Morality, ethics and manners (SPOILERS)

[gustavopi]

I didn't play this game as many as I want to yet, but reading about here and there I found something that seams to be one peculiarity of this game: morality. Every Silent Hill has some factor that push the main character to move on trough the game. In this case, Heather run home, and the factor (survive) it's about to end when Claudia produces one: the murder of Harry. She wants he away and Heater mad and motivated to get back do Silent Hill - and things got interesting at this point.

What's the objective of Heather anyway? If it is only revenge, she's not better than Claudia that justify all crimes by the promise of paradise - that may really happens (who knows)! The detective, on the other hand, got the easy solution, kill Heater - end of the story! But both form a team and go into the town motivated buy revenge but also the "call of duty", they know that cult must be terminated.

Also there is an ethic code: if Heather kills to many and forgive the sinner in the cabin, the ending is the Possessed - bad ending. Is allowed for she to kill the "monsters" but with keeping the objective in mind: the end of the cult. She explore and investigates the cult and decided to destroy God even if maybe she can escape from there since Claudia was already dead. There is no option but finishing the cult.

The messages from Harry also are very important. He open his heart to her and try to leave a optimistic idea of the world, so she can manage the angry and do the right thing.

The difference between Claudia and Heather is interesting. Both have justifications for the acts of violence, Claudia is even altruistic. Unfortunately, in our society, violence is allowed depending on the purposes, so Heather got a hard job for so young woman: keep the objective of neutralize the cult - the attacker. The point is not only defeat the cult, but be better than the cult.

Oh, yeah, manners... never mind, all of us were young one day!

[Charles Phipps]

I think Heather is motivated also by survival.

[nur_ein_tier]

Hmm. Well, I don't think it's just about revenge, but also needing to face her past and all the weirdness associated with it. Harry and Heather escaped Silent Hill and ran from her past for 17 years, and at the time of the game, her past had finally caught up to her. She also dislikes the cult, so there's that, too, and probably resents the fact that she has a connection to it.

[NarooN]

I don't think it's a bad thing she was mainly motivated by revenge. I'm sure it was more than that anyway, especially once she started regaining her memories. She most likely wanted to end the cult and get back at them for what they did to her and her father in the past.

[The Gentleman]

I think the killing of Harry really reflects a moment of clarity for Heather and Harry to some extent; that (if you'll excuse the awful cliche) you can't run from your past and it's one of, if not the most important thing that defines you as a person (which opens up all sorts of other discussions). While the motive of revenge against Claudia in this moment is questionable, this is when Heather begins to take on the memories of Alessa and her personality starts to blend with those of her past incarnations and she recognizes that the way to deal with your past is to confront it.

Or maybe I'm just reading too far into this.

[gustavopi]

I don't think so, you got a point. Also revenge is a simple feeling that usually leads to a disaster, excepting in Hollywood. I think she is, in this moment, a pile of feelings, starting by survive and including somethings that came from" Alessa". The question from now on is if she'll still be Heater, the Harry's daughter.

Our creation guide our actions: moral principles.

[Mothersdecent]

I think we have to take Heather's age into consideration, she's a teenage girl going through a big trauma.
If i was 17 and a bitch murdered my dad, i would seek revenge too, because how else would i know how to react to such rough situation being so young? Not saying that seeking revenge is immature or anything, but one of the most basic human emotions fuels it; Anger. A mature person would seek other options aside from revenge, and Heather is anything but, that's what made her character so interesting imo.

[Purramid_Head]

Yes, that's the fool card. Heather is a fool and she is reckless.

Harry and Heather's relationship is the opposite of Dahlia and Alessa's.

Personally, I do believe in revenge. I may not do it thru murder however.

[gustavopi]

Anger is a good feeling if we can manage it. Claudia think Heather will not be able to control the anger after murder Harry, she is counting on this to her plans. In fact, a 17 years old girl that got the father killed that way probably give up of fighting, but she is Alessa! Yes, Heather is a very interesting character!

Xuchilbara: I had not thought about this link Fool Card - Alessa. Is there a meaning of these cards together? Humm... I believe the objective of the game is terminate the cult AND recover Heather's life - survive, in a deeper meaning. The first part you can do it "easily" with murder, the second demands some mature and civilized behavior. This reminds me the phrase of SH2: ... all you have to do is to die, but you may be going to another place. (something like this...) - a reverse situation of easy solutions.

[Purramid_Head]

It's in Lost Memories. Alessa is the Empress. The fool represents many characters in many games. But it's special in Silent Hill 3. "Recklessness, poteniality, and danger", all which fit Heather's character. The writing after defeating the memory of Alessa shows Alessa's thoughts on Heather and her wish for like; "why do "I" resist? I never thought of myself as such a fool..."