Who Sent the Elden Beast? Unraveling the Cosmic Mystery of Elden Ring
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The Elden Beast, the final boss of Elden Ring, is a being of immense power and cosmic origin, wielding the Elden Ring itself. It was sent to the Lands Between by the Greater Will, an Outer God whose influence permeates the world. The Elden Beast represents the Greater Will’s attempt to impose order and control upon the Lands Between, shaping its destiny according to its own inscrutable designs.
The Greater Will: A Cosmic Architect
The Greater Will is a powerful Outer God, a being of immense cosmic power that exists beyond the known world of the Lands Between. While its motivations remain largely shrouded in mystery, its actions throughout the history of Elden Ring suggest a desire to impose its own order upon the world. It does this primarily through the Elden Ring, a vessel of cosmic power that governs the laws of reality.
Manifestations of the Greater Will’s Influence
- The Elden Ring: The Greater Will is heavily associated with the Elden Ring, which it seemingly bestowed upon the Lands Between long ago. This artifact governs the laws of physics, life, and death.
- The Two Fingers: The Greater Will communicates with its followers on the Lands Between through the Two Fingers. These colossal, sentient digits guide Empyreans chosen to potentially become the vessel for the Elden Ring.
- The Golden Order: The Golden Order, the dominant faith in the Lands Between for centuries, serves as the primary vehicle for the Greater Will’s influence. Marika the Eternal, the vessel of the Elden Ring and the leader of the Golden Order, acted as the Greater Will’s proxy.
The Elden Beast as a Sent Agent
The Elden Beast itself appears to be a direct manifestation of the Greater Will’s power, sent to the Lands Between to serve a specific purpose. When Marika shattered the Elden Ring, the Greater Will likely intervened to repair the damage and reassert its control. This intervention resulted in the formation of the Elden Beast from the shattered fragments of the Ring. As such, the Elden Beast can be considered an Emissary or a sent agent.
The Role of Marika and Radagon
While the Greater Will directly sent the Elden Beast, the actions of Marika the Eternal and her other half, Radagon of the Golden Order, played a crucial role in creating the circumstances for its arrival.
Marika’s Rebellion and the Shattering
Marika’s decision to shatter the Elden Ring was a direct act of defiance against the Greater Will. Frustrated with the stagnation of the Golden Order and the endless war against the Giants, she chose to break the established order and set the stage for a new age. Her actions had profound consequences, plunging the Lands Between into chaos and triggering the events of the game.
Radagon’s Role as a Loyal Hound
Radagon, initially Marika’s consort and later revealed to be her other half, remained loyal to the Golden Order even as Marika rebelled. He attempted to repair the Elden Ring after it was shattered, but his efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. This attempt to restore the Ring likely paved the way for the Greater Will to intervene directly, sending the Elden Beast to complete the repair and reassert its dominance.
Interplay of Free Will and Cosmic Influence
The story of Elden Ring explores the complex interplay between free will and cosmic influence. While Marika attempted to break free from the Greater Will’s control, her actions ultimately resulted in the arrival of the Elden Beast, a force even more powerful than the Golden Order. The Tarnished, the player character, represents a new variable, with their ability to challenge the Greater Will and potentially forge a new destiny for the Lands Between.
FAQs: Delving Deeper into the Elden Beast and its Origins
Here are 15 frequently asked questions about the Elden Beast and the cosmic entities that shaped its existence.
1. Is the Elden Beast an Outer God itself?
The Elden Beast is not an Outer God in the same way as the Greater Will or the Formless Mother. Instead, it is best described as an Emissary or a sent agent of the Greater Will, a manifestation of its power and a tool for imposing its will upon the Lands Between.
2. Why does the Elden Beast look so strange?
The Elden Beast’s unusual appearance likely reflects its origins as a being formed from the shattered remnants of the Elden Ring. Its ethereal, serpentine form could represent the fractured and incomplete nature of the Ring after Marika’s rebellion.
3. What is the connection between the Elden Beast and the Greater Will’s desire for order?
The Elden Beast embodies the Greater Will’s desire for order and control. Its arrival represents an attempt to repair the broken Elden Ring and restore the Golden Order, ensuring that the Lands Between remain aligned with the Greater Will’s cosmic vision.
4. Could the Elden Beast have been stopped before it appeared?
Preventing the Elden Beast’s arrival would have required averting the Shattering of the Elden Ring. This, in turn, would have necessitated either preventing Marika’s rebellion or finding a way to manage the stagnation and conflict within the Golden Order without resorting to such drastic measures.
5. What are the alternative endings to Elden Ring, and how do they relate to the Elden Beast?
Elden Ring offers multiple endings, each reflecting a different approach to dealing with the Elden Ring and the Greater Will’s influence. Some endings involve repairing the Ring and becoming the Elden Lord, essentially maintaining the established order. Others involve altering the Ring or even defying the Greater Will entirely, leading to new and potentially unpredictable destinies for the Lands Between. Each ending sees the Tarnished confronting the Elden Beast, but the implications of its defeat differ depending on the chosen path.
6. Is there a way to completely destroy the Elden Ring and the Greater Will’s influence?
While several endings involve altering the Elden Ring, completely destroying it and severing the Greater Will’s influence is not explicitly possible within the game’s narrative. The nature of Outer Gods suggests their influence is pervasive and difficult to eradicate entirely.
7. How did the Elden Beast arrive in the Lands Between?
The game does not explicitly state the method of its arrival, but it is implied that the Greater Will directly transported the Elden Beast to the Lands Between after the Shattering. The Beast emerged from the Erdtree, signifying its connection to the Golden Order and the Elden Ring.
8. What is the Elden Beast’s relationship to the Erdtree?
The Erdtree serves as the physical manifestation of the Golden Order’s power and is closely linked to the Elden Ring. The Elden Beast emerges from the Erdtree, signifying its role in restoring and maintaining the Golden Order. It represents a force that is intrinsically tied to the Erdtree’s very existence and is thus a critical part of the Golden Order’s established structure and power.
9. Are there other Outer Gods besides the Greater Will who are involved in Elden Ring’s story?
Yes, several other Outer Gods play a role in Elden Ring’s narrative, including the Formless Mother, associated with Mohg, Lord of Blood, and the Frenzied Flame, associated with the Three Fingers. Each Outer God represents a different cosmic force and a different vision for the Lands Between.
10. What is the significance of the Elden Beast’s attacks and abilities?
The Elden Beast’s attacks often involve manipulating the power of the Elden Ring. Its abilities to summon cosmic energy and create rings of light reflect its connection to the laws of reality and its role as an agent of the Greater Will.
11. Was Radagon aware that Marika would shatter the Elden Ring?
It’s unlikely Radagon was fully aware of Marika’s intentions to shatter the Elden Ring. While they are two halves of the same being, their desires and motivations appear to have diverged. Radagon’s loyalty to the Golden Order suggests he would have opposed Marika’s actions.
12. What does the Elden Beast’s defeat signify for the Lands Between?
The significance of the Elden Beast’s defeat depends on the ending the player achieves. In some endings, it signifies the restoration of the Golden Order. In others, it represents a step towards a new and potentially more chaotic future, free from the Greater Will’s direct control.
13. Is the Elden Beast unique, or could the Greater Will send more of them?
Given the immense power required to create and sustain the Elden Beast, it’s likely a unique entity. However, the Greater Will could potentially create similar agents to enforce its will, depending on its resources and the circumstances of the Lands Between.
14. How does the Elden Beast relate to the other Great Runes?
The Great Runes are fragments of the Elden Ring, scattered after the Shattering. The Elden Beast represents the effort to reassemble these fragments and restore the Ring to its original form, although in a way that reinforces the Greater Will’s control.
15. What are some theories about the Elden Beast’s true purpose and motivations?
Some theories suggest the Elden Beast is not merely a tool of the Greater Will but a sentient being with its own desires and motivations. These theories often focus on the Beast’s seemingly mournful cries during the battle and its reluctance to fully merge with the Elden Ring. Other theories propose that the Elden Beast serves as a failsafe, preventing the complete destruction of the Elden Ring even in the face of Marika’s rebellion.