| “ | I wondered if the Beast might be hungering for something... | ” |
Appearance
Barrels are wooden containers resembling "half-barrels" in dimensions (about 2.5 feet/0.76 meters tall, 1.5 feet/0.46 meters across, and a capacity of 15 gallons/56 liters). They are filled with a glowing, blue-green substance that attracts butterflies and can satiate Tricos in small quantities, despite the animal's large size.
Usage
| “ | I was more than a little surprised. I had not imagined for a moment that the beast could possibly wolf the barrel down whole. | ” |
Trico seems unwilling or maybe unable to find food for itself, thus relying on the Boy to procure the barrels for it. On finding the objects, the Boy must pick them up and carry them back to Trico one at a time. Once Trico notices the item, the Boy can set the barrel before Trico, where the beast will devour it, crushing the barrel and swallowing it. The Boy can also throw it the barrel where, most of the time, Trico will catch and eat it. If Trico does not try to catch it and the barrel hits it, the creature will emit a soft whine.
Barrels can be found in an area by looking for bright blue butterflies resembling the Menelaus blue morpho. There are more butterflies the closer one gets to a barrel. The butterflies will follow the Boy as he moves the barrel.
History
After the Boy removes the spears from Trico's body, he compassionately decides to feed the injured creature to help it heal faster. The beast is reluctant at first but eventually accepts the boy's kindness. At different points through the pair's travels, Trico will stop and sometimes lie down to rest, refusing to venture forward until it is fed a barrel (or three).
While it is unknown what is in the barrels, they can be seen shot into the air as a reward for those Tricos who bring the Master of the Valley children to consume. There are fragments of these barrels all over the floor of the the Citadel's highest chamber.
It can be speculated, but not confirmed, that the barrels are not just a simple reward for obedience, but the children it brings the Master themselves converted into this strange energy. This is supported by the coloration of the sac the children are regurgitated in being the same as the barrels' fluid, as well as the "tattoos" that appear on the Boy after surviving being eaten by his ally.
How to find barrels
While most are easy to find, particularly the ones required to progress, not all of these collectibles are apparent. Here is a guide to find them all.
Easter Egg
In the PS4 remake of Shadow of the Colossus, there is a barrel identical to those from The Last Guardian in the Autumn Forest (Forest of Giants), complete with blue butterflies and glowing liquid. It does not require the game to be completed once before, and it is present in all releases of the PS4 version of the game. Finding the barrel will unlock the “Boon of the Nomad” trophy.
 Walkthrough | |
|---|---|
| Characters | The Boy · Trico · Armored Tricos · Soldiers (Yoroi) · Master of the Valley |
| Locations | The World · Sentinel Tower |
| Items | The Mirror · Talismans · Barrels · Unlockable Items |
| Gameplay | Easter Egg |
| Media | The Last Guardian (OST) · Official Art and Guide Book · Interview Archive |
| Releases | PS3 development · PS4 final release · Credits |