Pyramid Head - Knowledge

577:'s primary player character James Sunderland, the version of the town he explores is influenced by him. Many of the monsters that roam the town symbolize his guilt, wish for punishment, for his wife's three-year-long illness, and cease to exist after James comes to terms with the fact that he killed his wife Mary, partially to end her suffering and partially out of resentment and frustration. James knew she had a terminal illness, which has been speculated to be cancer, and he often read medical textbooks, searching for something to help her. During her last days alive, she became physically repulsive as a result of the illness and treated James abusively, ordering him to leave one moment and begging him to comfort her the next. The knowledge of her terminal illness caused her to become angry and to hurt her loved ones, particularly James, and it pained him to visit her in the hospital. Pyramid Head functions as an executioner of Maria, a delusion of James' who strongly resembles Mary. Through Maria's repeated deaths, Pyramid Head reminds James of Mary's death and causes him to experience guilt and suffering. His appearance as an executioner stems from a picture that James saw while visiting the town three years ago with Mary. 44: 350:, but his role is limited to non-interactive scenes, appearing only twice to the game's main protagonist Alex Shepherd (once in the Grand Hotel in Silent Hill and, much later, in a church, where he executes Alex's father by splitting him in half). His last appearance is in a possible ending to the game: Alex wakes up in a wheelchair as two Pyramid Heads appear, each with part of a helmet, which they use to turn Alex into one of them. After this ending is played, the player obtains the Bogeyman's costume for Alex to wear. Mindful of Pyramid Head's role in 516:, the Pyramid Head, once more portrayed by Roberto Campanella, is both a monster and a guardian. More than once, it saves Sharon from the forces of Silent Hill. This is explained by its loyalty to Alessa: since Heather is the good half of Alessa's soul, it sees them as the same being and is thus bound to protect both from harm. Pyramid Head is also seen controlling the carousel where Heather and Alessa face off against each other, then it kills the cult leader Claudia Wolf after the amulet shows her inner, monstrous nature. 507:, who worked on the make-up effects and monsters, enjoyed the project of designing the character. According to him, Red Pyramid serves as a symbol of the town's darkness and harbinger of its changed character. Gans considered the monsters of the film "a mockery of human beings", and commented: "The real monsters are the people, the cultists who tortured Alessa. When I approached the film, I knew that it was impossible to represent the monsters as simply beasts that jump on you." 3762: 260: 319:, suggested that Pyramid Head "was one of the executioners in the original history of the town" and "there is not one particular or exclusive manifestation of him as an entity." However, Ito rejected this suggestion, stating "they really misunderstood Pyramid Head. I designed that only for James." In October 2022, it was revealed that Pyramid Head's executioner background was inspired by characters in the 1995 film 2311:: Between the disease and the drugs, I look like a monster. Well what are you looking at? Get the hell out of here. Leave me alone already! Are you still here? I told you to go! Are you deaf?! Don't come back! James... Wait... Please, don't go... Stay with me. Don't leave me alone. I didn't mean what I said. Please, James... Tell me I'll be okay. Tell me I'm not going to die. Help me... 344:, after receiving a letter from his deceased wife, Mary, and arriving in the foggy town of Silent Hill to search for her, the game's protagonist and primary player character, James Sunderland, encounters Pyramid Head several times over the course of the game. Pyramid Head, under the new moniker "Bogeyman", makes a significant appearance in 2008 installment 541:. To him, Pyramid Head is a psychological construct created for James; however, he stated that: "At the same time, I don't think that ruined the comic. Some people really liked it. To some people, Pyramid Head should be in all the stories because they do like him." Additionally, the character was portrayed from October 2 to 31, 2009, in the 2332:: Whenever you come see me, I can tell how hard it is on you...I don't know if you hate me or pity me... Or maybe I just disgust you... I'm sorry about that. When I first learned that I was going to die, I just didn't want to accept it. I was so angry all the time and I struck out at everyone I loved most. Especially you, James. 682:

noted its popularity and said that "before we knew exactly what Pyramid Head was, the mere sight of the monster triggered something inside of us that overcome our cynicism and defenses. He intrigued us, he repulsed us, but he made us feel something that so many other monsters can’t make us feel. It’s

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with the release of the CHAPTER 16:Silent Hill DLC on June 16, 2020. His title is "The Executioner", a nod to his past as the executioner of Silent Hill. Pyramid Head was a boss character in the Silent Hill DLC of Dark Deception: Monsters & Mortals, In where he's referred to by his original name

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also included a similar monster named "The Butcher", whom the protagonist occasionally encounters killing other monsters (unlike other versions of Pyramid Head, the Butcher can and must be fought and killed in combat) and a painting of Pyramid Head is seen in the burning house of Alessa. In the 2012

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Pyramid Head's Great Knife is actually one half of a pair of scissors. The developer's intent was for James to obtain the other half of the scissors later in the game, symbolizing Pyramid Head's role as a reflection of his psyche. However Ito did not have enough time to put a second Great Knife in

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Ito wanted to create "a monster with a hidden face", but became unhappy with his designs, which resembled humans wearing masks. He then drew a monster with a pyramid-shaped helmet. According to Ito, the triangle's sharp right and acute angles suggest the possibility of pain. Of the creatures that

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interpreted the scene in which he kills the two other monsters as rape and called it unsettling, since the subject of rape is not often tackled in video games, and disliked the final battle with him because of how anticlimactic it was, in comparison with his role throughout the rest of the game.

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as "Red Pyramid", and is portrayed by Roberto Campanella. In the film, the psyches of the female characters shaped the character's physical appearance. Gans claimed that replicating the character's head exactly and having the actor move while wearing it proved to be impractical; he noted that,

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The emotionally-loaded subject of rape has never really been dealt with in games before or since Konami's survival horror....Still, even though it's a hugely disquieting moment, there's no question it further adds to Pyramid Head's mystique as one of the most terrifying video game villains

276:. He does not speak, but grunts and moans painfully. His most outstanding feature is his large red, triangular helmet. His weapons consist of the deadly and heavy Great Knife, which the player can find and use for the rest of the game, and later a spear. As a German 184:

s monsters, created the character because he wanted "a monster with a hidden face". Known for his large triangular helmet that conceals his head, Pyramid Head lacks a voice, a visible face, and his appearance stems from the town's past as a place of execution.

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described him as one of the greatest video game characters, commenting that "Stalking the claustrophobic corridors of the vacant town, he remains one of the few masculine entities in the series and one of the most shocking monstrosities in gaming history."

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easy to get caught up in the cynicism of how marketing and products often turn characters into caricatures. Yet, that process has to start with the creation of something truly incredible. In his original form, Pyramid Head was most certainly that."

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despite the name, Pyramid Head actually wore "a basin" instead of a triangle-shaped helmet. Red Pyramid's sword and helmet were constructed out of lightweight material painted to appear heavy. For the role, Campanella wore a "five-part

462:"The big change in Red Pyramid for me was not his head as much as his body. In the game, he has a very deformed body almost a hunchback. Instead we decided to make him a tall, powerful character a little like the Warrior God in 2198:: That's why I did it, honey. I just couldn't watch you suffer. No! That's not true... You also said that you didn't want to die. The truth is I hated you. I wanted you out of the way. I wanted my life back.... / 294:, his appearance was a variation of the outfits of the executioners from the fictional history of the town. They wore red hoods and ceremonial robes to make themselves similar to Valtiel, a monster who appears in 263:

A monster with a concealed face was the concept behind Pyramid Head's design; Ito rejected his initial sketch (left), which resembled a masked human, and gave the creature a pyramid-shaped helmet (right).

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praised Campanella's portrayal of Pyramid Head and another monster, writing: "These are without a doubt some of the most striking bogeymen that I have seen on screen in a long time." His appearance in

354:, the developers chose to include him as "the embodiment of a myth parents started to keep the children out of trouble" and "the accretion of the activities going on in the town of Shepherd’s Glen." 1972: 162: 2382:: Maria's dead. I couldn't protect her. Once again, I couldn't do anything to help. Mary... What... What should I do? Are you... really waiting somewhere for me? Or is this your way of taking... 753:

game, he would either not use Pyramid Head again or kill him off entirely in the opening scene. Film critics commented on his role in the film adaption, with several finding him disturbing.

3357: 1730: 1587: 1760: 503:"; it took two-and-a-half to three hours to get him into costume and make-up. His boots had a hidden 15-inch (38 cm) sole which made him just under 7 feet (2.1 m) tall. 2763: 2061: 1816: 1261: 1937: 426:, Pyramid Head makes a cameo appearance in the "Surprise!" ending, along with various other characters from the franchise. Pyramid Head's most recent appearance was in 2012's 669:

stated Pyramid Head is "the stuff of nightmares in video games, quite literally. Pyramid Head has terrorized game audiences and fans of the Silent Hill franchise for years."

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series to be "a manifestation of a person's guilt", commenting: "Pyramid Head is just there to help you serve your penance in the most painful and grotesque way possible."

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Stars lately, having shown up in several recent character countdowns. There's just something about Halloween that makes us go all gushy for this horrific monster."

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series, particularly the second installment, frequently utilizes psychology and symbolism: Pyramid Head represents James' wish to be punished for Mary's death.

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has praised Pyramid Head's role as an antagonist and describing him as one of the best villains in video game history. In a 2009 retrospective on the

3813: 1024: 590:, Pyramid Head acts as "judgement personified, a dark butcher," and "James' masochistic delusion" which punishes him for Mary's death. Ken Gagne of 3104: 1901: 287:

heavy tank when designing the edges of the character's helmet; other military vehicles from that region and era informed design elements as well.

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Besides, Silent Hill 2 provided the series with its iconic villain, Pyramid Head, a figure designed to haunt both monsters and characters alike.

1722: 1573: 1121:"The design of Pyramid Head is influenced by an avant-garde like this. It's a German experimental ramjet-powered interceptor designed in 1944" 307:

s character designer Takayoshi Sato, he appears as a "distorted memory of the executioners" and of the town's past as a place of execution.

1536: 1086:"Edges of Pyramid Head's helmet is inspired by skirt of lower hull of German tank 'King Tiger' in WW2. Yes, I'm WW2 German tank enthusiast" 2441: 1752: 432:, where he is a monster that can spawn randomly to fight the player. Pyramid Head also appeared as a costume for the Playstation Home. 2755: 2227:: I'm very sorry. As her doctor, I promise that I'll do what I can. But... there's still no effective treatment for her condition. / 3048: 2073: 1824: 1265: 3277: 1941: 1699: 3021: 2965: 720:

also described Pyramid Head as one of their favorite video game monsters of all time, stating that "Pyramid Head is no stranger to

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called it "damned effectively-employed." Masahiro Ito commented that Pyramid Head was designed specifically for James' story in

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https://preview.redd.it/0m11i28yt9x51.jpg?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=25cad50013c65705cd1f7d316aad22825c8de767

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series uses symbolism and psychology; the town of Silent Hill draws upon the psyche of its visitors, ultimately creating an "

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disliked it, finding it awkward that a character like Pyramid Head was competing in sporting events with characters like

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Critical reaction to Pyramid Head has been favorable for his distinctive appearance and role as an element of James'

2623: 2259: 1911: 1288:"伊藤暢達/Masahiro Ito on Twitter: "Umm...they really misunderstood Pyramid Head... I designed that only for James.… "" 2823: 3803: 3591: 3555: 941: 1610: 3673: 3149:...even Pyramid Head's appearances feel more like fan service (albeit damned effectively-employed fan service). 542: 1782: 3651: 428: 385: 1262:"Silent Hill: On The Red Pyramid, Carol Spier as Production Designer, and Exploring Society in Horror Films" 971: 3833: 3818: 3793: 1010: 3808: 1915: 3420: 2442:

https://web.archive.org/web/20201105044057/https://mobile.twitter.com/adsk4/status/1324116100502618113

716:," and wrote: "To this day, Pyramid Head is remembered as one of gaming's most frightening villains." 3724: 3711: 3644: 3502: 3273: 2790: 1696:"RPGamer > Feature > Silent Hill: Book of Memories Interview with Adam Tierney and Tomm Hulett" 1550: 550: 3440: 3542: 712: 706: 731:

have received mixed critical reaction. Critics generally agreed that Pyramid Head's appearance in

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While Ito designed the monster to have a pyramid-shaped helmet, one of the potential endings to

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Pyramid Head also makes his contractual appearance for no better reason than fan service.

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named Pyramid Head as one of the most terrifying villains in computer and video games.

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Reviewers have suggested various interpretations. According to Christina González of

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Magazines have also called him as one of the scariest and best video game villains.

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is most memorable for its introduction of iconic videogame character Pyramid Head.

2454: 3131: 3108: 2952: 2160:] (in Japanese). Japan: NTT Publishing Co., Ltd. July 31, 2003. p. 111. 691: 484: 464: 310: 145: 3230: 2924:"The top ten scariest monsters to infest a Sony platform - PlayStation Universe" 2822:

Dyer, James; McComb, David; Plumb, Alastair; Scarborough, David (May 26, 2010).

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to turn him into a Pyramid Head (or Bogeyman, as the monster is referred to in

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Pyramid Head was included as a purchasable killer for the survival horror game

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suggested that the monster "represents James' anger and guilt." A critic for

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Silent Hill 3 Official Strategy Guide / Lost Memories: Silent Hill Chronicle

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Silent Hill 3 Official Strategy Guide / Lost Memories: Silent Hill Chronicle

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Silent Hill 3 Official Strategy Guide / Lost Memories: Silent Hill Chronicle

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Silent Hill 3 Official Strategy Guide / Lost Memories: Silent Hill Chronicle

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Silent Hill 3 Official Strategy Guide / Lost Memories: Silent Hill Chronicle

161:, he is a type of monster that serves as the secondary antagonist, stalking 3665: 2037:(Press release). IGN Entertainment, Inc. September 22, 2009. Archived from 1874: 1671: 643: 581:

the game. James ultimately obtains the same knife wielded by Pyramid Head.

570: 277: 259: 174: 72: 3519: 2859: 2290:: I've already read enough medical books. None of them ever did any good. 2003: 1578: 736: 678: 633: 538: 406: 374: 273: 215: 140: 33: 2372: 2322: 2301: 2280: 2213: 2180: 1337: 984: 569:," a twisting of reality that manifests delusions and elements of their 442:

of Red Pyramid Thing. Pyramid Head also makes a cameo appearance in the

3450:"Silent Hill Website Still A Shit Post Amid New Game Announcement Hype" 3398: 1020: 1015: 790: 658: 566: 500: 321: 2194:: I told you that I wanted to die, James. I wanted the pain to end. / 2892: 1541: 1311: 1053:"You can run, but you'll only die tired: Gaming's 'baddest' villains" 772: 573:, varying from character to character. Specifically, in the case of 210:, as the "Boogeyman". He has also made an appearance outside of the 2992:"15. Pyramid Head — The 50 Coolest Video Game Villains of All Time" 2795: 2723: 1546: 1307:"Silent Hill's Pyramid Head was inspired by a Braveheart character" 665: 628: 284: 832:

re-imagines it lined with spikes on the inside that is put on the

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created. Why? Because for me there is a little of Anibus [

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Massive weapon wielded by Pyramid Head. Hard to use, but lethal.

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Pyramid Head appears as a boss in the 2007 first-person shooter

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