Dishonored: Why the Outsider punished the Empress

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[Temprael]

There's something about Jessamine Kaldwin. Not only did the Outsider actively intervene to deprive her of peace in death, but his mark is on 1) her sister, 2) her killer, 3) her lover, and 4) her daughter. That's a lot of supernatural activity around one person, even if she is an empress.

[false_idol__]

Holy SHIT it just occurred to me that the Outsider probably never even actually let Jessamine "die" in the first place. The heart still beats. Obviously there's something supernatural at hand but besides that, the heart still beats. The machinery is keeping her alive.

[kogu]

When the last leviathan is gone, darkness will fall

[wander]

In some books theres also more about the cruelity of this society.

In one book it mentions some oversees are chosen by picking groups of children who "seem fit for the job", probably meaning kids who seem unstable or are born stronger than the others.
Said children are to be gathered and trained in the wild when the sun goes down.

Before the sunrise on the next morning followed by that same day, those who seem fit are to be taken as future oversees, going through more intensive training for the forward years until ready to be released as guard. Meanwhile the children who are decided unworthy, are to be executed before the sun comes up.
Again, its all children.

Similar process is also used to train the dogs some guards in the game use.

[jacobfreeman]

I don't see it as punishment so much as a twisted and mean spirited jest, which is perfectly in character for the outsider. He hates his eternal existence and is deeply bored with the repeating nature of man. Which is why those whom could choose to do different things, even if those things work against his other interests, are of such fascination to him. He didn't ask to be a god and he most definitely is going very mad with his immortal imprisonment. He does seem to favor those who choose to make the world better but is so bored he will simply provide color commentary most times instead of acting. Which brings us to the heart. It is hard to say how far ranging his insight is but even if it had a more noble purpose built in the heart was definitely to torment corvo initially. The power it possesses could have been given through a less gruesome method. But instead the lore implies the outsider made sure this object would be made. And made sure it would be something that would enrage the already emotionally ravaged corvo.

[AHSValor]

Another twisted way of looking at it, it can also be interpreted as granting an emotionally distraught corvo solace. In a sick and twisted way, he's carrying around a still-living piece of his lover, who should be dead forever. A fragment of the only remaining thing tying him to his previous life, which cannot be taken from him.

Given the Outsider's cryptic nature, it is an amazing move, as this little 'gift' to Corvo can be left entirely to Corvo's (and, by proxy, our) interpretation. Corvo can damn the outsider for giving him such a tormenting artifact, thank him for bestowing him a living portion of his lover, use it as a reminder and focal point of his rage upon his enemies, a trinket which holds all his sorrow, and more.

[jimborevengeance]

Holy crap guy's, never use the mechanical heart of queen Elizabeth on a Mercedes Benz,

worst mistake of my life.

[iampierce]

The moment she knew the weakness of her flesh, it disgusted her

[archsteel]

Okay, valid points, but on the other hand:

FROM THE MOMENT I UNDERSTOOD THE WEAKNESS OF MY FLESH, IT DISGUSTED ME

[BloodDragon-rpxc]

I actually think its a matter of torment more for Corvo and later Emily. They both have an intense connection to her and dont go through directly outsider related events, which can be looked at like punishment, like daud and billy. Daud is pushed by the message of the outsider to conflict with Delilah, and corvo who would reasonably seek out daud was given powers by the outsider(this is only really bad for daud and not corvo as he could or could not seek justice as he chooses). we could say billy suffered by being exhiled in the dlc, but more so is her eye and arm being taken once again, to be replaces with the void appendages, and one might think well it works just the same but better than regular limbs, but it is clear by her yelling that it was very painful.

The reason i say the heart is corvo and emily being punished is because it serves a genuine purpose, and is the only forced punishment the outsider could inflict on them. Daud and billy are inflicted punishment of a sort in another way, and they have the ability to do EXACTLY the same thing with their own body(dauds void gaze and billys void walk or whatever its called).
The difference being emily and corvo can basically choose all of the pain they go through technically and the others cannot. Daud is clealy compelled to go through his campaign. Billie cant even pretend to choose as her body is disfigured entirely by force.

[lonelyteapot]

Wait...

That's *WHO'S* HEART?!?!

[MillerrrYT]

Im honestly so happy to see videos on this game still being made!
A truely phenomenal game, and seeing everyone playing it now that still enjoy it is incredible! Im still gonna be hopeful Dishonored 3 but we might be waiting for a while...

[CamSiv]

I never thought being a crafted heart is punishment. Even the title gave the impression of Jessamine's assassination.

[Ghefestussion]

You are reading into it too much. The Outsider in Dishonored is to be considered mostly observer, his influence going only so far as to give the mark to someone. He doesn't even command his chosen usually, just converses with them about their choices.
About the heart, if you read a little more about the voicelines of it, you will find that there were no "final rest" to be had for the Empress after death. It is so not only for her, but for every human in Dishonored universe, it was said that after death everyone goes to the void, as it consumes all. Dishonored lore goes as far as to say that the end of its universe will be the void, when it consumed everything.

[lucky]

it's not a punishment machinr, it's a husk, he linked her soul to ot, what seems to be willing, in the entire game she helps her family and her dialogues point towards doing low chaos, spoilers dishored 2 ahead



in Dishonored 2 in order to make Delilah vulnerable you need to catch the sealed part of her soul and bring it back to her making possible to kill her

you use the heart for it, you free Jesamine's soul, she even warns you that she will no longer be there to help and you'll need to do the rest on your own
the missing piece of Delilah mentions how it wants to go back to Delilah to then kill you, therefore it would also consent with being in the heart
it's kind of a "soul pokeball", you store a willingly soul into it

also i think the machine pieces are a touch of the outsiders tinkery, like the time warp machine having similar design

[andrewb]

you can even here a voice recording of piero questioning if he can keep a soul alive if he were to keep a heart beating with electricity cant believed i never put that together with the literal heart with a soul in it we carry around🤦‍♂️

[ocake]

My favourite thing when doing a non lethal playthrough is using the heart to pass time, when I'm just walking and don't need the blink I'll keep pressing to use the heart just to hear what it says

[Hi-Hi]

I wouldn't call it a punishment. At the end of the day, the Outsider is absolutely neutral with whatever happens in the world. Yes, with his background, he seems to be pleasantly surprised when a protagonist does something good, but he doesn't control anybody and has neutral opinions on almost every character. He's not cruel, at least not on purpose. Saying so just plays into the misconceptions the Abbey have of him and magic in general. I personally think the Outsider did choose favorites this time. Jessamine's death is a catalyst to his own end in the void, and by giving Emily and Corvo the heart, it gave them an advantage and a more likely scenario of his freedom. Whether it was a way to keep their morality in check or to find runes and bonecharms to make themselves stronger, the heart did help them. Jessamine wanted to die the whole yeah, but it's pretty clear in the second game that she still wasn't ready to move on. I think she was probably happier than she was in the first. Her daughter/partner never lost sight of who they were, and she could rest easy that the Empire were finally in the hands of a competent and caring ruler.
I'm not really into the actual Fandom so I'm pretty surprised that a lot of people seem to think the Outsider is a manipulative and cruel god. I don't really consider him a God tbh. Just an unfortunate human forced into a role he never wanted and can't escape from.

[Nameless.Hermit]

Thank you for giving me something to think about; Dishonored is one of my favourite series, so any reason to ponder on the depths of these games is always welcome.

[americantoastman]

Its decidedly rare to see someone call out the cruelty of the whale hunt. A cruelty that, as you said, is hard to justify. I agree and appreciate this point. Empathy with animals (real or ficticious) seems so rare nowadays and it breaks my heart.