Lying Figure and Mannequin

Both of these monsters are from the game Silent Hill 2. This game was released in 2001, for the Playstation 2. 

Lying Figure: the body looks as though it is trapped in a straitjacket, made of its own flesh. It has a feminine body shape, with platform shoes in the skin. When they are skittering around on the ground, they make a high-pitched noise that sounds like metal scraping against cement. 

According to the guide Book of Lost Memories, this monster represents a hospital patient "squirming in agony". In Silent Hill 2, it seems to represent the main character's(James Sunderland) wife, Mary Shepherd-Sunderland. James killed Mary, because she had a terminal illness(also he was sexually frustrated about not being able to do the do with his wife) and she was in a lot of pain. Lying figures spit a poisonous acid at the player, suggestive of vomiting(illness). It could also be hinting at the hateful words Mary said to James during her illness. At some part in the game, when Mary was alive she'd said "I look like a monster!" insinuating that she thought she looked like a Lying Figure. The fact that the Figure's arms are restricted could be referencing James's disgruntlement from being unable to touch and hold Mary.

Mannequin: this body consists of a feminine torso, with two pairs of legs. The bottom pair is for walking, the top pair for fighting. There is a leotard made from flesh on the torso. According to Book of Lost Memories, this monster is a materialization of James's frustrations with his wife's illness. When the monster Pyramid Head is first shown, he is abusing two Mannequins. This could be implicating that these monsters resemble innocence and helplessness against a strong, masculine force.

James attacking a Lying Figure.

A Mannequin.

  

shAKIN THINGS UP A BIT

So I just wanted to change things up and maybe post about an excellent video game series, Silent Hill. This series is of the horror genre. It has my favorite video game soundtracks, monster designs, symbolisms, and storylines. The first game was released in 1999(for the Playstation). There are 9 games(and an "HD Collection", with remakes of the second and third games) in the series. There are two movie adaptations.

For a few weeks I will post about the monsters and their symbolisms. Each post will contain two or three monsters, their descriptions, meanings, etc. 

Claire Redfield pt. 2

Claire in Code: Veronica X.                             Claire in the "remake", Darkside Chronicles

So today we shall talk about Resident Evil Code: Veronica X.

Code: Veronica X took place three months after the Raccoon City incident(or three months after RE2, RE3, and RE:Operation Raccoon City). 

During RE2 Claire Redfield had been searching for her brother, Chris Redfield(more about him here, here, and here). In the beginning of Code: Veronica X, Claire had broken into an Umbrella facility in an attempt to find her brother. She was captured and taken to Rockfort Island(a private island owned by Umbrella, containing a prison and a large mansion). A viral outbreak occurred and the island was soon filled with many zombies and large B.O.W.s.

Claire was released from her jail cell by the man that delivered her there, Rodrigo Juan Raval. He had been injured(not infected) so Claire helped him by retrieving medicine for him and giving him her lighter.

She meets a young boy(17 years of age) named Steve Burnside. He was fairly obnoxious and cocky, and would run away from her quite often.

While exploring the island, she gets hunted down and stalked by an Alfred Ashford, owner of the mansion and son of a Umbrella geneticist. 

After uniting and reuniting with Steve multiple times they find an airplane and set off, thinking they are heading to Hawaii. But Alfred redirects the plane to an Umbrella Antarctica Base. The worn out Claire and Steve fall asleep on the plane. They crash-land in the snowy base, and begin to search for another escape. In the base, they encounter Alfred and fight him. He falls in a "crevasse" and supposedly dies. However, he survived the fall and limped to free his sister(Alexia, his twin) from her 15 year long cryogenic sleep(she was in a "coma" for fifteen years so she could adapt to the T-Veronica Virus: see below for more information). She awakens as he dies and soon after she recaptures Claire and Steve. 

She injects Steve with the T-Veronica Virus(created by Alexia Ashford, a product of the Progenitor Virus mixed with some plant genes and possibly ant/bug genes). He mutates and begins to fight Claire, but saves her and gets smashed by a giant tentacle. He transforms back to his former self and tells Claire "I'm glad I met you... Claire... I... love you...".

At around this time Chris(Leon gave him the coordinates of Claire) fights and kills Alexia. He then reunites with his sister again. She sets off a self destruct sequence in the base. They safely evacuate and the game ends.

Claire is one of my favorite characters in this game series. She can be very sweet and maternal(as seen in RE2 and in the movie Resident Evil Degeneration) and also totally badass. She's also sarcastic and good-humored, but still very caring. 

Claire and Steve.

Claire lookin' at a gross flaming zombie.

Claire running away from Umbrella employees in Paris.

Chris comforting Claire over Steve :''''''''''cccccc (Darkside Chronicles)