X : The Wheel of Fortune
Loop
The immortal Alessa repeats an infinite loop of birth and death
In addition to
"terror," motifs that have to do with life such as "birth" and
"reincarnation" also become major themes in Silent Hill 3. It may fairly
be said that like rotating objects and the crest which is used as a save
point, a "cycle of rebirth" motif is inlaid throughout the game and
Silent Hill 3 is thoroughly filled with this "loop."
It is worth contemplating the proposition that this "cycle" is
closely linked not only to the work itself, but also to the act of
playing the game.
The possibility of various profoundly meaningful
interpretations is hidden in what Heather says
after she understands the significance of the
religious organization's crest.
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What could the reason be for choosing a
merry-go-round as the setting for the fight with
the Memory of Alessa?
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The hidden
meaning of rotating objects
Beginning with the merry-go-round in the
opening, and then the handle that Valtiel operates as well
as giant electric fans, rotating objects appear everywhere
in the game. It can be thought that these objects suggest
the circular passage of time.
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The revolving merry-go-round symbolizes the
repeated reincarnation of Alessa herself.
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Even the
giant ventilation fans that appear since the
first game can be seen as overlapping with this
"cycle."
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Even the
development of the story is inevitably similar?
The story of the first game begins with a
nightmare, passes through an amusement park and concludes in
"nowhere." The third game also starts from a nightmare and
finally comes to an end in a church. One should reach an
understanding if one imagines that even the story
development which is similar to a surprising degree is a
phenomenon that "loops."
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Exactly like
the first game, in the beginning of Silent Hill
3 the protagonist
is just about to awaken from a bad dream.
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In the final
stage of the game, the protagonist comes to
wander about "nowhere," a realm which is formed
from memories.
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Save and Load
Save points = the
crest of the religious organization which signifies resurrection and the
flow of time
According to a
book that can be read in the church, the crest of the religious
organization is known as the "Halo of the Sun." The three circles drawn
in its inner part signify present, past and future. Couldn't it be that
there are two meanings in the fact that this crest appears as a save
point, namely that "Heather regains her memories as a result of looking
at the crest" and "her time is managed by the player?"
Each time the player loads a game in the real world, Heather
comes back to life again in the game.
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The crest of the religious organization signifies charity and
resurrection, as well as present, past and future.
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Gameover and Restart
Valtiel, who drags
Heather away, is an angel that governs the cycle of rebirth
Upon receiving "game over"
in places such as the church and amusement park, a demonstration of
Valtiel dragging Heather's body away occurs. Although his purpose is to
restore life to Heather, whose body is where God resides, if one shifts
one's attention to the real world it is possible to interpret "game over
and restart" as a kind of "death and rebirth." Regardless of Heather's
own will, she is brought to life again by the player and the story must
continue.
At the moment of "game over," Valtiel appears. He drags Heather
off somewhere to restore life to the body of the mother of God.
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The handle that Valtiel turns suggests all of these "looping"
phenomena.
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