These excerpts are from the first pages of the Shadow of the Colossus Artbook (actually more of a guidebook), giving spoiler-free information on the characters in the game. I just beat this title, so expect lots of content from it in days to come.
Wander
The Youth Who Wields the Ancient Sword
The work’s protagonist. Wander has only one wish: to awaken the girl who lost her soul. To this end, he has wandered to an ancient land and challenged giants. It is forbidden to revive the dead. The price Wander bears? That will be revealed at the end of the story…
The Girl Who Lost Her Soul
The Girl Lying On the Altar
A girl whose long, dark hair is an impressive shade of black. Her name is Mono. She has lost her soul to a certain sacrifice. Her relationship with Wander is uncertain. Why does Wander devote himself to a harsh struggle with little concern for his own well-being? Perhaps only the girl knows the answer.
Agro
Wander’s Swift and Helpful Steed
Wander’s beloved horse. Plays a supporting role to Wander who roams the ancient land. Our protagonist mounts Agro to move about while searching the vastness of the ancient realm. Kicking up the earth, the beautiful dashing shape and flowing movement of the steed catch the eye of those who behold it.
The Voice of Heaven
One Who Possesses the Means to Manipulate the Dead
The voice that bestows revelations upon Wander, a visitor to the ancient shrine. It is known as Dormin, though its shape cannot be seen. It tells Wander that once the Colossi paired with the rows of idols in the ancient shrine are defeated, the girl will awaken. It also advises Wander during his battles with the Colossi.
Colossi
Creatures of Overwhelming Strength and Size
Lacking individual names, the giants are together known as Colossi. The Colossi inhabiting the ancient land number 16 in all. Their divinity is combined with a beast-like violence, but, without fail, somewhere on their body lies a weak point. If the weak point can be pierced with a blade, it is possible to defeat them.
Yet there is a list of Colossus names (mostly Latinisms) floating around; although admittedly the provenance given in this F.A.Q. (§3’06) is somewhat less than encouraging…
Yet there is a list of Colossus names (mostly Latinisms) floating around; although admittedly the provenance given in this F.A.Q. (§3’06) is somewhat less than encouraging…
I’ve been wondering about that myself, since this official information raises questions as to their veracity. The later pages describing their strategies list them as “First Colossus”, “Second Colossus”, etcetera with no names in sight. It seems like a lot of trouble for a fan to go to in order to make them all up, though.
I’ve been wondering about that myself, since this official information raises questions as to their veracity. The later pages describing their strategies list them as “First Colossus”, “Second Colossus”, etcetera with no names in sight. It seems like a lot of trouble for a fan to go to in order to make them all up, though.
I agree about that (although it did strike me that ‘Thantanos’ is probably a typo for ‘Thanatos’, the Greek name for Death, which is the kind of name someone might have who’d devise classical-sounding names, a few of which are basically Latinised Greek–but it’s not as though that constitutes real evidence against this person). My hunch is that whoever wrote the name list wasn’t much interested in language (‘Nimbus recanto’ = ‘I, the cloud, echo’, as far as I can make out) but may have been into mythologies; Phaedra (Colossus #4) is mythologically linked to the Minotaur (Colossus #1) via King Minos.
I suppose one possibility is that the names come from an ‘official’ (i.e. publisher-endorsed) source, but one whose creators decided to embellish what they received from Team Ico, meaning there wouldn’t have been a standard list accessible to other teams working on artbooks and the like. Unless a course comes to light, we shan’t know…
I agree about that (although it did strike me that ‘Thantanos’ is probably a typo for ‘Thanatos’, the Greek name for Death, which is the kind of name someone might have who’d devise classical-sounding names, a few of which are basically Latinised Greek–but it’s not as though that constitutes real evidence against this person). My hunch is that whoever wrote the name list wasn’t much interested in language (‘Nimbus recanto’ = ‘I, the cloud, echo’, as far as I can make out) but may have been into mythologies; Phaedra (Colossus #4) is mythologically linked to the Minotaur (Colossus #1) via King Minos.
I suppose one possibility is that the names come from an ‘official’ (i.e. publisher-endorsed) source, but one whose creators decided to embellish what they received from Team Ico, meaning there wouldn’t have been a standard list accessible to other teams working on artbooks and the like. Unless a course comes to light, we shan’t know…
A source, even…
A source, even…
Other popular claims that I’ve found no official substantiation for so far (yet seem to make it onto every fansite as fact) are Argo being a girl and Wander and Mono being lovers.
Other popular claims that I’ve found no official substantiation for so far (yet seem to make it onto every fansite as fact) are Argo being a girl and Wander and Mono being lovers.
I think we can blame the publishers for that last one (plus English’s having only one common noun for the various kinds of love); the back of the European box says Wander is ‘spurred by love’. This trailer says ‘love can move mountains’. Then there’s the ‘How far will you go for love?’ slogan visible on a poster here.
No idea where the assumption about Agro’s femininity might have come from, although I can see how it might easily have spread, given how heavily English uses gendered pronouns.
I think we can blame the publishers for that last one (plus English’s having only one common noun for the various kinds of love); the back of the European box says Wander is ‘spurred by love’. This trailer says ‘love can move mountains’. Then there’s the ‘How far will you go for love?’ slogan visible on a poster here.
No idea where the assumption about Agro’s femininity might have come from, although I can see how it might easily have spread, given how heavily English uses gendered pronouns.
Huh, interesting. Well, I’ve seen no mention of any kind of love so far. I was thinking about it myself, what kind of relationship they might have, and to me “friendship” seems to fit the best. Wander isn’t exactly affectionate, I think the only time he touches her in the whole game aside from carrying her there is a single instance of him feeling her cheek with the back of his hand, presumably to check whether she’s showing any signs of life yet. Seems too chaste to be romantic love, but a lot of loyalty for someone he barely knows. So, friendship…
Huh, interesting. Well, I’ve seen no mention of any kind of love so far. I was thinking about it myself, what kind of relationship they might have, and to me “friendship” seems to fit the best. Wander isn’t exactly affectionate, I think the only time he touches her in the whole game aside from carrying her there is a single instance of him feeling her cheek with the back of his hand, presumably to check whether she’s showing any signs of life yet. Seems too chaste to be romantic love, but a lot of loyalty for someone he barely knows. So, friendship…
I’d be wary of assuming romantic love can’t be chaste, especially in a fantasy world with (in real-world terms) pre-modern weaponry and in which the woman’s soul has left her body. (I remember thinking while playing the game that given the timescale, if she’s dead then one would expect some putrefaction, however beatific she’s made to look.) Courtly love (for example) still isn’t friendship. I wholly agree, however, that the game itself leaves things wholly uncertain (including whether he ‘barely knows’ her).
I wonder how significant it is that in Ico touch was a central part of the game.
I’d be wary of assuming romantic love can’t be chaste, especially in a fantasy world with (in real-world terms) pre-modern weaponry and in which the woman’s soul has left her body. (I remember thinking while playing the game that given the timescale, if she’s dead then one would expect some putrefaction, however beatific she’s made to look.) Courtly love (for example) still isn’t friendship. I wholly agree, however, that the game itself leaves things wholly uncertain (including whether he ‘barely knows’ her).
I wonder how significant it is that in Ico touch was a central part of the game.
Well, time has apparently stopped in this land, so that might prevent her from decaying. Haven’t played Ico, unfortunately, though it looks really interesting. I hear it’s coming to PS3 in the fall, perhaps I’ll have a chance then. Or I could emulate it. Is it as short as SotC?
Well, time has apparently stopped in this land, so that might prevent her from decaying. Haven’t played Ico, unfortunately, though it looks really interesting. I hear it’s coming to PS3 in the fall, perhaps I’ll have a chance then. Or I could emulate it. Is it as short as SotC?
Actually, during the game I was checking out her skin tone to see if she got any more colour in her cheeks, as Wander gets in progressively worse shape.
Actually, during the game I was checking out her skin tone to see if she got any more colour in her cheeks, as Wander gets in progressively worse shape.