Summary
If players thought that theDark SoulsGames were full of the most gut-wrenching, emotional quotes,think again. Creators ofDark Souls, FromSoftware, released the ever-difficultElden Ring, a game in similar vain toDark Souls, but harboring even more emotional segments and tragic characters, which players can engross in their stories as Tarnished, or ignore completely. Yet, if players want to immerse themselves in the tragedy ofElden Ring, these emotional quotes may assist.
Elden Ringis co-written by George R. R. Martin, and the game carries many trademarks of Martin’s legacy, as the gameplay is rife with complicated family trees, feuding families, twisted dark secrets, and devastating massacres. The 2022 title also bears many features of the original Soulsborne games, including incredibly rich lore and mysteries that remain a mystery for the fandom.Elden Ringtruly sets a precedent for disturbing, sorrowful quotes and a horrifying, macabre lineup of tragic character backstories.
6“Blaidd Became A Curse That Plagued Lady Ranni, But Even In Death, He Gave Himself To Her"
War Counselor Iji
Princess Ranni was born anEmpyrean, a demi-god empowered to rule a new age, and was preordained by Two Fingers to overthrow Queen Marika (Ranni’s stepmother). However, Ranni despised her fate, and she sought to protect her mind from The Greater Will’s influence so that Ranni could bring about her own Age of Stars. Unfortunately, Ranni’s rebellion brings despair to her beloved chosen family, as the gift of a shadow, the half-wolf Blaidd, who was raised alongside Ranni as a foster brother, was secretly cursed to descend into madness and kill Ranni if she ever deviated from the path of The Greater Will.
To protect Ranni from Blaidd’s curse, Ranni’s guardian and war counselor, Iji, attempts to imprison Blaidd unsuccessfully. Tortured by the curse,players must defeat Blaidd; In his last moments of sanity before his death, Blaidd tragically convinces himself to keep Ranni safe: “No. I’m part of her very being! I could never betray her! Ranni … she needs me…” Upon hearing Blaidd died fighting against his curse, Iji resigns himself to death in the hope of apologizing to Blaidd in the afterlife for doubting his loyalty. The only silver lining is thesuccess of Ranni’s questline which evokes her Age of Stars Ending; Ranni frees the world of The Golden Order and The Greater Will, while she and the Tarnished rule together and live among the stars.
Devin (Aka D, Beholder of Death)
Conflict kicks off when Fia kills Darian and steals half of the Cursemark of Death to restore Godwyn’s corpse. If players return Darian’s armor to Devin, Devin will avenge his twin’s death by murdering Fia. Players can find Devin standing over Fia’s lifeless body in the Deeproot Depths, making this arrogant and harrowing speech.For those completing Fia’s questline, the harsh cruelty behind Devin’s words and his mocking laughter at Fia’s murder will sting.
4“O, Dearest Miquella, My brother…I’m Sorry. I Finally Met My Match…”
Malenia, Blade of Miquella
Radagon and Queen Marika are two halves of one person, which is why the children they had together (Miquella and Malenia) were cursed from birth: Miquella was afflicted with eternal childhood and Malenia suffered from Scarlet Rot. Malenia swore to defend her twin brother while Miquella sought a cure; although Malenia’s Scarlet Rot couldn’t be eradicated, Miquella did discover that an Unalloyed Gold Needle could keep the Rot from spreading throughout Malenia’s body. Miquella then embeds himself in the Haligtree (his attempt at creating another Erdtree) to reverse the curse of his endless infancy.
Meanwhile, Malenia trained as an undefeatable warrior and gathered loyal CleanRot Knights and worshipers who treated her as a goddess, despite how her Scarlet Rot caused their bodies to deteriorate. She battled her half-brother Radahn with catastrophic consequences. Not only was Radahn reduced to a mindless monster feasting on bodies, but the Scarlet Rot devastated the land, sent Malenia into a coma, and even seeped into the Haligtree, where Miquella was cocooned. When Malenia finally awakened, Miquella had been kidnapped by their half-brother Mohg. Mohg hoped to raise Miquella to godhood as a vessel for the Elden Ring. However, since his kidnapping, Miquella remained unresponsive despite the blood he was fed by Mohg. Having failed to protect her brother,Malenia’s tragic tale ends with her defeat at the hands of the player, with one final apology to the brother she adored.
3“Thank You, From The Bottom Of My Heart. I’m Sure I’ll Be A Finger Maiden.”
Lightseeker Hyetta
The questline of Lightseeker Hyetta is gut-wrenching in more ways than one. Hyetta is a young woman who is blind, pursuing her desire to become a Finger Maiden and serve Two Fingers by advising the Tarnished toward enlightenment. The quest starts innocently enough when Hyetta asks for a Shabriri grape, claiming it temporarily blesses her with light in the back of her eyes. Hyetta continues to ask for Shabriri Grapes whenever she and the player interact. Not long afterward, players will make the horrifying discovery that Shabriri grapes are actually human eyeballs, and have the option of telling Hyetta this terrible truth.
While Hyetta is at first disgusted, she eventually convinces herself that eating human eyes is helping her see her true calling. She even requests ‘Fingerprint Grapes’, eyeballs of those touched by the Frenzied Flame. If players feel sorry for Hyetta and can stomach fetching more eyeballs for her to consume, they mightcomplete Hyetta’s harrowing questlinein the hope of eventually helping Hyetta become a Finger Maiden. Afterplayers find Three Fingers(the opposite of Two Fingers and carrier of the Frenzied Flame), Hyetta requests the Tarnished employ her as their Finger Maiden by touching her. Hauntingly, the player’s touch sets Hyetta on fire, and she dies immediately, consumed by flames with her ironic last words hanging in the air.
2“Victory Was Impossible… This Vessel Was Found Lacking… But The Great Alexander Lived As A Warrior To His Last!”
Iron Fist Alexander
When players firstencounter ‘Iron Fist Alexander’, the great Warrior Jar,he does not live up to his name; stuck comically in a pothole and requiring assistance to be freed, Alexander’s introduction establishes him as a pleasant, bumbling NPC. He has lofty ambitions of becoming a warrior, despite his fragile Jar body, leading him to take part in the Radahn Festival; however, he is wounded during the group battle with Starscourge Radahn and flees to avoid being killed.
Alexander returns to the battlefield, collecting the bodies of fallen fighters to absorb their strength. Later, players witness Alexander attempting to prevent his Jar from cracking ever again by bathing in the sea of fire, but this is also in vain. Finally, Alexander challenges the player to mortal combat, essentially requesting a mercy kill, which some gamers struggled to deliver given their attachment to the endearing companion. Upon being killed, Alexander laments his deficiencies as a warrior, promising the player his shards and innards so that the Tarnished may inherit his strength. However, Alexander ultimately dies happy knowing that he died in a “marvelous battle”, defeated by an “accomplished” fighter and dear friend.
1“Quite A Lot Of Us Got Broken… I Won’t Cry Thought… I’m A Warrior Jar! Even If I’m Scared, I’ll Still Fight To Protect Everyone."
Jar Bairn
Elden Ring developers have a soft spot for bizarre, silly characters with endearing personalities and tragic backstories; thequestline of Jar Bairn and the Living Jarsis a prime example.Jarburg is a peaceful village where kindhearted Living Jarsreside, hoping for a soft-handed Potentate (leader) to protect them from Poachers, who wish to harvest precious materials from their bodies to make potions. Among them is childlike Jar Bairn, who literally dreams of becoming a warrior jar like his Uncle Alexander and protecting Jarburg from murderers.
Yet the cheerful, trusting little Jar is still welcoming to any stranger who could become the next caring Potentate, including Diallos. Having disgraced the House of Hoslow by not avenging his friend’s death and instead serving her murderers, Diallos is a self-proclaimed coward, but he finds his calling with the sweet-natured Living Jars as their Potentate, defending them from Poachers. When players return to Jarburg again, the Living Jars have been massacred by Poachers (except for Jar Bairn) and Diallos has sacrificed himself fighting to defend the Jars, finally dying for a good cause. In the aftermath of the massacre, a traumatized Jar Bairn says this heartbreaking quote before adventuring alone to become a warrior jar, like his underwhelming role model Uncle Alexander.
