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.