What is the True Nature of the Greater Will?

Did the writers intend for players to believe that the Greater Will is alive, sentient, and intelligent? Or did they intend something else altogether?
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TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Intro
03:41 The Three Fingers and the Origin of Everything
06:51 Berhnal, The Recusant
08:25 The Opening Cinematic
11:21 Who Imprisoned Marika?
13:48 The Ire of a God
15:05 The Elden Stars Incantation
16:46 How to Read Item Descriptions Like a Professor
20:04 The Living Incarnation of Order
21:34 The Two Fingers
24:26 What About the Mending Runes?

[kitakkful]

Please, never feel stupid.

Your videos provide an excellent jumping off point for thoughtful discussion. We learn about our worlds by interacting with them. Mistakes are made, and from them we learn and grow.

[TheAlexDivision]

I love that the DLC says: "nah the fingers actually havent talked to the Greater Will in forever"

[bonaquador]

22:18 "For that to be true, the two fingers would have to either be insane, babbling nonsense-"

It is so interesting watching this after the DLC, as you made so many interesting observations that get directly elaborated on, or answered. Would love to see you make an addendum to this video, discussing the new evidence.

[unclefatback]

the absolute roast of the elden beast out of nowhere was insane.

[thepineappleyempireofsuper]

I really like the idea that The Greater Will is not hands on, and that Marika and Radagon are much more at fault for the wars in the lands between. Just like in real life, all wars are created by the assumption of some greater good by the aggressor, but that greater good is more of an enabler than an active force, regardless of its own sapience or lack thereof.

[pancakes]

I always liked the separation of the Greater Will and the Golden Order. We need more fantasy stories where Religious institutions are actually mistaken about what their deities want. Elder Scrolls explores some of that too.

[josecastilloromero]

As an archaeology student I've always seen fromsoft tory-telling as close as you can get to replicate how a historical investigation would go. Relying too much in just documental evidence will get you so far, there biases, is incomplete and doesn't present the full picture. Thats why I also see value in other elements: diference in architecture, clothing, iconography, real life inspirations, even the burial practises differences tell a story in this game. The scope to understand the lore is so wide and open to interpretation that, in a similar way to real life historial investigaton, is only the work of many people working toghether that this mess can be untangled. that's way things like not fully be able to explain things like what the greater will really is in a single video is not something to be ashamed

[MrJuliansnow]

I have not played Elden Ring. Being able to say "I may be wrong" and looking at new evidence, is a good trait in life. I respect people that can say that. I also enjoy your videos on games that I have played. You provide thought, analysis, and a perspective that I don't have. Thank you for your content.

[alexanderdumas-]

The Greater Will(Smith): “keep my COSMIC NATURE OUT YOUR F*CKING MOUTH” 🌌

[cierraburkholder]

Though the DLC throws a wrench into this, because Metyr Mother of Fingers that spawned the Two Fingers their remembrance states that even with its connection to the cosmos it hasn’t received a message in sometime. So if the Mother of Finger isn’t getting a response then I doubt the Two Fingers are either. That means the Two Fingers are winging it and just trying their best to act out the Greater Will’s influence to the best of their ability, but in reality they don’t know. Though amazing video! I am not gonna deny that the Greater Will is sentient though it has completely abandoned the Lands Between and the Land of Shadow

[friendalex]

I love these videos! One thing that I am unclear on re the Two Fingers: later, when something doesn't go as planned (the thorns preventing access to the Erdtree), the Fingers call the GW, and Enia implies that it might take years. This makes it sound like the Fingers don't actually know if the GW is pleased with us specifically, and we don't even know how long it has been since they've actually spoken, and it might just be the case that we are fulfilling whatever the Fingers understand the GW's standing orders to be. It feels like that was supposed to be a reveal that hey, no, there's nobody actually there driving the bus; this could also help explain why the GW needs vassals at all. It's just an interesting thing to consider.

I absolutely agree with the idea that we are supposed to read the GW as sentient- even if it is, in fact, not- personifying concepts themselves is a fromsoft trope at this point.

[mozzarelli]

In Regards to the Greater Will giving Marika/Radagon the "tools" to make the Golden Order, I think something important to remember is that going off the concept that the Greater will is the embodiment of order, It probably gave those tools to make any type of society because it doesn’t really care as long as order exists in some form. additionally, that could also be why it was so angered or displeased with the shattering war, as a Chaotic event such as that is in direct opposition to its fundamental principles.

[Xpertman]

'The Fingers must be crazy or deceiving us.'

Ymir's questline be like 'correct'.

Good video, can't wait to see more theories about this now that the DLC has been out for awhile.

[dylanalbertson]

Turns out two fingers were in fact making shit up lol

[gustavl]

Super important what you said about believing the Narrator (i.e the item descriptions)! People get downright paranoid about not trusting what's in front of them in this game sometimes, and some foundation is necessary. After all, what's the point of trying to figure out the lore if you don't believe in anything?

I think it's super healthy to always take definitive statements in item descriptions at face value - if a description wants us to be uncertain, it will use uncertain language.

[Gensolink]

What I find interesting about the Elden Beast. Notice the big scar on its belly ? There's a theory that since the beast came with the Elden Ring it's somewhat linked to it and so when trying to fracture it the Beast retaliate because it was getting smashed. There's also an attack of the elden beast that crucifies you to a rune and pierces you with dozens of spears so it makes sense if the Beast punished Marika even if it wasnt from a direct order and more from an act of self defense

[scorpioneldar]

I think your first point tells us more than you say. The 3 fingers state that the greater will made a mistake. For something to be a mistake it needs more than to be bad or in error. There needs to be intention and specifically that intention needs to be failed. From that alone we know that the greater will must be intelligent and aware. At least enough to make mistakes in the first place. 2 asteroids colliding isn't a mistake it's just an event a mistake would be trying to land on an astroid and crashing into it instead. Both might result in the destruction of colliding objects but that is only a mistake if you care about whether or not the objects are destroyed. An unthinking uncaring thing cannot make nor recognize mistakes.

Presuming we trust the 3 fingers anyway

[drankduck]

I’m sure someone has mentioned it already, but the remembrance for the optional DLC boss, Metyr, and the descriptions of the items you get from it adds so much to this topic

[AOpsyche]

i think the greater will is dualistic in nature, much like many other characters in the story. grace/order are but one half of the nature of the greater will, while chaos/frenzy is the other half of this same force. this force is not bifurcated in some long forgot conflict, but rather the connection between the two have been perceptually obscured for the denizens of the lands between.

[LetsGenocide]

In the DLC we have learned that mother of fingers was abandoned by the greater will a long time ago, therefore two fingers were only pretending to be it's messengers :<