We all know the story; Elden Ring’s Malenia, the Blade of Miquella, isn’t just some run-of-the-mill Souls boss that’s somewhat challenging—she’s one of the most complex and punishing encounters in FromSoftware’s entire catalog of Souls games.
In fact, this Rot Lady is so hard that it has left people wondering if she’d have been better off in FromSoft’s previous title, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. So, keeping that in mind, here are two main reasons why Malenia feels as though she was supposed to audition for a Sekiro boss slot instead.
Reason 1: Malenia, Mechanically, Fits Sekiro’s Combat Better Than Elden Ring’s
So, let’s be honest, Malenia’s moveset feels incredibly tailor-made for Sekiro’s combat system, doesn’t it? Considering how her attacks punish any semblance of our character “hesitating,” we say she fights right in.
With her long Katana, she utilizes a mix of thrusts, wide slashes, and multi-hit combos like Waterfowl Dance, all of which demand split-second reactions to dodge, thanks to the way Elden Ring’s combat is built.
But place her into Sekiro, and her fight feels a lot less reliant on RNG thanks to that game’s parry system, which allows players to face her barrage head-on instead of having her run circles around us all day long.
To put things into perspective, take a look at how YouTuber Ongbal manages to take her on in Sekiro with relative ease. The Waterfowl Dance, infamous for completely shredding people out of nowhere in Elden Ring, is easily parried and used in that game to deal posture damage instead.
Another thing worth mentioning is that her healing schtick—that is, regaining health with each hit—can theoretically be balanced in Sekiro, too, if we use that game’s perfect and non-perfect parry system.
Not only would that encourage players to spend more time perfecting their parries in the game without relying too heavily on Kuro’s charm, but it would also prevent Malenia from abusing her life-steal abilities.
Lastly, unlike Elden Ring’s build variety, Sekiro’s streamlined combat will most certainly create a level playing field for all of us against the boss. With no spirit summons or ranged magic to lean on, players would face Malenia as she’s meant to be fought in a one-on-one duel of skill and endurance.
Reason 2: There Are Aesthetic and Thematic Parallels Between Malenia and Ookami
Beyond everything she brings to the table from a technical standpoint, it’s worth noting that Malenia’s overall character design and lore can feel reminiscent of Ookami’s to an extent.
It isn’t about the looks either. Her undying loyalty to Miquella almost mirrors Ookami’s dedication to protecting Kuro no matter the cost. Both characters are warriors defined by their steadfast duty, fighting against impossible odds for the ones they serve.
Even her combat environment evokes Sekiro’s style choices within us. The bloom-filled arena, with the boss fight’s OST, takes us right back to our final encounter with the Sword Saint and Genichiro.
Speaking of Genichiro, though it’s become a well-known fact that Malenia isn’t some version of Lady Tomoe ported from Elden Ring, we still, at the end of the day, can’t help but find her boss design similar and remarkable.
So, not only is she one of the most challenging, arguably annoying foes that you can encounter in a Souls game, but she’s also a rare Souls boss whose design and narrative could potentially feel entirely at home in Sekiro.
But with all that said, what are your thoughts on this? Would you have preferred facing her in a duel within Shadows Die Twice, or is her presence within The Lands Between fine as is? Let us know in the comments below!
