History Awesome / DarkSoulsIII

* The FinalBoss fight is probably the single best boss battle in the history of the series, for no other reason than the fact that [[spoiler: you are basically fighting ''yourself!'' More specifically, the Soul of Cinder combines the power of every [[VideoGame/DarkSoulsI Chosen Undead]], [[VideoGame/DarkSoulsII Bearer of the Curse]] and countless other entities that ever Linked the Fire, and as such it has access to, in no particular order; a straight sword, a greatsword, a curved greatsword, a staff, sorceries, miracles, pyromancies, and the backflip-dodge of the Dark Wood Grain Ring.]] The only thing that makes this fight even better is when you hit Phase 2, [[spoiler: and you hear the three lonesome piano notes of Gwyn's theme as the Soul takes on the move set of the first Lord of Cinder himself. It feels both like a do-over of Gwyn's fight from the first game and an ''enhancement''; no cheesing out parry attempts here folks, you're gonna have to do this legit! Hope you know your way around the combat or brought a couple phantoms in to help you.]] Suffice to say that [=FROM=] pulled out all the stops in making the FinalBoss of the Souls series worth all the effort to get to it.
* Farron's Undead Legion of the Abyss Watchers are concentrated badasses given form, both in the lore and in the fight against them. They're basically a legion of Undead who took up guarding the world against the horrors of the Abyss, and when the time came for them to Link the Fire they went down there [[BandOfBrothers together to burn as one]]. It also helps that [[spoiler: they are both a CallBack to and were ''founded'' by the fan favorite character Artorias]], and it really shows in the fight against them; these bastards are [[LightningBruiser Lightning Bruisers]] to the core, able to cross yards of their arena in the blink of an eye and incorporating a lot of scrambling movements and flips into their devastating moveset. [[spoiler: It gets even better when you hit Phase 2 of their fight, as the combined power of all the fallen Watchers flows into their leader, activating their powers as a Lord of Cinder. You'll be in for the fight of your life as they practically FlashStep around you and strike with their flaming greatswords with speed and ferocity that can give ''[[VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}} Lady Maria of the Astral Clocktower]]'' a run for her money.]]

* Deciding the ultimate fate of the Dark Souls universe. [[spoiler:You can Link the Fire, and enjoy the calm before the next cycle begins without burning in agony (since you are technically NOT a Lord of Cinder). Fulfill Kaathe's wish and usher in an Age of Dark with yourself as it's ruler, to the rejoicing of all who wanted to see the old gods finally get their comeuppance. Murder the Fire Keeper like a junkie for the pitiful last gasps of the First Flame, proving human nature never changes. Or survive the end of the world with the Firekeeper at your side, and wait for a better one to be born.]] Which is the BEST ending? [[KudzuPlot Start writing your essays]].

* Potentially one interpretation for a rather understated character that lets the entire game happen in the first place: [[spoiler: ''Ludleth!'']] If what's gathered is true, [[spoiler: the fire was doomed to fade because a StableTimeLoop resulted in the Ashen One [[NiceJobBreakingItHero driving off the only champion left to potentially bring together the Lords of Cinder.]] So Ludleth [[ScrewDestiny broke time itself]] to create a pocket dimension that the game's cycle takes place within, become a Lord of Cinder himself, and ultimately give the Ashen One the opportunity to decide the fate of the world.]] Even if [[MultipleEndings everything doesn't go as planned,]] it's probably one of the biggest Determinator moments in the entire franchise.
** The Link the Fire ending itself is a pure moment of awesomeness in its self. Unlike all the other games, [[spoiler: it ''cannot'' be argued that the player is being misled. The player is completely aware of what will happen to them once they link the fire. They've seen what it does to the other Lords, and still the Ashen One is consciously choosing to light themselves on fire, and burn in eternal agony forever.]] To honor the sacrifice of all the Lords before him, down to the Lord of Sunlight himself. While it's [[SenselessSacrifice futility could be argued]], it's nonetheless the [[HeroicSacrifice ultimate sacrifice.]]
* [[spoiler:The Gwyn / Soul of Cinder do-over]] isn't the only call-back boss fight that's been greatly improved. After the widely disparaged fight-against-a-tree that was the Bed of Chaos in the first Dark Souls, the fight against the Curse-Rotted Greatwood is an epic battle against a monstrous, towering foe.

*** The Ringed City DLC adds in one last bit of polish; [[spoiler: Even at ''the end of time itself'' the only problem and threat Patches ran into is becoming amnesiac for a time and forgetting his obsession and purpose. The player gets a questline to remind him of who he truly is, even if they don't realize it's him at first due to the fact that he's wearing a full suit of armour and going by the name "Lapp". He dedicated his body and mind to playing on the curiosity and greed of others, and through that, he has lived for ''cycles upon cycles'' without going Hollow, fleecing people and orchestrating their demise to strip their bodies for things to sell. The man is an almost commendable, if not admirable, sort of bastard.]]

* The conclusion of Siegward's questline - After bailing him out of multiple predicaments and fighting alongside him once against a demon, when you enter the arena of [[spoiler:Yhorm the Giant, a cutscene plays, and Siegward comes in alongside you, Storm Ruler in hand, revealing himself to be an old friend of Yhorm's who promised to put the Lord of Cinder down when the giant went mad. Provided that you grab the Storm Ruler on the other side of the room and you're not being stupid about using it, you and Siegward proceed to ''destroy'' Yhorm utterly (basically, by timing your attacks so you two can ''stunlock'' him, as fighting Yhorm with Siegward beside you becomes almost ''trivial'' provided that Siegward isn't killed in the process). You celebrate your victory together with a toast. Sadly, he expires from his wounds, leaving behind his armor, but [[DyingMomentOfAwesome his last moments were far more glorious than that of his predecessor]], who went Hollow and had to be put down.]]
* Orbeck of Vinheim is also worth a mention; He started out as an assassin serving the Dragon School in the desperate hope of learning sorceries, but he didn't get a chance to learn any of them. By the time you meet him, he has spend an untold amount of time holed up in his makeshift study but has still only managed to learn a few very basic spells. You are his only hope of finding sorcery scrolls and becoming a real sorcerer. If you managed to find all the scrolls for him ''and'' buy out his entire stock of spells, his wish is finally granted and he becomes a full-fledged sorcerer. Not only that, but [[spoiler:he can now be summoned for the Twin Princes boss fight, using his newly acquired sorcery knowledge to help you demolish a ''Lord of Cinder'']]!

* The final boss of ''The Ringed City'' is not only one of the most climactic bosses in the entire game, but is also a fantastic send-off to the series. [[spoiler: Slave Knight Gael, that hardy old man who helped you take down Ariandel and Friede, has been [[IAmAHumanitarian feasting on the blood of the Pygmy Lords in order to take on the Dark Soul]], turning him into a hulking LightningBruiser that combines Artorias' speed and skill with Manus' brutish strength. Once his health is at a third down, he finally stands up and becomes empowered by the consumed blood as a storm passes over the ashen desert. Phases 2 and 3 consist of the Slave Knight utilizing his sword skill, his auto-crossbow, and his new powers in tandem to really bring a world of hurt to the player. It's at this point that it becomes clear that you're no longer fighting Gael. ''[[ElementalEmbodiment You're facing off against the Dark Soul itself]]'']].
** The mid-boss cutscene counts, too. [[spoiler:Gael falls to his knees in pain, as blood drips from his face. He then softly asks if this is blood, as it nearly fades to black... and then he continues with [[WhamLine "The blood]] of [[TitleDrop the dark soul...?"]] Cue SwordPlant, as Gael slowly rises up to his feet, looks at his blade, and readies it, flames coming out of his very being as [[AwesomeMusic/DarkSouls his battle theme]] plays in the background. The whole thing is just so utterly powerful, it gets you ready to dive right back into the battle.]]
** Better yet, as part of the meta-narrative, Gael is [[spoiler: you: A simple, nameless, worthless undead, tasked by inscrutable, uncaring forces to save a dying world, who has endured innumerable suffering against impossible odds, and in turn gained power overwhelming by consuming countless souls of the defeated. Your confrontation is not one between god and man, or tyrant and slave, but of equals. Your arena is the edge of the apocalypse. There is nothing else here. There is no one left to witness this confrontation. There will be no evidence, no trace of such a titanic duel... And that is enough for two nameless undead.]]
* The BonusBoss of ''The Ringed City'' is impressive too: [[spoiler: a Dark-corrupted dragon every bit the match of Sinh and Kalameet. Midir is a true archdragon, one who has survived era upon era slaying the creatures of the Dark in service to the Gods. And he most definitely lives up to that reputation.]]
* The fact that going Hollow doesn't reduce the Ashen One's health or defenses in this game.

* The BonusBoss of ''The Ringed City'' is impressive too: [[spoiler: a Dark-corrupted dragon every bit the match of Sinh and Kalameet. Midir is a true archdragon, one who has survived era upon era slaying the creatures of the Dark in service to the Gods. And he most definitely lives up to that reputation.]]

* The ''Ashes of Ariandel'' DLC offers a fight that is as challenging as it is spectacular: Sister Friede. She starts the fight as a bonafide LightningBruiser, with rapid scythe combos on par with the likes of [[VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}} Gehrman]]. She can dash across the room in seconds to hook you with her scythe, create exploding ice crystals on the ground, and many other tricks that would be enough to qualify her for this page by themselves. But once you take her down, Father Ariandel promptly freaks out and comes after you himself... but not before ''reviving Friede''. Round two of the fight is a chaotic endurance match as you have to contend with [[ForceAndFinesse not only Friede's vicious moveset, but Ariandel's imposing presence as well]]. Once you finally slay them both, the music goes silent, and you expect "Heir of Fire Destroyed" to pop up any moment. '''[[VictoryFakeout It doesn't.]]''' Instead, Ariandel gives an ominous speech as Friede revives ''again'' as [[TurnsRed Blackflame Friede]], drawing a [[DuelWielding second magical scythe]] to dice you with and turning her already-intense attacks UpToEleven. This is a boss that makes you ''work'' for your victory.

* The ''Ashes of Ariandel'' DLC offers a fight that is as challenging as it is spectacular: Lady Friede. She starts the fight as a bonafide LightningBruiser, with rapid scythe combos on par with the likes of [[VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}} Gehrman]]. She can dash across the room in seconds to hook you with her scythe, create exploding ice crystals on the ground, and many other tricks that would be enough to qualify her for this page by themselves. But once you take her down, Father Ariandel promptly freaks out and comes after you himself... but not before ''reviving Friede''. Round two of the fight is a chaotic endurance match as you have to contend with not only Friede's vicious moveset, but Ariandel's imposing presence as well. Once you finally slay them both, the music goes silent, and you expect "Heir of Fire Destroyed" to pop up any moment. '''It doesn't.''' Instead, Ariandel gives an ominous speech as Friede revives ''again'' as Blackflame Friede, drawing a second magical scythe to dice you with and turning her already-intense attacks UpToEleven. This is a boss that makes you ''work'' for your victory.

* If you send Greirat to Irithyll, he'll die unless one of two things have happened: Either Siegward is there to save him... or, you tell Patches that you sent Greirat there. Patches, the DirtyCoward, backstabbing bastard who has tried to screw over every Soulsborne protagonist in the series, will descend into one of the game's most difficult and dangerous areas and rescue Greirat by himself. For the first time in the series, Patches has a friend that he actually cares about more than himself.

** Better yet, as part of the meta-narrative, Gael is [[spoiler: you: A simple, nameless, worthless undead, tasked by inscrutable, uncaring forces to save a dying world, who has endured innumerable suffering against impossible odds, and in turn gained power overwhelming by consuming the souls of the defeated over countless ages. Your confrontation is not one between god and man, or tyrant and slave, but of equals. Your arena is the edge of the apocalypse. There is nothing else here. There is no one left to witness this confrontation. There will be no evidence, no trace of such a titanic duel... And that is enough for two nameless undead.]]

** Better yet, as part of the meta-narrative, Gael is [[spoiler: you: A simple, nameless, worthless undead, tasked to save a dying world by inscrutable, uncaring forces, who has endured innumerable suffering against impossible odds, and in turn risen to godhood by consuming the souls of the defeated. Your confrontation is not one between god and man, or tyrant and slave, but of equals. Your arena is the edge of the apocalypse. There is nothing else here. There is no one left to witness this confrontation. There will be no evidence, no trace of such a titanic duel... And that is enough for two nameless undead.]]

** Better yet, as part of the meta-narrative, Gael is [[spoiler: you: A simple, nameless, worthless undead, tasked to save a dying world by inscrutable, uncaring forces, who has endured innumerable suffering against impossible odds, and in turn risen to godhood by consuming the souls of the defeated. Your confrontation is not one between god and man, or tyrant against commoner, but of equals. Your arena is the edge of the apocalypse. There is nothing else here. There is no one left to witness this confrontation. There will be no evidence, no trace of such a titanic duel... And that is enough for two nameless undead.]]

** Better yet, as part of the meta-narrative, Gael is [[spoiler: you: A simple, nameless, worthless undead, tasked to save a dying world by inscrutable, uncaring forces, who has endured innumerable suffering against impossible odds, and in turn risen to godhood by consuming the souls of the defeated. Your confrontation is not one between god and man, or tyrant against commoner, but of equals. Your arena is the edge of the apocalypse. There is nothing else here. No one will ever know of this confrontation. There will be no evidence, no trace of such a titanic duel... And that is enough for two nameless undead.]]

** Better yet, as part of the meta-narrative, Gael is [[spoiler: you: A simple, nameless, worthless undead, tasked to save a dying world by inscrutable, uncaring forces, who has endured immeasurable suffering against impossible odds, and in turn risen to godhood by consuming the souls of the defeated. Your confrontation is not one between god and man, or tyrant against commoner, but of true equals. Your arena is the edge of the apocalypse. There is nothing else here. No one will ever know of this confrontation. There will be no evidence, no trace of such a titanic duel... And that is enough for two nameless undead.]]

** Better yet, as part of the meta-narrative, Gael is basically [[spoiler: you: A simple, nameless, worthless undead, tasked to save a dying world by inscrutable, uncaring forces, who has endured immeasurable suffering against impossible odds, and in turn risen to godhood by consuming the souls of the defeated. Your confrontation is not one between god and man, or tyrant against commoner, but of true equals. Your arena is the edge of the apocalypse. There is nothing else here. No one will ever know of this confrontation. There will be no evidence, no trace of such a titanic duel... And that is enough for two nameless undead.]]

** In a meta way, the fact that Patches never went Hollow in all his time in the Souls games should get him some serious credit. Men and women, gods and goddesses, the dragons and the Darkness itself went insane or dead, one by one. Patches is a coward and a looter, but he managed what the best and brightest didn't. True, Patches had a bit of a spider problem in Bloodborne, but even then, he still kept himself together.

* The BonusBoss of ''The Ringed City'' is impressive too: [[spoiler: a Dark-corrupted dragon every bit the match of Sinh and Kalameet. Midir is a true archdragon, one who has survived era upon era slaying the creatures of the Dark in service to the Gods. And he most definitely lives up to that reputation.]]
* A meta example: someone managed to mod the game in a way that it allows them to [[spoiler:play as the Soul of Cinder. No, not just wearing his attire - ''playing as the boss '''himself'''''. So with this mod, what does the player do? ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zgx_sAoGas Pit himself against Gael]] and win.'' Keep in mind that the Soul and Gael are the ElementalEmbodiment of the First Flame and the Dark Soul, respectively - [[GodzillaThreshold and now they're clashing against each other.]]]]

* The conclusion of Siegward's questline - After bailing him out of multiple predicaments and fighting alongside him once against a demon, when you enter the arena of [[spoiler:Yhorm the Giant, a cutscene plays, and Siegward comes in alongside you, Storm Ruler in hand, revealing himself to be an old friend of Yhorm's who promised to put the Lord of Cinder down when the giant went mad. Provided that you grab the Storm Ruler on the other side of the room and you're not being stupid about using it, you and Siegward proceed to ''destroy'' Yhorm utterly (basically, by timing your attacks so you two can ''stunlock'' him, as fighting Yhorm with Siegward beside you becomes almost ''trivial'' provided that Siegward isn't killed in the process). You celebrate your victory together with a toast. Sadly, after returning to the arena, you will find his equipment ([[NeverFoundTheBody though not his body]]), but if he did expire from his wounds, [[DyingMomentOfAwesome his last moments were far more glorious than that of his predecessor]], who went Hollow and had to be put down.]]

* The conclusion of Siegward's questline - After bailing him out of multiple predicaments and fighting alongside him once against a demon, when you enter the arena of [[spoiler:Yhorm the Giant, a cutscene plays, and Siegward comes in alongside you, Storm Ruler in hand, revealing himself to be an old friend of Yhorm's who promised to put the Lord of Cinder down when the giant went mad. Provided that you grab the Storm Ruler on the other side of the room and you're not being stupid about using it, you and Siegward proceed to ''destroy'' Yhorm utterly (basically, by timing your attacks so you two can ''stunlock'' him, as fighting Yhorm with Siegward beside you becomes almost ''trivial'' provided that Siegward isn't killed in the process). You celebrate your victory together with a toast. Sadly, after returning to the arena, you will find his equipment [[NeverFoundTheBody (though not his body)]], but if he did expire from his wounds, [[DyingMomentOfAwesome his last moments were far more glorious than that of his predecessor]], who went hollow and had to be put down.]]
* Orbeck of Vinhelm is also worth a mention; He started out as an assassin serving the Dragon School in the desperate hope of learning sorceries, but however, he didn't get a chance to learn them at all. You are his only hope of finding sorcery scrolls and becoming a real sorcerer. If you agreed and managed to find all the scrolls as well as learnt all the spells, not only his wish is granted, when he becomes a full grown sorcerer, [[spoiler: he TookALevelInBadass to the point he fights Prince Lothric for you, yes, a mere mortal going ''completely ballistic'' against a ''Lord of Cinder'', no less.]]

* The BonusBoss of ''The Ringed City'' is impressive too: [[spoiler: a Dark-corrupted dragon every bit the match of Sinh and Kalameet. Midir is a true archdragon, one who has survived era upon era slaying the creatures of the Dark in service to the Gods. And he most definitely lives up to that reputation.]]

* The Nameless King is one of the most visually stunning battles in the games, in addition to being an awesome fight in its own right. There's a good reason for this: You're fighting the literal God Of War of the Souls series. Not a hollowed god, not a god of death who has been drained of power for untold ages, and not a cowardly god who spends the entire battle fleeing from you. This is a full-on battle against a real, living god, one at the height of his power, and who is not afraid to go toe-to-toe with you. With him being the last of the true gods, this battle is TheLastDance for the deities of Dark Souls as a whole, and as he wrecks your face for perhaps the hundredth time, you'll begin to understand why guys like him reigned undisputed until the fire began to die.
** This game is also the first time we get to see the Sunlight Altar unbroken: Its a statue of the Nameless King, and can be seen in the Ancient Wyvern's boss chamber.

* Farron's Undead Legion of the Abyss Watchers are concentrated badass given form, both in the lore and in the fight against them. They're basically a legion of undead designated with guarding against the horrors of the Abyss, and when the time came for them to Link the Fire they went down there [[BandOfBrothers together to burn as one]]. It also helps that [[spoiler: they are both a CallBack to and were ''founded'' by fan favorite character Artorias]], and it really shows in the fight against them; these bastards are [[LightningBruiser Lightning Bruisers]] to the core, able to cross yards of arena in the blink of an eye and incorporating a lot of scrambling movements and flips into their devestating move set. [[spoiler: It gets even better when you hit Phase 2 of the fight, as the combined power of all the fallen Watchers flows into their leader, activating their powers as a Lord of Cinder. You'll be in for the fight of your life as they practically [[FlashStep flash steps]] around you and strikes with their flaming greatsword with speed and ferocity that can give ''[[VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}} Lady Maria of the Astral Clocktower]]'' a run for her money.]]
** Also the fact they salute you before rushing at you.
* Deciding the ultimate fate of the Dark Souls universe. [[spoiler:You can Link the Fire, and enjoy the calm before the next cycle begins without burning in agony (since you are technically NOT a Lord of Cinder). Fulfill Kaathe's wish and usher in an Age of Dark with yourself as ruler, to the rejoicing of all who wanted to see the old gods get their comeuppance. Murder the Fire Keeper like a junkie for the pitiful last gasps of the First Flame, proving human nature never changes. Or survive the end of the world with the Firekeeper at your side, and wait for a better one to be born.]] Which is the BEST ending? [[KudzuPlot Start writing your essays]].
* Coming upon the city of Irithyll for the first time. Emerging from the dark and depressing (and at times [[ThatOneLevel hopeless]]) Catacombs of Carthus to see ''[[http://assets.vg247.com/current//2016/03/dark_souls_3_irithyll_of_the_boreal_valley_central.jpg this]]'' is perhaps one of the most breathtaking vistas - not to mention moments - in the game. No photo can do it justice; find it yourself.

** The Link the Fire ending itself is a pure moment of awesomeness in its self. Unlike all the other games, [[spoiler: it ''cannot'' be argued that the player is being misled. The player is completely aware of what will happen to them once they link the fire. They've seen what it does to the other Lords, and still the Ashen One is consciously choosing to light themselves on fire, and burn in eternal agony forever.]] To honor the sacrifice of all the Lords before him, down to the Lord of Sunlight himself. While its [[SenselessSacrifice futility could be argued]], it's nonetheless, the [[HeroicSacrifice ultimate sacrifice.]]

** There's one other inhabitant in that room who's been with us the whole way as well; the Mimic Chest. Wake it up, make the Demon hurt it, and watch as the box kicks the Demon to death. Mimics exist to punish our greed, and now they can punt demons into the grave too!

* If you send Greirat to Irithyll, he'll die unless one of two things have happened: Either Siegward is there to save him... or you tell Patches that you sent Greirat there. Patches, the DirtyCoward, backstabbing bastard who has tried to screw over every Soulsborne protagonist in the series, will descend into one of the game's most difficult and dangerous areas and rescue Greirat by himself. For the first time in the series, Patches has a friend that he actually cares about more than himself.
** In a meta way, the fact that Patches never went Hollow in all his time in the Souls games should get him some serious credit. Men and women, gods and goddesses, the dragons and the Darkness itself went insane or dead, one by one. Patches is a coward and a looter, but he managed what the best and brightest didn't. Patches had a bit of a spider problem in Bloodborne, but even then he still kept himself together.
*** The Ringed City DLC adds in one last bit of polish; [[spoiler: Even at ''the end of time itself'' the only problem and threat Patches ran into is becoming amnesiac for a time and forgetting his obsession and purpose. The player gets a questline to remind him of who he truly is, even if they don't realize it's him at first due to the fact that he's wearing a full suit of armour and going by the name "Lapp". He dedicated his body and mind to playing on the curiosity and greed of others, and through that, he has lived for ''cycles upon cycles'' without going hollow, fleecing people and orchestrating their demise to strip their bodies for things to sell. The man is an almost commendable sort of bastard.]]
* It's semi-hidden, but Smough, FatBastard extraordinaire, and [[ImAHumanitarian cannibal]] executioner, not only eventually DID achieve knighthood, but was the last knight who remained at his post to defend Anor Londo from invasion. He still failed, but this [[RedemptionEqualsDeath last stand]] cements him as pure Badass.
* The battle with the Ancient Wyvern. The souls series is no stranger to dragons as bosses, but when you enter this bosses arena, it descends upon you from the air, and unlike the dragons of the past is all but invulnerable to standard attacks, with even the strongest weapons charged attacks doing measly damage. And it doesn't just stay on the ground, it will rise into the air and rain fiery death down upon you. How do you defeat such an awe inspiring beast? Run a gauntlet of snake men, scale the remains of the tower, and then drop down on its head, impaling its skull Legolas style.

* The conclusion of Siegward's questline - After bailing him out of multiple predicaments and fighting alongside him once against a demon, when you enter the arena of [[spoiler:Yhorm the Giant, a cutscene plays, and Siegward comes in alongside you, Storm Ruler in hand, revealing himself to be an old friend of Yhorm's who promised to put the Lord of Cinder down when the giant went mad. Provided that you grab the Storm Ruler on the other side of the room and you're not being stupid about using it, you and Siegward proceeded to ''destroy'' Yhorm utterly (basically, by timing your attacks so you two can ''stunlock'' him, fighting Yhorm with Siegward beside you becomes almost ''trivial'' provided that Siegward isn't killed in the process). You celebrate your victory together with a toast. Sadly, after returning to the arena, you will find his equipment [[NeverFoundTheBody (though not his body)]], but if he did expire from his wounds, [[DyingMomentOfAwesome his last moments were far more glorious than his predecessor]], who went hollow and had to be put down.]]
* Orbeck of Vinhelm also worths a mention, he started out as an assassin serving the Dragon School in a desperate hope of learning sorceries, however, he didn't get a chance to learn them at all. You are his only hope of finding the scrolls and becoming a real sorcerer. If you agreed, managed to find all the scrolls and learnt all the spells, not only his wish is granted, when he becomes a full grown sorcerer, [[spoiler: he TookALevelInBadass to the point he fights Prince Lothric for you, yes, a mere mortal going ''completely ballistic'' against a ''Lord of Cinder'', no less.]]
* The ''Ashes of Ariandel'' DLC offers a fight that is as challenging as it is spectacular: Lady Friede. She starts the fight as a bonafide LightningBruiser, with rapid scythe combos on par with the likes of [[VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}} Gehrman]]. She can dash across the room in seconds to hook you with her scythe, create exploding ice crystals on the ground, and many other tricks that would be enough to qualify her for this page by themselves. But once you take her down, Father Ariandel promptly freaks out and comes after you himself... but not before ''reviving Friede''. Round two of the fight is a chaotic endurance match as you have to contend with not only Friede's vicious moveset, but Ariandel's imposing presence as well. Once you finally slay them both, the music goes silent, and you expect "Heir of Fire Destroyed" to pop up any moment. It doesn't. Instead, Ariandel gives an ominous speech as Friede revives ''again'' as Blackflame Friede, drawing a second magical scythe to dice you with and turning her already-intense attacks UpToEleven. This is a boss that makes you ''work'' for your victory.
* The final boss of ''The Ringed City'' is not only one of the most climactic bosses in the entire game, but is a fantastic sendoff to the series. [[spoiler: Slave Knight Gael, the hardy old man that helped you take down Ariandel and Friede, has been [[IAmAHumanitarian feasting on the blood of the Pygmy Lords in order to take the Dark Soul]], turning him into a hulking LightningBruiser that combines Artorias' speed and skill with Manus' brutish strength. Once his health is a third down, he finally stands up and becomes empowered by the consumed blood as a storm passes over the ashen desert. Phases 2 and 3 consist of the Slave Knight utilizing his sword skill, his auto-crossbow, and his new powers in tandem to really bring a world of hurt to the player. It's at this point that it becomes clear that you're no longer fighting Gael. ''[[ElementalEmbodiment You're facing off against the Dark Soul itself]]'']].
** The mid-boss cutscene counts, too. [[spoiler:Gael falls to his knees in pain, as blood drips from his face. He then softly asks if this is blood, as it nearly fades to black...and then he continues with [[WhamLine "The blood]] of [[TitleDrop the dark soul...?"]] Cue SwordPlant, as Gael slowly rises up to his feet, looks at his blade, and readies it, flames coming out of his being as [[AwesomeMusic/DarkSouls his battle theme]] plays in the background. The whole thing is just so utterly powerful, it gets you ready to dive right back into the battle.]]

*** The Ringed City DLC adds in one last bit of polish; [[spoiler: Even at ''the end of time itself'' the only problem and threat Patches ran into is becoming amnesiac for a time and forgetting his obsession. The player gets a questline to remind him of who he truly is, even if they don't realize it's him at first due to the fact that he's wearing the helmet to his armor for once. He dedicated his body and mind to playing on the curiosity and greed of others, and through that, he has lived for ''cycles upon cycles'' without going hollow, fleecing people and orchestrating their demise to strip their bodies for things to sell. The man is an almost commendable sort of bastard.]]

* Meta example: ''Dark Souls III'' has become Creator/FromSoftware[='=]s, as well as Creator/NamcoBandai[='=]s, fastest selling game ever made.

** The mid-boss cutscene counts, too. [[spoiler:Gael falls to his knees in pain, as blood drips from his face. He then softly asks if this is blood, as it nearly fades to black...and then he continues with [[WhamLine "The blood of the dark soul...?"]] Cue SwordPlant, as Gael slowly rises up to his feet, looks at his blade, and readies it, flames coming out of his being as [[AwesomeMusic/DarkSouls his battle theme]] plays in the background. The whole thing is just so utterly powerful, it gets you ready to dive right back into the battle.]]

* The BonusBoss of ''The Ringed City'' is impressive too: [[spoiler: a Dark-corrupted dragon every bit the match of Sinh and Kalameet. Midir is a true archdragon, one who has survived era upon era slaying the creatures of the Dark in service to the Gods. And he most definitely lives up to that reputation.]]
* The fact that [[spoiler:The Darksign can be broken, was never a natural phenomena born from a lack of Humanity but instead a forceful branding should be a massive tearjerker alone. However, as the primordial humans can attest, they never were in danger to begin with, and if you choose to Usurp the Fire... Well, congratulations! Because you broke the Darksign and can now teach the Hollows of Londor how to control their dark souls and make further hollowing a bad dream.]]

* The fact that spoiler:[[The Darksign can be broken, was never a natural phenomena born from a lack of Humanity but instead a forceful branding should be a massive tearjerker alone. However, as the primordial humans can attest, they never were in danger to begin with, and if you choose to Usurp the Fire... Well, congratulations! Because you broke the Darksign and can now teach the Hollows of Londor how to control their dark souls and make further hollowing a bad dream.]]

* The BonusBoss of ''The Ringed City'' is impressive too: [[spoiler: a Dark-corrupted dragon every bit the match of Sinh and Kalameet. Midir is a true archdragon, one who has survived era upon era slaying the creatures of the Dark in service to the Gods. And he most definitely lives up to that reputation.]]

* The final boss of ''The Ringed City'' is not only one of the most climactic bosses in the entire game, but is a fantastic sendoff to the series. [[spoiler: Slave Knight Gael, the hardy old man that helped you take down Ariandel and Friede, has been [[IAmAHumanitarian feasting on the blood of the Pygmy Lords in order to take the Dark Soul]], turning him into a hulking LightningBruiser that combines Artorias' speed and skill with Manus' brutish strength. Once his health is a third down, he finally stands up and becomes empowered by the consumed blood as a storm passes over the ashen desert. Phases 2 and 3 consist of the Slave Knight utilizing his sword skill, his auto-crossbow, and his new powers in tandem to really bring a world of hurt to the player. It's at this point that it becomes clear that you're no longer fighting Gael. ''[[ElementalEmbodiment You're facing off against the Dark Soul itself]]'']].