The morality of Shadow of the Colossus (Open Spoilers)

[Yossarian]

Hey ERAists.

Longtime poster, first-time thread maker.

There are going to be open spoilers for Shadow of the Colossus. Don't say I didn't warn your sweet potato. Twice.

I'm playing through the rather glorious remake of Shadow of the Colossus. Last time I played the game was when it originally came out on PS2. After seeing this thread and the numerous mentions of SOTC, it started me thinking...

While I don't outright disagree with the idea, I am starting to question the received wisdom that Wander is a bit of bastard for 'murdering' the Colossi.

You see, I'm not sure he's 'murdering' anything. For all their undoubted majesty, the Colossi aren't natural beasts in the same way MHW's creatures are; I'm not sure they're alive or even sentient.

The Colossi are effectively walking prisons animated by their captives. They're actions are fairly limited and they seem to follow fairly simple magical 'programming': guard their prisoners at all costs. Other than maybe Malus and the hand moment, there seems to be little in the way of sentience on display to me. They're effectively automatons, reacting based on particular parameters (hence why they're relatively easily tricked).

Unless Dormin is a self-hating God, it seems to me that the 'living' aspects of the Colossi - the fragments of Dormin - would want to return to the source.

In these terms, their 'deaths' aren't quite as sad... well, apart from the mournful music.

The weak points are sigils that trap the Dormin fragments inside the Colossi. Viciously and repeatedly stabbing these soft magical seals frees the fragments, leaving the Colossi prison without 'power', hence their collapse. That's more like a toy running out of battery than the death of something truly living. In fact, isn't it really a moment of granting freedom?

Now, you may think Dormin is 'evil'. It's a fair point, I guess. The fragments don't exactly look friendly, after all. Though it's worth thinking about who tells us Dormin is a 'baddy'. That is NOT to suggest that Dormin is 'good', just that perhaps notions of 'good' and 'evil' are a little murkier than they may first appear. All we can say for sure is that Dormin's motivations are ambiguous at best (though it's easy enough to suggest the same of Lord Emon Holmes).

So, when you consider the Colossi in this fashion, is Wander really all that bad? Am I missing something startlingly obvious that shows they're more than walking prisons?

Educate the fuck out of me, ERA.

 

[Dreamboum]

You don't need for something to be sentient to feel bad for them. Think of it like destroying a statue, you'd feel bad that the craft is going to go to waste. Except in that state they do bleed and they do seem to have some kind of metabolism since they are able to see.

They don't seem to be prisoners too. Dormin's power is sealed inside them but it doesn't mean it is them.

 

[Ahasverus]

Oh really interesting.

 

[kvetcha]

I buy the interpretation that Dormin is inspired by the story of Nimrod: he was a king attempted to raise himself into a god, and was eventually killed, cut into pieces, and scattered. The land in which he had ruled was made forbidden, and his Shrine of Worship (aka the Tower of Babel) becomes his mausoleum. Wander, in his grief, and his self-centeredness, ventures into the forbidden land and is manipulated to release Dormin's spirit from its prison. Because Wander can't see anything beyond the romance of his own myth, he becomes responsible for releasing a great evil back into the world, and he and his offspring are marked and cursed for the rest of time.

It's a great inversion of the romantic hero trope.

 

[Yossarian]

Oh really interesting.

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I can't tell if you're serious :D

You don't need for something to be sentient to feel bad for them. Think of it like destroying a statue, you'd feel bad that the craft is going to go to waste.

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Sure, but I wouldn't necessarily think someone was a complete monster for destroying an object as opposed to a living thing, at the very least not quite as much. The latter is what tends to be the central argument put forward.

Except in that state they do bleed and they do seem to have some kind of metabolism since they are able to see.

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I'm not sure that's 'blood' though. It seems like parts of the fragments escaping to me.

They don't seem to be prisoners too. Dormin's power is sealed inside them but it doesn't mean it is them.

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Nah, they are prisoners. Emon Holmes grandad splits Dormin into fragments and traps them in the Colossi. They're not there by choice, hence they're prisoners.

I think the fact that the minute you break the sigils the Colossi collapse is a fairly good indicator that they don't have any independent 'power'. It's like their presence powers them, but they have no control.

I could be wrong, of course!

I buy the interpretation that Dormin is inspired by the story of Nimrod: he was a king attempted to raise himself into a god, and was eventually killed, cut into pieces, and scattered. The land in which he had ruled was made forbidden, and his Shrine of Worship (aka the Tower of Babel) becomes his mausoleum. Wander, in his grief, and his self-centeredness, ventures into the forbidden land and is manipulated to release Dormin's spirit from its prison. Because Wander can't see anything beyond the romance of his own myth, he becomes responsible for releasing a great evil back into the world, and he and his offspring are marked and cursed for the rest of time.

It's a great inversion of the romantic hero trope.

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Yeah, that's a good one, but I don't see any outright indication that Dormin is 'evil'. I can see Dormin as being considered unnatural, since it is capable (and does) break the 'natural' laws of life and death, but that's a far cry from being 'evil'.

 

[kvetcha]

The Colossi are golems, in a sense, but they nevertheless exhibit character and individuality.

 

[Dreamboum]

I'm not sure that's 'blood' though. It seems like parts of the fragments escaping to me.

Click to shrink...

Blood is separate from the black tendrils that escapes from the final blow that you have dealt and enters Wander's body.

I think the fact that the minute you break the sigils the Colossi collapse is a fairly good indicator that they don't have any independent 'power'. It's like their presence powers them, but they have no control.

Click to shrink...

Dormin's power would make no sense to act against their liberator. The colossi acts independently, but holds a fragment of the power of Dormin that comes out when felled.

 

[Crossing Eden]

They're not natural beasts but they're definitely sentient, they recoil in pain not just when attacked at the weak points but also in general. I don't think they're exactly reacting based on automation, as Dormin reacts the same way they do when attacked.

And yea Dormin is hella evil, the imagery of the final colossi which seems to resemble him the most, (as well as the slow but sure possession of Wander as if he didn't know that would happen), pretty much confirm that. I don't think people would try that hard to seal him if he wasn't truly evil or misunderstood. He keeps his promises sure but he definitely isn't a benevolent force.

 

[Deleted member 7450]

Funny title ;)

 

[Deleted member 39353]

I always got the sense that you're not supposed to feel bad for the creatures, more so that you're supposed to feel that what you're doing is definitely wrong, and killing each one is not the hero being triumphant. That's a good point too that they may not be creatures at all, and more just like animated automatons to seal the piece of Dormin inside.

 

[Diarrhea Day-Lewis]

Whatever they are, you're killing 16 creatures to free an evil spirit. It for sure makes you feel bad but that's what is meant to do.

My nephew beat the first three Colossus this weekend (he's 10) and after the third one he said, "aww I feel bad."

That's what I love about it. It makes you feel emotions based on your actions something games don't do often

 

[kvetcha]

Yeah, that's a good one, but I don't see any outright indication that Dormin is 'evil'. I can see Dormin as being considered unnatural, since it is capable (and does) break the 'natural' laws of life and death, but that's a far cry from being 'evil'.

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I'm not sure you'd go through the trouble of killing someone, imprisoning their spirit within sixteen enormous, sentient horcruxes, and sealing off an entire nation to contain him unless there were good reason.

 

[Yossarian]

Blood is separate from the black tendrils that escapes from the final blow that you have dealt and enters Wander's body.

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I see them as more like residue of the fragments; black liquid sparks that aren't quite able to escape. I think the fact that both the 'blood' (if you want) and the tendrils are similar colour and composition (outside of the solidity of the latter) is intentionally meant to highlight a relationship between the two.

It's a theory, of course.

Dormin's power would make no sense to act against their liberator. The colossi acts independently, but holds a fragment of the power of Dormin that comes out when felled.

Click to shrink...

Like I said, they are powered by the fragments, not controlled. They are the battery that operates them, not the operating system itself. The Colossi body has independent 'magical' programming, designed to keep their prisoners locked in.

 

[WellbornWarrior]

I buy the interpretation that Dormin is inspired by the story of Nimrod: he was a king attempted to raise himself into a god, and was eventually killed, cut into pieces, and scattered. The land in which he had ruled was made forbidden, and his Shrine of Worship (aka the Tower of Babel) becomes his mausoleum. Wander, in his grief, and his self-centeredness, ventures into the forbidden land and is manipulated to release Dormin's spirit from its prison. Because Wander can't see anything beyond the romance of his own myth, he becomes responsible for releasing a great evil back into the world, and he and his offspring are marked and cursed for the rest of time.

It's a great inversion of the romantic hero trope.

Click to shrink...

You know, both names aren't mirrored for nothing.

 

[kvetcha]

Like I said, they are powered by the fragments, not controlled. They are the battery that operates them, not the operating system itself. The Colossi body has independent 'magical' programming, designed to keep their prisoners locked in.

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I'd argue that they are living vessels, and by destroying their seals and killing them, you are allowing Dormin's trapped spirit to escape.

That is, the Colossi are not 'powered' by Dormin, but their lives are what maintain the seals that hold him.

You know, both names aren't mirrored for nothing.

Click to shrink...

Indeed, indeed.

 

[NO!R]

I always thought of the colossi as golems; not entirely sentient guardians/vessels for Dormin's soul pieces.

The alternative is pretty sad, though.

Lately I tend to think of them as sort of magical animal. Still golems, but brought to life by Dormin's power, and left to wander aimlessly with a clouded consciousness, half driven by Dormins will and their own instincts.

 

[Crossing Eden]

So yea if you being possessed by somebody makes you look like this I'm gonna guess that whatever's possessing you is evil:

It's classic evil possession imagery and there's zero indication that bad things wouldn't happen if the fire spitting demon spirit actually escaped.

 

[kvetcha]

This game is such a masterpiece of world design and minimalist narrative.

 

[Yossarian]

They're not natural beasts but they're definitely sentient, they recoil in pain not just when attacked at the weak points but also in general. I don't think they're exactly reacting based on automation, as Dormin reacts the same way they do when attacked.

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That's an interesting point.

Funny title ;)

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Yeah... I may have stolen the title. :)

I'm not sure you'd go through the trouble of killing someone, imprisoning their spirit within sixteen enormous, sentient horcruxes, and sealing off an entire nation to contain him unless there were good reason.

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And yea Dormin is hella evil, the imagery of the final colossi which seems to resemble him the most, (as well as the slow but sure possession of Wander as if he didn't know that would happen), pretty much confirm that. I don't think people would try that hard to seal him if he wasn't truly evil or misunderstood. He keeps his promises sure but he definitely isn't a benevolent force.

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Firstly, never judge a book by its cover. Ico had horns - classically considered a sign of evil - and he wasn't the devil.

Secondly, I don't think it's that straight forward. I see Emon as representing a new belief system sealing away an old belief system deemed dangerous because it doesn't fit. From what I gather, Emon's chief concern is the unnatural control Dormin has over life and death.

I'd argue that they are living vessels, and by destroying their seals and killing them, you are allowing Dormin's trapped spirit to escape.

That is, the Colossi are not 'powered' by Dormin, but their lives are what maintain the seals that hold him.

Click to shrink...

It's interesting that they stop working the minute Dormin's fragments can escape.

 

[WellbornWarrior]

As I see it the Colossi inhabit parts of Dormins body and the actual sentience of Dormin is trapped in the big temple. Thats why the Colossi show nothing more than instinctual behaviour.

Also if that thing isn't evil then I don't know:

Firstly, never judge a book by its cover. Ico had horns - classically considered a sign of evil - and he wasn't the devil.

Secondly, I don't think it's that straight forward. I see Emon as representing a new belief system sealing away an old belief system deemed dangerous because it doesn't fit. From what I gather, Emon's chief concern is the unnatural control Dormin has over life and death.

Click to shrink...

Ico wasn't bad per se as was Wander as he was tricked to free an evil god, but if we assume Ico and SotC are in the same continuity than the horns mean Ico has Dormins soul, or better said his male part, in him which is obviously bad news.

 

[Poutine Runner 2049]

I buy the interpretation that Dormin is inspired by the story of Nimrod: he was a king attempted to raise himself into a god, and was eventually killed, cut into pieces, and scattered. The land in which he had ruled was made forbidden, and his Shrine of Worship (aka the Tower of Babel) becomes his mausoleum. Wander, in his grief, and his self-centeredness, ventures into the forbidden land and is manipulated to release Dormin's spirit from its prison. Because Wander can't see anything beyond the romance of his own myth, he becomes responsible for releasing a great evil back into the world, and he and his offspring are marked and cursed for the rest of time.

It's a great inversion of the romantic hero trope.

Click to shrink...

Great interpretation. I'm sure Dormin was inspired by Nimrod (name being backwards and all)

 

[kvetcha]

Firstly, never judge a book by its cover. Ico had horns - classically considered a sign of evil - and he wasn't the devil.

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No, but he was a descendant of Wander, and thus sacrificed as penance for Wander's misdeeds.

It's interesting that they stop working the minute Dormin's fragments can escape.

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I'd argue that Dormin's fragments can escape the moment the Colossus dies.

 

[KORNdog]

It's interesting that they stop working the minute Dormin's fragments can escape.

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Well you did just stab them repeatedly in the head with a magical sword. Lol

 

[Yossarian]

No, but he was a descendant of Wander, and thus sacrificed as penance for Wander's misdeeds.

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Sure, but that's retroactive. He wasn't when he was initially designed. I'm simply positing Team Ico aren't above playing with that kind of iconography. Given the moral ambiguity of Shadow of the Colossus, I think we'd be doing the game an injustice if we simply accept things on face value.

I'd argue that Dormin's fragments can escape the moment the Colossus dies.

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That's a good point, though I'd suggest that the 'blood' is residue of the fragments attempting to escape before they can.

 

[Iva Demilcol]

I buy the interpretation that Dormin is inspired by the story of Nimrod: he was a king attempted to raise himself into a god, and was eventually killed, cut into pieces, and scattered. The land in which he had ruled was made forbidden, and his Shrine of Worship (aka the Tower of Babel) becomes his mausoleum. Wander, in his grief, and his self-centeredness, ventures into the forbidden land and is manipulated to release Dormin's spirit from its prison. Because Wander can't see anything beyond the romance of his own myth, he becomes responsible for releasing a great evil back into the world, and he and his offspring are marked and cursed for the rest of time.

It's a great inversion of the romantic hero trope.

Click to shrink...

DORMIN <=> NIMROD

 

[Crossing Eden]

Firstly, never judge a book by its cover. Icon had horns and he wasn't the devil.

Secondly, I think don't think it's that straight forward. I see Emon representing a new belief system sealing away an old belief system deemed dangerous because it doesn't fit. From what I gather, Emon's chief concern is the unnatural control Dormin has over life and death.

Click to shrink...

Ico had horns and he wasn't the devil yes but the implication is that that's specifically a result of Dormin being resealed and Wander being turned into a baby. I don't have any idea where your'e getting the belief system thing from since Emon starts and ends the narrative as the exact same character, someone who wants Dormin to remain sealed. I think it really IS just that simple, an evil spirit that could wreak havoc on whatever society exists outside the forbidden lands if they were allowed to be free again.

 

[lupianwolf]

Wander still listens to a random voice in the sky that tells him to kill things.

 

[kvetcha]

Sure, but that's retroactive. He wasn't when he was initially designed. I'm simply positing Team Ico aren't above playing with that kind of iconography. Given the moral ambiguity of Shadow of the Colossus, I think we'd be doing the game an injustice if we simply accept things on face value.

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That's fair enough, though I feel that there's little in Dormin's portrayal to provide a counter-argument. He essentially behaves like the Biblical serpent.

That's a good point, though I'd suggest that the 'blood' is residue of the fragments attempting to escape before they can.

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We'll have to agree to disagree there. I think the tentacles that pierce Wander are inarguably fragments of Dormin. The blood/ichor seems of the Colossus itself.

 

[Takamura-San]

I wanted to play this game, but I read the spoilers about the story and changed my mind. I refuse to partake on this. It is morally wrong.

 

[HStallion]

Dormin escapes and eventually becomes the Master of the Valley

 

[Solace]

Dormin is Nimrod backward, holy shit!
and I thought I know everything about SOTC.
Mind fucking blown.

 

[Rurunaki]

Ico had horns and he wasn't the devil yes but the implication is that that's specifically a result of Dormin being resealed and Wander being turned into a baby. I don't have any idea where your'e getting the belief system thing from since Emon starts and ends the narrative as the exact same character, someone who wants Dormin to remain sealed. I think it really IS just that simple, an evil spirit that could wreak havoc on whatever society exists outside the forbidden lands if they were allowed to be free again.

Click to shrink...

That's one of my issues with the narrative. It's only being viewed from Emon's perspective. I don't necessarily see Dormin as evil but more of the idea of free will.

 

[kvetcha]

I wanted to play this game, but I read the spoilers about the story and changed my mind. I refuse to partake on this. It is morally wrong.

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That's an interesting perspective.

 

[angel]

Ico having broken horns is symbolic of him breaking his cursed line IMO. Possibly down to the Dormin soul inside him being diluted to the point of insignificance.

 

[BriGuy]

I wanted to play this game, but I read the spoilers about the story and changed my mind. I refuse to partake on this. It is morally wrong.

Click to shrink...

Goombas and Koopa Troopers have families too.

 

[Yossarian]

Ico had horns and he wasn't the devil yes but the implication is that that's specifically a result of Dormin being resealed and Wander being turned into a baby.

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That wasn't the case when Ico came out. Team Ico we're playing with the iconography, I believe that may be the case here too.

I don't have any idea where your'e getting the belief system thing from since Emon starts and ends the narrative as the exact same character, someone who wants Dormin to remain sealed. I think it really IS just that simple, an evil spirit that could wreak havoc on whatever society exists outside the forbidden lands if they were allowed to be free again.

Click to shrink...

Not sure why you're suggesting Emon would need to change over the course of the game if he represents a new religion and Dormin represents an older one...?

Emon certainly doesn't worship Dormin. Since the 'devil' in most religions is basically every other belief system, it's not hard to extrapolate Emon as being of a different religion.

Emon's key preoccupation is with the natural order of things. While he is bothered by Wander entering the Forbidden Lands and stealing the sword, it is his use of the 'forbidden spell', Dormin's ability to resurrect the dead, that truly distressed him. He calls out corrupted Wander as being 'possessed by the dead' and immediately orders his execution. I'd suggest this is indicative of two opposing 'belief' systems.

Wander still listens to a random voice in the sky that tells him to kill things.

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Just like Moses!

That's fair enough, though I feel that there's little in Dormin's portrayal to provide a counter-argument. He essentially behaves like the Biblical serpent.

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But what does Lord Emon do to suggest he's 'good'?

We'll have to agree to disagree there. I think the tentacles that pierce Wander are inarguably fragments of Dormin. The blood/ichor seems of the Colossus itself.

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It just seems odd that everything else black and shadowy is related to Dormin. It seems like a weird design choice to make the 'blood' the only thing that isn't.

 

[Crossing Eden]

That's one of my issues with the narrative. It's only being viewed from Emon's perspective. I don't necessarily see Dormin as evil but more of the idea of free will.

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Wander isn't a hero though. Emon is in the right for sealing Dormin away, again there's zero any indication the the clearly evil demon spirit is actually good or misunderstood aside from the fact that he kept his promise.

That wasn't the case when Ico came out. Team Ico we're playing with the iconography, I believe that may be the case here too.

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You can't remove Ico from the equation anymore tho as there's clearly a retroactive connection between the two.

Not sure why you're suggesting Emon would need to change over the course of the game if he represents a new religion and Dormin represents an older one...?

Emon certainly doesn't worship Dormin. Since the 'devil' in most religions is basically every other belief system, it's not hard to extrapolate Emon as being of a different religion.

Emon's key preoccupation is with the natural order of things. While he is bothered by Wander entering the Forbidden Lands and stealing the sword, it is his use of the 'forbidden spell', Dormin's ability to resurrect the dead, that truly distressed him. He calls out corrupted Wander as being 'possessed by the dead' and immediately orders his execution. I'd suggest this is indicative of two opposing 'belief' systems.

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I genuinely think you're looking too into it. Dormin isn't a belief system, all the imagery we're given is that he's a malevolent being that needed to be sealed away.

^
There's nothing to indicate that this is a play on the dark/light visuals but rather a very explicit indication of Dormin's true nature.

 

[shoemasta]

Dormin escapes and eventually becomes the Master of the Valley

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Not sure if you are joking but thats an interesting theory since I always pictured The Last Guardian as a prequel to Ico and Shadow.

 

[angel]

Master of the valley is an alien, not Dormin.

 

[Chopin the Third]

I don't think Dormin is/was evil. I think it was just sealed away by humans who didn't like what it was, because humans are shit. Emon was probably pushing his own bullshit religion and didn't like that there was a being that didn't adhere to the normal rules of life and death.

As for the colossi, I think they always existed in this land, and the parts of Dormin were just sealed away in them because it was convenient, and because no one expected they'd be killed, rather than them being created specifically for the purpose of carrying pieces of Dormin.

 

[Takamura-San]

That's an interesting perspective.

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Well, it is basically condoning the well being of one at the price of many. Not only morally wrong, but completely impractical.

 

[Shifty1897]

I buy the interpretation that Dormin is inspired by the story of Nimrod: he was a king attempted to raise himself into a god, and was eventually killed, cut into pieces, and scattered. The land in which he had ruled was made forbidden, and his Shrine of Worship (aka the Tower of Babel) becomes his mausoleum. Wander, in his grief, and his self-centeredness, ventures into the forbidden land and is manipulated to release Dormin's spirit from its prison. Because Wander can't see anything beyond the romance of his own myth, he becomes responsible for releasing a great evil back into the world, and he and his offspring are marked and cursed for the rest of time.

It's a great inversion of the romantic hero trope.

Click to shrink...

Wait, Dormin is Nimrod backwards and SOTC is a sequel to the story of the biblical tower of Babel?!

 

[Crossing Eden]

I don't think Dormin is/was evil. I think it was just sealed away by humans who didn't like what it was, because humans are shit. Emon was probably pushing his own bullshit religion and didn't like that there was a being that didn't adhere to the normal rules of life and death.

As for the colossi, I think they always existed in this land, and the parts of Dormin were just sealed away in them because it was convenient, and because no one expected they'd be killed, rather than them being created specifically for the purpose of carrying pieces of Dormin.

Click to shrink...

Dormin not being evil and deceiving Wander would completely go against what the game is trying to accomplish thematically. There's no indication that Emon is in the wrong and that Wander is in the right going around killing 16 creatures for one girl because a voice told him to, and this is post stealing a sacred sword and the body of Mono. We have explicit imagery indicating that what Wander is doing is not right even if it seems to be working as the girl gains more color as you become more corrupted by Dormin. People are trying to overcomplicate a minimalistic narrative by attempting to fill in the blanks with over explanations, "Humans are shit and Emon is too strict with his religion," That's not the point of the story nor is that even indicated. :|

 

[Neo0mj]

Ya'll putting too much thought into a video game. The spirit was evil, but the twist was that unlike most sealed evil spirits it did exactly as the summoner wished for, not even toying with their interpretation.

 

[HStallion]

Not sure if you are joking but thats an interesting theory since I always pictured The Last Guardian as a prequel to Ico and Shadow.

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Its purely speculation as The Master of the Valley has a similar dark energy it uses to defend itself that it sucks from the kidnapped "chosen ones" who some think might be the far off descendents of the horned baby Wander was brought back as. Or something like that. There was a ton of speculation when TLG released.

 

[Mr Punished]

The colossi aren't the prisoners, but more the prison guards. They are self conscious enough to fight you, they were made to fight and stop the release of Dormin's fragmented spirit, and I do think their death is a tragedy considering they do otherwise lead a peaceful existence. The forbidden lands are empty, home to only the colossi, great guardians of an ancient being, their only purpose to keep the ancient being imprisoned. I don't think Dormin is necessarily evil, or even the duality of good and evil, but instead a collective conscience of an ancient civilisation. An unnatural being capable of bending the laws of nature, it poses a threat due to it's unwieldy nature.

I like to think of each Team Ico sequel as a narrative prequel broken apart by large chunks of time. Shadow of the Colossus showing the creation of the cursed horned boys, and the Last Guardian the origins of Dormin. I like to think that the Master of the Valley is the collective hive mind of the once ancient city known as the Nest, the end events of the Last Guardian doesn't kill the Master of the Valley but instead destroys it's constraints leaving it in a fractured state. Over time these fractured pieces come together to form an omnipotent being now known as Dormin, this being seems to be initially worshipped as shown by the many great structures present in the Forbidden Lands, but an unknown event occurs that causes Emon (or his great ancestors) to take drastic measures in locking away Dormin, creating the colossi as guardians (hence their mechanical features), powered by the fractured pieces of Dormin (their organic features), yet sentient enough to know the release of said pieces is something they must not let happen. The Forbidden Lands are abandoned, and become only a prison for Dormin, guarded by the great colossi.

Then we come to Ico where in which Dormin is once again fractured as represented by the horned boys. I think at this point in the timeline Dormin is no longer a threat, but we still see the power that these fractured pieces are capable of when the queen uses them to power a ritual to extend her life unnaturally. This is my headcanon of all the connective imagery found in these games, I love the personal beautiful stories found in each one, and think them sharing the same universe is really irrelevant to each individual experience, but love that the games hint at this bigger pictures just enough to let someone go wild with ideas. So that's my take on why I think we should feel bad for killing the colossi, they don't reflect Dormin's interest but are instead it's guardian, keeping it forever imprisoned to the Forbidden Lands, until Wander comes along that is.

 

[Bán]

That's the most interesting take on the game I've heard in years, actually, OP. And the more I think about it the more I might agree with you.

I buy the interpretation that Dormin is inspired by the story of Nimrod: he was a king attempted to raise himself into a god, and was eventually killed, cut into pieces, and scattered. The land in which he had ruled was made forbidden, and his Shrine of Worship (aka the Tower of Babel) becomes his mausoleum. Wander, in his grief, and his self-centeredness, ventures into the forbidden land and is manipulated to release Dormin's spirit from its prison. Because Wander can't see anything beyond the romance of his own myth, he becomes responsible for releasing a great evil back into the world, and he and his offspring are marked and cursed for the rest of time.

It's a great inversion of the romantic hero trope.

Click to shrink...

I think this is definitely what the game is about, but the OP's interpretation specifically pertaining to the morality of 'murdering' the Colossi still stands.

 

[4859]

My interpretation was that Dormin was absolutely evil, Wander knew exactly what the fuck he was doing, and he didn't give a shit anymore. He probably felt Emon and his followers deserved whatever would have happened had they not showed up in time. And maybe they did.

 

[Rurunaki]

Dormin not being evil and deceiving Wander would completely go against what the game is trying to accomplish thematically. There's no indication that Emon is in the wrong and that Wander is in the right going around killing 16 creatures for one girl because a voice told him to, and this is post stealing a sacred sword and the body of Mono. We have explicit imagery indicating that what Wander is doing is not right even if it seems to be working as the girl gains more color as you become more corrupted by Dormin. People are trying to overcomplicate a minimalistic narrative by attempting to fill in the blanks with over explanations, "Humans are shit and Emon is too strict with his religion," That's not the point of the story nor is that even indicated. :|

Click to shrink...

Dormin did warn Wander about the consequences of him wanting to revive Mono. That in itself does not speak pure evil. Dormin also always talk in multiples (male/female) saying "we." Dormin to me is a representation of a nation/religion that lost to Emon's nation/religion. Dormin's reaction in the end is also common if you have been sealed for centuries and see the people that imprisoned you, you will rage at them. If you also look at other Japanese games, not everything is clear cut and dry. Shin Megami Tensei most of the time view the "divine" as the oppressors with the "devils" as representation of free will.

Going back, the focus of the story is Wander's desire to revive Mono. He's gone against the conventional even risking his own life and morality. Does that make Wander evil? Which is why I see Dormin as merely the representation of "free will." Taking note that Mono does not even care about the "horns" at the end; evil is not easily represented by something like growing horns. It's all about perspective and the only perspective we are given are Emon's.

 

[Akai_XIII]

We're all brought up believing that darkness is evil and light is good, whether that be via games, books, religion or media. The same applies to death. There is ambiguity for both Dormin and Lord Emon within the story.

Lord Emon rides a white horse into the Valley, a symbol of light. Yet his actions with Mono, who was sacrificed - presumably by him - aren't aligned with this preconception. He fulfils his own prophecy by arrogantly assuming it will end with the sacrifice. He embraces the death of one in hopes of saving the many.

That's before we get to his ancestors becoming their own "Gods of Life and Death", they use Dormins essence to create life - the colossi.

He/they fear the "God" of death, but openly uses it to righteous abandon when it suits them. Neither side is "good". The only pure thing in the entire game is Wanda's intention to bring Mono back, even if that means sacrificing himself.