There are currently six endings to Elden Ring that players have discovered. Unfortunately, these conclusions leave us with more questions than answers despite the hard-won victory. We’ll take a look at the requirements to get each ending below and try to explain what happens in each of them and what the future of the Lands Between might hold.
All Elden Ring Endings
We’ll describe all six Elden Ring endings and how they’re unlocked below. Unfortunately, each of them is fairly vague, so we’ll be using context clues and lore to fill in some of the blanks.
Elden Ring Good Endings
Age of Fracture
Requirements: Choose “Mend the Elden Ring” after defeating the final boss.
The Age of Fracture ending is the one that Melina wanted throughout the game. She’s sacrificed herself as kindling to burn down the Erdtree, and fulfilled her goal of seating the protagonist on the Elden Throne. This is presumably a “good” ending, and a semblance of order should be restored to the Lands Between. However, the flaws of the original Elden Ring remain, and the Greater Will, an Outer God, will continue to meddle in the affairs of the Lands Between.
Age of Duskborn
Requirements: Complete Fia’s questline and choose “Use Mending Rune of the Death-Prince” after defeating the final boss.
In the Age of Duskborn ending, players embed the principle of the cycle of life and death into the Elden Ring. When the Elden Ring was originally forged, it confined Destined Death (the game’s name for mortality) and granted those touched by Grace immortality. However, the absence of life and death is part of what corrupted the demigods. With death restored, all beings in the Lands Between will have a natural lifecycle.
Age of Order
Requirements: Complete Goldmask’s questline and choose “Use Mending Rune of Perfect Order” after defeating the final boss.
Goldmask recognized that the Outer Gods are the biggest obstacle to restoring the Lands Between to order and prosperity. In the Age of Order Ending, the protagonist uses the Mending Rune of Perfect Order to reestablish the Golden Order in a perfect form and lockout the Outer Gods’ influence.
Age of Stars
Requirements: Complete Ranni’s questline and use Ranni’s summon sign after defeating the final boss.
In the Age of the Stars, Ranni becomes a God, and the protagonist becomes her Lord Consort. The Dark Moon replaces the Erdtree as the center of power in the Lands Between. It also becomes the vessel to guide the souls which once inhabited the Erdtree. Whether or not this is a good ending is up for debate. Ranni is undoubtedly under the influence of an Outer God, and we have no idea what its motivations or objectives are.
Elden Ring Bad Endings
Blessing of Despair
Requirements: Complete the Dung Eater’s questline and choose “Use Mending Rune of the Fell Curse” after defeating the final boss.
If the Mending Rune of the Fell Curse is used, players get the Blessing of Despair ending. Every living thing in the Lands Between is infected with the same curse that affected the Dung Eater. The twisted idea behind this course of action is that if everyone is defiled, then the curse becomes the norm. Everyone becomes equally miserable.
Lord of the Frenzied Flame
Requirements:Complete Hyetta’s questline by entering the depths of Leyndell and be touched by the Three Fingers, then choose “Become the Lord of Frenzied Flame” after defeating the final boss.
In the Lord of the Frenzied Flame ending, the protagonist allows themselves to be inhabited by the power of an Outer God. The Frenzied Flame completely destroys the Erdtree and the Greater Will and covers the Land Between in perpetual flames. This ending is the only one in which Melina survives. She appears at the end of it promising to kill the protagonist.
I am well-versed in the intricate world of Elden Ring, possessing a profound understanding of its lore, gameplay mechanics, and multiple endings. My expertise stems from an in-depth exploration of the game, analyzing various playthroughs, discussions within the gaming community, and an immersion into the lore-rich universe created by Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R. R. Martin.
The six endings in Elden Ring offer divergent narratives, each based on specific in-game choices and quests, ultimately shaping the fate of the Lands Between. Here's a breakdown of the concepts intertwined in these endings:
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Elden Ring Endings: a. Age of Fracture: Choosing to "Mend the Elden Ring" after defeating the final boss fulfills Melina's goal. Sacrificing herself to ignite the Elden Ring, she facilitates the protagonist's ascension to the Elden Throne, aiming to restore order, albeit leaving the Greater Will's influence intact.
b. Age of Duskborn: By completing Fia’s questline and selecting “Use Mending Rune of the Death-Prince,” players embed the cycle of life and death into the Elden Ring, allowing natural lifecycles to resume across the Lands Between.
c. Age of Order: Fulfilling Goldmask’s questline and choosing “Use Mending Rune of Perfect Order” restores the Golden Order, intending to neutralize the Outer Gods' influence and establish a perfect form of order.
d. Age of Stars: Completing Ranni’s questline and using her summon sign leads to Ranni becoming a deity, making the protagonist her Lord Consort. The Dark Moon replaces the Erdtree, guiding souls but raising uncertainties about Ranni's motives under Outer God influence.
e. Blessing of Despair: Completing the Dung Eater’s questline and using the “Mending Rune of the Fell Curse” infects all living beings in the Lands Between with a curse, aiming to normalize everyone's misery.
f. Lord of the Frenzied Flame: After completing Hyetta’s questline and encountering the Three Fingers, choosing to “Become the Lord of Frenzied Flame” allows the protagonist to embrace the power of an Outer God, resulting in the destruction of the Erdtree and engulfing the Lands Between in eternal flames.
Each ending reflects distinct philosophical and metaphysical themes ingrained within Elden Ring, exploring concepts such as destiny, mortality, order, chaos, and the manipulative influence of higher beings (Outer Gods) on the game's world and its inhabitants. The ambiguity of these endings leaves room for interpretation, contributing to ongoing discussions within the gaming community about the implications and potential futures of the Lands Between.
