A Flimsy Machine

[rotten]

Wasn't what killed the Machine was essentially Mandus killing himself at the end? Since they share a split soul? That's what I figured, since they both died simultaneously cause of it.

If so, Mandus could have just thrown himself into a pit of cogs and gotten it all over with.

Before the final section the Machine cries "Stop him! Kill him!" So Mandus' death would not be fatal for the Machine. Plus, it's not in any way obvious that what happens in the end is suicide.