Back in 2009, nobody could have imagined that one of the biggest gaming franchises of the 2010s would be FromSoftware's Soulsborne titles. Demon's Souls set the groundwork but it would be 2011's Dark Souls that would really capture the cultural zeitgeist, spawning not only a beloved gaming series but also a franchise with mainstream appeal. With terms such as "git gud" and "praise the sun" catching on and Fashion Souls also becoming a thing, Dark Souls established itself as an iconic property.
Naturally, this led to the creation of so many Souls-themed memes. Considering the games are known for their fantastic (and difficult) boss fights, it is hardly surprising that Dark Souls' monstrosities feature prominently in these fan creations.
Updated December 22, 2021 by Mark Sammut: More than a decade following its release and Dark Souls is still going strong. The modding community deserves a lot of praise for its dedication to FromSoftware's games, and the same can be said about the meme scene. Dark Souls boss memes feel like they have existed since the very start of the Souls franchise; when the first person fell to the Vanguard in 2009 or the Asylum Demon in 2011, the first boss meme was born. Dark Souls memes celebrate the franchise's achievements and legacy while stating that "we have faced these trials and survived!"
15 Shrouded By Darkness
Created by Rezuaq, this meme plays around with exceptions when it comes to the High Lord Wolnir fight in Dark Souls 3. Wolnir is a massive and imposing skeleton, albeit one that is not especially challenging to overcome. Due to his impressive size and the fight's cinematic presentation, Wolnir was featured prominently in the game's marketing. He is a cool-looking boss but also rather gimmicky.
Compared to other bosses in Dark Souls 3, Wolnir is a joke. Therefore, it is only fitting that he is depicted as such in this meme.
14 That's A Good Boss
Meme from Trediculous' Bork Souls video.
A popular trend of Dark Souls memes involves presenting real-life people or entities as bosses, and few of these creations are as adorable as Doggo. Due to the dog's gorgeous white fur, Doggo does hold some similarities to the franchise's most famous canine, Sif. While the Great Grey Wolf has one of the most devastating backstories in the entire series, Doggo's existence seems to be slightly more pleasant.
Well, that is assuming one does not overthink the implications presented by this meme. When a boss's health bar shows up in Dark Souls, there is no room for sentimentality or hesitation. Doggo's future is bleak.
13 The Deep End
None of the Dark Souls entries mess around. While certain games ease players into things with a tutorial that steadily teaches the mechanics without offering too much in the way of obstacles, Dark Souls lets the lions loose straight away and dares people to survive.
The funny thing is that the Asylum Demon is one of the easier tutorial bosses of the series, albeit one that complicates matters since players won't have a proper weapon when they first face off against the gnarly beast. Frustrating as this section can be for newcomers to the franchise, Dark Souls' tutorial is incredible. It teaches players the importance of reading the room, learning from their mistakes, and thinking outside of the box. Just because a gigantic creature with a building-sized hammer appears doesn't mean players should immediately jump into a battle. No, that (literally) comes later.
12 Ancient Dragon
Dark Souls 2 has an overabundance of bosses. The majority of the game's hulking monstrosities are not especially challenging, but the optional bosses are generally pains to fight. Ancient Dragon is one such example. Introduced as an NPC that can be fought if the player so choices, Ancient Dragon hits like a mountain, can fill the arena with fire, and has an absurd amount of health.
If the battle does not end in 15 seconds, it is likely to last seemingly forever. There is no middle ground when it comes to this boss.
11 Truer Words Have Never Been Spoken
After passing through a fog door and stepping into a boss arena, every Soulsborne player is hit with a brief second of panic as the franchise's newest nightmare approaches them to say hello. Regardless of how "gud" someone is at praising the sun, a slight fear that death is just around the corner tends to linger forever.
This feeling serves as one of the reasons why FromSoftware's titles have proven so popular. It is exciting and terrifying.
10 A Frustrating Rite Of Passage
Dark Souls is a constant battle for survival. Every step matters and one wrong move means death. This holds true regardless of whether a player is facing a Hollow or Gwyn, Lord of Cinder. Estus Flasks, the main healing items in the Dark Souls games, are in short supply and must be used wisely as they leave the player vulnerable to attacks.
There is nothing more frustrating than failing to defeat a boss when they are only a sliver away from falling. Once that initial anger subsides, it is time to do it all over again.
9 Come On In
Meme uploaded by Matthew Waite.
FromSoftware's base games are just appetizers for the DLC expansions, which make the likes of Ornstein and Smough and the Nameless King seem like pushovers. Along with generally featuring some of the best areas and most interesting boss fights in the entire franchise, Dark Souls' DLCs typically end with a fight that borderlines on the impossible. Obviously, that is never actually the case, but it can feel like that.
Technically, Slave Knight Gael is the final boss of the entire Dark Souls franchise and he lives up to his billing.
8 How The Tables Have Turned
Cherish the first battle against Yhorm the Giant, as that is the only time he will be remotely intimidating. Once the encounter's gimmick is figured out, that the Storm Ruler weapon needs to be used to reduce Yhorm to nothing, then this boss loses most of his mystique. He still has an interesting backstory, but the fight itself becomes nothing more than a footnote.
Siegward of Catarina can also be summoned to eliminate any remaining threat that Yhorm might have offered.
7 Oh, Boy
Dark Souls memes occasionally incorporate other franchises to highlight the dissimilarities between the games. Titles such as The Witcher 3 and God of War are by no means extremely easy games, but their standard difficulty levels aren't so overwhelming that the prospect of going up against an intimidating beast triggers a bout of intense fear in players. Dark Souls is different.
During someone's first playthrough, stumbling upon a fog gate is likely to spark both excitement and dread. Anything could be lurking beyond that fog, and regardless of how well prepared a player feels, death probably awaits them. Dark Souls' ability to constantly spark this reaction in people is one of its many strengths; players should feel fear when going up against a behemoth.
6 When Memes Collide...
Dark Souls has done pretty well for itself in the meme department, but it has nothing on Jojo's Bizarre Adventure. The manga/anime property was seemingly designed specifically to generate memes, especially Dio.
This might be the closest thing to a crossover between Dark Souls and Jojo's Bizarre Adventure as the world is likely to produce, and it is pretty amusing. When it comes to memes, Dio is most definitely the final boss.
5 Gravetender Greatgoose
Some animals are innately memeable. In Dark Souls, everything is dangerous, something the franchise's robust modding scene takes to heart. This screenshot is from a mod created by Dangel_Deviliono which, as the image suggests, replaces Champion's Gravetender's Greatwolf with a goose. As a Dark Souls 3 meme, this is magnificent, and the fact it is a real mod only enhances its brilliance.
Despite the silliness of this boss encounter, it is still a fight in a Dark Souls game; consequently, this goose has presumably claimed its fair share of souls. Some Ashen Ones fall to the Nameless King, others succumb to Pontiff Sulyvahn, and a precious few fade away at the webbed feet of a great goose.
4 The Goose Strikes Back
Geese and Dark Souls memes apparently can't get enough of each other. It is such a weird pairing that it works in spite of itself, and the incredible thing is that the goose doesn't look all that out of place as the Nameless King's steed. Sure, a dragon fits Dark Souls 3's aesthetic a bit better than a big white bird; nevertheless, the goose can probably claim a few heads without breaking much of a sweat.
This is unlikely to happen, but wouldn't it be neat if FromSoftware included a reference to this meme in Elden Ring as an Easter egg? Maybe a normal-sized goose wielding a sword could run around The Lands Between? It would be a treat for those familiar with this Dark Souls meme and a head-scratching moment for everyone else.
3 What'll It Be? Pain...So Much Pain
The Simpsons has created approximately a billion memes, so naturally, there has to be some crossover with Dark Souls. In a rare example of a post-Season 10 scene becoming a meme, Moe throws Barney out of his tavern, only for the latter to miraculously teleport behind him. This situation is a perfect fit for many Dark Souls bosses.
Sister Friede, a boss from Dark Souls 3's Ashes of Ariandel DLC, takes center stage this time around, but this meme could fit any encounter with multiple stages. Just as it seems like the ordeal is over, Friede digivolves into her Blackflame form and inspires a whole new bout of panic in players. It is the Dark Souls way.
2 Prepare To Die
Although Demon's Souls was a thing, Dark Souls served as the first FromSoftware experience for a lot of people. Consequently, most players did not know what to expect when it came to the Artorias of the Abyss expansion.
As this meme helpfully points out, one could expect the DLC to be harder. That might not sound all that surprising, but the thought that an enemy could be even tougher than Gwyn, Dark Souls' final boss, seemed unreal at the time. The quote was not exaggerating.
1 Art Imitates Life
Dark Souls is quite far removed from everyday life. Gaming generally offers an escape from reality, but some titles are more detached and fantastical than others. However, as long as someone is willing to look hard enough, it is possible to find a link in everything.
Now, all that is needed is a '90s-esque sitcom starring Dark Souls' (lovable?) characters as fiction's most dysfunctional family ever. If nothing else, the theme song should be pretty epic.
Dark Souls is available on PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Nintendo Switch, and PC.