A Kirk Documentary | Dark Souls Lore

Welcome to deep dive into the murderous Kirk! Is he a dark wraith? A demon lover? Or is he, like many Dark Souls characters, a more subtle character than we thought? Hope you enjoy this thorny episode, featuring the Fair Lady, Quelaag, Quelaana, Darkwraiths, Kaathe, and a lot of rolling!
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Links and References:
Siberian Bear Hunting Armour (surrealist artwork): www.historyinm...
Kirk Comic: www.artstation...
Iron Pineapple’s Kirk Fan Club video!: • Dark Souls Remastered:...
Credit to Kirk Challenge runners for inspiration and footage: • Can I beat Dark Souls ...
• Can you beat Dark Soul...
• Can You Beat Dark Soul...
The 77 Rings Manga: www.google.com...
Sinclair Lore: / @sinclairlore
Soundtrack:
Age of Mythology OST - The Ballad of Ace LeBaron
Hades OST - Mouth of Styx
Hollow Knight OST - Greenpath
Subnautica OST - In Bloom
Aragami OST - House of the Raven
Dark Souls OST - Quelaag’s Sister
Eastshade OST - Restless Reach
Stardew Valley OST - Fall (Raven’s Descent)
Fire Emblem: Rekka No Ken OST - Inescapable Fate
Dicey Dungeons OST - Elimination Round
Croc 2 OST - Kaboom! Its Roger Red Ant A
Earthbound (Mother 2) OST - Sunrise & Onett Theme
Kameo: Elements of Power OST - Camp
Dark Souls 3 OST - Secret Betrayal
Kameo: Elements of Power OST - Lakeside
Demon’s Souls OST - Maiden In Black
Special thanks to:
Tenetchurch, Jess Simpson, Daniel
and additional thanks to Severian, Combat Android, Nashwan, Domnhall13
For all of their support of the channel!
#darksoulslore #darksouls #gaming
Hawkshaw.

[@AnarchyIsLove]

When Kirk murders countless peers for the sake of 1 girl he's the antihero BUT WHEN I-

[@CopeAndSeeth]

Ayo 🤣

[@stingerjohnny9951]

Jesus raises the dead it’s a miracle, I do it and it’s “necromancy” and “a sin against the natural order” and I need to “leave the state” and “change my name.” Double standards bro smh.

[@maximillion322]

@@stingerjohnny9951pretty sure its just the difference between getting the church’s permission first or not

[@kanseidorifto2430]

@@stingerjohnny9951 Moreover certain because God should be able to do all things, and humans with a lesser scope of things, should not be able to be on par with God

[@stingerjohnny9951]

@@maximillion322 The church didn’t exist until after Jesus’ death. Prior to that, it was just a hippie cult that liked doing community service.

[@tythus654]

Honestly, what I find most impressive that after all that he still had time to be a hammer in Bloodborne

[@IsCerealADinnerSnack]

True lol

[@KlausRJBR]

Does this hammer like the semi spider patches? 😏😏😏

[@whoopsthatsasinisntit]

And later reincarnated as the giant crusher in Elden Ring

[@apolloisnotashirt]

@@KlausRJBRit loves Patches.

[@stingerjohnny9951]

@@apolloisnotashirt Yeah, when I wield it, it just can’t stop kissing him over and over and over 🔨

[@capnnukasun810]

Kirk has another side. When he isn't splitting the skulls of hollows, he's a community leader. Basketball coach. Husband, and a father.

[@logancade342]

Not volleyball? Spiking the ball seems like something he'd be into.

[@thenson1Halo]

He volunteers as a lifeguard on the weekends and saved my kid from drowning!

[@Grimsly3736]

@@logancade342he’d definitely play darts 🎯

[@samfish2550]

All those eggs gotta come from somewhere.

[@Grimsly3736]

@@samfish2550 eggs are his adopted kids, no don’t ask me where he finds them

[@samjuan4899]

In my defense, my reason why I brought the Fair Lady humanities is not to save her but to save my sunbro Solaire.

[@randomarchive1671]

He does mention that in the video

[@jeshegames]

No matter how tender or how exquisite, a lie will remain a lie.

[@thenson1Halo]

I did it for the pyromancy and my sunbro.

[@well_thats_fantastic]

​@@fission_mailed he's happier helping a friend

[@maximillion322]

@@fission_mailedwhat are you, insane? He’s not happier being mind controlled by a parasite. The good ending for him is to summon him against Gwyn so that he can truly have his own Sun

[@josiahcmiller]

Rosaria in DSIII isn’t half-insectoid. It’s an illusion, due to the man-grub on her bed. But that’s a common misconception.

[@SkillfulCurve]

How do you know? She has intercouse with the worm?

[@praiseit6848]

@@SkillfulCurve what he meant with "illusion" is that it kinda looks like her lower body is worm like, but iur's simply the man- grub that's chilling on her lab.

[@KainiusTheGreat]

@@SkillfulCurve I mean, considering you can see her feet clear as day seems to confirm she's not half grub...

[@Capnsensible80]

Oh shit...I never looked closely enough to notice that 🤯

[@FelixMBlume]

@@Capnsensible80 yeah it's easier seen with either binos or by just looking at the concept art

[@GoonCaved]

Rosaria is just cuddling a worm thing. You can see her feet if you look a little closer

[@Th0rn5555]

Did you say... feet? 👁... Miyazaki, probably

[@McChickenJOI]

ok goon caved

[@Zidandy]

Kirk's helmet makes me think of the head of the amygdala from bloodborne

[@monroerobbins7551]

Honestly, same! It made me wonder if he was smarter than I thought, due to the resemblance

[@well_thats_fantastic]

​@jessiesewell4076 the idea for Bloodborne (and I believe some development) was all being made during ds1

[@Alexander-dg8sh]

Hey guys, here is some trivia I've noticed. 1. Kirk, Knight of Thorns, and Shadow the Hedgehog both are spiky. 2. Kirk and Shadow both deeply cared for terminally ill women. 3. Both are edgelords. 4. Both started bad, but turned good by the power of love. 5. Throughout 2010s the English voice actor for Shadow had been... Kirk Thornton! Coincidence?

[@BasedWukong]

Omff

[@suckassmork2972]

holy moly

[@bvowels]

Sisters, the merge has truly begun.

[@oskop5379]

kino, dare is say, cinema?

[@reco.3539]

Idk what you are cooking here but it tastes good

[@MEMEVOUS42069]

"This thorny bastard." Best thing I've heard.

[@GrannySoupLadle]

There are two types of Dark Souls, those with Kirks and those with soup ladles.

[@todd3143]

my headcanon to ds3 kirk is that kirk is resurrected to link the first flame, travels to his old mistress and finds that after ages, she had perished due to a severe lack of humanity. crestfallen, he serves rosaria as a means of exhausting himself until he succumbs to his despair and becomes a maggot, where he'll no longer be heartbroken by the demise of his lady

[@IsCerealADinnerSnack]

I’ve always had this theory about Kirk. That he was the first Unkindled. To me this explains why he is still alive in ds3 despite it taking place several thousand years later (as he was resurrected by the bell of awakening). Of course, I don’t have a reason for Why Kirk would try and link the fire but I think this is a cool idea.

[@blizzardgaming7070]

There might have been more, but I think one unkindled per Lord makes more sense. Especially given that 3/5 unkindled have a direct connection to a lord of cinder. Anri for Aldrich, Siegward for Yhorm, Hawkwood for the Abyss Watchers, with my thoughts being Freide for Lothric and us for Ludleth. Although he very much could have been part of the original five with the ashen one being resurrected after Friede left for the painting.

[@jacobhoover1654]

​@@blizzardgaming7070 What's the connection with Frieda and Lothric?

[@blizzardgaming7070]

@@jacobhoover1654 no actual connection but they are both the strongest out of their groups

[@XDWASDX]

I spent $10 to change my name on Xbox to Maneater Max just convincingly fake NPC invasions. My build was OP but I’d typically let hosts win. It was all about providing an experience that expanded on Souls whimsy.

[@NA1c158]

I love players like you. More for the plot than any trolling lmao

[@samdroid6165]

I salute you

[@ebrietasbiscuit]

3:24 “and it’s a real cool club, and you’re not a part of it” Screeching Weasel on the Kirk fan club, probably

[@MercedesSLSJpak]

Comment for the algorithm! This is exactly what I wanna see outta Hawkshaw - detailed, thought provoking and emotional videos on a minor character I only ever interacted with for like a minute and never finished the quest line for

[@byrdalexab]

Will never get tired of Dark Souls Lore

[@marcusgates5292]

Great so by rosarias logic if we become a finger we're either "Pinky finger unkindled one" Or just "Unkindled thumb"

[@Timebomb_19]

Heysel is the pinky, and I like to think that Creighton is the thumb. That’d make us the index.

[@walter1383]

​@@Timebomb_19Echoing this. Heysel is characterized by her naivety according to Leonhard, indicating she is the youngest or weakest, yet she's tenacious all the same eager to attack or help, much like the little finger. Creighton is the wanderer and goes where and does what he pleases independent of the others, just like the thumb. With Kirk as the reliable long finger, and Leonhard as the beguiling and untrustworthy ring finger, that leaves us, the player as the pointer finger, the only one that has true direction and an actual goal to look towards.

[@Locaneo]

I can gather why he'd keep coming back too, considering he gets Humanity for the Chaos, he likely gets them from her too so he can come back to life. Also in exchange I think he stayed dead because he took too much. Then came back as Ash in DS3 after it was all over.

[@leoricsfall]

Thanks for my first invasion ever Kirk :)

[@profounddestroyer5470]

:D

[@susiepazoosie2401]

Kirk is one of if not the most influential characters in the franchise for me, the man did what many would not, just to show a little kindness to the downtrodden, to save a man doomed to face a parasite. He's a good man going bad things for the ones he chooses to protect.

[@oup6009]

Recognized that Age of Mythology music 5 seconds into the video

[@Hawkshaw]

Thanks to everyone who applied!

[@adamtichy8008]

Hello, the link isn't working

[@Hawkshaw]

Thanks for letting us know! It should be working now

[@BDSMaestro]

The age section is asking for an email rather than a number, not sure if that’s the issue the first poster was having

[@YuckDuck-gn7nh]

Bully? Pathetic.

[@abdkayali9574]

Look for a script writers as well because this is dogshit and thats being polite.

[@DeHymenator]

Kirk's armor does one more amazing thing in pvp. A well timed roll into your opponent after a missed swing will cancel their backstab attempt on you. It can be done consistently once you get the hang of it. Absolutely invaluable for sweaty bs fishers when using slower weapons.

[@gergelymacsai3776]

Miyazaki often talked about loving the Fighting Fantasy Gamebook series. If you take a look at the illustrations of Trial of Champions, one of the classical gamebooks of the series, you will find a Chaos Champion who looks fairly familiar.

[@condor727me]

I love that kirk comes back multiple times. I'd like him to visit a few more times but maybe is more ferocious in his attacks as he gets closer to hollowing...i'll see that in the true remake one day!

[@jjtube8724]

Possibly wort a small mention: In German, long-finger (Langfinger) is a synonym for a thief. Which kinda matches his role as someone who invades you to take whats yours.

[@bladeoflucatiel]

Still better than the random forlorn invasions at the worst time possible

[@Calo1]

I didn’t knew I needed a documentary of god damn Kirk until now, very nice video, as always.

[@samfish2550]

In ds3 I ended up using the helmet for one of my favorite looks. - Thorn helm. - Black dress. - Cornyxs arms and legs. - Keen spiked whip (main hand). - Keen morning star (off hand). My friends described it as "cenobite esc" and my intention was a mad torturer. So basically the tone got across, also a very fun well rounded weapon pairing.

[@DonutSwordsman]

This is so good. I NEED speculative lore man

[@natelancaster3624]

I just gotta say you make my favorite Dark Souls theory/lore vids. I would love a follow up to Havel and the plot against the gods. It seems to me ds3 confirms many of ur thoughts.

[@youtubecommenter2527]

Uh, Rosaria is not half insectoid. Nor is she half monster. She's holding one of those pupa, it isn't part of her.

[@chasekeylime9717]

Hey just so you know, I did not get notified that this video was uploaded. I have all notifs turned on for your channel and would have completely missed this video if it wasn’t randomly in my recommended!

[@Vigsor_yt]

Same for me, and I had to go back and check, including this one 3 of his last 6 videos WILL NOT show up in my subscribed feed. I just posted my own comment, but let's try and get more comments to the top about this

[@christiandaugherty6339]

Yeah same here. I noticed that with his previous video too.

[@JojenReed]

Reinstall YT? His videos show for me

[@FookinIsh]

Is Rosaria a half monster thing, actually? To me it looks like she's just comforting one of those slug boys.

[@praiseit6848]

I wanted to be like Kirk but I never understood how to efficiently roleplay and farm humanity for the Chaos covenant. To help other players didn't seem authentic for that covenant and most people will not summon you, if you use the red sign soapstone. You also have to be a Darkwraith to use the red eye orb or to buy cracked red eye orbs.

[@KarmasAB123]

"Kirk is a menace to end all menaces!" Me who parries him with ease: "Huh?"

[@karozoronah146]

I actually think Kirk is fond of the idea of "artificial" lifeforms. Both the Izalith witches and Rosaria are capable to create new unique lives. ....or he's just have a thing about creepy giant women, which is understandable.

[@ax2781]

I remember having buddies playing Dark Souls over a decade ago and here I am discovering the series in 2024 I love your content, this universe instantly hooked me up and GOD I adore your music choices

[@Dr_Disconnect]

The age of mythology music! God can't even think about the game play because I'm getting blasted with my childhood.

[@OlympusPublicAffairs]

That Starfew Valley OST threw me for a loop when i first heard it in a Dark Souls vid.

[@pritzi101]

Prostagma! Etimos! Love that age of mythology music lol.

[@ShadowGaming-yj3lc]

"Rolling into us like a tumbleweed of hate" 😂😂😂

[@da-rj5cs]

I love this channel thank you for continuing to make videos.

[@Gabronthe]

I'm gonna make a guess to the egg bearers that once the eggs started dying, it was Qualag who made blight towners become egg bearers, not quelana tricking people.

[@elijahford3696]

Kirk is representative of something very human. Pity for someone who would sacrifice for you. Even a cold, spiteful individual hardened by life can see when someone has it harder than them. Even if you've been beaten to the point of evil, there's a line. That light is too important to lose. Worth dieing for. You don't know that line until you see it, but finding it will rock a man to his core. He will turn on the spot, and fight for the light. Not all people will understand it. Maybe it's better they never do. But kindness paid today might be something someone hasn't received much of in their life. These people will die for you once their loyalty is earned. And you would be surprised at just how little it can take.

[@willischwabe1324]

Sadly I have seen enough people who you could sacrifice everything for and the second you outlived your usefulness they will take the last rest and throw you under the bus and even start making up stories and lie about you towards others, to justify their actions in their own minds and no they don't care about you, at all - never did, never will, they wouldn't even spit on you to safe you if you were burning alive in front of them.

[@starvinmarvin2130]

Mmmh fresh Darks souls lore Thanks Hawkshaw

[@aifos5171]

Imo his appearence in DS3 ruined the character, from an antihero devoted to a single maiden and ready to die for her to a simp who just changed mistress when the previous one died alone, comforted only by Quelana

[@DingaLingu]

Hes a time traveler

[@SoulsBourne101]

He may have been a bad person, but he was still a Knight at heart.

[@nickperri6571]

Dude I’ve subscribed for forever but you last few videos haven’t been showing up in my subscriptions page. That aside, great video as usual!

[@Vigsor_yt]

Same here! Make sure to like the comments mentioning it, and comment back for traction! These videos are being hidden from subscribers

[@smoage]

Excited to dig in to this. Kirk has long been my favorite character in the series.

[@V1lkas]

3:39 the most scotish thing i saw today

[@femthingevelyn]

Every once in a while i discover that theres an npc or something that i never had trouble with has a reputation of being difficult.

[@GeneralTheGuy]

Kirk of thorns is my favorite surprisingly deep character right next to lautrec. I really love that dark souls uses an unreliable narrator in item descriptions. A narrator who themselves didn't quite know Kirk's nature fully. If only elden ring's nod to this armor didnt have the silly mask

[@michaelnemo4593]

13:45 That may be a Japanese to English translation oddity. They are know to refer to their loved ones with honorifics, so "dear sister" may be a "translation" of that.

[@Ik0As]

I loved this video. I just wanted to share something that I recently noticed. On 11:27 you say a half insectoid woman, I used to think this myself but recently I was replaying DS3 and noticed that Rosaria is fully human, you can even see her legs in the footage you used. I feel like the insect like being is maybe one of her followers and she is comforting it. P.S. I haven't tried attacking or the insect like being beside her to see if they share damage, this may serve as evidence suggesting they are the same being but, in classic Dark Souls fashion, you could very well make an argument for why they share damage even when they are separate beings.

[@lennyleanords9244]

"That's Kirkish Delight for you" will go down in history

[@GiraffeDGod]

I read the thumbnail as “Kirk isn’t a Simp “

[@bahmot9501]

The greatest thing I learned from this video is that Kirk is, in a very [Roundabout] way, a JOJO reference.

[@kallioli]

yesssss new hawkshaw vid just drooooooopped

[@natebookout1353]

I don't really see any evidence for the idea that Quelaag's sister is actually faking it. It's an interesting idea, but without any other clues in the game it just feels like a leap in logic. Occam's Razor: she's probably just a blind, helpless woman. This makes sense especially if you consider the other games, not just the sequels but Demon's Souls as well. It's a common motif to have morally ambiguous women, who are themselves monstrous, or the source of terrible magic, but also resonate as sympathetic characters. Like Astrea of the Valley of Defilement, DS2's Alsanna of Eleum Loyce, and Karla or Rosaria in DS3. I think that also reinforces Kirk's characterization as an anti-hero. In DS1 the convenants form different philosophies. If Kirk was just a ruthless murderer who lusted for violence, he'd still be a Darkwraith. The point of the Chaos Servants always felt more ambiguous, morally, and also in gameplay. Most covenants are either PVE covenants like the Warriors of Sunlight, or PVP like the Forest Hunters. But the Chaos Servants are a mix of both, because you can gain humanity through PVP, PVE, and co-op all combined. Doing anything that it takes for the Fair Lady.

[@kurdtcoben]

16:14 Assuming the Fair Lady's hair isn't withered or bleached over time, it's also interesting that Quelaag has black hair and hers is pure white. Maybe underlining your point.

[@undeadunluck]

YES YES ANOTHER ONE. 🙌 HAWKSHAWS BACK 🎉🎉🎉

[@ericsbuds]

i thought my first npc invader was a pvp invader. i ran away lmao

[@NGEvangeliman]

I dont remember ever having trouble with this guy. Infact i never knew there was a guy named kirk in any souls game... and ive played them all.

[@AloneTheorist]

Kirk really does look like if pinhead packed in being a demon and just went warrior.😂

[@edgargalliard4340]

since in our world queelag is still alive I like to think that kirk killed queelag in his world and now wishes to take our world and help her feed the fair lady with souls.

[@BigKCola45]

Forlorn in ds2: HES JUST LIKE ME FR

[@Antierro]

Just wanna appreciate the use of Age of Mythology soundtrack. Miss that game

[@mrg2155]

If he doesn’t drop his weapons the third encounter they are guaranteed drops

[@milktenders6219]

Honestly I love him as a character. The undead aren’t the heroes of this story, neither is Kirk, he’s just out here trying to soothe the suffering of just one person in this horrible world, and it’s so interesting to see such a gentle side to such a vicious fighter

[@Zimtblut]

Funny thing is, I always attributed the "Longfinger" to his job of "stealing" things (tongues/humanity/etc). In German a Langfinger (= long finger) is a very old expression for a thief, "lange Finger haben / machen" (= have / make long fingers) means to steal. I doubt that this played a part in his naming but that's how I saw it 😅

[@f.g.5967]

“We have no choice but to show mercy” yeah i showed mercy. I stopped her suffering.

[@stevenlaverty8044]

that age of mythology music damn

[@opinionpaladin6007]

I think saying Kirk wasnt inspired by Penance Robbie Baldwin, is wild

[@pearljaime2]

She should't be hugging that armor... oh, well. I guess it only activates on rolls.

[@powerforcex6190]

That thumbnail kinda hurts to look, considering Kirk's thorny armor. Imagine giving a hug to a bloodied iron cactus.

[@rossf371]

Kirk's a monster lover I commend him for that

[@vivid_xyz]

Kirk is literally rocking Sklipknot Merchandise

[@quantumpupper5776]

A dark souls age of empires kind of game would be amazing.

[@aquele_cara_la...]

This may be just a coincidence, but kirk's helmet always looked like some kind of cage to me

[@palpatine336]

Age of Mythology music, nice

[@superkafir]

Dark Spirit Knight Kink has invaded!

[@thenson1Halo]

Some people that have struggled with Kirk might hate me for this but I always thought that he should use pyromancy and have a pyromancy on his corpse. Considering he was pumping the witch of Izalith's daughter full of humanity.

[@CrocodrilloX]

kirk my beloved. favorite npc invader

[@tonyzhao4060]

I went into NG+ immediately after completing the first run because I wanted his set so badly!

[@philiphamel8504]

I just had a thought. Would Kirk's helmet be more like a static and stationary cage that his head could move freely inside of?

[@TheBiggestCrook]

I had no idea I got his armor just playing nice upload !

[@Gus_95]

That song around 15:46, am I just missing the game itself or it's from Ragnarok Online?! I'm not sure which map tho I may just be misrembering, but still...

[@aziki001]

Your voice is doing it's best to make me fall asleep.

[@varangianventure]

Dark Souls + Hades OST fits like a glove.

[@woozydew]

Love when u include aom music, great video

[@kirpalor74]

Is the first time i see someone struggle at defeating Kirk

[@KainiusTheGreat]

Poor Rosaria. She'll never beat the half grub allegations even with her legs and feet right there to be seen

[@shobhitmishra9266]

He got me good on my first fight with him, and then I dragon axed him in the face in second

[@videojames290]

MENIL COLLECTION MENTIONED -- WHAT THE HELL IS A BAD MUSEUM EXPERIENCE

[@xXshadowkiller126Xx]

After hearing all this it makes me wonder why didn't kirk stay with the fair lady or at least guard her body in the ruins you find her in DS3? instead he left her and continued on his own personal mission, what ever that may be lead him back above ground to different people but the same in the sense how how they were both detested by the world. at least that what i remember of the grubman from the 3rd but it has been some years since i last played it

[@fading-sun-studios]

I didnt go there on the first playthrough.

[@paytongagliardi8709]

Ive always kind of wondered if kirk was a darkwraith or just seemed like one and was called that. Both make sense to me

[@provokator3870]

babe, new darksouls lore video dropped

[@codytaylor7861]

Queelana being sick because she lacks cutthroat selfishness T_T