THE OUTSIDER AND PIERO JOPLIN: AN UNUSUAL INTELLECTUAL CONNECTION


I. PIERO'S DREAMS: INDIRECT CONTACT WITH THE OUTSIDER

[From Piero's Speculation on the Spirit Wiki & in-game text]:

  • Dream Visitations: Unlike those who bear The Outs ider's Mark, Piero Joplin experienced the Void through dreams ra ther than direct contact:

    • "The spirit came to me in dreams."
    • "He stands in the nothingness with black eyes."
    • These dreams bega n during his childhood illness when he nearly died from the Plague.

  • Unique Nature of Contact: The Outsider never formally appeared to Piero as he did to Marked individuals. Instead, Piero glimpse d him during fevered dreams, seeing only fragments and whispers.

[From gameplay & audio logs ]:

  • Piero describes these dream encounters: "A frozen moment, a crack in the world, where I glimpsed a spirit from the Void , with eyes as black and shimmering as a moonless night."
  • Unlike other characters who directly converse with The Outsider, Piero never claims to have spoken with or been directly addresse d by him - only to have observed and received inspiration.

II. INSPIRATION FROM THE VOID: PIERO'S INVENTIONS

[ From in-game lore & item descriptions]:

  • ** Technological Breakthroughs**: Many of Piero's most significant inventions came after dream visitations from The Outsider:
    • ** Piero's Spiritual Remedy**: The healing elixir that competes with Sokolov's Elixir
    • Corvo's Mask: The iconic skull-like mask with mechanical components
    • ** Weapon Modifications**: Various upgrades to crossbows, pistols, and other equipment
    • Arc Pylon Designs: Early conceptual work on electrical security devices

***[From Piero's workshop notes] ***:

  • Piero explicitly credits these inspirations to his dreams: "The designs came to me fully formed, as if whispered by some unseen tutor. In my dreams, I see mechanisms of exquisite and impossible precision."
  • One journal entry states: "The spirit showed me the interlocking wheels, the exact dimensions of each gear... I merely transcribed what was already complete."

III. PIERO'S THEORIES: INTELLECTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE OUTSIDER

*** [From Piero's Speculation on the Spirit]***:

  • ** Scientific Approach**: Unlike the Abbey's religious opposition or cult worship, Piero attempted to understand The Outsider through natural philosophy:

    • "He must be a manifestation of the Void, which I theorize to be an unknowable dimension from which our reality bubbles forth."
    • "The black-eyed spirit represents a bridge between our world and the endu ring emptiness beyond time."

  • Theoretical Framework: Piero developed several theories about The Outsider's nature:

    • That he represented a "higher mathematics" beyond current understanding
    • That he was a "concentration of probability" where multiple realities intersect
    • That he might be "the universe observing itself" through a personified focal point

[From additional notes in Piero's workshop]:

  • Unlike Sokolov's obsession with summon ing The Outsider, Piero focused on understanding the theoretical implications of his existence: "The spirit's existence implies our universe has permeable boundaries with others. This explains anomalous energy readings in whale oil and certain minerals."

IV. THE OUTSIDER'S INTEREST IN PIERO

*** [From game dialogue & The Heart's revelations]***:

  • ** Selective Attention**: Despite never Marking Piero, The Outsider showed unusual interest in him:

    • "The Outsider watches this one carefully," The Heart reveals when pointed at Piero.
    • "His dreams are troubled by visions from beyond," another Heart secret reveals.

  • Relationship to Sokolov: The Outsider seemingly chose to inspire Piero rather than Sokolov, despite the latter 's elaborate attempts at contact:

    • "Sokolov seeks the attention of the black-eyed spirit, but that one has chosen another."
    • This created the scientific rivalry between the two natural philosophers, with Piero receiving inspiration he never sought while Sokolov's deliberate efforts were ignored.

[From comparative dialogue analysis]:

  • The Outsider never explicitly mentions Piero in his dialogues with Corvo or other Marked individuals , but his influence is apparent in how Piero's inventions consistently a id those who bear the Mark.

V . PIERO'S PLAGUE CURE: VOID -INSPIRED SALVATION

[From e nd-game events & epilogue]:

  • Final Inspiration: In the low chaos ending of Dishonore d, Piero and Sokolov eventually combine their knowledge to cure the Rat Plague.
  • Void Connection: Piero's contribution to the cure came partially from his Void-connections and dreams:
    • "The final formula came to me in a dream so vivid I could taste the chemicals," he notes in one recording.
    • "Something beyond showed me the correct molecular structure. I saw it rotate before my eyes, perfect and complete."

[From timeline information]:

  • The timing of Piero's breakthrough aligns with The Outsider's interest in Corvo's story reaching its conclusion - suggesting The Outsider may have indirectly facilitated the plague's cure as part of his observation of how Corvo 's story would end.

VI. THE NATURE OF INDIRECT INFLUENCE

***[Analysis based on all sources] ***:

  • Pattern of Influence: The Outsider 's relationship with Piero represents a different mode of influence than his direct Marking:

    • With Marked individuals like Corvo or Emily, he gr ants direct power and observes its use
    • With Piero, he provides intellectual inspiration and scientific insight without granting supernatural abilities
    • This suggests The Outsider can exert different types of influence depending on what interests him about a particular person

  • Complementary Roles: Piero's relationship with The Outsider complements the Marke d protagonists:

    • Marked individuals provide the action The Outsider observes
    • Piero provides the tools that make those actions possible
    • Together they create the complete narrative The Outsider finds so fascinating

VII. PHILOSOPHICAL IMPLICATIONS: SCIENCE VS. SUPERNATURAL

[From Piero's writings & Abbey doctrine] :

  • Bridging Worldviews: Piero represents a middle ground between opposing perspectives:

    • The Abbey of the Everyman views The Outsider as purely evil
    • Cultists worship him as a deity
    • Marked individuals use his power pragmatically
    • Piero applies scientific method to understand what others fear or worship

  • Knowledge Seekers: Both Piero and The Outsider share an interest in knowledge:

    • The Outsider observes to learn about humanity
    • Piero studies to understand the universe
    • This intellectual kinship may explain their connection despite lack of direct contact

[From comparative character analysis]:

  • Piero and The Outsider both exist somewhat outside normal society:
    • Piero is socially awkward, plagued by migraines, and academically ostracized
    • The Outsider exists outside time and space, observing but rarely participating
    • This shared "outsider status" creates a thematic parallel between them

VIII. CONTRASTING APPROACHES: PIERO VS. SOKOLOV

*** [From gameplay & lore documents] ***:

  • The Two Philosophers: The contrast between Piero and Sokolov's relationships with The Outsider is telling:

    • Sokolov: Actively sought The Outsider's attention through rituals, sacrifices, and occult practices - received nothing
    • Piero : Never deliberately sought contact, but received insights and inspiration through dreams
    • The Outsider tells Corvo: "Sokolov sees only the anatomy beneath the skin, he'll never know my true name."

  • The Outsider's Preference: The game strongly implies The Outsider favors genuine curiosity over desperate seeking:

    • "Sokolov lacks any true curiosity. He seeks my audience to g ain an advantage over his rivals."
    • Meanwhile, Piero represents pure intellectual passion: "His mind sees mechanisms where others see only mystery."

IX. LEGACY: PIERO'S VOID-TOUCHED TECHNOLOGIES

[From extended universe information]:

  • Lasting Impact: Piero's Void-inspire d technologies continue to impact the world long after the events of Dishonored:

    • His mask design influences future assassin guilds
    • His remedies become standard treatments for various ailments
    • His theories on the Void eventually influence the Academy's understanding of whale oil properties

  • Knowledge Transfer: Piero's notebooks contain scattered references to his dreams and the "black-eyed spirit," creating a subtle record of The Outsider's influence on scientific development.

X. THEMATIC SIGNIFICANCE: DIFFERENT PATHS TO THE VOID

[Analytical synthesis from all sources]:

  • ** Multiple Approaches**: Piero's story demonstrates that interaction with The Outsider and the Void can take many forms:

    • Worship (cultists)
    • Bearing the Mark (protagonists)
    • Scientific study (Piero)
    • Artistic representation (Delilah's paintings)
    • Technological application (Jindosh)

  • The Outsider's Perspective: The Outsider appears to value this diversity of approaches, finding interest in how different people interpret and interact with the same mysterious force.

  • Complete Understanding: Piero's relationship with The Outsider suggests that complete understanding of the Void requires both supernatural experience and scientific analysis - neither alone is sufficient.

The relationship between The Outsider and Piero Joplin represents one of the most intellectually nuanced connections in the Dishonored universe. While lacking the dramatic supernatural elements of the Marked characters' stories, their connection demonstrates how The Outsider's influence extends beyond direct power-granting to inspiration and intellectual development.

Piero serves as a crucial example of how The Outsider influences the world through multiple channels - not just through the dramatic actions of assassins and empresses, but through the quiet work of scientists and inventors whose creations shape society more subtly but perhaps more fundamentally.

This relationship also highlights a central theme of Dishonored: that the supernatural and the scientific are not opposing forces but complementary approaches to understanding the same reality, with the most significant breakthroughs occurring where these seemingly contradictory worldviews intersect.

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