The Evil Within 2 – Theodore and Harbinger
Father Theodore has been kept under wraps since the announce of The Evil Within 2. He has made appearances here and there (most notably in the latest gameplay trailer), but the man has remained an enigma up until now. Along with Stefano, Theodore is one of the main antagonists in The Evil Within 2, and he’s finally ready to reveal his message to the masses – a message that promises a “righteous” fury and immolation to those who oppose him. Sebastian will need to survive the wrath of this master manipulator if he is going to have any hope of finding Lily and escaping the nightmare of STEM.
Of all the characters in The Evil Within 2, Theodore is perhaps the most shrouded in mystery. Any detail about his past pushes into HUGE SPOILER territory. In other words, you’ll have to play the game in order to unlock the secrets he hides.
“Theodore is the kind of person who always hides his true face,” says Game Director John Johanas. “He’s showcased as a religious figure, but he’s very much a manipulator in the way he speaks to you and tries to get you on his side. He portrays himself as someone who is friendly and trying to help you, but you can see clearly in his demeanor and the way he creates this world of his that there is obviously something very dark beneath the surface.”
All-Seeing, All-Knowing
“He’s certainly charismatic,” adds writer Trent Haaga. “He uses the same sorts of techniques as a lot of cult leaders. It’s called neuro-linguistic programming. It’s the way in which you speak to somebody and the words you choose and the way you seem to be benevolent. You make them feel like you’re trying to help them, when in reality you’re just serving your own purposes. This is the very essence of what Theodore does.”
And it’s the very essence of how he seeks to exert his own control over not just the citizens of Union, but also Sebastian.
“If Stefano has the ability to stop time with his camera in STEM, Theodore’s ability is that he can see through you,” explains Johanas. “He can see what you’re hiding and what your weaknesses are and he can use all of that against you. That’s the spider’s web he traps Sebastian in. He makes all these grand promises, but he only serves his own purposes.”
Theodore has his own reasons for being in STEM that are separate from Mobius’ goals, which he sees as misguided. Though what he’s actually after only becomes apparent as Sebastian becomes more entangled in his world.
In His Name
Like Stefano, Theodore isn’t alone in STEM, although unlike Stefano – who commands the gruesome and terrifying Guardian and Obscura – Theodore’s main helpers aren’t creatures he created. Referred to as Harbingers, they are normal people whose minds Theodore has bent to his will. These Harbingers wield flamethrowers and seem to exist solely to carry out Theodore’s fiery will, burning any who would stand in the way of his pursuits.
“The Harbingers are people who do Theodore’s bidding,” Johanas tells us. “Theodore doesn’t act on his own, as Stefano does. He’s a manipulator, so he gets people to join him, and those people become zealots whose mission is to protect the world that Theodore is trying to create.”
“If Theodore is the puppet master,” Haaga continues, “the Harbingers are his most powerful puppets.”
The Evil Within 2 releases on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC on Friday the 13th this October.
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