I thought the shadow figure was ourselves. We were thinking about who we are in our own head, all night long, and talking to our own. But also, if thats true, why the hell he rips our eyes out-uh-yeah-... But omg, i felt so bad for all his fears and traumas, wish we could've hugged him at the end TwT
i like this theory! maybe the eye ripping, skull crushing part was meant to symbolize the unwillingness to acknowledge our own flaws. creature's will to be seen and its brutal way of achieving this is like our own voice of reason calling to "open our eyes", both figuratively and literally, to the feelings and issues that've been suppressed.