Shadow of the Colossus, Christianity, and Alchemy - NEW DISCOVERY?!

Given the incredible work done by people like Nomad, Pikol and Wisi over the past two decades, it's a near impossibility for anybody to discover anything new about this game. Noting that fact, believe me when I say that I wouldn't claim to have "discovered" something about this game unless I was absolutely sure. There might be more to not only the Ancient Sword, but also the pool of water it is dropped into. Please let me know what you think.
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[@SteveSilverskull]

Game designer: adds pool of water. KZbinrs: GOD AND THE UNIVERSE AND ALCHEMY AND MAGNETS AND ...

[@lindinle]

Tell us about the secrets. [loads gun tearfully]

[@AmazingFrenchman]

But the and... what about the and?

[@TofuSG98]

Lots of new discoveries turn up, just sub to nomad, he might find some new stuff down the line. Don't think Pikol makes vids anymore tho :(

[@WaterMusic34]

Golden comment

[@ZeranZeran]

LMAO

[@rodrigo3732]

This game will never stop being relevant.

[@maxderrat]

Damn straight. One of the greatest ever made.

[@RitaMaSTeR]

Very well done lore wise, after so many years we still have so many questions..

[@ronin_amv5250]

Bro this has been going on for more than 10 years. That os crazy and they are still finding new content

[@ElAlex742]

It's game permanens. He.

[@MarcAlcatraz]

Or at the very least extremely deep and meaningful

[@SlashWolf001]

Something to add from a Christian’s perspective: You talked about the water’s meaning in alchemy but the water also has meaning in Christianity. In Christianity in order to be saved from your sins (Dormin’s Corruption) you need to first receive Christ (The Word of God / Sword) as your savior. Then you need to be baptized in water (the Pool of water in the game) to be born again. What we see in the game is sort of an interpretation of receiving salvation. Wander is essentially corrupted by sin (Dormin). He’s dead in his sin (was taken over by Dormin & killed in the game). Then Christ comes down from heaven & beckons people to come to him & receive him (Sword falls from a high place down into the water and draws in Wander) Then a person is baptized in water to be born again & forgiven of sin (Wander falls in water and is reborn, not corrupted anymore.) For reference: John 3:3-7 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus *said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Great job on your video btw!

[@ZeranZeran]

I grew up in a christian family and i immediately just assumed it was holy water. Pretty neat how all belief systems connect in some way. I'm agnostic now, but hell, the more I watch from Max, the more I wonder what's out there. Now I'm thinking more in Jungian ways, not heaven or hell, but more or less the same concepts. The "Anima Mundi" as best I can translate it from Latin is the "WORLD SOUL" - What is that place? It reminds me of something I've heard before from Yogis who use LSD, they call it "The Collective Consciousness". I fully believe in that. Is that where we are now? Is that where we go after we die? Or is it neither, and something different altogether? I love his videos. I think his work is going to be very important one day soon. This use of video games to tell ancient (and arguably, VERY NEEDED almost required..) Lessons to newer generations is something I've only seen few talk about, and Max does it in a way that far exceeds anyone elses story telling abilities imo. I have a feeling many game creators/designers have breathed a sign of relief after watching Max's videos, knowing that "FINALLY! SOMEONE GOT IT!". I love it.

[@goukeban6197]

@@ZeranZeran "This use of video games to tell ancient (and arguably, VERY NEEDED almost required..) Lessons to newer generations" These ancient lessons were above all tools to make younger generations understand the rules and mechanisms that kept their societies afloat. We are pattern seeking creatures and as time passes, that recognized pattern becomes wisdom.

[@WELLbethere]

@@goukeban6197 and yet there's people who wanna act like we haven't learned anything from hundreds of thousands of years observing one another, that the ancient stories we told ourselves over and over again were just fables bereft of practical or moral value and without any depth or nuance.

[@skhighglitch4217]

It took 10 years to “solve” an Easter Egg from this game, and we’re still finding things.

[@havocbringer2100]

My memory’s hazy. What was that easter egg?

[@skhighglitch4217]

Shut Up I'm Thinking It’s not Being lazy. It’s Surprise Procrastination! Totally acceptable!

[@lindinle]

The best kind

[@jotacalvo]

Honestly, that Easter Egg was a product of the search, not the culmination. It was never there in the PS2 version.

[@pheonix442]

THIS GAME is the beauty of showing and not telling. They put just enough into the game to create interest and a small piece of a larger story, and then let people imagine what they will and connect what they wanted to the game.

[@jordanandrew2786]

The creators (team ico) let a Japanese author make a novelization of their first game. It's a pretty good children's novel.

[@Sartanikus]

Now we know why so many people love this game unconsciously, it rings with their unconscious.

[@AnalyticalReckoner]

You probably meant subconsciously. Unconsciously would mean they black out or fall asleep when they love the game.

[@vincentlaw1415]

@@AnalyticalReckoner they don't?

[@Sartanikus]

U could say that. But I was talking about the jungian unconscious. Which is basically the same as subconscious. The unconscious is at work awake and when we dream.

[@JoNarDLoLz]

@@AnalyticalReckoner Wait, so you mean I didnt pass out because I love the game but because I played the game 20 hours straight non stop?

[@timmadone8930]

@@JoNarDLoLz Your comment reminds me of my first experience with the game. I bought it on day 1 & my original intention that evening was to play it for about 3 hours, watch the nightly news & go to sleep. I was still on the game when the sun came up the next day.

[@cloudbloom]

I love how this game is still full of mystery and intrigue even all these years later. What an amazing game

[@teleportsaroundyou4629]

God tier pfp

[@timmadone8930]

At 2:48 you claim Wander is stabbed by the Ancient Sword. That's incorrect. Wander is stabbed by a sword that one of Lord Emon's guards is carrying. When Wander teleports back into the temple, the Ancient Sword flies through the air & the tip of the blade plows into the stone floor. The sword stays stuck in the floor until a guard removes it during a very brief cut scene that occurs a few seconds after you take control of Dormin.

[@leavemaualone2295]

My goodness! Max, I'm fascinated by this work of you. I don't have enough words to describe how grateful I am with your channel. You are definitely one of the best youtubers I've ever seen.

[@SlunkyBoi]

Inb4 the KZbin algorithm boosts this to 3 million views

[@maxderrat]

Yeah right. :P

[@bigfatcarp93]

@@maxderrat What does the text in the thumbnail say? "More than just w-" The video time blocked it out.

[@maxderrat]

More Than Just Water

[@2ndThought_]

I was here.

[@chrizzel28]

I always love stuff like this. Some games just always have that slight bit more depth every time you thought you got it all, whether it's in gameplay or lore. Good find, my dude! Chaos taking form once proper order is applied is genuinely one of the most fascinating ideas out there to me. It's part of why the story of Tiamat in particular just fascinates me a lot.

[@NireFuster]

I truly believe Shadow of the Colossus is *that* game that no matter how many years go by it will never fall into obscurity and there will always be new discoveries and stuff to talk about, it's really impressive

[@timmadone8930]

I fully agree. The game is goin on 17 years old now & yet new discoveries are still being made & the game is still being talked about. I have no doubt that 10 or 15 years from now, when a good majority of the currently popular games are nothing more than an afterthought, "Shadow Of The Colossus" will still be played, discussed, scrutinized, & analyzed.

[@forscherr2]

To me it sound like the following concepts are describing the same "thing": Aqua permanens = anima mundi = prima materia = matrix/ground of all being = anomalous matter = chaos = the Void - the water that God's spirit hovers over in genesis = potential = source of all information (as information can't come out of nothing, it has to come out of potential) A very similar idea is echoed in the game "Enderal - The Shards of order" (which I would highly recommend, it's beautiful, gripping and quite disturbing): the way magic works in the Enderal universe (called Vyn) is that the person who casts a spell can access alternate realities (for example, one in which the enemy is burning) and transmit parts of them into this reality (-> fire balls targeting the enemy). What the sorcerer accesses is given the term "sea of eventualities". Great video max, keep going :)

[@serfillustrated4018]

I think the sword from Sotc and the shield from TLG were a pair. Or one of them was forged from the other.

[@shenmue249]

I think they were forged from the same substance or alloy, but not necessarily one and the same.

[@mercenarygundam1487]

*Sees Max upload* Sleep can wait then

[@maxderrat]

:O

[@mercenarygundam1487]

@@maxderrat Your welcome Max.

[@ChristheDowned]

I listen to throughout the day at work and fall asleep to your vods Max at home if I don't have time, great stuff brother.

[@rexnihilum7822]

Amazing video as always, I've just came from your other videos on SOTC

[@rickedysplit2458]

bruh, the video just released

[@EvilEmperorZurg99]

Rickedy Split bro moment

[@maxderrat]

I'm so glad you have such faith in me to say its amazing before you've even watched it.

[@rexnihilum7822]

@@rickedysplit2458 i view most vids on 2× speed but you're right

[@charlierevord5047]

What I love most about your videos is your lore-like analysis of spiritual texts. The archeological examination of video game lore in games like Dark Souls can pull a wide pool of people in with interest, but it's harder to get someone into analyzing real world spiritual texts because they don't seem to have the same spectacle as games. Injecting the seemingly mundane stuff of the real world into your analysis of games probably helps expose others to stuff they probably wouldn't have appreciated and prove they aren't "mundane".

[@jaysonmuzuruk6604]

Dude, I just wanna say this is the best youtube channel I've ever subscribed too.

[@steadyeddy6526]

THE AQUA PERMANENS IS IDENTICAL WITH THE " WATERS ABOVE THE FIRMAMENT " ON THE SECOND DAY. Modern science calls it Dark energy and Dark matter. The former is the spirit of the universe, while the latter its soul.

[@RexOrbis]

Or you know, it's just supposed to be the ocean in the sky, as in God dividing the two seas. There's more in space than just dark energy and dark matter.

[@oliviu-dorianconstantinesc288]

Romanian popular mythology ascribes "living water" to grating eternal youth and "dead water" to healing wounds. I wonder at the alchemica implications of this!

[@dre1k952]

Living water is semen, semen retention bro

[@RexOrbis]

@@dre1k952 so is dead water ejaculate, which is good because it heals people? What the heck does bringing this up do for anything?

[@shadowelite102]

Living water being semen, yes. In life, we as gender dimorphic species that reproduce sexually, the way we "gain eternal youth" is by producing more humans that outlive us. The dead water would be along the same lines as the biblical story of human origin being built up with clay and coming alive with the "breath of God". Using material "from the dead" to heal ourselves, using the dead to revitalize ourselves so that we can keep living. Similar to the concept of humans eating plants or an animal that we killed, we use a previously living(the meaning of dead) being to continue living. Which, if we didn't use anything that came before us that was alive then we couldn't live anyway. It's all just symbolism, but symbolism isn't a trivial thing.

[@wander9932]

Found out about you about two months ago while searching for silent hill lore videos and have been a fan ever since. Keep up the excelent analysis Max!

[@maxderrat]

Thanks for sticking around. I'll continue to do my best.

[@theclocktower3258]

Going off your comment about how the temple in SotC is a reference to the Tower of Babel, and connecting that idea to the fact that the Colossi were created from the earth/architecture... Originally I was thinking they were made from the parts of a city that may have surrounded the temple, and thats why it's so empty in the valley, but now I think that the Collossi were part of the temple itself. I wish I could play around with the models to see how they might stack up, but I think this would make a lot of sense. Imagine a completed and functional Tower of Babel with a real God at its top. From there the life waters would easily drain down the tower into the pool at its base. This is why Dormin needed to be stopped, and when he was destroyed the tower shattered, sending the pieces of animate matter scattered across the valley where they were either left to their isolation or diligently contained in what would become ruins... Just a thought idk if that lines up exactly

[@fernandomartinez9976]

The Greek definition of logos is actually the concept of “mind”

[@Ezekiel_Allium]

Before you even mentioned it, my mind immediately went to revelations when you mentioned the word of god being a sword. That suddenly made a whole lot of things click for me, both about the game and the bible itself. Woah

[@HateSonneillon]

I can't tell you enough how much I think videos like these are awesome. So much to learn and explore its pretty exciting. Great work!

[@loirigudo]

Those images are probably what they used to design the eyes of the colossi.

[@duwanglover3424]

God this is fascinating stuff. Alchemy, mythology, so much to take in and I love it.

[@wayfarerzen3393]

Aqua Permanens is a description of the Luminiferous Aether. All pervading, a medium of all things to exist amongst.

[@earthboundkid1]

Would you consider doing a video on the parallels between Berserk and Aion/Jung as well as Nietzsche. Like I am big fan of Berserk and as I have been watching you series on Aion I noticed that Berserk has a ton of similarities with Aion down to the T. In terms of imagery themes and in some cases words phrasing and metaphysical concepts like causality. Either Kentaro Miura knows his stuff and read Aion and beyond good and evil, or Berserk is is one of the best examples of synchronicity I have ever seen! Like it is not even funny how similar Berserk is to Aion.

[@maxderrat]

If I watched the three Berserk movies on Netflix, would that be satisfactory?

[@earthboundkid1]

​@@maxderrat The movies from what I can find seem to cover the "Golden Age" stuff. Which is important context for the series but not where most say the story of Berserk "really starts". So I would say no to that. The most important parts of Berserk that really starts to look like Aion. Happen after the "Eclipse" which is after the Golden Age arch. So I would recommend watching some Berserk story and time line explained/summarized videos instead or reading up on the Wiki With a focus on the "Conviction arch", The "Falcon of the Millennium Empire arch" and the current "Fantasia arch" . I would also recommend watching some of theses creators videos BOOFIRE191 for some lore basics( kzbin.info ) Spired videos on some of the later chapters ( kzbin.info/door/_LY2p5Uw31l_0muuwBvdyw ) and Anime Philosopher's videos on Berserk ( kzbin.info/door/lmrEouTBM5JI7m2CGdjd9A ). Though I think you will get the most mileage out of researching the following 1.Gut's and Griffith who they are and why they think they way that they do is super important whenever you talk about Berserk. If you ask me I think Gut's is Jung and Griffith is Nietzsche 2. Gut's Gear. Specifically the dragon slayer (which is a sword that exists partially in the "spirit world" so it is capable cutting both the real and the ethereal much like the sword of logos) and the Berserk Armour. 3. The Behelit and the Apostles. 4. Metaphysical forces like the "beast of darkness" (AKA Gut's literal shadow) and causality and what that means in the Berserk universe. Because it is important that Guts is literally given the nick name " the struggler" who literally fights against fate it's self in the manga Lastly I have not read all of the manga I think I read about half of it. I just know a lot about Berserk by watching synopsis videos. So If I am seeing all these crazy parallels without even finishing the manga or being the most well versed Berserk expert, I know you will see the parallels Between Berserk and Aion too.

[@saintgaiseric3331]

This is an example of genius game. More than decade and we're still talking about it.

[@grigoryalexandrovitchpecho6934]

This was an incredible video Max, you're awesome.

[@TofuSG98]

I love coming back to these videos.

[@auxometer]

NEW DISCOVERY? *SIGN ME THE FUCK UP*

[@Kephinio]

I’m not much into religious content, and only watched The Last Guardian gameplay a few days ago, but this is actually really interesting and gives me a way of understanding what happens in the games. Thank you for putting this out here!

[@sargondp69]

I really want to play this but no PC version. Very interesting discoveries made here and I am sure you are correct despite my inexperience with the game itself. But note: Inaccuracies (and heresies) abound when the demonologists (themselves a type of gnostic) become theologians and historians. 3:16 [13 = Salvation, interesting] Gnostics were, and are today (occultists, theosophists), not an early Christian sect but several, or, more accurately, a theology that focuses on the active pursuit of knowledge (think information tech-666 and transhumanism) as a means of personal salvation. Verses the Truth being the active savior, they can save themselves by grasping the truth, regardless of sin and the falleness of man (in this Gilgamesh fails while Noah is saved). The overemphasis of this by some lead them to being labeled gnostic heretics--some rightly some wrongly--who care only for their personal Pride and power, thus Luciferian. Many openly worship Lucifer as the 'good' god making poor equations with myths like Prometheus (as did Percy Shelly, worshiper of Apollo), as did Isis herself Blavatsky. Referenced here, some of the alchemists too fell into a materialistic heresy, equating the Holy Spirit with the created/phenomenal, as anima mundi, light, etc. Today gnostics are eclectic in their study (as am I, a very orthodox Christian) but they tend to believe that ancient Egypt held the truth and the Bible is a corruption or lesser truth, oft sighting that Egyptian religion is older (so are cavemen religions). Simply, this is a rejection of scripture itself and the First Commandment, worshiping a dead god (Asar) and not the living God (Ya), hence the heresy.

[@khalifa8593]

When you mentioned water pouring out of Jesus's wound i couldnt help but remember the black water coming out of Wander's wound. Maybe its not an important detail and its just like the case with the other colossi. Maybe the black water coming out of the colossi is also a symbolism of the water coming out of Jesus's wound. Maybe im just delusional.

[@viola308]

the black would be shadow, and i know this is completely irrelevant but crucifixion fills the lungs with water, thats how it kills you. thats why jesus' wound had water in it because longinus the roman soldier stabbed his side

[@jellydamgood]

This game more based than alkaline.

[@KudiGamer]

nice

[@li__suarez]

This game, is just... so deep. I played it for the first time in 2005, and I never got bored of it. I think it's the way it manages symbolism and aesthetics, and leaves so many things without explanation, so the players can fill it with their own subjectivity, just as it happens with art. In fact, I've been reading a lot about Robert Fludd's work since I saw your last video about this game. I believe what you say is very accurate, as it matches with both ICO and The Last Guardian's world view as well. Thanks to you, Nomad Colossus, Wisi and also Jacob Geller, for making all these videos. Greetings from Argentina!

[@fointnikfraudulant]

Wow, Max! You’re I research and Insight into this game is invaluable, sir. Thank you.

[@Ranstone]

That's coincidence, not evidence. I used to disagree with Nomad about this stuff back in the day, back when we talked. The secret seekers has a very bad habit of finding similarities and calling them evidence. However, conversely, your theory is not disproven either. I really need to start a KZbin channel based on Shadow of the colossus. I was part of the secret seekers before they were even known by that name, and am amazed at how much I took for common knowledge isn't even known to the SOTC community yet...

[@jimtroeltsch5998]

Woah! You definitely should. That sounds super interesting. I've never played the game, just find it a really interesting title after watching a few videos on it. would love to watch some videos made by yourself if you were apart of that community.

[@chainsofgames]

Do it then

[@AquariusC]

4:22 The text you quoted says flat out they are the same. In the Edinger quote the reference to the sword is a similie. The Logos descends as a sword, "like a" sword. It is not literally a sword.

[@CJTranceAddiction]

This is deep. I got goosebumps from all of this. Fumito Ueda is such a deep individual.

[@iscarvalho]

An interesting thing is the link between Nimrod (Dormin) and the giants in the Bible. Genesis 6:4 talks about giants coming to the earth and living among humans, and their children were powerful people. In Genesis 10:8 talks about a guy called Nimrod starting to get powerful in the land. So the Bible explains that Nimrod was the son of a giant, or using a synonym, a colossus.

[@wojszach4443]

And people still keep digging, that's what we call fanatical fanbase, im proud

[@Octovisuals]

Very interesting, as always. Love it. Thank you!

[@TheVideoGuy223]

Wander isn't stabbed by the ancient sword, he is stabbed by a regular sword owned by one of Emon's guards. The ancient sword fell from the hole and stuck into the side. The ancient sword is not picked up until after Wander becomes a colossus. If only the sword of logos or similar power/item can separate the dark and light, then Wander should not have been consumed by the dark.

[@maxderrat]

I am aware that Wander was stabbed by a common sword. However, the way I see it... it wasn't precisely JUST Wander that was stabbed by the common sword. It was Wander possessed by Dormin. Dormin doesn't need to be split because he is already shadow incarnate. Dormin can split off from the light at any time, as we clearly saw. Also, as I said in the video, Mono's body wasn't overcome by darkness in death, which suggests to me that Wander being overcome by shadow wasn't due to being stabbed by the common sword. Rather, it was Dormin who initiated the split.

[@TheVideoGuy223]

Ahh that makes more sense

[@loafysworld9327]

One of the best games I’ve ever played and still do to this day.."do you know how long it took me to find those freaking coins smh

[@lunacetra77]

Timeless and endlessly unpackable. The 17th is still in there somewhere.

[@ethakis]

I feel like there is a connection between the aqua permanens and chaos which you mentioned in your recent video on dark souls. I think that what I found most interesting in this video is that the sword of logos which brought light and dark into unity is also the only thing that could divide them.

[@iamtrying2690]

"..Aftet that happens, it produces the mixture of elements Earth, Wind, Water and Fire.." Then there exists, "Do you remember? The 21st night of September.." Ait.. Imma head out.

[@ShadaOfAllThings]

Also consider: The Gnostic Demiurge was a conqueror god, and the word demiurge literally means "False Creator". The Sword of Logos is... well, their weapon. With which they imposed false order on a fallen world. Sorry if this complicates the narrative but it could also mean cool things

[@cantina2425]

*Terence Mckenna enters the chat*

[@kenillla]

Would love to see Max deep dive into Dark Souls/Bloodborne. Btw: love your channel

[@emmanuelgonzalezcaseira9141]

Hmm... maybe what pulled wandered towards the water is the very light that the text said that, once the sword is plunged into the water, divides from the darkness and is attracted to the sword like a magnetic property? this would mean that even with shadow wanderer that he still had some light inside him, reason why he was pulled into the pool to be divided and the light be free, otherwise I think he would just be pushed away by the division.... I guess? xD Great video though :)

[@TheSkullConfernece]

I'm an atheist and I don't believe in anything supernatural or spiritual. BUT! I am going to practice magic regardless because I want to know if it's real or not. When I was very young (14 or 15), I promised my soul to Satan. I did the entire sacrament and everything. Shortly after, I was in an accident. I was riding my bicycle back from the grocery store in which I had just stolen flowers. (I know, I'm a terrible person). I was riding in the median of the road and took a left right after a car (I was also pretty drunk). Right after the car, a motorcycle was right behind it. This motorcycle hit my bike going approximately 50 mph (80 kph). I flew at least 10 feet (3m) from the accident. I only injured my foot (one foot) in the accident. I did a sort of barrel roll and landed on the outside of my foot and then rolled into a safe landing. My bike was in three pieces. The fork had detached from the front wheel and the back wheel had bent at 90° (which is where the motorcycle hit me). I had almost no time to process this but the residents nearby had already called an ambulance and police. I was in a fugue state, basically. So I got up and was screaming about how "My groin" hurt! I kept saying "My groin!" over and over. (Because if you were launched at just under 50 mph from a bike seat, you may feel the same thing.) Anyways. The police came. My friends (who were throwing a party/they were less than a block away front he accident), the local residents came! They said it sounded like a legitimate car crash. Anyways,most of the people who showed up could not believe that I was involved in any way. They saw me, they saw my bike, they saw the condition of the motorcycle driver and concluded that I was fuckin with them. The motorcycle rider, by the way, had to be taken to a hospital because he broke his hand and leg. The police showed up. They asked around for who was involved in the accident. WHO WAS RIDING THE BIKE!? I responded. They initially didn't believe me. They thought I was playing a prank at first. Eventually they came around to it. They realized that I was serious. Everyone at the party knew what had happened. I was questioned briefly about what exactly had happened. I told them the whole story except the underage drinking part. At the end, the "main" officer asked me straight up "How much have you been drinking tonight? By which I responded "Nothing" in the most unconvincing response ever made. He literally laughed out loud and told me to have a good night and drove off. Later that night, one of the party-goers told me that I have a guardian angel watching after me and I still think that's bullshit. If anything, I have a guardian demon.

[@lindinle]

Meanwhile the game devs are around the one guy that added the water. "Watch the fans will lose their fucking mind over this for some reason." they all laugh while drink on sake

[@Deamons64]

Look, this is an interesting video. You're talking about some really interesting stuff, but you can't deny how MASSIVE of a reach this is. Shadow of the colossus is a masterwork of gaming, and it has details well beyond what most games deserve, but this just makes me think of the search for the last great secret. A ton of passion. A desire to know and understand more about this masterpiece. I really do understand it, but it all just seems so far fetched...

[@viola308]

he did adress this in the video, and the games demo literally contained those alchemical drawings as well as dormir being nimrod backwards. its more of a reach to say that this is incorrect .

[@aldoeljardinero]

Crazy how this game just keeps giving and giving

[@bernadettavarley]

Interesting conclusions. Seeing as I have not played TLG yet I had to click away at11:50 but from what Is aw in the video, awesome job. I adore Christian stories and Latin Alchemy and stuff, so this honestly was a pleasant surprise.

[@wayfarerzen3393]

Yes, the word of god and the sword of god are the same thing. Words are a weapon, or a tool, as a sword is as well. It's a tool of dividing meaning from un-meaning, order from chaos, all that stuff.

[@eliseubonato8298]

I super parachuted into the channel, so don't know exactly the general theme but... Demystifying the bible through Hermetic Kabbalah, the moments when the strength of God and mainly his word is referred to as a sword, it's because the sword represents the element of air, synonymous with reasoning in the human psyche, in tarot, in alchemy and in practically every religion that can have its veils pierced by Kabbalah, the 4 elements appear as harbingers of the plots, including Gnosticism, in short, what the research indicates is that Lord Emon, with the power of the sword/power of the wind/power of the word/power of the intellect, removed the darkness of Wander, diving him into the pool, that is, purifying your emotions, water represents the emotional aspect , the Shaman purified the bad intentions within the hero, which had emotional motives, through the intellect, allowing his best version to be reborn, to resurrect, a divine version of him, with horns! No Sorry if someone already said it, I just didn't see you summarize it that way in the video, I know he's old too, so maybe it doesn't even have relevance, anyway... peace!

[@justinfalzon6854]

I dont even play this game and I dig these vids.

[@adamorly2971]

My understanding of the game has always been that the protagonist enters into his own unconscious to defeat the monsters that keep him from achieving his potential (symbolized by the woman). The sword represents truth, which one has to tell oneself in order to even have a chance to defeat their own monsters. Every victory opens a pathway to heaven (which itself is a symbol of ascension, or bringing oneself closer to potential). When you finish the game, the shadowy monsters within the protagonist are integrated, and he is reborn (a child being a symbol of infinite potential). Just an opinion.

[@gabrielgomez3363]

Wow... Jung, soc and last guardian? Love it!

[@neku757]

....oh my god....so...just now we are finding out more...this is amazing

[@AleSlevin]

Great analysis as always. I've considered for years alchemy to be the better explanation to Fumito Ueda's world (Trico is probably a chimera or a chinese Pixiu). This puts it in a thorough articulate way. The concept art for ICO depicts the sarcophagi for horned children bein filled with the same water as the temple's pond.

[@BenjamminFranklin.]

Recently purchased the remake for ps4. What an experience

[@Nortlov]

What about the pool, and the water, being connected to actual birth? I mean, if you're saying that so much detail is in this game, then look at the design of the pool, I feel it's designed to reflect the womb. I know its not the traditional inverted triangle typically associated with the female genitalia, but the opening must be a clearly important design detail considering it's presented as such in two games where it has almost no actual design change between them. Soooo, if to "split the darkness from light" and bring us into the world is the whole idea of creation, a "sword", cutting parts, creating life, sounds exactly like the beginning of division of cells after conception. Also must note the design of the ancient sword having it's distinct tip. I think the correlation is pretty solidly there. Maybe think about it as not "light" and "dark", but maybe light being the imperceivable, the "soul", and "dark" as the solid, matter based things of the world. The dichotomy between the act of reproduction and the taking life is shown in the actual possession of a sword and are equated in importance as was stated "why the colossi can't be killed with conventional weapons". I think all of it is just a commentary on the origins of life, religion, and how we live our lives, the balance of life.

[@Imaginathor-1k0]

1:21 types of mushrooms

[@bloodblues85]

This is gonna be good

[@bloodblues85]

Very interesting. Great video!!

[@Memnoch_the_Devil]

I like this theory and can't help but apply it to what we know about disparity in Dark Souls

[@visiblydisturbed1688]

Kinda ironic that the dark represents chaos and light represents order

[@TheAlison1456]

Man, this is so unimaginably cool. This is the only thing that could sell me on christianity , this game I've always loved being inspired by it. Dark Souls, too.

[@kaydenbell1821]

there is more behind the shadow of the colossus if the intersecting pontes are followed/mapped correctly. why did they lead to the arena of the 11th colossus was that the begging of that world or after lord emon destroyed the shadow of wonder/dormin opening the door in the arena but it only happened when in that final cut seen witch may have unleashed the shadow Queen and the cursed children with horns in ico witch wold have led to the end so if ico and shadow of the colossus are not related to the last guardian

[@jinartamusic6734]

Great video man. There are few mysteries I never solved that you could probably explain. The secret meanings in a game Blasphemous. What is actually the main character in that game. And what is the actual goal in that game. I played the whole thing. And I don't even understand the storyline at all.

[@goukeban6197]

Today it's understood the water pouring out of Jesus' wound would be pleural liquid that fills the lungs when someone agonizes from asphyxiation. Still really interesting how some metaphors (S/word of God; water as the Spirit) are persistent in the Bible. Living in modern times we have no idea how certain imagery passed by text and oral tradition was important to ancient cultures.

[@Spirit__Man]

Brilliant work

[@DassVeryGood]

Is it bad if I watch one of your masterpiece videos like this one and then go watch CalebCity? Lmao But for real I love these videos because they're like my resource to formulate and articulate the art in videogames. Currently suffering from ADD or now known as ADHD, and I've seen the video of you talking about that which helped me a bit. Though still like watching your inspirational content, keep up the amazing work!

[@ZackZavage]

fascinating

[@dylanmcnab2980]

quick send this to the secret seekers

[@viuuko4072]

My body trembles as I have not sleeped in 2 days. Thank you for this wonderful content, it keeps me thinking and awake, just enough to not faint. God I'm tired

[@chrisberry9070]

great work

[@X0FOI]

My favorite video yet. Well done.

[@bugzy9824]

Pretty weird... how the forbidden land has a sun that never gose down, apparently night cycle is not a thing there...

[@NWA-TjalfeTooStonedToAim]

So Fludd knew of what we today call Dark Matter wich covers 85& of the universe..

[@Majnun74]

Amazing!

[@FayN_]

Niceeee. I had another theory why they seperated the light and shadow. Not only for making a magical weapon or technology. Remember what dormin nature is? Pure shadow, and even in cutscene when they kill final colossus. All the shadow that represent dormin freed power fuses into dormin when dormin take over wander body. Also reason why the pool is only affecting him as well. So im theory is, dormin is something powerful, spiritual being that exist from dark it self in feed from it. It would make sense since he start cult to worship them so they can feed dormin with shadow in change the power of light as a lure for their civilization. Also all of this happen without them knowing whats going on. U can literly tell it because the whole series in last of guardians, shadow of the colossus and ico, they only contain shadow part and using only the light for the source, because they had no idea what it is till it being controlled as minion for the queen n master of the valley. This can explain why amon seal him in the first place, not only he sees barbaric tradition but he also see dormin becoming more n more stronger by that. Its just like the nature of dormin, pure shadow so he indeed nees for his existance. This kind stories where darkness feed through the dark part of human is pretty much everywhere in classical religious story. . In this case dormin m8 be something evil. Because they use human for his own benefit. Even when u point out dormin isn't evil by saying he already warn wonder in keep hos promise still doesnt make sense after all what happening in that world. I belive that when dormin said that he just like mocking him or at least make player think that he is neutral. If u think aboutz dormin is power evil, so he must be smart n twisted. He already know if he said such thing wander wouldn't even care, n he need to say that to explain why wander need to kill all this colossi. Later in end game it make a lot of sense that dormin actually revive mono n keeping his promise n make him feels like a good guy. But lets talk when this game actually connected to ICO. . In ICO, there os strong belive that the queen ( the antagonist/ villain in the series) is mono. Because the similariy of their appearance. If the queen really is mono, i belive that is the reason why dormin ressurect her in the first place. So he can ressurected for real. When he ressurected in wonder body, it m8 be he already weaken due to his sealed power so he cant no longer gain any power from it. Even he said he only borrow wander body. It clarify that he only using his last power to ressurect the girl and corrupt her through time. So then he can become the queen n continie the sacrafice human again. This also confirm that master of the valley is not the origin of dormin. Its just a device that contain dark matter from human. U can see similar design in ICO. It doesnt really make sense if master of the valley came out before dormin. I would make sense that the last guardian is the same timeline after dormin sealed away n lost control because of it. Since master of the valley didnt have any consciouness. The fact that last guardian exist is to inform that the light part of human can be used as weapom n support andvance technology. Something to lure human, corrupt them because of greed and in the end only benefit dormin. . Even dormin weakeness is light it self. I belive that the colossi cant be controlled by dormin because there light matter in it to seal dormin consciousness. The only thing dormin can do is the corrupt em n make em living mindless wild beast that soon destroy it civilization it self. So nothing guard the colossi when someone come to resurect it. . Also i belive dormin is just spiritual being that need power to enter from his dimension to human world. So all of this happening. . The only reason why he borrowed wander body is just to make everything in ICO happening. Cause he is to weak if he already resurected. Even wander can still gain consciousness over him. . Also the last guardian is in the same time line as shadow of colossus. At least before shadow colossus but after dormin sealed away. It seperated thourgh time and places. . My stupid theory but for me it make sense this way since many evil being in classicsl story, in greek, egypt,nordic share the same idea.

[@ZeranZeran]

Max have you ever thought about becoming a teacher or professor? I would absolutely love to learn more about these things from someone like you.

[@maxderrat]

It's my dream to teach video game narratives, and their underlying subtext in a classroom setting.

[@ZeranZeran]

I think his work is going to be very important one day soon. This use of video games to tell ancient (and arguably, VERY NEEDED almost required..) Lessons to newer generations is something I've only seen few talk about, and Max does it in a way that far exceeds anyone elses story telling abilities imo. I have a feeling many game creators/designers have breathed a sign of relief after watching Max's videos, knowing that "FINALLY! SOMEONE GOT IT!". I love it.

[@ZeranZeran]

@@maxderrat I know I'm just a random guy on the internet but watch a lot of KZbinrs, read a lot about these topics, and I've never seen anyone even come close making the connections to these important ancient tales and how they are SO CLEARLY being told in the games, but it takes people like you sometimes 10-20 years later to see the true significance of them. It's amazing. It would be an honor to be a student! Whatever your passion is; Keep going Max. You have an amazing mind.

[@maxderrat]

I've gotten messages from some game developers telling me that. Your feeling is well founded.

[@ChristopherSummer89]

Interesting, I did not know that it was a common scholarly Reading that the Word of God at the Moment of Creation is at the same Time the Sword of the Logos that separates Things, but it does perfectly fit a linguistic Observation of mine (as a Linguist with theological Inclinations), namely that the Separation of Things in Genesis 1, e.g. separatig Light *from* Dark / *between* Light and Dark in Gen 1:6 (which Augustine interestingly thought to refer to Angels and Demons), the Word for separating "between/from" (בֵּין ben, "interval/space") stems from a root word בִּין (bin) which means "to discern", which implies to me that the Act of Creation was fundamentally about an Act of Separation not simply between material Instances, but between semantic Categories of Language (i.e. to discern). So, that fits together very well: Connecting God's separating Act of Creation to the the very Foundation of Language Formation (i.e. separating Concepts into Categories) = connecting the separating Sword of the God as Part of that Creation-Act to the Logos / Word of God.

[@zofiadoesntneedwithstand4672]

This game had so many moments I rage quit at but in the end I was glad to beat it and the ending was good too

[@thedarkmoonman]

Cool stuff Max. do you take ideas for videos?

[@Mote.]

Hell yeah i love this game

[@Nevir202]

Excellent video, you earned another subscription.

[@HYPERBOWLER]

What kinda black cube of saturn is this?!?

[@oldbluebox]

Thanks for your hard work. I love this stuff.

[@coolestchannel4413]

Iv worked out all the secrets about the sword and waters if ya wanna know. Your mind will be blown.

[@user-fy7ru4ii1i]

Intriguing

[@mariovazquezcruz6973]

Somehow... all fits

[@jebushwplainview9453]

Gonna have to dust off my copy.. It’s been a while...... SNAKE... Flash flash flash flash flash

[@Bullboy_Adventures]

Now do an explanation as to why dormin can't hurt those humans even though he literally breathes fire at them. Like, if he can't even kill ordinary humans, then why were they so scared of him?