Touching Fractured Marika: Deciphering Elden Ring‘s Most Cryptic & Popular Ending

As a passionate Elden Ring fan on my third journey through The Lands Between, I‘ve helped countless players understand the game‘s lore and cryptic systems. And one question remains the most common: what happens if I touch fractured Marika?

So let‘s dive into deciphering this mysterious ending path.

Becoming Elden Lord By Mending The Ring

Touching the fractured remnants of Queen Marika after defeating the ultimate Elden Beast boss prompts an option to "Mend the Elden Ring".

Choosing this immediately plays the "Age of Fracture" ending cinematic where your Tarnished rises from kneeled prayer to sit upon the throne as Elden Lord.

• You repaired the vital Elden Ring artifact that governs The Lands Between
• Claimed the throne & rule over the realm
• Restored order following Queen Marika‘s shattering betrayal

Or so it seems on the surface. More on that later.

So What Does Elden Lord Even Mean?

As Elden Lord, you now dictate the guidance of the Elden Ring and its Golden Order doctrine through royal authority. Your Tarnished rises as a messianic figurehead.

You may establish new ways, laws, rules as the realm‘s sovereign similar to a king. However, neither you nor Queen Marika herself hold true divinity despite god-like reverence.

A Popular Default, Not The Only Ending

25.8% of Steam players ^1 earn the achievement for this conclusion, making it the most common. For many, Elden Lord feels like the "correct" or most obvious ending.

But it‘s crucial to know touch fractured Marika is a point-of-no-return. There are deeper secrets and 5 other endings if you instead backtrack the tree.

Marika‘s Rebellion & Unanswered Questions

Before analyzing this ending further, we must unravel who Queen Marika was and why she resides fractured.

Marika The Eternal

Marika served as the God-ruler of The Lands Between alongside male counterpart Radagon until a shattering betrayal. She carried an almost religious reverence known as Marika the Eternal.

Originally an Empyrean meaning her blood bore potential for godhood or transcendance. As royal vessel to the Greater Will‘s Elden Beast, Many saw Marika as absolute divine royalty.

Imprisonment & Betrayal

But trapped in gilded shackles bound to the restrictive Greater Will, Marika yearned for independence. She plotted rebellion from the inside-out by:

• Banishing beloved husband/champion Godfrey to wander Tarnished

• Spreading religious doubt through heretical scripture

• Eventually shattering the Elden Ring itself

Her fading golden children either died or wandered into obscure isolation. And Marika earned imprisonment in the mythical Erdtree as punishment.

Lingering Uncertainty & Doubt in This Ending

As referenced in the ending title "Age of Fracture", restoring order through fractured Marika introduces imperfections and skepticism.

• You mended the Ring using its scattered shards after all. Cracks likely remain.
• Marika may scheme anew despite our Tarnished taking the throne
• Her children like Malenia or Miquella could return from exile

Can true order arise through such deeply scarred divine royalty?

As Elden Lord, flaws pass to you. And unlike Radagon‘s red hair versus Marika‘s golden mane, the game leaves little clue who leads this mended restoration:

• Is it Marika ruling through a Tarnished vessel?
• Does Radagon now govern via the player character?
• Does the Tarnished hold full control?

The answer hides frustratingly opaque even on my 4th playthrough!

Data on Steam players earning achievements related to the various endings ^1

Decoding The "Good" Ending Debate

Many players like myself consider this the "good" finale. But others argue endings like Age of Stars or Ranni‘s conclusion to be superior. Some even view Lord of Frenzy most ethical!

Let‘s analyze why no consensus exists on what‘s truly best for The Lands Between.

Marika‘s Intent: Selfish or Altruistic Goals?

A key question in this ending is whether Marika shattered the ring out of selfish desire or to free The Lands Between from Greater Will oppression.

For altruists like myself, perhaps she is a righteous champion against false deities, seeking revolution. Supporters of Ranni‘s parallel journey especially sympathize with this perspective.

But cynics instead view Marika as a jealous god who ruined paradise ruled by the Greater Will due to ambition for power. This critique does hold merits.

Her children and subjects faced hollowing and misery absent the stability and resources the Elden Ring provided previously.

Restoring Order, But At What Cost?

Elden Lord concludes a heroic underdog tale for our Tarnished. We restore what Marika callously destroyed to guide The Lands Between back towards reverent grace.

But through imperfect means given Marika‘s fractured state. Grace can only partially return until Marika and the Ring heal completely. This uncertainty leaves doubts.

And other endings like Ranni‘s conclusion or the Frenzied Flame arguably establish greater, albeit radical, departures from the past system‘s flaws.

So while our Tarnished hero overcomes adversity and achieves royalty like a classical fabled legend, flaws persist.

In some ways, the story almost feels too idealistic.

What If You Seek Another Fate Besides Elden Lord?

Now you know touching fractured Marika and mending the ring leads to arguably the game‘s most "vanilla" ending.

It concludes the heroic side of a fairy tale – foul curse revoked, realm restored, Tarnished to honored grace.

But as one intimately familiar with Elden Ring‘s lore and mysteries, I urge you: don‘t assume this ending reveals the complete picture.

If you instead backtrack the Erdtree after defeating Elden Beast towards sites of lost or forbidden graces, additional endings unveil that radically redefine The Lands Between.

Each features an NPC questline guiding votre Tarnished down transforming storyarcs if you obey their guidance.

But know that once our maiden Melina cremates herself to kindle passage to Queen Marika‘s chamber, we face a point-of-no-return.

Interact with Marika‘s corpse and all other endings lock permanently!

So for achievement hunters seeking every finale, I actually recommend saving Fractured Marika for last. Explore more exotic endings beforehand.

The Ages that vary most wildly from traditional order include:

► Age of the Stars (Ranni Questline)

If our Tarnished journey‘s alongside mystical witch Ranni, one possibility appoints a new order ruled by Dark Moon sorcery and cold, distant stars instead of golden sunlight.

► Lord of Frenzied Flame (Hyetta Questline)

Should religious seer Hyetta guide you down her maddening path instead, beware tragedy and mania alike.

For the Lands Between may descend into chaotic madness and fiery destruction if its new lord follows the blasphemous Three Fingers.

So do you still wish to heal the fractured Marika and reign an Elden Lord? Or does an Age among the Stars or Frenzied Flames now intrigue you?

Let this passionate lore enthusiast know in the comments!