Dedicated Elden Ring Fan Discovers The DLC's Best Hidden Berserk Reference Yet

It's no secret that developer FromSoftware takes plenty of inspiration from Kentaro Miura's iconic manga but this recent discovery in may just be one of the developer's best hidden references. Miura's dark fantasy story is a seminal piece of graphic novel fiction, establishing many tropes that have bled into the realm of video games, anime, and film since 's original publication in 1989. Guts' iconic Dragon Slayer sword has inspired many massive blades so having the protagonist himself appear in the game seems only fitting.

As discovered and shared by YouTuber Zullie the Witch, the infamous Knight of the Solitary Gaol, one of the first optional bosses in, looks strikingly similar to Guts underneath his imposing helmet.

Using software to peel back the model's layers, the creator exposed that the Knight bears many features often associated with 's leading character, including short, cropped hair, intense eyes, and even the scar running across his nose, albeit the game's version is much larger. It's an impressive detail given that the majority of players will likely never encounter the boss without the helmet.

Mesmer the Impaler, a boss in the Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, is inspired by a blend of real historical figures and mythological entities.

It should hardly come as a surprise that Knight of the Solitary Gaol looks so similar to Guts when even the boss's armor looks very familiar. The black plating, cloak, sword, and belt may not be a perfect representation of 's anti-hero but there are enough connecting factors that the homage eventually becomes obvious. Of course, the hidden Guts is just one of several major references to scattered through , many of which can easily be identified by fans.

Arguably the most notable nod to is Blaidd, an NPC that not only strikes Guts' most iconic pose but even bears many similarities to the character when he's in his wolf-like armor. Malenia's helmet is another example as it seemingly homages the appearance of