See I personally think that this just supports the theory of Gideon being very well on in years. Short sightedness, very clearly in some form or another decrepit, his disdain for the changes in the world, and the fact that he’s a bit of a hermit. He has a slight haunch in his back even whilst we fight him at the end. As we begin the game in the age undeath; who really knows how old Gideon The All Knowing could be?
The craziest thing to me, is that he is so sure that a man cannot kill a god, yet right under his nose is Hewg forging a weapon to kill a god. All-knowing indeed.
His knowledge only comes from books. Not real life experience. He can't even see what's around him, like literally in front of him. He's too immersed in his fantasy world.
Perhaps he knows a god-killing weapon is being forged close to him, but he either thinks that weapon is useless (imagine cutting a sword shape in a cardboard and saying you are creating a weapon that can slay an elephant), or that no man can properly wield such a weapon (imagine giving a grenade launcher to an ant and expecting it to kill a bear) ?
@@jackwilliam4436I think this is true, I believe he thinks making a God-slaying weapon is a fools errand. Hewg has been in the Roundtable Hold a long long time and never succeeded in making such a weapon (until the player comes along of course). Gideon also believes no one can become Elden Lord, and I think this is a logical extension of that.
@@itscoolthough419 Yes, but Godfrey was granted Grace by Marika. His assertion is that a tarnished stripped of grace can't be a lord because they have no Grace. He's wrong of course, but it isn't a contradiction.
"Heh. Another Tarnished to die in their pointless journey." *Tarnished burns the Erdtree, kills Placidusax, Maliketh and acquires Destined Death in a single afternoon "YOU DID WHAT?!"
He says "You may let down your guard". Then later his apprentice attacks us unprovoked in the roundtable hold. He's out to use us then kill us from the start.
Or he might have truly meant it. He didn't care about us or what we would achieve at the start. To him, we were just another tarnished seeking shelter. Until we claimed a great rune and the half of the medallion. I'm not defending him, though. Fk Gideon.
Gideon is quite possibly the single most talented human magic user in all of FromSoft's titles. Every single other one you ever meet or hear about specializes in a school or subclass of magic, and very few are considered masters of their art. Gideon is capable of fully mastering any and all magic he comes across. Such talent is certainly worthy to stand along such names as Noble Goldmask and Hoarah Loux as greatest of all tarnished. Compared to our player character, who has no choice but to accept and even thrive in repeated failure, Gideon takes great steps to avoid potential failures by having others struggle for him. Has Gideon ever truly faced hardships in his life? How can someone like that ever face the possibility that all their efforts may have been for naught?
Very well put! And I agree when you consider that Gideon needs Faith, Arcane and a lot of INT points to use some of the spells he demonstrates, like Comet Azur, which requires 60 points. All these legendary, sacred sorceries and incantations are not for the faint of heart or brain!
It is no wonder then how he snapped under the weight of his task upon seeing what he needed to do, the task of killing a god seemed like an impossibility, and the prospect of failure to someone whom never truly faced it before broke him.
He actually doesn't call himself all knowing. He states he aspires to be all knowing, also admitting in that the fact he is not all knowing right now. It's others that call him all knowing.
@@OhDuhEhthis comment made me google it, i always thought the intro cutscene was gideon talking and he just referred to himself in third person for theatrics (says gideon ofnir the all knowing) but i was wrong, its just a guy lol so thanks for that 😂
@@anonfinally1692 it's like "wait, you killed the guy. THE guy who ruled the largest region on the continent, whose soldiers actively hunt us, and who was our one and only direct enemy and only demigod sane enough to stop us?" "damn. Why don't you go kill some more..f r i e n d"
The roundtable hold he is the leader so its okay for him, and other he use it to study so this too is something to add, not just a shelter from the rain
I don't believe Nepheli's summon sign at Godfrey's boss fog indicates she was sent by Gideon as it only appears if you complete her quest line by giving her the StormHawk King's ashes (instead of Seluvis's potion like a bastard) and letting her become ruler of Limgrave through Kent Height's questline, so I think its appearance is just Nepheli making good on her promise for you to be able to call upon her. Afterall Gideon had already abandoned Nepheli at that point because he deemed her be of no more use precisely because could no longer completely manipulate her.
Yes, you are completely correct! I went back and tested it; she doesn't appear as a summon for Godfrey if you ignore her questline. So, as you said, it's connected to her rise as the next ruler of Stormveil. It's my mistake; when you get theorising, it's easy to MAKE things fit your perspective instead of thinking of why they DON'T fit. I will try and double-check the trigger criteria for any theories in future :) But yes, I agree with your observation about Gideon abandoning Nepheli when he couldn't manipulate her anymore.. Thanks again!
@@miss_chalice No worries when Elden Ring only conveys significant plot points and lore via items descriptions, environmental storytelling, and easily missed in game events its very very easy to miss or overlook something as your building out a theory or just try to follow the game's narrative in general. Pretty sure several theories I have about Miquella are going to get blown out of water when the DLC drops.
@@warmak4576 What can I say got to own that right bastard badge, now. Even Gideon balked at the notion of giving the potion to Nepheli even after he gaslit lit her, used her, and then abandoned her the moment her showed the slightest bit of independence. You have her puppet now the item description says it all. Me, I gave the potion to the Dungeater because screw him and Seluvis (Also he's the better puppet😉)
Please man, I'm not a bastard, I just thought I'd fail Ranni's quest if I didn't complete Seluvis' because I went in blind without a wiki, I swear. I didn't even know I could talk to Gideon about it.
If we remember Gideon's second name, Ofnir, is a bastardized version of Odin name. And if we remember, not only he was known as the All-Father, which meant he knew everything, when he learn the prophecy of Ragnarok, he did everything to stop it, meaning he didn't want to things to change and end, just like Gideon with the Tarnished trying ti become Elden Lord.
Ironically I think Gideon didn't KNOW that Radagon and Marika were one person. Radagon (posing as Marika) tricked him into thinking no one can kill a God, we know Radagon wants to keep the Golden Order around, so tricking Gideon into stopping people from trying to claim the throne is in his best interest (especially now that the thorns were burned allowing someone to come into the Tree)
Personal belief, but Im pretty sure they became one after Marika shattered the ring and Radagon being the golden order's No1 fan tried to fix everything by being Marika.
This is the theory I think has the most weight. Which is the sweetest irony. The all-knowing, the man with every plan, in the end, dies in teh service of a manipulation and a falsehood. His own arrogance blindign him to the possibility of being wrong and losing because of it.
But Marika houses the Elden ring, and is a vassal of the greater will. The two fingers are connected to the greater will, but they can’t communicate with it anymore. Likely, at best they can see who would be a good fit to become a god. They’re at least able to choose empyreans, and must be killed along with your empyrean flesh in order to be divested from the greater will, as established by ranni’s quest line
Inescapable Frenzy is such a fun way to take out Gideon. "Here, have some Eldritch Truth! Can't really call yourself All-Knowing if you don't know what it's like to have your eyes and brain on fire."
I find it interesting that you said he's wise and not intelligent with those reasons. Growing up, I always understood it differently. Intelligence is having knowledge, while wisdom is knowing what to do with said knowledge. That's part of what makes his story even better for me. He calls himself the wise and knows and can master all these high-level magic, but ultimately, he's just a pawn being led around by the Fingers. The irony of him having the knowledge and thinks he knows what he's doing with it while being completely blind just tickles my irony bone
No, intelligence is processing capabilities - your ability to think. Having knowledge is being knowledgeable. Wisdom is good decision making, and by extension, the insight required to do so.
@@borgmardunkleson2225correct! Gideon is very stubborn, doesn’t do anything to support or falsify his claims or ideas (showing how afraid he is of being wrong or how self assured he is) he completely lacks self awareness and insight, ultimately gets fooled in the end no matter how you interpret his story, and is the furthest thing removed from being “All-Knowing” Gideon isn’t in the loop at all… I really laugh when people don’t see how he’s more of a parody of Odin (who’s represented in many form’s throughout the game) he’s like how Odin appears in God of War. Haughty and manipulative but no real plan
What I find interesting is that when you mention that the two fingers are stuck in stasis calling out to the Greater Will that has abandoned them, the pose of the two fingers strikes me as the same pose Dragonlord Placidusax is in when we first get to him. Both of these abandoned by their gods and now stuck in this pose awaiting a response.
24:30 Nephili is there to support your ascension to Elden Lord. Her summon only shows up if you complete her quest, which includes her having her falling out with Gidion, becoming The Storm Lord, and swearing fielty to you. She's not there to help Gidion.
Good call about the fingers being unreliable narrators. I love the theory that all the scarabs you find throughout the lands between that are marked with the eye symbol are Gideon's spies. But also *terrifying* 😮 Gideon's suggestion to just wipe nepheli's mind so that she can be useful to him in the future 😮 Also his complete nonchalant attitude to you setting the roundtable on fire 😮 His casual suggestion that you just finish Miquella off too once you find him.
Yes! The more I discovered about Gideon, the more insidious and creepy his actions/behaviour appeared! Oh, and that scarab theory is one of my all-time favourites.
Gideon's world runs on a meritocracy. He does seem to respect people more for being both capable and willing to achieve their objectives despite hardship. He didn't seem to respect Nephali at first but once she chooses to be lord of Stormwind he seems to genuinely think well of her. Same for you. The further along you get the more difference he pays you. Not just because you actually claimed a great rune. You best him at his own schemes. It makes him think more highly of you. That said it is obvious Gideon is untrustworthy. Between using people for what value he can get out of them to withholding information if it doesn't produce results for him Gideon deserves to get used by Radagon as a stooge.
I think those scarabs that holds ashes of war were suppose to go to Gideon to give him more knowledge of close quarter combat since in the video it shows he lacks in melee combat as he uses spells instead when fighting him and the scepter he carries should be able to be use as a melee weapon and spells but when you kill the scarabs you ended up gaining that knowledge instead of Gideon
I think rather than knew nothing, Gideon knew EVERYTHING that we knew and even more, but still gave up due his own hubris and cowardice. He couldn't THINK of a way to kill a God, so rather than go take a swing at Marika to see what happened, he chooses to gave up and conceded to Marika's will. I don't think the last line was meant to be a spite or anything, but that is genuinely what he believed.
I like the idea that Gideon is intelligent enough to use you to gather the great runes for him so he can join nepheli in the fight against Godfrey, then ultimately betray nepheli before going into the erdtree and realizing he has to fight Marika radagon
Oh man, how much I would pay to see an alternate/cut ending of Gideon doing just this and having him and his smugness wiped off the plane of existence.
The all hearing traitor would die by the divine hands of his God, that now would be free from it's gaol. The world would soom be once again under the merciless hands of the golden order someone so desperately tried to seal away, inside the Great Tree. Stormveil's winds would suddenly take the arena, and the stubborn King would finally come back from it's ashes to aid it's master, healing her wounds. Hoarah Loux descendant would win this last fight, and everyone would live happily ever after. Our seed would then look back upon us, and recall...
The fallen leaves tell a story of how an All-Blundering fool tried to become Elden Lord, to attempt to take the throne. Our seed will look back upon us, in an Age of Mediocrity.
Nepheli's summon sign before Godfrey is only there if you completed her personal quest and made her Lady of Limgrave as that ends with her pledging herself to you. She isn't there on Gideon's orders as it's unlikely she'd help someone who not only revealed himself to be a cruel bastard but also cast her away.
yess i really thought of this, after learning about the albinauric village massacre by gideon she was feeling too betrayed to ever want to be at his side again
gideon was one of the few bosses that i really felt ok beating the crap out of lol. most of the bosses in elden ring i empathized with or even felt bad having to take them down but him.... i made a day of it lol.
Yeah, I absolutely agree with this. It felt like "put your money where your mouth is, Gideon" regarding all this big talk about becoming Elden Lord. Aaaaaaand.... you're dead. Gideon has no redeeming qualities whatsoever!
Gideon orchestrated the slaughter at the Village of the Albinaurics because he caught wind the medallion he was searching for was there. This is hinted at by your initial conversation with Latenna at the Slumbering Wolf Shack. This obviously upset Nepheli and caused a rift in her relationship with her adoptive father. Gideon also noticed when you, the Tarnished, find Albus and acquire the first half of the Haligtree Medallion... this is what causes him to ultimately sic his dog (Ensha) on you upon your return to the Roundtable Hold - you found what he essentially murdered a boatload of albinaurics for. This is why I love this game... to actually understand the "meat & potatoes" of each character, you have to piece things together. The writer(s) assume you're intelligent enough to work out the who, what, when, where, and why. Too many stories these days, regardless of format, tend to beat you over the head with the plot as if you're too dumb to figure it out - it's boring. The game itself stands alone. For those that want to hack and slash their way through scores of bosses and challenges, this will definitely provide satisfaction... but for those that want a little more depth or to better understand what motivates each character, there's plenty below the surface if you're willing to dig. Thank you for posting these lore videos!
I really disliked Gideon from the start so I was thrilled when I saw him standing there. I'd have to agree that he realized what Queen Marika was planning and couldn't fathom that she intended to be killed and have the golden order replaced. Knowing what the tarnished is capable of in battle and still choosing to try to stop us and Godfrey at the end is kind of brave in his own delusional way.
Prolly a do or die response. When the threat of Marina's death became more apparent he likely chose to just fight against all odds for the tiny chance of killing you and preventing his fears. And if he fails, atleast he won't have to live thru it cuznhe's dead. Probably aware you have the death rune at this point.
I have seen him beat up alot of players, if the devs gave him an actual cutscene and didn't make him stand around talking he would kill more.@@anamggss
I was fascinated first happening upon the other Roundtable Hold in Leyndell. Partially destroyed, corpses of finger readers all about. It really had me wonder, has this all happened before? Is this what Gideon meant by having us struggle for eternity?
Idk if you're familiar with The Tarnished Archaeologist, but he has a whole series of videos that start from the theory that the Erdtree was actually burnt before the events of the game (one tell is the amount of what looks like ash around Leyndell)
13:26 Actually, there is a real life phenomenon that aligns better with this theory that happens to many tree species. When many trees are damaged, wether it be via enviromental stress like drought or a large wound, they tend to flower/fruit excessively the following year. It is a natural survival instinct, when there's a chance it may die, to spread as many offspring as possible so the speciales can survive. Orchard farmers (or at least old ones) used this to their advantage, and apple farmers sometimes cut a whole ring of bark off the center of their trees to get a better crop (by stressing them out). Tree facts! Yay! Haha
I straight up had no idea girls like you existed. And still wouldn't be surprised if you're the only one 🤷 and by that I mean extremely beautiful girls who speak intelligently/eloquently, and on top of that, play really difficult but awesome games like Elden Ring. Can honestly say I'm just impressed all around 🥰👍
@@LegendaryPlank that someone honestly spoke their mind made you sick?? How about grow up maybe?? You ppl are so sensitive, I didn't even say anything lewd or crude like SOO many others do. Fucking idiots
Great video Chalice! Another irony is that the name 'Gideon' is Hebraic in origin and can be taken to mean 'Great Warrior' or 'one who cut's down/feller' (as in literally 'tree feller') - Gideon's overt refusal of the call goes deep! keep it up!
ooooo really nice trivia! Thank you for sharing; one of my favourite things about Fromsoft is their choice of names. They usually have a funny or fitting meaning behind them, and Gideon is no exception, clearly!
@@miss_chalice oh absolutely just look at Gwyn's family's names! My IRL name means 'usurper' which sounds suitably Frommish so I'm hoping for my own NPC one day lol!
To add to this, Ofnir is an alternative name for the god Odin, who is, among other things, a god of shamanism and sorcery, as well as wisdom and knowledge. Considering he uses sorceries and he seems to "quest for knowledge" in much the same way Odin does in Norse stories, whether it be through us, the player, giving him information, or through other means, I'd say this, too, is an interesting use of that part of Gideon's name. Add to this that Odin quested to stave off Ragnarok (the end of existence's current cycle, which, by some interpretations, he himself set into motion through the slaying of Ymir), but ultimately couldn't, because fate, or wyrd, was already set into motion, is also interesting because in the game Gideon, despite, or perhaps because of, all his knowledge, comes to the conclusion that "a man can not kill a god", thus essentially saying we are unable to break or change the cycle, even though in this narrarive we end up proving him wrong.
@@ObsideoVir Awesome point dude I hadn't connected Ofnir to Odin but it's very on point! I think one of the key aspects of Odin's myth being he was willing to sacrifice ANYTHING - even potentially his own life and/or eye for wisdom. Annoyingly it does rather fly in the face of my own theory that there's nowhere near as much Norse/Germanic mythology in Soulsborne lore as people think but I'm starting to think that's just DarkSouls (yes yes BIG TREES yes I know but still). Thinking about it I would say he's a pale comparison - I've always taken 'man cannot kill a god' to be more a statement of belief - or even a religious mantra (you CANNOT eat fudge on a Wednesday) obviously we CAN we just shouldn't - despite his wisdom he's incapable of looking beyond the golden order because it's a fundamental part of who and what he is... Just promise me in the DLC nobody is distracting a horse!?
It’s crazy that Gideon knew the two fingers had lost their purpose, as we learn in the DLC that their connection had been severed essentially throughout the majority of Marika’s reign, if not in its entirety.
You called it with the new lore from the DLC, the Fingers have been frauds the entire time, the Greater Will has been gone the entire time. The Narrator in the first cutscene just gave us the greatest lore revelation right away
What i take from this is that since the Greater Will basically left and abandoned everyone, then the two fingers took the role of the Greater Will but never really saying they were taking over and once everything was revealed (impenatrable thorns doors) they got confused/scared and try to look for help from the Greater Will, a process that takes ages cause the Greater Will just isn't there anymore. Them being some type of voice mail though is a pretty good theory, makes them some type of Proxy or something that the Greater Will left on the Lands Between for people to communicate with and to relay that information onto other people, while at the same time not really knowing how the "story" was going to end so the Will basically left the script unfinished and once proof was shown on how the story was going to end they looked for help, and no one is there to answer. Makes me feel like the Fingers are like a Fallen Angel of sorts that managed to get some Divine power and started to try and become a "new" God, and once their entire plan fails they look for advice with the ACTUAL God that is the Greater Will, but the Will spurned them and will never answer their cries for help. This is really big stretch but that just happened to come up in my mind while writing this. Real life Religion counterparts are not really a strange thing in Elden Ring, so i thought i'd give it a shot! Thanks for the making this btw Chalice! Really well made video and lore on Gideon and the Fingers is always an interesting and fun thing to watch! PS: Gideon is a d**k lol
Dude the greater will never left, thats how the tarnished is able to be able to receive the guidance of grace. The problem is really that the greater will switches allegiances rapidly in pursuit of its goals, and once godfrey was made the first exile/tarnished, a piece of marika rebelled and shattered the elden ring to diminish the power of the greater will. So the greater will restored grace to the tarnished to make it possible to restore the elden ring with the expectation that the tarnished will continue allegiance to that greater will as its emmisary. But thats where the other endings of elden ring come into play because it turns out there are other outer gods that you can swear yourself too like the moon outer god
@@phenomgaming3245 "My Lord, and thy warriors. I divest each of thee of thy grace. With thine eyes dimmed, ye will be driven from the Lands Between. Ye will wage war in a land afar, where ye will live, and die. Then, after thy death, I will give back what I once claimed. Return to the Lands Between, wage war, and brandish the Elden Ring. Grow strong in the face of death. Warriors of my lord. Lord Godfrey." The Grace of Gold is given and taken by Marika herself. The Greater Will is most likely way too far away to directly influence the Lands Between, otherwise it would have never needed to send the Elden Beast as a vassal to rule in its stead. From the moment Marika banished Godfrey and his kin she was already fully expecting them to one day return and fulfill their duty, which is to claim the Elden Ring and end her age. _She_ was the one who gave Grace to the Tarnished, not the Greater Will. The end goal was most likely to one day kill the Elden Beast. Age of Fracture -> A fracture in the relationship between her world and the Greater Will.
Great video, Chalice! Honestly, one of the best on Elden Ring lore/speculation that I've watched. I also think the point on second-hand knowledge deserves a lot more spotlight in general, it's so integral to how the lore is delivered in the game throughout. Really awesome content has been made on iconography, the archaeological aspect (similiar thinking), etc., but on the outright "historical" sources within the game world such as texts or prophecies, it's really easy to just assume they're face value, not altered since inception, when they sound more straightforwards than the rest. You almost want them to be, so you can balance those sources out.
And now after the DLC we find out that even more of his information is straight up false due to Metyr having lost contact with the Greater Will. Common Gideon L
This was really very interesting. The part about Radagon being the one sealing the Erdtree with the thorns is actually quite convincing and totally unexpected. Great interpretation of Gideon's character too. And great voice as always ❤
For Gideon being all-knowing, he never sees me getting fully buffed and then cracking him with a charged R2 while he does his speech before the fight 😂
Great video!! I just finished my first play through of elden ring and have loved my time with it. You do a fantastic job of explaining and diving into the lore of the game world and characters.
"A man cannot kill a god." that line lives in my mind as the quote that proves how Elden ring perfects the souls most valuable resource: making the player feel stronger. between 1 and 3, you go from a worthless nameless rot of a person, to a powerful warrior whos taken down the strongest beings in the world. For me this sensation of achieving what seems impossible is what makes the souls games so satisfying, you have come so far and have gained so much strength, to the point where you can clash with the most powerful people in the world, and win. Elden ring does this as well. but is the first souls game where killing gods is not only a common occurrence, but the main goal of the game (unless you consider gwyn a god from dark souls I, but the soul of cinder and nashandra are not gods). Defeating a lord of cinder in dark souls 3 feels amazing, because not only are they hard to defeat, but they are supposed to be some of the most powerful warriors of their era. similar to that, Elden ring puts you up against the demigods, powerful warriors part of the holy golden lineage, shardbearers with immense strength. these demigods while sometimes easier (in my experience) than past souls bosses, are personally more satisfying to kill, because they are gods. It makes it so that a worthless tarnished, a simple man, turns into a godslaying, world saving, elden lord.
I just saw this recommended in the side bar and I like what I see of the channel so far. "Wise, but not smart" is the most concise summary of Gideon's entire character that I've ever heard.
He's the fantastical version of a wikipedia scholar: If you give him time he can repeat something someone else already figured out back to you. But that's it. He puts a few things together after *you* do all the discovering because he has essential context that he just doesn't ever share with you.
Countless playthroughs and your videos are still teaching me about the lore. And yes, your videos have continued to get even better. I look forward to all the videos the DLC will inspire you to make!
Honestly, I never hear the interpretation I had of his “a man cannot kill a god” everyone seems to take it as an insult or disbelief, i always thought he said it as a warning, a notice that the path you’re on will not end as you intend it. Quite frankly it’s my preferred interpretation, as he was highly intelligent, there’s just no way i see him just unable to comprehend the tarnisheds goal and ability.
Going through this playthrough without speaking to Gideon at the round table to see if just defeating certain bosses gives him their abilities or if you have to tell him about them
with knowledge of how the fingers work from the DLC, finding there was not only a third layer, Metyr (Greater Will->Metyr->two finger->finger reader->tarnished), but that Metyr was abandoned long ago, and the greater Will wasn't directing us at all this whole time...
I'm glad to see you back on my algorithm! That promise about going back about Gideon after talking about the entirety of Elden Ring's lore cracked me up. But tbh I'd listen to anything you have to say even if the title says otherwise lol Also, yes I can hear the improvement from the video and your voice! Well done! 💯🔥
I think the reasom why Gideon doesnt go collect the great runes is because he cant see the guidance of grace like rogier meaning if he dies he is dead unlike the player character who can see the guidance and respawn. I think the intro scene was refering to the greater will abandoning the demigods amd not the lands between. I believe that Gideon was tricked by radagon just like morgott. When he glimpsed into the will of marika i think it was radagons will he saw as they both are the same person. He is the one who tricked morgott into keeping the status quo so when morgott failed he used Gideon. Morgott deserved better
I'd like to offer another interpretation. What if reality isn't quite so simple? What if Gedeon knew something we didn't? It seems to me, that queen Marika did not have a master plan. That all was done to maintain a semblance of Order, in a panic. Perhaps "struggling onto eternity" is meant as a way to maintain the status quo. Something that bothers me about your proposals is how they all reinforce our biases about our heroic role in the story. From software's worlds are quite fond of disempowering the player, and I belive this to be no exception. I belive that no matter what ending we choose, we end up as a pawn in someone else's schemes, that our choise was never made with full awareness. I think this is what he meant in "A man cannot kill a God"- not Marika/Radagon, but the cosmic system they are part of, the one we are part of. Yes, he's a tool. But if we take a moment to humble ourselves, we might come to see that there is always more to the truth than meets the eye... Or maybe he's just dumb, who knows...
It's really fascintating how people in comments type bullshit in a way like "stupid Gideon have no his own spells" , "how blind he is to see what's happening around" or even moking him of being worse then Playable Character in any way yet understimating him as hell and how ironic is that he judges others yet never realizing his own weaknesses. I wonder, how many original spells does player use/create? How much would all this people know about the game without wiki or videos like that(it's especially funny how they tell Gideon knows nothing in lore video comments). How much deatils would they notice by themselves? How many content would they miss? Also they seem to forget in what stance do our characters appear in the Roundtable hold(How great was he at this point? Just another tarnished. Don't look like a fulture Elden Lord to me). They also forget souls-series was never about some great heroes: all of them are failing according to the plot. It's about a random dude(just another undead/ashen one/hunter/tarnished) who was lucky and stubborn enough to fulfill his purpose(being led by someone other ofc). So in conclisuion they seem to have even less self-awareness then Gideon, lol. I also don't believe Marika had any master-plan, looks like she broken the ring on emotions. Also, the basic ending called "age of fracture". Doesn't seem really good. Any ending but a Goldmask ending sounds bad actually. Well, maby frenzied flame has some prospects(like renewing the world) yet it doesn't seem to e right one. Ranni's ending looks even worse: new cicle under a new Great will. Perhaps, our character will even repeat the Godfrey's way (killing all enemies then being replaced, like a tool). Maby Gideon DOES know something.
But actually I believe he was once a great hero, yet, when he gain a revelation of current world statement he broke and lost all his ambition, so he locked himself in Roundtable hold and distracted himself from the horrible truth by some routine activities, fooling himself as if he really does something to became elden lord still. He doesn't seem to bo really interested in becaming the elden lord: otherwise he would gain at least Godrick's rune. So i believe he doesn't really care anymore. Yet the player's actions may remind him of his ambitions and boosts his morale, that's why he could challenge Player Character. Just the way it was with Hawkwood in DS III .
After like 3 Gideon vids this is the one I learned the most about his character and the conflicted nature he had regarding thirst for knowledge vs accepting the inevitable that we the tarnished will become a lord before him undermining his entire life’s goal/work, great video and great voice too I’d listen to you explaining lore on where rocks come from it had this quality of knowledge/insight in it
Never liked him -.- "oh, you want to poison my daughter so that creep can turn her into a doll? Go right ahead" Also, some of your patron's names, lol. Reading "GapingDonut" after a lore video sure breaks the immersion 🤣
Congratulations on the growth of your channel. It is well-deserved. You definitely have come a long way in the development of your style! And I'm certain that will only continue to evolve over time. Thank you for the insightful video, as always.
One thing I like about it is that the more you tell him, the more power he aquires. So many developers are afraid of gamers missing shit, that if Gideon was in an Ubisoft game an NPC would just spoil it for you. "If you talk to that man about where you been, he will get stronger."😂
thank you for making more elden ring content, this video was sooo wonderful 🩷 i have to say, not a single creator has covered the two fingers to the extent you have in this video. it always confused me why no one would discuss them in detail when they’re one of the most intriguing aspects of the lore. you killed itttt, thank you again lovely!!!
My theory for Gideon's misinterpretation of Marika's will is that he wasn't just seeing Marika's will for the Tarnished to struggle, but also Radagon's will for the Tarnished to never become Elden Lord so he can repair the Elden Ring and reestablish the golden order. Because Radagon IS Marika, their desires could get mixed together when Gideon tries to figure it all out, leading to his interpretation "the tarnished must struggle, but they must do so forever so they can never become elden lord".
Incorrect. Gideon actually understands Marika the best out of any character in the game. Marika's goal is to create a new order without gods or their influence, even sacrificing herself to that end, as the godslaying weapon is meant to kill her specifically. However she understands the cosmic nature of the outer gods and that they literally cannot be killed. So her new desired order would essentially consist of humans eternally struggling to ward off their influence. Gideon understands this and that's why he's trying to oppose it. An outer god cannot be killed by a man, and a man thus cannot sustain a new order based entirely on warding off that outer god, and cannot be lord. Or at least that's what he believes
just earned my sub with this video. I enjoy diving into lore videos and people's interpretations and I must say that your take was refreshing and compelling to get cogwheels in my head to start turning again. thank you and keep up the good work!
I have never really commented on any of your videos before, but this one being based so much on your interpretations was especially entertaining and enjoyable, not that i dislike lore discussions based on fully established facts, but it is nice every now and then to go beyond that. P.S. Nice new profile pic!
Thank you so much for your nice words! I'm really pleased you enjoyed this style of lore talk :) I am super interested in postulating why characters do what they do, their motivations, their psyche, etc. That tends to go into speculation. But as you said, that is fun to dip into! P.S. Thank you!! Ranni was one of my favourite E.R. cosplays, and I thought it was time for a change!
Gideon obviously has a lot of faith in the golden order to be able to cast his incantations. So imagine his position. You spend your life dedicating your mind, body, and soul to believing in the rules set by your god. Then, you have a chance to speak directly to said god, and all it tells you is that it DOESN'T want you to follow those rules, and that they would prefer the rules were destroyed entirely. Imagine the kind of effect that would have on someones psyche.
One of the things I greatly enjoy about Gideon is the way he tells you about the various Shardbearers and where to find them, like he's just reading facts out of a bullet pointed textbook. He has this vast collection of knowledge, but without an ability to put it to use, apply it, and distill any meaning from it. We're the ones with practical experience, gaining the strength necessary to become Elden Lord and choose our own destiny. Gideon, on the other hand, is the ONLY Tarnished in the entire game who does not start outside, or ever depart from the Roundtable Hold, his bastion of knowledge.
@@davidobriend8560 Then she needs to update her definition of wisdom: wisdom is defined in part by action. Gideon is a fool because he is not proactive on his own, instead acting through his minions.
Great video as usual! I personally believe the third theory might be good one here. Gideon was frightened indeed. Besides, we said that Gideon was unaware of Marika and Radagon real nature but what about Miriel, does he know in your opinion?
You are fantastic Miss Chalice, a godsend. I have most of the puzzle pieces since I've played the game so much and watched numerous videos on lore, but sometimes it's still difficult to see the bigger picture.
Only recently found your channel and it instantly skyrocketted into my favorites. Your voice is so soothing and clear, even at 2x. If you ever make a 2nd channel reading bedtime stories ill subscribe immediately
I have seen a theory to suggest he did not know Marika is Radagon. So when he peered into the will of Marika, he may have seen Radagons Will. The will for the tarnished to fail, to suffer, struggle and never being able to defeat a god.
man I really love your videos. Your calm demeanour and professionalism is honestly astounding and I can still see you improving. very good stuff, as always Miss Chalice !
Yo, this is fantastic. Compared to your earlier videos, this really unveils the subject, sir Gideon, by each layer. Just getting better, cant wait for more!
From the way he's hunched over that desk to read his papers, he might be short-sighted which would be a little extra nugget of irony.
man that's genius. nice observation!
@@miss_chalice Thanks! His design is super interesting and the way he's all hunched over to read is so distinctive.
See I personally think that this just supports the theory of Gideon being very well on in years. Short sightedness, very clearly in some form or another decrepit, his disdain for the changes in the world, and the fact that he’s a bit of a hermit. He has a slight haunch in his back even whilst we fight him at the end. As we begin the game in the age undeath; who really knows how old Gideon The All Knowing could be?
the eye deformity is actually called "near-sighted", not "short-sighted"
@@DiabolicalHater ahh, i'm personally nearsighted myself, and i don't mind either
The craziest thing to me, is that he is so sure that a man cannot kill a god, yet right under his nose is Hewg forging a weapon to kill a god. All-knowing indeed.
I mean. He can't even see Latenna in our pocket.
His knowledge only comes from books. Not real life experience. He can't even see what's around him, like literally in front of him. He's too immersed in his fantasy world.
I think actually he means, really really kill, because maybe all this gods have and end until something next to it
Perhaps he knows a god-killing weapon is being forged close to him, but he either thinks that weapon is useless (imagine cutting a sword shape in a cardboard and saying you are creating a weapon that can slay an elephant), or that no man can properly wield such a weapon (imagine giving a grenade launcher to an ant and expecting it to kill a bear) ?
@@jackwilliam4436I think this is true, I believe he thinks making a God-slaying weapon is a fools errand. Hewg has been in the Roundtable Hold a long long time and never succeeded in making such a weapon (until the player comes along of course). Gideon also believes no one can become Elden Lord, and I think this is a logical extension of that.
"SIR GIDEON OFFNIR, THE ALL SPAMMING!"
Golden retaliation
Golden retaliation
Golden retaliation
“I know it on my bones a man cannot kill a god”
😂
AhH.... i'd knew you'd spam
More like Sir Idiot Ofnir, amirite?
Ngl the first time I fought him, I died of shock
Him declaring “ a tarnished can never be elden lord” only to be immediately proven wrong by the arrival of Godfrey
*Pulls out Malekith’s Black Blade*
Godfrey one fight later
"Your strength befits a crown."
Godfrey was Elden Lord first, then became the first tarnished, didn't he? So that wouldn't be a mistake by Ofnir.
@someguyusa but godfrey was always just a "man", but a powerful one.
@@itscoolthough419 Yes, but Godfrey was granted Grace by Marika. His assertion is that a tarnished stripped of grace can't be a lord because they have no Grace. He's wrong of course, but it isn't a contradiction.
"Try not to make a spectacle of yourself"...
*...Becomes Elden Lord*
"Heh. Another Tarnished to die in their pointless journey."
*Tarnished burns the Erdtree, kills Placidusax, Maliketh and acquires Destined Death in a single afternoon
"YOU DID WHAT?!"
What greater spectacle then becoming Elden lord?
@@ColdEmperorDestroying the Greater Will?
Becomes frenzy lord
"I am Gideon, The All-Knowing"
"More like Gideon The Stupid"
"What"
"Gideon The Wrinkly"
"Stop it"
"GIDEON THE STINKY"
"NO"
"GIDEON... THE DUMB!!"
Message Appraised.
Gideon the shidiot
I like how he is only truly offended by being called "stinky"
KHEZU THE STINKY!!!!!
He says "You may let down your guard". Then later his apprentice attacks us unprovoked in the roundtable hold. He's out to use us then kill us from the start.
Yeah, because we are also fellow competitor. He's a fraud
Or he might have truly meant it. He didn't care about us or what we would achieve at the start. To him, we were just another tarnished seeking shelter. Until we claimed a great rune and the half of the medallion.
I'm not defending him, though. Fk Gideon.
Gideon is quite possibly the single most talented human magic user in all of FromSoft's titles. Every single other one you ever meet or hear about specializes in a school or subclass of magic, and very few are considered masters of their art. Gideon is capable of fully mastering any and all magic he comes across. Such talent is certainly worthy to stand along such names as Noble Goldmask and Hoarah Loux as greatest of all tarnished. Compared to our player character, who has no choice but to accept and even thrive in repeated failure, Gideon takes great steps to avoid potential failures by having others struggle for him. Has Gideon ever truly faced hardships in his life? How can someone like that ever face the possibility that all their efforts may have been for naught?
Very well put! And I agree when you consider that Gideon needs Faith, Arcane and a lot of INT points to use some of the spells he demonstrates, like Comet Azur, which requires 60 points. All these legendary, sacred sorceries and incantations are not for the faint of heart or brain!
Ah, the fear of failure. I hadn’t realized just how much that fear had limited me before playing Dark Souls.
@@TheGallantDrake Sekiro and Blood borne makes you face those fears head on
Any mc slaps him apart as demonstrated
It is no wonder then how he snapped under the weight of his task upon seeing what he needed to do, the task of killing a god seemed like an impossibility, and the prospect of failure to someone whom never truly faced it before broke him.
calls himself the all knowing and tries to sip an empty flask in the middle of a fight
He's not Gideon the all counting.
He actually doesn't call himself all knowing. He states he aspires to be all knowing, also admitting in that the fact he is not all knowing right now. It's others that call him all knowing.
almost woke up the whole house laughing at this
lmao
@@OhDuhEhthis comment made me google it, i always thought the intro cutscene was gideon talking and he just referred to himself in third person for theatrics (says gideon ofnir the all knowing) but i was wrong, its just a guy lol so thanks for that 😂
gideon: "These namby pamby tarnished who see us as shelter from the rain."
also gideon: *never leaves the round table hold to stay in its safety*
gideon is a boomer
Gideon: "Get me a great rune then we can talk."
*Tarnished brings one
Gideon: "...holy shit."
@@anonfinally1692 it's like "wait, you killed the guy. THE guy who ruled the largest region on the continent, whose soldiers actively hunt us, and who was our one and only direct enemy and only demigod sane enough to stop us?"
"damn. Why don't you go kill some more..f r i e n d"
The roundtable hold he is the leader so its okay for him, and other he use it to study so this too is something to add, not just a shelter from the rain
@@Jorge-i3g1c a leader would lead by example and step outside
I don't believe Nepheli's summon sign at Godfrey's boss fog indicates she was sent by Gideon as it only appears if you complete her quest line by giving her the StormHawk King's ashes (instead of Seluvis's potion like a bastard) and letting her become ruler of Limgrave through Kent Height's questline, so I think its appearance is just Nepheli making good on her promise for you to be able to call upon her.
Afterall Gideon had already abandoned Nepheli at that point because he deemed her be of no more use precisely because could no longer completely manipulate her.
'instead of Seluvis's potion like a bastard' OY! i wanted to see what happens oke? >:(
Yes, you are completely correct! I went back and tested it; she doesn't appear as a summon for Godfrey if you ignore her questline. So, as you said, it's connected to her rise as the next ruler of Stormveil. It's my mistake; when you get theorising, it's easy to MAKE things fit your perspective instead of thinking of why they DON'T fit. I will try and double-check the trigger criteria for any theories in future :)
But yes, I agree with your observation about Gideon abandoning Nepheli when he couldn't manipulate her anymore.. Thanks again!
@@miss_chalice No worries when Elden Ring only conveys significant plot points and lore via items descriptions, environmental storytelling, and easily missed in game events its very very easy to miss or overlook something as your building out a theory or just try to follow the game's narrative in general.
Pretty sure several theories I have about Miquella are going to get blown out of water when the DLC drops.
@@warmak4576 What can I say got to own that right bastard badge, now.
Even Gideon balked at the notion of giving the potion to Nepheli even after he gaslit lit her, used her, and then abandoned her the moment her showed the slightest bit of independence. You have her puppet now the item description says it all.
Me, I gave the potion to the Dungeater because screw him and Seluvis (Also he's the better puppet😉)
Please man, I'm not a bastard, I just thought I'd fail Ranni's quest if I didn't complete Seluvis' because I went in blind without a wiki, I swear. I didn't even know I could talk to Gideon about it.
If we remember Gideon's second name, Ofnir, is a bastardized version of Odin name. And if we remember, not only he was known as the All-Father, which meant he knew everything, when he learn the prophecy of Ragnarok, he did everything to stop it, meaning he didn't want to things to change and end, just like Gideon with the Tarnished trying ti become Elden Lord.
I thought it wasnt a bastardization but an actual name used in mythology to refer to Odin i could be entirely mistaken
his full name is Gideon Solaris Ofnir
That’s really cool. Nice interpretation!
In an early interview a FromSoft dev mentioned Elden Ring was inspired by Norse mythology.
I think his helmetless face also lost an eye, more points to being Odin
Ironically I think Gideon didn't KNOW that Radagon and Marika were one person. Radagon (posing as Marika) tricked him into thinking no one can kill a God, we know Radagon wants to keep the Golden Order around, so tricking Gideon into stopping people from trying to claim the throne is in his best interest (especially now that the thorns were burned allowing someone to come into the Tree)
I think him knowing "Marika's" mind but not Radagon's is another tick on the side of the Hero of Morne/ original Marika is Radagon's prisoner theory
Ahh yes you are right. The fact that "Radagon is Marika" is pretty much unknown to most people in The Lands Between! Good point!
@@miss_chalice Even the woman he slept with "Rennala" had no idea
Personal belief, but Im pretty sure they became one after Marika shattered the ring and Radagon being the golden order's No1 fan tried to fix everything by being Marika.
This is the theory I think has the most weight. Which is the sweetest irony. The all-knowing, the man with every plan, in the end, dies in teh service of a manipulation and a falsehood. His own arrogance blindign him to the possibility of being wrong and losing because of it.
This aged interestingly. Dude KNEW that the fingers werent even connected to the outerwill and thus neither was marika.
But Marika houses the Elden ring, and is a vassal of the greater will. The two fingers are connected to the greater will, but they can’t communicate with it anymore. Likely, at best they can see who would be a good fit to become a god. They’re at least able to choose empyreans, and must be killed along with your empyrean flesh in order to be divested from the greater will, as established by ranni’s quest line
Inescapable Frenzy is such a fun way to take out Gideon. "Here, have some Eldritch Truth! Can't really call yourself All-Knowing if you don't know what it's like to have your eyes and brain on fire."
"I know a way to become Elden lord, Gideon. All you have to do is..."
*grabs head, leans in, whispers* "Find the Albunauric woman."
MADNESS
I use HoM and Rykard's Rancor on him so he could experience what it feels facing those
I find it interesting that you said he's wise and not intelligent with those reasons. Growing up, I always understood it differently. Intelligence is having knowledge, while wisdom is knowing what to do with said knowledge. That's part of what makes his story even better for me. He calls himself the wise and knows and can master all these high-level magic, but ultimately, he's just a pawn being led around by the Fingers. The irony of him having the knowledge and thinks he knows what he's doing with it while being completely blind just tickles my irony bone
I agree. Gideon isn’t wise but not intelligent, rather he’s intelligent but not wise.
No, intelligence is processing capabilities - your ability to think. Having knowledge is being knowledgeable. Wisdom is good decision making, and by extension, the insight required to do so.
So he's neither intelligent nor wise.
@@borgmardunkleson2225correct! Gideon is very stubborn, doesn’t do anything to support or falsify his claims or ideas (showing how afraid he is of being wrong or how self assured he is) he completely lacks self awareness and insight, ultimately gets fooled in the end no matter how you interpret his story, and is the furthest thing removed from being “All-Knowing” Gideon isn’t in the loop at all… I really laugh when people don’t see how he’s more of a parody of Odin (who’s represented in many form’s throughout the game) he’s like how Odin appears in God of War. Haughty and manipulative but no real plan
shut up
9:18 Using your "fingers" to make air quotes to frame the words "guidance" when talking about "The Fingers" made my head spin for a minute
What I find interesting is that when you mention that the two fingers are stuck in stasis calling out to the Greater Will that has abandoned them, the pose of the two fingers strikes me as the same pose Dragonlord Placidusax is in when we first get to him. Both of these abandoned by their gods and now stuck in this pose awaiting a response.
24:30 Nephili is there to support your ascension to Elden Lord. Her summon only shows up if you complete her quest, which includes her having her falling out with Gidion, becoming The Storm Lord, and swearing fielty to you. She's not there to help Gidion.
You should've inserted that trump quote telling a certain silly woman to cease dialogue 😂
@@joshjonson2368 Donald being a mysoginist is not funny. anything involving him stopped being funny back when he tried to do a coup.
He definitely did not know how to dodge my alternating DragonClaw spam from dual Dragon communion Seals
😂😂😂
Madness Grab goes "AAAAAH, ahhhhhAHHHGHHH, AAAAAAHHHHHHH"
Good call about the fingers being unreliable narrators.
I love the theory that all the scarabs you find throughout the lands between that are marked with the eye symbol are Gideon's spies. But also *terrifying* 😮
Gideon's suggestion to just wipe nepheli's mind so that she can be useful to him in the future 😮
Also his complete nonchalant attitude to you setting the roundtable on fire 😮
His casual suggestion that you just finish Miquella off too once you find him.
Yes! The more I discovered about Gideon, the more insidious and creepy his actions/behaviour appeared! Oh, and that scarab theory is one of my all-time favourites.
Gideon's world runs on a meritocracy. He does seem to respect people more for being both capable and willing to achieve their objectives despite hardship. He didn't seem to respect Nephali at first but once she chooses to be lord of Stormwind he seems to genuinely think well of her. Same for you. The further along you get the more difference he pays you. Not just because you actually claimed a great rune. You best him at his own schemes. It makes him think more highly of you.
That said it is obvious Gideon is untrustworthy. Between using people for what value he can get out of them to withholding information if it doesn't produce results for him Gideon deserves to get used by Radagon as a stooge.
I think those scarabs that holds ashes of war were suppose to go to Gideon to give him more knowledge of close quarter combat since in the video it shows he lacks in melee combat as he uses spells instead when fighting him and the scepter he carries should be able to be use as a melee weapon and spells but when you kill the scarabs you ended up gaining that knowledge instead of Gideon
Well, you know, about the last one he might've had a point...
@@miss_chalice He also has a very creepy dialogue about the Ranni doll. He actually asks if you put her in a jar with your seed 😭
I think rather than knew nothing, Gideon knew EVERYTHING that we knew and even more, but still gave up due his own hubris and cowardice. He couldn't THINK of a way to kill a God, so rather than go take a swing at Marika to see what happened, he chooses to gave up and conceded to Marika's will. I don't think the last line was meant to be a spite or anything, but that is genuinely what he believed.
I like the idea that Gideon is intelligent enough to use you to gather the great runes for him so he can join nepheli in the fight against Godfrey, then ultimately betray nepheli before going into the erdtree and realizing he has to fight Marika radagon
Oh man, how much I would pay to see an alternate/cut ending of Gideon doing just this and having him and his smugness wiped off the plane of existence.
The all hearing traitor would die by the divine hands of his God, that now would be free from it's gaol. The world would soom be once again under the merciless hands of the golden order someone so desperately tried to seal away, inside the Great Tree.
Stormveil's winds would suddenly take the arena, and the stubborn King would finally come back from it's ashes to aid it's master, healing her wounds.
Hoarah Loux descendant would win this last fight, and everyone would live happily ever after. Our seed would then look back upon us, and recall...
The fallen leaves tell a story of how an All-Blundering fool tried to become Elden Lord, to attempt to take the throne. Our seed will look back upon us, in an Age of Mediocrity.
Nepheli's summon sign before Godfrey is only there if you completed her personal quest and made her Lady of Limgrave as that ends with her pledging herself to you. She isn't there on Gideon's orders as it's unlikely she'd help someone who not only revealed himself to be a cruel bastard but also cast her away.
unfortunately i played the game when her quest was bugged
yess i really thought of this, after learning about the albinauric village massacre by gideon she was feeling too betrayed to ever want to be at his side again
@@Downloadable_4bro that was 2 years ago replay the game
gideon was one of the few bosses that i really felt ok beating the crap out of lol. most of the bosses in elden ring i empathized with or even felt bad having to take them down but him.... i made a day of it lol.
Yeah, I absolutely agree with this. It felt like "put your money where your mouth is, Gideon" regarding all this big talk about becoming Elden Lord. Aaaaaaand.... you're dead. Gideon has no redeeming qualities whatsoever!
...most of them? Most of them are dicks.
After what he did to nepheli, I was ecstatic to see him standing there, giving me the opportunity to avenge my girl
My crowning moment in this game was when I no-hit Gideon on my very first attempt and then teabagged him on my way out. What a bastard.
I slowly walked up to him, and simply did the shoot madness directly into his head spell
Gideon orchestrated the slaughter at the Village of the Albinaurics because he caught wind the medallion he was searching for was there. This is hinted at by your initial conversation with Latenna at the Slumbering Wolf Shack. This obviously upset Nepheli and caused a rift in her relationship with her adoptive father. Gideon also noticed when you, the Tarnished, find Albus and acquire the first half of the Haligtree Medallion... this is what causes him to ultimately sic his dog (Ensha) on you upon your return to the Roundtable Hold - you found what he essentially murdered a boatload of albinaurics for.
This is why I love this game... to actually understand the "meat & potatoes" of each character, you have to piece things together. The writer(s) assume you're intelligent enough to work out the who, what, when, where, and why. Too many stories these days, regardless of format, tend to beat you over the head with the plot as if you're too dumb to figure it out - it's boring. The game itself stands alone. For those that want to hack and slash their way through scores of bosses and challenges, this will definitely provide satisfaction... but for those that want a little more depth or to better understand what motivates each character, there's plenty below the surface if you're willing to dig.
Thank you for posting these lore videos!
I really disliked Gideon from the start so I was thrilled when I saw him standing there. I'd have to agree that he realized what Queen Marika was planning and couldn't fathom that she intended to be killed and have the golden order replaced. Knowing what the tarnished is capable of in battle and still choosing to try to stop us and Godfrey at the end is kind of brave in his own delusional way.
Prolly a do or die response. When the threat of Marina's death became more apparent he likely chose to just fight against all odds for the tiny chance of killing you and preventing his fears.
And if he fails, atleast he won't have to live thru it cuznhe's dead. Probably aware you have the death rune at this point.
I have seen him beat up alot of players, if the devs gave him an actual cutscene and didn't make him stand around talking he would kill more.@@anamggss
I was fascinated first happening upon the other Roundtable Hold in Leyndell. Partially destroyed, corpses of finger readers all about. It really had me wonder, has this all happened before? Is this what Gideon meant by having us struggle for eternity?
Idk if you're familiar with The Tarnished Archaeologist, but he has a whole series of videos that start from the theory that the Erdtree was actually burnt before the events of the game (one tell is the amount of what looks like ash around Leyndell)
"its safe here" (Ensha giving heavy side eye)
13:26 Actually, there is a real life phenomenon that aligns better with this theory that happens to many tree species.
When many trees are damaged, wether it be via enviromental stress like drought or a large wound, they tend to flower/fruit excessively the following year. It is a natural survival instinct, when there's a chance it may die, to spread as many offspring as possible so the speciales can survive. Orchard farmers (or at least old ones) used this to their advantage, and apple farmers sometimes cut a whole ring of bark off the center of their trees to get a better crop (by stressing them out).
Tree facts! Yay! Haha
Unexpected Elden Ring lore from Miss Chalice, yay!
I had to return to my roots! The call of the Elden Ring is too strong!
I straight up had no idea girls like you existed. And still wouldn't be surprised if you're the only one 🤷 and by that I mean extremely beautiful girls who speak intelligently/eloquently, and on top of that, play really difficult but awesome games like Elden Ring. Can honestly say I'm just impressed all around 🥰👍
@@lordaizen8004cringe
@@lordaizen8004 This comment made me feel sick
@@LegendaryPlank that someone honestly spoke their mind made you sick?? How about grow up maybe?? You ppl are so sensitive, I didn't even say anything lewd or crude like SOO many others do. Fucking idiots
6:40 we finally got confirmation of this with the DLC, the fingers were broken. bro really was all knowing
Great video Chalice!
Another irony is that the name 'Gideon' is Hebraic in origin and can be taken to mean 'Great Warrior' or 'one who cut's down/feller' (as in literally 'tree feller') - Gideon's overt refusal of the call goes deep!
keep it up!
ooooo really nice trivia! Thank you for sharing; one of my favourite things about Fromsoft is their choice of names. They usually have a funny or fitting meaning behind them, and Gideon is no exception, clearly!
@@miss_chalice oh absolutely just look at Gwyn's family's names! My IRL name means 'usurper' which sounds suitably Frommish so I'm hoping for my own NPC one day lol!
To add to this, Ofnir is an alternative name for the god Odin, who is, among other things, a god of shamanism and sorcery, as well as wisdom and knowledge. Considering he uses sorceries and he seems to "quest for knowledge" in much the same way Odin does in Norse stories, whether it be through us, the player, giving him information, or through other means, I'd say this, too, is an interesting use of that part of Gideon's name. Add to this that Odin quested to stave off Ragnarok (the end of existence's current cycle, which, by some interpretations, he himself set into motion through the slaying of Ymir), but ultimately couldn't, because fate, or wyrd, was already set into motion, is also interesting because in the game Gideon, despite, or perhaps because of, all his knowledge, comes to the conclusion that "a man can not kill a god", thus essentially saying we are unable to break or change the cycle, even though in this narrarive we end up proving him wrong.
@@ObsideoVir Awesome point dude I hadn't connected Ofnir to Odin but it's very on point! I think one of the key aspects of Odin's myth being he was willing to sacrifice ANYTHING - even potentially his own life and/or eye for wisdom. Annoyingly it does rather fly in the face of my own theory that there's nowhere near as much Norse/Germanic mythology in Soulsborne lore as people think but I'm starting to think that's just DarkSouls (yes yes BIG TREES yes I know but still).
Thinking about it I would say he's a pale comparison - I've always taken 'man cannot kill a god' to be more a statement of belief - or even a religious mantra (you CANNOT eat fudge on a Wednesday) obviously we CAN we just shouldn't - despite his wisdom he's incapable of looking beyond the golden order because it's a fundamental part of who and what he is...
Just promise me in the DLC nobody is distracting a horse!?
It’s crazy that Gideon knew the two fingers had lost their purpose, as we learn in the DLC that their connection had been severed essentially throughout the majority of Marika’s reign, if not in its entirety.
You called it with the new lore from the DLC, the Fingers have been frauds the entire time, the Greater Will has been gone the entire time. The Narrator in the first cutscene just gave us the greatest lore revelation right away
What i take from this is that since the Greater Will basically left and abandoned everyone, then the two fingers took the role of the Greater Will but never really saying they were taking over and once everything was revealed (impenatrable thorns doors) they got confused/scared and try to look for help from the Greater Will, a process that takes ages cause the Greater Will just isn't there anymore. Them being some type of voice mail though is a pretty good theory, makes them some type of Proxy or something that the Greater Will left on the Lands Between for people to communicate with and to relay that information onto other people, while at the same time not really knowing how the "story" was going to end so the Will basically left the script unfinished and once proof was shown on how the story was going to end they looked for help, and no one is there to answer.
Makes me feel like the Fingers are like a Fallen Angel of sorts that managed to get some Divine power and started to try and become a "new" God, and once their entire plan fails they look for advice with the ACTUAL God that is the Greater Will, but the Will spurned them and will never answer their cries for help. This is really big stretch but that just happened to come up in my mind while writing this. Real life Religion counterparts are not really a strange thing in Elden Ring, so i thought i'd give it a shot! Thanks for the making this btw Chalice! Really well made video and lore on Gideon and the Fingers is always an interesting and fun thing to watch!
PS: Gideon is a d**k lol
Dude the greater will never left, thats how the tarnished is able to be able to receive the guidance of grace. The problem is really that the greater will switches allegiances rapidly in pursuit of its goals, and once godfrey was made the first exile/tarnished, a piece of marika rebelled and shattered the elden ring to diminish the power of the greater will. So the greater will restored grace to the tarnished to make it possible to restore the elden ring with the expectation that the tarnished will continue allegiance to that greater will as its emmisary. But thats where the other endings of elden ring come into play because it turns out there are other outer gods that you can swear yourself too like the moon outer god
@@phenomgaming3245 "My Lord, and thy warriors. I divest each of thee of thy grace. With thine eyes dimmed, ye will be driven from the Lands Between. Ye will wage war in a land afar, where ye will live, and die. Then, after thy death, I will give back what I once claimed. Return to the Lands Between, wage war, and brandish the Elden Ring. Grow strong in the face of death. Warriors of my lord. Lord Godfrey."
The Grace of Gold is given and taken by Marika herself. The Greater Will is most likely way too far away to directly influence the Lands Between, otherwise it would have never needed to send the Elden Beast as a vassal to rule in its stead. From the moment Marika banished Godfrey and his kin she was already fully expecting them to one day return and fulfill their duty, which is to claim the Elden Ring and end her age. _She_ was the one who gave Grace to the Tarnished, not the Greater Will. The end goal was most likely to one day kill the Elden Beast. Age of Fracture -> A fracture in the relationship between her world and the Greater Will.
Great video, Chalice! Honestly, one of the best on Elden Ring lore/speculation that I've watched.
I also think the point on second-hand knowledge deserves a lot more spotlight in general, it's so integral to how the lore is delivered in the game throughout. Really awesome content has been made on iconography, the archaeological aspect (similiar thinking), etc., but on the outright "historical" sources within the game world such as texts or prophecies, it's really easy to just assume they're face value, not altered since inception, when they sound more straightforwards than the rest. You almost want them to be, so you can balance those sources out.
And now after the DLC we find out that even more of his information is straight up false due to Metyr having lost contact with the Greater Will. Common Gideon L
Radagon's criss-cross pattern acts as a trellis, further 'ordering' life and growth in the way the Greater Will dictates
finally someone who teaches lore with a soft voice and not a ultra loud voice so i cant work next to it or fall asleep to it. very good video thx
This was really very interesting. The part about Radagon being the one sealing the Erdtree with the thorns is actually quite convincing and totally unexpected. Great interpretation of Gideon's character too.
And great voice as always ❤
He's scared because his world ends when the game ends.
Gideon always reminded me of odin. A ruthless individual obsessed with knowledge, wisdom and prophecy
Ik this is an old comment, but "Ofnir" is actually one of Odin's titles, so it's a spot-on observation!
For Gideon being all-knowing, he never sees me getting fully buffed and then cracking him with a charged R2 while he does his speech before the fight 😂
Of course he knew nothing. Because if he did know anything he would know you never monologue while your enemy kills you.
Love the way you narrate the story, I let you play whilst driving to work sometimes. Verry soothing.
Great video!! I just finished my first play through of elden ring and have loved my time with it. You do a fantastic job of explaining and diving into the lore of the game world and characters.
Great stuff!
Another banger from Chalice to save a terrible week 🎉 Found Gideon's character really enigmatic and I can't wait to dive into this. Thanks!
an excellent analysis and presentation. thanks so much for this.
Thank you so much, and glad you think so! I really enjoy your MTG essays also :)
Another brilliantly crafted video 👏
ur humor, ur research & work. Ur the best there is to me! Have a nice weekend.
thank you so much for enjoying! and have a nice weekend too :)
Been here from the start and honestly thank you! You've made elden ring such a joy to listen about. Glad to see you back!
"A man cannot kill a god." that line lives in my mind as the quote that proves how Elden ring perfects the souls most valuable resource: making the player feel stronger. between 1 and 3, you go from a worthless nameless rot of a person, to a powerful warrior whos taken down the strongest beings in the world. For me this sensation of achieving what seems impossible is what makes the souls games so satisfying, you have come so far and have gained so much strength, to the point where you can clash with the most powerful people in the world, and win.
Elden ring does this as well. but is the first souls game where killing gods is not only a common occurrence, but the main goal of the game (unless you consider gwyn a god from dark souls I, but the soul of cinder and nashandra are not gods). Defeating a lord of cinder in dark souls 3 feels amazing, because not only are they hard to defeat, but they are supposed to be some of the most powerful warriors of their era. similar to that, Elden ring puts you up against the demigods, powerful warriors part of the holy golden lineage, shardbearers with immense strength. these demigods while sometimes easier (in my experience) than past souls bosses, are personally more satisfying to kill, because they are gods.
It makes it so that a worthless tarnished, a simple man, turns into a godslaying, world saving, elden lord.
I just saw this recommended in the side bar and I like what I see of the channel so far. "Wise, but not smart" is the most concise summary of Gideon's entire character that I've ever heard.
He's the fantastical version of a wikipedia scholar: If you give him time he can repeat something someone else already figured out back to you. But that's it. He puts a few things together after *you* do all the discovering because he has essential context that he just doesn't ever share with you.
Countless playthroughs and your videos are still teaching me about the lore. And yes, your videos have continued to get even better. I look forward to all the videos the DLC will inspire you to make!
Honestly, I never hear the interpretation I had of his “a man cannot kill a god” everyone seems to take it as an insult or disbelief, i always thought he said it as a warning, a notice that the path you’re on will not end as you intend it. Quite frankly it’s my preferred interpretation, as he was highly intelligent, there’s just no way i see him just unable to comprehend the tarnisheds goal and ability.
Going through this playthrough without speaking to Gideon at the round table to see if just defeating certain bosses gives him their abilities or if you have to tell him about them
A minute into the video and the Elden Bling is on point.
with knowledge of how the fingers work from the DLC, finding there was not only a third layer, Metyr (Greater Will->Metyr->two finger->finger reader->tarnished), but that Metyr was abandoned long ago, and the greater Will wasn't directing us at all this whole time...
I'm glad to see you back on my algorithm!
That promise about going back about Gideon after talking about the entirety of Elden Ring's lore cracked me up.
But tbh I'd listen to anything you have to say even if the title says otherwise lol
Also, yes I can hear the improvement from the video and your voice!
Well done! 💯🔥
21:54 I think it's more that he saw the Elden Beast and got (justifiably) scared.
I think the reasom why Gideon doesnt go collect the great runes is because he cant see the guidance of grace like rogier meaning if he dies he is dead unlike the player character who can see the guidance and respawn.
I think the intro scene was refering to the greater will abandoning the demigods amd not the lands between.
I believe that Gideon was tricked by radagon just like morgott. When he glimpsed into the will of marika i think it was radagons will he saw as they both are the same person. He is the one who tricked morgott into keeping the status quo so when morgott failed he used Gideon. Morgott deserved better
It never occurred to me to not trust Gideon, except for maybe when he says he didn't send his guard to kill you.
I'd like to offer another interpretation.
What if reality isn't quite so simple? What if Gedeon knew something we didn't?
It seems to me, that queen Marika did not have a master plan. That all was done to maintain a semblance of Order, in a panic. Perhaps "struggling onto eternity" is meant as a way to maintain the status quo.
Something that bothers me about your proposals is how they all reinforce our biases about our heroic role in the story. From software's worlds are quite fond of disempowering the player, and I belive this to be no exception. I belive that no matter what ending we choose, we end up as a pawn in someone else's schemes, that our choise was never made with full awareness. I think this is what he meant in "A man cannot kill a God"- not Marika/Radagon, but the cosmic system they are part of, the one we are part of. Yes, he's a tool. But if we take a moment to humble ourselves, we might come to see that there is always more to the truth than meets the eye...
Or maybe he's just dumb, who knows...
It's really fascintating how people in comments type bullshit in a way like "stupid Gideon have no his own spells" , "how blind he is to see what's happening around" or even moking him of being worse then Playable Character in any way yet understimating him as hell and how ironic is that he judges others yet never realizing his own weaknesses.
I wonder, how many original spells does player use/create? How much would all this people know about the game without wiki or videos like that(it's especially funny how they tell Gideon knows nothing in lore video comments). How much deatils would they notice by themselves? How many content would they miss? Also they seem to forget in what stance do our characters appear in the Roundtable hold(How great was he at this point? Just another tarnished. Don't look like a fulture Elden Lord to me). They also forget souls-series was never about some great heroes: all of them are failing according to the plot. It's about a random dude(just another undead/ashen one/hunter/tarnished) who was lucky and stubborn enough to fulfill his purpose(being led by someone other ofc).
So in conclisuion they seem to have even less self-awareness then Gideon, lol.
I also don't believe Marika had any master-plan, looks like she broken the ring on emotions. Also, the basic ending called "age of fracture". Doesn't seem really good. Any ending but a Goldmask ending sounds bad actually. Well, maby frenzied flame has some prospects(like renewing the world) yet it doesn't seem to e right one. Ranni's ending looks even worse: new cicle under a new Great will. Perhaps, our character will even repeat the Godfrey's way (killing all enemies then being replaced, like a tool).
Maby Gideon DOES know something.
But actually I believe he was once a great hero, yet, when he gain a revelation of current world statement he broke and lost all his ambition, so he locked himself in Roundtable hold and distracted himself from the horrible truth by some routine activities, fooling himself as if he really does something to became elden lord still.
He doesn't seem to bo really interested in becaming the elden lord: otherwise he would gain at least Godrick's rune. So i believe he doesn't really care anymore.
Yet the player's actions may remind him of his ambitions and boosts his morale, that's why he could challenge Player Character. Just the way it was with Hawkwood in DS III .
This is my first time watching you, and I must say, you are a true gem of a lady.
Gideon voice actor was great
After like 3 Gideon vids this is the one I learned the most about his character and the conflicted nature he had regarding thirst for knowledge vs accepting the inevitable that we the tarnished will become a lord before him undermining his entire life’s goal/work, great video and great voice too I’d listen to you explaining lore on where rocks come from it had this quality of knowledge/insight in it
Never liked him -.-
"oh, you want to poison my daughter so that creep can turn her into a doll? Go right ahead"
Also, some of your patron's names, lol. Reading "GapingDonut" after a lore video sure breaks the immersion 🤣
Congratulations on the growth of your channel. It is well-deserved. You definitely have come a long way in the development of your style! And I'm certain that will only continue to evolve over time.
Thank you for the insightful video, as always.
One thing I like about it is that the more you tell him, the more power he aquires. So many developers are afraid of gamers missing shit, that if Gideon was in an Ubisoft game an NPC would just spoil it for you. "If you talk to that man about where you been, he will get stronger."😂
This is why FromSoft makes the best games.
Well thank heavens Fronsoftware is here to make you feel intelligent.
Go for the grammar correction. It means you're even more intelligent.
@@a15godzilla well thank god you completely missed the point dipshit and decided to respond like you have autism.
Tbh I didn't understand a damn thing about the story until lore videos like this came out, lol. I don't really play them for the story elements though
thank you for making more elden ring content, this video was sooo wonderful 🩷
i have to say, not a single creator has covered the two fingers to the extent you have in this video. it always confused me why no one would discuss them in detail when they’re one of the most intriguing aspects of the lore. you killed itttt, thank you again lovely!!!
My theory for Gideon's misinterpretation of Marika's will is that he wasn't just seeing Marika's will for the Tarnished to struggle, but also Radagon's will for the Tarnished to never become Elden Lord so he can repair the Elden Ring and reestablish the golden order. Because Radagon IS Marika, their desires could get mixed together when Gideon tries to figure it all out, leading to his interpretation "the tarnished must struggle, but they must do so forever so they can never become elden lord".
I love this video! So glad you were suggested in my feed. Can't wait to watch more!
Incorrect. Gideon actually understands Marika the best out of any character in the game. Marika's goal is to create a new order without gods or their influence, even sacrificing herself to that end, as the godslaying weapon is meant to kill her specifically. However she understands the cosmic nature of the outer gods and that they literally cannot be killed. So her new desired order would essentially consist of humans eternally struggling to ward off their influence. Gideon understands this and that's why he's trying to oppose it. An outer god cannot be killed by a man, and a man thus cannot sustain a new order based entirely on warding off that outer god, and cannot be lord. Or at least that's what he believes
just earned my sub with this video. I enjoy diving into lore videos and people's interpretations and I must say that your take was refreshing and compelling to get cogwheels in my head to start turning again. thank you and keep up the good work!
I have never really commented on any of your videos before, but this one being based so much on your interpretations was especially entertaining and enjoyable, not that i dislike lore discussions based on fully established facts, but it is nice every now and then to go beyond that. P.S. Nice new profile pic!
Thank you so much for your nice words! I'm really pleased you enjoyed this style of lore talk :) I am super interested in postulating why characters do what they do, their motivations, their psyche, etc. That tends to go into speculation. But as you said, that is fun to dip into! P.S. Thank you!! Ranni was one of my favourite E.R. cosplays, and I thought it was time for a change!
Gideon obviously has a lot of faith in the golden order to be able to cast his incantations. So imagine his position. You spend your life dedicating your mind, body, and soul to believing in the rules set by your god. Then, you have a chance to speak directly to said god, and all it tells you is that it DOESN'T want you to follow those rules, and that they would prefer the rules were destroyed entirely. Imagine the kind of effect that would have on someones psyche.
*Gideon is actually Jon Snow, he knew nothing.*
One of the things I greatly enjoy about Gideon is the way he tells you about the various Shardbearers and where to find them, like he's just reading facts out of a bullet pointed textbook. He has this vast collection of knowledge, but without an ability to put it to use, apply it, and distill any meaning from it. We're the ones with practical experience, gaining the strength necessary to become Elden Lord and choose our own destiny. Gideon, on the other hand, is the ONLY Tarnished in the entire game who does not start outside, or ever depart from the Roundtable Hold, his bastion of knowledge.
"Gideon is wise but not intelligent."
Lady I think you got the definition of those words backwards.
intelligence-ability to apply knowledge and skills. When you use the literal definition of intelligence, it makes sense.
@@davidobriend8560 Then she needs to update her definition of wisdom: wisdom is defined in part by action. Gideon is a fool because he is not proactive on his own, instead acting through his minions.
Your videos are amazing. I have been watching you all this time.
Great video as usual! I personally believe the third theory might be good one here. Gideon was frightened indeed. Besides, we said that Gideon was unaware of Marika and Radagon real nature but what about Miriel, does he know in your opinion?
You have a magnificent voice for narration!! I'm hooked
What is this? ASMR for gamers?
Right I couldn’t hear shit she said
I heard her just fine. Y’all need to get your ears checked or turn your volumes up. Lol Also, some people have naturally quiet voices.
Wick Sthu with your exercises, she mf farming the revenue off you sleeping during the video
@@ididntaskverified3663bro you clicked on the video. YOU WATCHED THE VIDEO. Like stop crying.
@@BigChungus-gz9vw bigsimpus why do you even care shes not going to sleep with you lmao
Just came across your channel and love it! Thank you for being very informative and helping me dive deep in Elden ring lore!
Gideon: I am the most Potent Tarnished.
Godfrey: First Elden Lord
Vyke: Almost an Elden Lord
Gold Mask: literally creates the perfect order
You are fantastic Miss Chalice, a godsend. I have most of the puzzle pieces since I've played the game so much and watched numerous videos on lore, but sometimes it's still difficult to see the bigger picture.
shes so bad im perplexed
Only recently found your channel and it instantly skyrocketted into my favorites. Your voice is so soothing and clear, even at 2x. If you ever make a 2nd channel reading bedtime stories ill subscribe immediately
Gideon is like an American Republican politician full of hypocrisy and irony and driven by the fear of change.
At least Gideon can actually get around without a wheelchair
Nepheli is there for you to help you fight because you helped her to take the throne of stormveil. From what I can gather in her words.
Yes exactly in her own words...
Your voice is lovely to listen to and your vids are informative and relaxing to watch. Subbed, I look forward to much more content 🙂
Ah. I knew you'd come. Gets annihilated
Just found this channel and I love everything about your videos! Awesome audio, editing, and information! Thank you!
I have seen a theory to suggest he did not know Marika is Radagon. So when he peered into the will of Marika, he may have seen Radagons Will.
The will for the tarnished to fail, to suffer, struggle and never being able to defeat a god.
Incredible video. I had my eyes opened multiple times. Thank you.
man I really love your videos. Your calm demeanour and professionalism is honestly astounding and I can still see you improving. very good stuff, as always Miss Chalice !
Yo, this is fantastic. Compared to your earlier videos, this really unveils the subject, sir Gideon, by each layer. Just getting better, cant wait for more!
It’s crazy how much time and detail fromsoft put into parts of this game that 99% of people would never realize