Embracing Chaos: The Frenzied Flame and its Consequences in Elden Ring
Inheriting the Frenzied Flame in Elden Ring is a pivotal decision that dramatically alters the course of your Tarnished’s destiny and the fate of the Lands Between. By accepting the Three Fingers’ embrace deep beneath the Capital, you effectively become the Lord of Frenzied Flame, destined to burn the Erdtree and usher in an age of chaos, reducing all to ash. This path has profound consequences for gameplay, narrative, and your relationships with key characters. Let’s dive deeper into what this entails.
The Immediate Effects of Inheriting the Frenzied Flame
The most immediate effect is the ability to burn the Erdtree without sacrificing Melina. Normally, kindling the Flame of Ruin requires a maiden to sacrifice themselves. However, once branded by the Frenzied Flame, you become the vessel for its power, capable of acting as the kindling yourself. This spares Melina from her intended fate, but not without its own devastating repercussions.
Melina’s reaction is one of betrayal and anguish. She vows to hunt you down and deliver Destined Death, effectively becoming an antagonist in your journey. This emotional cost is a heavy one, severing the bond you’ve forged throughout your adventure.
Gameplay Implications of Embracing Chaos
Beyond the narrative shifts, inheriting the Frenzied Flame also brings practical changes to the gameplay experience.
The Frenzied Flame Seal
One tangible benefit is acquiring the Frenzied Flame Seal. Given to you by Hyetta after fully embracing the Frenzied Flame, this seal significantly enhances the power of Frenzied Flame Incantations. This opens up powerful new builds centered around the madness-inducing magic of the Three Fingers.
Locking Yourself into an Ending (Mostly)
Perhaps the most significant gameplay consequence is that inheriting the Frenzied Flame locks you into the Lord of Frenzied Flame ending. Unlike other endings which can be selected after defeating the final boss, accepting the Three Fingers’ mark initially commits you to destroying the world. This changes the final cutscene and the dialogue you experience with the Elden Ring after the final boss is defeated.
However, all hope is not lost. There is a way to reverse the Frenzied Flame’s influence.
Reversing the Frenzied Flame: Miquella’s Needle
You can use Miquella’s Needle at Dragonlord Placidusax’s arena at Crumbling Farum Azula. This removes the Frenzied Flame, and is a permanent reversal. This complex process requires completing Millicent’s questline and obtaining the Unalloyed Gold Needle. Using this needle after defeating Malenia, Blade of Miquella will grant you the means to create Miquella’s Needle.
Narrative and Moral Considerations
The Lord of Frenzied Flame ending is widely considered the “bad” ending of Elden Ring. It represents a complete rejection of the Golden Order and a descent into unbridled chaos. While some players appreciate its nihilistic appeal, it’s a far cry from the noble aspirations of becoming Elden Lord and restoring order to the Lands Between.
The moral implications are significant. You are essentially choosing to destroy the world and all its inhabitants, driven by the promise of ending suffering through annihilation. This choice highlights the core themes of Elden Ring: the corrupting influence of power, the cyclical nature of order and chaos, and the burden of choice in a fractured world.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the Frenzied Flame
Here are 15 frequently asked questions, providing deeper insight into the Frenzied Flame.
1. Can I inherit the Frenzied Flame after beating the game?
No, you cannot inherit the Frenzied Flame after beating the game. You must obtain the Frenzied Flame Seal before defeating the final boss to unlock the ending. You can obtain the Frenzied Flame Seal once you have embraced the Three Fingers.
2. Does inheriting the Frenzied Flame do anything before the Forge of the Giants?
Yes! If you inherit the Frenzied Flame before the events at the Forge of the Giants, Melina leaves the Tarnished’s company, leaving the Tarnished to sacrifice their own body at the Forge to burn the Erdtree.
3. Does removing the Frenzied Flame bring back Melina?
Removing the Frenzied Flame with Miquella’s Needle does not bring Melina back if she sacrificed herself to burn the Erdtree. However, if you inherit the Frenzied Flame and burn the Erdtree yourself, she will appear after the ending (if you stick with that ending) vowing to kill you. If you remove the Frenzied Flame, you become eligible for the other endings.
4. What is the hardest ending to achieve in Elden Ring?
The Lord of Frenzied Flame ending is often considered one of the most difficult to achieve due to the hidden nature of the Three Fingers’ questline. It requires a specific series of actions and discoveries that many players might miss on a standard playthrough.
5. Is Melina and Ranni the same person?
No, Melina and Ranni are distinct characters. Although there are theories linking them and suggesting shared origins or connections to Queen Marika, the game presents them as separate individuals with their own motivations and destinies.
6. Is the Lord of Frenzied Flame ending a good ending?
The Lord of Frenzied Flame ending is generally considered a “bad” ending. It involves destroying the Erdtree and ushering in an age of chaos, which is far from the hopeful or restorative outcomes of other endings. However, whether it’s “good” or “bad” is subjective and depends on the player’s interpretation.
7. Why does Melina hate the Three Fingers?
Melina despises the Three Fingers because their goal is to bring about complete chaos and destruction, which directly contradicts her own mission to guide the Tarnished towards becoming Elden Lord and restoring order to the Lands Between.
8. What ending does Melina want?
Melina aims for the standard Elden Lord ending, where the Tarnished mends the Elden Ring and brings a new era of order to the Lands Between. This is the path she guides you towards throughout the game.
9. What is the canon ending of Elden Ring?
There’s no officially designated “canon” ending in Elden Ring. The developers have left it open to interpretation. However, the Age of the Duskborn ending is a popular candidate, given hints from the art for Shadow of the Erdtree, its relatively neutral stance, and its impact on the world.
10. What happens if you get the Frenzied Flame after Melina burns the Erdtree?
If Melina sacrifices herself to burn the Erdtree before you inherit the Frenzied Flame, the ending remains largely the same. You still have the opportunity to embrace the Frenzied Flame, but Melina will not appear at the end to threaten you as she would if you spared her.
11. Which is the “best” ending in Elden Ring?
The “best” ending is subjective and depends on your personal preferences. Age of the Stars is often praised for its hopeful and transformative outcome. Others consider Age of Order or the Dung Eater ending the “best”.
12. Can you fight Melina after the Frenzied Flame ending?
You do not directly fight Melina. She appears in a cutscene at the end to confront the Lord of Frenzied Flame, vowing to deliver Destined Death.
13. Why does Melina keep one eye closed?
The reason for Melina’s closed eye is not explicitly stated. One theory suggests that it’s related to her connection to Queen Marika and the loss of a part of her soul, mirroring Ranni’s closed eye after being stripped of her Great Rune. This could also symbolize the character’s connection to the Dark Moon.
14. Does the Frenzied Flame lock you out of other endings?
Yes, inheriting the Frenzied Flame initially locks you out of all other ending choices. However, using Miquella’s Needle at Dragonlord Placidusax’s arena allows you to remove the Frenzied Flame and become eligible for other endings.
15. Is the Frenzied Flame evil?
The Frenzied Flame is an outer god and a powerful force, but it is also chaotic, and has a very skewed outlook and view on the world and the Erdtree. Inheriting the Frenzied Flame is widely considered an evil act, as it leads to the destruction of the world and the suffering of all living beings.
A Path of Fire and Fury
Inheriting the Frenzied Flame is a bold, impactful choice in Elden Ring. It offers a unique gameplay experience, a powerful set of abilities, and a dramatic narrative twist, but it comes at a steep price. Consider carefully whether you’re willing to embrace the chaos and face the consequences of your decision.
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