The 3rd Colossus, resembling a knight, is one of sixteen bosses fought in Shadow of the Colossus. Its lair is a tilted arena in the middle of a giant lake in quadrant E2.
Description[]
The 3rd colossus is a tall and slender yet imposing warrior-like figure, covered in asymmetrical stone armor that is weathered and broken by the passage of time. It has bodily proportions and a stature more like a human's, making it appear less animalistic than its brethren, but even so, it still makes beastly bellows while it is active, its roars similar to those of bears. On its face are two parallel, horizontal ridges forming a mouth, with the upper ridge bearing a small, vertical ridge forming a nose, while the bottom ridge is placed atop a slab with a semi-oblong shape resembling an inverted gravestone, representing a chin. On either side of its head is a long, straight horn (a feature also seen in the 8th colossus) with a smaller, ear-like hornlet under it. Around its neck is a thick stone collar with horizontally-projecting spines, while spires of rock jut out vertically from its shoulders, two on its left, and three on its right (though on the right, only the front one stayed mostly intact, while the ones behind have long broken off, leaving only stumps). The upper torso and long arms of the colossus are covered in gray fur (though strangely, part of the inside of its right arm has bare, tough, wrinkly skin), partly armored with stone bands, braces, discs, and rings bearing ridges, recesses, protrusions, and inscriptions, matching the architectural design and style of the platform that the colossus resides on. Most of these pieces of armor are either partially or almost fully worn down by the elements, exposing the fur underneath. Its stone chest plate, overhanging its bare belly, appears broken, especially on the right side. Further below the stomach area is a weathered, flat-topped ring connected above pelvic plates on both its front and back, sculpted in the form of an undergarment. Except for the parts connected to its thighs, which are made of bare, rhinoceros-like skin, the entirety of its legs are made of stone that, though also weathered, appear more intact than the armor of its upper body. It lacks conventionally-shaped feet, which are instead shaped like eggs standing on their pointed ends, also intricately covered in engravings and rugged patterns.
The most notable features of the colossus are its hands. The left hand has small, misshapen stony stubs that are likely the remnants of once-functional fingers (assuming that its creators intended to give it such features to begin with). The right hand bears the shape of a closed fist (complete with a ring-like wrist and roughened, finger-like rectangular blocks) clenched around a massive, four-edged rectangular pillar that resembles a sword, about as long as its wielder's entire upper torso. The weapon may have once had a stylized border on all of its edges, but weathering and constant usage has reduced this design element to just the lower edges and the very tip, while the upper half of the pillar is cracked, even bearing a notch near the tip. Because of its size and shape, the colossus uses its "sword" more like a club, sometimes swinging it in an arc to smash downwards, and at other times stabbing it straight down into the ground. Even with its strength, however, its pillar cannot embed itself in thick, metal surfaces, only bouncing off on impact.
Walkthrough[]
Path to the Colossus[]
- See also: Map for this path
Initially, the path to the 3rd colossus is the same as the path taken before for the 2nd - go around the Shrine of Worship to the right until being presented a way north, then proceed across the land bridge. This time, however, go left when the path forks; this will take the player to the northern plains. The sword will direct Wander to the northwest now. It will point roughly to a ravine entrance; this is where to go. The ravine path will eventually lead to the shores of a lake, and a cutscene will start, emphasizing the giant island in the middle of the lake and a path to take to go up. Wander must leave Agro behind here. Jump into the lake and swim to the path on the west side of the arena. This pathway will eventually end, and the player must jump to a ledge on an adjacent pillar. Grab on and go to the right. Here, Wander must leap off this ledge to reach the arena, just like what was required to reach the 1st colossus. Though the lake is a very long way down, Wander would not die if the maneuver is performed incorrectly, but it does takes a while to swim back. Once having jumped successfully, climb up to the top of the arena to begin.
Battle[]
The colossus will often attack Wander in three ways. If he is close or on the edge of the arena, it will either attempt to stomp on him, or stab its "sword", a massive pillar of rock in place of a right hand, straight into the ground, only for it to almost immediately pull its limb out, and neither its stomp nor stab attack can be capitalized on in any way. If Wander is further away, however, the colossus will swing its sword overhead and slam it downwards, though this particular move leaves its sword stuck in the ground for a few seconds, giving the player time to run up the sword before the colossus abruptly rips its limb free from the ground. The sword does form a pathway to the rest of the colossus, but just above its right wrist is a large bracelet-like ring of stone. Unless the player knows of alternate ways to scale the colossus (see the tips and tricks section below), progress is only possible if this brittle piece of armor is shattered beforehand.
In the center of the arena, there is a peculiar, shimmering plate that will make loud, metallic sounds whenever the colossus steps on it. Prompt the colossus to swing its sword down upon this plate; once it brings its weapon down on the solid plate, the force of the impact will shatter the guard around its wrist. After this happens, the colossus would almost always swing its sword again, so the player must move away from the metal plate and get the colossus to hit them elsewhere, as the sword would only bounce off of the central plate rather than embedding itself in the ground for a few seconds so the player to scale it. The player may wish to get the weakpoint on its midsection before the one on the head (and the one on the back of its left arm, exclusive to hard mode), though it can be trickier to jump to it from the arm, so it is better to climb further up to jump down on the pelvic armor of the colossus, provided that the player still wants to target the stomach area first.
Upon being struck with the killing blow, the colossus stands straight for one last time. Its sword on the ground, it steps backward with its left leg, stopping itself from toppling over backwards, falls on its knees, and collapses forwards on its chest. As with all colossi except for the final one, the player can visit its corpse (with its stony parts now even more broken up, covered in dirt as well as living and dead plants) to fight it again if they wish to do so.
Time Attack Times[]
- In the Original and PS3 versions (Normal, Hard): 6:00, 5:00
- In the PS4 Remake (Normal, Hard): 6:00, 6:30
Tips and tricks[]
- When the colossus pulls its sword out of the ground, skilled or lucky players can launch high into the air if they crouch down near the end of the sword at the right time. By doing this, Wander can land on the colossus' upper body and reach the major sigils without having to shatter its armor. This is a great time saver and very useful for those who have trouble with Time Attack.
- Players of the PS4 Remake will want to try a different method for the sword launch, as the original crouching method is not as effective as it used to be. Regardless of how the player does it, defeating the 3rd colossus in the PS4 remake without shattering its stone brace earns the trophy "Resist the Wrist".
- If one has trouble executing the sword jump method properly, there is an alternative. When the colossus is holding its sword normally (with Wander on it), it will slowly move its arm up and down in an attempt to dislodge him. With the correct timing, Wander can jump at the moment the sword moves up in such a way that he'll land above its armor on its arm.
- Another alternative to consider is to jump onto its thigh and then jump above the wristguard as it lowers its arm.
- After taking out the weakpoint on the colossus' abdomen, it is possible to jump directly from its waist to its left arm, as there is an extra major sigil there on Hard Mode. It is fairly simple to get just right, and it is a real time saver. Also, if one manages to quickly take out the sigil on its arm, Wander can swiftly leap up to its shoulder and regain stamina before taking out the sigil on its head. This is also a time saver.
- Right on the colossus' left shoulder (directly above the extra sigil on Hard Mode), there is a small ledge that, if used correctly, can be a rapid and effective way of regaining stamina. It is difficult to use, as even the slightest of its movements will cause Wander to grab the edge of the ledge and not regain stamina, but it is extremely helpful otherwise.
- When attempting to approach the colossus' weakspots on its left arm and head, Wander can camp momentarily on its right arm until it will attempt to bend down to shake Wander. While it is bending down, both weakspots are exposed to a high amount of stabs, and the major sigil on its arm is easier to access as Wander can now simply run for the sigil instead of having to climb downwards to reach it.
Colossus Attacks[]
Dormin's Hints[]
"Thy next foe is... A giant canopy soars to the heavens... The anger of the sleeping giant shatters the earth..."
In the Shrine of Worship, Dormin warns Wander of a giant with the strength to smash into the ground. Once Wander sets foot on its raised platform, the 3rd colossus wakes up from sleep, and would try to attack him by stomping the ground, or stabbing and smashing the giant sword on its right arm into the ground with an earth-shaking thud. Dormin's warning also hints, however, that Wander must exploit the enemy's own rage, and trick it into shattering a part of itself, a piece made of rock, a hardened piece of the earth.
"The armor it wears seems brittle... Knock it to the ground to break it..."
While Dormin appears to tell the player that they must remove part of their opponent's armor, this does not mean that Wander can physically remove any part of the colossus with his own power. Instead, this refers to the fact that the colossus must be tricked into striking a metal plate in the center of the arena. Not only would it fail to smash its sword into the ground (as the metal plate would deflect the blow), its stone bracelet-like guard, already bearing large, visible cracks, would shatter due to the force of the strike.
"The colossus' sword shall be thy path..."
Given the size of its sword, it is clear that the greatest weapon of this colossus is also vital to getting on it, literally forming a path from the ground to its arm. Once the guard on its right arm is shattered, Wander can climb up its right arm unopposed after running across its sword. This hint is excluded from the Japanese versions of the game, likely because it is easy to assume and realize.
Colossus Weakspots[]
Location | Percentage of health | |
---|---|---|
Normal | Hard | |
On its midsection | 50% | 33.3% |
On top of its head | 50% | 33.3% |
On the back of its left arm | N/A | 33.3% |
Battle Music[]
Phase | Plays in | Music |
---|---|---|
Intro | Plays when Wander arrives at the shore. | Lakeside |
Phase 1 | Plays once the colossus first sees Wander. | In Awe of the Power |
Phase 2 | Plays after the colossus' armor shatters. | The Opened Way |
Related Trophies[]
The ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection[]
Icon | Name | Description | Trophy |
Disturbed Sleep | Defeat the 3rd colossus |
Shadow of the Colossus (PS4)[]
Icon | Name | Description | Trophy |
Paint the Target | Use the sword to focus on a vital point | ||
Skilled Warrior | Defeat a colossus with a downward jump stab | ||
Sword of Her Majesty | Defeat any colossus with the Queen's Sword | ||
Wake the Knight | Defeat the 3rd colossus | ||
Resist the Wrist | Defeat colossus #3 without breaking its wrist guard |
Development[]
A Famitsu interview details the development of the 3rd colossus: "At first, we had set it up so that not only would it strike the platform, but also by making it step on the platform, the armor around its neck would break. Given it seems to be holding a sword, the team referred to it as 'Knight'. We wanted to introduce the idea of climbing up its sword early on, so we made it the third colossus. By the way, its legs were smoother initially, but we refined them to increase the sense of density and grandeur."[1][2]
As indicated by early concept sketches, the sword of the 3rd colossus was initially intended to resemble a saber or cleaver, possessing a curved striking edge and a chipped-off tip. In a Nico DVD trailer, it is featured with a different sword design (resembling a macuahuitl) as opposed to its final club-like weapon. To attack, it put its right hand on the ground to sweep its sword across the ground in a wide arc, a move not seen in later versions of the game, as it used to be fought on a flat field, with Agro being present to allow Wander to evade the sweeping of its sword.[3] The earlier design, back during the time when the colossi still had stone eyes rather than eyes of swirling energy, also had additional back spires and a block of stone on top of its head, features made apparent in its shadow model in the Preview and earlier versions.
In the E3 Demo version, the 3rd colossus was instead the 6th. There were some very minor differences on its armor and its shakes were more violent. In this version, the Preview, and PSU Preview, the theme "Grotesque Figures" played during its battle, likely as a placeholder.
Trivia[]
General[]
- This is one of the more popular colossi among fans due in part to its great height and the fact that the fight is essentially a deathmatch between two swordsmen held within the confines of the lofty arena wherein the colossus resides. Its popularity may also be due to the fact that many players view the fight against it as the first "proper" fight in the game; the 1st and 2nd colossi are seen somewhat as training bosses in that they are more designed to allow the player to become accustomed to the controls as well as the game's mechanics and physics. The 3rd colossus, by comparison, is a tougher opponent, especially given that the puzzle of breaking its armor is trickier to discover than either the 1st or 2nd colossus' weaknesses.
- Perhaps for this reason, the colossus was put on the cover art of the PS4 remake, with Wander just close by, trailing behind it.
- The 3rd colossus made a cameo appearance outside of Shadow of the Colossus in the 2008 PS3 game "LittleBigPlanet", where it can be downloaded as a costume alongside costumes referencing Ico, Yorda, Wander, and the 2nd colossus.
- The 3rd colossus has been referenced in the PS5 videogame "Astro Bot", as a giant robot walking in the background.
Earlier versions[]
- As seen in early footage and listed in the data sheets, the 3rd colossus had a unique HUD icon, which is an icon in the shape of the colossus that used to show the weakpoint locations in early builds.
Distinctions[]
- The third tallest of its brethren, tied with the 2nd, and following the 4th, which is in turn dwarfed only by the 16th in terms of height.
- The second of the five humanoid colossi, coming after the 1st, and preceding the 6th, 15th, and 16th.
- The second of the three colossi that wield a physical weapon, after the 1st (armed with a stone club) and before the 15th (equipped with a butcher's knife made of teeth-shaped stones), with all of them using their weapon in their right hands. However, while the 1st colossus drops its weapon during its death sequence, and the 15th is disarmed by Wander during their battle (in order to get to the hidden major weakpoint in its right hand), the 3rd colossus cannot drop its weapon at all, as its sword is permanently attached to its right arm, either being a physical part of its body or an initially-separate piece grafted onto its right hand.
- The first humanoid colossus that does not have hands (or, assuming it once had hands, no longer has them), though it is not the only bipedal one to lack hands, since the avian 5th colossus has wings instead. Its right hand is connected directly to its sword, and its left hand only bears blocky stubs that may or may not have been the remnants of proper fingers, and therefore, a proper hand.
- Is the only colossus aside from the 1st one with major sigils on its arm, both exclusive to Hard Mode. The 15th and 16th have sigils on their arms regardless of the difficulty, but in their case, these are just minor sigils.
- Is potentially the hairiest of all 16 colossi, as most of its bare body is covered in fur, and, as shown when the guard on its arm is broken, there is more fur beneath even its stone armor. Going by this, it is possible that most of its body is covered in fur, rather than just in specific places like the other colossi. There is, however, a bald patch of tough skin on the inside of its right arm, as well as the part where its legs connect to its thighs.
Similarities with other Colossi[]
- The 3rd colossus shares two similarities with the 8th colossus:
- They both have a pair of straight horns jutting out from the sides of their head, though the 3rd colossus also has a second pair of ear-like hornlets below the main pair.
- Both have unique trophies that require defeating them while fulfilling conditions specific to their fight; for the 3rd colossus, it is "Resist the Wrist" (which involves defeating it without shattering its wrist guard first), while, for the 8th colossus, it is "Grounded Scaler" (which involves defeating it before it gets back on its feet even once).
Other Comparisons[]
- While not based on a samurai (and while the following similarities are likely coincidental and not intentional, especially given the ambiguous level of sapience the colossi possess), the death of the 3rd colossus can be seen as mirroring the preferred way in which samurai commit seppuku (also known as harakiri), the ritualistic suicide that is seen as a way of dying with one's honor restored or retained rather than letting it stay tainted by one's own acts or defiled by enemies. The 3rd colossus is based on a knight, which, like samurai, is a warrior class of nobles that are usually seen as having a code of honor (although historical records show that neither warrior class is as honorable as they are depicted to be in popular culture).
- One of the weakpoints of the 3rd colossus is its belly. Seppuku literally means "cutting the belly", as it involves stabbing and slicing one's belly open.
- Rather than immediately falling over or abruptly arching backwards in pain like most colossi, the 3rd colossus slowly straightens itself first, as if accepting its death and preparing to face it with dignity. After this, it steps backwards, appearing to stop itself from falling over upon receiving the killing blow, and instead forces itself to topple forwards. Gentlemen of Japanese nobility believe that they should die falling forwards.
Gallery[]
References[]
The game | ICO ( Demo · Revisions from U.S. version · Ico HD ) | |
Characters | Ico · Yorda · The Queen · Shadows · Shinkan | |
The Castle | Idol Gates · Yorda's language · Saving Benches Altar • Warehouse • Spiral Stairs • Old Bridge • Stairs • Trolley 1 • Trolley 2 • Crane • Chandelier • Drawbridge • Main Gate • Graveyard • Dark Room • Sunbeams • Stone Pillar • East Crag • East Arena • East Idol Stairs • East Reflector • Waterfall • Sluice • Cogwheel • Gondola • Water Tower • West Crag • West Arena • West Idol Stairs • West Reflector • Cage • Pipe • Elevator • Wharf • Queen's Room • Sandy Beach | |
Other Media | Ico ~Melody in the Mist~ · Official Game Guide · Ico: Castle in the Mist |
Characters | Wander · Mono · Agro · Dormin · Lord Emon · Guards · Shadows |
---|---|
Colossi | I · II · III · IV · V · VI · VII · VIII · IX · X · XI · XII · XIII · XIV · XV · XVI |
Locations | The Forbidden Lands · Shrine of Worship · Colossus Arenas |
Main Items | Power-ups (Lizards · Fruit) · Weapons (Ancient Sword · Sword of the Sun · Queen’s Sword · Sword of Dormin · Bow & Arrow · Ancient Bow · Harpoon of Thunder · Life Sword) · Collectibles (Relics) |
Gameplay | Hard Mode · Save shrines · Time Attack · Reminiscence Mode · Watermellon · Barrel |
Media | Roar of the Earth (OST) · Official Art and Guide Book · Nico Bonus DVD · Film · Interview Archive |
Releases | OPM Demo · PS2 original · PS3 remaster · PS4 remake · Credits |
Early Builds | Preview version · PSU Preview version · E3 Demo |
Unused Content | Unused Colossi · Colossus Test Stages · Unused Locations · Beta Mountains · Development Timeline of Shadow of the Colossus |