Pyramid Head is the crown jewel of the horror genre if the Silent Hill franchise is the prince. This faceless, enigmatic creature is a magnificent personification of evil and darkness, and it has appeared several times throughout the series. Silent Hill’s success is based on the atmosphere it manages to create.
The dark, creepy atmosphere, along with the fear of the unknown, is guaranteed to send shivers down your spine, and it is this element of horror that has drawn followers to this legendary franchise over the years.
One of the most notable aspects of Pyramid Head is that it has consistently elicited the most negative feelings from its players since its inception. Pyramid Head’s unrelenting savagery was shocking, and everything about him, from his design to his demeanor, accentuated the terrible qualities in him.
What was Pyramid Head’s function in the series, and who was he? What is the true origin of this guy, and why is there so much debate about him? In this video, we will answer all of your questions about this monstrosity. Take a trip down memory lane with us as we revisit the nightmares brought on by this faceless executioner who has long been a part of the Silent Hill legend.
Origin Behind Pyramid Head – Explored
The first time we saw this humanoid monster was in Silent Hill 2. The narrative of the game followed James Sunderland, as he arrived in Silent Hill after getting a letter from his dead wife. The letter said that his wife was waiting for him in their special place, which was in the town of Silent Hill.
After arriving in the quaint and mysterious town of Silent Hill, great horrors unfold. One of the most terrifying things about the game was the character of Pyramid Head. The art director Masahiro Ito is credited for coming up with this unique chasing creature because it was the demand of the narrative. In Silent Hill, as you know, the monsters are often manifestations of the subconscious of the protagonist.
Thus, it is clear that Pyramid Head also had a symbolic meaning. The character designer Takayoshi Sato described him as the distorted memory of the executioners. According to him, Silent Hill was once a town of executions, and Pyramid Head is designed to look like a demented executioner. He had a butcher’s attire and his overall appearance is similar to the executioners of the town’s past.
More importantly, Pyramid Head is a manifestation of James Sunderland’s guilt and desire for punishment. So what was the idea behind putting a pyramid-head-shaped helmet on this character? When Masahiro Ito was coming up with the concept, he experimented with various sketches for this character.
However, every morbid design that he was coming up with seemed to be somewhat human in nature. He wanted Pyramid Head to feel like a nightmarish representation of James’s guilt, and it had to appear less human to be more disturbing. Thus, he finally went ahead with the idea where a pyramid-shaped helmet covered any facial features.
Why did it work so well? Well, maybe because we have a natural fear of the unknown. We tend to be terrified of things we cannot clearly understand, and Pyramid Head is simply that – the unexplained monster that hunts you down. There were some unexpected inspirations for the designs of Pyramid Head.
It was a tank enthusiast, and the edges of Pyramid Head’s helmet have an uncanny similarity with the lower hull of the German Tiger Tank from the World War 2 era. If you get a chance to scan through some of Ito’s sketches for Pyramid Head, you will be left bewildered. Initially, it was supposed to have bolts attached to the head and there are several others that were just as good as the final result.
When the design was finalized, it took about two weeks to get things rolling. Many of the developers were skeptical about this uncanny design, but eventually, it ended up being the showstopper! Let us take you through a brief history of this character through the series. The land of Silent Hill had some mysterious powers that could manifest the elements of the unconscious mind.
Later, a cult developed and utilized these powers of the town. They performed ritualistic executions and worshipped Valtiel, the angel of rebirth. The attire of Pyramid Head resembles that of Valtiel in many ways. When Mary was suffering from agonizing pain due to her incurable ailment, she became verbally abusive. She was in excruciating pain and James made things easy for her by smothering her with a pillow.
However, this also made him regret his actions and he lived with the guilt and trauma of what he had done! When he received the letter from her three years after death, he immediately headed for Silent Hill to find her. But the town of Silent Hill has its own way of greeting newcomers, and John experienced the worst manifestations of his subconscious.
He first encountered Pyramid head while he was on the lookout for Mary in the Wood Side Apartments. Surprisingly, this monster was very similar to one of the paintings that he had seen with his wife at the Historical Society of the town many years ago.
He continued to evade Pyramid Head as he kept reappearing, tormenting James psychologically. In the final stages of the narrative, when he watches a videotape of him killing his wife, the guilty conscience is back and two Pyramid Heads appear instead of one. James realizes that he has a strong desire for punishment and combined with his guilt, brings about these monsters. Eventually, the two Pyramid Heads kill themselves because their purpose has been fulfilled.
Masahiro Ito did not like the idea of this character being reused time and again after the events of Silent Hill 2. However, the developers wanted to cash in on the popularity of this character and he has been brought back several times till he became an iconic monster of the franchise. Silent Hill Homecoming and other spin-offs saw him in cameo appearances.
The Symbolism of Pyramid Head
There are several opinions regarding the symbolism of Pyramid Head and it is entirely up to your interpretation of the character. We have already mentioned how the monstrosity is merely conjured by James’ personality and feelings. After killing his wife, the traumatic memory always haunted him.
If you observe the design of Pyramid Head closely, you will see the obvious references to this guilt. For instance, the pointy edges of the pyramid point to the subtle pain of James. After his crime James harbors a subconscious desire of being punished. This makes Pyramid Head come as an executioner and not some maniac killer. Executioners kill only the guilty as punishment and his appearance was a manifestation of this desire of James.
Another thing that is evident in Pyramid Head is sexual repression. James went through such a stage when his wife was undergoing treatment. There have been enough hints in Silent Hill 2 that suggest that he visited strip clubs during this time or probably even cheated on his wife. When we come across Pyramid Head the first time, he is seen sexually assaulting two monsters called Mannequins, and they are two female halves fused together. This symbolizes how James used to objectify women in his repressed state.
There is a popular theory among fans that justify the form that Pyramid Head takes. There are even debates among fans regarding his purpose. Some believe that his end goal is to help James, while others think that Pyramid Head is only supposed to torment the guilty fellow.
Silent Hill borrows heavily from Psychoanalytic theory and there might be a reasonable explanation for Pyramid Head in this regard. According to Freud, the human psyche can be broadly divided into three parts – Ed, Ego, and Superego.
The good side in our character is the Superego, while our worst thoughts are the Ed, which is the devilish side of us. The Ego is the balance between the two that we maintain. Now, Ed is so disturbing that much of it is repressed in the subconscious. If they can come out and manifest themselves it will be truly horrifying and the negative traits will end up governing us. Pyramid Head is a component of James’ Ed. He was repressed for a long time, but now that he has shown himself, it is a terrifying journey ahead.
In Silent Hill Homecoming, Pyramid Head goes by the name Bogeyman, but even that has an echo of an executioner in it. The bogeyman is a part of folklore, used to scare children with stories, where Bogeyman gets those who misbehave. Even here Pyramid Head is an agent of punishment and comes with guilt of the children who did something wrong. The rich symbolism of this otherworldly monster makes it all the more intriguing for the fans.
Pyramid Head – The Games Vs The Movies
The film adaptations of video games are terrible more often than not, but the Silent Hill movies were a pleasant surprise. In the two movies so far, the ambiance has been captured brilliantly and fans had only one thing to complain about – the changes we see in Pyramid Head from the games to the movies.
It has been a conscious effort on the part of the directors to put together the form of Pyramid Head very differently than what we saw in the games. In the games, we have seen him be a manifestation of guilt and rage, but in the movies, he is a twisted father figure. It is an embodiment of the vengeance of a character named Alessa, and it also protects her at the same time.
It is no surprise that the movies have deviated quite a bit from their source material, and the inclusion of Pyramid Head is as abrupt as it is unexpected. However, the studios were not going to miss an opportunity to make use of such a popular character. We have already spoken about the appearance of Pyramid Head in the games.
His role in the movies is quite different, and he comes across as an independent character, not related to the games at all. Pyramid Head is the twisted father figure for Alessa, and he is both the attacker and the protector.
In the two movies, the monster echoes the feelings of two disturbed protagonists, Alessa and Heather, and their troubled relationship with their fathers. He is as intimidating in the movies as he is in the games, but we find the gaming version to be far more damaging. There is nothing compared to the unexpected sighting of Pyramid Head while you are already unnerved playing one of the most haunting games of our times!
The Real Reason Behind Pyramid Head’s Backwards Knife
The Backwards knife is a curious choice of weapon, especially because it is one-half of a scissor. It allows Pyramid Head to slay his victims with ease, but he is also slowed down due to the burden of this weapon. In a way, it symbolizes the burden that James has to carry – his agonizing guilt.
As we said, it is a side of a pair of scissors and it is supposed to be the other half of James’ knife. This is a crucial insight into the world of Pyramid Head because it points to the fact that the monster is actually the other half of James, the manifestation of his disturbed side.
It is believed that the makers wanted the two halves to be united at some point, but that did not take place. James uses his Great Knife to fight Pyramid Head, and it shows how he still does not have a grasp over his guilt.
It symbolizes that he continues to fight himself, and this clever metaphor is illustrated via the Backwards Knife of Pyramid Head. Overall, it mainly points to the fact that Pyramid Head is not merely the manifestation of the worst thoughts of James. He is actually a part of James that he does not fully accept or understand. We just wish they did more to focus on this story arc regarding Pyramid Head’s weapon being another part of James’ knife!
Our Final Words
Pyramid Head is easily one of the most recognizable villains in the franchise and has a major role in two games in the series. From games to the movies it has been a journey well-traversed, and Pyramid Head is as good a manifestation of evil and darkness as you could expect it to be. His otherworldly presence and unexplained appearance made him stand out among the other monstrosities in Silent Hill and when he randomly appeared in the gameplay the players had to deal with the jitters.
It is not often that we get to say amazing things about an antagonistic monster, but Pyramid Head steals the show with the symbolisms, metaphorical existence, and implications. The unknown factor makes him so darn scary, and we sincerely hope that we get to witness more of this remarkable monster in the future!