I recently reflected on how I genuinely feel so bad for Maria. If the theory I like to think about has validity, James went to silent hill and did the rebirth ending creating Maria. He used Mary’s body, The Crimson Ceremony, White Chrism and Obsidian Goblet to bring Mary back. OG Mary could never return but instead was reborn as Maria. A cruel way the Old Gods of Silent Hill punished James for not learning his lesson. Maria was brought into a world that will never offer her warmth with feelings she could never truly have reciprocated towards her lingering from her attached memories with Mary. Each time James tries to come to terms with his sins and fails it looped over so Maria is a butterfly caught in James web of guilt and pain, she is her own person while still retaining fragments of Mary. Maria might be remembering more or less depending on how much her fractured mind allows her to on each loop. I like to theorize by the time we get to the remake she is so toned down or less emotional in a way because she is acting in self preservation rather than the initial desperation to be loved/looked after because she is desensitized. She knows it always ends the same way for her and fully accepts that it is either her or him, she can’t trust James to align his actions in her best interest, as much as I am sure the part of her connected to Mary wishes she could. Truly Tragic!
If you have anything to add to the discussion please feel free to comment below! I love any opportunity to discuss the themes of SH2!