Mama (Silent Hill)

Mama

Mama is an undead monster and a boss from Silent Hill: The Arcade. It kidnaps George and attempts to kill him, while Eric Lake and Tina attempt to save him. Mama is encountered in the Silent Hill 2 Labyrinth graveyard.

Character

This creature resembles a giant, female mannequin with extended arms and legs that make it easier to reach targets from a far distance. It has an open, Greek statue-like face and a distorted mouth, which screeches and spits Creepers. It can crawl on its arms and legs, which makes it a fast opponent. When weakened, it resorts to crawling on the ground and ceiling to avoid hits.

Symbolism

Its face resembles a mix of Hanna's and Emilie's, which may mean the two are related or connected, like Mary and Maria. The creature is likely based on Hanna's memory of her mother, a dominant figure; the extended hands serve as a reminder of how she was lifted and thrown into the water. The monster greatly resembles a mannequin; therefore, it can be seen as cold, an empty shell of the real person. The Creepers spawning from Mama's mouth may symbolize Hanna's feelings towards her mother's words, attributing to the term 'spewing poison' when someone shrouds their lies with kind words.

It is possible that the monster represents an older Hanna, possibly implying that she was tormented about dying and not being able to grow up. Other theories suggest that, as the monster resembles Emilie, it represents her possession, drawn in by Hanna's mother.

Trivia

• Mama's upright stance, figure, cry, and general appearance are all very similar to the Scarlet boss from Silent Hill: Homecoming and may have influenced its creation. In fact, the two both have similar attack styles, first attacking with their arms and then resorting to high speed crawling and attacking from both the ceiling and the floor.