The Dark Souls trilogy has done a lot for the gaming landscape in the last decade or so, with FromSoftware inspiring game, level, world, and combat design in a way that few other gaming properties have.
The series has a hardcore and dedicated audience, that to no one's surprise, loves quoting all three games. Dark Souls is filled with interesting characters and stories that all come together to form an unforgettable experience.
Updated March 6, 2023, by Axel Bosso: Due to the recent announcement of Elden Ring's upcoming expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, we thought it was a good moment to go back to the roots and check our list of favorite quotes from the game that started all and its sequels. (Yes, Demon's Souls came before, but Dark Souls closed the deal.)
16 "To Be Alive... To Walk This Earth... That's The Real Curse Right There."
One of the first NPCs you'll meet in Dark Souls 2 isn't exactly the happiest man alive. Crestfallen Saulden welcomes you with some of the most depressing lines you'll hear throughout your adventure.
While there's always a character with these vibes in the game, Saulden receives some extra points for how memorable his delivery is.
15 “So, What Do You Say? Why Not Help One Another On This Lonely Journey?”
There's no such thing as too many Solaire quotes in a list. While this one is the first you're reading now, there will be a couple more along the way. Why? Because Solaire is one of the best NPCs in the whole series, and a positive force that will always make you want to keep pushing forward (at least, until his possible tragic ending).
This line is so simple, yet so powerful and sweet. We are the only thing we have in front of harsh times in life. But when possible, being near another one can make things a bit easier and more meaningful.
14 "There, That Hole. Take A Closer Look."
Patches is one of the few true reoccurring characters in the entirety of the Soulsborne series, and he serves as the resident troll. When you meet him in the Tomb of the Giants he presents himself as a novice traveler, curious to see what you're up to. Little do you know he's simply setting a trap so that he may rob your dead body once you perish in the dark.Right before that happens he offers you a suggestion to look into the cavernous hole he pushes you into by stating, "There, that hole. Take a closer look." This is immediately followed by you falling into the dark and not being able to do anything about it. What a swell and trustworthy individual Patches is.
13 "The Dragons Shall Never Be Forgotten… [...] The Dragons Teased Out Our Dearest Emotions …Thou Will Understand, One Day. At Thy Twilight, Old Thoughts Return, In Great Waves Of Nostalgia."
The original Dark Souls presents the world as a dark and cold place full of memorable characters you run into throughout your journey. Hawkeye Gough stands out as a knight of Gwyn who is both a giant and an archer. He's a very somber and introspective person who contemplates his place and purpose in the grand scheme of the world around him. As a valiant knight, he also respects those he's fought with and understands true power.
The respect he has for dragons is evident in this quote. It's a rather lengthy quote, but it shows that Gough understands every moment of every battle he's ever been a part of.
12 "I May Be But Small, But I Will Die A Colossus."
When you first reach Firelink Shrine in Dark Souls 3, you're greeted with a throne room where five Lords of Cinder once gathered. All of the lords but one have disappeared to reside in their own locations elsewhere. The one who remained is the smallest of stature and is known as Ludleth of Courtland.
When he tells you this quote, he isn't referring to his stature eventually changing but rather his understanding that he will play a big role in what becomes of the world around him. He's also the only lord willing to do his duty and be present at the Firelink Shrine, making a case for him being the boldest, bravest, and most self-confident of all the Lords of Cinder.
11 "Death Is Equitable, Accepting. We Will All, One Day, Be Welcomed By Her Embrace."
Despite Dark Souls 2 catching a lot of criticism from the Dark Souls community, it still contributes plenty of amazing quotes and pieces of lore to the overall world-building of the series. A notable NPC in the game by the name of Grave Warden Agdayne is the source of some rather evocative statements.
On the matter of mortality, he expresses a quote that clearly defines that he's not only contemplated death, but he has come to terms with it being an eventuality every person must succumb to.
10 "If Only I Could Be So Grossly Incandescent."
It's hard to find a character as popular and prominent in the Dark Souls trilogy as Solaire of Astora. Players came across him in the original Dark Souls, and his presence has been a mainstay of the fandom ever since. He has plenty of quotes people love reciting, but few are as iconic as when he says the selected quote.
This fascination with light emboldening himself in the darkness is what eventually leads him to his own downfall.
9 "Brave Undead... You Have Proven Yourself To Me. Now... Become One With The Dark."
Queen Nashandra plays the role of a character in stories that you are initially endeared to, who eventually turns and becomes their antagonist. This is often connected to greed or power of some sort. When Nashandra reveals her true intentions to you in Dark Souls 2, she exclaims this quote.
It's an interesting way to provide a back-handed compliment as she says that you are worthy of her attention, but shall now be consumed by despair.
8 "Only In Truth, The Lords Will Abandon Their Thrones, And The Unkindled Will Tise. Nameless Accursed Undead, Unfit Even To Be Cinder. And So It Is That Ash Seeketh Embers..."
The opening cutscenes in Dark Souls games often do a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to the narrative. It tries to give you a base understanding of the complicated story you're about to experience. During gameplay, though, FromSoftware prefers environmental story-telling that allows the world to speak for itself.
It may be a few sentences, but the narration during Dark Souls 3's intro provides all of the necessary context you need to know for your harsh and long journey.
7 "There Is No path. Beyond The Scope Of Light, Beyond The Reach Of Dark... What Could Possibly Await Us? And Yet, We Seek It, Insatiably... Such Is Our Fate"
If you as the player decide to abandon the throne at the end of Dark Souls 2, you're met with an ending where Aldia, Scholar of the First Sin shares his feelings in regards to the throne becoming abdicated. It's an assessment of both human nature and the unknown.
Aldia shares this quote, explaining that the greatest enemy of man is often their endless ambition, the need to always want more.
6 "Pardon Me, I Was Absorbed In Thought. I Am Siegward Of Catarina."
Despite Siegward of Catarina being a tough and accomplished warrior, he was a man who moved at his own pace. Any time you came across him in Dark Souls 3, he was either asleep or deep in thought. During the first encounter with him, he'll wake from a nap and state the aforementioned quote.
This tells you that he's both a thinker and problem-solver and that he has ties to Siegmeyer, from the original Dark Souls, which also hails from Catarina.
5 "Noble Lords Of Cinder... The Fire Fades, And The Lords Go Without Thrones. Surrender Your Fires, To The One True Heir. Let Them Grant Death To The Old Gods Of Lordran, Deliverers Of The First Flame."
The Fire Keeper is a bit of an enigma in Dark Souls 3, but you can learn about the true motives of the gifted woman and decide what you'd like to do with the eternal flame at the end of the game.
Once all the Lords of Cinder have had their ashes set on the thrones, the Fire Keeper will kneel before the bonfire with this quote. A deserving speech to congratulate your arduous task.
4 "We Are Amidst Strange Beings, In A Strange Land."
Everything about the original Dark Souls is offputting, in an intentional way. You are meant to feel as though you are treading unfamiliar territory, but at the same time, they're reminded that this feeling isn't unique to only their experience.
Solaire lets you know he also feels out of place and poetic states this phrase. This realization brings a sense of comfort to you and adds to the overall sense of immersion.
3 "Seek Strength. The Rest Will Follow."
Dark Souls 2 is a bit of a strange entity when looking at the Dark Souls trilogy as a whole. It's often regarded as the worst of the three, but in that same breath, it's understood that it took the most risks and tried new things. King Vendrick played a pivotal role in the game's narrative, but at the same time voiced a line that describes the series as a whole.
Vendrick utters, "Seek Strength. The rest will follow," which is great advice for new players. As long as your focus is on upgrading and strengthening your character, the overcoming of obstacles and finding hidden items will happen naturally.
2 "Yhorm, Old Friend. I, Siegward Of The Knights Of Catarina, Have Come To Fulfill My Promise. Let The Sun Shine Upon This Lord Of Cinder!"
Dark Souls 3 is the culmination of many aspects of the trilogy you might have become accustomed to. One of those aspects was the optional side quests involving NPCs, with Siegward of Catarina being a callback to Siegmeyer of Catarina featured in the original Dark Souls. Siegward's quest leads him to follow through on a promise made to an old friend, to kill him if he ever became corrupted.
When you reach the end of Siegward's questline and stand at the precipice of the Yhorm boss fight, Siegward will shout this quote, creating an emotional moment for an epic battle.
1 "The Way I See It, Our Fates Appear To Be Intertwined."
Fate is a key concept in Dark Souls mythology and lore. It's an idea FromSoftware plays with constantly and has the player wondering if they're actively changing the future, or if they're simply walking down a set path that's already carved in stone. Solaire, upon meeting you, believes it may have been destiny that brought the two to meet one another and engage in conversation.
He's never shy about his feelings and tells you this great phrase. Though that sentiment is never confirmed or denied, it always feels as though Solaire was correct in his assessment.