The Cursed Heroes of Dark Souls, Elden Ring, and Bloodborne

Other creators: Here, use this legendary dragon sword to kill some bandits on the road Miyazaki: Take that wooden stick from the ground and kill God with it

Bravery is not the absence of fear, but the ability to persevere even when its presence is overwhelming.

One element of Elden Ring that I liked is that, in addition to the Cursed Hero, it had the classic Chosen One who is destined to become a powerful being, but said Chosen One outright rejected said fate. Ranni was chosen by the Two Fingers to become a successor to Queen Marika, but she rejected it so thoroughly that she killed her own flesh and stuffed her soul into a doll and then set out to kill the Two Fingers just to free herself from the fate someone else chose for her.

This is why I love stories like the ones told in the souls games or berserk. No matter how bleak it gets, humanity perseveres. One thing I feel is worth mentioning about berserk is that it actually plays on the concept of the destined hero by making him the main antagonist. Griffith was fated to be a member of the god hand while Guts was fated to die from the moment he was born, and yet he still lives. It pits the fated hero against the hero who continues to struggle against fate. The man who gives up everything to fulfill his destiny goes against the man who must give up his life and humanity to fight against fate.

The Hero in DS 1 in particular doesn't even have any reason for linking the fire, people in the world imprisoned him, and gods abandoned him, even after he linked the fire he is still nameless in the eyes of the world. Yet still, he chose to sacrifice himself to save the world, which is literally as selfless as one can be.

The thing I love most about the Souls games is that they make you feel like a loser. It’s not just about dying again and again, but it’s also the fact that everything is bigger and stronger than you. Everything can kill you, and you need to exercise caution at every step.

Dark Souls was much deeper than I could have possibly prepared for. Nothing stayed with me more than the story of Siegmeyer and Siegward. It genuinely changed me in a way I can’t quite put a finger on.

One of my favorite moments in Elden Ring is at the end of Leyndell Capital, where the story has been shepherding you to this entire time. The place where you do the thing you're supposed to - become Elden Lord! Guardian of the sacred Erdtree, ruler of nations! The tree simply refuses you. You've defeated literal demigods at this point, have come further than any Tarnished ever had before you. You literally carry several marks of royalty and divinity on your person, but the seat of the throne still says "No." The only way forward that follows ideas of fated glory and restoring order becomes impossible. Never have I felt more "unchosen" than then.

The Undead Curse goes deeper than just us. We find out in the third game that when Gwyn linked humanity to the first flame, he not only made us dependent on the flame but made the flame dependent on us. So by the end of the ringed city dlc when we fight Gael, the world itself is going hollow. All because Gwyn couldn't let go of his authority.

Within Dark Souls, there's a good saying from our first saviour. "Don't you dare go Hollow" This line emphasizes exactly how the player may feel through this journey. But you meet those who either have hope or've simply given up. You literally meet a man simply known as "Crestfallen Knight" and after him you meet "Solaire \[T]/" who's literally the brightest personality you'll meet other then Siegmeyer. I love this series because they make you feel hopeless but give you encouragement to persevere. Whether it be the game or yourself telling so, to never give up.

There's a quote from Chainsaw Man: "The ones Devils fear the most aren't the smartest or bravest, they're the ones with a few screws loose." I feel like that applies to souls protagonists as well. Nobody who is sane would continue die over and over as they kill gods in order to link the flame, or to journey into Yharnam and come face to face with eldritch gods.

"How much of heroism is just suffering." Heroism is continuing the fight for good in spite of suffering. The suffering itself isn't what makes them heroic, it makes them tragic.

I love how the characters journey is portrayed in games like Elden Ring. You are an ordinary and fragile human being in a world of Demon's, Dragon's and Giant's. The game makes you feel that with every death.

Felt like it was a bit of a missed opportunity to not mention the Ashen One, someone who is basically only called on cause they are the last thing viable, the very bottom of the barrel, yet are still called.

I can't remember where I heard this, but I think it explains this very well. "The most important part of heroism is not death, but sacrifice. If a soldier dies for nothing, than he he has accomplished nothing worthy of renown and is worthy of pity rather than glory; when a man dies for everything, his name is rightly sung and honored, and he has earned the distinction of hero." Souls Games also make me think of the poem "If" by Rudyard Kipling in how they typically focus on self control as well, the will to hold on and keep trying even in the face of your greatest and most demoralizing failures.

Dark Souls...and Bloodborne...both hold a very very special place in my heart. The world is depressing and hostile, but through perseverance and with the help of the very few people who are willing to assist you, you are capable of overcoming the challenge. A message I needed when I played my very first SoulsBorne game.

I think characters like these are just the absolute underdogs. No friends, no favour of the Gods, no powers, not even good looks! They're like your average joe that just so happen to, through luck or intervention of others, manage to do great feats even when the cards are stacked against them to the point that there is a wall of cards. They're either the most badass and determined characters ever or the most lucky ones ever Edit: oh and they're also extremely insignificant to things like Eldritch Gods, Great Heroes, and hordes of demons. But they have the added benefit of literally coming back to life over and over again, although for Dark Souls that's not as good since you may or may not go insane.

I believe the only thing that defines a "hero" is wheter or not he had to strain efforts to achieve a goal he believes to be noble; if it's just destiny, nature or such, then it makes no difference.

"You bear the curse with them, the mantle of the unchosen and you feel just as much the hero when you manage to struggle through it." This is the core reason why these games don't have difficulty modes. This concept is built into the story being told, it wouldn't be the same without it.

Another good example of the Unchosen hero is Un Lunn Dunn by China Mieville, where a young girl discovers her friend is the chosen one of a mystical world... only for her friend to chicken out on it. Instead, she takes up the task herself and defeats a great evil, despite manifestly not being the one prophesied.