L J

player musings

This was taken from my Livejournal. It's not written like a Nobel prize winner, but it gets my point across.

May 23, 2005 //

I've found out that I'm not the only one I know with this 'thing' about Salazar. My sister's friend, who we're both sitting the cat for and borrowing the game from, went on and on forever about him. All of us try to savor the cut scenes with him in them, and enjoy his comedic presence as long as it lasts. What is it about him that's so hypnotic, besides his adorable voice and accent? Mostly, it's because he's so mysterious; his backstory is so limited, even when he seems like such an amazing character.

I kept my word, though. Meaning, I did tear up when I killed him two nights ago. It was just so sad. I hate having to kill obviously used and misguided villains, just because they're labeled as such. I rambled to myself afterwards about why he was the way he was, and I think I have him pretty well figured out. I never thought I'd be writing character analysis for Salazar, but hell, if the muse strikes you...

As we know from the game, our Salazar was the eighth castellan of the castle that Leon and Ashley take refuge in, and judging from his clothing, he hails from the 18th century. As a leading member of the Los Illuminados cult, he is an ally of Saddler, and is lead by him to think that he has power over the present situation. Just like he was lead to think for centuries. So, what happened before then?

As far as his personal history goes, it's hard to tell, but based on what I observe, he's a very lonely person. He must have been when Saddler convinced him to release the Plagas from their sealed spot and wreak havoc upon humanity. Of course, this was after much convincing aka brainwashing on Saddler's part; I don't think that in his right mind Salazar would have had anything to do with all of that. He was a young man of privilege, heir to great wealth and fortune and a largely respected family name.

But, I digress. I think that he was likely an only child, or at the very least was secluded in some way, physically or emotionally. Distant or dead parents might do the trick. And of course, his height may have earned him the taunts of those around him. In game, you do find a diary entry from the Salazar family butler that says that Saddler knew young Ramon presently had no family, and that likely made it considerably easier for him to snatch him up ideologically. Playing off of people's emotions and distress -- it's the man's greatest ability.

Withdrawing from the society around him for whatever reasons, he turned his need for belonging, for attention, to the strange cult, Los Illuminados. He could feel a part of something when involved with them, as dark and cruel as they were. He earnestly pursued his blossoming interest, and as the game confirms, did some digging in the castle's history and discovered his family's dealings with the Los Illuminados many years earlier.

I believe that around this time, Saddler worked his bad mojo, and buddied up to him enough to convince him that to atone for his family's 'sins' (stifling the cult itself and sealing away the parasitic Plagas underground) would be his central purpose in life. Also, around this time, Salazar probably was injected with the parasites, and not long after, succumbed to them; had his will, his desire to reject them been stronger, he might have 'lived' longer. But, as fate would have it, he would become one of the afflicted. Had someone been there to help him out, to keep him away from the cult, to convince him that he need not look elsewhere for friendship and warmth, I think he probably would not have become involved. But that's just my romantic speculation.

In any event, the young castellan would lose his humanity to the parasite, but not totally. One unique thing about him was how he managed to appear both old and young. He had the pale, almost withered appearance of an old man, but he still also possessed childlike cheekiness and vitality. Of course, we find out that he's actually only twenty years old, and that's kind of shocking. But from his actions and attitude, you can tell you're dealing with someone young.

One example is the infamous scene where Leon confronts him for the second to last time in the tower where they eventually fight, and Leon throws a knife into his hand, staking it to the wall. As he watches it bleed, he is very shaken, almost to the point of crying I'd say. His bodyguard is the one to finally pull it out of his hand and throw it back. But what a stark contrast to the confident and power-hungry figure you meet when you first arrive in the castle's audience hall. I don't think that had Leon pulled that with Saddler, he would have seen the same response. At all. Salazar's still young mentally, even if centuries of being afflicted have worked to distort his human appearance. At the very least, he's not above genuine fear, a very human characteristic.

I'm tempted to do some fanart of him pre-Saddler, just to see what he might have looked like. Probably pretty cute. And his antics with Leon were funny also. He was always out to draw Leon's ire, from his frequent cutting in on the radio transmissions to his little life or death 'games' around the castle. He seemed to be having fun most of the time, and that in itself was entertaining.

It's just so unfortunate that he couldn't see through Saddler's plan before it completely overwhelmed him. Although, the butler also wrote that he thought that maybe Salazar knew vaguely of his plan. But ultimately did nothing. Does that make him nihilistic? Not necessarily. I think it makes him human -- a very heartsick and disillusioned human. What more than a positively bleak existence could await him by going on as one of Saddler's pawns, not to mention as a half-dead host to a mind-controlling parasite? I think he may have wanted to free himself at some point, but as he lost part of his humanity, he lost the will for it.

Bottom line: the one he respected most let him down -- flat. And he needs hugs, LOTS OF THEM. His is a sad, sad story indeed.