Shadow of the Colossus Plot & Theory Analysis FAQ *Authors* Ryu Kaze/Ryu Sinclair; contact: omegaomnislash@gmail.com iamthedave/David Rodoy; contact: edge_braak@yahoo.co.uk *Date of publication* March 6, 2006 *Last updated* August 21, 2006 *Current version* 4.00 |Notes to make yourself aware of| Please be aware that there will be major spoilers for the storyline of Shadow of the Colossus in this FAQ, and also spoilers for its "spiritual precursor" Ico. Also, for your convenience, be aware that you can use the numbers to the right of each section in the table of contents to do a ctrl+f search and instantly get to the section of your choice. |-Table of Contents-| -1: Version history (001) -2: Statement of purpose (002) -3: Frequently asked questions (003) -4: Theories (004) 1) Backstory theories (004.10) *Wander & Mono's connection/Wander's motivation/Other Wander stuff (004.1A) *The Dormin (004.1B) *The nature of the Colossi (004.1C) *The Forbidden Land (004.1D) 2) Ending theories (004.2) 3) After ending theories (004.3) 4) Meta Theory on the Dormin, the Colossi and Wander's motivation (004.40) *Nature of Dormin and the Colossi (004.A) *David Rodoy's theory on Wander's motivation to revive Mono (004.4B) *Ryu Sinlcair's theory on Wander's motivation to revive Mono (004.4C) 5) Connections to Ico: Facts & theories (004.50) *Ico as the prequel (004.5A) *SotC as the prequel (004.5B) *Other possible connections (004.5C) 6) Allusions to Hebrew legends (004.6) 7) Parallels between large and small representations (004.7) -5: Acknowledgements about the game and this FAQ (005) |Version history| (001) August 21: Corrected some info about Pal the squirrel, and added a theory about the idols to the Dormin section July 30: Various small touches; adding a new theory on why the sword points to the Colossi, a possible explanation for the shadow figures that appear in the Shrine of Worship, and mention of Golems to the Hebrew legends section; I also think it now warrants being version 4.00 June 27: Corrected the translation of "Veritas" to "Truth" and opted for "Serpent" in place of "Dragon" as the translation of "Draco," as it's more to the point June 4: Correcting a few small typos May 3: Expanding a few parts of the Meta Theory and adding a little bit of information to the Parallels between large and small representations section Adding some more folks to the Acknowledgements section; thanks for your contributions Adding another site to the list of sites authorized to host this FAQ March 11: Ico connection theories changed to Connections to Ico: Facts & theories Updated information on official connections between Ico and SotC added throughout the FAQ Mention of the Dormin's horns and some middle eastern cultures' view of horns as a sign of divinity added to the Meta Theory section and the Dormin section Elaboration on outside knowledge of the Colossi added to the Meta Theory section Elaboration on my (Ryu Sinclair) theory concerning Mono's connection to Wander added to the Meta Theory section, along with additional notes and/or observations added to Dave's personal notes on his theory of Wander's connection with Mono More information added to the Acknowledgements section's sources cited List of websites authorized to host this FAQ added to the Acknowledgements section March 9: Added some more into the Frequently asked questions March 8: Added info on "Agro" versus "Argo" in the Frequently asked questions March 7: Parallels between large and small representations section added March 7: More info on the "castle" added to Other possible connections section March 7: "Biblical allusions" changed to "Allusions to Hebrew legends" March 6: Published March 4-6: Version history section added Statement of purpose section added Theory sections added *Backstory theories -Wander & Mono's connection/Wander's motivation/Other Wander stuff -The Dormin -The nature of the Colossi -The Forbidden Land *Ending theories *After ending theories *Meta Theory on the Dormin, the Colossi and Wander's motivation -Nature of Dormin and the Colossi -David Rodoy's theory on Wander's motivation to revive Mono -Ryu Sinclair's theory on Wander's motivation to revive Mono *Ico connection theories -Ico as the prequel -SotC as the prequel -Other possible connections *Biblical allusions Acknowledgements about the game and this FAQ section added |Statement of purpose| (002) The purpose of this here document is to combine all known and documented theories concerning Shadow of the Colossus' storyline into one large reader-friendly FAQ, and this is the statement that states that as being the purpose. The hope is that it will provide readers with the knowledge of what ideas have been kicked around since October of 2005 and hopefully help shed some light on some things for them, while also leaving them plenty of room to decide for themselves what they make of the story. Each theory presented here will be analyzed in terms of what we know about the game and classified as either workable or unworkable within the context of the game. We'll also be presenting our own "Meta Theory" on the origins of the Dormin, the nature of the Colossi, and Wander's connections to Mono and the reason for his desire to revive her after discussing all the other theories, as the Meta Theory encompasses all of the categories that will be discussed before its presentation. Also, before we get into the thick of this FAQ (the theories), we'll run through some of the more frequently asked questions about Shadow of the Colossus. Thank you, and do enjoy this FAQ. "Shadow of the Colossus is more than just a video game. It is a spiritual experience, and that is very much the point. A game which is so totally about immersion and atmosphere to the point where it doesn't require much of anything to happen. Or, more precisely, it's a work of art. In a way few games could hope to or would want to be." -David Rodoy |Frequently asked questions| (003) Q: Is this a sequel or prequel to Ico? A: Officially, it's a prequel, taking place at an unspecified point in Ico's past. Wander's Ico's ancestor. This was confirmed by lead developer Fumito Ueda on March 9, 2006 in an interview with Wired News. The interview can be read here: http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,70286-0.html?tw=rss.culture Q: What about that Nico thing? Wasn't that the original version of this? A: That's what it was going to be called when Ueda and his team first started working on it. It was going to be a sequel to Ico back then (the "ni" in "nico" is a play on words; "ni" is "two" in Japanese), but they decided not to go the predictable route and just make a sequel to a successful game, and actually put some time and heart into making something unique yet familiar instead, and the end result was Shadow of the Colossus. God bless 'em. Q: I heard this was originally called "Wanda and the Colossus" in Japanese. What's up with that? A: What's up with that is a mistranslation, I'm afraid. The Japanese name of the game was "Wander and the Colossus." You see, "Wander" is an English word, and while the Japanese have a fantastic language, they're not quite as proficient at making the "er" sound as us English-speaking gaijin. This is mainly because they don't HAVE any words that end in "er" in Japanese. As a result, when they try to say a word that ends in "er" it comes out sounding like "a" or "aa" instead of "er," and since their written language is based on their pronunciation, it looks like it would be "Wanda" instead of "Wander." Even so, they try their best to get appropriate English characters to represent what they intend something to be when they write in romaji (which represents Japanese sounds in English characters), and as a matter of preference, they tend to title things in romaji. That being the case, the name on the cover of their version of the manual (and the disc too) is "Wander and the Colossus." Now that I've bored you to death with giving you a textbook answer to a question you probably only wanted answered in a single sentence or two, we'll move onto your next question. After you wake up. Q: So, does that mean that my PAL version of the game's wrong? Its instruction manual says "Wanda"'s the main character's name. A: Yep, 'fraid so. It's a mistranslation, because for some reason, whoever wrote the PAL manual decided to translate the Japanese instead of just looking at the romaji written on the cover of the game case and its manual. That or he did look at the game case and manual and decided he knew better what the Japanese developers were trying to say than they did. Q: So the main character's name is "Wander" then? A: Er, not exactly. You see, he doesn't have a name that we're aware of. The official UK website for Shadow of the Colossus says "It matters not. His efforts were not for the cause of creating a legend for himself" under "What is the wanderer's name?" He's just called "Wander" because that's what he's doing: Wandering around to hunt the Colossi, kill them, and bring Mono back to life. Q: Hey, while we're talking about Mono, what's Wander's connection to her anyway? Why'd he go to all this trouble to bring her back?" A: Like his name, it's one of those things that history's forgotten (or intentionally left open-ended, as the case may be). There's only theories about what kind of relationship -- or lack thereof -- that they had with one another before she died, but that's why you're here! Don't be so impatient! The theories are further on down. We'll get to 'em, I promise. Q: How do we know her name's "Mono" anyway? A: It's in the credits. Q: Oh, right. I don't know how I overlooked that. A: You and me both. You're not the only one that managed to miss the credits, though, I promise you, so don't feel bad. Q: Is the horse's name "Agro" or "Argo"? I thought I heard him say "Argo" when he called him. A: The horse's name is "Agro," just like in your manual (the manuals were right this time). I know a lot of people sometimes think it sounds like "Argo," but this isn't Xena's horse. This is Wander's horse and his name is "Agro." Q: Okay, so there's no canon backstory or explanation for the ending or anything like that? A: Not entirely. Ueda's one of those rare gamemakers who doesn't always have an exact intention for a story per se. He's got an intention for a plot, plot elements, and plot devices, but not always an intended explanation. He usually wants the gamers to take their own story away from experiences with his games. Obviously, there's some things that can't work in the context of the game, but we'll get to more on that later. Ueda's got his own interpretations for the story, but he usually calls it just that: an interpretation. He takes his own personal analysis away from his games, but he doesn't always make it official. He makes a point to let that be known when asked what something meant in one of his games. That said, it IS his opinion -- and he has confirmed it as canon -- that Shadow of the Colossus is a prequel to Ico and that Wander will begin the line of horned boys seen in Ico, making Wander Ico's ancestor. Q: Interesting. I think I like this Ueda guy. A: Me too. He kicks ass. Q: So, uh, what's that Dormin guy anyway? A: Jumping ahead of yourself again, I see! I told you to be patient. We'll get to THEM soon enough, and explain what we think THEY are. Q: Well, about those Colossi. Who made them? A: Hey, patience I said! We've got a Colossi theory section further down. Q: Those horns on Ico's head during the ending. What do they me- A: Patience, dammit! Q: Sorry. A: S'okay. Q: Well, how about the Colossi's names? They have official names, don't they? A: Indeed, they do: #1- (The minotaur) Designation: Minotaur Colossus Proper name: Valus Latin name: Minotaurus Colossus #2- (The bull) Designation: Taurus Major Proper name: Quadratus Latin name: Taurus Magnus #3- (The knight) Designation: Earth Truth Proper name: Gaius Latin name: Terrestris Veritas #4- (The horse) Designation: Elite War Horse Proper name: Phaedra Latin name: Equus Bellator Apex #5- (The bird) Designation: Bird of Prey Proper name: Avion Latin name: Avis Praeda #6- (The bearded giant) Designation: Great Beast Proper name: Barba Latin name: Belua Maximus #7- (The electric eel) Designation: Sea Serpent Proper name: Hydrus Latin name: Draco Marinus #8- (The lizard) Designation: Wall Shadow Proper name: Kuromori Latin name: Parietinae Umbra #9- (The tortoise) Designation: Storm Echo Proper name: Basaran Latin name: Nimbus Recanto #10- (The sand worm) Designation: Sand Tiger Proper name: Dirge Latin name: Harena Tigris #11- (The tiger) Designation: Flame Guardian Proper name: Celosia Latin name: Ignis Excubitor #12- (The sea monster) Designation: Great Sea Monster Proper name: Pelagia Latin name: Permagnus Pistrix #13- (The flying serpent) Designation: Air Sailer Proper name: Phalanx Latin name: Aeris Velivolus #14- (The lion) Designation: Destruction Luster Proper name: Cenobia Latin name: Cladeds Candor #15- (The warrior) Designation: Vigilant Sentinel Proper name: Argus Latin name: Praesidium Vigilo #16- (The sorcerer) Designation: Grand Superior Proper name: Malus Latin name: Grandis Supernus Q: Cool! How do you know all these are correct anyway? A: People who pre-ordered the Japanese version of the game got a bonus DVD that had some info from when the game was going to be Nico. Supposedly included in its liner notes were the names of the Colossi. Q: Is there a 17th Colossus? A: NO! Stop asking, goddammit! Q: Sorry. A: S'okay. Q: What about an alternate ending? A: ... Q: See above? A: Correct. Q: So there isn't one? A: That's correct. There's no alternate ending. You can't kill Emon and his men as Dormin, you can't escape the pool as Wander, and you can't make Emon's men kill Dormin either. Their arrows can only take a certain percentage of his health. Reducing your health with fruit from the Secret Garden before you fight Malus and then trying to get Dormin killed isn't going to work. Q: Hey, what's the language spoken in the game? A: It's some kind of backwards Japanese mixed with Latin or something like that. Don't bother trying' to understand it. Q: Huh. So there's no English at all? I thought I might have heard Mono speaking in English at one point after Wander passed out when killing a Colossus. That is Mono, right? A: Yep, that's Mono, but she's not speaking in English. You're mistaken, I'm afraid. Trying too hard to hear something you recognize, I imagine. No, she speaks in the same backwards Japanese/Latin combo as everyone else in the game. Q: What are all the unlockable items in the game and how do you get them? A: This is a storyline FAQ! Take that gameplay b.s. somewhere else! Okay, fine. But just this once. And only because it lets you hear the Dormin talk some more. And because I'm a nice guy. And because you owe me money now. There are two sets of 8 unlockable items. After beating the game for the first time, you unlock Hard Mode and Normal Time Attack Mode. To get the new items, you have to play both Normal Time Attack Mode and Hard Time Attack Mode (accessible after beating Hard Mode), both with their own sets of items. To access a Time Attack Mode, you just save your game after beating it, load the file, and then the game will start over, but you'll keep your health and extra grip you acquired from the last playthrough. To fight the Colossi in Time Attack Mode, just go up to their corresponding idols in the Shrine of Worship and press circle. Wander will pray in front of the idol and be given the opportunity to challenge that Colossi in Time Attack. After beating two Colossi in Time Attack, you'll get an unlockable item. It doesn't matter what order you fight the Colossi in, by the way, but remember to beat them all in Time Attack before venturing out to actually finish the game. If you end the game before beating all of them in Time Attack, you're not going to be able to have a shot at all the Time Attack unlockables again until your NEXT playthrough of the game. In other words, if you were to beat 6 Colossi in this playthrough, and then beat the game without fighting anymore in Time Attack, you're going to have to fight and defeat 8 on your next game in Time Attack to get the next unlockable. Also, remember that you can't carry over unlockables from Normal Mode to Hard Mode, and vice versa. And without further ado, here are all the unlockables: -Normal Time Attack unlockables- 1-Whistling Arrows (gets a Colossus' attention; beat 2 Colossi) 2-Cloak of Force (increases the damage Wander can cause; beat 4 Colossi) 3-Mask of Strength (increases the damage Wander can cause; beat 6 Colossi) 4-Lizard Detection Stone (allows you to detect lizards; beat 8 Colossi) 5-Fruit Tree Map (allows you to detect fruit trees; beat 10 Colossi) 6-Mask of Power (increases the damage Wander can cause; beat 12 Colossi) 7-Cloak of Deception (makes Wander invisible; beat 14 Colossi) 8-Flash Arrows (powerful explosive arrows; beat 16 Colossi) (Option to make Agro brown also unlocked) -Hard Time Attack unlockables- 1-Harpoon of Thunder (ranged weapon more powerful than arrows; beat 2 Colossi) 2-Sword of the Sun (sword that can gather the light anywhere; beat 4 Colossi) 3-Fruit Tree Map (allows you to detect fruit trees; beat 6 Colossi) 4-Shaman's Cloak (inreases Wander's defense; beat 8 Colossi) 5-Lizard Detection Stone (allows you to detect lizards; beat 10 Colossi) 6-Shaman's Mask (increases Wander's defense; beat 12 Colossi) 7-Cloth of Desperation (acts as a parachute for Wander; beat 14 Colossi) 8-Queen's Sword (allows for extremly powerful attacks; beat 16 Colossi) (Option to make Agro white also unlocked) After unlocking an item, head to the pool at the back of the Shrine of Worship to collect it. Q: What's the Secret Garden? How do I get there? A: Another gameplay question! Okay, fine, this one's related to important story stuff anyway. The Secret Garden is that garden from the ending of the game where Agro leads Mono. To get there, you'll need quite a bit of grip strength and some patience. That said, if you're playing the NTSC version of the game, a grasp of the Vertical Jump Glitch will get you to the top without a lot of stamina (this was edited out of the PAL version). To start your way there, you'll need to go to the moss growing on the northeast side of the temple and simply start climbing up. Follow its path to a ledge with a bush growing on it, and then follow this ledge as it wraps around to the north side of the temple. Once you follow this climbable path to its end, it will deposit you near the door Wander and Agro entered to access shrine at the beginning of the game. From there, take a left to visit the Secret Garden, or a right to walk across the long bridge that Agro and Wander journeyed across in the game's opening. There's not a lot within the Secret Garden that's actually notable aside from the fruit growing on the trees here. Eating these permanently reduces your maximum health and grip strength. If you eat enough of these fruit, your health and grip strength return to their base levels. Q: What kinds of animals are in the game? A: There's horses, doves, hawks, larger hawks, seagulls, fish, eels, lizards, tortoises, some bats, a squirrel, and a baby deer. Q: A squirrel? Where the hell was he? A: He's in the PAL and Japanese versions' endings. He shows up in the Secret Garden with the baby deer and the birds. Some fans call him "Pal the Squirrel" because they first learned about him with regard to the PAL version, and many of us at first believed that he was only present in the PAL version. Q: Am I ready to move on to the theories? A: I sure hope so. Q: Let's do it! A: Yes, let's do. |Theories| (004) 1) Backstory theories (004.10) *Wander & Mono's connection/Wander's motivation/Other Wander stuff (004.1A) -Wander and Mono were lovers and he wished to revive her because he needed her Explanation(s): The things Wander does for Mono are things a lover would be likely to do, and promotional materials for the game asked "How far will you go for love?" Further, the back of the NTSC game case calls the story of SotC "a story of undying love." Also, a story of love would go along with the mythical feel of this game, such tales usually concerning romantic love. Likelihood KAZE: One of the more likely possibilities, but there are some potential holes in it. Most notably, Mono doesn't beam with recognition when she sees Agro, which one would think she should, seeing the loyal companion of her lover. Though she may have felt disoriented after being revived, one would think that a familiar soul would spark something more spontaneous in Mono's behavior. Another thing to be aware of is that even taking promotional materials into account, that only establishes that Wander loved HER and not necessarily the other way around. She may not have even known him very well, if at all, mustless be famililar with his horse. DAVE: While its ironic that the word 'undying' is used to reference a game where literally every main character dies or appears to at some point, this one's fairly solid. The idea that they loved each other has the flaws Kaze points out above working against it, plus the debatable flaw that Wander himself never really gets close to her. His treatment is very much worshipful and respectful rather than loving, suggesting that their relationship was not a reciprocal one. He does touch her cheek with the back of his hand at one point, but that is all. The key point in both our minds is that she doesn't recognise Agro. OUR ANALYSIS: Perhaps he loved her, but we doubt it was a fully realised relationship. -Wander was in love with Mono and she either didn't know it or didn't reciprocate his feelings Explanation(s): As said in the above theory, the things Wander does are things one would be likely to do for someone they were in love with. And, again, promotional materials asked "How far will you go for love?" and called the story one of "undying love." Also, a story of love would go along with the mythical feel of this game, such tales usually concerning romantic love. Mono not being intimately acquainted and/or familiar with Wander would explain her lack of rejoiceful recognition to the appearance of Agro. Likelihood KAZE: Among the most likely of explanations. This is especially true if one regards the promotional materials of the game as putting forth canon information. (Note: More on this theory in the "Meta Theory" section further down.) DAVE: I don't personally agree with it, for reasons explained later, but there's no doubt it's a solid explanation and I personally think it is the one most players will accept when playing. OUR ANALYSIS: This looks fairly believable. -Wander was a templar under Emon's tutelage who sacrificed Mono and felt guilt as a result, then desired to redeem himself by reviving Mono Explanation(s): Wander being a templar explains his connection to Emon, why he wears a similar cloak, his exceptional horseriding skills, his skills with a sword and his skill with bows and arrows. It also explains how Wander could have had access to the sword to be able to steal it in the first place. Finally, it explains Mono's apparent lack of familiarity with Agro. Likelihood KAZE: Among the most likely of explanations, though he's a bit clumsy with a sword in my opinion. He swings it kind of wildly. He certainly has skill in those other areas, though, and this would explain how he had access to the blade. (Note: More on this theory in the "Meta Theory" section further down.) DAVE: This was my big thing, and is explained in detail later. OUR ANALYSIS: There's nothing in the promotional materials or the game to say we've got this one wrong. Hence it's probably fair to go with it. It at least explains an awful lot about our hero. The guilt part is debatably contradicted by the promotional materials that say the story is about love, but there's nothing to say he wasn't forced to sacrifice her regardless of his feelings, and was in the end motivated by guilt AND love. In short, even if challenged from the other solid standpoint, it only requires a little twisting to make this believable. -Wander was Mono's brother Explanation(s): -Not applicable- Likelihood KAZE: Possible, but there's no reason to believe so. DAVE: Deeply, deeply unlikely. Wander is a redhead, for one thing. While that does not guarantee that Mono would be as well, it's unlikely that they would have such striking differences. On top of which, Mono looks nothing like him. We see both of them face on at various points. He has a long, angular face, while hers is far more rounded and traditionally Japanese. While these arguments could be discounted, the fact that they're valid and there isn't a single bit of evidence to support their relation suggests its a fairly shaky ground to work from. OUR ANALYSIS: Probably not. -Wander was Mono's son Explanation(s): -Not applicable- Likelihood KAZE: Extremely unlikely. Both look to be about the same age and both are described as "young souls" on the official UK website. DAVE: This has frightening implications in the context of the ending. Aside from that Mono would have to be the youngest looking thirty-odd year old in the history of anywhere. Not likely. OUR ANALYSIS: As close to certainly not as you can get. -Wander and Mono were just friends Explanation(s): -Not applicable Likelihood KAZE: Possible, though not very likely due to Mono's apparent lack of familiarity with Agro. DAVE: You'd need to be incredibly close friends to consider going to such insane lengths to return them to life. Ironically here more than in the case of them loving each other her lack of familiarity with Agro is damning. I can't see it. OUR ANALYSIS: They were probably more than friends, or he cared about her on some deep level as more than a friend. -Wander had stolen Agro recently Explanation(s): -Not applicable- Likelihood KAZE: Highly unlikely. Agro's a horse much too tall for someone of Wander's stature to logically steal. For Wander to even have such a large horse suggests a bond with him and desire to have that particular horse as his companion. Further, Agro responds to Wander's calls quickly and displays constant loyalty to him, not only because he bears him at all, but because he's willing to ride into battle against Colossi with him and throws him to safety near the end when the bridge beneath them was collapsing. DAVE: Additionally, Agro would KILL Wander if he tried. Without any exaggeration I can say a horse of Agro's size could destroy a modern car with a back kick. He's built like a warhorse. Horses like Agro don't get stolen. Agro and Wander are a well oiled fighting machine. Do you think it's likely that just any horse would ride so cleanly for Wander when he wanted to stand on its back? Even allowing for gaming conventions of 'cool', horseback archery is not easy. Add to that Wander's genuine reaction of grief when he thinks Agro is dead, and I think that this theory is comfortably deep sixed. OUR ANALYSIS: Very, very unlikely. -Agro was originally Mono's horse Explanation(s): -Not applicable- Likelihood KAZE: Not suggested or indicated at all, and hardly makes sense with Mono not calling out his name or otherwise showing instant recognition when she awakens to meet him. DAVE: If Agro took one step with Mono on him she'd be launched into the stratosphere! She weighs about fifty pounds soaking wet. I don't think this theory is supported at all or even makes much sense. For one thing, if it's Mono's horse it again raises all the issues of why he comes so willingly when Wander, who is NOT his master, calls for him, not to mention how he's clearly been trained for horseback archery. Brief aside: Horseback archery was a big part of feudal Japanese warfare, and both horse and rider needed to train extensively to have any degree of accuracy with the discipline. Wander 'inheriting' Agro would not account for his skill on the horse's back. OUR ANALYSIS: Nah. *The Dormin (004.1B) -The Dormin were the old gods of the Forbidden Land Explanation(s): The temple where Wander meets Dormin is called "the Shrine of Worship" and bears many idols. Further, the circular opening above the altar in the shrine and above the pool at the back was possibly designed for Dormin to speak to their priests through. Also, in some middle eastern cultures (which the game may have drawn on), horns are a sign of divinity, and Dormin's corporeal form bears horns. Likelhood KAZE: Certainly possible and fits without any apparent contradictions. (Note: More on this theory in the "Meta Theory" section further down.) DAVE: The Forbidden Land is packed with temples either fallen down or intact, and the Shrine of Worship is clearly decked out like a pagan temple. I've seen pictures very much like it (on a much smaller scale) in history books and whatnot. More on this later, however. OUR ANALYSIS: There's nothing working against it, and it explains why they congregate in a place called 'the shrine of worship'. Maybe. -The Dormin were a group of evil demons sealed away by Emon's people Explanation(s): They turn into a big demon looking thing and had been sealed. Likelihood KAZE: Not so likely based on context and circumstancial evidence. Further, Dormin's behavior isn't consistent with that of a sterotypical treacherous evil being: They openly warned Wander that there may be a high price to pay to bring back Mono, said that they had borrowed his his body rather than possessed, stolen, or even taken it, and after being reunited, honored their agreement with Wander by bringing Mono back to life. Further, it seems possible that they may have returned Wander's life to him in the pool at the back of the shrine (more on this honoring of their bargain in the "Ending theories" and the "Meta Theory" sections to follow). DAVE: I am with Kaze on disagreeing with it, however there is more than enough reason to believe in it. If one determines that Wander's life is restored by accident as a side effect of Emon's sealing spell, then the rest of their actions become far more explicable. Any D & D player understands the concept of 'lawful evil' the creature of cruelty and violence that will still honour any bargain it makes to the absolute letter. We all know about the ideas behind trickster genies and the like. However, overall I think more evidence stands against than for it. OUR ANALYSIS: Split. We both personally go against it, but as mentioned above, it's certainly believable if looked at from one angle. -Dormin's power is represented by the light of the land Explanation(s): Beams of light rise into the air from the locations of fallen colossi, removing clouds from the map, and light shines through the holes in the temple that Dormin speaks through. Further, there's no night shown to us in the Forbidden Land aside from the storm that erupts during the battle with Malus, and there doesn't seem to be any definite location of a sun either. Moreover, in the game's opening narration, it's said that the Dormin have the power to control beings made of light. Likelihood KAZE: Entirely possible. There's no reason to believe that this may not be so. DAVE: I consider it more likely that a certain facet of Dormin's power is represented by the light of the land. Logically, after all, if they are sealed away the Land should be dark, going by this theory. However it's not. In fact it doesn't go dark until the very end, after they've been resealed. I personally doubt that Emon's little spell is a firmer seal than the idol spell, so there must be another explanation. OUR ANALYSIS: Split. The bone of contention comes from the inherent statement that at the end of the game Dormin's power is broken. It seems odd that the world was bright while Dormin was so heavily sealed with the idol spell, and yet Emon's ten second incantation and throwing of the ancient sword seals them even more firmly. -The Forbidden Land's 'day' is provided by the presence of Dormin Explanation(s): Emon declares 'begone, foul beast', when he performs the sealing spell at the end, and after Dormin are sucked into the pool the storm continues unabated. Throughout the game it has been bright lights all the way. Perhaps we finally see the Forbidden Land without Dormin's presence, providing an eternal light. Likelihood KAZE: Seems to work fine to me. DAVE: It seems strange to me that Dormin could be sealed more powerfully by Emon's spell than by the idol spell. In acceptance of that, perhaps Emon's spell is designed to suck Dormin away 'somewhere else'. This is contradicted, however, by the statement that they need to place a seal on the whole temple. Perhaps they are buried so deep in the temple that none of their essence can, for a time, be felt beyond it, thrusting the land into darkness. This is not contradicted by in-game evidence, and it does offer an alternative view of Dormin's relation to the light. Their power is not broken at the end, its simply hidden away somewhere. For a time, it can't be seen. Regardless, I actually consider Dormin's relation to the light to be one of the more difficult issues this game raises. OUR ANALYSIS: Could work under the right circumstances. Not a lot within the game itself to really peg it down either way. -Emon himself sealed the Dormin originally Explanation(s): -Not applicable- Likelihood KAZE: Extremely unlikely. The Dormin state that they've been sealed for "an eternity," as they put it. Assuming it to be in the neighborhood of hundreds of years, or even just a few score, Emon was likely not yet even alive at the time of the Dormin originally being sealed. DAVE: Doubt it. Emon's an old man, not immortal. If Dormin were sealed by him, surely their comments would have been much more directed if Emon was personally responsible for their sealing. It is likely that they've been sealed for longer than hundreds of years, too. OUR ANALYSIS: Probably not. -The sword Wander stole was utilized in the spell that originally sealed the Dormin Explanation(s): The Dormin recognize the sword and know that with it, Wander may be able to defeat the Colossi and free them from the spell. Likelihood KAZE: Extremely likely. DAVE: Almost a guarantee. It has too much affinity with Dormin for it to be otherwise. It catches the light, which is obviously connected to their power, it is the only thing that can free them... it only makes sense. OUR ANALYSIS: Nigh certain. -The shadow beings that appear at the Shrine of Worship in the beginning are the Dormin's followers who remained loyal to them after the religious reformation that came over the people. Most likely killed and their bodies mutilated or destroyed, the Dormin fashioned for their souls spiritual bodies made with their own energy, and they are the beings made of light which the game's opening narration says that they can control Explanation(s): On the official PAL website, if one clicks on the question "Who are those shadowy figures?" they receive a video response that shows the shadow beings from the opening sequence of the game, and includes this statement: "Everything casts a shadow. When an entity exists beyond the mortal realm, a shadow is all men can see." This means that the beings are probably dead, and since they cast the shadows of humans, they most likely WERE humans when they were alive. Also, the opening narration's reference to beings made of light that can be controlled by the Dormin could only apply to these beings, and since -- as the PAL website says -- "Myths speak of their [the Dormin's] ability to control the souls of the dead", this all fits. Likelihood KAZE: An interesting theory that is both plausible and contradicted by nothing within the game. DAVE: -Not applicable- OUR ANALYSIS: Only my input so far, but I'd say it works pretty darn well and makes the most sense of anything. -The Colossi contain the dark half of each severed part of the Dormin, while the idols contain the light half Explanation(s): After a Colossus is defeated, black energy erupts from the fallen creature and enters Wander. This is what is then represented by a shadow-like figure standing beside him when he has been returned to the Shrine of Worship. At that point, the idol corresponding to the dead Colossus emanates bright light and explodes. Subsequently, a dove made of light appears around Mono. Likelihood KAZE: It's certainly an interesting theory. The only real problems with it are that the Dormin refer to themselves being seperated into sixteen parts instead of thirty-two (though it's possible that the seperated halves could still be counted as one since their bondage is shared) and that it doesn't really seem to make sense that all aspects of the Dormin's essence wouldn't enter Wander. The Dormin's objective would seem to have been to become whole once again. That said, the theory WOULD fit with the Dormin's duality. The Dormin have both male and female voices, are repesented with both light and dark (complete with bright light and black light), and the appearance of the shadow figures could be symbolic of the dark light that has entered Wander (a male), while the doves made of bright light surround Mono (the female). Despite a couple of problems, it seems like a good theory. I can't say how likely it is, but it's a good theory. However, it's also possible that the shadows that appear around Wander and the doves of light that surround Mono may just be symbolic. Dave: -Not applicable- OUR ANALYSIS: It's only me so far, but it seems like a fairly decent theory with a couple of possible flaws. I can't say that they definitely are flaws, though, because it might be more a misunderstanding based on what limited knowledge we have of the Dormin. In any case, it's a great observation. *The nature of the Colossi (004.1C) -They were created by a fusion of the land and the seperated essences of the Dormin Explanations(s): Each bit of rhe Dormin's essences acted of its own accord rather than under the influence of the Dormin once they were sealed. EAch was bound within the confines of an area of the Forbidden Land, with the conduit for the spell that so bound them being the idols within the temple. This fusion of the essences of the Dormin with the part of the land to which to which each was bound not only created the Colossi as unguided, instinctual creatures, but confused the spell on Dormin as well, such that when the Colossi were destroyed, the spell misinterpreted the essence of Dormin itself as being destroyed, destroying the associated idol and releasing the seal on that bit of the Dormin's essence. Likelihood KAZE: Extremely likely in light of what little we know for certain. (Note: More on this theory in the "Meta Theory" section further down.) DAVE: Fairly likely. OUR ANALYSIS: It's a solid explanation, for certain, and it doesn't have any glaring holes in it. That's usually a good sign. -The Colossi are all physically trapped in their respective areas Explanation(s): Several seem to be in areas that they may be unable to leave, such as Gaius being on that large platform that's surrouned by water, or Malus' feet being secured to the ground, even such that his body doesn't collapse to the ground once he's been killed. Likelihood KAZE: Quite unlikely. While #s 3, 4, 6, 11, 12, 14, and 16 are all certianly physically trapped, they are not the majority. #s 1, 5, 8, 9, 13, and 15 should be able to leave their areas at any time they wished unless a magical restriction was upon them. #2 may also be able to ascend the nearby ramp to the upper areas of the Forbidden Land if it so wished, and #s 7 and 10 -- being designed after an aquatic creature and a sand worm in the first place -- are simply in what passes for areas they have to be within in order to move about. DAVE: I'll be more firm than Kaze and say that this is frankly wrong. Neither of the flying colossi are even close to being trapped. Some certainly are, but there's more to it than mere physicality. OUR ANALYSIS: Aside from differences in vehemence, we agree that this is probably incorrect. -They weren't evil and were more like animals than anything else Explanation(s): Their behavior is consistent with that of animalistic creatures following their instincts rather than perceptive beings like humans. Likelihood KAZE: Very likely. DAVE: Well, they're certainly not as intelligent as the creature they're serving as host to. I support this as well. OUR ANALYSIS: Very likely. -They were evil entities under the influence of the evil Dormin Explanation(s): -Not applicable- Likelihood KAZE: Not only does it seem unlikely that the Dormin were evil in the traditional sense, and not only do the Colossi behave more like animals than anything else, but were the Dormin controlling these creatures or influencing them at all, they most certainly would have wanted Wander to succeed in destroying them and would not have had them attack him. DAVE: Neither of the flying colossi show any interest in Wander whatsoever even once they've spotted him. The second of them never attacks him, even when Wander is stabbing it to death. This doesn't suggest evil to me. OUR ANALYSIS: Almost certainly not. -They were created by the same people who seperated Dormin to contain the essences of Dormin and guard them, and the areas they're found in were designed as needed such that they could be used to overpower the Colossi and kill them if the need to do so ever arose Explanation(s): They contain the Dormin's essences, and many of the areas where the Colossi are found are designed such that they can be used to get on the Colossi and kill them. Likelihood KAZE: Possible, but not really indicated. While many of the locations can be used in Wander's favor, it seems to be more out of luck -- and Wander knowing how to use the environment around him to his advantage -- than anything else, as is the case with #s 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, and 15. Malus' area is the only one that seems intentionally designed for approaching the Colossus in that location, and is hardly an indication of the majority. For that matter, whoever contained the Dormin obviously wanted them to remain contained. It wouldn't make sense for them to have intentionally designed a way for someone to free them. DAVE: Many if not most of the colossi are housed in areas that resemble the central shrine of worship in some ways. It is highly possible that in the case of others the shrines merely broke down over time. In short, most of the environmental factors are explicable providing you accept that they were built to contain the colossi in the first place. Wander simply turned these prisons or shrines to his own advantage. For one thing, if they were designed to actually kill the colossi, why don't they include some in-built weaponry of a scale to achieve it? The fact is that the colossi are functionally invincible, and it makes no sense that anybody would consider how they might be killed if they were building them. Assuming that Dormin are evil, the consequences of killing the Colossi would be too dire to consider their slaying. OUR ANALYSIS: Unlikely. -The spell that seperated and sealed the essences of Dormin created the Colossi -- possibly out of the land -- intentionally, and for the purpose of housing the essences of Dormin Explanation(s): -Not applicable- Likelihood KAZE: Possible, but not indicated. DAVE: I sort of agree with this, but I doubt it was intentional on a personal basis. However, its significant that the only person who ever mentions the Colossi is Dormin themselves. The suggestion is nobody else really knew about them, if you look at the in-game material. Wander certainly didn't know about them, which is very peculiar. All this suggests that the spell didn't create the colossi, in my opinion. Far more likely that the spell's purpose was to seal them into the idols. OUR ANALYSIS: Not likely, but it is still possible. The big bone of contention is the 'why' of the thing. Why make the Colossi? If you have an answer then there's no reason why this theory can't fly. -They've made the areas they chose to inhabit or were forced to inhabit into something of a natural habitat, each according to its nature Explanation(s): They're not only able to defend themselves in these locations, but seem to naturally fit in these locations in some cases, such as Hydrus. Likelihood KAZE: Possibly, but in the cases of some, the locations they reside in seem to be requirements for their movement at all (Dirge and Hydrus), and in the cases of many others, how they defend themselves doesn't seem to be so much the result of their areas being akin to natural environments (exceptions being #s 7, 10, and 12) as it is that they simply have become familiar with their environments. DAVE: I think this suggests too much activity on the Colossi's part. Let's not forget that the majority of them are clearly inactive when Wander gets to them, and if they had been active beforehand the signs would be everywhere such as with the Colossus in the mausoleum who knocks all the walls down. Also, the environments actively make it harder for them to defend themselves on some occasions. Take the wall-crawling gecko-like Colossus. He would be nearly impossible to attack if not for the fact you can harass him from all angles. OUR ANALYSIS: A double 'kinda' in this case. It's a feasible theory, so long as you can explain why there's no evidence of their prior activity when mere moments of battle with Wander sometimes cause massive destruction. -They were created by the people who originally inhabited the Forbidden Land to be servants until they rebelled against their masters Explanation(s): -Not applicable- Likelihood KAZE: Possible, but not indicated. DAVE: Unlikely. For one thing they don't look like man-made creations, several of them are useless outside of their environment, and others are utterly trapped. As far as servants go, the colossi would make for a frustrating bunch. OUR ANALYSIS: Overall, not likely. -The metal armor that some of them wore was built for them by humans who had built the Colossi too Explanation(s): -Not applicable- Likelihood KAZE: Rather unlikely. When the Colossi die, they seemingly instantly turn to stone and are covered with moss in some cases, the materials they're composed of returning to the earth, including the metal armor that some of them wear. DAVE: As Kaze says, everything they're made of returns to stone when they die. The secondary issue is 'why bother'? If these things were built, it's blatantly obvious they were built to be indestructible. Most of these Colossi are nearly so, and they have no need of further enhancement. Also, assuming that the Colossi were built by the people, why didn't they put those metal plates right over their weak points? The theory raises hard to answer questions, and that always sets off warning alarms in my mind. OUR ANALYSIS: Unlikely. -The sword points to the essences of Dormin, specifically areas where it's trying to get out of the Colossi Explanation(s): The essences of Dormin emerge from the vitals of the fallen Colossi. Also, when the Colossi "bleed," they violently spray, as though something is forcing its way out. Likelihood KAZE: This is highly possible, and there's nothing that really suggests otherwise. It's somewhat curious that the essences of the Dormin do not seem to move to other areas within the Colossi, but there may be limitations on them. DAVE: This is a theory I agree with one hundred per cent. OUR ANALYSIS: A mutual highly likely. UPDATE: On second thought, this theory isn't very strong in light of the fact that the light points to the Colossi in a particular order (an order provided by the Dormin), as well as the fact that it sometimes points to Colossi that are further away than those that are closer (example: it points to #7 before it points to #11). Additionally, it never points to Wander himself (who accumulates essences of the Colossi within himself). -The sword points to the minds of the Colossi Explanation(s): -Not applicable- Likelihood KAZE: Highly unlikely due to there being multiple "vitals" on the Colossi. DAVE: I mirror Kaze's statement. It's all that needs to be said. OUR ANALYSIS: Almost certainly not. -The sword points to what the Dormin want it to, and it is the Dormin's manipulation of light in the Forbidden Land that guides Wander Explanation(s): Given that the sword guides Wander to the Colossi in a particular order given to him by the Dormin, never points to himself, often points to Colossi that are further away than others, and given the inference of the Dormin's connection to light in the Forbidden Land (it is even said in the game's opening narration that the Dormin had the power to control beings made of light), the Dormin choose which Colossi to guide Wander to, and then points him to the Colossi's vitals which may be either where their essences entered the Colossi or just where they're located at that time. Additionally, the glyph that appears at the Colossi's vitals is utilized as it is a sign that Wander will recognize, or may have even been a symbol used in the religion that worshipped the Dormin. Additionally, the Dormin may have intended to guide Wander to the Colossi in a particular order so that he would battle easier ones first. For example, the first three Colossi are fought on wide flat, open terrain, and the objective is fairly straightforward in that the player is simply trying to get on the Colossi and destroy its vitals that are usually in plain sight. On many of the following Colossi, the environment must be utilized to some degree, often extensively, just in order to uncover a Colossus' vitals or in order to get on the creature. KAZE: The most likely of all explanations. DAVE: -Not applicable- (though I'm sure he'd love it) OUR ANALYSIS: Well, it's only my input so far, but I'd say it's pretty darn likely, if not definite. -The vitals of the Colossi are where the essences of Dormin entered the material the Colossi are made from Explanation(s): The vitals are where the entry points for the essences of Dormin are sealed, and the majority of the essences lie at these points, this being why "blood" sprays much more violently from these points when stabbed than they do anywhere else. Likelihood KAZE: Possible, with no obvious contradictions. DAVE: Certainly possible. There's nothing that really works against this theory. OUR ANALYSIS: It's possible, and there's not really anything that says it's not. -The Colossi attack Wander because of his "sins" and/or because he is allied with Dormin Explanation(s): -Not applicable- Likelihood KAZE: Highly unlikely. Not all of the Colossi are aggressive, and while many are, attacking Wander on sight, Avion doesn't attack Wander until he's attacked first, and Phalanx won't attack him at all. DAVE: Very unlikely. It's more likely they attack him because they know on an instinctual level he's there to kill them. OUR ANALYSIS: Not likely at all. -The Colossi often fought one another Explanation(s): There are damaged areas on Gaius, the Knight. Likelihood KAZE: Gaius was designed after a knight. It rather makes sense for his design to reflect that he's been in battles. Aside from this one case, there's no indication of there having been combat amongst the Colossi, and this one isn't really an indication of that on its own. DAVE: Most of them couldn't get to each other for a fight even if they wanted to. Plus, if they DID fight, there would be evidence of it. Seriously, a fight between any of the larger Colossi would completely reshape the landscape. Especially since they have no way of killing each other, so once a fight began there would be no reason for it to ever end. OUR ANALYSIS: Almost certainly not. *The Forbidden Land (004.1D) -The Forbidden Land could possibly result in someone dying if they touched the ground before crossing the bridge and touching the temple first Explanation(s): Emon felt that the bridge collapsing would prevent anyone from ever entering the Forbidden Land again. Likelihood KAZE: Emon probably thought that because there was a drop of several hundred feet at the entrance to the Forbidden Land without the bridge in place. The indication offered by the game and the official UK website is that the place was labeled forbidden so as to prevent anyone from going there and possibly releasing the Dormin: "It is forbidden for the good of all men. This land contains mighty power, and this power... must be contained." DAVE: Well, there is little evidence to suggest that this is true. Why touching the shrine would preserve someone's life I have no idea. The simple fact is you can't get in without using the bridge. Geographics makes it inaccessible. For that matter, why would the Forbidden Land kill anyone who touched it? It seems like a verdant enough place to me. There are lizards and things on the ground, and they're unaffected by any death touch, so really I don't even see where this thought comes from. OUR ANALYSIS: A large "unlikely." 2) Ending theories (004.2) Many theories have arisen concerning SotC's brilliantly executed ending, a conclusion that for many left the story sitting wide open, but for others, brought a beautiful sense of closure. Here they are: -Wander is revived by the Dormin Explanation(s): Wander was quite dead by then already. Emon's spell to neutralize the Dormin's power shouldn't bring the dead back to life even if it was purifying them of negative energy. Wander may have been reverted to infancy by the purification aspect of the spell, infancy being the only point in a human's life when they are truly pure, but returning to life itself was a result of Dormin's influence. Likelihood KAZE: Extremely likely, and a most logical conclusion. DAVE: I hold to this belief personally, so obviously I support it. I can't find many problems with it, either, or evidence to suggest it's wrong. OUR ANALYSIS: Looks good. -Wander is reverted to infancy by Emon's purification spell and restored to life, as well Explanation(s): Wander could only be purified by becoming an infant once more, and being pure made him live again. Likelihood KAZE: Not very likely. It doesn't seem to logically work that simply being purified would return Wander to life. Even infants can die, after all. DAVE: If it did happen it was an unexpected side effect. Emon was clearly unsure of what had happened to the people in the temple. I personally find it unlikely, however. OUR ANALYSIS: Probably not. The primary bone of contention is the game's clear statement that it's the Dormin who have power over resurrection. -Wander and Dormin fuse into one being Explanation(s): -Not applicable- Likelihood KAZE: Nothing working against it. DAVE: Perfectly fine. Makes sense. OUR ANALYSIS: Double thumbs up. -Wander remains dead, but Dormin is reincarnated in his body Explanation(s): -Not applicable- Likelihood KAZE: Possible, but it may not fit in with the Dormin's line of honor to leave Wander -- whom they owed for being free to begin with -- dead while permanently taking his body from him. DAVE: This I find more unlikely than the former theory. For one thing we've already seen what happens when Dormin inhabit a Human body: It doesn't work. They're too powerful for such a fragile shell to deal. An infant's body would likely be flatly annihilated. On top of which, to be reincarnated Dormin would have to die. I think part of the problem is that Dormin are simply unkillable in any literal sense. Also, if the baby was really Dormin, why does it act like a normal baby? Did Dormin forget everything of its Godhood or whatever you want to call it? While it works in one way, it makes no sense whatsoever in another. You'd have thought the baby would show marks more significant than mere horns. OUR ANALYSIS: Split. It does make sense, but we find severe personal disagreements with the idea, and it does raise some serious issues. -Mono's lifeless body was possessed by the "female" aspect of Dormin Explanation(s): The female voice of Dormin grew ever more faint toward the end of the game, while Mono's voice grew stronger. Likelihood KAZE: Doesn't seem very likely. The Dormin were more than just two entities, anyway, described as "many" on the official UK website. While the Dormin clearly possessed something of a dual nature, the increase in the presence of one over the other could be a result of any number of possibilities of which we are not aware, including the obvious factor that Dormin's essences were reuniting within Wander's body. DAVE: There is never any point where any Dormin essence enters Mono's body. While it is certain that Wander is unconscious for a long time whenever he comes back from killing a colossus, it does make Dormin's statement at the end that they have 'risen anew' somewhat incorrect. The whole point of their gamble is reuniting. Surely this is flatly prevented if one of them enters Mono's body instead? Additionally, Mono shows no sign of infection. Even after the first battle there are signs Wander is changing if you can get the camera close enough to him. OUR ANALYSIS: This doesn't seem likely, for numerous reasons. -Agro actually died when he fell into the canyon below Malus' lair, and the Dormin revived both him and Mono Explanation(s): -Not applicable- Likelihood KAZE: Extremely unlikely. Mono's revived without whatever damage that had been taken to her body being present, and Wander's infant body bears no damage, yet Agro comes limping into the Shrine of Worship with a broken leg. The only revival(s) that took place involved the complete healing of whatever wounds were rendered to cause death in the first place. Agro should not have a broken leg if revived by the power of Dormin. DAVE: I'll be honest, I found this hilarious the first time I heard it. It's simply riddled with logic holes. On top of what Kaze's said already, Dormin never made a deal to bring Agro back to life, so why would they even if the situation came up? It requires far too much additional explanation to get somewhere close to making this make sense for me to buy it. This whole theory arose from the fact that Agro shouldn't have survived the fall, even onto water. This is true. However, Agro also should have all of his legs broken when he gets hit by the sand worm Collossus, and he shouldn't get back up after being shot by the turtle-like one in the geyser area. We'll have to accept that the director wanted Agro to survive and so it happened. Call it a one in a million chance, whatever's required. The very fact that he comes back with a sprained or broken leg is the ample proof that we are supposed to believe he survived the fall through some means. Who knows, maybe Agro really is the seventeenth Collossus. OUR ANALYSIS: There's simply nothing to support it, and it makes little sense to boot. -Mono actually wakes up in Heaven, and this is why she finds Wander and Agro there, them having also died Explanation(s): -Not applicable- Likelihood KAZE: As with the idea that Agro was revived by Dormin, it doesn't work due to Agro having a broken leg. Dead horses that go to Heaven shouldn't have broken legs (not that I've been there; it just doesn't logically make sense). For that matter, why would Mono just then be waking up in Heaven, having been dead for quite some time, yet just getting there at the same time as the recently deceased? Further still, why would Wander be an infant in Heaven while Mono and Agro had the bodies they had at the time of death? And why would Heaven look like the Forbidden Land? All that aside, Mono's eyelids are moving even before Emon and his men evacuate the Shrine of Worship. This one's pretty much impossible. DAVE: Don't think I can add much to Kaze's explanation. Everything from the promotional material through to Emon's words all contradict this theory. OUR ANALYSIS: A huge "NO." UPDATE: Rendered impossible by the nature of SotC's official prequel status. Wander begins the lined of horned boys and Ico is among his descendants. -Emon's spell to defeat the Dormin was only temporary Explanation(s): This is why he needed to destroy the bridge too. Likelihood KAZE: Certainly possible. Though it leaves the question of why the bridge was allowed to remain standing as long as it was, this question is technically appropriate anyway. DAVE: I consider it a certainty. If Dormin could be sealed so easily, why did they really care if they got free? Let's face it, Emon makes it look easy. The idol approach seems excessively complex if Dormin was so easy to contain. After all, why go to such an extent in the first place if a spell like that would have worked then? The question of why the bridge was allowed to remain standing applies to every possible theory. Why DID they keep that bridge up? Perhaps they thought they would come back for conversation at some points. In truth it's a hanging plot hole that can't be resolved. OUR ANALYSIS: Valid theory. Makes sense depending on your angle of approach. -The horns on baby Wander's head are simply a result of him having been the Dormin's vessel for a time, and having been on his head when he died. As such, they don't necessarily symbolize anything, even so much as some of Dormin's power remaining within Wander, though it's possible. Explanation(s): -Not applicable- Likelihood KAZE: Nothing to contradict it based on the context of just SotC, though if one is assuming Wander to be the ancestor of a certain other famous horned boy, this theory could be called into question. DAVE: Alternatively, the horned boys have nothing genetically to do with Wander. After all, I doubt he'd be well received upon entering a new town, and romance would be positively awkward. Perhaps the boys with horns are simply a result of Dormin being existant in the world, a sign of its 'taint'. Nonetheless, this theory doesn't work if you assume Wander is responsible for ICO. Otherwise, it's fundamentally sound. OUR ANALYSIS: It can work, but certain approaches necessitate its fallacy. UPDATE: In light of official confirmation that Wander begins the line of horned boys, it's most likely that something of the Dormin's power remained within Wander and was passed to his descendants. 3) After ending theories (004.3) The ending of SotC has also inspired many to conceive theories of what may follow after the events of the game. Many of them relate to now confirmed connections with SotC's "spiritual precursor," Ico, while others involve connections that have yet to be confirmed, so be sure to check out the "Connections to Ico: Facts & theories" section further down in this FAQ. -Mono, Wander and Agro all die soon after the game ends Explanation(s): Agro dies because he's now a limp horse and will get an infection or be unable to move around much, and Mono and baby Wander will be unable to eat. Likelihood KAZE: Doesn't even make sense. Agro's walking around just fine and hardly seems concerned about his limp, which Mono should be able to help him heal anyway. As for herself and Wander, there's plenty of food in the Forbidden Land (lizards and fruit, most obviously), and that baby deer in the Secret Garden sure didn't look like he was underfed. DAVE: If Agro's leg was broken, then yes he will be crippled. However his leg is not clearly broken, it could only be severely sprained, an injury a horse is more than capable of recovering from. I personally take that long, looooooong panning shot where we see that they're less than half way up that enormous tower that in fact the 'habitable' portions of it start with the Secret Garden. I'm aware that there's no obvious way inside if you get into it, no way further into the building, but I think it's fairly obvious that the rest of it isn't completely empty. I'll agree that baby Wander might be in trouble, though, as he's not at the point, from the look of things, where he can live on tough lizard meat and (probably) soft fruit. However, I think it's safe to say that the trio will be just fine. OUR ANALYSIS: It's very negative, definitely goes against the spirit of the game, and isn't very likely given the minute facts offered in the last part of the ending. UPDATE: Rendered impossible by the nature of SotC's official prequel status. Wander begins the lined of horned boys and Ico is among his descendants. While Mono and Agro don't necessarily survive, there's no reason to think that they wouldn't when an infant in Mono's care is confirmed as doing so. -Mono raises Wander back to adolescence and the two have children together; they may or may not ever find a way out of the Forbidden Land, but their children may Explanation(s): -Not applicable- Likelihood KAZE: Possible, if not the most likely possibility. DAVE: All but required for several theories concerning inter-relations with ICO. It makes sense, although I still consider it to be at least slightly twisted since Mono will be about sixteen years older than him (physically) when they have children. At least. OUR ANALYSIS: Fairly likely and a very logical follow on from the ending. -Mono raises Wander to adolescence and he eventually finds a way out of the Forbidden Land and has children with someone else Explanation(s): -Not applicable- Likelihood KAZE: Possible, but not really any reason to believe he won't be doing the baby-makin' dance with Mono if he does it with anyone. There's not really any reason to believe he'd leave Mono behind anyway if she was still alive. DAVE: While I find this personally more appealing, who in the hell is going to have children with Wander? Think about it for two seconds, and imagine the responses he'll get from 'ordinary' civilised folk. Pitch forks, burning brands, and all that. It's actually more likely he breeds with Mono, if at all. However, short of descending deep into incest, sooner or later he or his descendents will either die out or escape. What happens then is all conjecture. OUR ANALYSIS: As likely as the previous theory, depending on whether or not you believe Wander and Mono will fall in love again, or indeed fall in love in the first place, as he grows up. -The title screen cutscenes where Agro is shown riding about on his own are actually set after the events of SotC, and indicate that his leg healed. Explanation(s): One of the similar cutscenes of a hawk flying about that become viewable after having beaten the game show the bridge beneath Malus' lair as gone. Likelihood KAZE: All that's for sure is that the hawk cutscenes take place after Malus is defeated. Wander can be seen sleeping at save altars during these cutscenes of Agro running about, as they simply load a location from a current save file. That said, this is apparently impossible. DAVE: This was actually my suggestion, and I've never noticed Wander asleep at the save point before. So... uh... I guess this one's dead, Jim. OUR ANALYSIS: It would be nice if it were so, but it seems that this is simply wrong. 4) Meta Theory on the Dormin, the Colossi, and Wander's motivation (004.40) The Meta Theory is a large, fairly complex, near all-encompassing theory that was the brainchild of David Rodoy. He came up with it while playing Shadow of the Colossus, and it explains almost all of the plot elements of the story, leaving few plot holes. After I read it, I added some embellishments upon it and we were left with what we mutually feel is the single most solid Shadow of the Colossus theory conceived. It ties all the threads up into a single consistent package with lose ends you'd have to hunt with a microscope. In its original form, it encompassed the nature of the Dormin and the Colossi, as well as Wander's connection to Mono, his motivation for reviving her, his connection to Emon, the phenomenal equestrian and archery skills he displays, and offered a take on the ending that was a stroke of brilliance. That said, we had two different takes on the Wander aspects of the story, while we fully agreed on the aspects concerning the Dormin and the Colossi. As such, we've slightly dissected the Meta theory, leaving the origins of the Colossi and the nature of the Dormin as its basis, but with two different "paths" branching off from there. Though we disagreed with one another quite vehemently in our initial discussion of Wander's motivations, we both acknowledge that -- within the context of Shadow of the Colossus alone, which may well be how its intended to be examined -- either theory is equally plausible. That said, I rather think his theory is more creative on the whole and I find it extremely interesting, but the theory I came to hold it edges it out for me in terms of satisfaction. Fortunately, we both also agree that is what the developers of Shadow of the Colossus would hope for those who play the game to take from its story: their own story, built from the base elements they've offered, cooked in a fire of the imagination to bond them together, seasoned with personally preferred flavors, and devoured to a satisfying end. In that spirit, we'll be presenting the Meta theory in its original sequential form, our combined theory on the Dormin and the Colossi being presented first, followed then by Dave's take on Wander's motivations and backstory, and then concluded with my own take on the avatar of our wills as projected into the Forbidden Land. As we head into the Meta Theory, I now leave you with the closing words that David left in his original opening to this testament to the brilliant work of art that Ueda and his development team has given us with Shadow of the Colossus: "What makes this theory so worthy is not its plausibility, believe it or not. It’s the fact that it remains plausible despite flatly contradicting a fair proportion of the promotional material that surrounds this game. It is a theory formed from one thing and one thing only: In-game experience, and it amounts to my interpretation of the events that unfolds, and in a big way it encompasses the feelings that the game stirred within me. Even if you do not agree with this theory in part or whole, it stands as a testament to the success of Shadow of the Colossus. It made me think, it made me feel, and it left me with just enough information and indication from which I could craft this explanation for the game. As a writer, I can appreciate better than most the power of saying no more than you have to. In Shadow of the Colossus, defying all obvious expectation, in saying almost nothing at all the director has said no more than he had to. In presenting this theory I will break it down into a logical progression of events and scenarios that lead into and explain the in-game events of Shadow of the Colossus. Essentially, I present to you the plot of Shadow of the Colossus, re-told by me, wearing Emon’s weird creepy mask." *Nature of the Colossi and Dormin (004.4A) The Dormin, far from being evil, were once worshipped as Gods. The people of that land faced an entity so far above and beyond them, possessing power so much beyond their scope of understanding and existing in a state so far beyond their comprehension that this was the only possible relationship. Dormin forms a dual god, light and dark, male and female, dead and alive, possessing power over all the above in various ways. It is not to say that these times were peaceful, however it is likely that the religion around Dormin was not an especially violent one. Dormin themselves are enshrined in a great temple, built to their dimensions, and around the land others are erected in worship to them. Idols are built to paganistic design, each to worship a different aspect of this divine entity. The status quo is set for centuries. But eventually -- one may say inevitably -- this changes. At some point long, long ago, a new religion rose. Perhaps it started as a new thinker, perhaps it was someone angry at Dormin for some reason. These people began a new religion, birthed a new god. A new, impersonal god that could not be seen, could not be touched. More importantly, this was a god of light, and the darkness and the death was its enemy, the sign of its displeasure and its curses. Thus was the battle set. The people were won over to this new religion. It preached of reward and of punishment, of enemy and of victory. Dormin was the symbol of the enemy, darkness and death. The people, once worshipful, rose up against Dormin, and through the use of a magic sword first sundered then bound their former god, a god no longer amenable to the beliefs of the people, a relic of a time already gone. Binding Dormin’s soul to the idols made for its worship, each corresponding to a different area of the land that Dormin itself had been lord over, Dormin was left, trapped eternally, bound to the land itself and to the shrines once erected in its honour. It is sealed away, abandoned by its people in a land whose name would be lost, and it would be remembered only as a place wherein none could tread: the Forbidden Land. Dormin is left bound into the land, never able to truly come together again, the idols that bind its soul rendered indestructible by Dormin’s own immunity to dissolution. Dormin is left an angry god, infuriated by betrayal and imprisonment, burning in the impotent desire for vengeance. Dormin was condemend to an eternity of separation, a fate worse than the oblivion it personified and controlled, yet Dormin remained fundamentally a god of the land. In binding its divided essences to the various parts of the land itself, the people had given Dormin the smallest hint of power, provided a minor chink in their own enchantment. Dormin’s fractured soul permeated the land, and those fragments began to fuse with the land itself, to those places which they were bound. In doing so, they created secondary, more fragile prisons, prisons that personified the elements of Dormin’s own soul that were bound to the land; prisons that could, theoretically, be broken. The Colossi were born. The spell that divided the Dormin into 16 segments -- binding each piece to one of the Dormin's own idols, each of these idols in turn themselves bound to an aspect of the land -- was flawed in its function, ineffecient to the purpose for which it had been cast. In binding the idols to both the divided essences of Dormin and different parts of the land itself, the betrayers had left a loophole that may spell their own doom: when the divided essences of Dormin infused themselves into parts of the land to which they were bound, they confused that enchantment which left the Dormin's power inert and unrealized. With that which was bound becoming one with that which it was bound to, should the subsequent creations be destroyed, so too would fall those enchanted objects of which the Colossi served as manifestations: the idols, those conduits through which the spell that imprisoned the essences of the Dormin was held in place. Time passes... Someone from outside enters the Forbidden Land. Maybe they want to see their old gods, or perhaps they want to make sure the spell cast to bind their old gods is doing its work, or maybe they're just curious; who knows? What they find, however, are the idols changed, whether they discover the Colossi roaming those areas to which the idols correspond or not. Even if they know nothing of the Colossi or their significance, the significance of what has taken place is realized: if the idols are destroyed, Dormin will be freed, and in Dormin being deathless, they will inevitably reform. Dormin’s memory is thus retained as a legend, its power becoming a cautionary tale, a parable perhaps. The Forbidden Land should not be trespassed upon, for it is forbidden. The idols should never fall, because they are in the Forbidden Land. None would seek to enter the Forbidden Land and destroy the idols, lest they should wish to revive the dead, and it is now accepted as the way of mortals that the dead should never return to life. None would question this, and, thus, it should never be feared that the Dormin may arise again. None would dare to defy the laws of the mortal world and return the dead to life. None would save one. The opportunity for which the Dormin long await comes. One whose name history has now forgotten journeys to their land to ask that they beqeath unto him a boon of the old ways, to exert their dominion over that which mortal man alone has no providence over: to bring back the soul of one who was dead. -Notes on this section of the theory: :Horns are a sign of divinity among some eastern and middle eastern cultures. This may be further indication that the Dormin are the old gods of the land, seeing as how the game apparently draws on legends that originated in the middle east in regard to Dormin and the Shrine of Worship. For more on this matter, see the "Allusions to Hebrew legends" section further down in this FAQ. :It's possible that whoever entered the Forbidden Land and discovered that the idols could be destroyed realized their connection to the Colossi. This would explain how there was knowledge of a "forbidden spell" for Emon to speak of later, and would further explain why Wander knew to take the ancient sword with him, in that the sword can track the Colossi and is the only thing that can kill them. Even if Wander knew nothing of the Colossi themselves -- and he doesn't seem to, despite knowing of the Dormin and possibly the idols -- he was aware that he would need the sword for what he was setting out to do, implying that the magicians/priests with the most authority among Wander's people may know of the Colossi. At the very least, they discerned that the sword was required in destroying the idols and freeing the Dormin, despite the idols being invulvnerable to destruction by all other known mortal means. :The Colossi are clearly made from the land in that they rapidly return to the earth, becoming stone and being covered with moss. Even the metal armor which some of them wear wastes no time in returning to the land from which it came. :The symbol that appears at the "vitals" of the Colossi matches the symbol on the cloaks worn by Wander and Emon. While this may seem to suggest instead that it was the magic sword that sealed the essences of Dormin within the Colossi, this can be accounted for in that the sword was obviously used in the casting of the spell which bound Dormin, and, thus, it is attuned to the essences of the Dormin. The symbol of Wander's people that appears at the points where Wander is to strike with the sword is quite possibly a beacon of the sword's magic, to alert its bearer to where the essences of Dormin lie, either because it was there that they entered the materials of the land to fuse with it and create the Colossi, or because it is where the essences of Dormin themselves gather in trying to force their way out of the bodies of the Colossi to freedom. It may even be that the Dormin -- who obviously know the language of Wander's people -- form this symbol as a beacon to the sword's wielder of where they should strike. While I would conclude it more likely that it is a property of the sword's own power due to the symbols only appearing when the sword is unsheathed, the other possibility is one to consider as well. :The mask worn by Emon's people bears a similarity to the masks of the Colossi, especially Malus, the final Colossi, but this need not be because Emon's people created the Colossi. The masks worn by Emon and the priests of his tribe may well have been carried over from the old ways, as is common. Even while cultures move on, they don't move on all at once, carrying traditions of the past with them for time beyond remembrance. :While some of the idols resemble one another, and it would seem quite intentional that all three serpent-bodied Colossi (Hydrus, Dirge, and Phalanx) should correspond to idols that feature a representation of a coiled creature, I believe this too may be explained by one of two possibilities: 1) Being that the game's creators were Japanese, it's quite possible that there would be Shinto influences present within. Shinto involves the worship of divine entities called "kami" (typically this word can be used in both the singular and the plural), beings which are usually inseperable from nature by their very concept. That in mind, it's quite possible that with the Dormin being an entity that consists of many entities, each could be described as a kami, with the Dormin as a whole being a collective of kami. In such a case, each idol would represent a different kami, with each kami representing a different aspect of the land. With each connected to different areas of the land (the same region, no less; the Dormin's realm) it's to be expected that they would be similar, yet perhaps different at the same time. In such a case, some are inevitably going to be more similar to others. What's also notable about this concept is that -- by their very nature -- the kami are dualistic entities, one placid (the nigimi-tama) and the other aggressive (the arami-tama). This served to represent the dualistic reality of nature itself, which can be both calm and raging. This concept is represented not only in the dualistic behavior of the Dormin, but also in their apparent connection to the light of the Forbidden Land, with beams of light rising from the fallen Colossi, while the sky becomes enshrouded in darkness as a furious storm kicks up when facing the last Colossus. Clearly, we have a dualistic representation of nature there, as the weather is generally calm in the Forbidden Land, yet it becomes unstable and full of rage during the final battle. Another possible suggestion of the kami through the Dormin are the various shrines scattered throughout the Forbidden Land. Many shrines were built to the kami of Shinto, of whom an infinite number are believed to exist. 2) The other possibility is this: being that the idols are connected to the essences of Dormin and the areas of land to which those essences were bound, and being that the Colossi are the physical manifestations of the idols, either they took forms that corresponded to those idols, or the idols' forms changed to match the forms of the Colossi that were created. Both Dave and I think the first possibility is the most likely. :The temple the game's events surround is called "the Shrine of Worship" and has idols within, suggesting -- quite obviously -- that it was once used to worship a deity (or deities). Being that the Dormin are omnipresent throughout the land (their consciousness is present everywhere in the Forbidden Land, as made evident by the fact that they will give Wander advice on how to deal with a Colossus if he should spend a while in battle with it). Further still, they are aware of the locations of all the Colossi, giving Wander hints as to where they may be located, even describing those areas in vague hints. :Though the Dormin never come out and simply tell Wander where to go to find the Colossi, or how to beat them, with a binding spell in place on the Dormin, it may well be that they simply cannot do so, restricted by the limitations of the spell containing their essences. :Though Malus' lair seems to be designed in a logical fashion such that it was intended for one to be able to reach the Colossus under cover from Malus' attacks, at the same time, it seems rather illogical to assume that a few stone barricades would hold up for a prolonged period of time under an onslaught of attacks from a creature that sends considerable amounts of rock debris scattering from where ever its blasts land. That in mind, it hardly seems to suggest that the area was specifically designed by human creators of the Colossi for holding Malus and allowing someone -- one who would have to be a warrior of considerable agility and speed at that -- to reach the Colossus. For that matter, if one was going to go to the lengths of creating all those underground tunnels for such a purpose, why not make it more simple in the first place? Why space some of the barricades a dangerous distance apart? Why not simply create an underground tunnel that led from outside the Colossus' firing range and all the way up to its feet from the start? -David Rodoy's personal notes on this section of the theory: :"My thoughts on the prior religion: The simple reason I say it was likely peaceful is that having God as a dualistic entity makes it impossible to define an especial enemy. Neither man nor woman can be especially sinful, because both are Godlike. The same for light and dark, or indeed life and death. We know that Dormin have the power to bring the dead back to life, or perhaps to restart life altogether (reincarnation). Though Dormin clearly possesses great physical strength, there is little evidence to suggest that they are fundamentally violent. Also, note that while Dormin is dark whenever incarnated, it communicates via light throughout the whole of the game. Dualistic indeed, even or perhaps especially when sub-divided so violently." :"My presumption here is that a creature like Dormin could NOT go unworshipped. It’s simply not possible. Similarly, it’s quite clear that Emon’s religion is directly opposed to it. These were the thoughts, on seeing the ending, that made this part of the world’s theoretical history fall into place. It’s notable, however, that so many elements of the world’s religion directly oppose Dormin. We KNOW that Mono’s sacrifice has nothing to do with Dormin. That means that sacrifice is still a part of Emon’s religion, as are curses. Death is a final punishment, whether or not you yourself are a guilty party. Death is also required to free Dormin, allowing them to be ‘reborn’ in The Wanderer, who is in turn reborn himself as a result of his association with Dormin. This brief roll on roll of resurrections and reincarnations is in my opinion a very good indication of how thoroughly Dormin’s freedom would screw things up for the new religion. Dormin is active, incarnated truly, for less than five minutes total game time. It performs three miracles in that time. At least. Godlike? Me thinks so." :"I never believed the colossi were natural, and at the same time I never bought that the spell which separated Dormin created the colossi. Dormin were never supposed to get out. Why include such an obvious ‘get-out’ clause? It didn’t quite fit until I saw the way colossus no. 2’s body basically dissolves to rock immediately. Go check it out, if you don’t believe me. It’s barely identifiable. This convinced me absolutely of the colossi’s link to the land, and Dormin seemed very much to be Gods of the land for reasons mentioned already. I began to think about how Dormin helps you so much in the game, how Dormin eggs you on and gives indications of how to beat each colossi. They are imprisoned, yes, they have no actual control over these animalistic, simplistic interpretations of the grand creature contained within, but they know something of them nonetheless. Dormin has set the stage for its own resurrection, and you’re the one who is making the moves it has waited so long to be made. This makes Emon’s statement that ‘you were just being used’ exquisitely accurate. After all, if they truly knew the significance of the Colossi, why not warn about it? Also, this explains why the colossi are so simple, and so violent, and yet why each has different characteristics. They are formed, in the most part, out of anger, but they are a fitting prison for the part of Dormin within. A handful are gentle, these are the meditative, quiet parts of the grand entity Dormin who quietly accept their imprisonment. Most are incredibly angry, no. 16 an absolute personification of the quite literally towering rage that has built up over an eon of entrapment. IT is entrapped, but it is not defenseless... much like Dormin, who have a plan, and are on the verge of seeing it completed." [Addition from Ryu Sinclair on this point: Concerning Malus/#16, it may be worth pondering the duality of light and darkness in relation to Dormin once again. Dormin's essences appear as dark, as do the beings' manifestation in Wander's body, yet it communicates through light, light rises from the points where the fallen Colossi are located, seperating the clouds in the sky above (refer to the map after defeating Colossi to see this), and the Forbidden Land seems to always be encapsulated by light, yet the one Colossi that most obviously represents the towering rage Dormin has come to feel calls up a storm -- obscuring the sky with darkness for the only time during the course of the game -- when one carrying the magical sword that sealed the Dormin long ago enters the vicinity.] :"It’s been raised that the colossi are covered in the civilisation’s writing. Well... how do we know that the language has changed much? For one thing its obvious Dormin can speak the language well enough, or else he and Wanda wouldn’t understand each other (a la ICO and Yorda). Is it inconceivable that Dormin can also write in it? The actual symbols themselves most likely represent the places where Dormin has been struggling hardest to free themselves, where the colossi are weakest through Dormin’s constant struggles for escape. This might explain why they bleed at such an incredible pressure, as well as why Dormin burst free of these wound points." :"It’s worth noting that the new religion obviously maintains shamanistic elements. The introduction flashback has all the trappings of a ‘vision quest’, and Emon’s mask is designed on a very similar basis to the idols in the shrine of worship. The beliefs may have changed, but many of the trappings have stayed the same. This is a very common part of a switch over between faiths. The new religion adopts some of the symbols and imagery of the old until it can be abandoned. Christianity, to use the modern day example, is believed to have reinterpreted Easter, which was once a pagan fertility ritual (hence the use of painted eggs) into the ‘rebirth’ of Jesus Christ. I say ‘believed’ because such things are always hotly debated, but there are many religious texts that pre-date Christianity in England and which explain this fertility rite, which is where the assertion develops from. In Shadow of the Colossus, the masks are probably a hangover from the worship of Dormin." *David Rodoy's theory on Wander's motivation to revive Mono (004.4B) Fast forward... Wanda, who will one day be The Wanderer, is born. He believes in God totally, is raised in the religion, and in his village he becomes a templar, a direct servant of Lord Emon, the village priest or Shaman. He is a warrior, trained to fight on horseback from birth, and has grown up with a horse of his own, named "Agro," a horse that grows too big for his small boned rider, and yet the bond between the two makes separation a non-issue. It cannot be done. Wanda adapts to his over-sized mount, and learns to cope. Then one day, during a sacrifice like any other, Wanda’s faith is called into question. Told to sacrifice a girl who possesses a cursed fate, he is presented with a woman unlike any other. Mono, beautiful and perfect, utterly without flaw. He is struck suddenly with how unfair, how cruel and uncaring his act is. He performs the deed, and the sacrifice. He is left guilt-ridden, tormented by his act. He thinks back to the words of Emon, to the tales and parables that make up his faith. He remembers a sword that sealed a creature with power over death, and he remembers the land in which it is sealed. And thus, he has his plan. He travels to the Forbidden Land, to the land of Dormin, and therein he finds the Shrine of Worship, the one untarnished relic of a civilisation once built on the worship of an undying yet living God. There he encounters Dormin. He puts forth his supplication, and is accepted. Dormin has its chance, for it sees the sword that once sealed it, and recognises that this might well have the power to destroy its secondary prisons, and give it a chance to escape into the world once more. Whether out of pity, or out of duty, or out of mere inclination, Dormin gives this supplicant one chance to turn back. When he does not, Dormin lays out his path. The stones are rolling, and Dormin sees its chance for freedom. Wanda systematically kills the Colossi. He hears Mono’s voice, he sees an image of her shrouded in darkness, sitting up on the altar, and he sees himself beginning to change, to degrade as Dormin’s essence fills him. He knows now what is happening, but it doesn’t matter. Mono’s voice tells him all he needs to know. Dormin will hold up their end of the bargain. Beyond that, nothing matters. The only thing that he cares about now is a chance to atone for what he’s done, and a chance to apologise to her for his actions. Wanda seeks out the final Colossi, with Dormin’s words of warning in his ears. Emon is on his way to stop the spell, to stop the fall of the idols. Wanda is finally filled with the last essence of Dormin with the death of the last Colossus, and the loss of his beloved horse. He has sacrificed everything he has, and he’s done everything he can. All that remains, is the resolution. Emon sees the last idol fall, the impossible occur. He says a catechism over the defiled body of Mono, a prayer for the dead. Then he sees the arrival once again, for the final time, of The Wanderer, the templar that betrayed him and undid the seal upon their religion’s ancient enemy. He is horrified that one he knew, and trusted, betrayed him so heavily. He rambles, coming up with reasons for The Wanderer’s death, until eventually, with Wanda staggering towards the altar, he simply orders one of his men to quickly kill him. Wanda is shot in the leg, and he looks up with whitened eyes into those of the man who ends his life. Desperate to see Mono live again, he nonetheless staggers to his feet, spraying black blood, and staggers to the altar. But his strength fails him, and he collapses after ripping free the sword. Filled utterly with Dormin’s essence, he is quickly reduced to a shadow like the others. With a difference... The Dormin take control of Wanda’s body. In him, their temporary avatar, they are united, and their power is released in part into the world. They declare their freedom, while Emon in horror recoils. However, Emon’s men have in luck alone secured their victory. Dormin is lame, as Wanda is lame, unable to properly move the leg that the arrow struck. And so Emon and his men easily make their escape, and cast a temporary seal upon the entire shrine of worship. A spell that will once more discorporate Dormin... for a while. Though Dormin are pulled from Wanda, there is too much left, and Wanda himself is now a dead man walking. He no longer belongs in this world, and the sealing spell recognises him as part of Dormin. Though he struggles vainly to see Mono again, he cannot. He is inexorably pulled into the pool of light, and his struggle to see her live again ends unfulfilled. Yet Mono awakes nonetheless, for Dormin stick by their word, and she awakes in an unfamiliar place, unsure of what has happened or why she lives again. However she hears and sees a lame horse, an animal she does not recognise, injured in some battle. She follows it for lack of options, and comes upon the strangest thing: Dormin’s last gift to Wanda, a thanks for their brief freedom and the knowledge that they will rise again. A second life. Mono ascends with Agro to a secret garden, there to live out her existence, to bear the children of the very man who once killed her in another life, a man who now bears horns from the time when Dormin inhabited his body. Wanda’s descendents leave the Forbidden Land, and mingle with society in some fashion. The curse of the horned children begins. Each of these children bears within a tiny fragment of Dormin’s power, a fragment that an ancient Queen possessed of her own dark fury recognises, and begins to gather. She hopes to use Dormin’s power over death to reincarnate herself in the form of her own daughter, to extend her life. She gathers the boys, killing them and releasing the Dormin energy inside. In the end, it is one of these that kills her. But that is a story for another time. -David Rodoy's personal notes on this section of the theory: :"This is pure conjecture on my part, of course. I take the flashback at the beginning to be selective memory. Wanda is thinking back to a particular phrase, a part of a whole tale. The way it’s told it almost suggests Emon was a kind old man pointing him in the right direction, as in Prince of Persia. No. That isn’t the right feel. Hence it makes more sense that Wanda is simply recalling to mind the lines of catechism that have brought him to where he is today. However, it’s also important that Wanda knew nothing of the Colossi. They DO NOT feature in the baseline legend of Dormin. Why is that? The Forbidden Spell is likely defined merely as freeing Dormin, or perhaps the destruction of the idols. Though Wanda doesn’t say it, it’s possible he does know about the idols and Dormin relation beforehand. In fact, nobody but Dormin EVER mentions the Colossi. It’s like someone just forgot to include them in the stories. In all these thoughts led to my conjuration of this idea that other people found the Colossi, and helped the creation of this strange tale. Dormin’s plan worked. Nobody realised what the Colossi really were." [Addition from Ryu Sinclair on this point: It's possible that no one else knew of the Colossi, as it's certainly supsicious that they go without mention by anyone other than Dormin, but it does beg the question of how Emon and those of his authority would have known the ancient sword was needed in freeing the Dormin if it was otherwise believed that the idols were indestructible. For more on this, refer to the notes from the previous section of the Meta Theory.] :"Wanda is clearly too small for Agro. Agro is a MONSTROUS horse. He’s enormous. That horse could destroy your CAR. He’s built for a man at least a foot taller than Wanda, wearing full plate armour. There’s simply no explanation for Wanda riding him unless he grew up with him and couldn’t consider parting with him for that reason. Also, the fact Agro comes when his name is called or when Wanda whistles indicates a long relationship. Agro would not come if he was called if they did not know each other very well." [Addition from Ryu Sinclair on this point: I'd feel foolish to not agree with this.] :"Wanda wasn’t some scrub. I consider this elementary. He is incredibly skilful. His horse riding skill alone is beyond brilliant. He is far fitter than he looks, and he is a dab hand with a sword, and an excellent archer. He also cannot be merely a wandering swordsman. How did he come to know about Mono? How did he have access to the sword? These were the two questions which disspelled my first thought. As a templar, Wanda would have had ample access to the temple and its treasures. He was clearly a man of exceptional skill, and this gave him his chance to steal the sword and make off with Mono’s body. Plus it’s highly possible that the legend of the Forbidden Land is not well known about, for quite obvious reasons." [Addition from Ryu Sinclair on this point: I'm in agreement that Wander was a templar.] :"There’s a lot going on here, linking back to previous points. For one thing, Dormin’s statement that ‘is this not the law of mortals?’ suggests an awareness of the current beliefs of the world. How better to have that awareness than by witnessing them in the words and eyes of its foes? In my opinion, Dormin’s very existence suggests that the rules were not always the same. Its ironic laugh at Wanda’s request also underlines this point. Wanda is reminding it of a time long ago when no doubt it received many such supplications. The laugh may also contain a subtle undercurrent of: 'You are asking US for help?' Essentially, it finds it amusing that someone would seek it, a separated, entrapped and neutered god, for help. Like a blind man asking a deaf man the way, if you will. Also, Dormin’s plan is pretty much centred upon going right first time. If even a single Colossus were to fall, and the killer were then to fail, the chances of the escape route being discovered would be astronomically high, seeing as Emon clearly jumped straight onto his horse and chased Wander to the Forbidden Land when he realised what he’d done. Dormin needed to pick the right person. It needed someone driven, and it needed someone who didn’t care about the consequences. This explains why it gives him the chance to turn back, why in fact it warns Wanda that there’s a heavy price to pay. It also explains the long hesitation after Wanda says he doesn’t care. Dormin is having their last moment of doubt, because once its thrown down its own hand, there is no turning back. All of Dormin’s hope rests on this one mortal." [Addition from Ryu Sinclair on this point: I'm in agreement on this, as well.] :"I’ll admit, this theory doesn’t explain the dark-shrouded vision. It’s this that led to the rise of the theory of her actually being possessed by the ‘female’ voice of Dormin. I doubt that, personally, but as stands I simply assume its a nightmare brought about by extreme physical exertion, suffering and a gradual infestation of divine energy in a body not built to contain it. I also think it fairly obvious that Wanda realises at about Colossus no. 10 what exactly is happening to him. The changes are blatant, he’d have to be blind to miss them. However, he doesn’t care, because Mono’s voice tells him that he’s on the right track." :"I think it’s safe to say Dormin was getting worried when it saw Emon turn up. Note that Dormin sensed Emon the moment he entered the Forbidden Land. It’s obvious Dormin can perceive beyond the Shrine of Worship. Dormin’s perceptions are clearly not limited by this point in the game, if ever." [Addition from Ryu Sinclair on this point: Further agreement with Dave on this point.] :"I find Emon’s words in the ending puzzling, the more I hear them. He changes his story twice, I think, concerning what’s happened to Wanda. First he’s cursed, then he’s possessed, then he simply wants him dead. Emon is, to me, quite clearly goading his men to murder. He knows full well that Wander is alive, if not well, and in control, a point driven home to us as we watch Wanda’s vision blurring as he desperately looks past Emon to the one thing that has driven him for so long, Mono’s still seemingly dead body. Wanda is obviously in great pain when the arrow strikes him, so it’s not as if his senses are even dulled. If they were he wouldn’t have fallen to the ground. He is himself, weakened yes, but in full control of his faculties (his vision is clear but for the fact he’s dying) and driven as always to his goal. He doesn’t speak to Emon, I imagine, because he knows already how this will end, how it must end. There is literally nothing worth saying. Emon doesn’t understand, and Wanda knows it." [Addition from Ryu Sinclair on this point: Agreeing with Dave once again.] :"Dormin ‘borrow’ Wanda’s body. They do not use the word ‘possessed’ and in a game where that word has been bandied about so comfortably it’s safe to say that the translation is deliberate. Dormin have no intention of keeping Wanda’s body, though its conjecture to say whether or not they would have given him life back. I see no reason why not, personally. Dormin owe him a lot, and they were clearly content merely to follow him rather than take outright control of him for a time, because it’s quite certain that they could have. I observed on replaying the ending on hard mode that when you try to chase Emon, the massive Dormin Wanda can only take a step with one leg. It drags the other, and is thus unable to keep up. This suggests that Dormin were still inherently tied to the body they’d jumped into." [Addition from Ryu Sinclair on this point: Agreeing with Dave here too, and complimenting him on making this observation. Good job, man. I wondered why the hell the Dormin were moving so slowly in Hard Mode. XD] :"I believe, had Mono and Wanda been lovers, that she would have recognised his horse. It’s that simple. Agro’s a noticeable beast, and they would have been together if he’d visited or she’d visited. This was my reasoning, simplistic as it is, for discounting the love angle and following the guilt one. This was the simple observation that began the whole thing. It has been debated and re-debated whether or not she DOES recognise Agro, but I see nothing that persuades me that she does. For the purpose of this theory, then, Mono does not recognise Agro because she has likely never seen the horse before. It is, after all, very unlikely that a horse would be necessary at a maiden’s sacrifice. Maybe if it was a unicorn. As for Wanda’s resurrection, why would a ‘sealing’ spell return him to life? Surely it makes more sense for him to suffer the exact same fate as Dormin? On top of which we’ve seen no evidence whatsoever that Emon’s magic has power over life. The religion seems very death obsessed, assuming ICO is set in the same world (I do), and considering the premise of this very game. So why assume that this spell RANDOMLY results in Wanda’s resurrection? It obviously wasn’t intended, as Emon indicates that he isn’t sure if anyone survived. Also, considering the difficulty in keeping Dormin sealed, I sincerely doubt that Emon’s spell has any chance of keeping Dormin sealed forever. As far as I’m concerned, they’ve got what they wanted. This is an irritating, minor setback. Why do they howl when the spell is pulling them in, then, you ask? Well, wouldn’t you? They’ve only been up and about for ten minutes, after eons of imprisonment. I’d say they have plenty of reason to get angry. But we know they’re patient, and such power cannot so easily be sealed away. All in all, I find it the most likely explanation, given Wanda’s suffering, that Dormin decided to reincarnate him, to allow this fragment of itself to be reborn. I do not believe selfishly, for I believe Dormin will be back, I think they do it as a thank you gift as they quietly, yet briefly, exit the stage once more." [Addition from Ryu Sinclair on this point: Agreement with Dave here too.] :"I think people have tried to tie ICO and Shadow of the Colossus together too tightly, at times. The idea that Dormin and The Dark Queen are one and the same strikes me as faintly ludicrous. Her agenda is so utterly mundane even if her plan is not that I can’t believe the fans of Shadow of the Colossus would sully Dormin’s good name by comparing the two. On top of which, while the Dark Queen maintains the same kind of ambiguous honour that Dormin do, she quite clearly has an evil agenda. There’s little indication that Dormin do, however. They are angry, sure, and they want to kill Emon and his people. Is that a surprise? I think not. However, it makes perfect sense that the Dark Queen is trying to harness fragments of Dormin energy to extend her lifespan. It’s not a jump to believe Dormin are capable of such a feat, or that she can achieve it by somehow harnessing their power." *Ryu Sinclair's theory on Wander's motivation to revive Mono (004.4C) My theory's (that Wander was in love with Mono and wished to revive her for this reason) certainly not going to sound as well thought out or as well constructed as Dave's, and in all honesty, it just stems from a few simple things. I am, however, in agreement with Dave on several matters, as noted above in my addendums to his personal notes on his theory. I agree that Wander was likely a templar, that Agro was always with Wander, that Dormin found it amusing that one from the new religion would seek them out for aid, that Wander could perceive the deterioration of his body, that Emon goaded his men to murder Wander with babblings, and then just outright ordered them to do it, that Emon would have been unable to understand Wander's feelings, that the Dormin may not have necessarily intended to keep Wander's body, and that Mono didn't recognize Agro. However, my interpretation (that Wander was in love with Mono and wished to revive her, but that she either didn't know how he felt or didn't return his feelings before her death) is different, and stems in large part from these points: -1: First, the promotional materials of the game that asked "How far will you go for love?" and referred to the story as one of "undying love." It's my personal rule to never dismiss promotional materials' suggestions concerning the canon nature of a story unless otherwise given reason to by the game itself or the developers. -2: Secondly, I can easily see myself or someone that was in love going to the absolutely insane lengths that Wander went to. When I think of the things Wander did, only love or guilt -- or a combination of the two -- springs to mind as the source of an intensity such as the one Wander must carry in his heart over this girl to go to these lengths to give her life again. -3: Personally, I do think Wander felt guilt for Mono's death and probably blamed himself in part, whether this was logical of him to do or not. Perhaps it was because he was a templar (a strong possibility due to his similar garb to Emon, his skills at horesback riding and archery, and his apparent easy access to the magical sword) and his teacher had sacrificed Mono, or perhaps it was because he failed to save her, or -- as I think -- both. I also think that the words from Mono we hear after each of the Colossi fall may in fact be Wander remembering Mono's last moments, as she sounds sorrowful and afraid; possibly because she's begging not to be killed? Such a memory would certainly weigh heavily on Wander if he loved her, or if he felt guilt for her death; or both. -4: It's a more satisfying take on the whole thing for me. Something I've come to realize from the debates with Dave that led to the creation of this FAQ is that in this tale, that is as important a factor as the promotional materials of the game, which possibly lay outside what the developers intended -- but that we'll never know. In all honesty, I think Dave's theory is the better theory in terms of writing. I truly can't imagine a more well-constructed take on things. But being that I can see this theory working as easily and that I find it more satisfying, that it touches me more in this way, and means more to me in this way (interestingly enough, tales of redemption and such are my SECOND favorites, so I truly did love Dave's theory from the start), it is the one to which my heart holds, and for that reason if no other, I've come to understand his reasons for seeing the potential fallacy in the promotional materials of this particular game. With our tale now told, being that the Meta Theory was born of David Rodoy, I think it only fitting that it be closed with his words: "In my guilt theory I created for myself a world moving on from an old religion, a tale spanning entire cultural memes. Wanda becomes the blockade who reaches into the past and yanks it into the present, and Emon’s sanctimonious words become the deeply ironic words of a man who doesn’t understand that the one he’s speaking about already feels redeemed, for he acted out of guilt and in the clear wish only to see that guilt lifted. Dormin are neither good nor evil, in fact by definition they are both, honourable and cunning, vengeful and forgiving. The dualistic nature is only strengthened by interpreting so many of the elements of the ending as being directly their fault, yet I never felt I was stretching my theory to accomodate these ideas. I’ve explained above my reasonings, and I consider them valid if not sacrosanct. The truth is that this is your game, in a way Final Fantasy never could or never would be. This is not a story for you to play. It is a story for you to make out of base elements. This theory is not offered as a smug declaration that I’ve figured it out. It is offered as a demonstration of what you can forge from this game if you so choose. With only the smallest imagination this theory could see Dormin warped into a being of malevolent, dictatorial evil, sealed for the good of the world, and Wanda himself becomes a selfish, arrogant fool who sacrifices the good of all for the good of one cursed woman. This game allows for these things. Me, I prefer a version that ends with a certain degree of bittersweet happiness, and a promise of more tales yet to be woven. Ironically, despite what the Shadow of the Colossus team would have liked, my version of the game has no ‘the end’. It just has an end and a new beginning. How does your tale go?" 5) Connections to Ico: Facts & theories (004.50) There are several aspects of Shadow of the Colossus that inspired many to believe that the two games were connected beyond simply being "spiritual successors." Indeed, many came to believe that they not only take place in the same world, but that the events of the two are linked in some form or another. Lead designer, Fumito Ueda, was rather silent on this issue for quite some time. He expressed a personal belief that the two were connected, SotC being first chronologically, with Wander beginning the line of horned boys, making Ico his descendant, but he maintained from October 2005 until March 9, 2006, that this was merely his personal interpretation and that it wasn't canon. However, that DID change on March 9. In an interview with Wired News, Ueda confirmed not only that Ico and SotC take place in the same world, but that SotC occurs at an unspecified point in the past, before the events of Ico. He further confirmed that Wander did, indeed, sire the line of horned boys that Ico will be descended from. This interview can be read here: http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,70286-0.html?tw=rss.culture Despite these official confirmations, other theories are still at work in the universe of Shadow of the Colossus concerning possible links with Ico. The majority of the theories to have come before now had been of the nature that SotC is a prequel to the events of Ico, or perhaps even a myth tale told in Ico's time to explain why it is that the horned boys from Ico's village "have to be" sacrificed. Yet others held to the belief that Ico may in fact be the prequel, though those beliefs have now been dashed beyond recovery due to Ueda's confirmation of SotC's prequel status. We will here discuss each of the aspects contributing to both sets of beliefs, both those that are no longer possible and those that may yet be, as well as other points that may serve as connections between the two games. *Ico as the prequel (004.5A) NOTE: All theories in this section are no longer viable. Lead designer of SotC and Ico has confirmed that SotC occurs at an unspecified point in time before Ico. -Wander is Ico, or will be in a few years when he grows up again Explanation(s): Not applicable Likelihood KAZE: While not impossible, there's definitely no indication of it being so. DAVE: Contrary to Kaze, I believe this makes no sense whatsoever. ICO makes it very clear that generations of horned children have been sacrificed in that castle, probably over hundreds of years if not thousands (there are A LOT of tombs in that room). What this theory requires is for Wander to get out of the Forbidden Land before he even reaches adolescence (abandoning his 'mother' in the process), make his way to civilisation, get taken prisoner, then get taken to the big scary castle which JUST HAPPENS to have been set up for the collection of these children. On top of that ICO is not a redhead while Wander is (though he appears to have black hair as a baby in SotC, his hair is A: Wet when he's taken from the pool and B: Could easily change colour as he gets a little older), and for him to have any chance whatsoever of trekking the massive distance back to civilisation (the intro makes it very clear that it's a long way to the Forbidden Land) he'd need to be one hell of a survivalist. The naive, innocent Ico wouldn't last that journey. It simply makes no sense on any level. OUR ANALYSIS: Slight split. Kaze considers it a possibility, Dave does not. [Slight clarification from Kaze: He considers it as illogical as Dave, but decided to be polite for the sake of doing so. XD] UPDATE: Rendered impossible by SotC's official prequel status. -Mono and Wander are the reincarnations of Yorda and Ico Explanation(s): -Not applicable- Likelihood KAZE: There's technically nothing working against this one either, but there's certainly no indication of it or any reason to believe it. DAVE: Boy, that would make them very unlucky souls indeed, wouldn't it? There's nothing wrong with it from a plot standpoint, but thematically it makes little sense. Mono has no character, and Wander's is drastically different from Ico's. If they're reincarnations, surely they should bear some similarity to their previous incarnations, at least considering that this is a fantasy story and we're talking about plotting here. Mono looks completely different to Yorda, whose eyes are very sharply slanted and whose ears are pointed, and let's not even go into the differences between Ico and Wander. Even the nature of the relationship between Wander and Mono is different to that of Ico and Yorda. This isn't similar souls replaying a great story through time, it's completely different people playing different stories through time. At that point, reincarnation becomes very much a moot point. Maybe they are, but what difference does it make? OUR ANALYSIS: While you can certainly assume this, it seems an almost random addition, without any in-game evidence to support it. UPDATE: Rendered impossible by SotC's official prequel status. -All that remains of the Queen's castle is the Shrine of Worship Explanation(s): The Queen's castle fell apart and the waters eventually receded, leaving only the Shrine of Worship, and leaving the surrounding landscape as what came to be known as "the Forbidden Land." Pieces of the decayed castle were incorporated into surrounding architecture and/or structures, while other parts remained lost and/or unused, such as these rings from the reflector towers which can be found half buried in the sand in Phalanx's domain: (Original source of screenshots unknown) http://img111.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ringsfromtowers6fz.jpg Likelihood KAZE: It's possible, but there's not a lot to really indicate it. The Shrine of Worship is seemingly much taller than even the highest point of the Queen's castle, so that doesn't support the notion very much unless the shrine was built upon upwards. However, there's nothing to really support this notion either. One could as easily say that the rings were excavated from the desert and incorporated into the construction of the Queen's castle long before Ico took place. DAVE: I'd say the primary thing working against this is the fact that the Forbidden Land is geologically completely different to the land around the Queen's castle. The sheer enormity of that bridge has to be taken into account, as does the fact that even given the wear of time it would be hard for the Forbidden Land to become the massive island seen in ICO, and of course it's completely impossible for it to work the other way round. The Forbidden Land is completely ringed by mountains. I don't buy it. Even with the waters receding from the Queen's castle, it doesn't make sense for all of that stone to just VANISH. The rocky outcrops around the Forbidden Land are clearly unworked stone in the majority, and wouldn't there be hundreds of those little green idol statues all over the place, or at least one or two? The architecture of the Forbidden Land really is very different to Ico's if you look closely, too. OUR ANALYSIS: This seems unlikely, for various reasons. UPDATE: Rendered impossible by SotC's official prequel status. -The magic sword from SotC will become the Queen's sword seen in Ico Explanation(s): -Not applicable- Likelihood KAZE: Pretty much impossible. The magic sword was destroyed when Emon cast his spell. DAVE: That, and the Queen's sword is IN SotC. It is somewhat larger than the ancient sword, has a much more ornate hilt, the blade is a little longer, thicker, and it lacks the distinctive 'wave' that marks the ancient sword about 2/3rds of the way down the blade. They're just not the same weapon. Note that I don't think this indicates that SotC is Ico's sequel, either. I think that sword is in there just as a nod from the developers, much like the rest of the weapons and stuff. However, it's the same graphic and it's there for comparison. Complete hard time attack and compare for yourself, if you don't believe me. OUR ANALYSIS: Nope. They just aren't the same weapons. UPDATE: Rendered impossible by SotC's official prequel status. *SotC as the prequel (004.5B) NOTE: Shadow of the Colossus has been officially linked to Ico, as occurring in the same world, and as SotC being a prequel set at an unspecified point in the past, before the events of Ico. Further confirmed is that Wander sires the line of horned boys, and that Ico is his descendant. That said, not all these theories have been confirmed, and only those listed as such are to be regarded as such. -Wander is the ancestor of Ico and all the horned boys that have been sacrificed Explanation(s): Having been left with horns as a consequence of his quest in SotC, Wander and Mono -- or whatever female he reproduces with -- will sire a lineage with Wander's horns being passed down as a biological trait that occasionally reveals itself. As well as the horns, some of Dormin's power may be passed on. Likelihood KAZE: There's no reason to believe that this theory couldn't work. DAVE: Yeah, I'll buy that. OUR ANALYSIS: Absolutely reasonable. UPDATE: Officially confirmed. -The evil Queen wants the horned children to gain Dormin's power Explanation(s): Desiring to gain Dormin's power, the Queen wishes for the horned descendants of Wander to be brought to her, as some of Dormin's power remained within him. The horns on the heads of boys descended from him represent that some of Dormin's power has been passed on to them. Being that Dormin had power over the dead, the full extent of which is unknown, but which certainly included the power to bring a soul back to the living world and place it back into its body, and being that the Queen wishes to possess her daughter's body, it's reasonable to assume that transferring someone's soul from their body and into another body was within Dormin's power. Likelihood KAZE: Technically, there's nothing working against this theory, and it's one of the more solid in terms of plot mechanics. DAVE: This is a solid explanation that links the two games thematically. It makes sense to me. OUR ANALYSIS: Perfectly feasible. -The Queen is Dormin, some of its essence having taken Mono's body Explanation(s): With some of Dormin's power in Wander, his descendants will each receive some of that power, as well. Thus, Mono/the Queen wishes for all these descendants to be brought to her so that she may reacquire her lost power. Likelihood KAZE: Possible, but there's not really a reason to believe so. The Queen has an obvious objective in mind that seems to suggest she would be -- at best -- utilizing the power of the Dormin to achieve that goal. DAVE: This makes only a vague amount of sense to me. The Queen's M.O. is similar to Dormin's only in that she has a degree of honour (it seems likely she would let Ico go if he wanted to). Even separated, Dormin is Dormin, and the Dark Queen actually seems to be too small an entity to adequately represent even a fraction of Dormin's power. That and she seems to have no real power over death itself, as she is clearly dying, while Dormin by definition are deathless (thus necessitating that they be sealed instead of simply killed, which you must admit would have been far more convenient if it were possible). On the most simplistic level, shouldn't she still refer to herself in the plural if she were Dormin? Such a being would literally be incapable of perceiving itself in the singular, even if it were true to all levels of thought. OUR ANALYSIS: It follows through on one level because they are both very dark-based creatures. Beyond that though the differences start to become apparent very quickly. The Queen can be killed, Dormin can be sealed. The Queen needs another to be resurrected, Dormin need only wait to be freed. She simply isn't on the same power scale. Thus we don't really think this is likely. -The Queen is Mono, the fruit of the Secret Garden turning her evil Explanation(s): -Not applicable- Likelihood KAZE: Not likely. The fruit seems to have purification properties, as it won't kill Wander when he eats it, and only returns him to his normal strength and vitality, removing the addtional power he's gained from the gathered essences of the Dormin. DAVE: This strikes me as unlikely. In all honesty, the Forbidden Land is not the most mysterious of places, in that what you see before you is pretty much what you see. A lizard is a lizard, a fruit is a fruit, a great big Colossus is just that. OUR ANALYSIS: This doesn't seem likely. -The Queen is Mono, driven to madness by grief Explanations: Left immortal as a result of the Dormin reviving her, Mono eventually goes mad with grief after the still quite mortal Wander dies a natural death. However, Wander having been left with horns from his quest in SotC passes this on as a genetic trait that occasionally makes itself known in Wander's descendants. Due to her despair of losing Wander, Mono wishes for all the horned boys to be brought to her as they make her feel the closest to Wander she possibly can. Likelihood KAZE: Technically possible, but there's definitely nothing that stands out as really working in this theory's favor, including what the Queen was using the horned boys for. DAVE: Unlike Kaze, I see something very obviously standing in this theory's way. Where does Mono get the massive amounts of power from? A little bit of Dormin left in her? But how does that figure, when we've already seen that having Dormin inhabit one's body is very damaging? I must say, for my part, that the Dark Queen is a very beautiful woman, even if obviously inhuman. On top of this, why is she then harvesting the boy's souls to fuel the spell she is working with her 'daughter', as that seems to be quite obviously what she is doing in Ico's ending? When a theory raises so many questions that are not easy to answer, I tend to turn away from it. OUR ANALYSIS: Unlikely, for lots of reasons. However, if you can explain away the questions that leap out immediately, go for it. Dave likes it on a pure level, it's certainly one of the more interesting theories people have come up with. Kaze rather dislikes it, but thinks it very touching as an idea. -Yorda and Ico are the reincarnations of Mono and Wander Explanation(s): -Not applicable- Likelihood KAZE: There's technically nothing working against this one either, but there's not really any indication of it. DAVE: Rather than simply cutting and pasting my objections to things when they are the other round, I'll simply say 'no'. OUR ANALYSIS: It's an irrelevant aside, so you can certainly assume it if you like, but it changes absolutely nothing that occurs in either game. -All the horned boys including Ico were reincarnations of Wander Explanation(s): -Not applicable- Likelihood KAZE: Not very likely due to Ico encountering what were apparently the souls of the other horned boys who had been sacrificed -- corrupted with negative energy, no less -- and being forced to cut them down. It's simply not logically reasonable for multiple souls present at the same time but seperate from one another to all be the exact same soul. DAVE: Obviously suggested by someone who really doesn't like Wander very much! How many times do you want the poor guy to suffer and die? But Kaze puts forth the simple explanation for why this isn't likely. The other explanation is actually simple. Souls of the dead don't come back in this world. I take this as a fairly simple observation from what Dormin say about 'the law of mortals'. You cannot reclaim the souls of the dead. I would assume that also precludes reincarnation unless Dormin are involved. I guess they are in this case, at least at some stage, if you believe in this theory, but it doesn't add up when you factor in that Ico fights and destroys the souls of the other boys. OUR ANALYSIS: Doesn't seem likely. -The Shrine of Worship will be remodeled into the Queen's castle Explanation(s): Some of the architecture is similar. Likelihood KAZE: It's possible, sure, but there's not really any reason to believe it, especially since the Shrine of Worship seems to be a lot taller than even the highest point of the Queen's castle. DAVE: Nope. This is even more absolutely impossible in reverse. Forget the building itself. Look at its surroundings. ALL OF THAT would need to vanish in order to become the Queen's castle. It just isn't conceivable from where I'm sitting. If you know more about such things than me and you can see the evolution, good for you, but it doesn't work for me. OUR ANALYSIS: This doesn't seem likely either. -The Queen's Sword originated in SotC Explanation(s): The sword was given to Wander by Dormin and eventually came into the Queen's possession somehow. Likelihood KAZE: Pretty much impossible within the context of SotC. The unlockable items from the Time Attack Modes are not canon. To test this, one can equip Wander with the Shaman's Mask, Shaman's Cloak, and Queen's Sword before defeating Malus, but in the ending cutscene, Wander will be dressed in his normal gear and carrying the sword he stole. DAVE: Interesting, but no. The items are there for a laugh, pretty much. They don't indicate much else. OUR ANALYSIS: No. This doesn't work. -The story of SotC is a myth told in Ico's time to explain why horned boys must be sacrificed Explanation(s): -Not applicable- Likelihood KAZE: Possible. Nothing that could definitely work against it. DAVE: Now THIS, I like. I don't agree with it personally, but I love it. In fact it's almost huggable. It's great. Double thumbs up. It makes perfect sense. OUR ANALYSIS: Perfectly valid approach to the game. UPDATE: Rendered impossible by the nature of SotC's official prequel status. Wander begins the lined of horned boys and Ico is among his descendants. *Other possible connections (004.5C) -Wander and Ico dress in a similar manner, and may hail from the same village. -The dark spirits that appear at the beginning of SotC and that appear around Wander after each Colossus he defeats are similar to those in Ico. -The beach Ico and Yorda are seen on during the ending of Ico is similar to a beach in the Forbidden Land of SotC. -While traversing the bridge that Wander and Agro used to enter the Forbidden Land, one can see a structure that lays outside the land and resembles a castle. Near the end of the bridge, when looking to the left, this large structure comes into view (it can be better seen if one holds up the Sword of the Sun at this time to gather the light to the blade and out of their field of vision). Some believe it's simply an incomplete or glitchy graphic, or perhaps nothing more than an oddly placed set of cliffs, but a set of cliffs nonetheless. Decide for yourself: (These images were taken by Scratchmyears) http://img226.imageshack.us/img226/839/picture269az.jpg http://img226.imageshack.us/img226/5386/picture287xg.jpg (These images taken by me, Ryu Sinclair) http://img361.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture504ok.jpg http://img381.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture513rt.jpg (This -- very high quality -- image was taken by maskrider; the image is being hosted by imageshack.us/ in the event that the original host site should at some point disappear; this and many other images from SotC, Ico, and other games can be found on maskrider's very impressive and interesting site, linked to at the end of this FAQ) http://img116.imageshack.us/my.php?image=icocastleinsotc66hg.jpg]0 The layout of the structure seen outside the Forbidden Lands actually is similar enough to possibly match the castle from Ico: http://img327.imageshack.us/img327/6536/icocastlelayout4hj.th.jpg Something to keep in mind is that the room at the back of the castle -- the throne room -- is very tall, and could possibly be the tall part (to the left) of the structure outside the Forbidden Land. It has been suggested, however, that the top of the throne room's tower is too flat to be the tower on the structure seen outside the Forbidden Land, as it appears that it may bear spires instead: (This image also taken by maskrider) http://img391.imageshack.us/my.php?image=icocastletowertop24bx.jpg It should be considered, though, that the images we have of this mysterious structure are blurry even at their best, and it may well be that a battlement rather than spires lay atop the tower to the left. Others, though, point out that the castle from Ico is set on small islands, and that the tower at the back is probably too small to appear as large as the "tower" on the structure outside the Forbidden Lands (here follows an image of the tower's base): (This image taken by maskrider, as well) http://img402.imageshack.us/my.php?image=icocastletowerbottom7fw.jpg It has also been suggested that these cliffs may simply be those that Wander passed through during the game's opening. However, geographically speaking, those cliffs should be roughly positioned north of the entrance to the Forbidden Land, whereas this structure is set far too considerably to the west of the entrance. As far as it being glitchy graphics goes, this seems somewhat unlikely due to the fact that the form of this structure remains static with no signs of transition or change in appearance as one would expect with graphical glitches. Whether the structure truly is the Queen's castle from Ico, or an oddly positioned set of cliffs with no apparent purpose in being there, or simply glitchy graphics is unknown at this time. For now, it is left to each player to decide for themselves. 6) Allusions to Hebrew legends (004.6) A rather unexpected -- but at the same time, not very surprising -- allegory to discover in Shadow of the Colossus is that of several allusions to Hebrew legends, involving various aspects of the game centered around the Shrine of Worship. First, and most obviously, "Dormin" is "Nimrod" spelled backwards. From there, the next pieces fall into place rather logically. Nimrod is the figure history -- both biblical and otherwise -- believes oversaw the construction of the Tower of Babel, which the Shrine of Worship could easily be seen as analogous of: the temple itself could appropriately be regarded as a tower, and its peak the tallest point in all the Forbidden Land, viewable any point within the Forbidden Land that is of notable height or that is without obstruction between itself and the tower, including several of the lairs belonging to the Colossi. Indeed, the temple is even within sight during the duration of the battles with Colossi #s 1, 3, 9, and 16, despite being a great distance from three of these battles sites. Also notable concerning Nimrod is that it is held by several traditions' accounts that his body was severed into many pieces when he was killed; similarily, Dormin's essences were divided into sixteen parts and sealed away seperate from one another. It's possible that the Colossi allude to the Hebrew legend of Golems, regardless of whether or not they were made by the hands of humans, as they're made from the raw materials of the earth and bear important symbols (often on their heads, no less) that must be destroyed in order to kill them (not exactly the same thing as changing "Emet" to "Met," but it's still a similar enough a process as to warrant mentiobn). Additionally, they revert to the material from which they were made upon death. Next, the Secret Garden serves as an analogy to the Garden of Eden, for the game's purposes of it symbolizing purity and rebirth, with both the baby deer that is found there, and the infant Wander, reverted to humanity at its purest state. It may also be that the fruit of the Secret Garden serves to suggest this, as the fruit diminishes the increased power that Wander receives from his slayings of the Colossi, but will only diminish it to the point it was when Wander first entered the Forbidden Land. Finally -- and stemming from the last observation -- the horns that appear on baby Wander's head and that are then passed to others might serve as an allusion to the mark of Cain, which some traditions hold was a horn or a pair of horns. This would have represented Wander's sins, with the curse ultimately being symbolically (perhaps literally?) broken in Ico when his horns were broken off during his battle with the Queen. 7) Parallels between large and small representations (004.7) Something of note that many have noticed while playing Shadow of the Colossus are the interesting parallels between small objects possibly having larger representations within the game, usually between smaller animals and Colossi of the same "species." Here follow the known cases of these parallels: -Wander is a human, and five of the Colossi have human-like bodies: Valus, Gaius, Barba, Argus, and Malus. Additionally, Valus, Gaius and Argus all carry weapons in their right hands, just as Wander does. -Agro and Phaedra are both not only equine in appearance, but Agro is built like a war horse and Phaedra's Latin designation translates to "Elite War Horse" in English. -The various doves and hawks in the game are all birds, as is Avion. Perhaps more notably, hawks are birds of prey and Avion's Latin designation translates to "Bird of Prey" in English. Additionally, all birds, as well as Avion, can be grabbed by Wander and can carry him into the air. -There are many lizards in the game, and Kuromori is designed in the form of a lizard. Further, when dislodged from walls, all lizards in the game and Kuromori as well will land on their backs and then struggle to upright themselves. -There are several tortoises that can be found in the game, and Basaran is designed in the form of a tortoise. -There are several long-bodied fish and eels that can be found in the game, and Hydrus is a large electric eel. Further, all these aquatic creatures can be grabbed and can drag Wander around underwater. -South of Dirge's domain is an area with a large dead tree upon it, comparable in size to a Colossus, whereas most trees in the game are comparatively small fruit-growing trees. -Most of the save shrines throughout the Forbidden Land appear to be small representations of the Shrine of Worship. Additionally, all these save shrines in the temple's form have a resident white-tailed lizard, as does the Shrine of Worship itself. -Whenever one of the large Colossi -- filled with dark energy that then flows into Wander -- falls, a small bright dove appears around Mono. |Acknowledgements about the game and this FAQ| (005) -Special thanks to iamthedave/David Rodoy: This FAQ was written with major contributions from iamthedave, and as a result, he is listed as co-author. Much of this FAQ was written by him, ranging from comments on other theories to the large majority of the Meta Theory being his own writing, incorporating our ideas together into one monstrous, beautiful work. The only parts I can lay full claim to are the Frequently asked questions, Allusions to Hebrew legends and Parallels between large and small representations sections, and those are hardly the meat of this FAQ, nor are they what was originally in mind when it was conceived. This FAQ would not be possible on any level without Dave, due, yes, in large part to his theorizing forming the basis of the Meta Theory, but just as much in inspiring me to expand on that idea and to create an FAQ that would serve as a compilation of all known and documented theories concerning the storyline of Shadow of the Colossus, something that may be -- we hope -- of invaluable benefit to Shadow of the Colossus fans. Thanks also go to Dave for helping me in compiling these theories, as there's been so many I certainly couldn't remember them all or hunt them all down on my own. Most of all, though, I thank him for opening my eyes to a new way of looking at things, and of teaching me that it's okay to defy certain standards of thought to build something beautiful. After all, would we have the beautiful story -- correction, STORIES -- that are Shadow of the Colossus, if not for Wander's defiance of the established ways of thought in his own time? Not a chance. Thanks again, man. -Thanks also go to the members of GameFAQs' Shadow of the Colossus message board: Much of these theories come from all of you, and as such, the FAQ is dedicated to you lot. From the many theorists' whose names have unavoidably but regretably been forgotten, on down to the explorers who sought out every nook and cranny of the Forbidden Land and further on down to those of you who just played Shadow of the Colossus to enjoy a fun game and thought-provoking story, this is for you. Also, thanks go to Felix M.C. Li/maskrider for his wonderful Shadow of the Colossus screenshots. -Thanks to Bruno de Figueiredo for some very insightful and interesting theories that were e-mailed to me. They concerned various matters, such as light and darkness in SotC, the symbolic significance of the doves, and also Mono's words in the scenes following the deaths of the first 15 Colossi. Your contribution has been significant to filling in some of the final few details that I myself wasn't clear on. -Thanks to Walton Wood for e-mailing Dave and I with a suggestion that led to our inclusion of the information on the kami of Shinto and how they relate to the Dormin. It was more Dave than myself who picked up on the connection, but after some mutual research (well, research on my part; he already seemed to know most of it), we came up with quite a bit of interesting stuff. -Thanks to James Farrugia for e-mailing me with info concerning some middle eastern cultures' view of horns, as well as insightful observations concerning the forbidden spell Emon spoke of. -Thanks go to darkdaxter for e-mailing me his theory concerning the origin of the shadowy figures that appear in the Shrine of Worship. -Thanks go to Jacob Banks for writing in about his observation of the bright light that emerges from the idols before they shatter, how this might relate to the dark light that emerges from the dead Colossi, and what this might entail for the shadows that appear around Wander and doves made of light that appear around Mono. Thanks also for the suggestion that Wander's horns may allude to the mark of Cain. -Thanks go to everyone who has e-mailed me for all your comments, theories, arguments and compliments. I've tried to respond to all of you, and if I've missed any, I would like to take this moment to apologize, but to thank you nonetheless for all that you've said. I appreciate it. -Thanks go to Fumito Ueda and the rest of the Shadow of the Colossus development team a.k.a. "All you guys whose names are in the credits": Thanks for giving us such a wonderful game. Keep up the good work! We'll be looking forward to it. -Finally, the most thanks go to my wife and our beautiful little girl for being my family. That's more than I can ever show how thankful I am to have. To my wife, thank you for putting up with me while I wrote this... and played the game... and annoyed you with suggesting we play the game instead of going to the movies there a couple of times. As this has been the single most satisfying gaming experience I've had (made sweetest because I shared it with you, my love), I think I can hang up my controller for a while without much sorrowful parting. To you my dear little one, when you grow up (at least 30; not a day before), I look forward to the day you'll find someone who loves you as much as I like to think Wander loved Mono. You deserve it, honey. Daddy loves you so much. I'll come tuck you in and tell you a bedtime story now. It's called "Wander and the Colossus." Publications cited in this FAQ: -Shadow of the Colossus itself -The official UK Shadow of the Colossus website, accessible from shadowofthecolossus.com -Game Informer's February 16, 2006 interview with Fumito Ueda and Kenji Kaido: http://www.gameinformer.com/News/Story/200602/N06.0216.1853.30213.htm -Wired News' March 9, 2006 interview with Fumito Ueda and Kenji Kaido: http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,70286-0.html?tw=rss.culture -Felix M.C. Li/maskrider's video game screenshot site, Zone of the Gamers: http://z-o-g.org/ http://z-o-g.org/gallery2/ico/ -Posts by members of GameFAQs' Shadow of the Colossus board List of sites authorized to host this FAQ: -Any site ran by Ryu Sinclair or David Rodoy, as well as any sight to which either gives permission -GameFAQs -IGN -Neoseeker -Super Cheats Shadow of the Colossus and Ico are copyright Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. They own the rights to this fantastic game, its characters, and the designs of the characters. This FAQ is copyright Ryu Sinclair and David Rodoy. None of the theories in this FAQ but the Meta Theory are really ours alone, and we don't own them. However, the exact representation of the Meta Theory in here belongs to David and I, and shouldn't be copied without our permission unless a link's given to this here FAQ with acknowledgements that we wrote it (that's permission from me not to get my permission before quoting this FAQ or something; but just remember that acknowledgement part please). Feel free to describe all the theories in here, including the Meta Theory, without permission or even giving a link (though I'd definitely appreciate it if you'd say where you got it), but please remember that quoting this FAQ verbatim without acknowleding it as the source is a violation of copyright. And also, publically displaying this FAQ on another website without our permission's a violation of copyright too. Our e-mails're at the top of the page, so please ask first. You can't miss it. Top of the page. That way: ^. I probably wouldn't say no if you asked me to let you host it somewhere else, but I'd like the courtesy of having the opportunity to say no anyway, and I imagine Dave would too. Not giving us that opportunity will result in an automatic no after the fact. Anyway, thanks for reading. Now go make your stories~