Lisa Garland (The Liar)



This is a theory into Lisa Garland being a liar and deceiver in Silent Hill: Origins, acting as a tool for the Order. This theory also includes information from Silent Hill 1.

Theory
Lisa Garland is first met inside Alchemilla Hospital after Travis Grady defeats the Straightjacket. She will be standing next to Travis after he wakes up from his unconscious state. After some introductory conversation, she will mention three very important points:


 * 1) She is a trainee nurse.
 * 2) She specifically mentions that Alessa Gillespie died in the house fire.
 * 3) She is going to Cedar Grove Sanitarium to meet Dr. Michael Kaufmann.

Fast-forward to the Artaud Theater. Travis will meet Lisa here and she will highlight her biggest aspiration: she wants to be an actress.

"— n ~ Collins World English Dictionary"
 * 1) A woman who acts in a play, film, broadcast, etc.
 * 2) (Informal) A woman who puts on a false manner in order to deceive others.

In regard to the latter definition, could Lisa's aspiration of being an actress be a subtle hint that she is lying and deceiving somebody? Perhaps Travis? At the end of the day, actors/actresses are nothing more than liars switching in and out of different personas for the viewers entertainment. You have to consider what else could this information serve in the game? Perhaps to develop the character, but even then, why waste an entire scene on it?

If she is a liar, then what proof is there and what is her motive? To answer this question, it's best to look forward (chronologically) to the first Silent Hill. Two very important aspects are known about Lisa in this title. Firstly, she is the nurse in charge of caring for Alessa and secondly, she is addicted to PTV, a hallucinogenic.

"Ask doctor to let me quit being in charge of that patient. It's too weird. Still alive, but with wounds that won't heal. Told the doctor I quit. Won't work at that hospital anymore. The room is filled with insects. Even with doors and windows shut they get in to spite me. To the Hospital... Feeling bad. Need to throw up. But nothing comes out. Vomiting only bile. Blood and pus flow from the bathroom faucet. I try to stop it, but it won't turn off. Need drug. Help me... ~ Lisa's Diary found in Nowhere (SH1)"

''Perennial herb found near water. Reaches height of 10 to 15 inches. Oblong leaves, white blossoms. Seeds contain hallucinogen. Ancient records show it was used for religious ceremonies. The hallucinogenic effect was key. ~ White Claudia Description found in Nowhere (SH1)"''

In Silent Hill, she was put in charge of taking care of Alessa, but in Origins, she specifically tells Travis, a man she has just met (while also breaching doctor-patient confidentiality) that Alessa died in the fire, the two don't coincide. Yes there is a possibility that she didn't take care of Alessa until much later on, but the idea that nurses would so willingly give out such information at the mere mention of the event that happened doesn't make any sense. Not to mention that Alessa isn't dead!

So why mention it in the first place? Perhaps it's all to do with the bigger picture, leading Travis away from Alessa.

''"Travis - That fire last night, the girl who was burned is she here? Dr. Kaufmann - A girl? We've received no new patients in the last day or so?" ~ Video Scene between Travis and Kaufmann in Alchemilla Hospital"''

"SOMEONE MADE A HOLE. GO HOME, TRAVIS. ~ Bedside table found in Greenfield Apartments"

Kaufmann lied, someone keeps leaving notes behind, therefore why is it so difficult to think Lisa is lying? Saying Alessa is dead is a risky but possible way of getting Travis out of the picture and going home.

Afterwards, Lisa will mention that she has to meet Dr. Kaufmann at the sanitarium, obviously Travis will follow, if nothing else because of the suspicious activity of the two characters. Here, Kaufmann informs Lisa of Travis' past, specifically about his mother, Helen Grady. With this information, Lisa makes Travis fully aware of his past (which up until now has been somewhat repressed), serving nothing more as a distraction which will give the Order much needed time to continue with their plans.

"Grady is unlikely to return here, he is still running around town chasing after ghosts. He is ignorant of the bigger picture anyway. - Telegram extract from Dahlia in Riverside Motel"

But what is her motive? Why is she possibly helping the Order and their nefarious plans?

Answer? Drugs and perhaps to some extent, ambition. Lisa mentioned when first meeting Travis that she was a trainee nurse, most likely with a low income, probably not enough to feed a drug habit. It's also common knowledge for people who don't aspire to reach their dreams, and in her case an actress, to channel all that ambition into their current job. Who better to supply her drugs and help her fulfill her ambitions than the director of Alchemilla Hospital; Dr. Kaufmann. Kaufmann gains a useful pawn and in the short term, someone young and beautiful to fulfill his manly needs (Remember the scene with Lisa and Kaufmann giggling and sharing their intimacy in Riverside Motel). Lisa on the other hand has a little fun, possible promotion prospects and a regular supply of PTV. (PTV is first seen in the Motel Room where Kaufmann and Lisa are sharing their intimate moment) She's probably too young to care about the future effects of her actions and her usage of PTV might only be recreational for the time being. Whilst Kaufmann sees it as an "investment" in the future, Lisa sees it as more of a short-term prospect all about getting what she wants, and if that means lying to some innocent man about a girl's death? Then why not? You're only young once...