Victims of the PS

[Lireka]

The Phantom Slasher does not kill at random by any sense of the word. Each and every person that it kills have something in common. ... look for what all the victims have in common.

I don't think this has ever been discussed in detail. Maybe if we list the characteristics of each attack, we can figure out something important about the ps.

I went through the 5 episodes and read over the scenes of these attacks, and noticed that except for the girl and the shadow lords in Estrana, every group had a fire going. And after the first group was attacked, the switch "EndofFireScene1" comes on. It's probably unrelated, but I find it strange anyway.

E1:
Setting: forest, scattered trees, tent, fire
Time: Night

girl (eventname:LEXUS oO)-Believes in the purpose, destiny; hopeful
woman-scared of Rhue
man-does not believe in the purpose, thinks forerunners are crazy

E2
Setting: Lyrra's fist, tent, fire
Time: Night

Setting: Forest, fire
Time: unknown

man-already dead
man-already dead
man-already dead, half buried

Setting: unknown
Time: unknown

The bandit in the Marna stretch talks of his friends who were killed. He says, "MAN: All my buddies that
were killed are\..\..\..\.\. uh\..\..\..
Heh, \.\.they were all good
men.\| Anyway, nice to meet you,\.\.
I'm Tiller.
He stops before revealing the common element. I personally think they were all bandits, partly because he said "my buddies". Who would be a bandit's "buddy"? A bandit. Certainly not "good men". I can't think of anything else.

E4:
Setting: Estrana, in an alley
Time: hm... I can't really remember. I think it's at night though

Shadow lord: was about to rape Cherla
Cherla: She was interested in Rhue, but other than that, I can't think of anything
Shadow lord: same as the other one

Setting: a room in the Casino beside Rhue's, candles, five ppl sitting around a table
Time: Night
The Arastotzi were planning to kill Rhue on Entrego's orders when the ps strikes.

Stoyko: Believes Rhue is dangerous
Arastotzi: says nothing
Arastotzi: says nothing
Arastotzi: says nothing
Arastotzi: says nothing

I guess this would eliminate any common element in numbers

E5:
Setting: Clearing in a dense forest, fire
Time: Night

Rebel: talks about the rebellion and main force arriving, the man from Xor, and Tetzel. He is relaxed and thinks they are safe
Sacrifa: says the ps is a tool of Tetzel and is overestimated. He has recieved orders to pass around stories of the ps. He thinks it is to scare people so they would not reach the end of the way.
Guided (at right): Is very worried about the fire and the ps.

I see nothing that they have in common, other than the fire and they're surrounded by something like trees or rocks. But the fire's presence isn't consistent, and I'm pretty sure what the victims have in common's something more than that. I know I missed a lot of things, so that might be the reason.

[Impossible]

Don't forget the Arastotzi.

And we've heard of other attacks - specifically from the bandit on Marna Stretch. He said they all had something in common.

If the PS is a tool of Tetzel, it could be a disbelief in the Purpose, but that wouldn't explain the girl at the start of E1. Maybe just because she was with that guy who didn't believe in the Purpose, and there can't be any witnesses (which also might explain Cherla).

[Shade]

I think the fact that he doesn't kill children is, at least, somewhat relevant.

[Impossible]

Maybe the PS or whoever controls it believes children to be innocent... At least, they could be too young to really disbelieve the Purpose, if we go down that road.

[Lireka]

hm... I forgot about the bandit in the Marna stretch. I think he was saying that all his friends who had gotten killed were bandits, but he stopped at the last moment (since he was one himself)

Maybe the PS or whoever controls it believes children to be innocent... At least, they could be too young to really disbelieve the Purpose, if we go down that road.

I think I read something like that in the bible; seven years before the end of the world all the christians and children will be taken because they're innocent.

If Tetzel wanted Sacrifa to spread the word about the ps then he must be connected to it somehow.

Edit: I can't seem to remember the attacks on the Arastotzi...

[Shade]

I don't think the bandit was going to say that they were all bandits. It was probably something else that would've been more relevant since the PS killed a lot of people that weren't bandits.

[Lireka]

Well, I really can't think of anything else. We know it's not because they're not "all good men" as the bandit says, and whatever it is, he can't afford to let Rhue know about it because it represents an imediate danger to their cause--which I would assume to get rid of the Guided in the area, and set up as a settlement to rob wanderers? And what else would endanger that cause except to let slip that they're not what they seem? Anyway that's just what I believe because I really can't think of anything else that makes sense. @_@

[Alec]

Well, I really can't think of anything else. We know it's not because they're not "all good men" as the bandit says, and whatever it is, he can't afford to let Rhue know about it because it represents an imediate danger to their cause--which I would assume to get rid of the Guided in the area, and set up as a settlement to rob wanderers? And what else would endanger that cause except to let slip that they're not what they seem? Anyway that's just what I believe because I really can't think of anything else that makes sense. @_@

In that case, settlers would make sense, a few people you see don't really show their status on whether they plan on settling.

[Culix]

Edit: I can't seem to remember the attacks on the Arastotzi...

I'd forgotten about it, too. It was a pretty brief scene and some other important things happened both before and after, so that does make some sense. Anyway, the night before the first Plunge with Strata, Rhue meets with Entrego and Cetsa. Then, that night, when Rhue is asleep, it shows the room north of his, where the Arastotzi are planning to kill Rhue in his sleep. Then, the Phantom Slasher appears from the balcony (I believe) and proceeds to kill all of them.

[Lireka]

Well, I really can't think of anything else. We know it's not because they're not "all good men" as the bandit says, and whatever it is, he can't afford to let Rhue know about it because it represents an imediate danger to their cause--which I would assume to get rid of the Guided in the area, and set up as a settlement to rob wanderers? And what else would endanger that cause except to let slip that they're not what they seem? Anyway that's just what I believe because I really can't think of anything else that makes sense. @_@

In that case, settlers would make sense, a few people you see don't really show their status on whether they plan on settling.

... I think you misunderstood me. If the bandit's friends who were killed were all settlers... there's really nothing wrong with that since Rhue's not a Guided, and that's not much of a common element

[Fitz Tayo]

... I think you misunderstood me. If the bandit's friends who were killed were all settlers... there's really nothing wrong with that since Rhue's not a Guided, and that's not much of a common element

Not if Rhue or the Phantom Slasher, whichever may be whom and all that stuff is being controlled by Tetzel or something else that is upholding the purpose, maybe even the purpose itself.

[Sage Of The Wise]

After thinking about it for awhile, I thought a common link could be that they all were planning on killing someone and anyone who sees the PS. This could work for everyone, though I don't know why any of the people from the beggining of EP1 would have murder on my minds, it does work for the rest of them.

[Impossible]

Here's an interesting discussion, mostly following the idea that Rhue is the PS. I'll bold the parts most interesting and most worth responding to if you don't want to read it all, although I recommend you do to get the whole picture.

<Roman> Heh.
<Roman> I've got a PS theory..
<Roman> perhaps he's "perfect justice" his victims have done somthing wrong and deserve death
<Impossible`> I thought of that, too.
<Roman> perhaps the PS almost killed rhue as a kid... but spared him due to his innocence
<Impossible`> Suppose he kills every person to commit a sin.
<Impossible`> But kids are innocent.
<Non-Sequitur> Does that have to do with "the plan"?
<Roman> the purpose?
<Impossible`> I think the PS would have killed a lot more victims if that were the case.
<Teenr0cker> well the perfect justice is bullshit if he kills people
<Impossible`> Lots of people steal, lie, disbelieve the Purpose (again, Tetzel theory), etc.
<Non-Sequitur> No. You said, "that's the plan".
<Roman> what does traziun's dad want Gaius or Rhus to be?
<Impossible`> Teenr0cker, read the manga "Death Note".
<Teenr0cker> whatever happened to thou shalt not kill?
<Impossible`> It's about a kid who gets the ability to kill pretty much everyone by writing their name in a special notebook, and he uses it to kill all criminals in the world.
<Impossible`> Well, not really kid, more like teenager. >_>
<Impossible`> He wants to kill all bad people.
<Roman> heh
<Roman> what if the PS is indeed faultless... able to judge others.
<Impossible`> The point is, the PS or its controller may think it's creating a perfect world.
<Roman> and when they fall short.... they die
<Teenr0cker> dum dum dummmmm!!!!
<Impossible`> Perhaps anyone who sees the PS has to die, too.
<Impossible`> Thus, PS shows up to kill one sinner, innocent people near them will die as well.
<Roman> unless Rhue was faced with the PS early on in his childhood..
<Roman> then again, he may not have seen it
<Impossible`> Maybe you become... Immune? To the PS if you see him while you're a child.
<Impossible`> And then while you're an adult he won't attack you.
<Roman> possible.
<Impossible`> That, or Rhue/Gaius is the PS... >_>
<Roman> or the PS fears somethign about rhue
<Roman> who is generally believed to kill Traz's mom?
<Impossible`> I think the story could have many different PS possibilities which would all work out very well.
<Impossible`> Rhue, I guess.
<Impossible`> It's a shame we only get one potential PS.
<Impossible`> And one potential explanation for his motives.
<OoS> What if there's two or maybe three PS's?
<Impossible`> Rhue is the most likely with the Traziun's mother thing, especially considering the E5 alternate ending.
<Roman> it's interesting that Rhue's "start" of the way is now the "end" of the way
<OoS> We don't know that there's actually just one PS.
<Roman> rhue's description of what happened that night is fairly vague... we got it from an account of how he got his sword right?
<Roman> he mentioned two guys... who were very quiet... and one gave them a sword (my guess is they were dead, and he removed the sword from one of their bodies)
<Roman> he could be seeing the sin in himself... and can't justify his "justice" if he's the PS
<Non-Sequitur> If Rhue is the PS do you think that other people just see Rhue when they see the PS?
<Impossible`> But pretty much EVERYONE has commited a sin at some point.
<Roman> i agree imp.
<Impossible`> So maybe the PS essentially kills everyone, so he's like an experiment gone wrong.
<Roman> right.
<Roman> ...
<Roman> what significance does sleeping have on auras?
<Roman> when Rhue meets traz, he's sleeping initially..
<Impossible`> No idea...
<Impossible`> Simply not believing in the Purpose might be possible....
<Roman> when rhue goes unconscious... sometimes people die..
<Roman> like entrego's place..
<Impossible`> Man at campsite in E1 doesn't believe in the Purpose.
<Impossible`> PS shows up, everyone dies.
<Roman> hm.
<Impossible`> Nobody sees the PS and lives, I think that's clear.
<Impossible`> Unless Alan did...
<Roman> then a tool of tetzel isn't untrue.
<Roman> maybe rhue doesn't like looking at himself then because he's the PS... and can't live:)
<Impossible`> If Rhue is the PS, and if the tool of Tetzel thing is still true, then Tetzel probably gave Rhue his sword...
<Impossible`> So Rhue is just a medium for the PS to come out in.
<Roman> could be
<Roman> but let's not rule out.. that Rhue can change his sword aura...
<Impossible`> Although that doesn't explain the PS following Rhue all the time.
<Impossible`> Like in E1 lots of times, in E3 after getting out of the Pits...
<Roman> from a seemingly directly names illuminati to a shadow aura
<Impossible`> Maybe the PS is bodiless without Rhue.
<OoS> What if Rhue and the PS were two sides of one person, and were seperated?
<Impossible`> So it's only ever a shadow, an *aura*, following him.
<Roman> like.... without the body, there'd be no shadow (or aura) on the way?
<Impossible`> The PS we see following Rhue in the opening scenes, before entering the cave in E1, etc., could just be the PS' aura.
<Roman> right
<Impossible`> So he's invisible.
<Impossible`> Except Rhue sees him in E1.
<Roman> he does?
<Impossible`> At the end.
<Impossible`> E1/E2.
<Impossible`> And in E5.
<Impossible`> Actually, the prison break thing might contradict the aura idea.
<Roman> was rhue asleep when it happened?
<Impossible`> He was sort of half-asleep, I guess.
<Impossible`> In E5 he was just waking up
<Roman> I think consciousness plays a large role in the PS's movements..
<Roman> or Lun leads us to believe that
<Impossible`> The PS possessing Rhue when he's asleep is likely.
<Roman> i don't think it has to be his body... only his aura or something..
<Impossible`> Maybe those times in E1/E5, both Rhue and the PS take physical form when Rhue passes in and out of consciousness.
<Roman> like his spirit
<Impossible`> Spirits don't smash doors open.
<Impossible`> It's possible Rhue can see the aura and nobody else can, though.
<Roman> maybe the way's spirits can
<Roman> no.. people show fright before they die
<Roman> like at the campfire
<Roman> in E5
<Impossible`> True...
<Impossible`> But the PS may have been in Rhue's body at that time.
<Impossible`> I think when he kills, he's in Rhue's body.
<Roman> i think the PS moves and affects the world in a physical way when Rhue is not conscious
<Roman> hmm
<Roman> we'll have to see.
<Roman> why does teh PS want rhue to have that sword?
<Non-Sequitur> Fwacho said it was perceptive of someone to notice that Rhue only sees the PS when he is alone.
<Non-Sequitur> Could Rhue and the PS be like Mort and Shooter from The Secret Window?
<Roman> i'm unfamiliar with "The Secret Window"
<OoS> Same here.
<Impossible`> If the PS possesses Rhue through the sword, than he would need Rhue to keep it.
<Non-Sequitur> I have heard that the concept is similar to Fight Club, but I haven't seen Fight Club.
<Glenn> Good movie.
<Impossible`> Why does it have to be Rhue, though? Couldn't the PS possess anybody with the sword?
<Roman> they're split personalities ... don't know about the other's actions
<Roman> well,
<Roman> apparently not slade?
<Non-Sequitur> Then Rhue is the only one that can see the PS. Everyone else just sees Rhue.
<Impossible`> It could just be for the convenience because Rhue sees it as his sword, so he doesn't have to force it into someone elses possession, or Tetzel (if it was Tetzel, anyway) chose Rhue for a reason...
<Impossible`> That's true, the PS didn't use Slade.
<Roman> or couldn't.
<Roman> and didn't kill slade.
<Impossible`> That IS strange...
<Impossible`> But Slade is obsessed with justice.
<Roman> true.
<Impossible`> Maybe he never did anything wrong.
<Impossible`> Only what he was told to do.
<Roman> mm hmm
<Impossible`> So the PS might not judge him for performing his mother and then the council's wishes.
<Roman> because he was simply practicing justice.
<Impossible`> And Slade didn't actually see the PS.
<Roman> no
<Glenn> HAH. Memnoch....
<OoS> Which would suggest that the PS is Gaius, because Gaius can apparently see what people have done wrong in the past.
<Impossible`> So Slade could be kind of like the PS...
<Impossible`> Except for the mass murderer part.
<OoS> He saw Kloe kill that guy when he was near her.
<Roman> true.
<Roman> true.
<Roman> but could Gaius tell a lie>?
<Roman> because he calls Rhue the ps
<Impossible`> It seems like an awfully climatic point for Gaius to just flat out lie.
<OoS> Didn't Gaius say that he and Rhue killed someone?
<OoS> What if Gaius and Rhue were somehow the same person?
<Impossible`> ...No.
<OoS> Okay.
<Impossible`> Gaius might just THINK Rhue is the PS. (just wanted to add on here to make it more clear: He might think it as opposed to lying or being the PS, because we know it must be one of them.)
<Roman> i don't think that's likely.
<OoS> Hey, just saying.
<Impossible`> That, or Gaius is the PS.
<Impossible`> That thing with Gaius knowing what people have done wrong IS a good point...
<Impossible`> But he didn't kill Kloe.
<Impossible`> The PS is meant to be emotionless.
<Roman> but he wants to
<Impossible`> And kill without mercy.
<Roman> (kill kloe)
<Impossible`> If the PS is Gaius, we also have to wonder why he didn't kill Rhue, in that case.
<Impossible`> Maybe the PS has more emotion than we think.
<Impossible`> And won't kill anyone he knows.
<Impossible`> Gaius knows Rhue from when they killed someone.
<Roman> from a broad perspective, it seems that Gaius is in charge of the PS/Rhue experiment of justice
<Impossible`> Maybe.
<Impossible`> At least, he knows a lot about him.
<Roman> more than Rhue does about himself
<Impossible`> Possibly from his ability to see into peoples' minds.
<Impossible`> And he saw what happened to Rhue.
<Impossible`> If Gaius is the PS, I doubt the justice thing is accurate.
<Impossible`> Although he may have a VERY good reason to still not kill Rhue...
<Roman> why's that?
<Roman> ah.
<Impossible`> And he may still love Kloe and be hiding it.
<Impossible`> But he's had so many other chances to kill people.
<Impossible`> And he hasn't.
<Roman> yeah.
<Roman> so talk to me about Rhue's sword..
<Roman> and more specifically... his ability to shift aura's in E5 to something nearing "illuminati" and something more like "shadow"
<Impossible`> That could just be for the sake of gameplay.
<Jeramyu> Rhue's sword... Is a link to early 20th century London.
<Impossible`> But the death of Jed and the aura removal of Cade prove there's definitely something to the auras.
<Roman> definate absorbtion or something..
<Roman> like jopaga's experiment
<Impossible`> The one thing we know for certain at this point is that Rhue or his sword can absorb auras.
<Roman> maybe Rhue can suck them in better than anyone else...
<Roman> wasn't his sword removed from Rhue while he was chained with the jopaga experiment?
<Impossible`> Well, he has his sword afterwards.
<Impossible`> He was chained to a wall anyway, maybe he still had his sword...
<Impossible`> I'll check.
<Impossible`> The sword is more likely, though, when you consider Slade.
<Impossible`> And Rhue had to kill Jopaga and his men with SOMETHING.
<Roman> I agree.. but the first guy to be injected..
<Roman> Rhue grabbed it.
<Roman> I think it's probably safer to bet on the sword being responsible for the massive aura absorbtion.
<Impossible`> Yeah.
<Impossible`> Rhue didn't mention his sword in the Jopaga scene...
<Jeramyu> Looking at the sprite, Rhue did have his sword with him when he was strapped to the wall
<Roman> I think the most clear sword of the game was the one Traz used to kill his dad, and lyraa used in her quest for vengence...
<Roman> Ah.
<Roman> thx jera
<Impossible`> Didn't Traziun use Night Reaper, and Lyrra use Ghost Horror?
<Roman> I didn't know that Lyrras was named... but it flew off the screen from traz, and onto the screen with lyrra i thought
<Roman> it's been too long since i've played
<Impossible`> Lyrra used Kalmar's sword.
<Roman> hmm
<Roman> when Rhue faced kalmar initially... their swords blocked and made a funky sound..
<Roman> then Kalmar appeared shocked and afraid... and pretty much ran..
<Roman> if that was kalmar's sword that lyrra held, Rhue was able to beat her easily..
<Roman> well... suffice it to say that I was under the impression that kalmar was unable to fight with rhue
<Impossible`> Lyrra doesn't know how to use a sword.
<Roman> but illuminati wouldn't fight with each other.
<Impossible`> Rhue only hit Lyrra, not the sword.
<Roman> i think if they both held illuminati, they wouldn't have been able to fight
<Roman> so one or both held shadow swords... if there is such a thing?
<Impossible`> Rhue couldn't attack the Harbringer, but he can attack Lyrra.
<Impossible`> There has to be a significance there.
<Impossible`> Possibly evidence that Rhue has an Illuminati.
<Roman> I believe probably so.
<Impossible`> Could Rhue have an Illuminati and still be the PS? Now, THAT would be interesting.
<Roman> well... what's to say that perfect justice isn't contradictory of an illuminati
<Impossible`> Wait, just looking at something I said before...
<Impossible`> <Impossible`> But he's had so many other chances to kill people.
<Impossible`> <Impossible`> And he hasn't.
<Impossible`> Referring to Gaius.
<Impossible`> Gaius could be in the same boat we think Rhue is, and not know he's the PS.
<Impossible`> The PS could be a tool not of Tetzel, but of Kalmar.
<Impossible`> But Gaius seems a lot more self-aware than Rhue right now.
<Impossible`> It's still possible, though...

[Fredric]

Rhue's sword absorbed Midian's aura.
When in the sword Midian can control what Rhue can attack and not, shoot daysaving bolts on people in the pits and other neat stuff.
When not in the sword he appears as the Phantom Slasher, the aura without a body.

[Sephiroth555]

Wow, that convo was a real eye opener, espically then last few lines. Gaius could be the PS without even knowing it, all thanks to none other than Kalmar... but he's dead now.