Doll

"YOU REMEMBER THE VOWS YOU MADE, DON'T YOU, SLUT? IN FRONT OF GOD. AND GOD HEARS, ANNE, GOD REMEMBERS. GOD PUNISHES.
 * —The Doll taunting Anne."

The Doll is a monster that appears in Silent Hill: Downpour. It attacks by spawning Shadows, translucent silhouettes of the original monster that are capable of movement. They seem to be related to Anne Marie Cunningham.

Appearance
Dolls are nearly stationary monsters, often seen posing like department store mannequins. They are humanoid, resembling a slim woman with pale skin that has a plasticine sheen to it. Dolls are dressed provocatively in a short, dark dress with a bright red or pink bra underneath and sometimes ripped stockings. Some are completely naked except for red liquid splashed across their bodies or their hands. They have platinum blonde or silver hair that is cut in a modern short style. Some Dolls are missing most of their faces, with a large cavity suggesting that their nose, mouth, and jaw have been smashed off. Others have expressions indicative of sex toys, a fact pointed out by Murphy Pendleton when he finds a stationary Doll inside the Centennial Building. They seem to be made of plaster or ceramics, as they will crumble slightly when struck. However, once incapacitated, the Dolls move more organically when struck on the ground. Murphy can also see them running very fluidly as they run well out of harm's reach.

The Shadows of the Doll are perfect silhouettes of the Doll itself, but they are nearly impossible to see. They move in a lunging fashion. Occasionally when illuminated, they will be outlined faintly in white, but this may be a game mechanic to make them easier to battle. It can be noted that the Shadows are slightly easier to see when not looked at directly by the player. Dolls and their shadows also frequently let out soft, wheezing cackles and giggles. When struck, they emit intense moans.

Character
Dolls can be rather manipulative, and may try to trick Murphy into coming closer by letting out loud, sobbing cries from a distance; however, once Murphy is close enough to be attacked, the Doll will laugh menacingly and spawn Shadows.

Dolls have a rather limited mobility, often remaining totally still, but the Shadows they spawn are fast, aggressive, and nearly invisible. If Murphy has a forensic flashlight, he can use its UV beam to help locate Shadows. A standard flashlight beam won't produce the same effect, but it can help the player spot Shadows in particularly dark rooms.

Depending on the situation, Murphy may wish to attack a Doll directly. Attacking the Doll until she is incapacitated will cause any spawned Shadows to collapse and lie still. Alternatively, the player can focus entirely on the incoming Shadows by blocking a Shadow's strike, then countering with an attack. Each time the player defeats a Shadow, its Doll takes damage. If the player defeats the Doll then her Shadow simply vanishes.

Although rarely done, the Dolls are also able to teleport. This is best seen on the third floor of the Centennial Building, before entering the main lobby where there is a wheelchair stuck in the elevator. If Murphy goes through the remains of the wall into the other room, the Doll will have disappeared and will then appear in front of him.

Symbolism


A book of art found in the library, an area densely populated with Dolls, references negative space's ability to transform the inanimate (the Dolls) into the animate (their Shadows).

"'Negative Space is an invaluable drawing technique that allows the brain to disconnect from the common shapes and patterns it's been trained to see, instead focusing on the space around a subject. By focusing on recreating this negative space, rather than the subject, the artist is able to create a much more accurate image. This phenomenon proves that the objects, people, and things we take for granted don't actually exist as we see them. In fact, they are merely shadows flickering through the empty canvas of the human subconscious.'"

In Anne's Story, the Dolls seem to be manifestations of Anne's guilt for cheating on Mark Cunningham with Leonard B. Trent, and her shattered innocence.

Trivia

 * Killing or incapacitating 10 Dolls unlocks the achievement/trophy "Shadow Boxer".
 * A painting of a Doll titled "Dangerous Beauty" appears in the Centennial Building.
 * There are also three more of these paintings located in the thrift store: one on a wall next to a mirror, the other next to the cash register, and one against the back wall.
 * Also, a pair of bloodied mannequin hands lay on the inside window sill in both the hardware and thrift stores.
 * The Doll is voiced by Kateřina Koutná, as seen in the credits.
 * The Doll was initially named the "Flirt" during the concept design phase of its creation.
 * The Dolls originally worked entirely differently. Originally Murphy would find a Doll in a room (the physical Doll would be seen, and the invisible one would be roaming around). If the player ignored it, the Doll would follow to the next room (the Doll would be seen again), and so on. Dolls were put in adjacent rooms so they'd gang up on Murphy, and if the player ignored them for too long, he'd die.
 * The Dolls and this behavior was intended to put them into Silent Hill: Book of Memories with this behavior as DLC, but there was only ever one DLC pack made.

Gallery
Doll