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It’s arguable that one of the more distinctive features of theDark Soulsseries is not its ruthlessness but rather its intrigue. The sole fact that you often don’t know why you’re doing what you’re doing is what drives players to seek out items and make connections with strangers if only to understand better the Chosen Undead’s purpose, the world that was, and what’s at stake.
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And from this, we uncover the true jewel of the Dark Souls franchise: the friends we make along the way. And personifying this quality, we fondly think back to an old friend we met outside the locked gates to Sen’s Fortress, sitting alone and equally puzzled as ourselves: Siegmeyer of Catarina, the Onion Knight.
Who Is Siegmeyer?
The “onionbro,” as many fans refer to him,Siegmeyer is the first of three Catarina knights you’ll encounter throughout the Dark Souls series. From the look of his armor to the timbre of his oh-so-smooth voice, it’s nearly impossible to forget the first time you run into this guy, who’s so entrenched in thought he neglects even to notice your approach.
He’s caught entirely unawares in a land, mind you, where almost everything you’ve run into has tried to kill you up to this point. You’d think Siegmeyer would be more clued in, but nope, not his style.
Catarina
As mentioned, Siegmeyer is from a far-off land called Catarina.The culture of this kingdom is well-known for its festivities and drinking, and the people from there are often cock-eyed optimists, even in the face of certain death.Even the “Jubliant Catarina,” a preset face option during character creation, is plastered with a wide grin and a calm gaze, which is off-putting against the game’s harsh backdrop.
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Yet this land, whose name loosely translates to “pure,” is depicted as a proud nation and a genuinely good place, almost fairytale-like, and is one of the few kingdoms to be untouched by the Undead Curse.
The passion for adventure, tradition, and family values is something we also gather is shared among most of Catarina’s people, who will go through hell and back to save a friend, or dive headfirst into obvious danger to simply say they did.
The initial design for theonion-shaped armoris credited to Masanori Waragai, who was initially asked by Dark Souls creator Hidetaka Miyazaki to design a series of fantasy armor sets. The armor sets were not necessarily intended for use in the game.
Still, when Miyazaki began creating Siegmeyer, he described the onion-shaped armor as “a perfect fit” for the character. Waragai is quoted saying the design resulted from constructing armor for someone overweight. In contrast, Miyazaki has confirmed that Siegmeyer “isn’t actually fat” but thatthe curvature of a Catarina Knight’s armor was designed to parry attacks. Indeed, the Catarina are rather proud of the armor’s look, but they are often ridiculed for it beyond the borders of their kingdom, much to their chagrin.
His Purpose
Siegmeyer neglects to tell us his true purpose in visiting the dangerous lands of Lordran. Our goal as the Chosen Undead is clear, and some other characters, like Solaire of Astora, similarly share distinct reasons for their journey.Siegmeyer is only ever fixated on the immediate challenge ahead of him, and that’s pretty much all he talks about. Only through meeting his daughter, Sieglinde, do we discover that Siegmeyer is afflicted with the Undead Curse and, as a result, is on his final adventure, most likely hoping to go out with a heroic bang.
Siegmeyer’s Legacy
The fate of Siegmeyer is truly in the hands of you, the player.The actions you takewhen interacting with him determine whether he lives to tell the tale or takes his final bow. Either way, his parting is bittersweet.
It is possible to avert Siegmeyer’s seemingly certain death, but this desire is admittedly selfish, as it becomes apparent that Siegmeyer has already accepted his fate and wishes it to be a tale of excitement and sacrifice, not cowardice. We also learn that the mother of his daughter passes while he’s away, so it’s comforting to imagine their chance to reunite in the next life. Siegmeyer’s death is hardly the end; he is survived by his daughter, Sieglinde, and a legacy that inspires generations to come.
Sieglinde
We first encounter Sieglinde when we defeat a golden variant of the blue crystal golem outside the Duke’s Archives. Upon the creatures' death, we free a person wearing the same armor as Siegmeyer but with a gentle, feminine voice. She introduces herself as Sieglinde of Catarina, the daughter of Siegmeyer.Sieglinde travels to Lordran to seek out her wayward father to deliver the last words of her mother, who, unbeknownst to Siegmeyer, has passed away.
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Sieglinde is depicted as a skilled swordswoman and a capable traveler, as well as slightly more ruthless toward the undead, though she is human - a rare sight in Lordran. Her love for her father is evident, though their relationship sounds complex, as there’s a possibility she’s had to battle him in the past. In the end, she finds Siegmeyer; although it’s too late, as he’s gone hollow, overcome by the Undead Curse, and she must put him down.
Siegward
InDark Souls 3, we meet a fellow Unkindled who is on a quest to keep a promise to an old friend. His name is Siegward, and he, too, is a Knight of Catarina, wearing the same armor as his predecessors. Like Siegmeyer before him, we bail him out of many impossible situations.
That said, Siegward plays a way more active role in assisting us during fights,even saving another NPC from being killed. We learn that he is seeking Yhorm, the Giant, but not for the same reasons as the player.
Instead,he has promised Yhorm, an old friend of his, to kill him should he ever return to life.When it’s time for us to face off against Yhorm, Siegward joins, wielding a sword that Yhorm entrusted to him, explicitly designed to kill a giant. Despite Yhorm needing to be killed, it’s pretty wholesome, as Yhorm gets to die at the hand of a trusted friend, who honors him to the very end.
Siegward also loves to drink and gifts usSiegbräu, an alcoholic drink even an undead can enjoy, as well as teaching us the “toast” and “nap” emote so that we, too, can do as the Catarina do. The whole character is a beautiful homage to Siegmeyer.
