Rewording + Punctuation.
← Older revision
Revision as of 01:38, July 29, 2012
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|other appearances = None
|other appearances = None
|health = Low
|health = Low
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|locations = [[Hillside]]<br>Centennial Building<br>[[St. Maria's Monastery]]
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|locations = Hillside<br>Centennial Building<br>St. Maria's Monastery
|weapons = Shadows
|weapons = Shadows
|attack = Melee}}
|attack = Melee}}
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== Character ==
== Character ==
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[[File:doll (downpour).png|250px|thumb|The Shadow of the Doll (left) and the Doll herself (right)]]
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[[File:doll (downpour).png|230px|thumb|The Shadow of the Doll (left) and the Doll herself (right)]]
Dolls can be rather manipulative, and may try to trick Murphy into coming closer by letting out loud, sobbing cries from a distance; however, once Murphy is close enough to be attacked, the Doll will laugh menacingly and spawn Shadows.
Dolls can be rather manipulative, and may try to trick Murphy into coming closer by letting out loud, sobbing cries from a distance; however, once Murphy is close enough to be attacked, the Doll will laugh menacingly and spawn Shadows.
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Dolls have a rather limited mobility, often remaining totally still, but the Shadows they spawn are fast, aggressive, and nearly invisible. If Murphy has a [[Forensic Flashlight]], he can use its UV beam to help locate Shadows. A standard flashlight beam won't produce the same effect, but it can help you spot Shadows in particularly dark rooms.
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Dolls have a rather limited mobility, often remaining totally still, but the Shadows they spawn are fast, aggressive and nearly invisible. If Murphy has a [[Forensic Flashlight|forensic flashlight]], he can use its UV beam to help locate Shadows. A standard [[Flashlight|flashlight]] beam won't produce the same effect, but it can help you spot Shadows in particularly dark rooms.
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Depending on the situation, Murphy may wish to attack a Doll directly. Attacking the Doll until she is incapacitated will cause any spawned Shadows to collapse and lie still. Alternatively, the player can focus entirely on the incoming Shadows. Block a Shadow's strike, then counter with an attack. Each time the player defeat a Shadow, its Doll takes damage. If the player defeats the Doll, her Shadow simply vanishes.
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Depending on the situation, Murphy may wish to attack a Doll directly. Attacking the Doll until she is incapacitated will cause any spawned Shadows to collapse and lie still. Alternatively, the player can focus entirely on the incoming Shadows. Block a Shadow's strike, then counter with an attack. Each time the player defeats a Shadow, its Doll takes damage. If the player defeats the Doll then her Shadow simply vanishes.
Although rarely done, the Dolls are also able to teleport. This is best seen on the third floor of the Centennial Building, before entering the main lobby with the wheelchair stuck in the elevator. If Murphy goes through the remains of the wall into the other room, the Doll will have disappeared and appear in front of him.
Although rarely done, the Dolls are also able to teleport. This is best seen on the third floor of the Centennial Building, before entering the main lobby with the wheelchair stuck in the elevator. If Murphy goes through the remains of the wall into the other room, the Doll will have disappeared and appear in front of him.
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{{Spec}}
{{Spec}}
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A book of art found in the library (an area densely populated with Dolls) reads, "[The drawing technique known as negative space] proves that the objects, things and people we take for granted don't actually exist as we see them. In fact, they are merely '''shadows''' flickering through the empty canvous of the human subconscious." The same excerpt references negative space's ability to transform the inanimate (the Dolls) into the animate (their Shadows)...
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A book of art found in the library (an area densely populated with Dolls) reads, ''"[The drawing technique known as negative space] proves that the objects, things and people we take for granted don't actually exist as we see them. In fact, they are merely '''shadows''' flickering through the empty canvous of the human subconscious."'' The same excerpt references negative space's ability to transform the inanimate (the Dolls) into the animate (their Shadows)...
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Based on this information, the Dolls are most likely manifestations of Murphy's inability to cope with the loss of his [[Charlie Pendleton|son]]. The Shadows deceive Murphy by distracting him from the real threat, which is the Doll herself. In this case, the Doll's corporeal body represents Murphy's grief over the loss of his son, while the Shadows represent Murphy's vengeful impulses towards his son's killer, [[Patrick Napier|Napier]]. His longing for revenge distracts him from addressing his grief directly and ultimately letting go of his anger and guilt. Murphy believes that by killing Napier (the shadow) he will find peace, but instead, he remains plagued by feelings of grief and responsibility afterward by failing to look inside himself to forgive (the doll).
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Based on this information, the Dolls are most likely manifestations of Murphy's inability to cope with the loss of his son, [[Charlie Pendleton]]. The Shadows deceive Murphy by distracting him from the real threat, which is the Doll herself. In this case, the Doll's corporeal body represents Murphy's grief over the loss of his son, while the Shadows represent Murphy's vengeful impulses towards his son's killer, [[Patrick Napier|Napier]]. His longing for revenge distracts him from addressing his grief directly and ultimately letting go of his anger and guilt. Murphy believes that by killing Napier (the shadow) he will find peace, but instead he remains plagued by feelings of grief and responsibility afterward by failing to look inside himself to forgive (the doll).
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As such, Napier only served as the animate, external proxy for Murphy's underlying problem which was inanimate and internal the entire time. After Murphy realizes that planning to murder Napier made him just as much of a monster as Napier, he is able to forgive his son's killer and relinquish responsibility for his son's death, while at the same time accepting responsibility for the weight of his crimes. As a result of Murphy's new-found clarity, the "Doll" is destroyed, and the monsters stop appearing altogether.
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As such, Napier only served as the animate, external proxy for Murphy's underlying problem which was inanimate and internal the entire time. After Murphy realizes that planning to murder Napier made him just as much of a monster, he is able to forgive his son's killer and relinquish responsibility for his son's death, while at the same time accepting responsibility for the weight of his crimes. As a result of Murphy's new-found clarity, the "Doll" is destroyed and the monsters stop appearing altogether.
The physical appearance of the doll adds another layer of symbolism drawing upon imagery of the victim of a psychopath. Her doll-like traits and non-distorted feminine features could imply that the killer treated his victims like dolls, placing an obsessive focus on beauty and sexuality.
The physical appearance of the doll adds another layer of symbolism drawing upon imagery of the victim of a psychopath. Her doll-like traits and non-distorted feminine features could imply that the killer treated his victims like dolls, placing an obsessive focus on beauty and sexuality.
==Trivia==
==Trivia==
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*Killing or incapacitating 10 Dolls in the Xbox 360 version [[Silent Hill: Downpour Secrets and Unlockables|unlocks]] the Achievement "Shadow Boxer".
*Killing or incapacitating 10 Dolls in the Xbox 360 version [[Silent Hill: Downpour Secrets and Unlockables|unlocks]] the Achievement "Shadow Boxer".
*A painting of a Doll titled "Dangerous Beauty" appears in the [[Centennial Building]].
*A painting of a Doll titled "Dangerous Beauty" appears in the [[Centennial Building]].
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Headlessdoll.png| A headless doll
Headlessdoll.png| A headless doll
</gallery>
</gallery>
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{{SHDContent}}
{{SHDContent}}
[[Category:Monsters]]
[[Category:Monsters]]