Key Takeaways
- One of the most interesting parts of Silent Hill 2’s lore is Pyramid Head, whose origins are up for debate.
- Fans have wondered for some time if the painting depicting a Pyramid Head-like figure was real or influenced by the fog.
- Silent Hill 2 art director Masahiro Ito has finally confirmed that it’s actually real, suggesting James saw it on his vacation with Mary.
Silent Hill 2‘s art director, Masahiro Ito, has confirmed that the Misty Day painting of Pyramid Head in the Historical Society is actually real and not something that’s distorted by the Fog World.
One of the most interesting things about Silent Hill 2 (and the series as a whole, really) is how much of its story and themes are up to interpretation. If you just want to believe that James is running into a bunch of otherworldly monsters, you can, but if you dive deeper and realise they’re all manifestations of his mental state, that works too.
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Perhaps the most interesting example of this is Pyramid Head, one of the main antagonists in Silent Hill 2 and one who has gone on to become a sort of mascot for the series. That’s something that a lot of fans have contested as the triangular scissor-wielder is apparently only supposed to be seen by James and not something everyone who wanders into Silent Hill can encounter.
Silent Hill 2’s Misty Day Painting Is Actually Real And Not Influenced By The Fog
For decades now, fans have theorised about how James Sunderland came up with Pyramid Head and why he looks the way he does if he’s only there because James wants to be punished. One of the only tangible things throughout Silent Hill 2 that gives you an idea of how he came to be is a painting in the Historical Society called “Misty Day, Remains of the Judgement”.
That painting shows an executioner who looks very similar to Pyramid Head, which suggests James might have seen it during his time at Silent Hill and conjured up his visage when returning to look for Mary. That theory was held back by those who thought the painting wasn’t even real and was affected by the fog, much like a lot of what James sees.
Never forget that, like the legend he is, Masahiro Ito famously got so annoyed by all the questions about Pyramid Head he wished he never created him. He’s calmed down a lot more recently, though.
According to Silent Hill 2’s art director and the creator of Pyramid Head, Masahiro Ito, that isn’t the case, though. As highlighted by Redditor Xeno_Rider on the Silent Hill subreddit, Ito was asked on Twitter whether the painting of Pyramid Head is real or if it’s distorted by James’ mind. Ito replied by saying it’s the former because “it exists in the real in the game”.
Ito goes on to say that other games in the series, such as Homecoming, with Pyramid Head in should have depicted the possibility of them having seen the painting to explain his appearance. What this suggests is that executioners in the past wore this outfit and that James didn’t entirely come up with Pyramid Head himself, basing his appearance on the painting within the Historial Society he saw on his vacation with Mary.
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