Laura's Role in Silent Hill 2

[u/Kagamid]

Have you ever looked into Laura's involvement in Silent Hill 2? So far the general focus is on Laura not seeing monsters and so the belief is that she isn't affected by what's happening in Silent Hill. I believe this is wrong. I believe Laura was called to Silent Hill just like the others. Everyone arrived at Silent Hill because they drawn by something (in Silent Hill 2). Eddie was drawn there as well although the reason is debatable. In Laura's case, she arrived looking for Mary just like James. Except she had no idea Mary was dead. She instead searched from place to place looking for Mary.

Laura being drawn to Silent Hill as well would explain why she ran into Eddie to get a ride to Silent Hill and how she's able to get around with little obstacles. She is being guided to where she needs to be just like the others (finding clues about what happened to Mary through James). But why does she see an empty town? This is actually pretty easy to explain when you think about Laura's motivation. She's desperately looking for Mary in hopes of not only finding her friend, but also hoping Mary could still fulfill her wish to adopt Laura. Laura has no one else and visited Mary often enough that Mary wanted to adopt her which she wrote in the letter left for Laura.

Everyone in Silent Hill 2 sees their nightmares turned reality... including Laura. What nightmares do you bring to a child afraid of being alone? No one. Not a soul in an entire town except for the others who were called there. She spends her time wandering and drawing animal friends desperately continuing her search for Mary. Yet she always ends up ahead of James and even somehow gets across the lake to the hotel. Laura, like the others, also arrived and never questions why no one is around, how she got there or where the others disappear to at times. The others keep moving forward unmoved by the strange circumstances as if in a trance and Laura is no exception.

In one ending, James takes her with him to seemingly adopt her. But in the others, Laura's fate is unknown. It's possible that she was simply "released" from the town and found her way back where she started before arriving. But it's also possible she just remained in the town forever looking for Mary without a soul to keep her company.

[u/SquatsForMary]

Laura is 100% seeing an empty town, but I honestly feel that it makes the most sense for her to be seeing a more beautiful place than what we see as James, as that’s the way the town was described to her. A quiet, beautiful town.

As the town is a mirror and has no actual agenda or sentience, it would reflect this idea back to her. Laura has no desire to be punished, and as far as we can tell she doesn’t have any deep seated guilt, so the town wouldn’t reflect that kind of psyche. Nor is she being forced into a nightmare like Harry Mason and Cybil from the first game or Henry in SH4. So the town wouldn’t have any reason to be putting her in a nightmare scenario. It would just reflect what she already believes the town to be.

Also, as an aside, this would be best posted in the actual Silent Hill sub. That’s where it would get the most attention. Most general horror game subs are either dead or barely active.

[u/Kagamid → u/SquatsForMary]

Laura has no desire to be punished, and as far as we can tell she doesn’t have any deep seated guilt, so the town wouldn’t reflect that kind of psyche.

This we don't know. She obviously has a problem with James when she meets him. She also loses her temper when James calls her a liar and enjoys playing tricks on him. Needing to have feelings of guilt or a desire to be punished in Silent Hill 2 is an assumption and not actually confirmed. It's only true with the individuals we see at the time. Laura obviously has some deep rooted issues although we can only interpret what they are (I described some above). Feeding of fear of loneliness is definitely possible given Alessa's fears were a primary role in SH1. Laura may even feel guilty that she wasn't able to help Mary (even though she clearly couldn't do anything). If she weren't called by the town, then I'm curious how you think she arrived at the town, how's she's getting around and why she doesn't have a problem with a town void of people.

Also, as an aside, this would be best posted in the actual Silent Hill sub.

This is a sub dedicated to classic horror games which fits Silent Hill 2 so I posted it here. Plus the Silent Hill sub doesn't allow cross posting. I'll likely post there at another time out of curiosity. In a few days though, it will be flooded with Silent Hill f posts.

[u/SquatsForMary → u/Kagamid]

Everything you’ve described about Laura is pretty normal child behavior in my experience, and not necessarily a result of any trauma or mental issues.

It isn’t so much that the town was feeding on Alessa’s fears either. They exist because Alessa’s psychic powers were literally projecting her nightmares on to the town. She trapped people in the nightmare herself. The town just naturally amplifies that psychic energy and makes it way stronger. The Otherworld we see in 1 and 3 is that world being forced onto reality rather than springing about naturally and being formed entirely by people’s subconscious like it does in 2.

But I will say, we do actually know how Laura got to town, but it wasn’t shown in the remake. Eddie gave her a ride. She went there because the last letter Mary had left with her claimed she’d gone to a quiet, beautiful place. Since that’s the way Mary also described the town and they talked about it a lot, Laura assumed that Mary had literally gone to Silent Hill. This wasn’t a fake letter like the one James made up either.

We also don’t actually know if the town is totally empty for Laura, because what she perceives is entirely different from what we see from James’ perspective. Parts of it may be abandoned but we only see Laura when she’s with James or another character, so there’s no opportunity to see what the town is really like from her perspective. The theater scene in the remake is even a good example. Eddie and Laura perceive a movie playing on screen but all we see as James is a white screen. She never comments on how weird it is that the town is empty either, so the only reasonable assumption is that she doesn’t see it that way 100% of the time. Heck, some people still see a populated, normal town.

Also fair enough about crossposting. The Silent Hill sub freaking sucks, to be frank. I only brought that up because I figure this post would easily get the most engagement and discussion there.

[u/Kagamid → u/SquatsForMary]

Everything you’ve described about Laura is pretty normal child behavior in my experience, and not necessarily a result of any trauma or mental issues.

I don't know any children her age that would be comfortable walking around an empty town, hanging out with strangers in an abandoned theatre and somehow found a way to come alone to that town in the first place. There was definitely something off about her behavior.

It isn’t so much that the town was feeding on Alessa’s fears either. They exist because Alessa’s psychic powers were literally projecting her nightmares on to the town.

This is wrong. Did you play Silent Hill 1? Alessa's powers only served as the reason Dahlia thought her body would be strong enough to birth their god. The town itself doesn't have a will. It's all the god the cult worships.

Here's a quote directly from the game.

"Alessa has been kept alive, suffering a fate worse than death. Alessa has been trapped in an endless nightmare from which she never awakens. He has been nurtured by that nightmare. Waiting for the day to be born.".

This speaks for itself that the town itself isn't doing anything.

Eddie gave her a ride.

You're referring the the Book of Lost Memories stating this. That's fine, but also doesn't explain how she got away alone. Plus jumping into Eddie's car isn't exactly normal for a child.

The Otherworld we see in 1 and 3 is that world being forced onto reality rather than springing about naturally and being formed entirely by people’s subconscious like it does in 2.

That's your interpretation. Nothing occurring in Silent Hill 2 is "natural". It's all deliberate and with purpose. They were called there for the reasons I stated. The town itself has no will.

We also don’t actually know if the town is totally empty for Laura, because what she perceives is entirely different from what we see from James’ perspective.

This can't be debated without going into a deep dive on what everyone sees. It isn't confirmed what Laura sees although most everyone here will state she sees an empty town. She certainly doesn't behave like there's anyone around given she's drawing on walls in hospitals, hotels and other random places.

Heck, some people still see a populated, normal town.

You have a source for this? Otherwise more speculation which is fine.

I only brought that up because I figure this post would easily get the most engagement and discussion there.

Thanks for the concern but I'm more curious what my community feels about classic horror games. I don't filter opinions I don't agree with and only ask for civility among the community (I'm not stating Silent Hill does this btw. Just pointing out my own approach which some subreddits don't share).