How Many Endings Are In Elden Ring?
For players venturing into the vast and unforgiving Lands Between, a burning question often arises: How many endings are in Elden Ring? The answer, while seemingly simple, opens the door to a rich tapestry of choices and consequences that define your journey as the Tarnished. Elden Ring, true to FromSoftware's design philosophy, offers a surprisingly diverse set of conclusions to its epic narrative, influenced heavily by your decisions throughout the game. In essence, there are six distinct endings to uncover.
These endings aren't just simple "good" or "bad" variations. Instead, they represent different paths the Lands Between can take after the Elden Ring is reforged, or in some cases, if it isn't reforged at all. Your allegiance, your quest progression, and specific hidden questlines will determine which of these fates befalls the world and you, the Tarnished.
The Six Possible Endings Explained
Let's break down each of these endings, what triggers them, and what they generally signify:
1. The Elden Lord Ending (Standard Ending)
This is the most straightforward ending and the one most players will likely achieve on their first playthrough without actively seeking out other conclusions. To achieve this ending, you simply need to defeat the final boss and then interact with the fractured Elden Ring to mend it.
- Trigger: Defeat the final boss and choose to "Mend the Elden Ring."
- Significance: You become the Elden Lord, bringing a semblance of order back to the Lands Between under your rule. It's a return to a familiar status quo, albeit with you at the helm.
2. The Age of Stars Ending
This is one of the "secret" or "alternate" endings, requiring you to follow a specific, rather involved questline. It’s tied to the character Ranni the Witch and her grand ambitions.
- Trigger: Complete Ranni the Witch's extensive questline. This involves several steps, including retrieving the Dark Moon Greatsword and ultimately choosing her instead of mending the Elden Ring for yourself.
- Significance: This ending ushers in an age ruled by the stars and guided by intelligence and destiny, often seen as a more cosmic and less grounded conclusion than becoming the Elden Lord.
3. The Lord of Frenzied Flame Ending
This is another of the more drastic alternate endings, and it's a path that can lead to a truly cataclysmic outcome for the Lands Between. It requires you to actively embrace a forbidden power.
- Trigger: Obtain the Frenzied Flame from the Three Fingers, located deep beneath the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds. If you have the Frenzied Flame, you will be presented with the option to become the Lord of Frenzied Flame upon defeating the final boss.
- Significance: This ending destroys everything and everyone, plunging the world into an eternal, fiery chaos. It's a nihilistic conclusion where the very fabric of reality is consumed.
4. The Age of Duskborn Ending
This ending is a variation of the standard Elden Lord ending but with a distinct tonal shift, suggesting a more somber and less triumphant reign.
- Trigger: Complete the questline of Fia, the Deathbed Companion. This involves acquiring the Mending Rune of the Death Prince.
- Significance: This ending represents an age where death is embraced more readily and the dead are allowed to rest. It's a quieter, more introspective ending compared to the standard Elden Lord conclusion.
5. The Age of the Perfect Order Ending
This ending is a more benevolent and ordered version of the Elden Lord ending, achieved by fulfilling the will of a particular Golden Order acolyte.
- Trigger: Complete the questline of Goldmask and acquire the Mending Rune of the Perfect Order.
- Significance: This ending signifies a return to a perfect, unblemished Golden Order, free from the imperfections and contradictions that have plagued the Lands Between.
6. The Lord of Chaos Ending (Often referred to as the "Bad Ending" or "Destroyer Ending")
This ending is essentially a slightly different presentation of the Lord of Frenzied Flame ending, emphasizing the destructive nature of the Frenzied Flame.
- Trigger: Similar to the Lord of Frenzied Flame ending, but often associated with not finding a way to "undo" the Frenzied Flame before the final confrontation.
- Significance: It leads to the complete destruction of the world and all life within it.
How to Achieve Different Endings
The key to unlocking these varied conclusions lies in your choices and interactions with specific NPCs and their questlines. For instance:
- To get the Age of Stars, you *must* dedicate yourself to Ranni's quest.
- To reach the Lord of Frenzied Flame ending, you *must* seek out the Three Fingers and embrace their power.
- For the Age of Duskborn or Age of the Perfect Order endings, you'll need to progress through the respective questlines of Fia or Goldmask and obtain their unique Mending Runes.
It's important to note that some choices are irreversible. For example, embracing the Frenzied Flame can lock you out of other endings unless you find a specific item and complete a challenging boss fight to absolve yourself of the Frenzied Flame's influence.
The Importance of the Mending Runes
A recurring theme in Elden Ring's endings, particularly the alternate ones, is the concept of "Mending Runes." These are not just items; they are fragments of the Elden Ring that carry specific ideologies and allow you to influence the nature of the world's restoration. These runes are usually rewards for completing significant NPC questlines, making those quests integral to achieving multiple endings.
In summary, while the base game offers a few distinct conclusions, the true depth of Elden Ring's narrative endings is revealed when you engage with its complex character arcs and hidden secrets. The journey to see all six endings is a testament to the game's replayability and the intricate world FromSoftware has crafted.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How do I get the "secret" endings?
The "secret" endings, such as the Age of Stars and Lord of Frenzied Flame, require you to complete specific, often lengthy, NPC questlines. These questlines involve gathering unique items, speaking to specific characters at different points in the game, and making critical choices that steer the narrative toward these alternate conclusions.
Why are there so many endings?
The multiple endings in Elden Ring are designed to reflect the player's choices and their impact on the Lands Between. Each ending represents a different philosophy or outcome for the world, and by offering various conclusions, FromSoftware encourages players to explore different paths and consider the consequences of their actions, enhancing replayability.
Can I get all the endings in one playthrough?
Generally, no. While you can set yourself up for multiple endings, you can only choose one ending per playthrough. Some actions, like embracing the Frenzied Flame, can lock you out of other endings unless you perform a specific task to cleanse yourself before the final boss. Players typically need multiple playthroughs to witness all six endings.
What is the "best" ending?
The concept of the "best" ending in Elden Ring is subjective and depends entirely on your personal interpretation and what you believe is ideal for the Lands Between. Some players prefer the return to order with the standard Elden Lord ending, while others favor the cosmic implications of the Age of Stars or the profound change offered by the Age of Duskborn or Perfect Order.
