Valtiel

Valtiel

Valtiel in Silent Hill 3.

Other names

None

Debut

Silent Hill 3

Other appearances

N/A

Health

Unknown

Locations

Central Square Shopping Center
Brookhaven Hospital
The Chapel

Weapons

None

Attack method(s)

N/A

Valtiel is a monster in Silent Hill 3, as well as a governing angel in the religion of Silent Hill. His name means "attendant" by way of the French word "valet"; his existence as an angel is derived from suffixing "-el.". Thus he is "Attendant of God".

History

Valtiel was first mentioned in the third installment of the Silent Hill series. Because of its passive role in the game and its designation as a servant, it is thought that Valtiel is the subordinate of another dominant supernatural presence in Silent Hill. In the long standing tradition of Silent Hill, Valtiel is a saintly being corresponding to an angel, possibly Metatron.

In the religious tradition of Silent Hill, Valtiel was one of the beings said to be created by God in order to lead people to obey her. It is worshiped as the one who is closest to God. A special sect was made in the honor of the Valtiel, founded by Jimmy Stone, called the Valtiel Sect. In it this angel is venerated as a way to get closer to God. Likewise, Pyramid Head wears similar ceremonial robes, gloves, and appears to have cloth stitching, all in homage to this being.

Whenever a shift in the Otherworld occurs, Valtiel appears before Heather Mason, the protagonist and heroine of Silent Hill 3. In many instances Valtiel is seen turning a valve; this is both a symbolic gesture of the cycle of rebirth, which he governs, and an implication that Valtiel has some control over the shifting to the Otherworld that takes place throughout the series. Valtiel seemingly has little or no actual concern with Heather, but rather for the God that sleeps within her. Should Heather die, Valtiel can be seen dragging her corpse, presumably intending to resurrect the holy "Mother of God".

Heather first encounters Valtiel when going down an elevator in the shopping mall where it appears to be hanging another monster. Heather sees the creature behind a fan. If the player dies depending on the location (such as Central Square Shopping Center), a small cinematic shows Valtiel carrying Heather's dead body away.

Her next major encounter with this creature is in Brookhaven Hospital when Heather is climbing up a ladder. Valtiel is seen turning a valve in the background. After that, Valtiel can be seen several times in the chapel hanging nurses and crawling around in vents, and finally appearing in the final battle watching over God.

Valtiel may have a similar role to that of Pyramid Head, however while this one takes the role of an executioner hurting and abusing monsters, or stalking James Sunderland, Valtiel's following of Heather is largely passive. If Heather dies, Valtiel even removes her corpse to a presumably safer location to resurrect the God inside her. However, this courtesy of care does not seem to extend beyond her, as Valtiel is often seen violently abusing nurses and other female monsters while twisting the valve, and appears to torture them, though he lacks the sexual connotation that embodies Pyramid Head's behavior.

The creators have stated that Valtiel has appeared in different forms in the previous works of the Silent Hill series. The ceremonial robes worn by the figures in the Otherworld elementary school that appeared in Silent Hill were a homage to Valtiel, while Pyramid Head himself was a being or form connected to Valtiel's existence.

Psychical appearances

It is humanoid in appearance, but its head vibrates and twitches rapidly, obscuring its facial features; although there are not many features to behold, as his face is blank and leathery, with a series of crude stitches where his mouth should be. It's garbed in ceremonial robes and wears gloves.

Pyramid Head is connected to this being as both of them are described as taking different forms depending on the person. A further connection is that Pyramid Head is stated to be the shape of Valtiel's reason for existence. The Butcher also resembles it, but possesses a more violent and bloodthirsty desire.

An interesting feature is that Valtiel has the Seal of Metatron on both of his shoulders. Metatron and Valtiel are both considered the "Agents of God", and this mark could suggest that Valtiel is in Metatron's servitude or that he himself is actually Metatron.

Symbolism

Derived from "Valet." As God's attendant, Valtiel observes Heather in order to ensure the birth of God. It is unknown whether this creature is created from either Heather or Claudia Wolf.

Valtiel could be identified with either Lobsel Vith or Xuchilbara, the Yellow God and Red God respectively, mentioned in "Myth 4: Creation." Both having been created to assist God in keeping humanity obedient to her, both are tasked with a rather important duty. Given Valtiel's distinction as being the closest to God, he could be synonymous with either one. In the same Myth, there is a being similar to Valtiel, if not Valtiel himself, in the bottom left of the painting.

Although he makes no appearance outside of Silent Hill 3, the presence of the Otherworld and the siren heard from afar in the rest of the series suggests Valtiel is there, watching over the safety of the "Holy Mother."