Whom did Douglas kill?

[Squarehead]

He's done it before.

[AuraTwilight]

Some have speculated it might've been his son, but personally, I don't think it was anyone important. He's your quintessential grizzled private eye detective who seems to have gotten into some heavy shit. You could probably put in in a Noir comic, or something.

[PoemOfTheLastMoment]

I figured it was his son who got himself killed in a robbery at around heather's age.

[pyramidfred633]

I don't think it was his son he was a private detective so it's not likely he would have got called to a robbery.

Would a private dec have the power to shoot someone runnimg out of a bank in a balaclava? I ask this as they are not that common in belfast so i dont know.

He does say something along the lines of it was because his dad was good for nothing. Is it possible that Douglas was actually involved in the robbery, mabye he set it up and blames himself for his sons death. Although this to is a bit of a strech as it's not the same as pulling a trigger.

[alone in the town]

He does say something along the lines of it was because his dad was good for nothing. Is it possible that Douglas was actually involved in the robbery, mabye he set it up and blames himself for his sons death. Although this to is a bit of a strech as it's not the same as pulling a trigger.

I think what Douglas means here is that his son became a criminal (and subsequently died) because he, Douglas, sucked as a dad.

[pyramidfred633]

Yea I always thought that but I took it from Aruas comment that aome ppl thought he physically killed him and was trying to work out where that idea come from.

I do think he's killed someone though, most likely by shooting them.

[The Adversary]

I've always said it was his son. Watch Douglas' expressions as he's telling Heather the story.

>I don't think it was his son he was a private detective so it's not likely he would have got called to a robbery.<
He was a cop first, about a decade earlier.

[Trauma_]

I've always said it was his son. Watch Douglas' expressions as he's telling Heather the story.

Uh yeah...? It's the expression of a parent who's lost a son- a son who likely died-by-cop. How else is he supposed to explain? Is he supposed to break out in dance and run off into the sunset with a happy song on his lips? Are there some sort of micro-expressions we're supposed to be paying attention to?

It's an interesting thought, but it would also make for an incredibly cliched micro-detail (not like Silent Hill 3 wasn't filled with those already anyways...). But it has no more bearing on the actual plot of the game than Twin Perfect's theory that Eddie shot the football coach.

[The Adversary]

There is more to it than that. I suppose you could call it "micro-expressions," if you want.

[Trauma_]

I'm still not getting it. Be a pal and fill me in?

His tone of voice sounds like he may have actually been there when it happened, but not the one that actually killed him.

[SHF]

^
Douglas states that his son was killed in a robbery attempt. He never says that he killed him, or was even there, therefore it is safe to assume that Douglas just heard or read about the incident.

[Trauma_]

^
Douglas states that his son was killed in a robbery attempt. He never says that he killed him, or was even there, therefore it is safe to assume that Douglas just heard or read about the incident.

Um... duh? That's what we're discussing. Did you skip right past the entire thread right to my post or something?

[Squarehead]

Probably should've made this a poll.

I've always said it was his son. Watch Douglas' expressions as he's telling Heather the story.

Uh yeah...? It's the expression of a parent who's lost a son- a son who likely died-by-cop. How else is he supposed to explain? Is he supposed to break out in dance and run off into the sunset with a happy song on his lips? Are there some sort of micro-expressions we're supposed to be paying attention to?

It's an interesting thought, but it would also make for an incredibly cliched micro-detail (not like Silent Hill 3 wasn't filled with those already anyways...). But it has no more bearing on the actual plot of the game than Twin Perfect's theory that Eddie shot the football coach.

Yes, it would be a pretty darn convenient for him to have been called to stop his own son.

Still, he does mention his son got killed in a robbery, and that he's shot and/or killed someone before, and according to Thomas he was also a cop (though i don't know how he knows that) so there's a good chance the writers wanted to hint to that. And if he was a cop then he must've quit for some reason.

Don't know what to think myself.

[JuriDawn]

Still, he does mention his son got killed in a robbery, and that he's shot and/or killed someone before, and according to Thomas he was also a cop (though i don't know how he knows that) so there's a good chance the writers wanted to hint to that. And if he was a cop then he must've quit for some reason.

Don't know what to think myself.

Douglas's police background is mentioned in Lost Memories: Silent Hill Chronicle in the SH3 character commentary section.

name: Douglas Cartland
age: late 50s
sex: m
job: private detective

profile: A middle-aged private detective who handles missing person and
personal conduct cases. He originally worked as a police detective but
retired ten years ago. On that occasion, he and his wife were divorced.

I personally think Douglas considers himself responsible for his son's death, though I don't think there's enough indication that he pulled the trigger himself. Maybe he simply wishes he'd raised his son better or been a better provider for his family. Either way, he carries a burden of guilt and blame that's obvious when he talks about his son.

Given his description of himself as a "penniless good-for-nothing," I'm inclined to think that Douglas had already left the police force when his son resorted to attempting a bank robbery. Doug Jr., disgusted by the sight of his father reeling from the loss of his job and his wife (possibly wallowing in self-pity and booze), decided to take the family finances into his own hands and took a risk that cost him his life.

[mikefile]

^ I see what you're saying. It's very likely that Douglas' son attempted a robbery so he could get him and his pennilles good-for-nothing pop out of the financial crisis. That must have made him even more guilty, because that way Douglas is practically the direct cause of his son's death.

However, I don't think there's sufficient implication that Douglas actually shot his son. Even the symbolism opposes it. What the Hanged Man really implies is: surrender, passivity, non-action. These are the things that led his son towards death. Douglas is guilty for his son's death. But not because of pulling the trigger, but because of not doing anything. Passivity is what killed his son.

And later on, he does the same thing with Heather. Although it seemed in the first stages that he was supposed to be the supporting character, the journeyman who's supposed to lead Heather to her goal (just as he was supposed to lead his son through life), in the end because of his "leg" he can't continue the journey. One could say he even broke it by himself. Passivity wins again.

[Midori-chan]

He killed his son. He harbours such guilt whenever he mentions his son, and he brought out the robbery story of all other cases he worked on. So yeah, to me he killed his son.

[JuriDawn]

He brings out the robbery story because he was explaining to Heather how his son died. Douglas never mentions the robbery being his case or having any involvement at all. Only that the "[s]tupid kid got himself shot robbing a bank." Somehow I suspect that if Douglas actually killed his son and he really felt like unburdening himself on Heather like this, he'd have mentioned that very significant fact.

[Augophthalmoses]

He does say something along the lines of it was because his dad was good for nothing. Is it possible that Douglas was actually involved in the robbery, mabye he set it up and blames himself for his sons death. Although this to is a bit of a strech as it's not the same as pulling a trigger.

I think what Douglas means here is that his son became a criminal (and subsequently died) because he, Douglas, sucked as a dad.

That's pretty much how I saw it. That and the fact Douglas says "Sorry, I shouldn't have said you reminded me of him."

Like many others I figured it could probably be his son, but I never really give it all that much thought.