The Most Obscure Path: Unveiling the Hardest Ending to Achieve in Elden Ring
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The Lord of Frenzied Flame ending in Elden Ring stands head and shoulders above the rest as the most difficult to achieve. Its complexity doesn’t stem from combat prowess, but rather from the obscure and easily missed questline it demands. Players can complete the entire game, defeat every boss, and still be completely unaware of its existence. This ending requires a deliberate descent into the depths of Leyndell, Royal Capital, bypassing the obvious path to the Erdtree, and embracing a power that most would rightly fear. It’s a testament to FromSoftware’s masterful world-building and commitment to hiding secrets in plain sight.
Why the Lord of Frenzied Flame Takes the Crown
Unlike other endings that are tied to relatively straightforward NPC quests or are available upon reaching the final boss arena, the path to the Frenzied Flame is deliberately obfuscated. Here’s a breakdown of what makes it so challenging:
- Hidden Location: The gateway to the Three Fingers is tucked away beneath Leyndell, accessible only after the city is transformed in the late game. The path is incredibly easy to miss, involving platforming down a series of coffins and navigating a maze-like underground area.
- Character Requirement: You need to be stripped of all your armor before being embraced by the Three Fingers. This can be easily overlooked, preventing progression.
- Obscure Questline: The quest involving Hyetta is crucial to triggering the ending, yet it’s easily missed or misinterpreted. Hyetta’s quest involves feeding her Shabriri Grapes, which are actually the eyeballs of Finger Maiden corpses, a detail most players would prefer not to dwell on. Completing her questline is essential to unlocking the option at the Forge of the Giants to accept the Frenzied Flame.
- Melina’s Disapproval: Accepting the Frenzied Flame dooms the Erdtree and the Lands Between, causing Melina to abandon you. This has a significant emotional impact on many players and further cements the ending’s “bad” reputation.
- Permanent Lock-In (Mostly): Once you accept the Frenzied Flame, it’s essentially the default ending you will get. The only way to avert it is by completing Millicent’s questline and obtaining Miquella’s Needle, which can be used to suppress the Frenzied Flame after defeating Malenia, Blade of Miquella. This adds an extra layer of complexity and requires knowing about and successfully executing another demanding quest.
Comparing to Other Endings
Let’s compare this to some other endings to illustrate the difficulty disparity:
- Age of Fracture (Default Ending): Requires simply defeating the final boss and mending the Elden Ring. It’s straightforward and unavoidable.
- Age of the Stars (Ranni’s Ending): Involves a lengthy questline but is relatively well-signposted and actively pursued by many players.
- Age of Order (Goldmask’s Ending): Requires finding and interpreting the clues in Goldmask’s questline, but the ending choice is presented directly to the player.
In contrast, the Lord of Frenzied Flame ending actively hides itself and punishes players who stumble upon it without understanding the consequences.
Thematic Resonance and Player Choice
The Lord of Frenzied Flame ending isn’t just difficult to achieve; it’s also thematically complex. It represents a rejection of the established order and an embrace of pure chaos. This resonates with players who enjoy challenging the status quo and exploring the darker corners of Elden Ring’s world. However, it’s also a deeply unsettling and destructive choice, adding to the feeling of unease and accomplishment associated with achieving it. Understanding how games like Elden Ring influence player choices can be further explored at the Games Learning Society website at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/. They have information on how to design and use games for learning and impacting human behavior.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Elden Ring Endings
1. What endings are required for 100% completion of Elden Ring?
To unlock all ending-related achievements, you need to experience at least one variation of the Elden Lord ending, the Age of Stars ending, and the Lord of Frenzied Flame ending.
2. Is the Lord of Frenzied Flame ending considered the “bad” ending?
Many players consider the Lord of Frenzied Flame ending to be the “bad” ending due to its destructive consequences for the Lands Between. You essentially burn the Erdtree and the world along with it.
3. Can I reverse the Lord of Frenzied Flame ending after accepting it?
Yes, but only if you have obtained and used Miquella’s Needle. This requires completing Millicent’s questline and defeating Malenia. Using the needle in Dragonlord Placidusax’s arena will revert the Flame.
4. How do I start the Lord of Frenzied Flame questline?
The questline begins by descending into the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds beneath Leyndell, Royal Capital, after the capital has been transformed. You must reach the bottom and be embraced by the Three Fingers.
5. What is the significance of Hyetta in the Lord of Frenzied Flame ending?
Hyetta’s questline is directly tied to the Lord of Frenzied Flame ending. By feeding her Shabriri Grapes (the eyeballs of Finger Maidens) and following her instructions, you become eligible to inherit the Frenzied Flame.
6. What happens if I refuse Melina’s accord at the beginning of the game?
You need to accept Melina’s accord to level up and receive your Spectral Steed, Torrent. Refusing her offer will significantly hinder your progress through the game.
7. Is Ranni’s ending (Age of the Stars) a “good” ending?
Many players consider Ranni’s ending to be the “best” ending because it represents a new order that breaks away from the influence of the Greater Will. It’s generally viewed as a positive outcome for the world, although the term “good” is subjective.
8. What is the easiest ending to achieve in Elden Ring?
The Age of Fracture ending, the default ending, is the easiest to achieve. It simply requires completing the main story and defeating the final boss without pursuing any specific side quests.
9. What does it mean to become Elden Lord?
Becoming Elden Lord means taking your place as the consort to Queen Marika, ruling the Lands Between in her name and maintaining the Golden Order.
10. Why did Marika shatter the Elden Ring?
Queen Marika shattered the Elden Ring as an act of defiance and to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands after the Night of the Black Knives and the subsequent chaos.
11. What is the significance of the Three Fingers?
The Three Fingers are agents of chaos, opposing the Two Fingers and the Golden Order. They represent the Frenzied Flame, a force that seeks to destroy all that exists and return it to a primordial state.
12. Does Melina die in Elden Ring?
Melina sacrifices herself to ignite the Erdtree, allowing you to progress further in the story. However, if you inherit the Frenzied Flame, she vows to deliver Destined Death upon you.
13. What is the Goldmask ending (Age of Order)?
The Goldmask ending, or Age of Order, involves using the Mending Rune of Perfect Order to restore the Golden Order. This ending focuses on perfecting the existing system based on Goldmask’s research.
14. What is the Dung Eater ending (Ending of the Fell Curse)?
The Dung Eater ending is considered one of the worst endings. It involves using the Mending Rune of the Fell Curse to curse the world and its inhabitants, spreading misery and corruption.
15. How does the Lord of Frenzied Flame ending affect Melina?
If you embrace the Frenzied Flame, Melina will abandon you, viewing you as no longer fit to be Elden Lord. She will then appear during the ending sequence, vowing to deliver Destined Death upon you, symbolizing her rejection of your destructive path.