Labyrinth

	Daddy... Help me?
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James encounters Pyramid Head in the labyrinth.

This article is for the labyrinth seen in Silent Hill 2. For the labyrinth seen in Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, see Labyrinth (Shattered Memories).

The labyrinth is a subterreanean maze in Silent Hill 2, located somewhere beneath Toluca Prison and/or the Silent Hill Historical Society. Due to the lack of a map provided for the area, protagonist James Sunderland draws his own as he explores it.

The graveyard is revisited in Silent Hill: The Arcade. Eric and Tina must save their friend George from Mama.

Appearance

The labyrinth map's upper level.

The labyrinth map's lower level.

The labyrinth is a deep underground maze that features identically-designed corridors and takes on the form of a disused and decaying building. It consists of two distinct levels: the upper level is composed of various corridors with tearing wallpaper, while the lower level is a sewer-like series of muddy and flooded tunnels.

The areas within are all incredibly similar, and thus James can easily get lost in them. Lying Figures are the main enemy, although Mandarins make a few appearances as well. Pyramid Head can be found calmly patrolling two corridors with his spear in the lower levels of the labyrinth. Not only does he move rather slowly, but both areas he patrols in are looped, so avoiding him should not be a difficult task for the player. James can acquire the creature's signature Great Knife should he visit Pyramid Head's quarters: a small, bloodied chamber crammed with caged corpses hung from the walls and an enormous ceiling fan.

Within the labyrinth are a few puzzles to be solved and two boss fights: Abstract Daddy (in protecting Angela Orosco from the creature) and a crazed Eddie Dombrowski, respectively. The rooms the bosses are in are themed towards each character's tragedy: the room containing the Abstract Daddy is Angela's, with moving pistons surrounding the wall to imply the incessant sexual abuse she experienced at her father's hands, and Eddie's room contains large carcasses wearing shorts, a sign of Eddie's broken psyche as a result of constant bullying.

Symbolism

The labyrinth could serve as a physical manifestation of the mentalities of James Sunderland, Angela Orosco, and Eddie Dombrowski. The design of certain portions of the maze seems to be symbolical of each character's twisted psychology; James's depression, Angela's trauma, and Eddie's paranoia are reflected in the changing ambiance, which in turn serves as a metaphor for their fears. Arguably, these characters must walk through the labyrinth to discover the truth behind their beckoning to Silent Hill.

James

James speaking with Maria behind bars.

James must dig deep within his own repressed memories to remember his actions. He finds Maria within the labyrinth and is troubled by her sudden reappearance and her memories of his time spent with his wife Mary. This, and the fact that Maria is held behind bars, is symbolic of James's desires and his inability to reach them, as well the depth of his repression. Of course, one can also look at the scene as if James is the one behind bars, as the scene is shot purposely to make the distinction obscure, highlighting James's growing guilt. Further symbolism of James's fractured person is apparent in Pyramid Head's appearance and his constant searching: Pyramid Head is restricted to patrolling one area in an endless loop, possibly representing the cycle of yearning, denial, and repressed guilt James is trapped in until he acknowledges his crime.

Angela

Angela has realized what she's done and is constantly haunted by her memories within the labyrinth (namely Abstract Daddy). Upon encountering James within the labyrinth, she goes into further relapse, apparently still unable to cope with her past. She also pushes James away, as she believes that he is after the "same thing" as her father, expressing her disgust of men.

Eddie

Eddie's unsettled state of mind is shown in the labyrinth. His paranoia convinces him that James was always laughing at him behind his back, spurring him to attack James. The room he is found in is a meat locker, highlighting his cold, uncaring attitude towards murder, and houses many slabs of meat wearing cloth which is reminiscent of Eddie's shorts.

Trivia

The room compared to Francis Bacon's work.

• The labyrinth is the only location in Silent Hill 2 where Pyramid Head appears but can be completely avoided.
• One room seems to have been inspired by one of Francis Bacon's works. Francis Bacon is a confirmed inspiration of the series in Book of Lost Memories.
• "Room 208" is written on the door where James discovers Maria is dead in her prison cell. Previously, Room 208 is the room in the Wood Side Apartments where he sees the body of a man in front of a TV, which is a modified version of James's model. In Blue Creek Apartments, Room 208's doorknob may rattle if James attempts to enter and walks away from it. Later, in the Lakeview Hotel, James may hear a man sobbing when he walks past Room 208.
• Just after solving the Hanged Man puzzle, in the final area, James reaches a graveyard that contains, among others, his, Angela's, Eddie's and Walter Sullivan's graves. Since all of them were all connected or lured to Silent Hill, it can be interpreted that every grave present in there represents the people punished by the town. There is also a tombstone labeled "Miriam K. - 'Traitor'", but who Miriam K. is has remained a mystery. The most likely explanations are that "Miriam K." is either Miriam Locane, K. Gordon or a Silent Hill historical figure with a negative fame.

Gallery

Silent Hill 2

James in front of the entrance to the labyrinth.

A Lying Figure in the labyrinth.

Upper level of the labyrinth.

Mandarin in the lower level of the labyrinth.

Pyramid Head in the lower level of the labyrinth.

Pyramid Head's room.

James in Pyramid Head's room.

James found the Great Knife.

Labyrinth hallway.

A Lying Figure in lower level of the labyrinth.

Pyramid Head in the labyrinth.

James encounters Pyramid Head in the labyrinth.

The lower level of the labyrinth seen from the upper level.

James in the corridor with newspapers.

James shooting an Abstract Daddy.

Angela's sexual Otherworld manifested from her sexual abuse.

James in Angela's room.

Angela's room window without moving piston.

Room with the Free the Innocent Man puzzle.

Door to Maria's room in the labyrinth.

An empty IV stand in Maria's room.

James in Maria's room.

James after leaving Maria's room.

James looking at the empty graves of himself, Eddie, and Angela.

Empty graves.

James examining Walter Sullivan's grave.

Walter Sullivan's grave.

Miriam K.'s grave.

Gravestone with an old epitaph.

Labyrinth graveyard.

Blood at the end of the hallway.

James at the end of the labyrinth, which is part of Eddie's Otherworld.

Eddie and James.

Silent Hill 2 (Bloober Team)

Angela in the Labyrinth.

The Labyrinth.

Abstract Daddy in the Labyrinth.

Abstract Daddy in the Labyrinth.