*hic* *hic* *sob* OH BOO HOO HOO! I’M CRYING BECAUSE THE MEATMAN WAS WASTED. HE WOULD HAVE MADE SUCH A GOOD VILLAIN! HE COULD HAVE BEEN THE AMALGAMATION OF EVERY HAMELN SCIENTIST, EXECUTIVE, AND CULT MEMBER. HE WOULD HAVE BEEN SUCH A SICK DBD KILLER! *wail* *sob* *hic* *hic* ALL THAT BUILDUUUUUUUUUUUUP.
How does Meatman being manifestation of multiple Hameln employees sound? Because even though he spoke in a very specific way and had a part of his face revealed to us, we can still see heavy incosistency in case of his teeth. In fact, there appear to be three or four different people connected directly to Meatman who don't seem to match any of the credited actors so far.
Just wanted to double-check, but the same man who got Rebecca to sign the contract also directed the recording Sam walked in on, filmed Sam’s message to Rebecca, MET WITH SAM AT THE LIBRARY, interviewed Marcus, and spoke at the press conference. He’s the Hameln director/representative portrayed by Aran Keating.
I think we have our Meatman.
But that still leaves the question…
There’s two subjects of interest who I couldn’t find in the credits. One of them can be seen here:
Who is Mr. Wakefield, and who does the voice of the preacher on the Intercom belong to?
To extend the colour-planet ATA theory: My humble self would like to add four more characters to it. Amanda/Rebecca, Chickenscratch, and Hameln (this one isn't really a character 🥀) + one that is not as evident but matches puzzle the best, Meatman.
First, just to make one thing clear, the relations between planets and sun are what truly makes the story, and therefore also to be considered and thought about the most. Colours are there to help us connect characters to planets. Planets explain the hierarchy. That's an important side note.
Another side note would be that the stories and relationships referred to in the theory come from Ancient Egyptian astrology. It's quite different than the Roman or Greek one and matches not only the relationships but also what the Curtain seems to believe way better.
There's quite a long rant ahead
Let's start with Saturn. This planet is connected to yellow, if Jupiter is the cult or the leading demon, Saturn could be Hameln. While Jupiter is the leading power, the king, he can operate only in boundaries Saturn gives him. Saturn provides the direct connection and image Jupiter needs to manifest himself. One can't exist without the other, Jupiter would lose boundaries and ability to practically show himself and work if Saturn was gone while Saturn would lose purpose if Jupiter was gone, and that's why they are the most tightly bound and the strongest/leading duo from all. Sounds familiar? Hameln would lose its purpose without the Curtain because that cult's goals are what this company was created for. Curtain wouldn't be able to do their stuff if Hameln wasn't there, they needed the cover and space to operate, which Hameln did give them.
Jupiter is the ultimate leader, the Darkness, Saturn sets boundaries, time and existence.
One of the most striking colour references:
The curtain behind the Hameln's rep is of two funny colours. It literally says "Those people are yellow and purple, The Curtain is Jupiter and Saturn". But notice how Hameln's logo only seems to be made out of yellow? That's the thing here.
Will talk about who Saturn truly is in section with Amanda, because just like we have pair: Jupiter (The Curtain) - Mars (Wooly/Marcus) we have also another pair: Saturn (Hameln) - Mercury (Amanda/Rebecca).
Mercury is orange. Rebecca/Amanda. Let me get into the colours for now. The first proper direct mention of the colour orange by Amanda appears at the end of ATA 3 when she says it's one of the things the little girl, so Rebecca, used to like. Next we see that Amanda has orange t-shirt on all the logos. But in the actual game she has yellow t-shirt. She also has a yellow shirt with orange stripe in the middle in Play My Way video clip, as if the orange was surrounded with no way out. All those seem to point to one thing. It's a fight.
Orange frees Amanda. She likes that colour, because she wants to be free, but is constahtly oppressed (now comes in the main relationship) by yellow, by Saturn, by Hameln. She isn't like Mars who executes every command Jupiter gives him. She's Mercury, limited to existing in oppressive boundaries by Saturn. Yellow traps her. It's symbolic. She's just gets halted every single time she tries to cross given boundaries, and we see that a lot in the tapes. It's only in the third game when she finds a clever way to communicate with us through telling us all the stories in third person.
Now just to be clear, in true Ancient Egyptian astrology the power dynamic isn't negative. Almost nothing god-like ever is negative in their interpretation. Saturn sets boundaries and even though Mercury can't act out of them, it's a good thing, because the boundaries are there to keep harmony, balance. What this planet is supposed to do is record events, preserve thoughts, follow and parrot, because that's good.
In our story however, this dynamic suddenly turns into toxic and oppressive one. A company that keeps girl trapped and in check to make sure she can't do anything they don't allow her to do or say. Mercury can't resist Saturn's effects, because it's practically impossible for her to revolt all by herself and therefore comes in Riley and Chickenscratch.
Uranus is pale. It could be Chickenscratch. If we grow pale flower in ATA 1 it kinda looks like some weak shade if grey/blue. The only colour reference that comes to my mind in case of CS is his own face or body colour that really seems to be paler and similar to the flower. The most important thing here is who Uranus is. While this planet didn't exactly exist in Egyptian teaching, we can still tell which one of the gods it would be if it did - Sky. A sudden change, a spark, a surprise, disruptive power and an occasional challenger of Jupiter and Mars. He's a necessary chaos and rebellion that later saves Riley's life. He can't change rules Jupiter has given, that's true, he can't defeat Mars, but he can resist them and change the outcome. He can become friends with Amanda and Riley, show Riley how to get to Rebecca, save them from Shepherd. Even if he's trapped and can't be the boss, he's still chaotic, he rebels, he disrupts everything Wooly is trying to do. That's who Uranus is.
Now in the Egyptian teaching Sky is a very important part of how this world works. He shows Jupiter where he went too far and when something in his orders needs a change by rebelling and causing chaos. He forces Jupiter and Mars to partially adapt in a way and that keeps balance.
Now let's talk about Sun which is represented by red colour. There really seems to be no one who would match red better than Meatman. Blood, meat, organs, all those have a wide range of appearings in ATA. One would maybe expect Sun to be the leader, but he really isn't. He serves Jupiter. Now just to make it clear, we first need to talk about how Mars and Sun are different. They both serve Jupiter, so what would be the issue? The issue is that Mars - Jupiter relationship is more general-soldier like and formal. Mars doesn't always agree with Jupiter but carries out commands anyway. He's a warrior that obeys. Sun, on the other hand, considers the relationship with Jupiter more personal. He's excited to be commanded around. He praises Jupiter, he looks up to him, he's loyal, devoted. It's more of his own decision to follow Jupiter than not. Just like whoever Meatman is supposed to represent is. No matter if the surgeon, if anyone in the cult, they're just loyal followers that would fall to The Unseen's feet and praise him. Mars wouldn't. That's the difference. Also forgot to mention that while Jupiter is considered to be a hidden force Sun is the visible one in contrast, again proving that Jupiter shall be spiritual and Sun visible, physical manifestation of faith through cult's members.
Okay so now we're left with quite a few more planets to talk about, one of which could be Riley (Earth), but that is a topic for another time because those really need way more in-game/historical research, connections and time put into theorising to be sorted out.
