Radagon of the Golden Order, one of the most important characters in Elden Ring, plays a pivotal role in the complex lore of the game. As a champion of the Golden Order, Elden Lord, and father of Demigods, Radagon is involved in almost all the major events happening before and during the journey of the Tarnished, our main character.
In this article we will delve deep into Radagon’s lore, exploring his backstory and relationships: from his rise to the rank of Hero during the Liunian Wars to his ultimate fate within the Erdtree. Definitely a difficult story to tell, full of intrigue.
Get a drink, relax, and enjoy!
Radagon’s Origins and Secret
There is no documentation of Radagon’s backstory before the Liurnian Wars, which we will discuss in the next paragraph. The one certainty about Radagon’s origins is his close connection to Marika, the Eternal.
You know, it’s said that Lord Radagon harboured a secret…
A famed sculptor of the Erdtree Capital was once summoned to render Lord Radagon’s likeness in giant statue.
When he glimpsed the skeleton in Radagon’s closet.And as such, it’s said the great statue harbours his secret too.
These words, spoken by Miriel, Pastor of Vows, hint at a hidden truth within Radagon’s statue in Leyndell, Royal Capital. A message on the ground near it reads:
Regression alone reveals secrets
Using the incantation of the Golden Order “Law of Regression” on the statue transforms it into one of Marika. A new message appears:
Radagon is Marika
This is one of the most direct messages from a FromSoftware game revealing the lore of a character!
Despite their shared identity, Radagon and Marika possessed distinct personalities, often at odds, especially regarding the Golden Order. My personal theory is that Radagon was created as a manifestation of Marika’s will to unify the Lands Between. While her husband, Godfrey, the First Elden Lord, waged war against the enemies of the newly founded Golden Order – a religion and government serving the Greater Will with Marika as the one true god – Radagon emerged as a champion leading the army against Liurnia and the Carian Royal Family.
Did Marika always know how to handle the Carians? Did she intend to dismantle the academy of Raya Lucaria from within?
The Liurnian Wars and Radagon’s Heroic Role
Lord Radagon was a great champion, possessed of flowing red locks.
He came to these lands at the head of a great golden host, when he met Lady Rennala in battle.
During Marika’s unification of the Lands Between, the Carian Royal Family, ruling over Liurnia and the Academy of Raya Lucaria, opposed the Golden Order’s expansion. Radagon, champion of the Golden Order, led his army against them in what came to be known as the Liurnian Wars. During these conflicts, Radagon rose through the ranks of the Golden Order, achieving the status of hero.
Lady Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon and leader of the Carian Army, repelled Radagon’s attack twice, resulting in a stalemate with no clear victor. Despite being leaders of opposing factions, Radagon and Rennala developed a strong affection for each other. This bond led Radagon to renounce the war, express regret for his actions, and ask Rennala for her hand in marriage.
Radagon and Rennala: A Controversial Marriage?
Radagon once cleansed himself with celestial dew,
repented his transgressions, and swore his love to Rennala.
The Order of the Erdtree and the fate of the moon were conjoined, and all the wounds of war were forgotten.
Radagon and Rennala celebrated their union in the Church of Vows. This marriage also signified that Liurnia was now part of the Golden Order, a crucial point we should not overlook, leading to a significant question: Was it truly love? Did Radagon love Rennala? Personally, the sequence of events appears too convenient for the Golden Order.
It’s almost too easy to speculate that this marriage could have been planned before or during the Liurnian Wars as a strategy to circumvent the Carian army’s strength. Why else would Radagon be leading the Golden Order’s army, and not Godfrey, who was primarily responsible for the unification process? Godfrey was already Marika’s consort, so a wedding between him and Rennala wouldn’t have been a viable solution.
At the same time, we must remember that Radagon and Marika had different personalities, suggesting that perhaps Radagon genuinely loved Rennala and was unaware of any secret plan. Maybe Marika strategically placed the pawns, anticipating the marriage’s potential.
Or maybe it was all a big coincidence… which I highly doubt considering that Miyazaki and Martin wrote the plot.
Radagon’s Children: Influential Figures in Elden Ring
Whatever the reason behind their union, Radagon and Rennala seemed to have a happy marriage. They had three children together, who later became some of the most influential characters in the entire world of Elden Ring: Lunar Princess Ranni, Starscourge Radahn, and Praetor Rykard.
If you are interested, I wrote an article for each of their complete lore that I’ll link just in case:
The Lore of Starscourge Radahn
Unfortunately, all good things come to an end, and Radagon and Rennala’s marriage ended abruptly when the Golden Order, led by Godfrey, unified the Lands Between under its banner. At that moment, Marika banished Godfrey and his army, divesting them of their Grace, thus creating what will be known in the future as the Tarnished.
In need of a new consort, Marika chose Radagon to be by her side as the Second Elden Lord. Before leaving Caria Manor, Radagon gifted Rennala the Great Rune of the Unborn, an amber egg with unique powers:
Perfects those who have been born anew.
Children born anew by Rennala are all frail and short-lived. Imperfect beings, each and all
And while Rennala will be clutching dearly the egg even after going mad and being locked in Raya Lucaria Academy once the scholars rebelled, I have always thought that to be a terrible gift to give to a heartbroken woman.
The Golden Order’s Shift: Radagon, Second Elden Lord
Radagon left Rennala to return to the Erdtree Capital, becoming Queen Marika’s second husband and King Consort.
Taking the title… of second Elden Lord.The mystery endures, to this day…
As to why Lord Radagon would cast Lady Rennala aside…
And moreover… why a mere champion would be chosen for the seat of Elden Lord…
Well, we now know why Radagon was chosen as Elden Lord by Marika: He was Marika. Marika essentially married herself. And they even had children! Miquella and Malenia were born from Radagon and Marika’s union. Since they were born from a single god, they were automatically appointed Empyreans. However, this came with a price, as the two children were born afflicted. Miquella was cursed with eternal childhood and dedicated himself to finding a way to cure himself and his sister Malenia, who was born harboring the Scarlet Rot.
Radagon and Miquella shared their knowledge of incantations, even creating some, but eventually, Miquella left Leyndell to pursue a cure for his curse.
While it is not proven, it is my opinion that Marika and Radagon had a third child together, that being Melina. Though I can’t be certain of it, I hope that the upcoming Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree will provide evidence to prove or disprove this theory!
The Night of the Black Knives: Tragedy Strikes Radagon’s Family
It happened during the Golden Age of the Erdtree, long before the shattering of the Elden Ring.
Someone stole a fragment of the Rune of Death from Maliketh, the Black Blade.And on a bitter night, murdered Godwyn the Golden.
That was the first recorded Death of a demigod in all history.
And it became the catalyst. Soon, the Elden Ring was smashed, and thus sprang forth the war known as the Shattering.
One of the most significant events in Radagon’s lore is certainly the Night of the Black Knives. Marika’s son and demigod, Godwyn the Golden, was killed by weapons imbued with a stolen fragment of the Rune of Death, which was kept by Maliketh, the Black Blade. The perpetrator was none other than Radagon’s daughter, Ranni the Witch, who rebelled against her fate as an Empyrean.
For more details about this event, as well as Ranni’s reasons, I strongly invite you to read the article I wrote about her. While this murder did not directly involve Radagon, it caused Marika’s mental state to quickly deteriorate. Wielding her hammer, she shattered the Elden Ring, committing the gravest of sins.
The Shattering and Imprisonment of Radagon and Marika
O Radagon, leal hound of the Golden Order.
Thou’rt yet to become me. Thou’rt yet to become a god.
Let us be shattered, both. Mine other self.
Opposed to Marika, Radagon tried everything he could to repair the Elden Ring, but to no avail. Marika was sentenced to eternal imprisonment inside the Erdtree, and even though Radagon only wanted to serve the Golden Order, he suffered the same fate since they shared the same body.
They remained there, slowly deteriorating, while the demigods who inherited shards of the shattered Elden Ring waged a war known as the Shattering. The winner was supposed to become the new ruler, but history tells us that nobody truly won that conflict. What the Tarnished experiences at the start of Elden Ring is a ruptured land, where Order – which once controlled everything – was nowhere in sight.
The Tarnished will eventually enter the Erdtree and meet Radagon at the end of their journey. After a long and epic fight, Radagon will be defeated and will eventually die. His imprisonment for crimes Marika committed was finally over, and so is his story.
Conclusion
Radagon’s lore mirrors the nature of the Elden Ring and the Golden Order. Being Marika’s other half was far from an easy role in the events of the game, but we also can’t overlook his own share of responsibility. Much like Blaidd, the Half-Wolf, Radagon can be seen as a tragic hero, a common fate for many characters in FromSoftware games. His story is marked by both heroism and tragedy, reflecting the layered and multifaceted nature of Elden Ring’s lore.
I hope you enjoyed this article! I’ll continue writing more Elden Ring-related stories, and in the meantime, I wish you a fantastic day!
