The way that it skitters along the ground and screeches like grating metal also likens it to a pest. However, this may also be suggestive of how Mary spat hateful words at James during her illness.Īs the creature appears to have its arms restricted, it can be assumed that it represents James's frustration from being unable to touch or hold Mary during her sickness. This furthers the evidence that the Lying Figure was meant to be similar to how Mary saw herself: suffering in agony and trapped in its own inescapable body.įurthermore, its main means of attack is spitting an acid-like mist at James/Maria this is suggestive of vomiting, alluding further to the theme of illness. In Silent Hill 2, Masahiro Ito designed the Lying Figure as reminiscence of Mary Shepherd-Sunderland in her state of terminal illness, which has been speculated to have something to do with physical distortion, as Mary said, " I look like a monster!". The novelization also mentions they were created from feelings of confinement. This is a manifestation of James's internal suffering. The Lying Figure represents the image of a hospital patient squirming in agony. This article or section contains speculation, analysis or theories which may not be officially approved. In a scene modelled for the Silent Hill 2 trailer, the Lying Figure writhes in pain. It's best to flee if the situation arises. They are slow-moving while standing upright however, when knocked down, they can easily hit James/Maria by skittering very quickly along the ground, easily outrunning the player. However, if melee is the only option, it's advised to use the steel pipe while strafing left/right to avoid the poison. Because of this, it's best to deal with them from range, preferably by using the handgun, as a few good shots can down the creature. They attack by spewing a spray of poisonous mist from an opening in their chest, which will knock James/Maria back and force him/her to recover for a few seconds before being able to resume his/her attack. They seem to have zippers on their faces. When they scurry across the ground, they make a high-pitched wailing noise that sounds like the scraping of metal against cement. On their feet, they wear a pair of what seem to be platform heels encased in flesh. Their entire bodies appear to be trapped in a straightjacket of flesh, complete with stereotypically feminine legs and visible buttocks.