Age of Fracture Ending

Key TakeawaysEnding spoilers

Use this route when you want the default Elden Lord conclusion rather than a character-specific ending.

• No special Mending Rune is required Defeat the final bosses and choose to mend the Elden Ring without selecting a Mending Rune. This produces the Age of Fracture conclusion.
• The final interaction determines the route At the fractured Marika, choose the standard option to mend the Elden Ring. Selecting a Mending Rune changes the ending even if all other story steps were identical.
• The Frenzied Flame is the major lockout Receiving the Frenzied Flame from the Three Fingers can lock the Tarnished into the Lord of Frenzied Flame ending. Miquella's Needle must be used in the appropriate late-game location to reverse that condition before the ending choice.
• The final boss is a two-part encounter Radagon of the Golden Order and the Elden Beast are fought consecutively. Defeating Radagon does not restore flask charges or create a separate opportunity to leave before the Elden Beast.

Age of Fracture EndingEnding spoilers

The Age of Fracture is Elden Ring's standard ending route. After defeating Radagon of the Golden Order and the Elden Beast, the Tarnished repairs the Elden Ring and becomes Elden Lord without applying one of the special Mending Runes.

The route represents the Tarnished restoring the Elden Ring in its existing form rather than imposing a specific philosophy on the Lands Between. It is the ending most directly associated with the game's central objective: claim the Elden Ring, defeat the final guardian of the Golden Order, and repair the shattered order through the final interaction with Marika.

The ending becomes available only after the main progression through the Mountaintops of the Giants, the Forge of Giants, Crumbling Farum Azula, and Ashen Capital Leyndell. The final approach requires defeating Maliketh, the Black Blade, then overcoming Gideon Ofnir, the All-Knowing, Godfrey, First Elden Lord, Radagon of the Golden Order, and the Elden Beast.

At the final decision, the player must interact with the fractured body of Marika and select the option to mend the Elden Ring. If a Mending Rune is used instead, the game follows the corresponding alternate ending. The Age of Fracture route therefore depends on what the Tarnished does at the exact final interaction, not on a separate quest item or a distinct optional boss.

The route is distinctive because it does not require completing a character-specific ending questline or collecting a special Mending Rune. It is consequently the easiest ending to preserve for a first playthrough, although accepting the Frenzied Flame from the Three Fingers can prevent access to it unless that condition is later reversed with Miquella's Needle. Once the ending choice is confirmed, the playthrough proceeds to the ending sequence and the game-completion state.

Where this sitsSpoilers

RequirementsSpoilers

Complete the endgame story route and preserve the standard ending option at the final interaction.

• RequiredReach the endgameProgress through the Mountaintops of the Giants, the Forge of Giants, Crumbling Farum Azula, and Ashen Capital Leyndell.
• RequiredDefeat Maliketh, the Black BladeMaliketh must be defeated before the final version of Leyndell can be entered.
• RequiredDefeat the final bossesClear Gideon Ofnir, the All-Knowing, Godfrey, First Elden Lord, Radagon of the Golden Order, and the Elden Beast.
• RequiredAvoid selecting a special Mending RuneUsing a Mending Rune at the final interaction changes the result to its associated ending.
• RequiredAvoid or reverse the Frenzied Flame conditionIf the Tarnished has received the Frenzied Flame from the Three Fingers, use Miquella's Needle in the relevant late-game area before attempting this ending.

ObjectivesEnding spoilers

1. Advance to Ashen Capital LeyndellDefeat Maliketh, the Black Blade to open the final version of the capital.
2. Defeat the final main-story opponentsClear the boss sequence leading from Gideon Ofnir, the All-Knowing to Godfrey, First Elden Lord, then Radagon of the Golden Order and the Elden Beast.
3. Interact with fractured MarikaAfter the Elden Beast falls, approach the fractured body in the final arena.
4. Repair the Elden Ring without a special runeChoose the standard repair option rather than using a Mending Rune.

WalkthroughEnding spoilers

1. 01

   Reach the endgame transition.

   Complete the Mountaintops of the Giants route

   Continue the main story into the Mountaintops of the Giants and reach the Forge of Giants. The route eventually leads to the story event that sends the Tarnished onward to Crumbling Farum Azula; there is no ending selection at the Forge itself.

   Location: Mountaintops of the Giants and Forge of Giants

   TipFinish exploration and NPC interactions you want before committing to the late-game sequence, because the capital and several quest states change as the story advances.

   Watch outDo not treat the Forge of Giants as the final ending choice. The Age of Fracture decision occurs much later, after the final boss sequence.

2. 02

   Defeat Maliketh, the Black Blade.

   Progress through Crumbling Farum Azula

   Explore Crumbling Farum Azula until you reach Maliketh, the Black Blade. Defeat him to obtain the major story progression needed for the final state of Leyndell.

   Location: Crumbling Farum Azula

   TipPrepare for a demanding boss fight before entering the arena; after Maliketh is defeated, the game moves the capital into its endgame form.

   Watch outThe transformation of Leyndell is a major world-state change. Complete any capital activities you consider important before defeating Maliketh.

3. 03

   Reach the final approach to the Erdtree.

   Enter Ashen Capital Leyndell

   After the Maliketh encounter, return to Leyndell and follow the changed capital route toward the Erdtree. The former city layout is no longer the route you should rely on, so use the new ash-covered paths and access points.

   Location: Ashen Capital Leyndell

   TipTreat the Ashen Capital as a new endgame area rather than retracing the old Leyndell route; landmarks and available paths have changed.

   Watch outThe capital's endgame state can remove or alter earlier access and encounters. Resolve any remaining capital objectives before this transition whenever possible.

4. 04

   Clear the first endgame boss on the final approach.

   Defeat Gideon Ofnir, the All-Knowing

   Advance through Ashen Capital Leyndell and defeat Gideon Ofnir, the All-Knowing. This encounter blocks the route toward the next major confrontation and must be cleared before the final arena approach.

   Location: Ashen Capital Leyndell

   TipUse the arena space to avoid allowing Gideon to control the fight from range, and interrupt his casting when an opening appears.

   Watch outThere is no ending selection after this fight. Keep progressing toward the next encounter instead of assuming the story has concluded.

5. 05

   Open the route into the Erdtree.

   Defeat Godfrey, First Elden Lord

   Continue beyond Gideon to face Godfrey, First Elden Lord. The fight is the final gate before the interior of the Erdtree and the two-part concluding boss battle.

   Location: Ashen Capital Leyndell

   TipSave enough healing and usable resources for the following encounters; this victory leads directly into the final story sequence rather than returning you to ordinary exploration.

   Watch outDo not spend all limited-use resources simply because this is the last boss in the capital. Radagon of the Golden Order and the Elden Beast still follow.

6. 06

   Defeat the first final boss.

   Defeat Radagon of the Golden Order

   Enter the Erdtree and defeat Radagon of the Golden Order. This is the first half of the final boss sequence, and the fight transitions directly into the Elden Beast encounter when Radagon falls.

   Location: Elden Throne inside the Erdtree

   TipLearn Radagon's delayed holy attacks and use openings after his committed strikes rather than attacking through his follow-up swings.

   Watch outA defeat against the Elden Beast sends the player back through the final boss sequence, so plan the encounter as one continuous challenge.

7. 07

   Complete the final boss battle.

   Defeat the Elden Beast

   After Radagon is defeated, pursue and defeat the Elden Beast in the same final sequence. The Elden Beast can create substantial distance across the arena, so the fight requires controlled movement as well as damage opportunities.

   Location: Elden Throne inside the Erdtree

   TipAvoid chasing blindly across the arena; reposition toward the boss while watching for area attacks and projectile patterns, then attack during its recovery windows.

   Watch outDefeating the Elden Beast begins the ending interaction. Do not select a Mending Rune if the intended result is Age of Fracture.

8. 08

   Begin the ending decision.

   Approach fractured Marika

   Once the Elden Beast is defeated, move to the fractured body of Marika in the final arena. The game presents the interaction that determines which available ending is used.

   Location: Final arena beneath the Erdtree

   TipPause to confirm which ending route you intend to use before interacting, especially if you have completed another ending questline or collected a Mending Rune.

   Watch outThe final interaction is the decisive step. Selecting a special Mending Rune changes the ending away from Age of Fracture.

9. 09

   Trigger Age of Fracture.

   Choose to mend the Elden Ring

   Select the standard option to mend the Elden Ring rather than choosing one of the available Mending Runes. The Tarnished then repairs the ring in its ordinary form and the Age of Fracture ending plays.

   Location: Final arena beneath the Erdtree

   TipIf the standard repair option is unavailable because of the Frenzied Flame condition, the condition must have been reversed with Miquella's Needle before this point.

   Watch outThe ending selection cannot be changed after it is confirmed in the current playthrough. Create a backup save before the interaction only if your platform and save-management practices support that safely.

Mission mechanicsSpoilers

Age of Fracture is not a conventional quest with a separate map marker, reward inventory item, or standalone combat arena. It is a final-state condition assembled by completing the main story, preserving the ordinary ending option, and selecting the standard repair action after the Elden Beast is defeated.

The route has two important branching systems. Mending Runes obtained through character and faction questlines replace the ordinary repair result when selected, while the Frenzied Flame creates a stronger lockout that can remove the standard ending choice altogether. The latter is reversible only through the specific use of Miquella's Needle under the correct late-game conditions.

The final combat sequence has no normal rest point between Radagon of the Golden Order and the Elden Beast. A player who uses most healing or consumable resources against Radagon begins the second fight with the remaining resources, making conservative play and reliable punish windows more valuable than trading damage aggressively.

The ending sequence is also the point at which the player's prior exploration is converted into a conclusion rather than a new gameplay reward. Special questlines may remain incomplete or completed in the world, but only the option selected at fractured Marika determines the ending shown for that playthrough.

What works and what does notSpoilers

Final encounter phasesSpoilers

1. 1

   Radagon of the Golden Order

   Starts: Begins when the player enters the final arena after defeating Godfrey, First Elden Lord.

   Not specified in the source material.

   Radagon uses close-range attacks, holy damage, thrown or placed holy effects, and delayed strikes that punish premature attacks. The encounter ends in a direct transition to the Elden Beast.

   • Hammer strikesTell Radagon raises or swings the hammer through a committed melee sequence.Answer Create space from the initial swing, then punish after the sequence ends rather than rolling into the next strike.
   • Holy area attacksTell A bright holy effect marks the area or the incoming impact.Answer Move out of the marked zone and avoid returning until the effect has finished.
   • Delayed holy slamTell Radagon suspends the attack before bringing the hammer down.Answer Delay the dodge until the impact is about to land; rolling immediately leaves the player vulnerable to the delayed hit.
   • Holy resistance and reliable physical or non-holy damage can make the fight more manageable, but the source material does not establish a single mandatory build.
   • Stay close enough to recognize his melee tells without attacking through a committed combo.
   • Treat the boss as the first half of one encounter and retain healing for the Elden Beast.
2. 2

   Elden Beast

   Starts: Begins immediately after Radagon of the Golden Order is defeated.

   Not specified in the source material.

   The Elden Beast is a large, mobile final boss that frequently moves across the arena and combines sword attacks with holy projectiles and broad area effects. Its size does not make it stationary; the player must repeatedly reposition to reach its vulnerable body.

   • Sword sweepTell The Elden Beast draws its sword through a broad arc before or during a close-range attack.Answer Roll through the attack or move beyond its range, then attack only after the sweep has finished.
   • Holy projectile patternTell The boss creates luminous projectiles before sending them toward the player.Answer Keep moving laterally and avoid stopping to attack while the projectiles are tracking the character.
   • Broad holy area effectTell A large glowing area forms on the arena floor or around the boss.Answer Leave the marked space immediately and do not attempt to finish a slow attack inside the effect.
   • Use the open arena to manage distance instead of pursuing in a straight line while an attack is active.
   • Prioritize survival and positioning because the fight follows Radagon without a separate recovery period.
   • The Elden Beast is not generally treated as a normal humanoid target, so attacks designed specifically for humanoid stagger patterns may be less reliable.

Final boss sequenceSpoilers

• Location
  Elden Throne inside the Erdtree
• Health
  Not specified in the source material.

Treat Radagon of the Golden Order and the Elden Beast as one continuous encounter. Learn Radagon's delayed holy attacks and punish only after his committed sequences, then enter the Elden Beast phase with enough healing and stamina to handle long repositioning. Against the Elden Beast, move across the arena in response to projectiles and area effects rather than standing still to trade damage.

Choices and consequencesEnding spoilers

• Choose the standard option to mend the Elden Ring

  Triggers the Age of Fracture ending, in which the Tarnished repairs the Elden Ring without applying a special Mending Rune.

  Spoiler
• Use a Mending Rune at fractured Marika

  Replaces Age of Fracture with the ending associated with that Mending Rune. The prior boss victories remain the same, but the final cinematic and ending outcome change.

  Spoiler
• Accept the Frenzied Flame from the Three Fingers and leave it unresolved

  The Tarnished is locked toward the Lord of Frenzied Flame ending rather than the ordinary Age of Fracture choice.

  Spoiler
• Use Miquella's Needle to reverse the Frenzied Flame condition before the final decision

  Restores access to other ending choices under the relevant conditions, allowing Age of Fracture to be selected if no other ending option is chosen.

  Spoiler

Before selecting Age of FractureEnding spoilers

• Complete any remaining objectives in Leyndell before defeating Maliketh, the Black Blade.Ashen Capital Leyndell replaces the earlier capital state after the Maliketh progression.Optional
• Decide whether to use a Mending Rune.A Mending Rune changes the result at the final interaction.Optional
• Confirm that the Frenzied Flame has not permanently locked the route.If it has, reverse the condition with Miquella's Needle before the final choice.
• Prepare for the consecutive Radagon of the Golden Order and Elden Beast fight.There is no ordinary break between the two bosses.
• Defeat Gideon Ofnir, the All-Knowing and Godfrey, First Elden Lord.Both encounters are on the final approach through Ashen Capital Leyndell.
• Defeat Radagon of the Golden Order.The Elden Beast follows immediately after this victory.
• Defeat the Elden Beast.This unlocks the final interaction with fractured Marika.
• Select the standard option to mend the Elden Ring.Do not select a special Mending Rune if Age of Fracture is the intended result.

Collectibles and ending itemsSpoilers

• 01
  Mending Rune

  Where: Obtained through certain character or faction questlines before the final interaction.

  A Mending Rune is not required for Age of Fracture. Selecting one at fractured Marika changes the ending to its associated variant.

  Missable
• 02
  Miquella's Needle

  Where: Obtained through a separate late-game questline and used in the appropriate area.

  This item is relevant only if the Tarnished has accepted the Frenzied Flame and wants to restore access to other ending choices.

  Missable

Failure conditionsEnding spoilers

• Select a Mending Rune at fractured MarikaThe ending changes from Age of Fracture to the variant associated with the selected rune.
• Remain marked by the Frenzied FlameAccepting the Frenzied Flame from the Three Fingers can remove the ordinary ending choice and direct the playthrough toward Lord of Frenzied Flame.
• Confirm another ending choiceOnce the final choice is confirmed, the current playthrough proceeds into that ending and the decision cannot normally be changed afterward.
• Fail during the final boss sequenceThe player must repeat the final encounter sequence from the available checkpoint; a death does not itself change the intended ending route.

Rewards and dropsEnding spoilers

• Age of Fracture ending
  The standard ending cinematic plays after the Tarnished chooses to mend the Elden Ring without a special Mending Rune.
• Elden Lord achievement or trophy
  Completing an Elden Lord ending contributes to the platform-specific ending achievement or trophy requirements; the exact platform presentation is not specified here.
• Post-ending game state
  After the ending sequence, the player can generally continue into New Game Plus or remain in the completed world state, depending on the selected post-ending prompt and platform behavior.

Characters in this missionSpoilers

• Queen MarikaThe fractured body used for the final ending interaction.
• Godfrey, First Elden LordThe final major boss in Ashen Capital Leyndell before the Erdtree interior.
• Radagon of the Golden OrderThe first half of the final boss sequence.

AftermathEnding spoilers

TriviaEnding spoilers

• Age of Fracture is the default ending route because it does not depend on completing one of the major optional ending questlines.
• The route is decided by an interaction with fractured Marika rather than by a conventional dialogue choice with an NPC.
• The final boss sequence links Radagon of the Golden Order and the Elden Beast without a normal loading transition between the two fights.
• The game's ending structure allows the same final boss victories to lead to different conclusions depending on Mending Runes, the Frenzied Flame condition, and the final interaction.

Relationships