Dark Souls' Saddest Boss Fight Explained

Dark Souls is known for its difficult fights, but in the case of Great Grey Wolf Sif players are faced with a new, heart wrenching challenge.

FromSoftware's Dark Souls series is known for stirring up a slew of emotions in players, but rarely are those feelings ones of sadness. In the original Dark Souls, players are required to fight a boss named Great Grey Wolf Sif. This gigantic wolf can be a difficult challenge, but it's not until the boss is knocked down to critical health where the fight takes a heart wrenching turn.

[Warning: Dark Souls spoilers ahead]

In Dark Souls' lore, Sif is considered to be the long time partner of Artorias the Abysswalker, another boss players can fight. History stipulates that as Artorias was lost to the Abyss, he gave up his Greatshield to protect baby Sif from being swallowed up alongside him. In return, Sif is now seen residing in a graveyard, protecting the resting place of his fallen friend and guarding the Covenant of Artorias, a ring the players need to ultimately win the game.

The boss fight with Sif carries several unique aspects which make it stand out among the other bosses. For starters, no matter when players choose to fight Sif, the battle will always take place at the location of Artorias' Tomb, a vast graveyard Sif is implied to have resided in from the moment his partner passed. Furthermore, although Sif is a gigantic wolf with sharp teeth and claws, he chooses to wield Artorias' Greatsword as his primary weapon. The fight with Sif can be a challenge to players who are not ready for his speed and long ranged attacks. However, when Sif's health is reduced to a certain point, his behavior changes.

Great Grey Wolf Sif Is Dark Souls' Most Heart-Wrenching Boss Fight

Often, players expect a Dark Souls boss to unleash a new flurry of attacks or become more challenging when their health is reduced. In the case of Sif, something different happens. Once players get his health to a critical point, the wolf will begin to limp and whimper in pain as it struggles to continue the fight. This intense battle quickly turns from a moment of exhilaration to one of heartache as the player is required to put Sif out of his misery. While some bosses in Dark Souls are optional, Sif is not, making it impossible for players to simply skip over the fight. Instead, they are forced to defeat Sif, leaving him to die by the grave of his belated master.

To add more pain, players will experience a different intro cutscene should they have played through the Prepare to Die DLC. In this additional story, the protagonist is sent back in time approximately 200 years before the main game. In an optional encounter, players may choose to save a young Sif from a horde of enemies. Doing so allows for Sif to be summoned during the pinnacle fight with Manus. However, doing so changes how the fight with the Great Grey Wolf Sif begins. Having saved him, the player will initially be pinned down by the wolf who is ready to kill before a look of recognition passes over his eyes. He slowly moves back from the player before howling at the moon, clearly reluctant about what he must do. Hesitantly, Sif picks up the Greatsword and poses to fight the player, staying strong by his oath to protect the grave of Artorias against any intruders, even if that intruder is a friend. If killing Sif was difficult before, now the player must do so knowing he was a longtime ally, a close friend, who they have no choice but to fight.

Among the many bosses players will encounter in Dark Souls, the fight with Great Grey Wolf Sif will forever stick out as being the most heart wrenching. Given that the fight is a necessary part of the story only adds further emotion as players are forced to slay this beautiful beast. Dark Souls continues to surprise with its subversion of video game tropes, showing how not all bosses are mindlessly violent. Sif expresses pain and sorrow as he fights a dear friend, unable to allow the player to decimate the grave of Artorias. By the player's forced hand, Sif dies beside the grave of his beloved master, having protected it until the very end.

Next: How Demon's Souls Is Different From Dark Souls