Silent Hill: How Pyramid Head Became a Horror Icon
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Pyramid Head started life as a secondary antagonist in Silent Hill 2. Yet, that faceless monster became a horror icon on par with Jigsaw and Freddy Krueger. Here’s how it happened.
By Aaron Greenbaum | |
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Photo: Konami
Dare to speak the name of the scariest horror game character you know about. Odds are that you just whispered the name of Silent Hill‘s most famous monster, “Pyramid Head.”
It’s always been a little odd that Pyramid Head became not just a legendary figure in horror gaming but the face of the Silent Hill franchise. After all, Pyramid Head (sometimes also called the “Red Pyramid Thing”) premiered in the second Silent Hill game and was supposed to be a one-off monster. Instead, he ended up arguably becoming more famous than the franchise he initially appeared in.
Of course, with that fame comes the inevitable question of “Why and how?” Why and how did Pyramid Head become more popular than the rest of Silent Hill’s cast combined? What makes him so special? The only Silent Hill monster who has achieved anywhere as much popularity was P.T.’s Lisa, and honestly, that might be more due to the demo’s legacy than anything the character did.
So what makes Pyramid Head so special? Like most icons, Pyramid Head’s rise can be attributed to a combination of design, circumstances, and what we the public ultimately made of him.
Silent Hill: Who Is Pyramid Head?
Unlike other horror games that rely on slightly more established creatures such as zombies and vampires, Silent Hill‘s menagerie of monsters is anything but traditional. More importantly, the true nature of many of those monsters is open to interpretation.
The titular town of Silent Hill isn’t less of a real place you’d find on a map and is more of a state of mind. The same is true of the town’s resident terrors. Every Silent Hill game sports a different roster of enemies (with some exceptions), That’s because those monsters didn’t spawn from an evil laboratory but are often instead manifestations of the main character’s mind. The same is true of Pyramid Head. Well, at least it used to be.
As mentioned above, players first encountered Pyramid Head in Silent Hill 2. The first time gamers see the creature, he’s just standing there at the end of a hallway…menacingly. Of course, Pyramid Head really makes his mark during an early cutscene in which players bump into the still-mysterious figure just as he is …ahem… violating two other monsters. Since players aren’t in control of the game’s main character, James Sunderland, at that time, Sunderland bolts into a closet and tries to shoot Pyramid Head.
To his horror, and ours, the bullets have no effect. Actually, players don’t get the chance to kill Pyramid Head (and his twin) until the end of Silent Hill 2. Even then, the monster only dies because he decides to ram a rusty spear into his polyhedral head.
Pyramid Head is “tough” in the way that many video game bosses are, but his unwillingness to simply die at the hands of the player is about so much more than the size of his health pool. Actually, it has a lot more to do with the fact that Pyramid Head’s entire existence is tied to Sunderland’s desire for the creature to exist.
For a bit of context (ok, a lot of context) Pyramid Head is the “baby” of Silent Hill 2’s art director, Masahiro Ito. When he was an art student, Ito produced a series of oil acrylic paints of monsters with strange heads, fittingly dubbed the “Strange Head” series. Ito built off those initial designs to create Pyramid Head’s physical design, but the secret ingredient to the monster’s presence was Silent Hill 2’s main character.
Monsters in Silent Hill games are “real” in the sense that they’re physical and can hurt (or kill) you. However, they also represent different parts of a character’s psyche. Ito explained on Twitter that each Silent Hill 2 enemy represents a part of James’ guilt. So, our friend Pyramid Head represents James’ desire to punish himself. Ito designed Pyramid Head to be a reflection of James, which is why it personifies the “relentless pursuer” trope so well. Since Pyramid Head reflects James’ own guilt, he can’t escape the creature. Moreover, players and the character are always afraid Pyramid Head is lurking behind the corner (figuratively and literally). That symbolism, combined with Pyramid Head’s appearance and narrative role, quickly catapulted the monster into stardom. Try not to be surprised, but Konami capitalized on that popularity in the only way they know how: merchandising and sequels.
Ever since Silent Hill 2, Pyramid Head has popped up in different media (such as the Silent Hill movies and comics).
In those stories, though, he was little more than an unthinking brute (and, in one scene, a carousel operator). Pyramid Head also appeared in Silent Hill: Homecoming, though he was relegated to cutscenes in that game and sported his brutish film design. Oh, and he’s also called “Bogeyman” in that game, which…yeah. Pyramid Head’s last “official” appearance was in Silent Hill: Downpour’s joke ending. At least he returned to his original character model in that game.
Pyramid Head has also appeared in bizarre Silent Hill spin-off material such as the Silent Hill rail shooter arcade game, the dungeon crawler Silent Hill: Book of Memories, and, as insulting as the concept is, the Silent Hill Pachinko game. Eventually, not even the Silent Hill universe could contain the creature. After all, Pyramid Head has appeared in games such as New International Track & Field, Krazy Kart Racing, Astro’s Playroom, and Super Bomberman R Online.
He even popped up as a Dead By Daylight killer, albeit under a new name, The Executioner.
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That might read like an exhaustive list of Pyramid Head media, but it’s not. The character has also popped up on T-shirts (mostly unofficially) and skate decks. Fans who love collecting figures and statues are spoiled for Pyramid Head options, and even the blacksmiths at Man at Arms created a real-life replica of Pyramid Head’s iconic Great Knife. Do not be surprised if Pyramid Head is eventually transformed into a marketable plushy. Oh, wait, that already exists.
If this is starting to make your head hurt, join the club. How did one of the most cerebral, violent, terrifying, and creative creatures in all of horror become just another piece of Hot Topic merchandise? The answer to that question really shouldn’t surprise horror fans.
Actually, we’ve seen the same thing happen to Freddy Krueger and so many of the genre’s other once-feared figures.
Why Is Pyramid Head So Popular?
While some horror game figures have stood the test of time, others that seemed so significant in the moment have since fallen by the wayside. How many people remember Dead Space’s Hive Mind or Resident Evil’s Plant 42? Relatively few, yet, everyone remembers Pyramid Head. What makes him so different? Strangely enough, the answer has something to do with Pikachu.
Because gamers loved Pyramid Head so much, Konami turned him into the Silent Hill franchise’s mascot. Because of that new position, the company pushed to include Pyramid Head in as many properties as they could. When the Silent Hill movie was in production, those involved probably figured it would be best to include monsters from the franchise that most people would recognize, regardless of their familiarity with the franchise.
Since Pyramid Head for the bill, he was a shoo-in (along with the Bubble-Head Nurses). When that film and rendition of Pyramid Head proved popular, Konami probably used that knowledge to push Silent Hill: Homecoming’s developers into including the creature in the game (as well as ask other developers to let Pyramid Head cameo in other titles). To put it bluntly, Konami kept cramming Pyramid Head down our throats, but since he had left such a positive impression in his first outing, audiences accepted it.
Pyramid Head fever encompassed the Silent Hill series so much that even when the monster didn’t make it into a game, he was still there in spirit. Silent Hill Origins’ Butcher comes to mind since, like Pyramid Head, he is an executioner-type creature who wears a metal contraption on his head (or half of it) and wields an oversized cutting implement. Plus, the Butcher is supposed to mirror the worst, violent tendencies of the game’s protagonist, Travis Grady.
But the connection runs even deeper since Masahiro Ito created a Pyramid Head lookalike for a tie-in comic included with Silent Hill Origins’ Japanese version.
Another Pyramid Head doppelganger of note is Silent Hill: Downpour’s Bogeyman — not to be confused with Silent Hill: Homecoming’s Bogeyman, who is Pyramid Head in everything but name. Again, like Pyramid Head, the Bogeyman is a pursuer-type enemy who crops up throughout his game and is a dark reflection of the main character, Murphy Pendleton. Although, to Silent Hill: Downpour’s credit, their Bogeyman isn’t a cheap knockoff and actually represents the demonization of people Murphy believes guilty of a crime. Most players didn’t care, though; they only saw the Bogeyman Pyramid Head wannabes, which made them fall in love with the OG Pyramid Head even more. The irony of demonizing a character meant to represent demonization.
Knowing all of that, you probably wonder what Pikachu has to do with Pyramid Head. The answer is, “They have the same success story.” When Game Freak released Pokémon, audiences loved Pikachu. The company and Nintendo jumped on that knowledge and turned the electric rodent into the franchise’s mascot. Pikachu’s face was everywhere, from merchandise to sequels, and fans lapped it up. Game Freak wanted to capture lightning in a bottle twice, so they made Pikachu clones like Dedenne and Pachirisu. Those failed to capture fans quite like the original, who were then drawn to Pikachu even more because of these wannabes (just like Silent Hill’s Butcher and Bogeyman). Pikachu represents Pokémon‘s success as much as he has directly contributed to that success.
The same is true of Pyramid Head. Was his popularity pushed by Konami’s marketing machine? Undoubtedly. Yet, the efficiency of that machine can be attributed to the way Pyramid Head made us feel.
Before we knew exactly what Pyramid Head was, the mere sight of the monster triggered something inside of us that overcome our cynicism and defenses. He intrigued us, he repulsed us, but he made us feel something that so many other monsters can’t make us feel. It’s easy to get caught up in the cynicism of how marketing and products often turn characters into caricatures. Yet, that process has to start with the creation of something truly incredible. In his original form, Pyramid Head was most certainly that.
Pyramid Head’s success was, in all likelihood, an inevitability. The character was a hit with audiences, and when Konami realized that, it did what any good game publisher would do and capitalize on that success. Through it all, though, Pyramid Head perfectly represents the best (and worst) aspects of an incredibly complex horror franchise as well as fear itself. That Pyramid Head plushy may seem like an insult, but in its own way, it’s a testament to how we crave and value the pure terror that Pyramid Head once forced us to confront and experience.
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Aaron Greenbaum
Aaron Greenbaum is a freelance games and pop-culture journalist who thrives on the latest gaming industry news and video game trivia. He also writes comic books…
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Pyramid Head (Character) — Giant Bomb
Overview
Pyramid Head is the nickname of the fictional monster character in the Silent Hill franchise, and was created by Masahiro Ito, the monster designer for Silent Hill 2. Although it is known as a number of different names such as Triangle Head, Red Pyramid or even as the Boogeyman, Pyramid Head remains the most known, and the only name that is maintained as canon. He is arguably —or not—one of the most, if not the most, creepy and disturbing characters in the history of the videogame industry. His immense popularity in Silent Hill 2 lead to him becoming a recurring character in the franchise, which is unfortunate, as he was designed to be a manifestation of Sh3’s protagonist’s inner thoughts and fears, and thus makes absolutely no sense in any game not featuring James Sunderland.
Characteristics
Pyramid Head is unlike most of the enemy character’s in Silent Hill 2. He has a more masculine feature then any of the other enemy characters (excluding the Abstract Daddy/Doormen enemies). Pyramid Head is very pale, and wears a blood-soaked butcher’s smock. His most outstanding feature, and what gives him his name, is a large, red, triangular helmet that completely covers his head. He also wears white gloves, which feature the same «melted fingers» feature the Nurse enemies have. Pyramid Head is known to wield a very lightweight spear, or his most famous weapon, the Great Knife. Pyramid Head has also been known to grunt and moan, and violently rapes and kills, other monsters in the games, as well as humans.
Silent Hill 2
Pyramid Head was once the executioner in the old cult of Silent Hill. James’ subconscious used the image of him to punish him for what he had done. He is seen throughout Silent Hill, stalking James.
Pyramid Head first appears in Silent Hill 2 in the Wood Side Apartments, behind a metal grate after finding the handgun.
The next encounter is in room 307, where James walks in to see Pyramid Head raping a mannequin creature. James rushes into the closet at the sight of this. Soon after Pyramid Head leaves the apartment.
Get away from me, you freak!
His next appearance is at the Blue Creek Apartments, raping another creature past the door, leading to the emergency staircase. Pyramid Head sees James, and a boss battle ensues. The battle goes on until a siren rings out, and Pyramid Head makes his way down the stairs.
Pyramid Head makes another appearance when he attacks James at the top of Brookhaven Hospital, knocking him off the side of the building. He leaves him injured, but does not pursue him afterwards.
Afterwards, Pyramid Head starts to torment Maria as well in the hospital. In a narrow corridor, James and Maria are being chased by Pyramid Head, and attempt to make it to the elevator. James makes it to the elevator, but Maria doesn’t. As James tries to open the door, Maria is impaled by Pyramid Head, and screams in agony as the elevator door closes.
Pyramid Head makes another appearance in the Labyrinth of the Toluca prison. He chases you with a spear. James can enter a room where Pyramid Head lives, where the player can take Pyramid Head’s great knife and use it as a weapon for the rest of the game. The weapon itself is awkward and has little use other than one hit kills and in the fight with Eddie. At one point in the prison, you run into Maria on the other side of a prison cell. By the time you go around the building and find the door that leads to her, she is dead on the cell’s bed. It is inferred that Pyramid Head is the cause of this.
Pyramid Head makes his final appearance just before the final boss, where two Pyramid Heads (a ‘red’ one, for new blood, and a ‘brown’ one, for old blood) take part in the encounter. They kill Maria a third time, and then attack James. After relentlessly pursuing James around the room for a while, eventually both Pyramid Heads commit suicide, by impaling themselves on their spears.
The peculiar thing about Pyramid Head, even though he is considered a boss, one never has to actually engage him in battle. The first battle, he leaves on his own free will, and the one in the labyrinth, and corridor must never be engaged in battle. The last battle with both of the pyramid heads ends after they kill themselves. Attacking them only speed the process up, according to the difficulty.
Pyramid Head acts as a metaphor for James, as he murders Maria, a manifestation of James’ lust towards his dead wife, multiple times in the game. He is also forced to lug James’ guilt everywhere he goes, depicted through the Pyramid. A new Pyramid Head also appears when James kills another human character, Eddie Dombrowski. The scene where Pyramid Head rapes the mannequin displays James’ sexual desire, as many of the enemies in the game represent his or another inhabitant of Silent Hill’s psyche; the mannequin and nurses symbolizing his sexual deprivation (the Doorman is Angela’s father, the straight-jacket enemies being James’ knowledge of his insanity, etc).
And finally, James’ greatest fear and enemy within the game is Pyramid Head, symbolizing his terror of the guilt he’s blocked from his mind.
Other Appearances
- Silent Hill Movie
I’m on TV!
In the 2006 film adaptation, the Pyramid Head is known as «Red Triangle» and is portrayed by Roberto Campanella.
RAWR!
Pyramid Head also appears in Silent Hill: Homecoming, once again reprising his role as the executioner and manifestation of guilt over murder. His design is borrowed from the one made famous by the Silent Hill film, but this time around he only makes appearances in non-interactive cutscenes and is refereed to as being the Bogeyman. Many fans were disappointed by the addition of Pyramid Head in the game, and dismissed it as failed fan-service.
Aerodynamically designed to win!
A Chibi version of Pyramid Head would appear as a playable character in Konami’s 2008 release New International Track & Field.
Unlike his Silent Hill representations, Pyramid Head’s biography for the game depicts him as being a demon from hell.
Film Appearances
The Pyramid Head made its way into the movie industry in the Silent Hill titular movie adaptation, which premiered in 2006 and was directed by Christophe Gans. He is the film’s most noticeable, threatening and dangerous enemy and its revamped movie design was later imported into Silent Hill: Homecoming.
Pyramid Head has also been confirmed to make an appearance of the upcoming film ‘Silent Hill: Revelation.’
Pyramid Head — character history, legend and origin
Character history
In 2006, director Christophe Hahn presented the movie Silent Hill based on the computer game of the same name. The action-packed game, which tells about a mother who went to an alternative dimension in order to find out the cause of her daughter’s illness, had the effect of an exploding bomb.
The tape became a cult, and film critics delighted readers with fresh reviews.
Gaming fans liked not only the plot of the story, but also the numerous monsters that attract with their shocking and originality. Among the galaxy of heroes, Pyramid Head stands out sharply against the background of the rest, who has become an unspoken symbol of sexual violence.
History of creation
Pyramid Head
The history of the creation of a mysterious character, whose biography and origin are unknown, began with a computer game: gamers got to know Pyramid Head earlier than people who saw the movie adaptation of Silent Hill. This monster was designed by Japanese artist Masahiro Ito. The main idea of the developer was to come up with a character with a closed face, which gave the character a certain mystique, but the first sketches of Masahiro were far from the final version of Pyramid Head.
Initially, on a sheet of paper, the artist got a man in a mask, not a monster; therefore, inspired by the work of Francis Bacon, Ito came up with a brilliant move, making instead of the alleged head a huge red pyramid without cuts, with sharp corners and straight edges, which, according to the artist himself, indicate pain.
Artist Masahiro Ito
While Masahiro was designing the helmet, he also drew attention to the hull of the German Tiger II tank, an armored vehicle from World War II. By the way, some journalists compared the antagonist from Silent Hill with Darth Vader and Leatherface from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
One can only guess what the monster looks like without a helmet, because the Japanese did not make any hints, and Pyramid Head himself is extremely taciturn. In the entire history of films and games, the hero has not said a single word: in rare cases, only unintelligible grunts and groans are heard from him.
Pyramid Head Clothes
The master of pencils and paints worked out the image of the hero in detail, dressing him in a trivial costume that resembles the clothes of prisoners. Masahiro also “stained blood” on the monster’s attire to draw a parallel with a butcher or executioner performing ritual executions in the city. For the same reason, some movie lovers compare Pyramid Head with the executioner from the movie «Resident Evil 4», but these heroes have different creators and concepts.
The main weapon of the monster is a huge cleaver, the so-called Great Knife, which he carries around throughout the game. Sometimes Pyramid Head also appears with a spear. The creator used to say that, while working on the game, he wanted to call the monster by a Russian name, because he did not like the way the name of the character was pronounced in English. However, the Cylet Hill monster does not have an official name.
Pyramid Head Weapon
In the formal manual, it was said that the hero’s name is Red Pyramid Thing, which means «Red Pyramid Something» in Russian. Actor Guy Sihy, who voiced the protagonist, called this virtual enemy the Triangular Guy, and the director of the film, Christophe Gan, gave the monster a concise name — Red P (short for Red Pyramid). In addition, in some translations, the names Woodcutter and Boogeyman are found.
The hero, who first made his debut in Silent Hill 2, made a lot of noise and soon began to go beyond the second part of the horror.
Critics agreed that the appearance of Pyramid Head outside of Silent Hill 2 (other parts of the game and film adaptation) is unreasonable, that the character loses the psychologism of the image.
Nurse from the game «Silent Hill»
On the Internet, it is believed that the character created by Masahiro Ito is a kind of symbol of sexual violence. Moreover, it causes a response among the female audience, which is based on the potential attractiveness of the monster. The riddle of Pyramid Head did not pass by Natasha Whiteman, a doctor at the British University of Leicester. She said that the harem of nurses and the antagonist’s impressive weapons give the right to associate him with the alpha male, who stands out sharply from other heroes.
This impression of the character is not without reason, because the game developers themselves did not hide his deviant behavior: for example, in one of the episodes, Pyramid Head kills two mannequins, and later rapes the Lying Figure in the basement of an apartment building.
But if you dig deeper, the hero is more complicated than it seems. He is the embodiment of the guilt of the protagonist James.
Plot
Silent Hill
The action of the legendary game «Silent Hill 2», where Pyramid Head appeared, takes place in a fictional universe that resembles the real world: everyday reality echoes another dimension filled with monsters. The main character, twenty-nine-year-old James Sunderland, receives a letter from his wife, who died of illness three years before the main events of the game. In the message, Mary asks her husband to come to the small town of Silent Hill, where they once vacationed together.
So, the protagonist finds himself in a foggy and abandoned city, from where the atmosphere emanates, as described by Edgar Allan Poe and Howard Lovecraft. Critics appreciated the plot, which combines love, hate and taboo, which is condemned in society.
James Sunderland
James loved his wife and, due to the constant emptiness associated with the loss, was in eternal mourning, so the letter received was only an illusion.
It is noteworthy that Sunderland personally killed his wife, thus freeing himself from caring for a sick woman, and Mary from the hopelessness of the disease. However, he failed to acknowledge what he had done. Therefore, guided by hopes and far-fetched mirages, he went to an ominous place, where he met with Pyramid Head.
Movie adaptations
Critics praised the original Silent Hill game, but critics criticized the film of the same name directed by Christoph Hahn in a negative way, considering that the plot was ridiculous. But the visual component was highlighted: columnist James Dyer noted the «terrifying attention to detail.»
The film, which was budgeted at $50 million, was released in 2006 and starred Rada Mitchell, Jodelle Ferland, Laurie Holden, Sean Bean, Kim Coates, Roberto Campanella and other film stars.
Still from the movie «Silent Hill»
According to the plot, Rose DaSilva takes her adopted daughter to an abandoned town, which a little girl sees in fits of sleepwalking.
At the entrance to the city, a woman gets into an accident. Waking up after being struck, Rose discovers that the little girl has disappeared. From this moment, the mysterious adventures of the main character in the mysterious and sinister city begin. She has to not only look for Sharon, but also to escape from monsters, including Pyramid Head.
Roberto Campanella played Pyramid Head
In 2012, director Michael J. Bassett decided to make a sequel to the previous film, presenting Silent Hill 2 to the audience. The filmmaker did not manage to get around his predecessor, so in all financial terms, the spin-off lost to the first part. The film, like the first, received negative reviews from critics, who nevertheless highlighted the professional special effects. Pyramid Head also plays a fundamental role in the picture.
Interesting Facts
- Silen Hill fans come up with various art and fanfiction featuring Pyramid Head. And some compare this character with monsters from other universes, putting him against Nemesis and Slenderman.
- Milla Jovovich and Shannyn Sossamon were also considered for the lead role in Silent Hill (2006).
- Choreographer Roberto Campanella performed three roles: Pyramid Head, Colin the Janitor and Martyr. He also coordinated the movements of all the actors.
short description with photo, character history and legends
There are a lot of monsters in the video game and film industry. The pyramid head in Silent Hill deserves special attention. This character has its own history and legend. He first appeared in the second part of the game. Due to the app’s success, director Christoph Gans visualized the monster in the film. There are also many cosplayers in the world who try to look like a pyramid head.
How the character’s name came about
This creature does not have one common name. In «Silent Hill 2» Pyramid Head appeared for the first time. The main character called him that, which in the original is pronounced Pyramid Head. He also bore the name of the red pyramidal monster.
One of the voice actors referred to the monster as the triangular guy. Pyramid Head in Silent Hill was referred to by the director as Red P, or Red Triangle. In the credits, it was indicated under this name. In the film, the character was referred to as a beast or a monster. He sometimes went by the name «Bogeyman». However, the most correct name for the monster is the pyramid head in Silent Hill. Almost all viewers and gamers know him under that name.
Where the character appears
In «Silent Hill 2» the main character comes to the city of the same name. At the same time, he received a letter from his deceased wife. Pyramid Head only appears three times throughout the course of Silent Hill. First noticed him in a multi-storey building. He stood still, and also did not attack the protagonist. In the future, the main character noticed him in one of the rooms. Pyramid Head raped monsters. Because of the spectacle he saw, the hero hid in the closet, and then began to shoot at the monster.
The shots made him leave.
The second time the monster appears in one of the cellars of the apartment building. In it, the monster wanted to kill the protagonist. However, the siren that went off scared him away. Afterwards, they meet on a rooftop where Pyramid Head began chasing the antagonist and his girlfriend. The second cannot be saved.
This monster appears three times in Silent Hill: Homecoming. The first is in the hotel, where he passes next to the main character. The second time — in «Silent Hill» the pyramid head appears in the chapel. In it, he kills the father of the antagonist. He makes his most recent appearance in the final scene. In it, the monster with his assistant puts a triangular head on the main character. This completes the story of the pyramid head. After all, this is the last part with the main character.
A monster also appears on a special slot machine dedicated to the game. He acts as the main enemy and boss. It is not so easy to kill him, however it becomes possible for the player.
Pyramid Head in the movie
The movie was based on the first part of the game, but this monster was not in it. The directors considered this character to be a cult one, the feedback from the fans confirms this. Therefore, in the movie «Silent Hill» the pyramid-headed monster appears several times. For the first time, the monster attacks defenseless girls at nightfall. After that, he is shown in frames with crawling cockroaches. In one hand, the monster has a huge knife, and in the second, the corpse of a murdered churchman.
The second time he appears is when two girls lock themselves away from the monster in a separate room. However, this does not stop him. Pyramid Head breaks through a metal door with his weapon, and sticks his hand into the resulting hole. A man comes to their aid and shoots the monster. Because of this, Pyramid Head retreats.
The third time he appears, when a believing girl throws stones at a friend who has betrayed the common religion.
At this point, a monster appeared behind the offender. He threw the girl up and cut her with his huge knife. The monster throws the bloodied corpse into the church, while the doors are closing in it.
In the second part, the director did not plan to show the monster. However, the pyramid head still appeared in it. He dreamed of the main character. In the dream, the monster was spinning carousels. He also appeared in scenes with the hospital. In this place, he chopped off the hands of hospital patients. In the last scene, the monster was killed by one of the main characters.
How the pyramid-headed monster appeared
Users of the computer game were the first to get acquainted with this monster. Pyramid Head was created by a Japanese artist named Masahiro Ito. He wanted to draw a person whose face is completely hidden. According to his idea, this gives the character more mystery. However, the first drawings were only prototypes of the monster that is so familiar to the world.
Masahiro originally drew a person wearing a mask. During development, he completely redesigned the concept of the character. The artist has created something, in place of the head of which there was just a red pyramid without holes. The creator was inspired by the work of another person. His name was Francis Bacon. The German heavy tank «Tiger 2» was taken as the basis for the appearance of the helmet. This car had sharp corners and straight edges in the body. Interesting facts about the pyramid head:
- No one knows what the monster looks like without a helmet.
- The monster never talks. Players and viewers of the film heard only unintelligible lowing from him.
- The creation of the monster took several months.
This is how this character appeared. Fans of the game and movie series should be grateful to Mashihiro Ito. After all, it was this artist who completely created the monster. Initially, he called it the red triangular head.
Detailed Appearance Description
This character is the only one that looks like a human being.
It looks like a man wearing a white coat. In some places, his robe is stained with blood. The main weapon of the monster is the Greatest Blade. Sometimes the weapons change to a simple spear. Despite its intimidating appearance, the pyramid head does not act as an enemy of the protagonist.
The appearance of the monster was inspired by ancient executioners who publicly executed criminals. Such people dressed in special outfits dedicated to the rituals of sacrifice. Pyramid Head was created on the basis of the executioner under the name Valtiel. In addition, the god Kzuchillaba influenced the appearance of the hero.
Meaning of the character
The city in which the main character finds himself completely reflects the inner state of the inhabitants. The first protagonist is James Sunrerland. Monsters reflect his moral health. Pyramid Head in «Silent Hill» depicts the suffering of the protagonist. He feels guilty and wants punishment for suppressing his sexual desires for his wife.
He feels bad because he limited himself because of the illness of his soulmate.
As soon as the protagonist accepted the pain, the pyramid heads disappeared from the city. He knew that his woman could not be cured. However, this did not stop him. The hero was constantly looking for information on treatment and did not lose hope. However, before his death, James was angry and disgusted with his wife.
Legends
The creator of this monster has heard a lot of speculation from Cylet Hill fans. Pyramid Head was constantly discussed by the community on forms. When the monster appeared, he killed the girl, who was very much like the wife of the protagonist. According to legend, Pyramid Head did this to remind James of the death of his soulmate. Thus, the main character experienced the most unpleasant feelings: pain, suffering, regret, guilt. He also often saw the image of the executioner in the paintings.
The creators interpret the image of the executioner as the embodiment of punishment.
It was created by the work of the subconscious of the protagonist. The main purpose of the monster is to point out to the character the mistakes they are making.
Symbolic Meaning
Creators say Pyramid Head was added to the game for a reason. He portrays a grim assassin who is the protagonist’s delusion. It personifies the monster justice and the inner devil of a person.
Some people attribute to it the meaning of humility. It is this character that reflects anger and guilt in one hero. People immediately picked up that the monster is part of James who hates himself. The Silent Hill audience even assumed that the protagonist himself was hiding under the mask.
Horror reviewer Ivan Harutyunyan believed that the appearance of the second pirmid head was a reference to the murder of another hero. James was indirectly responsible for his death. So he began to blame himself even more.
Legends on the Internet
The character created by Masahiro is a symbol of sex maniacs.
