This video explores a theory about the origins of Shadow Beasts in the Elden Ring game. The speaker analyzes in-game lore and item descriptions to posit that the first Shadow Beast was created by Metryr, the mother of the Two Fingers, and that subsequent Shadow Beasts are created through a different process involving the manipulation of an Empyrean's shadow.
The speaker in the video posits a complex interplay of metaphysical concepts and processes within the Elden Ring world, drawing parallels to Jungian psychology and various religious beliefs about reincarnation and transformation. Let's break down the key elements and their proposed mechanics:
1. The Dichotomies of Existence: The foundation is the ever-present duality: light/dark, life/death, chaos/order. These are not viewed as separate entities but as interconnected forces, constantly influencing and shaping each other in an eternal cycle of causality and regression. This is akin to the yin and yang concept. This dynamic is present on both a cosmic and individual level.
2. The Self and its Manifestations: Each individual, or Empyrean, possesses a multifaceted self. The speaker uses Jungian archetypes:
3. The Creation of Shadow Beasts: The core theory centers on the creation of Shadow Beasts. These are not merely creatures but entities born from a ritualistic melding of the Empyrean's shadow (the unconscious, repressed aspects of their being) with a living beast. This process is described as "binding" a beast to the Empyrean's unconscious, resulting in a creature that is partly beast and partly the Empyrean's shadow self.
4. The Role of the Two Fingers and the Golden Order: The Two Fingers are presented as agents of the Golden Order, seeking to maintain control over Empyreans. They use Shadow Beasts as instruments to enforce conformity, manipulating the Empyrean's hidden desires and turning them into weapons. The creation of Shadow Beasts is a tool to suppress the Empyrean's rebellious tendencies and maintain order.
5. The Amber Egg and Accelerated Reincarnation: The Amber Egg is viewed as a catalyst for rapid reincarnation and transformation. Larval Tears, used with the egg, are described as mimicking the process of a womb, accelerating the evolutionary crucible. This process can swiftly transform a creature, potentially from beast to beastman, beastman to human, and even further, suggesting a potential for accelerated spiritual evolution or devolution.
6. Metryr, the Elden Beast, and the First Shadow Beast: The most speculative part of the theory claims that the first Shadow Beast wasn't created through the ritual mentioned above. Instead, it’s posited that the Elden Beast is the shadow self of Metryr, a part of her being that separated due to injury. This separation mirrors the Jungian concept of the shadow's existence being dependent on the self.
7. The Greater Will and Cosmic Order: The Greater Will is presented not as a malevolent controller but as an inherent cosmic principle of order, a part of the universe's drive to self-organize. Metryr's desire for perfect order, as manifested in the Elden Beast, is an attempt to align with this greater cosmic principle.
In essence, the speaker proposes a system where metaphysical forces—duality, the unconscious, and the drive for order—interact to shape the reality of Elden Ring. The creation of Shadow Beasts is presented as a ritualistic manipulation of these forces, an attempt by the Two Fingers (acting on behalf of the Golden Order) to control the chaotic energies of the Empyrean's unconscious. The Elden Beast's origin is seen as a unique, primordial event separate from the later ritualistic creation of Shadow Beasts, representing a direct manifestation of Metryr’s own inner struggle for order. The Amber Egg acts as a tool to both accelerate this natural evolutionary process and potentially be misused to create unnatural, twisted versions of this process in the form of Shadow Beasts.
