The Outsider


THE OUTSIDER - COMPREHENSIVE CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS

The Complete Cosmic, Cultural, and Metaphysical Framework

I. THE VOID: True Nature of The Outsider's Domain

[Enhanced from The Void Wiki]:

  • Fundamental Nature: The Void is not merely a location but "the inverse of all existence" - a realm of "hollow emptiness" that exists alongside and beneath all reality.
  • Physical Properties: Described as "an emptiness that hungers," it absorbs elements from reality, creating a fragmented landscape of floating islands, buildings, and objects from different time periods.
  • Temporal Mechanics: Time functions differently - "moments in the past and future are like leaves scattered by the wind." This explains The Outsider's ability to perceive multiple timelines.
  • Connection to Reality: The Void "interpenetrates with the world" at specific locations - areas like Stilton Manor where "the boundary between the Void and the natural world is worn through like an old cloth."
  • Living Manifestation: According to the Abbey's Seven Strictures, the Void is not just a place but a living force that "hungers for flesh and spirit alike."

[From Timepiece Wiki]:

  • The Timepiece (used in Dishonored 2's "A Crack in the Slab" mission) demonstrates how the Void and normal reality coexist - allowing simultaneous viewing of the same location in different time periods, suggesting The Outsider exists across all timelines simultaneously.

II. COSMIC HIERARCHY: The Outsider's True Position

[Enhanced from Spirit of the Deep Wiki]:

  • Higher Powers: The Outsider may not be the ultimate power in the cosmos. The Spirit of the Deep is described as an "ancient deity" beneath the ocean that predates even The Outsider.
  • Leviathans: The massive whales (Leviathans) appear to have special significance - "they swim in the deepest darkness" and are described as "godlike entities" that exist partially in the Void.
  • Cosmic Balance: The Spirit of the Deep's existence suggests a pantheon or cosmic system in which The Outsider is just one entity, albeit a powerful one.

[From VS Battles Wiki]:

  • Power Classification: In power scaling terms, The Outsider exists at a "4-Dimensional" level, able to interact with time as a dimension. His consciousness spans multiple timelines simultaneously.
  • Limitations: Cannot directly affect the physical world without intermediaries (Marked ones, artifacts), cannot see all possible futures, and remains bound to the Void ritual holding.

III. CULTIST RELATIONSHIPS: Complex Web of Worship

[Enhanced from Cult of the Outsider Wiki]:

  • Multiple Distinct Cults: There is no single "Cult of the Outsider." Instead, multiple groups have independently formed to worship him:

    • The Eyeless: A cult active during Death of the Outsider, seeking to harness void powers
    • Agents of the Cosmos: A group that believes The Outsider brings order to chaos
    • The Envisioned: The ancient cult that originally sacrificed him
    • Various unnamed cults: Small groups throughout the Empire

  • Worship Practices: Include carving his name on skin, crafting bone charms and runes, drinking "spirit water" (purified whale oil), and performing rituals at shrines decorated with purple cloth.

[From Abbey of the Everyman Wiki]:

  • Anti-Outsider Religion: The Abbey was founded specifically to oppose The Outsider's influence, with their "Seven Strictures" designed as protection against his temptations.
  • Witch Hunts: The Overseers actively hunt and execute those bearing his Mark or performing rituals in his name, viewing them as "agents of the Outsider."
  • The Litany on the White Cliff: The Abbey's founding text describes how their first High Overseer received visions warning against The Outsider's influence.

IV. THE MARK: True Nature and Significance

[Enhanced from Outsider's Mark Wiki]:

  • Physical Properties: Appears as a burning sigil on the back of the left hand, cannot be removed or hidden permanently.
  • True Origin: The Mark is actually The Outsider's original human name preserved in Void form - a fragment of his lost identity.
  • Selection Criteria: The Outsider chooses people who stand at pivotal moments in history, whose actions could dramatically change the world.
  • Powers Granted: The Mark serves as a "conduit" for Void energy, allowing the bearer to "pull from the Void" to manifest supernatural abilities.
  • Canonical Powers:
    • Blink/Far Reach: Rapid movement through space
    • Dark Vision: Seeing through walls and highlighting items of interest
    • Possession: Inhabiting the bodies of animals or humans
    • Bend Time: Slowing or stopping time
    • Domino: Linking fates of multiple individuals
    • Shadow Walk: Transforming into a shadow entity
    • Devouring Swarm: Summoning rats to attack enemies
    • Wind Blast: Powerful gust of force

[From Piero's Speculation Wiki]:

  • Scientific Perspective: Natural philosopher Piero Joplin theorizes the Void as "an unknowable dimension from which our reality bubbles forth," suggesting The Outsider's Mark allows accessing fundamental forces of creation.

V. METAPHYSICAL CONNECTION TO WHALES

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

  • Whale Significance: Whales in Dishonored are not merely animals but "halfway in our world and halfway in another," making them natural conduits to the Void.
  • Whale Oil: The industrial fuel powering Dunwall's technology contains traces of Void energy, explaining both its potency and the environmental destruction its harvesting causes.
  • Bone Charms and Runes: Carved from whale bone because the material naturally holds Void energy, creating a connection to The Outsider.
  • The Spirit of the Deep: This ancient deity associated with whales suggests The Outsider may have usurped or replaced an older whale-connected entity.

[From VS Battles Wiki]:

  • The Outsider's connection to whales may explain certain limitations - his powers manifest through natural conduits (whales, marked humans) rather than direct intervention.

VI. HISTORICAL TIMELINE OF OUTSIDER WORSHIP

[Enhanced from Abbey and Cult Wikis]:

  • Pre-History (~4000 years ago): The Envisioned cult sacrifices the human boy who becomes The Outsider.
  • Ancient Times: Early worship through whale bone artifacts, with cults developing across the Isles.
  • ~1200 years ago: The Abbey of the Everyman forms specifically to oppose Outsider worship.
  • 1700s-1800s (game era): Tension between the state-sponsored Abbey and underground Outsider worship reaches its height.

[From Rumors and Sightings: Daud Wiki]:

  • Throughout history, The Outsider's Marked ones have influenced major historical events, often causing disruption to established order. Daud's reputation as the supernatural assassin demonstrates the fear and mythology surrounding those bearing the Mark.

VII. TECHNOLOGICAL/MAGICAL CONNECTIONS

[Enhanced from Timepiece Wiki]:

  • Void Technology: The Timepiece demonstrates that some technology can harness Void energy without The Outsider's direct involvement.
  • Technological Evolution: Certain inventions (like Jindosh's clockwork soldiers or Hypatia's serums) sit at the boundary between science and Void influence.
  • Ritual Items: The Twin-bladed Knife used in his sacrifice remains one of the few objects that can affect The Outsider himself.

[From Death of the Outsider Wiki]:

  • Slabs: Special artifacts that grant powers similar to the Mark but without The Outsider's direct gifting.
  • Envisioned Technology: The ancient cult created technologies to manipulate the Void that were later lost to time.

VIII. PHILOSOPHICAL FRAMEWORK: The Outsider's True Meaning

[Enhanced from all sources]:

  • Symbolic Role: The Outsider represents the fundamental tension in Dishonored between:

    • Chaos vs. Order (Abbey vs. Void)
    • Technology vs. Nature (Industrial exploitation vs. Whale/Void harmony)
    • Choice vs. Fate (Free will despite cosmic forces)
    • Revolution vs. Stagnation (Change agents vs. Establishment)

  • Moral Position: The Outsider embodies moral neutrality - not because he lacks values, but because he recognizes the complexity of ethical situations. His gift of power allows choices but doesn't dictate them.

  • Meta-Textual Function: Serves as a narrative device that comments on player choices, effectively breaking the fourth wall without literally addressing the player.

IX. ESCHATOLOGY: The World After The Outsider

[Enhanced from Death of the Outsider Wiki]:

  • Cosmic Consequences: The end of The Outsider doesn't end the Void itself. It continues to exist without an avatar.
  • Power Vacuum: With The Outsider gone, other entities (possibly including the Spirit of the Deep) may attempt to fill his role.
  • Legacy Powers: Those already Marked retain their abilities, but no new Marks can be granted.
  • The Abbey's Future: Without its primary adversary, the Abbey faces an existential crisis about its purpose.

[From VS Battles Wiki]:

  • Without The Outsider to "maintain order in the Void," the cosmic balance may shift in unpredictable ways, potentially allowing forces more chaotic or malevolent to gain influence.

X. THE OUTSIDER'S TRUE IDENTITY: Synthesis of All Evidence

[Comprehensive analysis from all sources]:

  • Original Identity: A homeless orphan boy from a pre-Imperial civilization, chosen for sacrifice because he was "nameless" and "without family to miss him."
  • The Ritual: Performed using the Twin-bladed Knife to cut his throat while conscious, binding his spirit to the Void.
  • Transformation: His consciousness expanded across time and space, granting perception of multiple timelines simultaneously.
  • Relationship to the Void: Not its creator or master, but its "avatar" or "face" - the humanized representation of an inhuman cosmic force.
  • True Nature: A tragic figure forced into godhood against his will, observing humanity with detached interest from a prison of cosmic proportions.
  • Final Fate: Either killed (releasing the Void from his influence) or freed to live as a human (completing his character arc from victim to free agent).

This comprehensive analysis incorporates the wealth of contextual information from all the additional sources, creating a detailed understanding of not just The Outsider as a character, but his complete metaphysical, cultural, and cosmic context within the Dishonored universe. It reveals him as a figure at the center of a complex web of relationships between cosmic forces, religious institutions, cults, technology, and nature - making him one of gaming's most intricately developed characters.

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