Dark Souls 3 is the final chapter of FromSoftware’s hyper-challenging, open-world action RPG with a vague, if not outright baffling, story. Because of this, it can be a little tricky to find the endings. After all, if you don’t know what’s going on, how do you figure out where to go or what to do? Well, we’re here to help (sort of).
Actually, what we’re here to do is judge the endings and rank them based solely on our personal opinion of how interesting they are. In total, there are four endings, with two that are nearly identical. Think you can stop praising the sun long enough to read four entries? Cool.
Spoiler Warning
Updated October 25, 2024, by Alfredo Robelo: Not all FromSoftware’s games have multiple endings, but those that do tend to have the most twisting tales. Elden Ring and its DLC have come and gone, and while FromSoftware’s latest masterpiece had some interesting endings, the price for the most cryptic will always go to Dark Souls 3, hence why we came back to this article and polished it to today’s standards.
4
Linking The Flame
Clinging To The Past
This is considered to be the standard ending, where you fulfill the primary mission. You defeat the Soul of Cinder, sacrifice your soul to link the First Flame, and keep the Fire Age burning. Accomplishing this is no small feat, and yet it is quite literally the least you can do in terms of beating the game, so it comes in last place for us.
Also, and perhaps we’re reading into this more than it deserves, the rejuvenated flames feel somehow less grand than they should. Some fans have speculated that this means the Linking no longer carries the same effect as it did before and that the Fire Age is collapsing no matter what you do. If that’s the case, and it’s a very FromSoftware thing to imply, then cool… love that for us, but until that’s confirmed, this ending still comes in fourth.
3
Ending The Flame
The Everpresent Age Of Dark Ending
This is considered to be the True Ending of the game, where you give the Fire Keeper a set of eyes and summon her to handle the flame. You still have to face the Soul of Cinder, but your companion handles what comes next. After the fight ends (hopefully in your favor), the Fire Keeper takes the flame into her hands and lets it fade out.
Related
The Hardest Dark Souls And Souls-Like Games, Ranked
FromSoftware’s Souls games are incredibly popular, and have spun a sub-genre of challenging games. Which ones are the hardest?
And that’s it. The screen fades to black as the flame dies. Some fans have theorized that the Fire Keeper doomed the Fire Age with false visions, while others have hopefully clung to the Fire Keeper’s assurances that a new “tiny flame” will burst into life in the darkness. Considering this is Dark Souls that we’re talking about, the less cheerful possibility is infinitely more likely.
2
Unkindled (Ending The Flame Variation)
The Flame Is All Yours
This ending is almost the exact same as the last one, where you provide the Fire Keeper with the eyes and summon her to the final battle, with one notable difference. Instead of passively watching the Fire Keeper kill the flame, you stab her in the back, interacting with her like in any soulslike. Hilariously, the narrator condemns you, saying, “Ash seeketh ember,” suggesting that you’re not worthy — or even capable — of wielding the mighty flame.
There is no achievement attached to this ending.
It’s extremely rare for Dark Souls to expend any effort in order to guide your path, so the fact that the game literally calls you out means that FromSoftware can’t believe you fumbled the bag so hard at the final choice. Sure, it’s too late for you to go back and fix it, but that just makes the verbal burn even funnier. 10/10.
1
The Usurpation Of Fire
The Hard One To Get
This is it: the last possible ending, and the hardest one to achieve. If you spend the entire game as one of the Hollowed, go out of your way to be the worst kind of person, and also follow an arduous list of easily missed tasks, then you can replace the Soul of Cinder after you defeat him. This ending sees you claiming the power of the First Flame for yourself. Doing so imbues you with great power and grants you an arm of dutiful, worshipful Hollows.
You can be locked out of this ending due to your actions in the game, so plan your playthrough accordingly.
Becoming the Lord of Hollows is by far the darkest ending. Even if you’re technically still continuing the Fire Age by channeling the First Flame, you’re not exactly implied to be doing the realm of Londor any favors. That being said, its complexity is compelling (if not frustrating), and it bears the coolest name of them all, thus making this the best ending in all of Dark Souls 3.
- Released
-
March 24, 2016
- Developer(s)
-
From Software
- Multiplayer
-
Online Co-Op
, Online Multiplayer - ESRB
-
M for Mature: Blood Violence