Hello all,
I've lurked the dojo since about 2003 or so and this is my first time joining and posting ever, mainly because I have been on an INSANE Shenmue kick lately, especially with how often it's been in the news the last couple of years. I apologize in advance if I'm breaking some type of forum rules or anything with this post/hair brained theory of mine, it's just something that has been on my mind since I have been playing the games a lot as of late and have noticed a lot more since the last time I played.
Please bear with me with this idea of mine, especially since there is basically no evidence backing it up but I'm curious to see the opinions of others regarding all of this.
To begin I find it INCREDIBLY peculiar that we have never seen ANYTHING regarding Ryo's mother, it is only barely mentioned in passing that she died when Ryo was about 3 years old due to some type of illness, we don't even know her name. The closest thing we have to some type of evidence that she existed is the comb that is found in the basement of the Hazuki Dojo (Ryo remarks "It's beautiful, could it have belonged to my mother") but no other mention of her than that. There aren't even any pictures of her or anything (mind you there is only one picture of Iwao in the entire game but we don't need proof that Iwao exists). In short Ryo's mother is essentially a ghost, we have no evidence that she ever existed.
With all of the secrets that Iwao brought back with him from China (The Mirrors, the death of Sun Ming Zhao, constructing the basement to keep the Phoenix Mirror safe etc.) its entirely possible that Iwao could have been hiding things from Ryo regarding his mother as well. Let's take a look into Iwao's past for a moment, at least what we know about his own journey to China. Iwao was 46 at the time of his death by the hands of Lan Di. When we encounter Kai in Shenmue 2 (the old "blind" man) he mentions that Iwao came to China 20 years ago, which would make Iwao 26 at the time of his journey. Who's to say he didn't encounter a woman at some point during his training (perhaps even a friend of Sun Ming Zhao) and it turns out to be Niao Sun. They all train and hang out for a while, Niao and Iwao fall for each other, Zhao does something with the mirrors and Iwao is forced to stop him, unfortunately killing him in the process, Iwao heads home to Japan taking the mirrors with him and Niao Sun comes with him to Japan.
Now, Ryo is born two years after Iwao's journey to China when he is 28 years of age. As stated Ryo's mother died when he was 3 years of age making Iwao 31 years old at the time of her death (sorry if me being too specific with ages is annoying, mainly just trying to get everything I'm thinking onto paper). But who's to say it's not much deeper than that.
Consider this option with an open mind (again just ideas and theories). Niao and Iwao have a happy few years, putting their past in China aside and raise baby Ryo all happily and whatnot. Perhaps Niao unites the mirrors one day out of curiosity of what Zhao experienced and Iwao is forced to confront someone he cares for once more (Note: I'm not trying to suggest any mirror theories or anything like that, there are more than enough of them and all are pretty interesting ideas IMO, just noting that the mirrors are very important). After Niao is stopped Iwao demands she leaves Japan at once for endangering their son, perhaps she always worked for the Chi You Men and had to earn Iwao's trust to obtain the mirrors, perhaps she was even turned evil after interacting with the mirrors (this is where things fall apart a bit as its difficult to suggest why things would fall apart/into place like this, so if I sound retarded I apologize). In an effort to protect both Ryo and the mirrors Iwao has the basement hidden away, storing the mirror and various other things regarding his past, gets rid of anything involving Niao (pictures, clothing, possessions etc) yet keeps her comb as a reminder of the woman he loved, tells Ryo his mother has died (let's keep in mind Ryo is only 3 years old at this time so he probably wouldn't know better, perhaps Iwao just had a fake gravesite, who knows (too elaborate for a lie I know)). Iwao hires Ine-san at this time as a live-in housekeeper/motherly figure to Ryo (It's stated that Ine-san has been the Hazuki housekeeper since Ryo was 3 years of age, or right after his mother died) so Ine-san would not know anything about Ryo's mother save for Iwao telling her she died of illness. Fuku-san moves into the Hazuki house when he is 16 years old making Ryo 8 at the time. Again, yet another person that would know nothing about Ryo's mother save for whatever Iwao or Ryo told him. This all leaves Iwao as the only person who knows that Ryo's mother is alive and well, perhaps even knowing she is one of the four leaders of the Chi You Men and they will be coming for the mirrors someday.
Now at this point you're probably bored of reading this nonsense but I still have a bit more to go, so thank you to anyone still reading I suppose XD.
Now you're probably thinking Niao Sun looks FAR too young to have an 18 year old son, she looks like she would be around the same age as Xiuying, Zi Ming and Lan Di. Either mid to late twenties and no older than early thirties and I couldn't agree more. There is always the possibility she could have been in her early twenties when she gave birth to Ryo or she could always just look damn good for her age, I mean Iwao certainly didn't look bad for pushing 50 so who knows. But something that is always pointed out regarding Niao Sun's traits is that she is considered VERY beautiful and alluring as stated in her character trailer from the pre dreamcast launch. The only real memory Ryo has stated he has of his mother is that he remembers she was very beautiful as he told Shenhua when they were chatting in the cave in Shenmue 2. Why am I bringing up Niao Sun's beauty you ask? Well I believe IF she were Ryo's mother and was possibly around the same age as Iwao at the time of his death give or take a few years it could POSSIBLY have something to do with the Elixir of Eternal Youth.
Now as most of us recall Ryo finds a small vial in the Hazuki basement known as the Elixir of Eternal Youth, remarking he remembers his father telling him about how it was used by martial arts experts in China, though for what reason has yet to be revealed. Now I can't recall if this is a fact that has been stated or just a theory so bear with me, but in the default file for Shenmue 2 one of the items Ryo has with him is the white leaf. Now it has been either stated or theorized (can't recall which) that this white leaf has had the Elixir of Eternal Youth used on it and that is the reason why it has not crumbled and broken apart after 20 years (I believe it was said that Iwao brought the leaf back with him from China so that fits into our timeline). Let's be honest, we've all seen the Shenmue Online and Project Berkley trailers, we know Shenmue WILL get mystical in some way, so saying someone who is in their 40's or so having a very youthful appearance thanks to some type of Elixir isn't totally outside of the realm of possibilities. Perhaps Ryo would encounter someone who recognizes the leaf has had the Elixir used on it (perhaps the maker of it) and remarks on how one of the four leaders of the Chi You Men is renowned for her beauty and believes it is thanks to this Elixir, leading Ryo to his first run in with one of the leaders of the Chi You Men and perhaps his mother.
This isn't a very solid theory by any means and it only has so much flexibility due to the fact that we know next to nothing about Niao Sun or the remaining remembers of the Chi You Men save for Lan Di whom we still know little about to this day. It's entirely possible that she, like Lan Di and Zi Ming had people she loved that were murdered and sought out the Chi You Men in order to take revenge on those that killed the people she loved, just like Lan Di and Zi Ming had done before her. Hell she could just be some psychotic deranged lunatic that only serves as an obstacle in Ryo's path (though I hope they don't go down that route with her character by any means being the enigma that she is).
I dunno guys, what are your opinions on this? Am I just putting nonsense together and trying to see things that aren't there? Interesting idea perhaps? Or do I just sound like I'm blowing fan fiction out of my ass :p?
Let's discuss :-k