God hasn't offered me a call so much as a series of garbled radio transmissions on several different frequencies, some of them in Morse code. I know I'm supposed to do something in this general direction but I don't know what.
Alright! Last post of this saga, continuing off this ramble about Gideon. This time, I want to explore more about what happens at the Endgame, so obviously spoilers for that. Let's get started with a bit of setupt!
So, Gideon remains as I previously stated until we finally defeat Morgott, at which point several things change at the Rountable. If we visit Enia the Finger Reader, she'll inform us that the Two Fingers are disturbed by this turn of events (the Tarnished being barred from the Erdtree by Radagon's wall of thorns). It's extremely likely that this is Radagon's going (and maybe by extension the Greater Will's) since it's his symbol we see amidst the barbs. The Fingers then decide to reach out to the Greater Will...only to never get an answer. Enia says that "thousands of moons might pass" and asks the Tarnished "oh, how will you manage the wait?". If we venture to Gideon's office after this, we see him singing a different tune towards them as well. He urges us to go to the Mountaintops of the Giants, against the wishes of the Fingers, when before he insisted that any Tarnished was forbidden from entering the Capital until two Great Runes had been collected.
Gideon even says that "the Two Fingers lost their purpose a long time ago" in a later conversation, but before we defeat Maliketh. The point is that he finally sees them for what they are, envoys without a master that have been reciting off a script for eons upon eons. Gideon then urges us to reach the Flame of Ruin, believing that to be in accordance with Marika's wishes. Perhaps he suspects that she isn't the one who placed the barrier at the Erdtree, since it's the Queen who gave all Tarnished the call to return to the Lands Between in the first place. So...why would she block the way? I'm sure he's picked up on it, and Gideon even has some extra dialogue if we return after defeating the Fire Giant.
He's finally made up his mind on leaving the now burning Rountable Hold, but only after he's collected as much knowledge as there is to be gathered from his library. Even now, at the penultimate area of Elden Ring's conclusion, Gideon acts consistantly with how his character has been portrayed throughout the game. So that begs the question, why does he attack us in the Ashen Capital, seemingly betraying his own ideals?
Well...I think it might be Radagon's fault. Many others have already said this, but I feel the need to reiterate what's been said in defense of Gideon. Now, the matter of Marika and Radagon's relationship to the Greater Will is a completely different topic that I won't cover here, but it's quite obvious that Marika rebelled against the Greater Will while Radagon (willingly or unwillingly) continues to hold onto the dying Golden Order. And with Gideon always following the Eternal Queen's will, as well as never indicating he knows that they are one and the same...it would be easy for him to be misled, to fall prey to the very faults that Tarnished before him did, and fail in his own journey.
It's ironic, that Gideon has spent so much of his life standing back and watching countless Tarnished always fail at the very last step...only for him to finally undertake his own journey...and do the very same thing. What I believe happened is that Radagon came to Gideon as Marika, and since he didn't know they are the same person, Gideon just assumed he was getting direct orders from the Queen. Radagon must have tricked Gideon, or re-contextualized Marika's original plans to make it sound like this prolonged dying gasp of the Order was the plan...when we know otherwise. Radagon is heavily connected to the themes of stagnation and absolute beliefs, so it's no wonder he would want to keep the world as is regardless of the ruined state the Lands Between exist in. It's no wonder that Gideon's potential arguments would never have swayed him, because absolute belief is just that. Unchanging.
And so, while Gideon was passing through the Erdtree Sancuary, potentially about to go challenge Godfrey...he recieves a direct message from "Queen Marika". The first directive they've recieved aside from the drivel spoken by the Two Fingers. It re-ignites Gideon's hope, that he and the Tarnished have done it! That they're so very close to the Elden Ring, to finally restoring these fractured lands...but he's told to do the opposite. Direct, clear orders from "Marika" say to prevent us from going near the Erdtree, that this age must last unto eternity. We all know what happens next. Gideon grabs a hold of his staff and seal...and the rest is history. Even more ironically, this too is hopeless. It's very possible that Gideon has lost the Guidance of Grace for going against the Two Fingers earlier on, because he doesn't come back. No matter how many times he kills the Tarnished, we will inevitably return to challenge him again.
Also, remember what Gideon does when he defeats us. He doesn't gloat or brag that he's the better fighter, instead he congratulates us. "My fellow, you've fought well, until now". I think it could be a way to thank us for co-operating, or an acknowledgement of everything we've been through on our journey (sometimes on his behalf). Gideon continues to fight, never tires and stands guard in the Sanctuary, because those are his orders. Because he believes this to be Queen Marika's will, and cannot go against her. And when we finally defeat him? Gideon at last lets his hopes die, gives into despair and says that it's all pointless. No man can kill a God. Not even us, whose progress he has been watching with a keen eye for such a long time. Actually, I think this is where Gideon loses Grace. By giving up the mission, by foregoing his ambitious spirit that drives him and guided him for so many years...the fleeting specks of gold leave his eyes, and Gideon Ofnir dies a hopeless, broken old man who would only have needed to choose his battles and see his dream of restoring Order finally come true. This unrelenting conviction that helped him hang on until we finally arrive...is the very same reason he falls prey to Radagon's lie. Ironic, isn't it? That if only Gideon had held firmly to his faith in us instead of an absent God, we could have challenged Godfrey, Radagon and the Elden Beast together, finally seeing his dream come true?
Well, this is my take on Sir Gideon Ofnir, the All-Knowing. I'd love to chat more about him, so feel free to drop asks or comments to let me know what you all think. It'll be a while before I post about Elden Ring, but until then, Stay Tarnished everyone!
i love harrow SO MUCH. like I hate coffee shop aus as much as the next person, but my girl really said 'I once HAD a lobotomy, and i WILL cycle through all the possible fanfic tropes as to how me and my gf met in this pocket dimension i created. so yeah have me and my gf meeting at the necromancers starbucks <3'. lobotomy as a love language <3
