>>530280754
>We know the soul existed before the game starts because of the cage
That just means that Kris knew they needed a cage for the SOUL and got one beforehand, something that could also be explained by the fact that Kris is part of a mysterious conspiracy and has a lot of knowledge (We) don't.
Why would it switch motifs? Hands are particularly important because they symbolize Kris's agency and, as shown by the prophecy, their status as a "cage" containing the SOUL. Losing their hand(s) represents losing control over the SOUL, losing their agency, etc. There's no need to vary the symbolism when it's representing the same thing.
Anyway, I don't even disagree that the missing hand could be literal and not symbolic, but there's nothing suggesting that Kris has had the current SOUL that we control for any substantial amount of time prior to the beginning of the game, so theories relying on that are always questionable to me.

>the cage
>the endgame is the SOVL learning how to control THE BIRDCAGE as our vessel

>>527120509
>>527120558
and it shows *hands*,
HMMMMMMM