Could Elden Ring have been the true ending of A Song of Ice and Fire?

Elden Ring‘s backstory was written by George R.R. Martin, the renowned author behind the legendary fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire. The series has captivated hundreds of millions of readers with its complex plotlines, penchant for shocking twists, and of course, the mega-hit TV adaptation Game of Thrones.

Yet, the series remains unfinished, leaving fans desperately waiting for the conclusion. But could it be that it’s been finished for a while now, that too in plain sight? A somewhat recent theory says that Martin wrote the conclusion into FromSoftware’s 2022 action-RPG.

Elden Ring Is Martin’s Conclusion To ASOIAF

The wait for ASOIAF‘s conclusion has spanned several years, but what if George R.R. Martin’s finished and shipped it long ago?

In the r/Eldenring community on Reddit, a fan theory proposed a connection no one could see coming. The theory hinges on the idea that Martin, struggling to translate his envisioned ending for A Song of Ice and Fire into a satisfying standalone story, found the perfect opportunity in FromSoftware’s Elden Ring.

The hypothesis looks at Elden Ring‘s lore, and how it potentially mirrors A Song of Ice and Fire thematically, acting as a disguised version of Martin’s intended conclusion. It’s also proposed that Elden Ring‘s core conflict – the struggle between humanity’s control over nature – parallels a similar theme in A Song of Ice and Fire.

The Franchises Have Eerie Similarities

Elden Ring‘s complex characters and arcs echo Game of Thrones in many ways. Image credit: FromSoftware

In Elden Ring, the arrival of Marika disrupts the natural cycle. She takes control of the Erdtree, a life-endowing entity, and alters traditional burial practices. This manipulation upsets the balance between life and death, with consequences echoing A Song of Ice and Fire‘s power struggles.

Meanwhile, the demigods fight for the Elden Lord moniker in their own bubble, unaware of the larger conflict, heavily mirroring Game of Thrones within a narrative focused on a more fundamental struggle.

The theory doesn’t stop there, though, as the poster believes the upcoming Elden Ring DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree, will shed light on the true allegiances of different factions. Are they fighting for humanity’s dominance over nature, nature’s dominance over humanity, or a more balanced coexistence? This aligns with the complex moral questions posed in A Song of Ice and Fire, where characters are rarely purely good or evil.

George R.R. Martin collaborated with director Hidetaka Miyazaki for Elden Ring.

While it’s just a theory, it does put up an intriguing question about the two franchises. Both feature a cyclical nature, powerful entities influencing the world, and a war between some of the said entities. Recognizing these parallels can enrich the experiences of both Elden Ring and A Song of Ice and Fire, prompting deeper analyses of themes and character motives.

Elden Ring‘s similarities with A Song of Ice and Fire could just be down to Martin’s style of writing and world-building, and whether it’s truly Martin’s disguised conclusion of A Song of Ice and Fire is a matter of debate. But what riveting debate it is, with two of the greatest and most lore-rich universes ever created.