Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Final Boss Originally Talked

Highlights

• The final boss in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree was originally supposed to talk.
• Some recent datamining efforts have uncovered three dialogue lines from the boss that were cut from the expansion.
• While the lines themselves don’t contain new information, their inclusion would have potentially changed some interpretations of the Shadow of the Erdtree story.

The final boss of Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree was initially supposed to talk, according to some newly uncovered dialogue lines that were cut from the DLC. Although the lines themselves don’t reveal any new information, their mere existence would have potentially changed the way in which the Shadow of the Erdtree story is interpreted by some fans were they actually included in the expansion.

Major Elden Ring: SOTE spoilers ahead.

Although the fight against a revived Radahn at the end of Shadow of the Erdtree is as stress-inducing as Elden Ring clashes get, many players were disappointed with some of its presentational aspects. One of the chief complaints among the fandom is that Radahn is mute throughout the encounter, with Miquella being the one who does all the talking.

Radahn Originally Had at Least 3 Lines in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

But that wasn’t always the plan, according to some newly datamined Radahn dialogue that just emerged online. Specifically, Reddit user LaMi_1 discovered that the final Shadow of the Erdtree boss originally had at least three lines of dialogue, whose IDs indicate that they were meant to be uttered one after another. The cut content would have seen the general introduce himself with a straightforward “I am Radahn,” before describing himself as “born of red-maned Radagon, and Rennala of the Full Moon.” He’d conclude by proclaiming he is “a lion bred for battle.”

Radahn’s Cut Dialogue Would Have Potentially Made Miquella Look Naive

On the surface, these lines wouldn’t have revealed any new information because Radahn’s family tree has been a well-established part of the Elden Ring lore long before Shadow of the Erdtree was even in the works. But the final part of the monologue appears to be at odds with the description of the Remembrance of a God and a Lord, the consumable that players obtain after defeating the final DLC boss. Although the item states that Miquella saw “kindness” in Radahn, the third cut line serves as a reminder that he’s first and foremost a murder machine. Were it included in the game, it would have cast a lot of doubt on Miquella’s childhood impression of Radahn, suggesting his view of his half-brother might have been naive.

I am Radahn. Born of red-maned Radagon, and Rennala of the Full Moon. A lion bred for battle.

Having Radahn Speak in Shadow of the Erdtree Might Have Challenged Brainwashing Theories

Another thing that this brief monologue would have changed is the potential interpretation of Radahn’s motivations at the end of Shadow of the Erdtree. Although many players were unhappy with his muteness, it did serve to imply that Miquella brainwashed him after ascending to godhood. Having him speak would have given a greater impression of him retaining some agency after being brought back from the dead. This would have potentially challenged the currently popular theory that he was being mind-controlled by Miquella in the end.

Radahn’s introductory lines aren’t the only content that FromSoftware decided to leave on the cutting room floor while making its latest expansion; some dataminers have also recently uncovered a cut Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree cutscene featuring St. Trina.