Why Does Ruin Want To Destroy Scadrial In 'The Hero Of Ages'?

Ruin’s desire to destroy Scadrial in 'The Hero of Ages' stems from its fundamental nature as a force of entropy and chaos. Bound by Preservation’s power for millennia, Ruin seeks to unravel creation itself, not out of malice but as an intrinsic drive. The Shard’s intent warps its vessel, Ati, into a being obsessed with decay. Scadrial’s very existence—a balance between Preservation’s stasis and Ruin’s destruction—is an affront to its purpose. Ruin manipulates events over centuries, exploiting human flaws and prophecies to weaken Preservation’s safeguards. The mists, the Deepness, even the Lord Ruler’s tyranny were tools to hasten collapse. Its goal isn’t mere annihilation but the fulfillment of a cosmic cycle: all things must end.

What makes Ruin terrifying is its patience and intelligence. It doesn’t just smash; it corrupts. By twisting prophecies and influencing key figures like Vin or the koloss, it turns salvation into doom. The conflict isn’t good versus evil—it’s two primordial forces locked in an inevitable dance. Ruin’s tragedy lies in its inability to deviate from its purpose, even as it destroys the world it might have once cherished.

Ruin isn’t some mustache-twirling villain—it’s a cosmic inevitability wearing a mortal mask. In 'The Hero of Ages', its destruction of Scadrial is as natural as erosion. The Shard’s influence over Ati erases any lingering humanity, leaving only the compulsion to undo. Preservation’s act of creation was always temporary; Ruin simply demands the debt be paid. The planet’s people, cultures, and magic are mere obstacles in its path. Ruin’s brilliance lies in how it weaponizes hope. The Terris prophecies? A rigged game. Vin’s sacrifices? Calculated moves. This isn’t about hatred; it’s about restoring entropy’s rightful dominance. The Shard’s prison made the eventual reckoning worse—like a dam breaking after centuries of pressure.

Ruin wants Scadrial gone because that’s its job. Think of it like a divine wrecking ball. Preservation built things up; Ruin tears them down. In 'The Hero of Ages', we see how it uses everything—mist, ash, even human desperation—to chip away at the world. It’s not personal. If a painter creates a masterpiece, time will fade it. Ruin is that force, amplified by godhood. The Lord Ruler’s empire delayed the inevitable, but Ruin always wins. Its methods are brutal but eerily logical: why fight directly when you can make heroes doubt their own victory?

Imagine being trapped for ages, forced to watch a world flourish against your nature. That’s Ruin in 'The Hero of Ages'. Its destruction of Scadrial isn’t spite—it’s liberation. The Shard’s essence craves decay like fire craves fuel. Preservation’s imprisonment only deepened its hunger. Ruin’s genius is in its subtlety. It doesn’t just unleash chaos; it engineers it. The koloss rebellions, the mist sickness, the misinterpreted prophecies—all carefully laid traps. Even the heroes’ resilience plays into its hands. The confrontation isn’t about power; it’s about proving that nothing lasts. Ruin’s victory would be a dark affirmation of universal truth: all things fall.

Ruin’s goal in 'The Hero of Ages' is chillingly simple: balance. Preservation’s act of creation disrupted the natural order, and Ruin exists to correct that. The Shard doesn’t hate Scadrial—it’s indifferent. Like gravity pulling a boulder downhill, Ruin’s actions are inevitable. Its manipulation of events, from the Lord Ruler’s rise to Vin’s struggles, is methodical. The world’s destruction isn’t a goal but a consequence. Ruin’s tragedy is that it can’t choose otherwise. Even its vessel, Ati, once kind, is now a puppet to the Shard’s will.