What was the deal with Seth? (PSIV spoilers)

[Fredde]

Was Seth a regular guy who was possessed by Dark Force and unaware, or was he just a disguise that Dark Force used to fool the heroes? I though the cutscenes indicated that Seth wasn't that pleased with suddenly being turned into a big bad monstrosity, and he seemed genuinely friendly to Chaz and the gang (of course, that might've just been Dark Force pretending to be nice). Could it be that Seth was in fact an archaeologist who just happened to be in the wrong spot at the wrong time?

[BenoitRen]

He was just a disguise. No one on Motavia knew the guy.

[paladinrpg]

I haven't played again so my memory might be hazy, but I'm pretty sure that he was just a mild-mannered disguise Dark Force was using to trick Chaz's party, and no NPCs had a relation to him.

Though I have wondered if perhaps he was a formerly living archaeologist from a long time ago that might've perished in those ruins, but then Dark Force came along and 'reanimated' him as a convenient tool. I mostly think about this considering he had a skill with corrosion and deathspell, conjuring to mind a rotting zombie/lich. Or maybe that was just me.

[Voracious Cobra]

Comically, it goes like this:

Rune: Dark Force has been masquerading as a human?

Later....

Rika: Seth, he is such a....

Wait, Rune just said Seth was Dark Force in disguise! I sense a game error!

[Fredde]

Though I have wondered if perhaps he was a formerly living archaeologist from a long time ago that might've perished in those ruins, but then Dark Force came along and 'reanimated' him as a convenient tool. I mostly think about this considering he had a skill with corrosion and deathspell, conjuring to mind a rotting zombie/lich. Or maybe that was just me.

There are some other instances of Dark Force reanimating the dead (La Shiec and that village on Dezolis), so it could be possible. Of course, Seth didn't look particularly like a rotting corpse...

[Zucca]

He was just a disguise. No one on Motavia knew the guy.

That I agree.

But somehow I find it strange that Seth screamed when he was transforming.

[thriwren]

He was just a disguise. No one on Motavia knew the guy.

That I agree.

But somehow I find it strange that Seth screamed when he was transforming.

I think it was just to get everyone's attention for the grand entrance. Or Seth could of been brain washed by Zio, some time before his defeat, but I dont want to make up stories and such.

[paladinrpg]

There are some other instances of Dark Force reanimating the dead (La Shiec and that village on Dezolis), so it could be possible. Of course, Seth didn't look particularly like a rotting corpse...

Hmm, good point there. DF never really regenerated the good old master of the Air Castle... now that was a real "lich king" there.

I think it was just to get everyone's attention for the grand entrance. Or Seth could of been brain washed by Zio, some time before his defeat, but I dont want to make up stories and such.

That could be a valid theory, seeing as Zio himself was a vessel of Dark Force he could have seeded it into other people quite easily. Though Seth doesn't seem to have connection to them, but maybe his memory was erased or replaced to cover it up...

Though then that would lead one to wonder why he was at the Soldier's Temple looking for the Aeroprism, if that was the item used to locate the Air Castle where Lashiec was. This would maybe view Seth as a guardian to trick anyone who tried to find his location, or maybe he was in actuality just a sort of "shadow", an illusion of the evil king that somehow got some residual Dark Force in him from the master's hatred?

[Fredde]

But somehow I find it strange that Seth screamed when he was transforming.

I thought that was just Dark Force's reaction to the light from the Aero Prism. Maybe he's kind of "allergic" to it?

[Zucca]

But somehow I find it strange that Seth screamed when he was transforming.

I thought that was just Dark Force's reaction to the light from the Aero Prism. Maybe he's kind of "allergic" to it?

A very good point, sir!
Maybe the prism forced DF to reveal itself.

[ThugsRook]

Dark Force wanted the Aero Prism, he "woke up" to steal it.

[paladinrpg]

Hmm, wasn't its ability to "illuminate everything" as Rune says in PSIV... ie, disrupt electromagnetic waves that would cloak the location of a place or object? It was used in PSI to find Lashiec's castle, and in PS2 by Lutz to show you the ultimate weapon dungeons. So it would obviously reveal the true nature of a Dark Force if one was around, like a mirror...

I was digging a bit further in game dialogue as a result of this and see that the leader of Gumbious Temple which sends you after the Aero-Prism to find Rykros in the first place also says that DF is looking for it. So Seth then greets you at the island with a bit about trying to get to the temple atop the island but being stopped by monsters. The when you go there you are basically revealing the location of Rycros with the Aeroprism's light outside, which triggers the Seth transform. After his defeat Rune mentions that you need to hurry to the secret planet now... as you've just tipped off big daddy darkie where it is.

Rune: I bet the followers of The Darkness are already aware of the way to Rykros through Dark Force. They're probably on their way there even as we speak!

Chaz: You mean, they were spying on us?

Also, if you consult the Let's Play PHantasy Star IV part 26 ( http://lparchive.org/LetsPlay/PhantasyS ... index.html ) it has these ntoes at the bottom concerning Seth/Shiam:

Well, okay, there's one thing to say about this update. There's a minor debate about Seth among fans: was he originally a human who was possessed by Dark Force, or was he just a false identity used by Dark Force when he assumed human form? Dark Force has physically possessed people before (the first time Lutz fought Dark Force, he had possessed Motavia's governor), so the fact that Lutz is surprised at seeing a human turn into Dark Force suggests that something different is going on this time. (Also, Seth doesn't turn back into a human after the fight like the governor did.) According to the Compendium, he's "Dark Force disguised in human form", which would also seem to support the "Dark Force all along" argument.

The Compendium also has this to say about him:

Incidentally, Shiam was modeled after a certain human at the Sega offices.

I'm not sure if having a demon modelled after you is meant to be an honour, an insult or a bit of both.

[Zucca]

Most of the comments here suggest the same. So we can pretty safe assume that Seth is/was a Dark Force in disguise. Aero Prism just made him/her/it scream. Are we OK with that? ;)

[ThugsRook]

Most of the comments here suggest the same. So we can pretty safe assume that Seth is/was a Dark Force in disguise. Aero Prism just made him/her/it scream. Are we OK with that?

yup, thats seems to be right


SETH may have been planning to go with them to Rykros but didnt realize the Prism would expose him.

[Nate556]

I honestly didn't get that far. I got PSU before I got to finish PS4, I am currently remeding... remedying... whatever... that now.

However. Perhaps Seth was unaware of his identity as Dark Force ?
Like in Total Recall, you know how Quad/Howzer had his memories erased so he could lead the badguys to the good guys hideout ?
So, perhaps Seth really was Dark Force all along, but was just unaware of it so the goodguys couldn't sniff him out ?
Like, in small talk, Chaz would ask something like, "What are your dreams, what do you want to do with your life ?"
Seth would go, "Ohh, I really want to kill all the humans and destroy the universe....."
*long silence*
"Just kidding!"
Perhaps Dark Force really didn't know how to behave like a goodguy, so when he/it made this human incarnation, he/it left him ignorant of his true nature until it was time to go all demonic ?
You can just ignore me though, I havnt got that far and seen these CS's myself, so maybe once I finish the game I'll be able to form a valid opinion.