The question of the century is where we find a renewable source of energy. One that is cost-efficient doesn’t ruin the environment and is easily accessible. We have mined coal, we have used whale oil, and now we have reached our magnum opus in the retrieval of new energy sources. Utilizing energy from Hell itself. Argent energy was said to be retrieved from mars when actually it was mined from the very depth of hell where the demons call home. Samuel Hayden pulled the switch for energy to be released unto the world making the psychological and religious connotations between life and death both fascinating and surprising. DOOM was created with a richness to it and growth that shows how a game can mature like a fine wine in both story and graphics
The concept of hell: When we think of hell we think of fire and brimstone and torture and a red man with a tail and pitchfork called The Devil/Satan/Lucifer/Yen lo Wang/Lilith the list goes on. The game DOOM takes on the concept of hell and makes it a current-day solution for the energy crisis. This game is political, eco-conscious, philosophical, and psychological. Mining energy from hell itself wasn’t exactly what I would think of when moving to an eco-friendly resource but for today’s discussion, this concept works. In the game Argent energy as it's called is a source of renewable energy from, UAC. “Within a span of two decades, Argent Energy revolutionized human society as it met their energy requirement. Allowing it to be integrated into all forms of technology to the point of becoming practically ubiquitous. As a result, oil, nuclear and solar energy were rendered obsolete due to Argent Energy’s unlimited source and high efficiency. “ DOOM Fandom wiki 2020 With that being said, this is equivalent to how solar energy is being utilized in real life. Do I think there will be energy so strong that it will replace all of what we know? No, I don’t think so, but the concept that Hell energy is utilized to form something invincible is quite a miraculous concept if you think about it. DOOM is a game, yes, but it is tackling real-world issues that plague us every day. Argent energy coming to a solar system near you.
The Android With a God Complex: If you thought renewable sources of energy were intense enough, meet the android with a god complex and the most mentally manipulative character I have ever seen in a game, Samuel Hayden. Known for his creation of the argent tower and who is also the benefactor of Olivia Pierce it’s safe to say the human now turned android has a god complex and has the intelligence to back it up. While in any game you see there will be one character that has a god complex/Narcissistic issues you don’t really come across a character that truly owns and shows reasons for said God complex. A god complex is a mental disorder characterized by an inflated sense of self-importance, entitlement, a deep need for admiration, and an alarming lack of empathy for other people. This could also be classified as Narcissistic Personality disorder as well. Hayden pulled the switch on argent energy, so much like a god, he turned on the lights filling the world with this renewable source that could help planet earth, and supply the needs of the many, while filling his own ego. Much like a kid with an anthill monitoring the world seeing as it crumbles and controlling each step as he manipulates its resources Samuel Hayden walks Doom guy through trials and tribulations, almost sending him on a wild goose chase. Hayden’s mentality is one of, if you want the Argent tower to burn so badly you’re really going to work for it. Watching his every move, laughing as he has to go back to hell each time.
DOOM and Religion As time passes on when I was playing this game, there was a lot of religious and philosophical connotations that came up, one of them being the crucible. The definition of a crucible is a situation of severe trial, or in which different elements interact, leading to the creation of something new. Doom guy had to go through several trials in this game each time he went to hell, this can be compared to the trials of Hercules while no, we aren’t defeating lions in DOOM, we go through trials it seems to show to Hayden just how “worthy” we are of destroying the argent tower. The destruction of the argent tower leads to something new quite possibly, but since there is residual argent energy according to Hayden at the end of the game im not clear if it will be resolved in DOOM Eternal. Another topic worth discussing is the concept of resurrection, something that many religions believe was something that piqued my interest while playing this game. The timeline of DOOM (and this bit is important) has possibly many protagonists, this DOOMGuy as it were don’t potentially live in the same universe. So they are not the same person potentially. The DOOM slayer in this game was either banished to hell or chose to stay there. This is possibly a reference to the way DOOM 64 ended. The demons were plagued by him for “eons of time” which could mean there are many versions of DOOM guy or the only one that can time travel. Either way, it's fascinating to think that this could be an implication of one person experiencing past life scenarios, or resurrection.
Final thoughts: The game DOOM brought back a lot of memories for me from playing doom 64 on the computer to going to the nurse's office in school and playing the phone version while waiting for my mom to pick me up. This game is multifaceted with a rich story that packs a lot of content and history in it. From the day of its creation, DOOM is one of those games that’s made its mark on a generation who knew that ripping and tearing meant business. I would highly recommend this game for newcomers and fans of the older games. This one did not disappoint.
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