The Town

Tarot Card: Strength XI (Originally Fortitude)
Card Keywords: Self control, Being solid, Patience, Compassion, Composure, Stability, Perseverance, Moderation, Kindness, Gentleness, Slowness, Softness, Serenity, Comprehension, Discipline, Inner strength
Interpretation: This card stresses discipline and control, the struggle between 'id' and higher parts of the mind. Be wary of the temptations of the flesh. An internal battle.

"Embody: The materialization of the darkness that sleeps in peoples' hearts. In the town of Silent Hill, a power exists that gives discernable form to peoples' innermost thoughts. As for the otherworld that appears in the series, the town is not merely showing the characters their nightmares, but actually manifesting elements of their unconscious minds. If the subject's mind is in a state of turmoil, the state of the otherworld will be chaotic as well."

"Calling: Those who have guilt are summoned. Due to the appearance of the otherworld on a massive scale in the first game, the town has come to be a place that calls those who hold a profound darkness in their hearts. It seems that people with afflicted minds are easily drawn to the otherworld. Eddie says to James, "This town called you, too." The town calls to those who bear the weight of some crime and shows them what is in their hearts."

"Link: Transcending time, minds are connected. It would seem that in the otherworld, time and physical limitations are transcended and peoples' thoughts are communicated. In accordance with this are the enigmatic phone conversation and Stanley's letters in the third game, as well the director's letters, among other things, in the second game. It seems that in the otherworld, the flow of time has no continuity."

"The darkness of Silent Hill transcends the boundaries of the town? In the third game, the otherworld appears even in the shopping mall and subway, outside of the town called Silent Hill. It is possible that this is due to Claudia's abilities. However, if one imagines that the human mind is where the otherworld dwells and holds power, then perhaps the shift to the otherside could occur regardless of the location. The occult magazine that was dropped in the subway has an article regarding lingering thoughts."

Creator's Commentary: "The shift to the otherworld that takes place outside the town depends entirely upon a unique power. The power that absorbs and reflects what people hold in their hearts is established as being exclusive to the town of Silent Hill."

Another World

Tarot card: The World
Card Keywords: Fulfillment, Completeness, Integration, Personal realization, Involvement, Peace of mind, Prosperity, Accomplishment, Satisfaction, Contentment, Success, Good feelings, Finding vocation, Happiness, Wholeness, Harmony
Interpretation: This card represents the ending of a moment in one's life, a pause before the next cycle in one's life.

Another World: "Does the real world influence the otherworld born of delusions and the power of the town? The power of Silent Hill absorbs what people hold in their hearts and manifests delusions and elements of their subconscious minds. And so, the truth is that the consciousness that becomes the main constituent of what is called the "otherworld" varies. As a few different incarnations of the otherworld have been presented up to this point in the series, let us ascertain the differences in each of these respective works. Angela tells James, "For me, it’s always like this." In the otherworld of Silent Hill, the world is seen differently depending on the person. On some occasions the shift to the otherworld can occur suddenly."

"The main constituent of the otherworld differs in each work of the series. Silent Hill: Due to her severe burns and endless suffering, Alessa's power runs wild. Her agony is manifested and the entire town is swallowed up by the otherworld. Harry searches for his daughter in the otherworld. Silent Hill 2: Regarding James, who escapes from the crime that he has committed, elements from the depths of his consciousness are manifested. What the power of the town causes to appear before him is an otherworld that is a combination of his delusions and his desire for punishment. "I was weak. That’s why I needed you..." As James acknowledges his crime, the otherworld disappears. (note: Interestingly enough, what the Japanese script says here is "dakara omae no sonzai o nozonde ita," which literally means, "and so I desired your existence."). Silent Hill 3: The shift to the otherworld that occurs in the shopping mall, among other places, has to do with Claudia. As she recovers her memories, Alessa's influence grows stronger. Claudia possesses a unique power."

"Inclusion of a phantom ending: If Heather should attack Claudia in the final stage of the game, God is born and it's "game over." However, this can be interpreted as another conclusion to the story. It's intended not to simply be "game over," but another ending."

Creator's Commentary: "The truth is that when we first started development on this project, we considered including an ending for this situation. However, in order to show another means of resolving this in a way that could be easily understood, we decided to show it in the form of a "game over." Just what sort of god was born, and what happened to the world? These questions remain, but Heather is already gone so the player has no way of knowing what happens next."

Mist and Darkness

Tarot Card: The Emperor
Card Keywords: Fathering, Stability, Authority, Power, Control, Discipline, Command, Common sense, Status quo, Order, Structure, Egocentrism, Tradition, Rigidness, Leadership Experience, Inflexibility, Conservadorism, Organization
Interpretation: Despite one's want to rule their surroundings, they need to learn that some things are uncontrollable - others might not lik ebeing controlled. Masculine.

Mist and darkness have become symbols of the Silent Hill series. It is not the case that these elements are present merely to fighten the player. Mist and darkness obstruct the horizon by creating a condition in which visibility is limited. In other words, the boundry between heaven and earth is obscured, which suggest a blurring of the line between dream and reality.

all quoted info found in "Lost Memories"