7 Dark Souls Bosses with Hidden Family Ties

Summary

Gwyn, the ultimate challenge, expects you to extinguish his fading flame.
Gwynevere’s size may amaze, but killing her dims Anor Londo’s radiance.
Dark Sun Gwyndolin’s boss fight gimmick is navigating an infinite corridor.

The Dark Souls trilogy has a lot to offer players, including formidable real and gimmick bosses, outstanding and interesting areas, and a ton of weapons and armor sets to use. Throughout the game, players will likely encounter some enemies that look like others, raising the question whether they have some kind of relationship.

Many of these enemies are secluded in optional areas that can be a lot of fun, whereas others, not so much, resulting in players missing the fight against them altogether. To shed a clearer light on the kinship of certain enemies, here are some of the bosses in the Dark Souls trilogy that are related.

7. Gwyn, Lord Of Cinder

The Patriarch Of A Powerful Dynasty

Father to Gwynevere, Gwyndolin, the Nameless King, and probably Filianore
When players face him, his flame is flickering

Gwyn, Lord of Cinder is the ultimate challenge players will have to overcome in their original Dark Souls playthrough. While many agree that the fight against him can be rather disappointing, especially because he can be parried quite easily, the encounter is still epic in many ways.

The soundtrack that plays while players try to defeat him is a staple in the Dark Souls franchise and can even make them feel emotional, as the last flame of life and might within him flickers. It is suspected that, along with Gwynevere, Gwyndolin, and the Nameless King, Gwyn is also the father of Filianore, as is suggested by The Small Envoy Banner.

6. Gwynevere, Princess Of Sunlight

The Most Beautiful Daughter Of The Lord Of Cinder

She is much larger than the average human
Killing her makes Anor Londo dark and lifeless

When players first encounter Gwynevere in Anor Londo during the events of the first Dark Souls game, they’ll probably be amazed by her size. Despite her not having any intimidating features, she can be quite impressive, even though she is friendly to players.

While there’s no reason to kill her, players will find that if they do so, Anor Londo will turn dark, and the apparent glory of its appearance quickly fades away. She is one of the daughters of Gwyn, Lord of Cinder. Arguably, the most beautiful one.

5. Dark Sun Gwyndolin

One Of The Most Skilled Children Of Gwyn

The son of Gwyn
Players must reach the end of an apparently infinite corridor during his boss fight

Dark Sun Gwindolin is yet another child of Gwyn, Lord of Cinder, and players will encounter him as they explore the depths of Anor Londo. This boss can sometimes confuse players, as despite his feminine voice and appearance, Gywndolin is actually a male, which is something many players are surprised by when they finally discover it.

His boss fight is more a gimmick than an actual challenge, as players must reach the end of what appears to be an infinite corridor. Since he moves so quickly, using one of the best Dexterity rings in the game that also make an appearance in later installments can be a great idea.

4. Nameless King

The Chosen Heir To Gwyn’s Throne

The firstborn son of Gwyn
Found in Archdragon Peak in Dark Souls 3

The Nameless King doesn’t only have one of the most tragic stories in the entirety of the Dark Souls trilogy, but he’s also one of the trickiest bosses in the franchise. Luckily, FromSoftware’s developers decided to make him an optional boss, so defeating him is not mandatory to progress through the story.

He is the firstborn son of Gwyn, Lord of Cinder, and was supposed to take the throne after his father’s demise. Players can find him in Archdragon Peak, which can only be accessed by using the “Path of the Dragon” gesture.

3. Lothric, Younger Prince

The Younger Son Of A Lost Kingdom

Lothric seems frail and ill
He heavily relies on his brother’s attacks

It’s no secret that Lothric and Lorian are related, as they’re even described as Elder and Younger Princes. They are the heirs to the Kingdom of Lothric, which has fallen to darkness, leaving them with nothing but tales of glories past and better days.

Lothric is not too powerful and relies on his brother Lorian to take on the Ashen One for most of the fight against the siblings. Players should look out for his spells as they dodge Lorian’s sword attacks, as they can also be quite devastating. That said, since the brothers don’t move as quickly, pairing a Strength build with some of the best rings in Dark Souls 3 to boost this attribute can be very effective.

2. Lorian, Elder Prince

A Skilled Warrior With No Mercy

Powerful sword strikes
He can teleport from one side of the arena to another

As opposed to Lothric, Lorian seems to be much larger, and while the reason behind this is unknown, he works very well with his brother during their boss fight. Lorian relies heavily on his massive sword to attack players and try to take them down. He can also teleport from one side of the boss arena to the other with the help of his brother’s magic.

On his own, he isn’t much of a danger, but when Lothric takes control and joins him in combat against players, that’s when the real battle commences. If players are finding it tough to defeat them, they should gather every Undead Bone shard they can find in the game to enhance their Estus Flasks’ healing capabilities.

1. Chaos Witch, Quelaag

A Powerful Humanoid Living In The Depths Of Blighttown

Interesting design that can be unsettling
Her lair is in Blighttown

Chaos Witch Quelaag is not only disturbing to look at, but she’s also located in Blighttown, one of the most widely-disliked areas in the entirety of the Dark Souls franchise. The boss fight against her isn’t too challenging if players bring along the right weapons for the job. However, this doesn’t mean that she will not require players to fight her more than once to emerge victorious.

She has a sister, referred to as “Quelaag’s Sister”, “The White Lady”, or “The Fair Lady”. She is a Firekeeper and is affiliated to the Chaos Servants.

2025-03-16 07:37