I've only read the republic once but I really want to know who these guys are that hold up the shadowpuppets? Are they people who escaped the cave and then came back but were threatened with death so they rejoined the system? Is there any connection with these shadowpuppet dudes and the auxiliaries in the republic's class system? Why would the guardians need enforcement of their rules/ideas/whatever unless they weren't convincing enough for the lowest class? Is it possible the guardians are just offering another system of shadows to people and how does the philosopher king fit into this?
