Welcome back to…
Axol’s analysis about Minecraft characters!!!!!!
Today I will yap about Shadow Saber (RQ ver)
So Shadow Saber or Shadow as I will be calling him, is on the surface, just an evil Saber. And yeah, that’s basically what he is.
BUT! I think that instead of looking into why Shadow did what he did, I think we should look at it from what Shadow potentially symbolizes and why he was such an important character in Sabers Character development.
So why not start at the beginning? What led to his creation, why did this have such an impact on the overall vibe?
Before we officially meet Shadow, Saber is going through a really hard time. I mean, there’s like no steves that aren’t infected by darkness. He’s watched two friends die and things are just hopeless. Saber had been able to bounce back from these bad situations, but he had Orange Steve with him, he had people he could ask for advice, but now? He’s left with practically no one.
Yes he has some steves left, but with all the things I just previously mentioned, takes a toll on Sabers mental health. It is this emotional turmoil that allows darkness slip into Sabers mind and makes him become Shadow.
Now when Saber is Shadow, he does horrendous things. He’s slaughtered many, he’s betrayed his friends. All things regular Saber would NEVER do.
But when Saber meets Shadow. It’s in his own mind. It’s just him and his own thoughts basically. Yet when Saber takes control, Shadow is still there. Like a phantom only he can see.
So why? Well besides Shadow not having a body of his own, I think that Shadows is the personification of someone’s intrusive thoughts and resentment towards the world.
Now do I think Saber intrusively wanted to kill everyone or resented everyone? No. Not at all. The darkness is overall just an evil force that in my eyes is like a parasite but that’s for another day.
Now to build on my former statement about Shadow… whenever we see Shadow, he’s constantly saying things that seemingly are meant to tear Saber down. Make him feel bad about himself. Make him hate himself.
From episode 135
But the way Shadow puts things, he doesn’t make them sound cruel. He phrases them as thoughts, reasonable thoughts. Like when watching the episode back, I had a point where I thought Shadow made a fair argument. Like when he was saying to love all is to love no one, and that when you choose to love, you pick favorites. Like he had somewhat of a valid point.
But the thing is, that’s what Shadow is trying to be. Convincing. Shadow makes fair points followed by unreasonable ones. Questions and promises that are meant to keep Saber in his mind, to break him down. To manipulate him.
Shadow says things like “…right now, your worry of the real world is gone as long as you stay here.” Promising safety and security within his mind. But even saber himself says that he doesn’t want that this place, his own mind is depressing. Now is it because of darkness being in his system? Yeah but you could also say that this is what’s been there. Something that always has followed Saber, it just hasnet been able to be acknowledged until now.
“…no wonder why the darkness takes over so quick. Everyone has this dark shadow following them huh?” Saber recognizes what Shadow is trying to do. That Shadow is just the thoughts and feelings that we don’t want to think about.
And even Shadow says it. “…no matter how much you think I’ll be gone, I’ll always be here. In the back of your head, deep in your mind. The subconscious you don’t want to think about.”
From episode 136
Even when Sabers free of his mind, Shadows there. He’s a projection, the personification of the bad in Saber. But he also acts as a guild. A guild for the Shadow Sword. Which is a concerning dynamic.
And unfortunately due to Shadows guidance, Saber becomes more reliant on the sword, it’s the ONLY reason why he’s living at the moment. And despite Sabers distrust and resentment towards Shadow, keeping the sword keeps Shadow around.
From episode 143
And even when Light offers help, but at the price of the sword being destroyed. Saber can’t bring himself to take this opportunity. He’s become reliant. And despite what Saber thinks, it’s only leading him down a path of self sabotage. Something Shadow doesn’t make better. He only amplifies his paranoia about what might happen without it.
From episode 146
And even when Time and Elemental try to help Saber and get him away from the sword since it very clearly is doing more harm than good, Saber lashes out, partly because Shaodw is saying shit like “they’re jealous of you” “they want the power to themselves” and “they are going to shun you once they take the sword”
Like till this point, Saber was pretty good with not letting Shadow influence him, but with practically no one who understands what’s happening and the reasons behind why he has the sword. It’s hard to talk to anyone else but his shadow.
From episode 147
But when Green Steve actually listens to Saber and hears him out. Shadow is VERY unhappy about it. It’s a different and reasonable perspective. I feel as if Green Steve though about from Sabers perspective. This insight is what gives Saber the strength to move forward. And ultimately put the sword deep underground. Were no one but him or light can find it.
See kids? Therapy is good for you!!!! Bad for the demons in your head tho.
Now since I don’t have much to say until close to the end of Shadows existence because he’s just evil Saber. I’ll sum up what happens and a breif analysis
So the Shadow sword is technically connected to Shadow so locking the sword deep underground is like locking Shadow away. But this definitely causes Shadow to grow more resentful. Because when he ultimately gets a body when the demon steves are around, he does betray Saber, not only because he still has the goal of the darkness in mind (darkness to take over and create some sort of nothingness.) and he also hates Saber.
This is because Shadow is his own person. To some degree. He’s Saber yes, but he has his own thoughts and feelings like anyone else.
From episode 229
Now Shadows end was something that felt bittersweet, it was good that Shadow, who was trying to bring back the darkness. But it was bitter since Shadow, who as previously mentioned, was basically his own person at this point, is being locked away in Sabers mind for all of eternity. Which can be argued that is a cruel fate. As Shadow says it, “I don’t want to be alone!” It breaks your heart a little since he’s one of the characters with proper voice acting, the emotion in his dose make you feel bad.
But I think as Saber puts it, he won’t necessarily be alone, in his mind, there’s everything. It’s acceptance. Saber accepts the dark part of himself, even if that part, resents him. Because in the end, they are the same. You can’t have light without dark.
Shadow is an important character in Sabers story and to overlook him as “haha, evil Saber” is kinda brash. Because Shadow is what represents the bad in us.
Sorry if this ending seemed rushed, Shadow is a character that I don’t have much for and also I have work that needs to be done and I don’t want this on my mind-
So I hope you enjoyed this and feel free to put your own thoughts and comments onto this!!!