The Outsider & The Void

 

THE OUTSIDER: DEFINITIVE SUMMARY

The Outsider is a complex, pivotal entity within the Dishonored universe - neither god nor human, but something uniquely in-between. Originally a homeless orphan boy sacrificed 4,000 years ago by a cult called "The Envisioned," he was transformed into the physical manifestation of the Void, a parallel dimension that exists as the "inverse of all reality."

Nature and Powers:

  • Appears as a young man (19-20) with solid black eyes
  • Grants supernatural abilities to those who interest him through his Mark
  • Can observe multiple timelines and perceive possible futures
  • Exists primarily within the Void but can manifest at shrines, in dreams, or to Marked individuals
  • Cannot directly affect the physical world without intermediaries

Character Evolution:

  • Dishonored 1: Detached, cryptic observer
  • Dishonored 2: More emotionally engaged, showing frustration with Delilah
  • Death of the Outsider: Reveals vulnerability and weariness with eternal existence

Cosmic Significance:

  • Serves as the conscious face of the Void, giving form to formlessness
  • Exists in symbiosis with the Void, neither being complete without the other
  • Maintains cosmic balance between order and chaos

Cultural Impact:

  • Worshipped by various cults despite persecution
  • Opposed by the Abbey of the Everyman as the source of all chaos
  • Observed with fascination by natural philosophers like Sokolov

Philosophical Role:

  • Embodies moral neutrality, providing power without dictating its use
  • Represents choice vs. fate - "How you use what I have given you falls upon you"
  • Functions as both character and meta-narrative device commenting on player choices

Ultimate Fate: In Death of the Outsider, players choose to either kill him (releasing the Void from his influence) or free him (returning him to humanity), ending the 4,000-year cycle of his cosmic imprisonment.

The Outsider ultimately represents one of gaming's most nuanced characters - a tragic figure forced into godhood against his will, observing humanity across millennia from a prison of cosmic proportions, neither villain nor hero but something far more complex.

 

 The Main Article:

 

THE OUTSIDER & THE VOID: DEFINITIVE ANALYSIS

The Cosmic Symbiosis of Entity and Realm

I. THE FUNDAMENTAL NATURE OF THEIR CONNECTION

The Outsider and the Void exist in a unique symbiotic relationship that defines both – neither is truly complete without the other. This relationship can be understood through several key dimensions:

  • Origin Relationship: The Void existed before The Outsider, but was fundamentally changed by his binding. As described in the Wiki, "The Outsider is the physical manifestation of the Void," giving an otherwise incomprehensible cosmic force a face and voice.

  • Metaphysical Binding: The ritual that created The Outsider did not simply place him in the Void – it fundamentally merged his consciousness with it. The Death of the Outsider reveals he is literally held in a "ritual hold" where his physical body remains suspended between dimensions.

  • Identity Fusion: Over the 4,000 years of his existence, the boundaries between The Outsider's original human identity and the Void itself have blurred. In Death of the Outsider, he states, "There's nothing left of me but this," suggesting his original identity has been largely subsumed.

  • Consciousness Extension: His awareness extends throughout all of the Void, seeing both space and time differently. In Dishonored 2, he tells Emily/Corvo: "I see all the tomorrow's, all the tomorrows that might be."

II. PHYSICAL & METAPHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF THE VOID

[Enhanced from The Void Wiki & cutscenes]:

  • Physical Appearance: The Void appears as a vast, infinite expanse of darkness dotted with floating fragments of reality – buildings, streets, objects, and landmasses suspended in nothingness, with a distinctive blue-gray color palette.

  • Temporal Properties: Time in the Void is non-linear. As described in the Wiki: "The past and future are like leaves scattered by the wind." This explains The Outsider's ability to see potential futures and past events simultaneously.

  • Material Composition: The Void "bleeds through" into reality, absorbing aspects of the physical world. In Death of the Outsider, we see entire streets and buildings pulled from Karnaca floating in the Void.

  • Leviathan Connection: The massive whales (Leviathans) swim through both the ocean depths and the Void simultaneously, existing in both realms at once, which is why their bones serve as conduits for Void energy.

  • Metaphysical Hunger: Multiple sources describe the Void as an entity that "hungers" – actively consuming aspects of reality. The Abbey describes it as having "hollow emptiness, a deep cold that does not touch the skin but the heart."

III. THE OUTSIDER'S MANIFESTATION & MOVEMENT WITHIN THE VOID

[Enhanced from all game footage]:

  • Physical Appearance in the Void: Within the Void, The Outsider appears more substantial and powerful than when he manifests in the physical world. The cutscenes from Death of the Outsider show he can manipulate the Void environment freely, creating and dissolving pathways.

  • True Form: The Death of the Outsider reveals his true form is actually still the body of the sacrificed boy, suspended in a crystalline formation within the "ritual hold" – a hidden location within the deepest part of the Void.

  • Manifestation Method: He primarily appears in three ways:

    • At Shrines: Using the focused worship energy to partially materialize
    • In Dreams: Entering the minds of those who interest him
    • In the Void: When individuals (especially the Marked) are physically or mentally drawn into the Void

  • Limitations: Despite his power within the Void, he cannot leave it completely. As he tells Billie in Death of the Outsider: "I am bound here, watching the years pass, seeing the same mistakes made again and again."

IV. COSMOLOGICAL HIERARCHY & THE VOID'S PLACE IN REALITY

[Enhanced from The Void and Spirit of the Deep Wikis]:

  • Cosmic Structure: The entire Dishonored universe appears to consist of at least three interconnected realms:

    • The Physical World: The Empire of the Isles and beyond
    • The Void: The inverse/underside of reality
    • The Deep: The mysterious oceanic realm associated with Leviathans

  • Realm Boundaries: The boundaries between these realms are not absolute. Certain locations ("thin places" as described in-game) allow easier access between them. This includes:

    • Ancient ritual sites
    • Places of significant emotional/psychological trauma
    • Locations where "reality is worn thin like an old cloth"
    • Oceanic depths

  • The Void's Function: The Void appears to serve as a source of both creation and destruction in the cosmos. The Wiki describes it as "the source from which all things are made and to which all things return." This suggests it functions as both genesis point and eventual endpoint for reality itself.

V. THE OUTSIDER'S POWERS & LIMITATIONS RELATING TO THE VOID

  • Powers Within the Void:

    • Near-omniscient perception across time and space
    • Ability to reshape aspects of the Void environment
    • Perfect recall of all history witnessed during his existence
    • Ability to grant fragments of Void power to the Marked
    • Creation of artifacts like The Heart that bridge worlds

  • Critical Limitations:

    • Cannot directly manipulate the physical world without intermediaries
    • Cannot free himself from the ritual binding
    • Cannot affect certain protected individuals (like Anton Sokolov who uses specific safeguards)
    • Cannot perceive all possible futures with certainty
    • Cannot grant powers to those who haven't caught his interest

  • Method of Granting Powers: The Outsider doesn't truly "give" powers – he creates channels through which individuals can draw power directly from the Void. As he explains to Corvo: "I am the Outsider, and this is my Mark. There are forces in the world and beyond the world, great forces that men call 'magic,' and now these forces will serve your will."

VI. THE VOID'S INFLUENCE ON THE PHYSICAL WORLD

  • Physical Manifestations:

    • Void Rifts: Areas where the Void bleeds into reality, creating supernatural anomalies
    • Corrupted Locations: Places like the Addermire Institute or Dunwall Tower during Delilah's reign where Void energy warps reality
    • Void Storms: Mentioned in lore but rarely seen – catastrophic events where the Void temporarily engulfs areas of reality

  • Psychological Effects:

    • Dreams & Nightmares: The Void influences dreams, especially those of sensitive individuals like Piero Joplin
    • Hallucinations: Prolonged exposure to Void energy causes visions and madness
    • Whispers from the Void: Many characters report hearing voices from the Void, particularly near shrines or runes

  • Technological/Magical Applications:

    • Whale Oil Technology: The Empire's industrial revolution is powered by processed whale oil, which contains Void energy
    • Bone Charms & Runes: Whale bone carved with specific symbols channels Void energy for magical effects
    • Advanced Devices: Technology like the Timepiece, Arc Pylon, and Wall of Light harness Void energy indirectly

VII. THE OUTSIDER'S PERCEPTION OF AND ATTITUDE TOWARD THE VOID

  • Dual Perspective: The Outsider's comments reveal a complex relationship with the Void – both intimate connection and perpetual imprisonment.

  • Statements About the Void: His dialogue reveals his perspective:

    • To Corvo: "The Void is endless, there is no fixing or changing it."
    • To Emily: "The Void is unspeakably vast, stretching beyond time and space."
    • To Billie: "The Void watches us all and grows hungry. It's not something you can fight."
    • In Death of the Outsider: "I have been here so long, watching through the cracks in time."

  • Emotional Connection: Despite his imprisonment, The Outsider demonstrates a certain reverence for the Void's nature. In one cutscene he describes it as "beautiful and terrible in its simplicity."

  • Resignation vs. Resistance: Throughout most of the series, he appears resigned to his role, but Death of the Outsider reveals his desire for freedom: "These eyes have seen everything... and after all this time, I wonder what it would be like to be free."

VIII. TEMPORAL MECHANICS OF THE OUTSIDER & THE VOID

  • Non-Linear Perception: The Outsider experiences time differently – seeing potential futures and definite pasts simultaneously, which explains his cryptic foreknowledge.

  • Temporal Rifts: Certain locations in the games (like Stilton Manor in Dishonored 2) exist in multiple time periods simultaneously due to Void influence. The Timepiece allows navigation between these temporal states, demonstrating how the Void interacts with time.

  • The Outsider's Memory: He retains perfect recall of all 4,000 years of his existence, describing to Billie: "I've watched empires rise and fall, seen plagues devour nations, witnessed the deaths of millions."

  • Timeless Imprisonment: His binding doesn't just trap him in space but in time as well. As he tells Daud: "I've been here forever, and in an instant."

IX. THE METAPHYSICAL "RULES" GOVERNING THE OUTSIDER-VOID RELATIONSHIP

  • Rules of Manifestation: The Outsider can only appear physically in the real world under specific conditions:

    • At shrines where worship has created a "thin spot" between worlds
    • To those who bear his Mark or have otherwise caught his attention
    • In dreams, where consciousness naturally interfaces with the Void

  • Rules of Intervention:

    • Cannot directly kill, save, or physically touch individuals in the real world
    • Can only affect reality through intermediaries (Marked ones, artifacts, etc.)
    • Cannot force choices upon the Marked, only provide options

  • Rules of Perception:

    • Can observe most events in the physical world but not all
    • Cannot see with certainty which choices the Marked will make
    • Cannot perceive areas specifically warded against him (like certain Abbey locations)

  • Rules of Creation:

    • Can create artifacts that bridge the gap between worlds (like The Heart)
    • Cannot create new life or matter from nothing
    • Can reshape Void energy but not create or destroy it

X. THE COSMIC SIGNIFICANCE OF THEIR BOND & POTENTIAL SEPARATION

[Enhanced from Death of the Outsider]:

  • Purpose of Binding: According to the Envisioned cult, The Outsider's binding was necessary because "without the Outsider, the Void would hunger and roil, and the world itself would shudder." This suggests his existence serves a cosmic purpose – giving form to formlessness.

  • Consequences of Separation: Death of the Outsider presents two possible outcomes:

    • If Killed: "The Void would exist without his influence," resulting in unpredictable cosmic changes
    • If Freed: He returns to humanity, and the Void potentially seeks a new avatar

  • Cosmic Balance: The relationship between The Outsider and the Void appears to maintain a delicate balance in the cosmos. As the endgame narration states: "The Outsider is no more. The world will change in ways that none can predict, but the Void remains, watching just beyond what you can see."

  • Philosophical Implications: The entire Dishonored series can be read as an exploration of the relationship between form and formlessness, order and chaos, with The Outsider and Void representing two halves of a cosmic whole that both opposes and complements the structured, ordered world of the Empire.

This focused analysis reveals the profound, symbiotic relationship between The Outsider and the Void – not as separate entities but as interconnected aspects of the same cosmic phenomenon. The Outsider is not merely a being who inhabits the Void; he is the Void given consciousness and form. Similarly, the Void is not merely The Outsider's domain; it is the extension of his perception and influence across all of reality.

This relationship presents one of gaming's most sophisticated explorations of cosmic horror – the transformation of a human victim into a god-like entity, bound eternally to a realm beyond human comprehension, yet retaining enough humanity to find his imprisonment a torment. The final choice in Death of the Outsider – to kill or free him – is ultimately about whether to sever this cosmic bond or to heal it by restoring The Outsider's humanity.

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