If there's one thing Dark Souls is known for, it's incredible boss design. In just the first game alone, players will face off against armored knights, fearsome demons, and a slew of gigantic foes that want nothing more than to squash the tiny player beneath them. However, there's a lot more to Dark Souls' bosses than meets the eye.
Dark Souls features a total of 13 main bosses, each one boasting its own set of moves and abilities. Behind all the terrifying swings of huge swords and all the hurtling fireballs, though, these bosses have rich backstories - but fans may need to dig a little deeper than just what the game tells them to uncover this lore.
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Asylum Demon
Created by the Bed of Chaos, the Asylum Demon protects the Northern Undead Asylum. Though its purpose is still unconfirmed, it is theorized that the Asylum Demon was placed at the Asylum's exit in order to ensure that only the strongest Undead can enter Lordran. Gwyn, the Lord of Cinder and ruler of Lordran, likely wanted only the strongest Undead to exit the Asylum so that they could be pushed toward linking the fading First Flame.
Bell Gargoyles
Acting as the protectors of the first Bell of Awakening, the Bell Gargoyles are designed to test any Undead who seeks to link the First Flame. If an Undead manages to defeat the Bell Gargoyles, and rings the bell, then that being takes on the prophesied mantle of the Chosen Undead.
Ceaseless Discharge
The deformed son of the Witch of Izalith, the woman who once stood with Gwyn and Nito as they exterminated the ancient Dragons, the being now known as Ceaseless Discharge was once just a small human-like boy. At birth, the boy had painful sores that oozed with a lava-like substance. His sisters, the Daughters of Chaos, gave him an Orange Charred Ring designed to resist his fiery affliction.
As the First Flame began to fade, his mother attempted to start a new Flame, resulting in the birth of a Chaos Flame, which deformed Izalith's residents into Demons. Ceaseless Discharge was one such resident, being transformed into a hulking tentacle-ridden monster, whose only goal is to protect the tomb of one of his sisters.
Chaos Witch Quelaag
One of the few surviving Daughters of Chaos, Quelaag was also turned into a Demon after her mother's Chaos Flame creation. Now, half spider demon, half human-like woman, Quelaag resides at the base of Blighttown, standing guard to the ruins of Izalith. Quelaag's Domain is also situated right next to her sister, who is hidden behind an illusory wall. Many believe Quelaag's sole purpose is to protect her weaker sister.
Iron Golem
Acting as the last guardian before an Undead can reach Anor Londo, the Iron Golem is an empty husk originally designed as a training exercise that can be automatically rebuilt. The core of the Iron Golem, which gives the iron suit its power, was created by the joining of a powerful soul and some ancient Dragon bones.
Ornstein and Smough
Ornstein, the captain of Gwyn's legendary elite knights, now stands guard to Princess Gywnevere's royal chamber alongside Executioner Smough. During the prosperous Age of Fire, Gwyn gifted a part of his extremely powerful Lord Soul to each of his four elite knights, alongside a set of rings and armors that benefit each of their particular skill-sets.
Smough, on the other hand, was not one of Gwyn's knights, though he longed to be. Smough's ruthlessness as Royal Executioner and his cannibalistic tendencies made him a fearful foe, even to Lord Gywn. Ornstein and Smough now stand together as the final line of Anor Londo's defense - although it is theorized that the two could simply be part of Gywndolin's illusions.
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Great Grey Wolf Sif
The wolf companion to the legendary Knight Artorias, Sif joined his master in his attempt to seal off the town of Oolacile from the oncoming Abyss. Although the Abyss was pushed back, Artorias was defeated, and Sif was left alone. Sif now sits at his master's grave, ensuring that others cannot meet the same fate by preventing them from claiming the Covenant of Artorias ring and using it to traverse the Abyss.
The Four Kings
Hand-picked by Gywn to lead the prosperous city of New Londo, these four Human brothers decided to rule together. But, as all Humans are, the Four Kings were particularly susceptible to the call of the Abyss. Following a visit from Darkstalker Kaathe, a Primordial Serpent obsessed with the Abyss and ushering in a new Age of Dark, the Four Kings were tempted, and became lost to the Abyss. In order to seal off the Abyss, the New Londo was flooded, with much of its citizens still inside.
Pinwheel
Little is known about the being, or beings, Pinwheel once was. Now, Pinwheel rules over the Catacombs, brandishing the power of the Gravelord that he once stole from Nito himself. It is theorized that Pinwheel once accidentally used his necromancy powers to fuse his family together, hence why he can drop the Mask of the Child, the Mask of the Father, or the Mask of the Mother.
Gravelord Nito
One of the first beings to walk into the First Flame and redeem a Lord Soul, Gravelord Nito is the Lord of Death, and is the leader of the Gravelord Servant covenant. Nito used his powers of disease and death against the Dragons, and retreated to the Tomb of the Giants once his role was fulfilled.
The Bed of Chaos
Another of the original four beings to walk into the First Flame and retrieve a Lord Soul, the Witch of Izalith became the Lord of Life. Using her Lord Soul, the Witch set the Dragon's dwellings aflame, and proceeded to hone her craft after the war. With the creation of Pyromancy, the Witch attempted to create a new Flame, but the process backfired, plunging the city of Izalith into eternal flames, and transforming its inhabitants into Demons.
The attempt to create a new Flame also deformed the Witch, who now takes on the appearance of a large humanoid tree, known as the Bed of Chaos. Inside the bed, the Chaos Flame can be seen, birthing more Demons unto the world.
Seath the Scaleless
Once a member of the ancient Dragons, Seath was born without scales, and was considered an outcast by the rest of his race. With little reason to stay loyal to his own people, Seath betrayed the Dragons and sided with Lord Gwyn during the war. Gywn awarded his actions by granting him the title of Duke, and gifting him a portion of his Lord Soul.
Seath spent the rest of his life researching Crystal Magic from his Archive in an attempt to become immortal, perhaps feeling vulnerable due to his lack of impenetrable scales. Over the years, Seath becomes more and more frantic, sending his Serpent guards to kidnap women from across the land, whom he'd use as test subjects in his experiments.
Gwyn, Lord of Cinder
One of the first to walk into the First Flame, Gwyn's Lord Soul made him the Lord of Light. In the ancient era, Gwyn rallied his forces, alongside the other Lords, and waged war against the Everlasting Dragons. With knowledge from Seath the Scaleless, Gwyn used his lightning powers to penetrate the otherwise indestructible scales of the Dragons.
After the war was won, Gwyn set about creating the city of Anor Londo, that would soon stretch into the kingdom of Lordran. For a while, all was good, but the First Flame began to fade, and Gwyn knew this would mean that his powers would diminish. Rather than waiting for the inevitable Age of Dark, Gwyn sacrificed himself atop the First Flame in an attempt to prolong the Age of Fire.
Dark Souls Remastered is available now on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
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