Elden Ring's Metaphysics | Duality & Nonduality [Lore Analysis] 

A Viewer Question: I had a quick question about your take on Marika's echo bedchamber dialog to Radagon (O Radagon, leal hound of the Golden Order. Thou'rt yet to become me. Thou'rt yet to become a god. Let us be shattered, both. Mine other self.). You mentioned it may have been a statement made with affection, do you think this was true affection or fake love in order to lead Radagon into a ploy to eventually sacrifice himself? ----- My answer: I do think Marika, although having an instinctual urge similar to Radagon to 'become complete', the desire to unify with one's other half was pragmatic, unlike Radagon. While the latter valued understanding in the purest sense for the sake of understanding (as is obvious by the sage Goldmask level of insight attained with Regression and Causality descriptions), Marika desired this unification for pragmatic reasons. Radagon yearned for that intimate connection whereas Marika may or may not have particularly cared for it even if she also felt it. This unification would not only enable her to shatter the metaphysical abstraction that is the elden ring but also to use Radagon's vines to prevent entry and use him as a decoy vessel body to force elden beast 'out of its shell' so to speak. In a form where it can be defeated by the Tarnished who was hopefully supplied with Hewg's weapon. Making sure that while the elden ring was being mended by the tarnished, Marika would become the vision itself, not just its vessel. This entire 'destruction of the elden ring' has resulted in a unique creation after all. It had a specific purpose behind it. However, this means Radagon had to be thrown under the bus. Which is precisely why the sacred relic sword is Radagon himself. Thats why the description writes 'should have lived a life eternal'. Exactly. Radagon 'should have lived a life eternal' after his unification with the eternal queen, Marika. Radagon is a very tragic and misunderstood character.

i like the Radika theory and the fact you didnt entertain the Miquella/Melina conspiracies because i too refuse to belive theres a connection there, because now Miquella is Three people and ignores the whole duality concept. lookign forward for more🙏🔥

My eyes have been opened - the world of Elden Ring (and by extension Miyazaki’s vision for it) has been made much clearer for me. I have no idea how you’re able to consistently drop the finest Elden Ring lore videos I’ve ever seen (with some of the most backed-up points I’ve seen yet). Criminally underrated

"Erdtree = Greater Will = Elden Ring" 2.5/3 The Erdtree is the odd one out. In a way you're almost right, because the golden illusory shell of the Erdtree is an incantation. The actual tree beneath it is just one of the minor erdtrees that was fed many souls before it was first burned. It's more associated with the crucible than with the GW, although it makes a great home and way to amass runic power.

Man, I dont know. One of the most direct lore nugget in the is, literally, "Radagon is Marika". Its very explicit. Melina's lines paraphrasing Marika dont contradict this. Radagon is an aspect of Marika's whole being. Just like Milicent and Malenia. And just like Milicent, obtained his own individuality and ideals.

I’m on psychedelics right now, but I agree completely. In addition to microdosing, I also do regular sessions with my therapist, I’ve done EMDR therapy, TMS therapy and I talk to my psychiatrist regularly as well as being completely open with them about my use of psychedelic substances for therapeutic purposes. They are both not only accepting but also encouraging and my therapist even sends me regular updates on legalization. All that to say I completely agree with Ontos’s opening statement and everything else he said in regards to the Primeval Current. AMAZING VIDEO ONTOS!!!!

Extremely good video! Great explanations, avoids the common pitfalls of some Elden Ring analysis, and obviously has a TON of research put into it. Love this, especially the bit on the REBIS and how it relates to Marika/Radagon! 👏

The more I think about it, the more I'm sure that the Crucible itself is Elden Ring's narrative stand-in for the gnostic deity "Abraxas", and that Miquella takes on the roll of one like "Emil Sinclair" from "Demian", someone who finds himself between two worlds, namely a "world of light", and a "world of dark". See, I'm starting to think that Miquella/St. Trina is a "Rebis", much like how you described Marika/Radagon to be. A perfect being, made from "purification" and then "putrefaction", Miquella is likely the only empyrean who could actually usurp Marika. Yet, he divests himself of his flesh like Ranni, yet doesn't want an Age of Stars. He's severed himself from his "Fate"/St. Trina, but isn't trying to uphold the Golden Order, nor kill any specific god (that we know of just yet). What else could there be for one such as Miquella, to do all this, being much more like an egg prematurely hatched - A being who neither truly was born, and neither truly died, or, rather, in a death similar to a dream? I think it's no coincidence that we find Miquella in a prematurely-opened cocoon, sitting above a hip bone where a "Womb" was supposed to be. We find him in a "interstitial" state of being. If the Crucible represents Abraxas, what if Miquella is either trying to reach the Crucible itself, or, like how Marika brings out the Elden Beast through Radagon, Miquella is trying to bring back the Crucible?

Liked and subbed specifically for your goldmask/corhyn drawing, that's some serious talent! But also cuz I found your tone to be very pleasant and soothing and the content of this video to be incredibly insightful. Awesome vid! Also 100th like ;)

Utterly fantastic video, Ontos. Brilliant. Your audio has vastly improved, too! It’s a 10/10 from me(h)!

Such a great video! I'm also latching onto your final thought about shadow work because I believe in something similar. I believe the DLC is going to be about tackling with the concept of harmony (either human of metaphysical) in a world left in ruins by past battles --- a reparation, an act of penance --- from the descendant of the house of the erdtree via the presence of us (the tarnished), and this idea of shadow work is beautiful for that thought to me. Great video ontos

This was a wonderful video. Be proud! This goes among the many greats for me. Not just because of your conclusions, and how everything fits together, but in the way you have somehow made already understood knowledge have greater meaning. Specifically, for me, it was when you stressed the importance of “thus [Radagon] aspired to be complete”. I’ve always been in the camp-and, still am-that Radagon, while certainly not having always shared a body with Marika, must have always been influenced by her in some way. I phrase it as, he was already a part/piece of her. I believe that whether he was a literal creation of her’s, or if she sent him specifically over any other champion to pull off the Renalla stunt, it’s ultimately the same, he always fulfills a specific intended role. Naturally, it gives his agency a duller color. Him even being a whole-ass creation doesn’t mean it’s *impossible* for him to not have a free will, but it makes him out to be just another one of Marika’s dogs, like Godfrey really was. With that belief in mind, your stressing of Radagon’s aspiration, pointing out it is more likely than not his own personal goal, really spoke to me. I previously took the line to provide a surface-level, in-universe-common-knowledge reason for why he would want to do everything involving Renalla. Really more to imply that he had agency at all, given the big twist of him being Marika, for the player. But you painted it with a better shade of color that I hadn’t thought of. For such revelations and more, thank you! As for other thoughts, I’ve always thought the Erdtree was moreso a symbol of the current reigning kingdom, as opposed to the Elden Ring being a symbol of the entire Lands Between. The land. So I don’t think the Erdtree = the Elden Ring is *completely* true. They’re obviously quite related, but there were ancient Orders like the one where big lad Placidusax was a Lord, in a time before the Erdtree specifically. So I’ve always seen the Erdtree as being more like a symbol of Marika’s reign, being about life and such, so, a symbol of proof that *she* is right to be the Ring’s vessel. Just semantics, I suppose. Neither of these things, I think-Radagon always being influenced by Marika, and the Erdtree being related to the Ring by a chain-make your conclusions less true, though. Make no mistake! One more thing! One theme of duality I’ve always noticed in Elden Ring-and honestly I thought you were going to point it out, but I didn’t know this was going to be a repainting of the entire story’s context then-is the deep connection between a man/master, and a dog/beast. It’s everywhere. Empyreans and their shadow, well, dogs. Marika has many dogs-Maliketh, Radagon (“leal hound!”), and Godfrey (he was a beast of a man, then she *literally* tamed him). What is an Elden Lord but a dog to the God of an Order? The Elden Beast is the Greater Will’s dog! Your “canon” spirit ash-as it is *always* acquired at the same moment as the Spiritcalling bell-is *three dogs* ! If the statue in Maliketh’s chamber is Marika, then we have three dogs *just like her* ! Of course we were fated to be Lord! There are many pairings of enemies, or at least set pieces, of humanoids walking with their dogs, or resting with them. Latenna and her named wolf. The corpses sitting in chairs, some of them have a dog laying next to them, in vigil. Bloodhound knights! Godrick kind of equips a dog by force. And Serosh-think about *that* long chain of owner to dog to owner to dog! Greater Will, Elden Beast, Marika, Godfrey, Serosh. WHAT?! It’s dogs all the way down in Elden Ring. Truly. Lastly.. I also loved your use of the Lies of P music. It’s always good to see someone who understands how great that game is. And your drawing was great too!

Love the shred! Oh, and top tier lore theories my friend. Subscribed. ❤

This is the most succinct. I think one of the theories that exist, particularly because of how the Elden ring relates to the metaphysical properties of the universe and how everything is balanced. It only makes sense that the Elden ring would want the realm itself to be wholly balanced and keeping everything in order

Direction like an a idea never changes just the perspective or angle in which it is observed.

You should check out Ratotaskr's latest lore discussion with Crunchy. They basically unearthed live on stream that it was basically Radagon's motive to sacrifice Godwyn as a martyr. They touched on some points that werent covered in this vid. You might find worth a listen

i view it like the universe breathing. inhales exhales

God am I in love with this fucking game

Sensational analysis.

Where did that intro music come from? That was awesome! I see you play piano. Did you also compose the intro music?

Excellent and coherent break down, so bravo! I only have one issue and it may be that I just need to re watch the video, but… How is Ranni an Empyrian in your interpretation? If Ranni has been stated as the daughter of Radagon and Rennala. - is it because Radagon becoming one after the shattering automatically qualifies her as being born of a god? See, one of the most compelling reasons why people think Radagon literally IS and always has been another side of Marika’s self and not a separate entity is because his children with Rennala are considered demigods. Are you suggesting that they were not demigods before that? If the shattering WAS the event where Radagon and Marika become a single being (post shattering) - then why does the lore say the night of the black knives led to the shattering? And that many other demigods were also slain, not just Godwyn? I guess clarifying the timeline you propose a bit would go a long way at least for me. I agree that ER is a masterpiece with multiple angles, so trying to understand it from your perspective is very interesting. Thanks and subbed for future content. I found you through Ziostorms video about you. Cheers!

This is a very *very* good video. Even if some stuff is still definitely debatable and up to interpretation, this is a very cool interpretation of tons of various aspects of the lore. One such thing for me would be Marika's intentions. This is the first time I hear a take which seems to reconcile the contradictions in her actions, with her at one point seeming very pro Greater Will, but then apparently wishes Death back in the Order herself. I like that your take proposes a solution to this contradiction where she still wishes to remain the God of the Order without bringing Death back. The Miquella stuff is a bit more consensual in my opinion, but I don't mean that in a bad way at all, his intentions are not as unclear as his Mother's so it makes perfect sense. I hate that Miyazaki mentioned there would be no new endings with the DLC, because I simply can't imagine solving things in the Realm of Shadows, only to come out, and go about the endings we know unchanged, that simply does not make any sense to me, but I guess we'll see exactly how that plays out in the actual DLC ! I cannot wait...

Ontos, so with the new images released yesterday it makes me wonder if my theory that there has been a long rivalry between the House of Carian and the Golden Order. I've always thought that the GEQ was Marika's rival and somehow Marika did something that we don't know about to win the war that the DLC narrative is talking about. Anyway, the new images got me drooling yesterday. Really looking forward to this.

The only thing I disagree with is radagon taking marika for the sake of being jealous, idk it doesn’t feel like something that was an emotional decision to me

Thanks for a great video! Do you (or someone else) have any ideas about why Radagon doesn't say anything during the final battle?

I think a point in favor of Marika and Radagon being one longer than you suggest is the fact that Ranni is an empyrean, which makes more sense if Radagon was already Marika. Additionally, to me the line from pope turtle is suggesting that it is mysterious because it was marika all along (plus the great golden host part) Also, I think because we see how Radagon and Marika have different motives even while being the same, that bed chamber quote could easily still be while they are in one body and she is telling him to break the order and the elden beast that inhabits both of them.

Can you cite all the music you used, please? Great video 😃

Ranni did inherit a great rune, but she cast it aside. I can't remember where she says it but I know it's a conversation you have with her during her quest.

I always thought Dark Souls was all about entropy too. My interpretation is that it's backporting the concept of entropy to a pre-modern cultural mindset, if the ancients knew about this phenomenon some how, how would they mythologize it? What stories would they tell about it? The answer is dark souls, the tragic tale of a great and powerful king perpetually fighting back against an inevitable fate, his own death yes- but more than that, the diminishing of his entire empire as it slowly grinds towards it's destiny of burning out in a long, slow whimper.

Let’s gooo

11:34 thts clearly not the same knife which has always puzzled me Makes me think that the blades creation is what killed godwyn and he was okay with it

I consider the "Age of Stars" ending to be the "good" ending. I think the greater will is a kind of parasite, and though her methods are questionable, Ranni is the hero that freed this world from its domination.

Only a couple of weeks till we get the DLC.It’s gonna be glorious

1:06 if there was an opening to this game, it would look like this😎

Entropy has nothing to do with gravity and cosmic expansion. It won't stop increasing without them. Entropy is not just related to time but also chirality. nothing can reverse time or stop dissipation.

Maybe marika wanted the tarnished to become elden lord because miquella divested himself of everything golden and he was her last hope for the demigods so we’re the last plan B

As a wise man said what what no DLC does to a mfker 😂

25:03 💀(wish i was miquela 😭)

i dont understand this theory that miquella is opposing rannis age of stars... their goals and values align VERY closely and are CLEARLY connectsd in some way in the lore. i HIGHLY doubt miquella directly opposes ranni, and am more inclined to believe he aligns with her and supports her age. everyone just wants ranni to be the "bad guy" so badly that they ignore obvious and proven lore to mental gymnastic their way to their flawed logic

LP can suck an egg, your videos are fine. For the most part he is just a fence sitter and I think there is a limit to the way he analyses the games. I feel like some of the criticisms he gave at your videos are unfair and overly harsh. He clearly steps outside the realm of "constructive criticism" in the reaction i saw. keep up the good work Ive never given D and his twin that much thought. But him as a mirror to marika and radagon is super interesting and might help us understand Marika and Radagon more. Though we might know even less about the D twins.

This is all DEFINITELY while I always side with Ranni. And totally not because I just think shes cute.

Ontos, you figure out Miquella is a hermaphrodite yet?

The only thing marika cares about is herself. I find it hard to believe she shattered the elden ring for her children and not for herself and so she could continue to rule without being checked and controlled by the greater will. She outwardly hates mogh and morgott and is indifferent about malenia and miquella. And we all know what she did to her other child messmer and melina if she is marikas child.