🦌

Outlast Shitposter

[hypnochromea]

Project Boneyard's panopticon is a reflection of Murkoff

A panopticon's central tower offered its inspector a holistic view of the entire complex, in addition to the ability to communicate with each individual cell. Outside of its practicality, it acted as a psychological instrument of power. The central tower's perimeter was intentionally kept obstructed for ambiguous surveillance. The panopticon cultivated a sense of uncertainty, encouraging prisoners to self-regulate under the assumption of they were being watched. This imagined pressure created a form of power without continuous enforcement.

Murkoff reproduces these same power dynamics in its treatment of reagents. The sleep rooms deliberately resemble the architecture of prisons (institutional furniture, PA announcements, cell blocks, etc.), casting the reagents as inmates while Murkoff assumes the position of the inspector. Throughout the trials, reagents are fed the possibility of observation, compelling them to behave in accordance to Murkoff's beliefs. Easterman—as an extension of Murkoff and the face of Project LATHE—is never present, his guidance is delivered through a series of prerecorded announcements and evaluations. Yet even in his absence, reagents still feel the weight of his authority—the shame of failure. Much like the panopticon, authority's weight can be felt in the imagined pressure of possible surveillance.

[hypnochromea]

project boneyard is for the bonehard

[hypnochromea]

Why Coyle uses an electrified baton/cattle prod

(Image 1: Coyle's weapon, image 2: Picana)

It bears some resemblance, in both form and function, to the Picana and it's less safe for work brethren (e-stim prods). The Picana was a torture device used by police and military regimes to interrogate and torture prisoners. It would often be applied to the head, temples, mouth, genitalia, and breasts. Coyle uses his prod in a similar fashion, frequently targeting many of the same areas on his victims for the same reasons. To power the picana a car battery, much like the modified car battery attached to Coyle's back, was used.

His motivations in wielding his weapon—both toward himself and his victims—parallels the motivations behind using more intimate prods, though with a much more violent undertone. He conflates intimacy with violence, perverting both into instruments of corruption and fascism. As a character, he is designed to seduce the player into sexualizing these themes, thereby indoctrinating them into the acceptance of authoritarian violence.

(Downtown Voice Line)

Upon witnessing the death of a cow, he calls it a 'Kraut black angus' with the angus being a Scottish breed of beef cattle, suggesting he may have ties to cattle farming. This could be one of the reasons he carries a cattle prod, as all the Prime Assets carry weapons connected to their pasts. References: https://www.reed.edu/poli_sci/faculty/rejali/articles/History_of_Electric_Torture.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picana

https://outlast.fandom.com/wiki/Leland_Coyle

*There's a separate post regarding his weaponization and fetishization of electricity

[hypnochromea]

Leland Coyle's weaponization and fetishization of electricity

Coyle appears enthralled by lightning storms, having been spotted watching them on five separate occasions. Throughout his life, he has been surrounded by electricity—both as an untouchable figure and as a weapon of abuse wielded by his mother.

Growing up during the Great Depression, electricity was considered a luxury and, by extension, a sign of power. By wielding electricity as a weapon, he presents himself as someone of worth, further reinforcing his inflated sense of self-importance.

Moreover, electricity is a symbol power and inevitability. Regardless of innocence or guilt, it can be inflicted upon anyone without discrimination. Lightning has also long been associated with Zeus, king of the gods. In 1950s America, it stood as the primary method of capital punishment through the electric chair. In wielding electricity, Coyle equates himself to a godlike figure, capable of delivering divine punishment to whomever he deems guilty. It represents the authority he has been given as a cop.

(Downtown Voice Line)

In his past, he was abused by his mother through electricity. It became an object of his insecurity—enforcing a sense of helplessness. As an adult, Coyle is shown to be violently insecure. By wielding electricity as a weapon, he reclaims agency over the very thing that once dominated him. It embodies both his perceived superiority over his abusers and his identification with them (he wants to rise above his abusers, but does so by adopting their symbol of power). This association also influences his infatuation with electricity. He craves (sexually or otherwise) unquestionable authority and the safety that comes with it—the assurance he cannot be threatened or humiliated as he once was in the past. Electricity, as the symbol of absolute power (to him), acts as the weapon through which he can enforce his hierarchy and gratify himself.

His fetishization of electricity can be seen through his treatment of himself, the reagents, the mannequins, and the snitch. He frequently presses the prod against more intimate parts, whether to himself or others. The mannequins, regardless of gender, are targets, with most being seen with singed genitalia, one even bearing bodily fluids—presumably his own. This fetishization of extreme violence extends beyond himself and into the sexualization of fascism and authoritarian violence. Outlast as a game is meant to critique fascism and its integration through propaganda. In sexualizing these themes, it comments on propaganda's allure.

[hypnochromea]

Coyle's sunglasses act as a parody of Lady Justice's blindfold

Lady Justice's blindfold symbolizes impartiality and objectivity in the legal system. She herself is the allegorical personification of law, embodying the idea law should be applied without prejudice. Coyle similarly claims to be the law (his stunned voice line), equating himself to the role of Lady Justice.

His sunglasses function as an obstruction to his eyes much like Lady Justice's blindfold. However unlike Lady Justice, his 'blindfold' obscures his eyes only from the viewer while leaving his own vision unhindered. It projects the illusion of impartiality to onlookers while allowing him to act upon his own prejudices.

This reflects the very institutions his character critiques while enforcing the core of his character as a corrupt cop. He, as a law enforcer, should blind himself to personal bias. Instead, he perpetuates a false justice driven by prejudice.

[hypnochromea]

Ranking Prime Assets by how good they would be to bone

5. Franco Barbi

- A good portion of his crimes were psychosexual

- Erectile dysfunction

4. Leland Coyle

- His 'nightstick' is fried (given how much he electrocutes it)

3. Otto and Aurora

- This is more a personal gripe but I would not get between whatever they have

- Aurora's rectum connects to Otto's throat is reason enough not to

2. Phylis Futterman/Mother Gooseberry

- Could still maintain relations with guards and other inmates while imprisoned and disfigured—she must be doing something right

1. Lilya Bogolomova

- Had an entire cult following willing to mutilate themselves (arguably the most charismatic out of the bunch)

*Honestly first and second were a close tie

[hypnochromea]

Waylon Bush Theory

In Whistleblower's gameplay Waylon is shown to have blonde body hair—

—but in The Murkoff Account (comic) and his nude model Waylon has dark hair.

Which is it Waylon? Get your story straight.

Am I to believe his bush hair is accidentally a different color to the rest of his body? There is an overwhelming amount of evidence to back the fact he has darker hair from his kids to his chest hair. Yet it still bothers me that he could have a different colored bush. I can only conclude he dyed his bush hair in an attempt to ward off Eddie. Blonde hair is much harder to spot against paler skin so by dying his bush hair it would be more difficult for Eddie to gauge how much body hair he has. Therefore, in dying his bush blonde Eddie wouldn't shave his bush and it could buy him time when being sawed. He preemptively dyed his bush blonde in the locker. This is why he was able to escape—why he had just enough time to prevent himself from being mutilated.

I rest my case.