then we see the Flauros' light go into her, and she births Cheryl.
The girl in blue is her astral projection: What she SHOULD look like if she wasn't all burnt.

Post by **Rule of Rose** » 20 Apr 2008

I wasn't attempting to lay a personal attack on you.........you never said specifically in the topic that you haven't found the answers that you were looking for, that's why I SUGGESTED NICELY that you could find your answers by browsing or in the quick links......so no I wasn't being offensive AT ALL

Post by **MisterGrey** » 20 Apr 2008

Well, that all makes perfect sense.

And sorry for the misunderstanding, SHW.

Post by **Rule of Rose** » 20 Apr 2008

Hey, I just googled a GREAT Silent Hill Plot analysis guide that breaks topics into sections such as the flauros, cult, ect. and gives a detailed explanation to them. Would you like to check it out? Here it is:

http://www.neoseeker.com/resourcelink.html?rlid=135304

I hope this will clear up anything you should want to know

Post by **AuraTwilight** » 20 Apr 2008

* Samael/God: After having read for years on forums and discussion boards that Samael is just a crackpot name cooked up by Dahlia to lead Harry astray, we suddenly get an article telling us outright, with no apparent motivation to manipulate Travis, that the Order does indeed refer to The God/Lord of Serpents and Reeds/whatever as Samael. Is this to be taken as canon now, or treated as an inept retcon?

The writer of that article was from a rival sect. You know, like how real world religions call each other's gods The Devil and such?

* The purpose of the Flauros and the Demon Flauros: OK, so, I get that at the end of the game, the demon Flauors comes out of the item Flauros and Travis fights it... um... why? What purpose did the Flauros actually serve in Origins? Why did Alessa want Travis to collect it for her, why did Dahlia scatter it, and why did it seem to be partially responsible for creating Cheryl? Was that demon supposed to hop out and kill everyone? If that was the case, Travis seemed to be hindering Alessa's plan more than helping it, by, you know, defeating the demon and all.

The Flauros was scattered by Dahlia so that Alessa couldn't use it. When it was completed, the Flauros came out by Alessa's summoning, and defeating and re-sealing it allowed Alessa to tap it's powers, which she used to split her soul and create Cheryl.

* The girl at the end: So, there are three Alessas, then? Cheryl, burned up Alessa, and the girl in blue (GIB)? Is the GIB simply an astral projection of the essence of Alessa left inside the burned up body?
The Girl in Blue is Alessa's soul, and then there's her charred up body. She eventually divided half of her soul and incarnated it as Cheryl.

Hey, I just googled a GREAT Silent Hill Plot analysis guide that breaks topics into sections such as the flauros, cult, ect. and gives a detailed explanation to them. Would you like to check it out? Here it is:

http://www.neoseeker.com/resourcelink.html?rlid=135304

I hope this will clear up anything you should want to know Wink

As much as I like SilentPyramid's ideas, I wouldn't use him as a source of information. He gets some simple things blatantly wrong.

Post by **Baal** » 20 Apr 2008

Silent Hill 1: Alessa's God\Samael. The product of Alessa's hatred and
religious beliefs. Her pain, hate and the desire to die were manifested
in the form of an angel of death, which, appropriately, is supposed to
bring death to all people (whom Alessa hates) and free Alessa from the
pain of life. Thus, God reflects the destructive part of the girl's
personality, her strongest feelings and subconscious desires, which
served as catalyst at the creation of her own world. But the point
remains that God is simply a construct, created by a human mind.

Credibility's a little too shaky for me plus given the way this plot analysis is presented, there leaves little room for debate unlike here on the forums. It's an extensive and interesting analysis to read but I'm a little cautious about taking the creator's word.

Edit: Aura beat me to it

Post by **AuraTwilight** » 20 Apr 2008

Right. As far as the ideas go in the first part, I REALLY like that, but when he gets to applying it to the actual series, he has a few issues.

Post by **The Adversary** » 22 Apr 2008

Samael is what opponents of The Order call god, not necessarily members of opposing sects.

>What purpose did the Flauros actually serve in Origins?
W/ the assistance of Flauros (the demon), Alessa was able to "tap" its power and create Cheryl.

It was later rumored to be in possession of Lutheran monk M. G. Lewis, who in 1796 spoke of its ability to control and amplify thought. It was Lewis who linked it not to a demon, but to God himself, claiming it was a weapon left by angels as a force for good.

It "amplified" Alessa's thoughts and desires of creating a new self and so w/ its powers, concomitant Alessa's, created the baby.