abcde:
Serena doesn't exist and is simply Rhue's "purpose" to keep him running along the way, taking out various people as the Phantom slasher. Maybe.
A few questions:
Isn't it a bit weird that Rhue didn't get a flashback or Auras from 'killing' Lyrra or Lexus?
What was the link between PS victims? Maybe I just missed it...
Thanatos:
Ever notice how Rhue usually gets the choice of doing the right thing or the wrong thing in most situations? It might not be as simple as saying he either has an Illuminati or a Shadow Sword. It actually might be dependent on how you played Rhue the entire game.
However, I find it extremely unlikely that Rhue actually has a Shadow Sword because he knocked away a Shadow Sword in E2 almost like his own sword was making him do it.
Impossible:
But Rhue must have had Midian's aura before E3, because the headhunter in E2 sensed it... Maybe what happened in E3 was the aura somehow escaping temporarily?
Ardus:
Great point. What I think is that either Rhue has an illuminati and that they make the wielder (Rhue) have an inborn desire to keep the power of the shadow swords out of the wrong hands(maybe they were created in reaction to wielders of the shadow swords going on a rampage). Or that Rhue has a Shadow Sword, and the shadow sword made the wielder knock the shadow sword down the cliff in reaction to finding another one. (They were created to fight each other)
Either way it seemed to me like the two swords were definitely reacting to each other.
Guest:
Hey y'all!
I've been playing "The Way since just after the release of the fourth episode (and waiting in agony for the fifth), I rarely comment on mesage boards, but I've been reading all the talk and thought I had to offer up my own theories! So here it goes:
I think Rhue's got an Illuminati sword and Gaius has a shadow sword (yeah, I know, so do a lot of y'all, but bare with me here). I think it sorta ends there, though... I don't think Gaius is the Pontifix (
yike's I know I mispelled that) but some how got involved with yet another, as yet unrevealed, faction in the political knot of "The Way," one that is possibly influenced by the Potifix-ideal.
While Estrana was pretty eye-opeing regarding the incredible and rich world that the games' author has created, I don't imagine for a minute that everything's been revealed to us. Gaius and Rhue clearly have a history together, but I don't think the Gaius we met in the second episode is really the same Gaius we've seen since the third... whether physically or psychologically, or both. My bet is on Gaius as the Phantom Slasher, though, and that the Phantom Slasher is clearly carrying a shadow sword; everyone killed by the Phantom Slasher has been fairly friendly and seemingly innocent, after all (if memory serves me correctly). In the same vein, Rhue, who kills a bit impulsively, has yet to attack anyone who didn't mean him harm in some way and who is, therefore, on some level "evil."
Perhaps Rhue and "Whoever-may-be-the-Phantom-Slasher" are working together as the one "Phantom Slasher" we occasionally see mauling people in the episodes, though... Lun, the author, has done nothing if not brilliantly blurred the lines between good and evil in these characters; even the most stoic of the many heroines killed her lover and benefactor in an act of jealousy/desperation/simple need for attention (Khloe). In fact, the only blatently stated allusions to "good" and "evil" come from the references to the Illuminati(s) and the Shadow Sword(s). While the player often has the chance to choose Rhue's responce to violence and peace, the optional responces in these situations rarely satisfy the American's ideal need for clear-cut goodness and evil.
Did Rhue kill the (up until now) indominable Traziun's mother? Did Gaius? While timelines clearly and simply say "no," sadly, there is hardly room to balk at the idea that one or both did, whether knowingly or not. The player simply doesn't have enough facts to absolutely believe Rhue did the dirty deed, so to speak, while at the same time, the only character Traziun is really close to is Rhue, and thus his clear frustration when the killer is revealed. On the other hand, Traziun's father has now been "absorbed" into his psyche, and may be manipulating the situation from beyond the grave, so to speak... and therefore may truely (still?) be feeding him lies that suddenly take on a new reality to the young Traziun, who's spirit may not have fully developed to the level his fighting skills have.
And, in saying, we have the simple, and so far, completely far-fetched idea that Rhue is not Rhue... That the sword he has, whether of the Shadow or Illuminati variety, simply goes about killing people and absorbing them- that those souls, be they whispers or powerfull forces, are left to forever inflict those who weild the fatal blade. Was a child murdered by the man now known as Rhue? A child so fascinated and devoted to his playmate, Serena, that his very dominate soul now has possesed the body of his weak-willed assualtant? The memories Rhue relates to other characters involve beasts devouring children, while the only proof points to human footprints, and the beasts seem have sprung from the over-imaginative Lyrra's stories.
Who is Serena? I've read a lot of well-backed-up specualtion, but there are always faults. Scatha is harldy a suspect; her history lies with Slade (althougth I once placed my bets on this mysterious Princess of the Pits). Regardless, Scatha claims to "know the girl," not "be the girl," and her character tends to speak bluntly rather than in terms of Dancing Violet's riddles. The Bandit Queen herself is also ruled out due to self admisson. Lexus, although my favorite lady on the way, seems to be no better than permantly dead and her linaege deosn't add up to the stories of Rhue's past. Khloe's heart lies elsewhere, and, knowing such plot points rarely detour this type of well-rounded story-telling, she's still in the race, it seems. Finally, Lyrra seems the most obvious, but something doesn't ring true with the idea... dead or not, she has/had an underlying darkside like the "dame" in a classic film noir.
I said I had theories, didn't I? Sorry about that, I guess all this wanderer had was a pocketful of observations- observations that lead onward to nothing, everything that could be, could have been, and will ultimately be wrong. We players have a brilliant author and game maker on our hands, though... We've been given a world that is at once light and dark, good and evil, full of living that are already dead and dead that live on with every nuance of emotion of reality...
I will say this: In soap operas and melodramas those who die rarely stay dead and a surprise waits around every corner. Expect the unexpected yet... I think the best is yet to come!
Impossible:
Chasta
Scatha
Rhue
Jeruh
Minus the J, could it be the same anagram-y connection?
Why yes, Trihan, I DO like stealing theories without credit.
Also, Rhue's attack on the Shadow Sword in E2 is interesting... You'd think that would increase the chances of it being an Illuminati. So far, we have a major hint to it being an Illuminati, and a major hint ot it being a Shadow Sword. >_< This is confusing.
Skarn:
I found a very strange thing in Estrana, after "you know what". Close to Dirk, there are Zedicus' family tombstones. In Ep. 4, there was only one, Zedicus' wife stone. Now, there are two more: Zedicus and... Lexus. I checked the Lexus one, and there appears to be NO trigger to this event (like a "Lexus Killed" switch).
So, even if you don't kill her in Ep. 4, is Lexus going to die anyway (killed by a monster or during the earthquake)? Or is it just a trick, is she still alive? And when Rhue killed her in Ep. 4... Did he really KILLED or just wounded her? (Remember, he didn't check the body)
And there's this strange Lexus ghost on the roof of Sacrifa's house, again with no trigger...
Berserker:
in ep4 you HAVE to kill her. even if you have the max relashionship, you'll kill her anyway.
Thanatos:
I failed to find Lexus' ghost in the 'dead Estrana' anywhere, without going into the RM2K editor. Yes, I do see it when I opened the map, along with the guard who says that there's a meeting going on... which there clearly isn't. Not to mention, there is no way to even reach the guard. I think too much stock is being put in Lexus' ghost being on the roof.
Also, Rhue didn't kill Slade when shared Slade's flashback. He merely injured him. If all you need is to injure someone, then he should've gotten something from Rosmar as well, for slashing his face pretty good.
Also, if Rhue just automatically shares someone's aura for killing them... then he should've gotten TONS of flashback for all the people the Phantom Slasher killed assuming he is the Phantom Slasher at all.
I'm also beginning to question whether the Phantom Slasher is evil at all... He doesn't kill any children... Just adults. Maybe the Phantom Slasher is killing everyone who he deems evil. Kind of an apocalyptic angel of death or something. Purging the way one wanderer at a time.
Oh, hee hee, I just thought about how funny the situation is... I'm sure I'm just reading way too much into this, but I find it funny how Landorin, all the poor children were massacred by unknown beasts or men. Yet now, the Phantom Slasher is killing all the adults. Heh, and the reason it isn't killing Rhue is because he's a child from Landorin.
Yeah, I know, reading way too much into it there, but I still find it funny.
Also, I'm still a little curious about the phantom Rhue fought in Slade's mind...
BMZ:
Rhue should get more stuff for the people the PS killed, hmm? Did that not happen in Episode 5? He shows up and BAM! New sword styles.
You know, Rhue's sword...I'm wondering if its homage to the Lord of the Rings (well, probably not intentionally, but I like comparing games to books and movies)? If its really a Shadow Sword or Illuminati or whatever, how willing would the user be to part with it? Rhue seems desperate to find his sword whenever he loses it. He wakes up in a cell, and the first question is, 'Where's my sword?!' It strengthens us...it corrupts us...heh, the Phantom Slasher could be Gollum and Rhue could be Smeigel! Well, maybe not, but you get the idea, right?
TempestTide:
I agree with BMZ's point. At first it may seem that he just wants means of defending himself, but oftentimes questioning his sword's location is the first thing he does, as when he was captured by Hill and the Blood Lyn.
So, theories so far (soem may already have been stated by others):
Regarding Rhue and the PS: We see the PS whenever Rhue falls asleep, and the PS never attempts to harm Rhue, in fact, he helps him a number of times. Plus, the Phantom Slasher's victims are never far from Rhue. Add all that along with Gaius's claim at the end of Episode 5, and we've got ourselves a good canidate. Not to mention, Rhue tends to do things impulsively, and is beginning to show a darker side.
Regarding Gaius and the PS: Gaius is also usually asleep when the PS shows up. In episode 1, we mustn't forget that Gaius was also in that tent when the PS approached. Not to mention, he was asleep when the PS killed Sacrifa and his two men at the end of E5 (although we only saw one of them die, Sacrifa may have escaped).
Regarding the identity of Serena: Our choices before Episode 5 were between Cetsa, Scatha, Lyra, Kloe, Lexus, some we have yet to meet, or Serena doesn't exist at all. After Episode 5, Cetsa has ruled herself out after lying to Rhue, then admitting the truth. Scatha previously had the most evidence pointing to her. Her mask could have been for hiding wolf scratches, plus she was quite mysterious. However, new revelations about her (involving Slade being Scatha's brother, both of them having an overly abusive mother), less evidence points to her. Though she is still a possibility, it is very unlikely. Lyra remains a possibility, having been a known survivor of the Landorin Massacre, and Rhue being with a female the night of the tragedy. However, it seems a bit too obvious. Kloe knew Cetsa, and it appears that they both found Serena's pendant, therefore neither actually are Serena. Plus, Kloe's past is with Gaius. Lexus seems to have no connection with Rhue, and was simply added to build up the plot of E4, or so it seems. I'd be willing to place my bet on someone we haven't met, or that Serena never existed at all. Or, she may have been Slade and Scatha's third sibling, who was not elaborated much on.
Regarding Slade and Scatha: This is more of a fact then a theory, that being that Scatha is Slade's older sibling. This becomes very obvious, and if it is not true, then I will stab myself in the eye.
Regarding Rhue and auras: A theory which I have come to believe true is that Rhue obtains the aura and memories of those whose blood has stained his sword. After wholloping Slade, he experiences his memories. It seems when he actually kills someone, they end up in "Dead Estrana." Jed and Midian are there (Midian being the shadowy figure Rhue plunged with in The Pits). Also, many people have seen Lexus in the Rm2k editor there too. The best theory is that Rhue killed someone, and inherited their past and memories of a girl named Serena. But how did the Rhue we know exist before he claimed his first victim?
Regarding Jeruh and Rhue (this is what I believe answers many questions if this theory is true): We hear that Jeruh, Lyra's brother, was never seen after the Landorin massacre. My belief is that no wolves killed those children, but it was Rhue himself who did so. Rhue's first ever victim, I believe, is Lyra's brother Jeruh. The flashback Rhue sees in what I believe is episode 1 is actually this: Jeruh and Lyra fled from whatever killed the other children (it is depicted as wolves in the flashback, but I believe it was the Rhue we know). When Jeruh and Lyra reached the river, Rhue caught up with them. Lyra fell into the river, and Rhue claimed his first victim, Jeruh. Jeruh's personality and emotions had a strong effect on Rhue, and Rhue now has the same hopes that Jeruh would. Lyra would be our Serena, and Jeruh (take out the J in Jeruh's name and rearranged the remaining letters. You'll get "Rhue"). Now Rhue/Jeruh seeks his long lost love/sister, whom it appears he has already met. This is, however, just a theory of mine.
Gaius could also have been involved in the Landorin massacre, knocking Lyra/Serena into the river, and the two of them (Rhue and Gaius) "killing Jeruh together."
Or, Gaius may have know Jeruh before he was killed by Rhue, and Gaius and Jeruh could have killed Trazuin's father together. When Rhue "became" Jeruh, he may not have remembered this.
Impossible:
Her name is Lyrra, not Lyra. Lyra is the character in the His Dark Materials books.
Sephiroth555:
How come I saw Lexus after I killed her in episode 4, but she is buried under a gravestone in episode 5. Was it all in Rhue's head?
Impossible:
You saw Lexus' GHOST, although we're not really sure how that works yet.
By the way,
HolsteinCow is in the process of moving this topic over to the new forums, so post there or your parents will rape you with plastic spoons.