#Paranoia towards Ranni is basically a form of anti-intellectualism and egotism

[miirshroom]

A Cold Take to Celebrate Three years of Elden Ring

Ranni won the Shattering War. She won by refusing to play the same game as everyone else. She understands what the Elden Ring is as a metaphysical object and why Marika Shattered it and knowledge is power. Because she had knowledge she was empowered to make a choice not to be controlled by the Elden Ring. If you aren't simply satisfied with trusting her blindly, that's fine - take the time that you need to figure out the puzzle of the Elden Ring yourself. That's how her ending works.

Characteristics of Ranni showing her unique prominence:

Is the most powerful demigod. Can and will kill you instantly if you annoy her by trying to force control on her with Seluvis's Potion. You cannot retaliate. She and all of her friends just leave and refuse to interact with you unless you do a ritual cleansing with Celestial Dew.

Has the ability to lock down your movement totally, though she only shows it off once. The first time Ranni is encountered at her rise she summons specters of Blaidd, Iji, and Seluvis to stand in her tower. And you must talk to all of them and exhaust their dialogue completely. Otherwise, there is an impassable barrier around the rise keeping you inside and teleportation is disabled.

Has the most extensive and developed questline that is the only way to reach the Moonlight Altar part of the map.

CHEATS so that her ending cutscene is statistically more likely to be chosen. Unlike basically every other summon sign in the game her sign in the boss room does not ask you to confirm the selection. Any person playing "blind" who sees her sign on the ground and inspects it will get kicked straight to the cutscene before having a chance to consider what they are accepting.

Has a unique ending cutscene that actually has the momentum of going on a journey to some place new and never seen before. Compared to all of the Elden Ring endings that hold up the cycle of Lordship and Frenzy Flame that ends it all.

Speaks directly to YOU the player in the game trailer. Everything about her telegraphs that she is acting as an author avatar.

Does this mean that Ranni's ending is objectively the best ending for every player's character? No. People can roleplay the kind of Lord that they would want to be - especially in the Age of Fracture Ending the Elden Ring is yours to manipulate however you want. You'll have better results with a Ranni-like level of understanding about what IT is, but there's a gradient of comprehension. Try your best to grapple with the Paradox of Tolerance. Maybe re-write the personalities of certain characters until everyone is forced to get along and nobody suffers - so basically what Miquella tried but more customized because it's you who is in control.

I find it most helpful to acknowledge that FromSoftware supports Ranni as being the winner. Because this gets past the obstacle of decision paralysis and instead launches into an investigation of WHY and HOW Ranni became victorious. Which similarly helps to answer the question of Marika's motive for Shattering the Elden Ring. And with this knowledge you can appreciate what the Age of Stars means without needing to rely on blind trust.