The Game Plan 4.11.08: The Greatest Video Game Anti-Heroes...Ever (Part 4)
Posted by James McGee on 04.11.2008
All good things must come to an end. So do things like this column.
When we think of anti-heroes, it usually calls to mind characters whose actions are heroic (in a round about way), but whose intentions are suspect. People who are spurred on by greed, revenge, or other sundry motivations violate the basic principles of heroism, regardless of the greater good their actions may serve. But the road goes both ways. Heinous actions committed for a noble cause are equally damnable. Terrible wars have been waged in the name of religion, peace, even love. Though the driving force behind it all may be admirable, that does not make the actions themselves any less deplorable.
For my final exploration into the world of anti-heroes, I want to take this less-traveled road and look at a character any romantic heart can sympathize with, but whose deeds nonetheless fall a little shy of purely heroic. Wander—the protagonist in Shadow of the Colossus—is a man in love, seeking only to save that which he cares for most. But to accomplish his goal, he selfishly endangers an entire society, and callously murders a host of innocent beings. Of all the games I've covered in this series, perhaps none other will leave players pondering the nature of heroism—and feeling guilty for their actions—to quite the same degree. I am James McGee, and here's The Game Plan.
Face it guys: We've all done something stupid for a girl. Wander is no exception.
Like many characters I've covered before, Wander's story is quintessential heroic material. He journeys to an ancient, mystical land to fulfill a spiritual quest. He is given a seemingly impossible task by the gods (or, at least, otherworldly beings). He must traverse dangerous terrain and battle gargantuan, nigh insurmountable enemies. Wander has but one companion on his journey—his faithful horse, Agro—and he is armed only with his bow, sword, skill and determination. And, of course, he overcomes all of these hardships and triumphs (from a certain point of view) in the end. In many ways, Shadow of the Colossus is the most archetypal breed of hero story: the gallant knight, slaying the dragon for the honor and protection of his lady.
The lady in question is Mono (not the most fortunate of names, I'll admit), and she is the key to this story. She is the impetus that sends Wander on his journey and (for good or ill) drives his actions. Players learn very little about Mono, but the bare facts are that she is dead or near death, and Wander wants to bring her back. So his quest is not simply to gain a lady's favor, but to save her life. He is willing to risk personal danger, incurring the wrath of his elders and deities by journeying to a forbidden land and engaging in a forbidden ritual. His motivation is powerful, poignant, and easily understandable. Even if we have never felt such love for another, most of us can at least sympathize with it. Wander's intentions are among the purest and most passionate to ever be found in a video game.
But, as has often been said, good intentions pave the road to hell. No matter how noble and comprehensible Wander's desires may be, they are ultimately selfish. The rules and customs in Shadow's mystical world may seem cruel and unfair, but they are in place for reasons that become readily apparent through the course of the game. Dormin—the entity which promises to revive Mono—turns out to be a demon, whose essence was split into sixteen pieces and trapped in the bodies of the colossi. Like the rest of the story, very little is revealed about Dormin, but the implication is that it was an evil being, and that its power was deluded for the protection of the world at large. Wander ignores the teachings of his elders, casts aside any cares about other people, and embarks on his ill-fated quest anyway. In its way, love is a very selfish emotion, and Wander's love for Mono led him to make decisions to ease his own pain at the expense of others.
Maybe the only video game enemies you'll ever feel bad about killing.
One could make the argument that Wander wasn't fully aware of the consequences of his actions. The land of the colossi was a forbidden place, after all, and perhaps the story of Dormin was kept hush-hush to prevent an irrevocable disaster. Okay, fair enough, Wander didn't understand the whole picture. But that doesn't excuse his actions on the most basic level when it comes to the colossi themselves. Wander systematically slays sixteen magnificent beasts without a hint of remorse, simply because a disembodied voice tells him to. Some of the colossi are undoubtedly aggressive, but in the same way that any wild animal would defend its territory. Most are docile beasts which only become a threat after Wander attacks. Forget the indirect harm he may be causing for other people in his society. Wander actively, knowingly slaughters innocent creatures. Regardless of his motivation, wanton murder just isn't very cool.
When people try to convince the snobbish, unwashed masses that video games are worthy of the title "art," Shadow of the Colossus usually crops up as an example. There isn't much meat to the story, really—just vague shadows and inferred meaning. But that is part of the game's simple beauty—the fact that it places so much on players themselves, forcing them to consider the consequences of what they are being asked to do. It's easy to sympathize with Wander and Mono's classic plight. But it is just as easy (if not more so) to sympathize with the mighty colossi, struck down by this speck of a creature for reasons they can not possibly fathom. In a medium often criticized for focusing on mindless violence, Shadow of the Colossus engages players in a world where death and all its consequences are a matter worth great consideration.
And so ends the "Great Characters" series, and with it, my run on The Game Plan. Please, hold back your tears (or applause, as the case may be). The long and short of it is this: I'm kinda running out of steam on the column, and would like to focus on some other writing projects I've got going. The real reason, of course, is that I didn't want Ric Flair hogging the spotlight with all this retirement business. I'll be sticking around 411mania doing movie reviews, and I hope to get a little more involved in the game zone doing reviews and news postings. But for now, its time to give the ol' editorial bone a rest. I want to thank Ashish and Caleb Newby for letting me run with this thing in the first place, as well as Ramon, Rod (sorry the banner didn't get more use, dude), and all the other 411-ites that have offered their feedback and support. Of course, I thank the readers for tuning in every week, and hope you'll stick around to see what other trouble I can get myself into.
Oh, and for that crazy luchadore that keeps commenting, I have no opinion on Ecco the Dolphin, one way or another. Sorry, amigo.
