From Software is all but legendary at this point for their boss design. Well, for their everything, but mostly their bosses. Name any one of their games, and at least half a dozen names immediately pop into players heads. Orenstein and Smough. The Orphan of Kos. Sword Saint Isshin. So on and so forth.
I’ve fought ’em all. I’ve killed ’em all. Some of them, multiple times. Usually after they’ve killed me a multitude of times themselves.
So trust me when I say, without exaggeration, that Malenia, the Blade of Miquella, stands head and shoulders above the others as From Software’s most difficult boss to date. Not a hot take, I admit. But a true one.
Even before Elden Ring came out, Malenia was making an impact with fans. Her legendary battle with Radahn was used part of the first cinematic teaser back when the game was first announced. Bought the collector’s edition? Here’s a statue of her. From wasn’t exactly being subtle: they knew this boss would make ripples among their players.
And make ripples, she did. Countless streamers lost as many hours being slaughtered for their audience’s amusement. Thousands of death montages and triumphant pop-offs litter the internet. She’s so legendary that she gave rise to another legend in her wake: Let-me-solo-her, a name now synonymous with both this boss and Elden Ring itself.
Yet you may wonder: why? What are we all being annihilated for? Why are we even fighting Malenia? To know that, we first must understand the lore behind the Blade of Miquella.
Unfortunately, I don’t have the time nor energy to go into it in detail. I can’t read all those item descriptions, I have actual books to read! So I’ll just leave a link to the video on the subject by the always great VaatiVidya.
To abridge the subject: Malenia is one of the demigods, sister of Miquella, as well as the guardian of a Great Rune. She’s also the vessel for the God of Rot; in her duel against Radahn, she let said god loose, infesting the land of Caelid with the same horrific disease eating away at her body. Now she resides at the base of the Haligtree, waiting for her brother’s return.
It’s here, after one of the most brutal From Software dungeons to date, that we find Malenia. Rising, she dons her helm, attaches her prosthetic arm, draws her blade, and warns us:
Heed my words. I am Malenia, Blade of Miqeulla. And I have never known defeat.
Bold words. Which she can more than back up.
When the fight begins, Malenia doesn’t come out swinging. Rather, she walks towards you. Slowly. Patiently. Menacingly. Waiting for you to make the first move. Giving you plenty of time to apply some buffs, summon your spirits, or make some ranged attacks. Let it not be said that the Blade of Miquella is unfair or dishonorable.
Once provoked, Malenia rushes in with fast and deadly barrages of sword swings. Not only are these slashes fast, they hit as hard as Mike Tyson in his prime! Even the thickest builds will fall before her onslaught in two to three hits, if you’re not careful.
Two attacks stand out as far deadlier than the others. The first is her grab attack. If Malenia gets her hand on you, she’ll throw you into the air and stab you. An instant kill. While the tell is obvious and dodging it isn’t hard, if you’re caught unawares, your run will end right there and then.
The second requires no introduction: the Waterfowl Dance. For me at least, this is the most difficult attack to dodge in the entire game. If I’m being honest, I still have no idea how to actually avoid it. My victorious attempts were only as such because I was lucky.
A huge part of what makes Malenia so difficult is her Great Rune. See, you’re playing Elden Ring. Malenia? She’s playing Bloodborne. Every time she hits you, she’ll restore a portion of her health. Even if you manage to block the attack, she’ll recover. A few unlucky strikes could undo every bit of damage you’ve dealt to the demigod.
Brutal as it is, phase one is still plenty manageable. You’ve got to be quick on your feet and more than a little lucky. But it is still wholly possible.
If you’re really lucky, you might even be in good enough shape to tackle phase two.
Blooming into the Goddess of Rot, Malenia begins this phase by casting Scarlet Aeonia, opening an enormous crimson flower that afflicts the player with the Scarlet Rot affliction. Miss the timing, and you’ll be killed instantly right at the beginning of phase two. Just be patient, and it’s pretty easy to avoid.
The same cannot be said for her clone strike attack. Basically, she sends flowery clones of herself to attack you from above in a complex pattern. It’s definitely tricky, and will kill you quick if you aren’t on high alert.
Granted, if you aren’t doing that already, you won’t get this far to begin with.
The rest is pretty simple. Her melee attacks change up their timing and some have extra bursts of Scarlet Rot for added effect, but they’re still manageable. But beware: she’ll still use the Waterfowl Dance, and it’s even deadlier than before.
Should you manage to overcome all of this, than the Goddess of Rot shall fall by your hands. As she fades, she apologizes to her brother, acknowledging that she has at last met her match. However, if you return to her boss arena after resting at a Site of Grace, you’ll find a crimson flower blooming where she fell. A grave? Or a sign of her resurrection? Who can say? In either case: you have overcome nigh impossible odds, and you stand victorious.
Some may say that Malenia is too hard, even by From Software’s standards. Which is a fair opinion to have. But it’s also worth noting that the difficulty is largely dependent on what kind of play style you’ve opted for. Build variety is so expansive in Elden Ring that no two players will have the same experience with any boss in the game, Malenia included. That’s not even accounting for the varying skill levels of the players themselves. For some, she may prove a near insurmountable obstacle, whereas others may only find a small hill in the road.
Personally, I don’t see this as an issue at all. Half the fun of From Software games is the discussion around them. Seeing how other players confront the same obstacles you did, and how they found their ways around. Why do you think these games are so popular among streamers?
Besides, she’s entirely optional. If you’re a coward. But you do you. I won’t judge.
Much.
My only true issue with this boss fight is her stupid victory taunt. Every single time she kills you, it’s the same thing. “I am Malenia, Blade of Miquella.” Hearing that over and over is far more infuriating than the boss herself. Sometimes, when I close my eyes, I can still hear it.
Malenia, Blade of Miquella, has more than earned her reputation. She is a truly legendary boss fight, a prime example of everything that makes Elden Ring so special. From Software hit a home run with her.
And according to Miyazaki, they’re gonna do it again in Shadows of the Erdtree.
Hooray. Can’t wait to spend another three straight days on that one…
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