The Hidden Meaning Behind Twisted Metal Black's Plot
Twisted Metal is known as the premiere car combat franchise. Ever since the first game released on the original PlayStation back in 1995, it's been wreaking havoc and inspiring countless imitators.
The franchise centers around Calypso, the host of the "Twisted Metal" contest, happening annually in Los Angeles, California, where contestants must fight to the death using vehicles equipped with an arsenal of weapons such as rockets and mines. These contestants have formed an eclectic roster of inmates and misfits who are all looking to win the contest and have Calypso grant them one wish. Spectre is a ghost looking to be reborn. Mr. Grimm is a biker looking to cause the end of the world. Axel is a man trapped between two giant wheels looking to confront the person who put him there. The list goes on.
The most famous contestant became the face of the franchise and the box art. Needles Kane, who has driven the iconic ice cream truck dubbed "Sweet Tooth." When the series jumped to the PS2, Twisted Metal: Black showcased a terrifying new layer of an already mentally unstable individual.
It's all about the numbers
Twisted Metal: Black takes a detour from the structure of the franchise, leaving Los Angeles behind for the fictional city of "Midtown," with most of the game's roster residing in Blackfield, the local asylum. The story is told from each character's perspective, and playing through the single-player mode reveals more about that character's backstory and what they would like from Calypso.
Playing through every character's story, including the secret characters, unlocks Minion, the game's mid-boss. Normally, the loading screens would give you some dialogue from the respective characters, but Minion's loading screens are just a mess of numbers. This is where the hidden meaning shows itself.
The numbers correspond to the letters of the alphabet and, when decrypted, reveal a horrible possibility. Some of the quotes: "We are trapped in his head," and "This is how he sees the world, how Sweet Tooth sees his life." Later on, Minion reveals his name is Marcus Kane, which is one of the personalities of Needles Kane. This poses the idea that the entire game is taking place in the mind of Sweet Tooth, which lends itself to the game's sinister tone and several of its endings.