Has anyone every tried to see what happens in DS3 if you don't pick up a single item before speaking to Patches? It always seemed weird to me that right outside the door of Judex, the first thing on the ground is a broken sword. Like it's a test of greed or something meant to make you think and take notice? Why is that there?
It honestly feels like a shame that you don't talk about his time as Lapp at all. How taking his experiences with the world away from him, we see for the polite and helpful person he used to be. He risks his life in Dreg Heap for absolutely no reason to get us the Titanite Slab. How he saw us as a true friend when asking us about the purging monument. How even with his last kick in the DLC, he helps us. Cause that fall is the only way to move forward in that area. I realise this was meant to be an Elden Ring centric video but as one talking about Patches as a whole, I don't believe it does him completely justice without talking about Lapp.
I couldn't agree more. I would add patches from demons souls all through elden ring. Only one I think you could leave be is bloodborne. Lapp was such a different side of patches. Even in DS1 he is a big help
@@paultapping9510 It's also the actual point where Patches has "changed" over the span of all of the games. He's different in Elden Ring even when we meet him for the first time. Despite absolutely detesting organized religion, he understands our struggle to become Elden Lord, most likely because he sees us as one of his kind and not a member of the system that keeps on beating us down. He warns us not to go to the Volcano Manor in fear that they may kill us. He doesn't even care anymore if you're a faith build. That's not characteristic of Old Patches. Dark Souls 3 was the changing point for him, and it shows in Elden Ring.
Patches seems to genuinely want to protect the weak while despising the strong, in dark souls three he steals a suit of armor then rescues a fellow thief who bit off more than they can chew. In elden ring they ask you to help rya, stuff like that. He will do whatever it takes to survive but refuses to do so at the cost of those he sees as weak it seems.
i think in Elden ring he's already a scout for the Volcano manor, just like rya. Rya purposefully allowed herself to be robbed just to engineer a situation to lure in tarnished who might fit the Volcano Manor, patches was probably there as backup for her in case any would be robbers decided murder was on the agenda too.
@@declancampbell1277 I do not for a second believe Rya "engineered" that situation... She is not like that as a person, she's not like Tannith, she's naïve, she believes what Tannith is doing is truly good... She most likely was trying to recruit Boggart, he asks her about her necklace, she shows it to him when he asks for it, and he just fucked off with it because he doesn't want to kill anyone. If she really was so cunning to *engineer* getting herself robbed, SURELY, she would also realise to actually CHECK if you actually killed him or if you just bought the damn thing from him 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
I find it quite ironic that, when he isnt trying to kill us, and actually finds friends and a place to call home, we are there to destroy both. Both in ds3 and er
I always have and always will summon Patches whenever I get to Halflight, Spear of the Church in DkS3. Me and him are homies and he's my spirit animal.
DS3 is the first game where Patches risks his life for another, and he does so Twice. If you don't buy the onion armor he goes out of his way to save Greirat, and then at the end of time after he has lost and found himself again he helps you. After the DS3 DLCs I just cant kill patches in any game anymore 🤣
I had a friend who believed Patches embodies the lure and punishment of Greed. He's always enticing the player and other characters to give into their greed, and that he sees merely considering it (looking over a ledge) as giving in to that vice. It seems like his entire life purpose was to seek out and punish the greedy; to the point where in Dark Souls 3 he goes Hollow because there is no one left for him to fool. At the same time, Patches never attacks or harms anyone unprovoked, like when you steal his stuff right in front of him. Even taking off after being summoned for Radahn. At most, he will put you in a situation where something else might (the Cathedral Giants in DS3, worst of all). But that's not exclusive to Patches himself. There are a lot of items in the Soulsborne games that tease you to collect them only to fall to your death or get ambushed by an enemy or eaten by a Mimic. We've all been there. If anything, Patches gives you a fighting chance when things go wrong. Even allowing you to survive falls, that should kill the player, without a scratch. And when the player calls him out for his rotten tricks, he will apologize and try to make amends (though he might be "sorry" because he got caught, but who's to say?) Whatever his motives, Patches is a complicated character.
I feel like it would have been even more tragic if tanith was just as in love with patches or something, but was too far in with volcano manor that she couldn’t show it.
patches is the big brother we all need, he teaches us to be self reliant and not to trust others, I will always remember the light fading from his eyes as he looked at me and said "what a shit show" true true true.
Maybe Patches is us, the player, if we had to go through every Souls game in real life. You DON'T want to live through every Souls game in real life. And he made it through advanced stages of each game too... He's capable, and caring, but has seen some shit.
Nah, I'd say he's the avatar of the development team. Kicking you down holes is like how they throw enemies around corners or force you into deaths. He gives tips on the characters that are legit but also seem wrong because he betrays you. He hates clerics and hierarchical rulers, much like how each and every game is dripping with contempt for those in power and those who manipulate with religion. And he gives us the tough love that seems like evil but is really just his way of weeding out who he likes.
@Trumoi No, he's on to something because I literally did the same thing with the Red knights and the big stairwell early on in DeS. They weren't blocking my progress, so I'm no better than Patches.
Is it really a belief when you know that it's there? I'd guessed if one encounters something capable of turning them into human/spider hybrid, any doubt regarding its power would leave their thoughts.
Patches was around even before ds and er... he first was a pilot in armored core ... and yes you guest it he sneaks behind you to shoot your mech in the back😂
Always loved Patches as a character and I was so indescribably happy to see him in Elden Ring. They gave him depth without betraying his character, and kept him as cynical and funny as ever. Anyone else notice that Patches does nothing but help you in this game? He gives you tips on how to find Rya (which leads to Boggart and boiled crab) He sells really useful items early game in the form of the Gold Fowl Feet and their cookbook, as well as Margit's shackle. He even offers to help with Radahn, though he does humorously leave very quickly. And even when he kicks you into a pit, it actually grants you access to an area that's kind of annoying to get to otherwise. Patches is a straight up bro in Elden Ring, and I hope he's in the DLC.
I've been waiting for this video. I've always believed Patches was the Avatar of some sort of unnamed trickster god that continues to have influence as the world resets and changes over and over again
Honestly this makes a lot of sense. Not some high-rank trickster god like, say, Loki but something amongst the lowly. I mean it makes sense as he's a spider in Bloodborne and technically evolved into a sort of lowly god.
@@DaxVox My brother in Lloyd, I mean unnamed as in the game never tells us. On that note I used to theorize he was Lloyd in DS1 getting mad that the Clerics are using his name for Gwyn shit
@@chickenwaffle123 That would be funny, since we've never gotten clear answers on Loyd. Hankshaw didnt mention Patches as Amnesiac lapp for this video either, which is odd
Spot on, beautiful video. As as side note, I also think that the relationship between Patches and Tanith mirrors how Gideon feels towards Marika, given the complex house of mirrors that Elden Ring's cast of characters often is!
Has anyone ever tried to see what happens if you ignore all items(greed), and never pick up a single "shiny" on the ground before speaking to Patches? I always found it weird, in DS3, that the very first item past the Judex outside his arena was a broken sword? Why is that there? I though maybe it's a test of greed, or at least its supposed to make you think?
I think I Patches reprisents a theme throughout Elden Ring, which is the destructive and creative capabilities of love. We see how love has destroyed the demigods and characters throughout the story---Morgott's love for the Erdtree, Renalla's love for Radagon, Melania for Miquella, Blaith and Idji for Ranni, Fortisax for Godwyn---love undoes all the figures in one way or another, despite some of their good, if misguided, intentions.
I really like the conclusions of this essay, thank you. I interpreted his relationship to Tanith a bit differently, less romantic love perhaps and more... I guess a form of devotion we don't see in him anywhere else that places her on a pedestal, like both as a god and as someone to be pitied. There's probably a word for it. The castanets he gave were a symbol of the person she was before she lost herself in Rykard, he was trying to provide her a way back to her old self. It could well be romantic love but my interpretations of the line readings always felt a bit more platonic and from-afar, maybe? He saw in her rebellion something ideal, and in a way maybe he doesn't understand her devotion to Rykard the way he understood her devotion to the cause. It's funny, I remember initially dreading the guy when I ran into him in DS1 but he's always a joy to find now :)
Personally, love his help in the Radahn fight. Patches was the smartest NpC there honestly. PC: “Ay yo Patches you mind helping me with a fight real quick? I’m calling in like, ten other people so we’re just gonna gank this loser.” Patches: “Hm? Well if there’s eleven other folks there. Yeah I think I like those odds! I have some free time to spare.” *Gets summoned in and sees Radahn, who is currently bringing one cleaver down on Blayid while his other sweeps through a whole group. The sword clash with Blayid then ends with the poor wolf man nearly getting crushed and cleaved in two, escaping solely due to rolling out of the way. The frenzied beast then moves his sights onto the player, making several large sweeping slashes as they howl, cleaving through the very earth as the wolf man staggers and picks up his sword…. There’s also a large pot person in the background trying to literally pull themself together amidst the cries of the dying and wounded.* Patches: “Ah…. Well, I came just like promised. Didn’t say I’d stay though now did I?” *Very quickly shuffles through his bag, even faster when the rotted general looks in his direction and starts moving at him. By the time patches manages to peace out however their attention is already swapped back to a rather rotund fighter, greatsword hardly even slowing as it launches the black armored man skywards, their only saving grace being the ludicrous amount of steel and padding between him and that blow.*
Hawkshaw you do my favorite soulsborne analysis. No other channel I’ve found really looks at the subtext the way you all do. Keep up the good work, I’m here for it like many others!
HE LOVE OUR BOY PATCHES IN THIS HOUSE Thank you for this video. Imma link this comic I liked a lot that emphasizes that Patches is the Definitive FromSoft Character.
I realized this patches was different the moment i envountered him. His tactics were completely different. He doesnt persuade us with promisses of riches. He leaves a chest out in the open. He doesnt kick us down a cliff, he jumps down a hole to fight us. He has always avoided to fight and rather trick and backstab. This is the complete opposite of what patches does.
I liked this video :D It shows that in futur games where he will appear he'll continue to be the bastard we are fond of but will show more of his inner feelings about he world. He's a fascinating character! And he respect people with different reasons. Tanith was a dancer, not a job with a lot of dignity in her situation, but she stayed proud and found love with Ryckard. The only way he describe Solaire is saying that he's a strong idiot but never tried to trick him because Solaire is genuine in his quest. Greirat is the first he felt a deep affection for, Greirat is the kind to steal the rich for his community and to give everything he has to the people he loves, and when he learn about Loretta's death and that there's no one left in the undead settlement the ashen one become the last person to give him a purpose. He saved Patches before and didn't ask for something in return because it's how Greirat is. If Greirat has been one of those greedy ones Patches hate, he wouldn't have thought about repaying him. But Greirat is selfless to the point of putting himself in danger as it's his purpose. Then, Patches couldn't walk away with such a debt to pay. Even in Lothric castle when he doesn't have the armor anymore if we tell him Greirat left, he will go but will be unable to save him a second time, this time with his face uncovered. Even Siegward has a similar treatment than Solaire, because even if Patches stole his armour and threw his down a well, we see that he kept his gimmicks when Patches lost his memory as Lapp. Siegward and Patches most likely exchanged a siegbraw, Siegward said his catchphrase and then went to sleep giving Patched the time to strip him of his armor. And then at the end of the world, Lapp kept his siegbraw and remember Siegward catchphrase and help the ashen one to get a titanite slab. For the player, we tend to take and hoard everything we can grab. Weapons, armors, trinkets, we take every shiny things even if we will never use them and we first help people (even if we like them) through their quests because we know we will get good stuff at the end, that's how the game works. We are the most greedy character Patches met, always falling to his tricks because we know we will get a shiny, which explain why he doesn't like us, and yet at the end, we help him as Lapp, he has a debt toward us but after such a long journey since the begining, there's a mutual understanding, and we are the only one left to put an end to the story. We started everything with a kick on our butt and we end it the same way before he help us get rid of the last obstacle (who can be considered clerics if they serve Filianore and the gods) before the last boss of the story. For his backstory, he kinda remind me of the french theatre writer Moliere who had faith in doctors and clerics until they failed to save his mother's life. Then in the majority of his pieces, he describe them as charlatans, greedy and arrogant, profiting of people's psychological vulnerability. So it makes me suppose that Patches was raised by his mother, or a maternal figure he loved, but who fell ill and couldn't be saved by the very clerics who can use healing miracles and prayers to the gods. The very people whe were close to the gods deceived him, and he started hating their pretention, maybe even feeling guilty of been powerless back then. Yet he still seems to be a man of faith, a very twisted and unique faith, since he mentions some gods several times and say at the end of DS3 that he will stick the ashen one in his prayers.
I thought, “DLC” and didn’t want to burn any bridges potentially. But then, yeah, same. Also I got spoiled on the fact that killing her, summons her bodyguard.
i do really like his tanith storyline. giving tanith an opportunity to connect with her sort of pre corrupted self and to leave the manor. it doesn't come from patches to her directly, maybe a little onion knighting there too. but he goes far out of his way to save her [or rather let her save herself] in his own way and she chooses to remain entrenched.
I don't think Patches was in love with Tanith, but that is funny to think about. I think he was just down to be a member of Volcano Manor and the place going to sh*t was getting to him.
As a neat little thing: Patches went through a major change once before. Back then, he was known as "Patch the Good Luck", a very capable but cowardly LYNX, a NEXT pilot in "Armored Core For Answer".
I like to imagine that Elden Ring is a true sequel to Dark Souls, with the Age of the Deep Sea coming and going, to be replaced by the age of Lands Between being one island of many. With Patches just... getting by somehow. He's still undead, and maybe the Undead Curse lingers on in small ways throughout the new world that's been created, making death a non issue. He just continues to get by somehow, and with possibly thousands of years to contemplate who he is and what he really believes.
the age of the deep sea is not the ending to ds3 brother. age of dark or rekindle the flame or whole new world from the painter but nowhere does it suggest or say that it’s gonna be the age of the deep sea or abyss
I'm pretty sure he didn't fall for anyone. Gifting the dancer castanets to Tanith is essentially asking her to return to prostituting herself. Patches is still just a troll. It's subtle and hilarious.
I don’t think patches thought Tanith would just fall for him if she got the gift. He wanted her to snap out of it, and become the woman he enjoyed watching. It’s why, even though he says “he’ll rest easy”, it’s literal. He doesn’t die. He could’ve came back and done it himself. He didn’t want tanith to know it was from him necessarily. He knew who she was faithful too, and he was fine with it, and just wanted to continue watching and basking in the presence of the proud Tanith.
I thought about him a lot. I think on one hand he is the pinnacle of the way fromsoft manages your expectations just to break them and confuse you to the point of paranoia where you are killing solaire because you think he will bertray you too. He plays nice but you think you see i thought but if you look closely he never pushes you into a lethal fall and you doubt again. In Demon's Souls its kind of a shortcut, he talks about letting you starve to death but the door is unlocked. In Dark Souls he pushes you down to rhea who would be hard to find and needs protection from her guards and what is some kind of safe place in the tomb of the giants compared to the rest of it. In Dark Souls 3 he doesn't kick you fist but safely lowers you down to where you have already been (ok, the giants attack), but then hepls Greirat and even pushes you down a ledge that is neccessary for progressing and hard to find if you don't progress his questline. Always he's fraternizing with you afterwarts and offers you trade to form a honest relationship thats based on mistrust but is nice. I just thought "what's the deal with him". But now i think he just hates phony and hipocritical people. He thinks people are greedy from nature and will use every higher goal of a group for personal benefint. He teaches you two lessons by kicking you: Not to trust somebody especially those who are talking nice and not to be greedy. He stays outside any society because he has seen all the greed and hipocracy that they are practicing, As the Whay of White is the pinnacle of pretending good and doing, he as the pinnacle of pretending bad and doing good hates them. He is some kind of a soulslike Robin Hood or something, Independent outside society, tough, determined, moral, selfless, honest, caring but lonely and less charismatic.
patches definitely does change a lot in ds 3... "every age seems tainted by the greed of men, rubbish to one such as i, devoid of all worldly wants". this basically means "ive been alive for thousands of years and everyones always greedy, but i never was". he says this after kicking you down into a place where you need to go, so he is actually helping you, and wishes you well on your journey by saying "a fine dark soul to you", which means "i hope you kill gael and take the dark soul pigment". this also shows that patches knows of our mission, which leads me to believe that he is some kind of wise ancient entity and hes only disguised as a fool
Patches changed in dark souls 3. He became hollow and after being saved by the player truly became our companion , not enemy. He also found a dear friend in greirat, he showed signs of worry
First time I gotta disagree with you, bro! I'm pretty sure Patches is just trolling Tanith and the player. He doesn't actually risk his life in Castle Marais; you find him back in his cave where it's revealed that he faked his injuries (or at least the extent of them). The dancers castanets are a huge final "fuck you" to Tanith. He's essentially telling Tanith to return to dancing, and Tanith is clearly insulted by it. Patches does not care about Volcano Manor
To me Patches is a standard trickster spirit that aims to bring down those on high, and can feel compassion about those below. He is never a robin hood type figure because tricking is too much of who he is, and what he hates the most are those who uses order to hurt everyone when he is someone who is "free". In Tanith I don't think he is in love but he does love her as he remembers her when she was poor, and loves the fact nothing stopped her and thats why she is where she now is. She is a woman he can support, because even now where she could be comfortable she still fights the greater power.
Just got finished watching some of the older vids you made and its incredible some of the theorys that you have brought up and explained. Like the Havel against the gods video I never knew like 80% of what you explained and Ive been hooked on souls games and lore for years. Keep up the amazing work and can't wait to see more.
Sadly, I spared Patches only to realize my husband's wolves didn't get the memo. Though my husband sheathed his sword and walked away to look at something, the wolves launched themselves at Patches and I had to give the bell to the crones. I guilt tripped him for a week over that. He also accidentally shot Boggart in the face after I gave him the 1000 runes for the necklace. I still go "Oh look! Another Magma Wyrm - hope we get good at killing these ALONE."
Patches was always one of my favorite characters, and his story in DS3, especially the Ringed City DLC, had made me love him even more. Then this whole thing in Elden Ring happened, and I can't help but marvel at the one thing From Software and Miyazaki do best - staying consistent and adding more good stuff to their base, building things up better and better over time, keeping what's good, changing or removing what's redundant. I just wish you made more mention of Lapp! As an amnesiac alter-ego to Patches, it's a great glimpse into who Patches most likely was, before he became the Patches we know today.
A couple things. I'm pretty sure he joined the Manor for his own safety, sorta like he was bullied in by dangerous people in Armored Core For Answer. Secondly, he cared so deeply about Greirat that the DLC began with where we met Greirat and where Patches trekked also trying the path to find who he was alongside a handmaid who also was for herself in business, and awaiting her long faith of old to finally see angels in her home of Lothric as the high priestess. The immediate place we started was Greirat's destroyed cell as though wandered too many times by someone who thought about them. Then we'd drop through the library remnants where Greirat would not survive from the twisted hybrids of his common folk that he would never have worked with as a former Lothric soldier. The complexity of this part of his home being the easiest to become lost and being the most treacherous. As if troubled in motivation going forward was Patches just at the last edge of it all, and disinterested in killing off the menacing angel nearby, perhaps thinking of them as good and as a gift to the other who knows of his existence to someday see. Forgetting who he was, he became quite generous and had forgotten his love to punish others.
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What message do you think Patches is meant to give players?
Deja vu
@@timfw2496 My guess is Hawkshaw didn't reach a view target, so has to do a second time.
Has to?
@@timfw2496 uh yeah, legally if thats the deal. plus he even references prawns again, so for sure he had to
How can you be a dark souls player and take this sponsorship. Lost my sub...
Even through your interpretation, Patches really first "changed" in DS3 where he shows honest care and concern for Greirat and the Ashen One.
I don't think that was a change. We just never met anyone with as little greed as greirat. The one thing patches hates.
He doesn't care about the ashen one until he fails to betray you twice
Rudeus Greirat? 😂
Has anyone every tried to see what happens in DS3 if you don't pick up a single item before speaking to Patches? It always seemed weird to me that right outside the door of Judex, the first thing on the ground is a broken sword. Like it's a test of greed or something meant to make you think and take notice? Why is that there?
@matthewmckee3282 he agros you if you kill Greirat so I believe he at least felt some friendship towards the litle fella
It honestly feels like a shame that you don't talk about his time as Lapp at all. How taking his experiences with the world away from him, we see for the polite and helpful person he used to be. He risks his life in Dreg Heap for absolutely no reason to get us the Titanite Slab. How he saw us as a true friend when asking us about the purging monument. How even with his last kick in the DLC, he helps us. Cause that fall is the only way to move forward in that area. I realise this was meant to be an Elden Ring centric video but as one talking about Patches as a whole, I don't believe it does him completely justice without talking about Lapp.
Indeed
yeah absolutely, if greirat was mentioned it feels like fair game.
I couldn't agree more. I would add patches from demons souls all through elden ring. Only one I think you could leave be is bloodborne. Lapp was such a different side of patches. Even in DS1 he is a big help
agreed, Lapp is very much a window into, and a confirmation of, Patches essential goodness. I think, anyway.
@@paultapping9510 It's also the actual point where Patches has "changed" over the span of all of the games. He's different in Elden Ring even when we meet him for the first time. Despite absolutely detesting organized religion, he understands our struggle to become Elden Lord, most likely because he sees us as one of his kind and not a member of the system that keeps on beating us down. He warns us not to go to the Volcano Manor in fear that they may kill us. He doesn't even care anymore if you're a faith build. That's not characteristic of Old Patches. Dark Souls 3 was the changing point for him, and it shows in Elden Ring.
Patches seems to genuinely want to protect the weak while despising the strong, in dark souls three he steals a suit of armor then rescues a fellow thief who bit off more than they can chew. In elden ring they ask you to help rya, stuff like that. He will do whatever it takes to survive but refuses to do so at the cost of those he sees as weak it seems.
In the DLC, he appears to trick you again, but actually sets you on the right path to finish the quest.
@@marcoscarrasco92 ya, the hole he kicks you down leads directly to the best way to exit and would be impossible to be fatal
i think in Elden ring he's already a scout for the Volcano manor, just like rya. Rya purposefully allowed herself to be robbed just to engineer a situation to lure in tarnished who might fit the Volcano Manor, patches was probably there as backup for her in case any would be robbers decided murder was on the agenda too.
@@declancampbell1277 Or maybe he was looking after Rya of his own will because he knows Tanith cares about her...
@@declancampbell1277 I do not for a second believe Rya "engineered" that situation... She is not like that as a person, she's not like Tannith, she's naïve, she believes what Tannith is doing is truly good... She most likely was trying to recruit Boggart, he asks her about her necklace, she shows it to him when he asks for it, and he just fucked off with it because he doesn't want to kill anyone. If she really was so cunning to *engineer* getting herself robbed, SURELY, she would also realise to actually CHECK if you actually killed him or if you just bought the damn thing from him 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
I find it quite ironic that, when he isnt trying to kill us, and actually finds friends and a place to call home, we are there to destroy both. Both in ds3 and er
Fromsoft peak storytelling
And bloodborne
When suffering from amnesia he swore no matter what that he was truly my friend, patches got a pass from me 👍
I always have and always will summon Patches whenever I get to Halflight, Spear of the Church in DkS3. Me and him are homies and he's my spirit animal.
I will always summon him against Radahn because it makes me giggle seeing him immediately skedaddle
Summoned Patches and the Spear was another player and Patches got obliterated. Felt bad man.
Ds3 patches is really the best patches
DS3 is the first game where Patches risks his life for another, and he does so Twice. If you don't buy the onion armor he goes out of his way to save Greirat, and then at the end of time after he has lost and found himself again he helps you. After the DS3 DLCs I just cant kill patches in any game anymore 🤣
@@themaskedhobo Implying you killed Patches in previous games, smh my head you monster!
Hawkshaw: Patches is like an onion.
Torrent: Because he makes people cry?
Hawkshaw: Yes. No! Layers. Onions have layers. Patches have layers.
Underrated comment)
I prefer cake and parfait
And because he makes people cry
Well... I Put onions in food to give it a little kick.
😏🧅 👢
And because he stole Siegfried’s armor
I had a friend who believed Patches embodies the lure and punishment of Greed. He's always enticing the player and other characters to give into their greed, and that he sees merely considering it (looking over a ledge) as giving in to that vice. It seems like his entire life purpose was to seek out and punish the greedy; to the point where in Dark Souls 3 he goes Hollow because there is no one left for him to fool.
At the same time, Patches never attacks or harms anyone unprovoked, like when you steal his stuff right in front of him. Even taking off after being summoned for Radahn. At most, he will put you in a situation where something else might (the Cathedral Giants in DS3, worst of all).
But that's not exclusive to Patches himself. There are a lot of items in the Soulsborne games that tease you to collect them only to fall to your death or get ambushed by an enemy or eaten by a Mimic. We've all been there. If anything, Patches gives you a fighting chance when things go wrong. Even allowing you to survive falls, that should kill the player, without a scratch. And when the player calls him out for his rotten tricks, he will apologize and try to make amends (though he might be "sorry" because he got caught, but who's to say?)
Whatever his motives, Patches is a complicated character.
Patches does outright attack you if you say you're a cleric in ds1 so he's not a good person
@@camarobro1897 The clerics of Patches world... are not good people.
Patches kicks people down holes. He most certainly does attack unprovoked.
@@camarobro1897I mean, have you seen Petrus? If he's met a couple more clerics like that, it's pretty understandable.
I love how Patches having Onion armor is pretty much how Shrek explain how Ogres have layers
I feel like it would have been even more tragic if tanith was just as in love with patches or something, but was too far in with volcano manor that she couldn’t show it.
To care is to take a painful risk. To remain uncommitted is to risk a lifetime of loneliness. Patches: Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
Patches is like an onion. He makes ya cry.
And has layers
@@OneStarRatingPatches is a good interpretation of Shrek in a world like this, actually lol
patches is the big brother we all need, he teaches us to be self reliant and not to trust others, I will always remember the light fading from his eyes as he looked at me and said "what a shit show" true true true.
Maybe Patches is us, the player, if we had to go through every Souls game in real life.
You DON'T want to live through every Souls game in real life. And he made it through advanced stages of each game too...
He's capable, and caring, but has seen some shit.
Nah, I'd say he's the avatar of the development team. Kicking you down holes is like how they throw enemies around corners or force you into deaths. He gives tips on the characters that are legit but also seem wrong because he betrays you.
He hates clerics and hierarchical rulers, much like how each and every game is dripping with contempt for those in power and those who manipulate with religion.
And he gives us the tough love that seems like evil but is really just his way of weeding out who he likes.
@@MasoTrumoi This is now my preferred head canon.
@Trumoi No, he's on to something because I literally did the same thing with the Red knights and the big stairwell early on in DeS. They weren't blocking my progress, so I'm no better than Patches.
You forgot Patches the Spider - the first true Patches to believe in something, even if it's a cosmic horror he tries feeding you to
Is it really a belief when you know that it's there? I'd guessed if one encounters something capable of turning them into human/spider hybrid, any doubt regarding its power would leave their thoughts.
15:05
That's why he's Patches the Untethered in this game.
About time! Patches deserves some love
patches is my waifu
Patches is the GOAT
Finally the most important lore
Patches was around even before ds and er... he first was a pilot in armored core ... and yes you guest it he sneaks behind you to shoot your mech in the back😂
Always loved Patches as a character and I was so indescribably happy to see him in Elden Ring.
They gave him depth without betraying his character, and kept him as cynical and funny as ever.
Anyone else notice that Patches does nothing but help you in this game?
He gives you tips on how to find Rya (which leads to Boggart and boiled crab)
He sells really useful items early game in the form of the Gold Fowl Feet and their cookbook, as well as Margit's shackle.
He even offers to help with Radahn, though he does humorously leave very quickly.
And even when he kicks you into a pit, it actually grants you access to an area that's kind of annoying to get to otherwise.
Patches is a straight up bro in Elden Ring, and I hope he's in the DLC.
Dude I legit killed patches just bc I wanted revenge lmao I was like "ah hell nah I'm not getting pushed into a hole again"
I've been waiting for this video. I've always believed Patches was the Avatar of some sort of unnamed trickster god that continues to have influence as the world resets and changes over and over again
Honestly this makes a lot of sense. Not some high-rank trickster god like, say, Loki but something amongst the lowly. I mean it makes sense as he's a spider in Bloodborne and technically evolved into a sort of lowly god.
Unnamed? Patches is a good name, considering patches are what make games better.
Patches is the only god i pray for, hail the hyena!
@@DaxVox My brother in Lloyd, I mean unnamed as in the game never tells us. On that note I used to theorize he was Lloyd in DS1 getting mad that the Clerics are using his name for Gwyn shit
@@chickenwaffle123 That would be funny, since we've never gotten clear answers on Loyd.
Hankshaw didnt mention Patches as Amnesiac lapp for this video either, which is odd
Anansi, the afro-caribbean spider trickster god
Spot on, beautiful video. As as side note, I also think that the relationship between Patches and Tanith mirrors how Gideon feels towards Marika, given the complex house of mirrors that Elden Ring's cast of characters often is!
Thank you for acknowledging Patches characterization; personally I found it such a fascinating turn for the character I was hoping youd illuminate it.
Has anyone ever tried to see what happens if you ignore all items(greed), and never pick up a single "shiny" on the ground before speaking to Patches? I always found it weird, in DS3, that the very first item past the Judex outside his arena was a broken sword? Why is that there? I though maybe it's a test of greed, or at least its supposed to make you think?
Holy hell that's an interesting point. I never thought about that
I think I Patches reprisents a theme throughout Elden Ring, which is the destructive and creative capabilities of love. We see how love has destroyed the demigods and characters throughout the story---Morgott's love for the Erdtree, Renalla's love for Radagon, Melania for Miquella, Blaith and Idji for Ranni, Fortisax for Godwyn---love undoes all the figures in one way or another, despite some of their good, if misguided, intentions.
The character development of all time!
Greirat is one of my favourite NPCs and I always used his gear for PVP. Forgot about Patches softness (I guess) towards him.
I really like the conclusions of this essay, thank you.
I interpreted his relationship to Tanith a bit differently, less romantic love perhaps and more... I guess a form of devotion we don't see in him anywhere else that places her on a pedestal, like both as a god and as someone to be pitied. There's probably a word for it. The castanets he gave were a symbol of the person she was before she lost herself in Rykard, he was trying to provide her a way back to her old self. It could well be romantic love but my interpretations of the line readings always felt a bit more platonic and from-afar, maybe? He saw in her rebellion something ideal, and in a way maybe he doesn't understand her devotion to Rykard the way he understood her devotion to the cause.
It's funny, I remember initially dreading the guy when I ran into him in DS1 but he's always a joy to find now :)
Pitch black Tomb of Giants… suddenly you see Patches just standing in the darkness. Patches and Oswald scared tf out of me in DS1
@@samplexample Oswald certainly startled me, yeah
Personally, love his help in the Radahn fight. Patches was the smartest NpC there honestly.
PC: “Ay yo Patches you mind helping me with a fight real quick? I’m calling in like, ten other people so we’re just gonna gank this loser.”
Patches: “Hm? Well if there’s eleven other folks there. Yeah I think I like those odds! I have some free time to spare.”
*Gets summoned in and sees Radahn, who is currently bringing one cleaver down on Blayid while his other sweeps through a whole group. The sword clash with Blayid then ends with the poor wolf man nearly getting crushed and cleaved in two, escaping solely due to rolling out of the way. The frenzied beast then moves his sights onto the player, making several large sweeping slashes as they howl, cleaving through the very earth as the wolf man staggers and picks up his sword…. There’s also a large pot person in the background trying to literally pull themself together amidst the cries of the dying and wounded.*
Patches: “Ah…. Well, I came just like promised. Didn’t say I’d stay though now did I?” *Very quickly shuffles through his bag, even faster when the rotted general looks in his direction and starts moving at him. By the time patches manages to peace out however their attention is already swapped back to a rather rotund fighter, greatsword hardly even slowing as it launches the black armored man skywards, their only saving grace being the ludicrous amount of steel and padding between him and that blow.*
Yeah honestly cant be mad he decided to leave. I was terrified of radahn my first go at him too. Lol
I got a sudden wave of nostalgia hearing the Age of Mythology OST. Great choice in music, sir. I haven’t heard it in over a decade :)
Hawkshaw you do my favorite soulsborne analysis. No other channel I’ve found really looks at the subtext the way you all do. Keep up the good work, I’m here for it like many others!
Patches has been one of my favorite Fromsoft characters since Demon’s Souls on ps3 & he was awesome in the Ringed City dlc!! Excellent character!
MA BOY Hawkshaw is talking about MA BOY Patches!
"Good day! You look reasonably sane. What are you doing in the catacombs?
...
𝔸𝕣𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕒 𝕔𝕝𝕖𝕣𝕚𝕔 𝕠𝕣 𝕤𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘?"
my head cannon is that patches truly sees us as a freind in dark souls 1 3 and elden ring. Especially in elden ring.
It'd be funny of Patches had some 4th wall breaking dialogue, where he acknowledges that he has kicked you off of cliffs in multiple different games.
I think Patches is aCautionary tale of “surviving instead of living”.
HE LOVE OUR BOY PATCHES IN THIS HOUSE
Thank you for this video. Imma link this comic I liked a lot that emphasizes that Patches is the Definitive FromSoft Character.
There are only two certainties in this world: Death and Patches.
I realized this patches was different the moment i envountered him. His tactics were completely different. He doesnt persuade us with promisses of riches. He leaves a chest out in the open. He doesnt kick us down a cliff, he jumps down a hole to fight us. He has always avoided to fight and rather trick and backstab. This is the complete opposite of what patches does.
He actually does kick you down if you’re in the right place, if you’re talking about Elden Ring
@@sceKernelDestroyfr😂
I liked this video :D It shows that in futur games where he will appear he'll continue to be the bastard we are fond of but will show more of his inner feelings about he world. He's a fascinating character!
And he respect people with different reasons. Tanith was a dancer, not a job with a lot of dignity in her situation, but she stayed proud and found love with Ryckard.
The only way he describe Solaire is saying that he's a strong idiot but never tried to trick him because Solaire is genuine in his quest.
Greirat is the first he felt a deep affection for, Greirat is the kind to steal the rich for his community and to give everything he has to the people he loves, and when he learn about Loretta's death and that there's no one left in the undead settlement the ashen one become the last person to give him a purpose. He saved Patches before and didn't ask for something in return because it's how Greirat is. If Greirat has been one of those greedy ones Patches hate, he wouldn't have thought about repaying him. But Greirat is selfless to the point of putting himself in danger as it's his purpose. Then, Patches couldn't walk away with such a debt to pay. Even in Lothric castle when he doesn't have the armor anymore if we tell him Greirat left, he will go but will be unable to save him a second time, this time with his face uncovered.
Even Siegward has a similar treatment than Solaire, because even if Patches stole his armour and threw his down a well, we see that he kept his gimmicks when Patches lost his memory as Lapp. Siegward and Patches most likely exchanged a siegbraw, Siegward said his catchphrase and then went to sleep giving Patched the time to strip him of his armor. And then at the end of the world, Lapp kept his siegbraw and remember Siegward catchphrase and help the ashen one to get a titanite slab.
For the player, we tend to take and hoard everything we can grab. Weapons, armors, trinkets, we take every shiny things even if we will never use them and we first help people (even if we like them) through their quests because we know we will get good stuff at the end, that's how the game works. We are the most greedy character Patches met, always falling to his tricks because we know we will get a shiny, which explain why he doesn't like us, and yet at the end, we help him as Lapp, he has a debt toward us but after such a long journey since the begining, there's a mutual understanding, and we are the only one left to put an end to the story. We started everything with a kick on our butt and we end it the same way before he help us get rid of the last obstacle (who can be considered clerics if they serve Filianore and the gods) before the last boss of the story.
For his backstory, he kinda remind me of the french theatre writer Moliere who had faith in doctors and clerics until they failed to save his mother's life. Then in the majority of his pieces, he describe them as charlatans, greedy and arrogant, profiting of people's psychological vulnerability. So it makes me suppose that Patches was raised by his mother, or a maternal figure he loved, but who fell ill and couldn't be saved by the very clerics who can use healing miracles and prayers to the gods. The very people whe were close to the gods deceived him, and he started hating their pretention, maybe even feeling guilty of been powerless back then. Yet he still seems to be a man of faith, a very twisted and unique faith, since he mentions some gods several times and say at the end of DS3 that he will stick the ashen one in his prayers.
In my first playthrough, I was completely ready and willing to leave Tanith to her psycho-feast *until she rejected the fucking castanets* 🤬
I thought, “DLC” and didn’t want to burn any bridges potentially. But then, yeah, same. Also I got spoiled on the fact that killing her, summons her bodyguard.
A Patches Video!!!! 6:50 gave me LITERAL CHILLS. my favourite dialogue of all time.
Whether it's Spider Patches or Simp Patches, Patches is Patches.
i do really like his tanith storyline. giving tanith an opportunity to connect with her sort of pre corrupted self and to leave the manor. it doesn't come from patches to her directly, maybe a little onion knighting there too. but he goes far out of his way to save her [or rather let her save herself] in his own way and she chooses to remain entrenched.
I don't think Patches was in love with Tanith, but that is funny to think about. I think he was just down to be a member of Volcano Manor and the place going to sh*t was getting to him.
As a neat little thing: Patches went through a major change once before. Back then, he was known as "Patch the Good Luck", a very capable but cowardly LYNX, a NEXT pilot in "Armored Core For Answer".
ill never forgive him for that loonytoons ass c4 trap in the shadow tower
Never related with patches more than now, you always make such thought provoking and emotional content, love it
I like to imagine that Elden Ring is a true sequel to Dark Souls, with the Age of the Deep Sea coming and going, to be replaced by the age of Lands Between being one island of many. With Patches just... getting by somehow. He's still undead, and maybe the Undead Curse lingers on in small ways throughout the new world that's been created, making death a non issue. He just continues to get by somehow, and with possibly thousands of years to contemplate who he is and what he really believes.
the age of the deep sea is not the ending to ds3 brother. age of dark or rekindle the flame or whole new world from the painter but nowhere does it suggest or say that it’s gonna be the age of the deep sea or abyss
damn, tricked by your smooth transition into your sponsor again
So the lesson is, dont fall for women who will devour you after your death.
I'm pretty sure he didn't fall for anyone. Gifting the dancer castanets to Tanith is essentially asking her to return to prostituting herself. Patches is still just a troll. It's subtle and hilarious.
lol no. The lesson is don’t fall for a woman. Solitude is best, Solitude is survival 👍🏽
@@liloga7332 You have your preferences, i have mine.
I don’t think patches thought Tanith would just fall for him if she got the gift. He wanted her to snap out of it, and become the woman he enjoyed watching. It’s why, even though he says “he’ll rest easy”, it’s literal. He doesn’t die. He could’ve came back and done it himself. He didn’t want tanith to know it was from him necessarily. He knew who she was faithful too, and he was fine with it, and just wanted to continue watching and basking in the presence of the proud Tanith.
Can't believe you hit us with the raids shadow legends man
looks like its the same as the boggart sponsorship, so i guess he has to. mustve not reached the view threshold
*laughs in sponsorblock*
Patches is the Hoid of the dark souls universe
Age of Mythology Soundtrack works shockingly well with a from software game
I thought about him a lot. I think on one hand he is the pinnacle of the way fromsoft manages your expectations just to break them and confuse you to the point of paranoia where you are killing solaire because you think he will bertray you too. He plays nice but you think you see i thought but if you look closely he never pushes you into a lethal fall and you doubt again. In Demon's Souls its kind of a shortcut, he talks about letting you starve to death but the door is unlocked. In Dark Souls he pushes you down to rhea who would be hard to find and needs protection from her guards and what is some kind of safe place in the tomb of the giants compared to the rest of it. In Dark Souls 3 he doesn't kick you fist but safely lowers you down to where you have already been (ok, the giants attack), but then hepls Greirat and even pushes you down a ledge that is neccessary for progressing and hard to find if you don't progress his questline. Always he's fraternizing with you afterwarts and offers you trade to form a honest relationship thats based on mistrust but is nice.
I just thought "what's the deal with him". But now i think he just hates phony and hipocritical people. He thinks people are greedy from nature and will use every higher goal of a group for personal benefint. He teaches you two lessons by kicking you: Not to trust somebody especially those who are talking nice and not to be greedy. He stays outside any society because he has seen all the greed and hipocracy that they are practicing, As the Whay of White is the pinnacle of pretending good and doing, he as the pinnacle of pretending bad and doing good hates them. He is some kind of a soulslike Robin Hood or something, Independent outside society, tough, determined, moral, selfless, honest, caring but lonely and less charismatic.
Wow, this video really hit me in the feels! Good job
Patches reps greatshield builds, he's alright in my book
People say Patches isn't in Dark Souls 2, or that Pate is patches, but I like to think Pate and Creighton represent the warring sides within him.
Patches' fashion game is also its best in Elden Ring
In Bloodborne the old woman you can send to Oedon Church is (or was meant to be) the mother of Patches.
Pate and Lapp were my friends, enough that I at least feel warmly towards Patches.
Maybe in the next game his name will be “Patches the Unreciprocated.”
Thank you so much for this video. Glad more loremeisters are covering him. Love the Ghostcharm and Fungo ones as well but this is a lovely addition.
I love patches because he realy shows that fromsoft games are like Venetian plays with recurring characters and themes.
(Comedia del-arte)
Hell yeah! Time to get the popcorn out..
patches definitely does change a lot in ds 3... "every age seems tainted by the greed of men, rubbish to one such as i, devoid of all worldly wants". this basically means "ive been alive for thousands of years and everyones always greedy, but i never was". he says this after kicking you down into a place where you need to go, so he is actually helping you, and wishes you well on your journey by saying "a fine dark soul to you", which means "i hope you kill gael and take the dark soul pigment". this also shows that patches knows of our mission, which leads me to believe that he is some kind of wise ancient entity and hes only disguised as a fool
Patches changed in dark souls 3. He became hollow and after being saved by the player truly became our companion , not enemy. He also found a dear friend in greirat, he showed signs of worry
Definitely one of the characters in games.
Raid sponsoring a Patches video seems very fitting.
Imagine if Patches beat the Spear of the Church himself and made contact with Filianore...
I heard patches is getting a raid shadow legends crossover
For that matter, his mild mannered version in Dark Souls was the first change.
8:30 well he helped u in Dark souls 3 ringed city against the church as a summon and actually fought along side u against the church.
How ironic patches, he doesn’t like deceit yet uses it all the time, technically. He does push us down to some kind of “treasure”
Nearly 20 years XD
Patches definitely changed when I seen him. He went from living, to dead 😂😂😂 mf ain't kickin' me
First time I gotta disagree with you, bro! I'm pretty sure Patches is just trolling Tanith and the player.
He doesn't actually risk his life in Castle Marais; you find him back in his cave where it's revealed that he faked his injuries (or at least the extent of them).
The dancers castanets are a huge final "fuck you" to Tanith. He's essentially telling Tanith to return to dancing, and Tanith is clearly insulted by it. Patches does not care about Volcano Manor
To me Patches is a standard trickster spirit that aims to bring down those on high, and can feel compassion about those below. He is never a robin hood type figure because tricking is too much of who he is, and what he hates the most are those who uses order to hurt everyone when he is someone who is "free". In Tanith I don't think he is in love but he does love her as he remembers her when she was poor, and loves the fact nothing stopped her and thats why she is where she now is. She is a woman he can support, because even now where she could be comfortable she still fights the greater power.
He's my favorite character in the franchise and I always keep an eye out for him when a new game comes out.
I wonder what DS2 patches would have been like, definetly the kind of guy th throw you into the gutter with or without the ladders
I love Pate, the voice actor who played him is awesome. He's a Dark Souls fan and he played the Roommate in Shaun of the Dead.
Says a lot that I just sat through a raid sponsorship without skipping forward. You get full viewing time good sir
Just got finished watching some of the older vids you made and its incredible some of the theorys that you have brought up and explained. Like the Havel against the gods video I never knew like 80% of what you explained and Ive been hooked on souls games and lore for years. Keep up the amazing work and can't wait to see more.
Sadly, I spared Patches only to realize my husband's wolves didn't get the memo. Though my husband sheathed his sword and walked away to look at something, the wolves launched themselves at Patches and I had to give the bell to the crones. I guilt tripped him for a week over that. He also accidentally shot Boggart in the face after I gave him the 1000 runes for the necklace. I still go "Oh look! Another Magma Wyrm - hope we get good at killing these ALONE."
Without Patches game's DLC can't be accessed indeed.
Shadow of yhe colossus music
Certified Patches Classic
I didn’t realize ö
Patches was always one of my favorite characters, and his story in DS3, especially the Ringed City DLC, had made me love him even more. Then this whole thing in Elden Ring happened, and I can't help but marvel at the one thing From Software and Miyazaki do best - staying consistent and adding more good stuff to their base, building things up better and better over time, keeping what's good, changing or removing what's redundant. I just wish you made more mention of Lapp! As an amnesiac alter-ego to Patches, it's a great glimpse into who Patches most likely was, before he became the Patches we know today.
Long live patches🙌🏽
A couple things. I'm pretty sure he joined the Manor for his own safety, sorta like he was bullied in by dangerous people in Armored Core For Answer. Secondly, he cared so deeply about Greirat that the DLC began with where we met Greirat and where Patches trekked also trying the path to find who he was alongside a handmaid who also was for herself in business, and awaiting her long faith of old to finally see angels in her home of Lothric as the high priestess. The immediate place we started was Greirat's destroyed cell as though wandered too many times by someone who thought about them. Then we'd drop through the library remnants where Greirat would not survive from the twisted hybrids of his common folk that he would never have worked with as a former Lothric soldier. The complexity of this part of his home being the easiest to become lost and being the most treacherous. As if troubled in motivation going forward was Patches just at the last edge of it all, and disinterested in killing off the menacing angel nearby, perhaps thinking of them as good and as a gift to the other who knows of his existence to someday see. Forgetting who he was, he became quite generous and had forgotten his love to punish others.
Top tier analysis as always
The minute I heard that AoM banger I started bobbing my head - great vid btw
The moment I consider quitting my job to become a creator, I remember raid shadow legends, and continue working my real job
I like him XD oh no you tricked me into a death trap. .. I can't die... and He knows it XD
Prepare to Cry edition
Killer soundtrack on this
ok, so if I understood that correctly, Patches is a tsundere, right?