Top 10 Dark Souls Fan Theories!

There’s absolutely no question, the presence and influence of gods is a key recurring element of “Dark Souls” and its sequels. Right from the outset, the games emphasize the importance of deities in their setting by listing off all the known gods of the realm. Noticeably absent from the line-up, however, is the being known as Velka. Despite being feared by the giants and having representation in the form of shrines, Velka isn’t recognized in the same context as other figures like Gwyn or Nito. Given her implied black sheep status, it’s thought that Velka may be some entity beyond the scope of other so-called gods, perhaps even being the ruler of all gods.

Experimentation and genetic manipulation take a grim turn in “Dark Souls II”, though we hardly find that surprising. It’s indicated over the course of the game that Aldia, brother to King Vendrick and the Scholar of the First Sin, has a penchant for toying with various species of creatures. This might explain why – upon besting it in battle – the optional Ancient Dragon boss drops a Giant Soul rather than the more appropriate Dragon Soul. The Ancient Dragon is found not far from Aldia’s Keep, making it reasonable to suspect that he may have manufactured or altered the dragon by some means.

Many a curious gamer has tried to find links between the 2009 game “Demon’s Souls” and its spiritual successor, “Dark Souls”. Their shared play mechanics and visual references certainly lend credence to the idea, especially given that FromSoftware has remained the developer of this series. However, some fans believe these similarities are not the only thing these games share. The theory goes that the canon ending of “Demon’s Souls” is the one in which the ancient creature known as, well, the Old One awakens and rules over the kingdom of Boletaria. This then eventually leads to Boletaria’s fall and the formation of Lordran, the setting of “Dark Souls”, in its place.

Over the course of “Dark Souls II”, a recurring plot thread deals with the actions of one King Vendrick, whose crimes against the giant race have lingering game-wide consequences. Vendrick is said to have stolen something of value from the giants... only it’s never made explicit what that object may have been. Certain fans speculate that the thing stolen was actually living beings – specifically, giants that were kidnapped and used in the creation of golems. Cited in this theory is the fact that the golems bear great resemblance to giants and are strewn about Vendrick’s castle as guards. That’s quite a cruel and twisted possibility, yet all too appropriate for these games.

While on their way to meet and confront the Gravelord Nito, players had the misfortune of crossing paths with the boss Pinwheel. Beyond its usage of Fire magic and its six oddly-shaped appendages, not much is immediately apparent about this monstrous being. Pinwheel’s shape and the presence of skeletons in its chamber suggest that its physical form may be that of multiple corpses merged together. Perhaps most significant of all, though, are the three masks worn by Pinwheel – they’re named the Masks of the Father, Mother and Child. Taken as a whole, the implication that Pinwheel is the twisted manifestation of an undead family is fascinatingly morbid.

The shadow of King Gwyn, Lord of Cinder, looms large over many aspects of these games. This also ties into Gwyn’s heirs, one of whom – the mysterious firstborn – remains enigmatic at best. Scant little is known for certain about the firstborn, save for details like their status as a long-vanished exile and their inheritance of Lightning and Sunlight magic from Gwyn. However, this is enough for a contingent of players to point to the knight Solaire of Astora, a Warrior of Sunlight, as potentially the child in question. Solaire does utilize both Lighting and Sunlight in combat, and his quest to find a sun of his own hints at a lingering absence of purpose that forced exile might have caused.

Bosses in these games tend more often than not to stand out, to prove memorable or engaging in some capacity. In the upper echelon of these boss battles sits the duo of Dragon Slayer Ornstein and Executioner Smough, a pair of knights once in the service of King Gwyn. All well and good... except the subsequent “Souls” games reveal that all of Gwyn’s knights but Smough departed Lordran a long time ago. This leaves open the question of who exactly was the being masquerading as Ornstein in that initial fight. Some fans now hypothesize that the Ornstein of “Dark Souls” was an illusion or imposter employed by Smough, though why this was done remains a mystery.

As if matters weren’t already dour and grotesque enough, here’s another layer of awful that might be at play. Among the many noteworthy locales showcased in the original “Dark Souls” is Blighttown, a cave-based settlement long since overrun by poisonous creatures and wandering undead. Its dark chambers and abandoned mining equipment may hide a much darker past, however, pertaining to certain items and details strewn about the town. A collectable whip, guard dogs patroling the area, the fact that the long-dead workers are stronger than guards – for certain players it all points to Blighttown having made use of slave labour. If true, then the ultimate fate of Blighttown’s citizens is all the more tragic.

Few creatures are quite as startling or dedicated to the art of surprise as the Mimics. Shaped like seemingly ordinary treasure chests, these mysterious beings close their lids – or maybe jaws - on a given explorer upon interaction. What’s especially intriguing is how the Mimic bears strange resemblance to humanoid foes encountered in Oolacile, a location in the “Artorias of the Abyss” DLC. Eagle-eyed players have also taken note of the lore stating that Chameleon magic originated in Oolacile, as well as the wearable Symbol of Avarice item being associated with shame and greed. Thus, some believe that the Mimics are secretly shape-shifted thieves from Oolacile, lying in wait for inattentive travellers.

Legacy, loss, the erosive nature of time – these all appear to be key themes in “Dark Souls II”. Perhaps the most clear indicator of this is the choice of locale; the game is set in Drangleic, a fractured realm made up of disparate, loosely connected hubs. Little details start to crop up which suggest that Drangleic is not a new setting, but instead the remains of a past location: Lordran. For instance, the Cathedral of Blue greatly resembles the Anor Londo cathedral from “Dark Souls”, complete with a boss heavily implied to be Ornstein. Quite a curious coincidence, if we do say so ourselves...