I've finally realized why I don't like Malenia as a character

[Expired_Meme_Cheese]

There's nothing to respect about her. I know that sounds weird, considering that most of the major players in Fromsoft's Souls games aren't really supposed to be likable, but there was usually something that at least earned my respect. Astraea gave up everything to become a demon and help the people of the Valley of Defilement, King Allant set the demons upon the world in a roundabout way to rid the world of misery, Gwyn and his crew slew the ancient dragons, Prince Lothric went against his family's wishes and longed for what came after the fading of the First Flame. I could go on, but hopefully you get the idea.

Even character's that we're clearly meant to hate, like Owl or Godrick, earn some respect for at least getting where they are.

Malenia is written like Coldsteel the Hedgehog. As far a I'm aware, her lore is basically that she was born with scarlet rot, and she has never been bested in battle. There's nothing about earning her place, or making some sort of great sacrifice or decision, or even just accomplishing something of note. She's just good because she's good.

And I think that's part of why people like Radahn. While it's not much, we know about how he learned and became skilled with gravity magic. He earned his ability to use gravity magic, granting him a small amount of respect.

Malenia has earned nothing.

I could be wrong about that, the lore days are early for this game, so maybe something could come up that'll change my tune. But I'm doubtful.

Edit: After reading through the replies, I will fully admit that my reasoning is shallow, poorly supported, and not very well thought out, and there are replies that have done much better explaining than I have done.

I will not be changing my post, however, as I do not mind the discussion that comes from my poor opinion.

[Freak4Leeks]

Vinnolo eredeti hozzászólása:

"never been bested in battle"
Radahn kicked her ass and she had to use her god powers just to escape with her life and condemned entire caelid, not to mention she survived thanks to her knights since she couldnt even walk (and it didnt even killed radahn), there is nothing good or redeeming about her

not really, if you watched the story cinematic, it shows the moment she unleashed her powers she was far from getting her assed kicked i imagine she probably would have kept fighting.

and i said before if we are talking about an over all "Win" i think malenia did actually "win" overhaul she is the one in a beautiful tree castle while radahn is braindead eating corpses in the hell hole of calied

so

"never been bested in battle"

is true i would say.

[Sickerton]

Freak4Leeks eredeti hozzászólása:

Vinnolo eredeti hozzászólása:

"never been bested in battle"
Radahn kicked her ass and she had to use her god powers just to escape with her life and condemned entire caelid, not to mention she survived thanks to her knights since she couldnt even walk (and it didnt even killed radahn), there is nothing good or redeeming about her

not really, if you watched the story cinematic, it shows the moment she unleashed her powers she was far from getting her assed kicked i imagine she probably would have kept fighting.

and i said before if we are talking about an over all "Win" i think malenia did actually "win" overhaul she is the one in a beautiful tree castle while radahn is braindead eating corpses in the hell hole of calied

so

"never been bested in battle"

is true i would say.

If she wasn't in danger of losing when she released the scarlet rot, that would mean that she caused all that death and suffering just for giggles.

[Freak4Leeks]

Sickerton eredeti hozzászólása:

If she wasn't in danger of losing when she released the scarlet rot, that would mean that she caused all that death and suffering just for giggles.

Thank you

in the story cinematic it looks like she is whispering something my head canon is now that she whispered "It's just a prank bro" to Radahn then absolutely blasted Caelid with AIDS scarlet rot.

10/10

[Omelet Supreme]

Radahn is fodder compared to Malenia.

[jasonbarron]

Sickerton eredeti hozzászólása:

jasonbarron eredeti hozzászólása:

And my point was anyone describing it as dishonorable or cowardly has no experience with being a moment from death at the hands of an adversary. You do what you gotta do to survive. I find Malenia's actions perfectly understandable given the circumstances.

Radahn could have dropped the stars he was holding back onto Malenia after he realized that Malenia had just doomed him and his entire civilization to tie in a duel.
He never does. Even after it's clear that that Malenia has dealt a mortal wound to him by not caring the other way.
Even after his mind is whittled down to anamalistic instincts and he's nothing more than a wild hobbled dog. What little is left of his mind knows that he wanted to protect people from the stars, and and still dedicates enough energy and focus to do so until the moment he dies.

What's that say about the lowly tarnished who killed him and let the stars fall just to steal his great rune?

[Sickerton]

jasonbarron eredeti hozzászólása:

Sickerton eredeti hozzászólása:

Radahn could have dropped the stars he was holding back onto Malenia after he realized that Malenia had just doomed him and his entire civilization to tie in a duel.
He never does. Even after it's clear that that Malenia has dealt a mortal wound to him by not caring the other way.
Even after his mind is whittled down to anamalistic instincts and he's nothing more than a wild hobbled dog. What little is left of his mind knows that he wanted to protect people from the stars, and and still dedicates enough energy and focus to do so until the moment he dies.

What's that say about the lowly tarnished who killed him and let the stars fall just to steal his great rune?

The Tarnished does leave a lot of collateral in his wake -- especially if you choose some of the worst endings -- but at least in this instance it's on behalf of Radahn's old friends.

Even that is kind of iffy if the Tarnished is primarily there because Ranni says to do so, though.

[jasonbarron]

Sickerton eredeti hozzászólása:

jasonbarron eredeti hozzászólása:

What's that say about the lowly tarnished who killed him and let the stars fall just to steal his great rune?

The Tarnished does leave a lot of collateral in his wake -- especially if you choose some of the worst endings -- but at least in this instance it's on behalf of Radahn's old friends.

Even that is kind of iffy if the Tarnished is primarily there because Ranni says to do so, though.

The moral of the story and my main takeaway from the world of Elden Ring is that there are no good guys or bad guys, only winners and losers.

[Eunostos]

jasonbarron eredeti hozzászólása:

Kain eredeti hozzászólása:

That's the point, it was irrational and cowardly.

The Redmanes stayed behind, sacrificing themselves to stop the rot she unleashed in desperation.

And my point was anyone describing it as dishonorable or cowardly has no experience with being a moment from death at the hands of an adversary. You do what you gotta do to survive. I find Malenia's actions perfectly understandable given the circumstances.

She knew what she was holding in. She decided her brother and pride were worth more than the continent before that moment came.

We've all known parents like that in the real world, who would hurt or do anything to anyone for their family even if the harm is massive and the benefit slight - this is a fantasy exaggeration of a real-life evil behaviour.

[Crusta]

She was born with rot. She has no arm. She has no leg. She is blind and still kicks major ass with a sword at such a crippled state to protect her brother. And as if that wasn't enough she transforms into a butterfly.

Yeah you can keep your Godrick, no thanks. A guy who dressed as a woman and hid among them to avoid fighting in the Shattering war lol

[Izlude]

"I have never been beaten....except that time I got wrecked had to nuke the area with scarlet rot then passed out and needed to be saved by a dude named Finley." Honestly the way I understood her character is that shes all talk and no walk. She has to rely on the powers of an outergod she hates because she is too weak to fight using just her own power. I have seen people try to claim that somehow nuking an area after getting rocked so hard your prosthetic arm came off then passing out is somehow winning a fight. Though by the same logic I guess if you drunkenly throw a punch, miss and get socked in the face but then you stumble forward and throw up on the person before you pass out and get carried away its called winning a bar fight.

[aristateles]

Ok

[Crusta]

Freak4Leeks eredeti hozzászólása:

and i said before if we are talking about an over all "Win" i think malenia did actually "win" overhaul she is the one in a beautiful tree castle while radahn is braindead eating corpses in the hell hole of caelid

this.

[Anthreris]

Moluscow eredeti hozzászólása:

She was born with rot. She has no arm. She has no leg. She is blind and still kicks major ass with a sword at such a crippled state to protect her brother. And as if that wasn't enough she transforms into a butterfly.

Yeah you can keep your Godrick, no thanks. A guy who dressed as a woman and hid among them to avoid fighting in the Shattering war lol

Hold on Malenia is blind? I guess that does explain the helmet. Forgot about the missing limbs and prosthetics for some reason.

Besides the helmet design and the facial decay, do you have any other evidence indicating that Malenia is blind?

[I-Chi]

Moth eredeti hozzászólása:

She didn't fought to a standstill, she was losing and used the Rot -to- cause the standstill.

There are these Hill of Swords monuments, with a description of a major event. In Caelid, there's this:
"The battle of Aeonia. Radahn and Malenia locked in stalemate. Then, the scarlet rot blooms."

I'm assuming that those words are facts and not fake news.

[Archdeacon Monseigneur]

Malenia is a metaphor for females with STD's. they might look tasty, but really, they're poison.