Even for those who have not played Elden Ring, Godrick the Grafted is likely one of the most recognizable faces. He appeared in a ton of marketing for Elden Ring, and in what’s a nice little twist on the character, it’s probably the most time in the spotlight he has ever received.
WARNING: MASSIVE SPOILERS AHEAD FOR ELDEN RINGGodrick is a descendant of First Elden Lord Godfrey and Queen Marika the Eternal. This creates high standards for everyone who shares this Golden Lineage, with names like Godfrey and Godwyn having some role in this too. With Godwyn’s death came The Shattering, and many demi-gods/children of Marika fought over the Great Runes. They all sought to become Elden Lord, and many of them fought to painful standstills like Radahn and Malenia. Godrick, however, was built a little differently.
What players will learn is that Godrick is one of the most hated demigods in the Lands Between, and the reason for that is both its cause and its effect: his inferiority complex. Having to live up to his ancestors and feeling entitled to their lineage is one thing, but the way he also goes about it is all wrong. One could argue that some of George R. R. Martin’s influence is evident in Godrick, as he is comparable to King Joffrey in a Song of Ice and Fire.
Elden Ring: Godrick Lives in the Shadow of Godfrey and Godwyn
He has likely suffered from this feeling of insecurity and inferiority most of his life, and it’s easy to feel bad for him—except when fighting Godrick the Grafted in Elden Ring. But, at the very least, this complex can be traced back to The Shattering. Each demi-god took a Great Rune of the Elden Ring, and war broke out. Instead of facing the others, Godrick was forced to flee. Or at least, chose to flee instead of fight. He did this by hiding among the womenfolk, and on the way out, stole a lot of golden treasures too.
He was pursued by Elden Ring’s General Radahn before escaping into Stormveil Castle. Adding insult to injury is the fact that Radahn didn’t really seem to push on Godrick as he easily could’ve. The power difference between the two is vast, and Radahn just seemed to let Godrick be—as if he weren’t worth Radahn’s time.
At some point, Godrick would draw the wrath of Malenia, and it’s slightly suggested that she did not have all of her prostheses equipped too. Several players are very much aware that Malenia is the toughest boss fight in Elden Ring, so Godrick stood no chance even if she wasn’t at the top of her game. Godrick ended up groveling and begging for his life, and once again, a powerful child of Marika couldn’t be bothered to kill Godrick.
Godrick already had a massive inferiority complex coupled with some form of godly golden king complex, and this manifested in his relationships with Elden Ring’s other demigods. It wasn’t just them though. Godrick tried to assert himself as lord of Limgrave, but no human cared, leaving him to hide in Stormveil Castle the entire time. He planned and hoped to return to the Capital and claim the throne one day, but he never did. Somewhere in him, he knew it was a laughable prospect.
How Elden Ring’s Boss Fight Highlights Godrick’s Insecurities
Even though Godrick is a tough boss fight for low-level Elden Ring players, he is among the easiest to beat in New Game Plus. His boss fight, overall, though still manages to showcase his insecurities. He had managed to capture a few Tarnished and began grafting parts of their body onto his, creating the multi-limbed being he became to be. He even grafted a troll body onto himself, and in the fight, does the same with a dragon. All of this comes down to one simple reasoning: he’s compensating for his lack of power. He's actually scared of the Tarnished.
Godrick is not the only descendant of the Golden Lineage to turn to this practice, such as his cousin Godefroy the Grafted, but every member who does so is trying to mimic the power of their ancestors. Needless to say, Elden Lord Godfrey didn’t need attached body parts to showcase his power, nor did Godwyn have to compensate for his relationships with others. Godwyn was a beloved demigod, perhaps one of the most beloved, and there’s some irony in his descendant being one of the most hated. Godrick’s grafting ultimately shows his insecurities, and that’s why it plays such a massive part in his Elden Ring boss fight.
Players may not truly have to encounter Godrick for very long, but all of this shows how much work George R. R. Martin and Hidetaka Miyazaki put into the world of Elden Ring.
Elden Ring is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.