Bloodborne Lore | The Rise and Fall of Ludwig, Holy Blade

[@TaskForceofAwesome]

"even in the darkest of nights.... I can still see.... the Moonlight" WHO HURT YOU MIYAZAKI

[@crzymage]

just the way the VA delivered it is so melancholic. They really did a good job with Ludwig. He was always a tragic character even when I knew nothing of the lore beforehand.

[@dianaabbott2700]

TaskForceofAwesome dissolve absofacto

[@Azriel884]

🤣🤣🤣🤣 fo real!!! All his stories are so tragic!!! Who hurt you, im fukn cry laughing at that comment!

[@Gyork_]

That's actually very hopeful

[@MegaBlair007]

@Luis Martinex stfu

[@PotatoPatatoVonSpudsworth]

Ludwig is the only person we see who regains his humanity after falling to beast-hood. That alone speaks volumes.

[@poizenking4858]

What about the Afflected Beggar? Sure, he kills people but when he transformed into a beast, he also still has his sentience.

[@zeonmx]

@@poizenking4858 Seems like Afflicted Beggar had an early case of old blood infection, hence he was coherent and was able to be himself. Given time, he would've lost his mind like anyone who was infected with the blood.

[@Popirnot]

​@zeonmx The begger also indulges in the beastly nature while Ludwig denies it

[@jjjordan3881]

Ludwig is dead in the nightmare not alive in the waking world. Not the same thing.

[@Popirnot]

@jjjordan3881 it's still him I think just in a dream. I don't know how dream realms work

[@Sylentmana]

The second half of Ludwig's boss theme gives me chills every time.

[@DrunkGnu]

god, it’s such a brilliant masterpiece of music. it’s legit the only reason I’m considering buying Bloodborne as I’ve never really played soulsborne games before. I have now played Bloodborne in its entirety, holy shit was this game a joyride.

[@GOldenPROdigy115]

I feel but. When I fought him the first time. I was too op. Killed him before the soundtrack played. The video is on my channel if you're curious

[@zes3813]

wrr

[@peanut_1375]

Always gives me sif vibes too

[@mika2250]

It’s so fuckin cool best theme in the game

[@hibikino]

Ludwig's story reminds me of a quote from Beyond Good and Evil; "He who fights with monsters should be careful lest he thereby become a monster. And if thou gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will also gaze into thee."

[@TheJabbate1]

hibikino I believe that quote is from Nietzsche. Correct me if I’m wrong.

[@TrenElZombie]

XD first time?

[@TrenElZombie]

Acts of love are beyond bad or good the same book

[@GitzMisiti12]

@@TheJabbate1 Well 'Beyond Good and Evil' is the book by Nietzsche with that quote, actually

[@tl3143]

@@GitzMisiti12 💀

[@johnruth5737]

The Moonlight Sonata in the background is just too great.

[@masterspartan981]

Glad that I wasn't the only one who noticed

[@maxrutschke5186]

Wonderfully appropriate!

[@newbornpeach0987]

John Ruth Light of the seven is also a good touch

[@Nanomachinesson9094]

Ludwig Van Beethoven

[@solitarybychoice1437]

Red October is also one of my favorites

[@CycloneFox]

Your theory of Ludwig as typically riding a horse on the hunts, might be very much on point, imo. As there are so many references to European knighthood around Ludwig already, it would make total sense for him, to ride a horse. Looking at it now, Ludwig the Accursed one isn't so different from the other clerics of the Healing Church, who typically turn into Cleric Beasts, that resemble more wolf-like beasts. The difference in his resemblance is that he apparently fused with his horse. This is quite the horrible thought, but looking at him, you can see, that he does not have four, but eight limbs and a second neck. While the second neck is close to his own head, the rest of the wolf-like limbs aren't aligned with the horse-like limbs. From Father Gascoigne's or the Suspicious Beggar's beast transformation, we can see that, while the process up to that point might be a slow, insidious process, the beast transformation itself is almost instant. Also, when you use the music box in Father Gascoignes' fight too often, you cause him to transform earlier, which means, that a strong emotional resonance accelerates the outburst. So, this is what happened, imo: The already close to beasthood Ludwig was riding his horse during the hunt, when someone or something beheaded his horse. It's likely, that this happened during the hunt. In his grief and agony, Ludwig was close to his horse, more specifically to where his horse's head used to be, when his strong emotions caused his beast transformation into a cleric beast. But in his transformation, he actually fused with the headless remains of his horse. What a horrible and sad thought, that is. Two things are noteworthy: Through the beheaded horse neck, you can see his eyes on the inside. I don't think, that his horse had eyes on the inside, just that you can see Ludwig's eyes on the inside through that hole. A hole, he acquired during that tragic incident, that is never able to be closed again. Imo, that is symbolic for Ludwig's loss of his loyal companion. But I would love to learn more about how and when Ludwig was granted so many eyes on the inside. And why. The other thing is, Ludwig seemingly had the original Moonlight Greatsword with him. It's description states, that even though the sword is synonymous with Ludwig, only few have ever seen the great blade, itself. That means, Ludwig typically kept the relic hidden, maybe for research to forge the Ludwig's Greatsword. But in this particular night, he had it with him, when he fell and transformed. After his transformation, when he regained his sanity, he thought, that the blade was lost. But during the fight with our PC hunter, midway during the fight, Ludwig notices, that the sword has always been on the back of his trusted horse, which is now fused with his own body, all along.

[@mitchl6896]

CycloneFox I like your thoughts on this!

[@juampan]

Also, when you tell him no with church attire, he makes horse-like sound in the end

[@riptidev10]

Good long read

[@tanthesavage9105]

Ramblings

[@Khakiasp]

What a great theory

[@nightsregalia8641]

15:45 Mitch: "It is then we hear the voice of this once legendary warrior" Ludwig: "HmmMmmHmmmMmmmUh"

[@Kaaniification]

Ludwig is like the Artorias of BB, such a tragic figure.

[@redsagehorrorwitz6453]

lol

[@Red41554]

They're both left handed too

[@bradmace9005]

Ludwig The Holy Blade Grow up.

[@nightrain1121]

Brad Mace he is comparing me to some fuckboi

[@nightrain1121]

Brad Mace you have any idea who you are talking to?

[@jakeinator21]

This! This is the kind of Bloodborne lore I've been thirsting for, but never could find! Brilliant work, keep it up!

[@mitchl6896]

jakeinator21 You should check out Redgrave as well if you haven't already. He's brilliant.

[@jakeinator21]

I just checked him out, and he's brilliant! Thanks for the recommendation!

[@Ragnarockalypse]

A hunter is never alone

[@aidanlegomaniac]

The way the score absolutely goes berserk when Ludwig raises the moonlight blade always blows my mind

[@lordofinnistrad8757]

Alongside Gherman, Ludwig is easily one of my favorite characters in my favorite game of all time. His lore, boss fight, everything is so neatly woven together it's incredible. Also, if there's a more epic mid-battle cutscene, I'd like to see it.

[@taistelusammakko5088]

My top 3 personal favorite characters are alfred, gehrman and the doll, if it counts.

[@maxjavaid9443]

Hena pena and simon??

[@fujinwinds2514]

Ah, you've been at my side, all along. My true mentor. My guiding moonlight...

[@pearlysplayhouse7761]

don't forget the music!

[@juicekingsley]

I think the Lothric and Lorian cutscene rivals the sheer jaw-drop of Ludwig regaining his humanity only because the whole premise of the game is flipped around on you for once

[@vega2300]

Ludwig’s my fave. Unlike most church hunters, or hunters in general for that matter, he gave people hope. He was their moonlight in the darkest of nights. He was led astray of course, but he deserved an honorable death at least. I lift my kirkhammer to you, you honorable spartan.

[@thehourman37]

Gherman wasn't a hunter of the church, Ludvig was the first hunter who served the healing church. That's the way I interpreted it.

[@anamggss]

And the art of the hunt existed before the healing church, and Gehrman is the TRUE first hunter, Ludwig was the first hunter of the HEALING CHURCH

[@nightrain1121]

It’s spelled Ludwig mate

[@anamggss]

Ludwig The Holy Blade It's actually "Ludovic"

[@nightrain1121]

Anam GGSS you don’t know who your talking to

[@anamggss]

Ludwig The Holy Blade OH I know more than anyone else who I'm talking to, and that is Seath

[@johnparx]

A couple points I'd like to add to what you had to say regarding Ludwig's beastly form in the Hunter's Nightmare: - For the first half of the fight, he really does behave just like a mindless beast, arguably an enraged horse, I guess. The interesting thing here is, if you stretch your imagination a bit, you could argue the Moonlight Sword is "riding" on Ludwig's back during this sequence, literally using him as its steed. - In a similar vein, as you pointed out, he has a second head that actually DOES have eyes on the inside. To the best of my knowledge, this is the only beast we see that appears to be an amalgamation of two different creatures. (I'm not counting the headless bloodletting beast, since that's more of a corpse that's been infested/taken over after the fact by another creature.) I believe this second head represents the "thread of light", and its influence over Ludwig's thoughts and actions, since he's the only one to have something so directly influencing his actions. This is further supported if you believe, as I do, that the "thread of light" was actually a great one, or at least a Kin of the Cosmos. Anyway, great video! Super glad you broke into the Bloodborne lore-hunting scene.

[@chrisrichford3997]

His design is the combination of beast and 'kin' features. The eye/mouth second head is something completely alien and totally unlike any of the other 'beast' affiliated enemies. Something I've not heard mentioned much by people digging into the lore is the distinction/division between Beasts and Kin. On my first play-through I speculated that they could be enemies or at least two very different lineages, maybe created by different blood. Ether way I think there is a narrative in the game which shows beast-hood as a degenerative force while the gaining of eyes and insect features as more of an ascension toward the god like great ones. So Ludwig is kind of caught in the middle, much like his public persona, visually descending into mindless beast-hood but with eyes on the inside, the opus of the healing church and the beginnings of godly omnipotence.

[@lowsyawe]

Chris Richford Best comment, glad I stumbled onto this Gem!

[@BARDI77]

@@chrisrichford3997 kin is a human that was selected by a great one (or in room case by willen using the umbilical cordon) since they can not have childrens ( theyre al always dommed to die like in the case of kos and yharnan sons and no the one from the prostitute is not a complete one since he only give you a third of umbilical cordon)

[@princeinflames-6267]

Pretty neat that Ludwig is left-handed.

[@saitamasensei4508]

princeinflames - I'm left-handed.

[@GamingTheDeath]

princeinflames - Hold up, if Ludwig is like the Artorias of Bloodborne, not only is he the tragic hero, but also left-handed like Artorias? Jeez man.

[@dumkoff4326]

And what is special about that?

[@kekedarius]

@@dumkoff4326 Left-handedness in traditional narration would suggest that his dexterity being inverted implies some sort of mark, or deviousness is afflicting his character. Even more so, due the fact that left-handedness is a part of what makes you biologically you and not a behavioral change due to extreme trauma, it is then suggested that this affliction runs down to his very core as a entity in this world. Almost like he's under some sort of curse or something.

[@dumkoff4326]

@@kekedarius Still, I don't see any difference. Would he really be a less interesting character if he held a fork in another hand? I think the answer is clear.

[@GypsyCoroision]

20:49 I can just imagine the fuckin voice actor just flailing and screaming in the middle of the booth

[@samuelflores7767]

16:42 I love how the AOE attack synced with the song.

[@aguyunderabridge.8794]

Honestly the next 3 or 4 slashes are pretty synced too. :0

[@uninspiredrambler]

I believe that ludwig became a horse-beast partially due to horses being associated as noble servant beasts. Dogs and wolves are seen as wild creatures. I think it's possibly that Ludwig found himself caught in between a battle between Old Ones. Granted an incredible weapon by one, and cursed and twisted by another. He was noble through and through but he was also content with ignorance. Essentially the perfect pawn. However he did not fall to his own inner beast, but by the hand of a being so far above him he didn't even know it was there. That's why he still maintains some form of sanity where all others are reduced to mindless monsters. He may have been one of the only truly innocent victims within the church. This could also explain the Accursed title he holds. Old Ones don't seem to ever work together and often are in conflict. I've also thought the idea that these Gods care nothing for us is also wrong. They use us as a form of reproduction, to wage war, and even show us sympathy. The Moon Presence seems to genuinely care for humanity, but it's literally so high above us it cannot comprehend the minds of humans. It be like trying to interpret the emotions of ants. It simply puts into motion what it believes will aid humanity. Such as the Hunters Dream. What causes the beastly transformation? Blood infusion and the birth of an old one. Since people are still willing to put alien God blood inside themselves despite the obvious side affects how do you help them? Give them the tools to perform God level abortion. That's the whole point. Kill the baby stop the human extinction. And it puts you incharge of the next round if you off Gherman. But if you eat the cords you show the Moon Presence that your concern isn't with saving humanity it's with becoming one of them, which makes Mergos death redundant. So it attempts to stop you to save humans. It doesn't understand human emotions, just what is killing us. That's why it doenst understand Gherman's pain or why the Doll isn't satisfying his emotional needs. It is sympathetic in nature, but lacks the insight of humanity to act upon it. All of this may have been the reason the old ones pulled out of the pthuemerians (have no idea of the proper spelling). After seeing the pain caused by taking the child of the Queen and probably other fucked up shit, the old ones decided to back off. But then some faggot went and found some blood and started doing more bullshit. I find the idea of God's that don't care about us being pretty depressing. However God's that Do care but have no idea how to is even more terrifying. It's like our lives are in the hands of these omnipotent children that understand the secrets of the universe, but are incapable of understanding anything about humanity. They are truly alien to us in every way.

[@threatball]

Best one i've read so far.. kudos

[@a.s2791]

Dude

[@jaredbowman7764]

I like your Lovecraft lite interpretation! Very comprehensive. Understandable conclusion.

[@joesheridan9451]

Wow, you really made me rethink shit there. I always thought of the moon presence as the real big baddie.

[@RMbaph]

well fuck me side ways and slap me with a fiddle that was a good read

[@y4notu236]

Glad to see people still talking about bloodborne, I believe Ludwig may have been a chalice prospector for the church but I cant tell what he is exactly wearing in his boss fight the scarf implies chalice prospector, but it would make sense of where he would have found the holy moonlight blade.

[@dumbsterdives]

y4notu2 His holy shawl and the look of his tatters looks mostly like Executioner's garb.

[@papaducknips3461]

y4notu2 he was probably a tomb prospector since he found the holy moonlight blade down there. I think his shawl looks most like the one from the prospector garb.

[@NobleDankLord]

Hes wearing the Executioner garb. the set along with LHB or HMLS makes for a fine ludwig cosplay

[@lunaticgmd6427]

16:40 my eyes welled up with tears at how absurdly epic that is

[@noobmaster1368]

That sync 👌

[@LargeTalons666]

I know it will never happen, but imagine how good a bloodborne movie could be if done right.

[@nightrain1121]

Charles Le Sorcier no thanks mate

[@Herondinho]

Would be a challenge fitting in 30 boss fights lmao

[@MrJordwalk]

A TV series would be better.

[@Tacticaviator7]

I'm 2 years late but brotherhood of the wolf is the closest thing for now

[@DronesOverTheMoon]

I wouldnt be good many game based movies use cutscenes as a reference to make the scenes now take bloodborne a game with nearly any cutscene, ir would be very hard to make and would probably very bad as well

[@JMega007]

Ludwig is my favorite character in the game. I feel So bad for him even after you beat him and he's reduced to a severed head you tell him that his efforts were in vain... It's so crushing. Shit is AMAZING. At least he can finally rest in peace If you say yes.

[@Nemo12417]

A note about Ludwig the Accursed: Ludwig is ONLY encountered in the Hunter's Nightmare. It is possible that his physical remains look nothing like the centaur we fight. Technically, one could argue that Ludwig might have never transformed until after his death. We know his mind had considerable resilience, and there is a very real possibility that he was "moon scented" like the player, given his weapon.

[@MalakiaLaGattaNera]

AAAAAAAAAAAAH yes! This video is truly a lovely surprise! Ludwig is my favourite soulsborne boss, love the design, the arena, the voice acting and the way in which he was presented in game through item descriptions prior to the DLC release. That's great storytelling if you ask me, and really sets up expectations for his bossfight. They tried to do a similar thing with Aldrich in DS3, building up to our (and Anri's) battle with the Devourer but I honestly don't think that they delivered. I really like the concept behind Aldrich but the bossfight itself was quite underwhelming despite the initial shock in finding out that he ate my fav DS character... XD Ludwig on the other hand, exceeded my expectations by far. The in-fight cutscene, the way in which his posture changes making him look immediately more human in phase 2 and the fact that you can actually interact with him after he's defeated was really memorable. Along with Micolash, he's the boss to whom the devs devoted more love and care in detailing his personality and backstory. Such a wonderful character. I wish Laurence had been treated the same way. Also, I'd totally brush his mane and put a flower crown on his severed head. Sleep now, Holy Blade. You'll always be a true hero to me.

[@mitchl6896]

MalakiaLaGatta Thanks! By the way, are there any discernible lyrics in the Ludwig music or is it all just wordless singing?

[@MalakiaLaGattaNera]

You're welcome :) Of course! Almost all tracks have latin lyrics in them except for Micolash's theme (probably because he's already so chatty?) and some chalice dungeon enemies. But all the main bosses have actual lyrics in their themes. Here's Ludwig's, or at least my interpretation of it: LUDWIG THE ACCURSED Venator feram tor [ Hunter of Beasts ] Sanguine vigore [ The vigor of blood ] Venator dominus [ Lord of hunters ] Ama va nihilo [ From beloved to forgotten ] Animus sanguine, refugit opulentum [ The soul recoils (from the) powerful blood ] Maledictus fiat nocte [ Cursed be the night ] E sanguine maledictus [ The blood of the cursed ] Oh venator [Oh hunter] Beatus fiat tuus [Blessed be the incense] (MISSING LYRICS) Domus aeterna fiat nocte [ (your) home becomes an eternal night ] Perit sanguine opulentum! [ Gone is the blood of the powerful ] PHASE 2 STARTS Notes: I actually hear ‘sia’ (which means ‘be’ in Italian) instead of ‘fiat’, but apparently it doesn’t exist in latin. I checked a couple of dictionaries, not just that lame google translate and fiat seems to fit the bill way better: ’let there be light’ for instance, is fiat lux. 'Opulentum' on the other hand means 'rich' (italian: opulento = grand, wealthy) and not powerful but I can't find any sense in the use of rich here. Any thoughts?

[@mitchl6896]

MalakiaLaGatta That's incredible! If I ever do a video on the music of Bloodborne I'll definitely get your help on it. I especially like the bit about the incense, since there are incense burners everywhere in the Chalice Dungeons, as well as in the Lumenwood Garden, and it looks like small incense containers are around the necks of certain characters, like Gascoigne, for instance.

[@MalakiaLaGattaNera]

I'll be honoured! There are still so many tracks that I can't get a grasp on, but those that I was able to transcribe almost in their entirety are quite interesting from a lore prospective. Expecially 'Hail the Nightmare' which puts the Mensis Ritual in a whole new light, in my humble opinion :D As for the incense, Eileen's mask is stuffed with it if I remember correctly, which is something that plague doctors used to do in the middle ages hoping that it would spare them from contagion.

[@KevinFlores-ro9jh]

MalakiaLaGatta ttttttttttttdtttt

[@Winter-my9yu]

The Moonlight Greatsword... the third head of the Cerberus.

[@MarlonMacielBrando]

I only wish we could've fought his human form as well, akin to the fight with Lady Maria.

[@motazfawzi2504]

Oh you'd be ****** You don't even have a sodding chance.

[@GrahamChapman]

Honestly, the Hunter's Nightmare has far more in common with Hell/"Naraka" according to Japanese Buddhism than it does Christian Hell. There is one story in particular, "The Spider's Thread" by Ryuunosuke Akutagawa, that describes Hell as being dominated by a Mountain of Needles and with a River of Blood flowing through the valley in the Mountain's shadow. Well, the Hunter's Nightmare sure has a River of Blood, alright; originating from Ludwig's Corpse Pile it flows through most of the Nightmare, but it has no "mountain" within it. However, what it does have is the towering steeples of Yharnam; a symbolic "Mountain of Needles"... On the topic of "The Spider's Thread," in that story we're introduced to a sinner by the name Kandata; a scoundrel and criminal who had but one good deed to his name: he once decided against stepping on a spider, and through this one act of kindness he gained the pity of the Buddha, who lowered a spider's thread down a lotus pond in the realm above, down into Hell so that Kandata could climb it back up again... However, halfway up Kandata realizes that thousands of other sinners are climbing up out of Hell using the spider thread, and the moment he yells at them to let go, that the thread is _his_ salvation, the thread snaps, sending him and the other sinners plummeting down into Hell once again... This story is alluded to in both the Guidance Rune as well as by Ludwig himself, as he asks our Hunter if they have seen "the thread of light" that he clung to, steeped as he was in the stench of blood and beasts... Within the context provided by the story of Kandata, this may mean that a Great One, sympathetic in spirit as they tended to be, bestowed Ludwig with Guidance and the Holy Moonlight Sword in the hopes that it would lead him to salvation, only for Ludwig to use the sword to combat the Beasts, ultimately dooming him to eventually become one himself... Another thing of note is that the gates of Hell in Japanese Buddhism are guarded by two Oni: Gozu the Ox-Head and Mezu the Horse-Face. These two Oni are also mirrored in both Laurence, with his horned visage, and Ludwig, with his horse-like features: Ludwig prevents sinners from escaping The Hunter's Nightmare, while Laurence has kinda gotten lost, and ended up in the wrong Cathedral... Thank god, says I, because having to fight the two of them at once really would've been nothing short of pure hell.

[@calebfulton4207]

GrahamChapman what if the 2 oni are the 2 big axe wielders outside of the gate?

[@GrahamChapman]

@@calebfulton4207 Hell is inhabited by a lot of oni; though I do believe that the Nightmare Executioners are stand-ins for Hell's general Oni population, I see no reason to believe that two mooks would be the two legendary guardians of Hell's Gates, especially not when there are two other characters who bear an uncanny physical resemblance to Ox-Head and Horse-Face.

[@MegaBlair007]

This is a fine note. But does that mean the great one who bestowed salvation upon Ludwig helped him one last time to regain his humanity? Is he saved?

[@GrahamChapman]

@@MegaBlair007 "Saved" is a kinda strong word in Bloodborne... If I was to wager a guess, I'd say that the Great One who bestowed Ludwig with the Holy Moonlight Sword was most likely the Moon Presence (though Mergo's Wet Nurse is also a possible candidate... heck, could be that the Moon Presence and Wet Nurse were both vying over control of Ludwig). I think Ludwig was a Hunter of the Hunter's Dream long before our Hunter was, and I think the Guidance he received was, like ours, to bring salvation by putting an end to the Scourge of Beasts... However, rather than seeking out the Scourge's source, Mergo, Ludwig instead rallied the Yharnamites to battle the Beasts and, having seen what happened to Clerics who succumbed to the scourge, bestowed the Yharnamites with much heftier weaponry, better suited for defending themselves with... all of this, of course, resulted in the same Yharnamites who had gone out to fight the Beasts using a lot of Blood to stay alive, which eventually turned them into Beasts, thus just creating an ever-escalating cycle of Beasthood epidemics and Hunts... In the end, Ludwig succumbed to bloodlust and Beasthood himself and was subsequently claimed by the Hunter's Nightmare... But it's possible that the Moon Presence reached out to her former champion one last time there at the end and was able to help him combat back the Beasthood that had infected his mind... Incidentally, Mergo's Loft actually corresponds well with The Pure Land/Paradise in Japanese Buddhism, (in folklore often associated with the Moon, and no-where in the game is the Moon bigger and brighter than it is in the Nightmare of Mensis,) the place even has Spiders/Nightmare Apostles serving as another shout-out to The Spider's Thread... The Hunter's Dream, on the other hand, is likely supposed to be Tokoyo no Kuni/The Eternal Land, or possibly Yomi no Kuni. Either way it's The Realm of Death in Shintoism. The Moon Presence is Death Incarnate, Gehrman is the Grim Reaper (the last confrontation with him after defeating the Wet Nurse is even a great representation of the Death Card in the Major Arcana Tarot) and we/our Hunter is basically Death's Little Helper. (It may sound a bit wild when I just throw it out there like this, but I can legit have a lecture on how the cosmology and counterparts fit together.)

[@MegaBlair007]

@@GrahamChapman so why do we kill the moon presence? Why do we take her place? Did she do anything bad at all? At least my boy Ludwig gets to rest in eternal slumber like he deserved (in one of the options at least lol)

[@WhiskeyTango76s]

Despite hating The Healing Church I can't help but to lie to him everytime in given the option. He seems to have been a genuine character before everyrhing became a literal Nightmare and if lying to him will help ease his suffering and the burden that keeps him trapped in the Nightmare then I can't help but do it. Another thing I can't help but think of is that the Hunters are trapped there because of their guilt and not because they're being held for all eternity against their will. I do believe that the Nightmare was created because of them and brought against their will but I also believe they're the ones sustaining it by their own subconscience, they probably don't even think about things like guilt or redemption anymore but in the back of their mind it's there, whether they realize it or not since they seem to be thinking one thing now - blood in this never-ending slaughter they're living in. It's because of this I lie to Ludwig in the hope that maybe there's a chance that I'm right and that he can be free of the Nightmare after losing what's weighing him down. I'm probably wrong though since he'll stay there sleeping in the spot where his head fell, maybe dreaming of a better place(which would make me half right atleast).

[@WhiskeyTango76s]

Sean Clark No I'm not making it sympathetic, I'm trying to make it more literal. I never said that the crazed hunters are seeking redemption or even consciously aware of why they're doing what they're doing. What I'm implying is the opposite of that by saying they're incapable of thinking about anything other than killing everyrhing they see (other than each other). What I'm saying is that maybe what is keeping them there is their own unconscious mind, what's weighing them down acting as an anchor is the fact that their conscious mind appears to be incapable of understanding anything other than killing what they consider to be a beast (which is everything other than themselves). The mind works in pretty incredible ways, ways that we're still yet to understand and affects our way of thinking, which on an individual level is reality for the one thinking it(even more so in Bloodborne's setting). In a nutshell I'm suggesting that though they were brought because of their actions they're not eternally trapped in the Nightmare but they might as well be since they're not capable of anything other than mindless slaughter. I never said Ludwig was aware of of what happened with his Church Hunters but this is something that he worried about which is enough to affect his unconscious mind(we see this once you put his mind at ease, you can tell this obviously something that was on his mind at one time). Like I said, this could probably be wrong but there's nothing to suggest it's not a possibility that Ludwig did not find a sense of peace which in turn affects his reality. It's fitting that you mentioned Purgatory, thats's the perfect word to use in describing what I'm saying because just like with Purgatory I don't believe it's an eternal punishment but it may as well be since they're so damn far gone and completely out of touch

[@tyrellrivera]

@slasherflicks I'm new to the lore, but I can tell you're the type I would learn the most from. Direct and straight to the point. No BS. I like it 👌Im surprised how captivated I am! Ive never been hooked like this. And I do understand how late I am.

[@Sylinnilys]

"Curse the fiends, their children too, and their children; forever true."

[@whitet-shirt2133]

Just my personal bias, but I liked to think Ludwig personally witnessed Laurence's transformation which led him to commission larger scale weapons. However it is implied Brador may have killed Laurence. I also like to think Ludwig adopted the title of Vicar after Laurence. Just basing it off the extreme influence Ludwig had on the church. Could the detractor Ludwig mentions, be Gehrman? When Gehrman mentions Ludwig, he says it with hesitation. And Ludwig calls the sword "his true mentor," then begging the question who was the false mentor. Gehrman is really the only suspect. I'm not sure if Ludwig was a Byrgenwerth Scholar, he doesn't seem like the scholarly sort. But I can't pin point his origin and most of the church did originate at Byrgenwerth. What point in time did Ludwig jump in? It had to be before Gehrman left the waking world, assuming Gehrman doesn't know anything that transpired after his departure. Just thinking if the burning of Old Yharnam gave Hunters a bad reputation, and then Church Hunters were formed to be the new "good" Hunters. This also makes me wonder how Hunters like Ludwig are sent to the Nightmare realm. Was it some cosmic event? Is when a hunter dies? Did they all get dragged in at once or over time? I'm thinking it's when they die, based off the Hunter of Hunters, who hunt the blood drunk, state that they hope the find peace in sky burial. I know sky burial is a type of ritual funeral, but could this be referring to the Hunters Nightmare? If one is killed to get sent to the Nightmare, who killed Ludwig? I guess if not how did Ludwig end up there? He could be cursed by the gods for taking the Moonlight Sword from its resting place, but what exactly is his curse? Isn't everyone cursed, what makes his unique? Oh and we all know the true master of the Moonlight Sword is Patches, as he uses it to rip holes into the fabric of the universe to jump into the next FromSoft game so he can kick us down a hole for laughs.

[@commanderpreacherlocust1439]

very intertesting

[@rakkatytam]

One thing I see people kind of over look is that many years probably passed between the schism of Byrgenwerth and the forming of the healing church. I mean you don't erect huge buildings and a massive following in the span of a few years (also to even split again with the forming of Mensis), even if you do come up with some sort of miracle cure for everything. At the time, all the primary participants were probably relatively young. Gehrman and Lawrence could of easily been in their early to mid twenties. Willem could of easily been in his 40s or 50s. so say about 50 years past, that is long enough for all of them to still be alive especially with the effects of the old blood, and also long enough for a new generation of students, clergy, and hunters to be born and raised.

[@Newt0rz]

@@rakkatytam I agree. And in my mind Laurence wouldn't have turned before Gehrman entered the dream since Gehrman cries to himself, still ever waiting for Laurence. Implying not only were they close, but that they looked out for eachother. I have my doubts Ludwig was even born while Gehrman was prominent because of this and the fact that Gehrman hardly seems to hold any of the religiosity the healing church hunters had.

[@souffrantdepine3762]

@slasherflicks Okay but you don't have to be so overtly dismissive though. The game is ambiguous for a reason and their questions and theories are just as valid as yours. In all things, keep in mind the importance of not being an asshole.

[@ohhello4674]

@slasherflicks only a blood drunk fool dismisses the past.

[@Thalanox]

Man, the voice acting in this game is fantastic.

[@DarkBloodSouls]

man, your bloodborne stuff is off the hook.

[@mitchl6896]

DarkBlood Souls

[@haxalarasheresy1705]

Funny how some things are timed, as I just finished my Ludwig Build on Dark Souls. The Thread of Light has guided me!

[@TheNamelessScholarOfficial]

I honestly Think that The 1st phase's music is like that solely for Humiliating Ludwig. Listen to the Other beast boss musics. It sounds very Avarage compared to them. They are just Choir Chants and a few Cellos not giving a worthy music to a once legendary individual. To humiliate him. He already acts like a mindless beast and they give him nothing special. But. When he regains his sanity. That's when the real show begins. Violins, trumpets, Cellos and the Choir is going crazy while This Horse like beast that was once a legendary individual takes a last stand to die as a man.

[@PhantomBones101]

This makes me want to look more at Gerhman and Micolach's history. Because in a way Gerhman would be the tragic hero in Bloodborne while Micolach is the cult leader antagonist. Gerhamn was the first to take to the streets to hunt beasts but in the end called on a great one when his purpose was slowly becoming meaningless. Giving way to the very "gods" that played a role in the Scourge of Beasts. And Micolach not only summoned a Great one and was pulled into the Nightmare it was his fault that the Pale blood moon descended and the Great ones were given the chance to inhabit Yarhnam. Sounds legit.

[@cuppawolnir9031]

8:15 Honour and chivalry? Is that to imply that chivalry was lost at some point? That eventually the hunts became so bad that they forsook any codes of honour in battle?

[@mitchl6896]

Mega__Deus I mean if you consider the nature of Blood Drunk hunters who were unable to let the blood get to them, they really devolved into rather debauched shadows of their former selves.

[@evanvetrano8191]

You mentioned that Ludwig might not be connected with cainhurst at all. I want to bring up that the silver sword found both in the Kirk hammer and ludwigs holy blade are considered "righteous" weapons. This hidden perk has these weapons deal more damage to every enemy found at cainhurst castle. I'd love to hear your opinion of what this could mean. Keep up the great work!

[@EpsilonCobra]

Truth has been told.

[@trollloool1307]

Maybe Ludwig was an executioner under logerius and the eradication of the vile bloods is what got the healing church attention in surviving members including Ludwig

[@DronesOverTheMoon]

@@trollloool1307 logarius actually came after ludwig i think the LHS deals more damage to cainhurst enemie probably vecause it was made for executioners to use since Ludwig is a executioner

[@noclue4108]

@@DronesOverTheMoon I always thought Ludwig was a knight. Not necessarily of Cainhurst, but the theme of horsemanship, honour, and wielding large weapons felt pretty knightly to me.

[@DronesOverTheMoon]

@@noclue4108 well he technically is one. An crusader to be more especific.

[@OtepRalloma]

16:43 I love how you timed the climax and the weapon swings to the song

[@Wicked061]

you never cease to amaze Mitch. keep up the great work.

[@KrazyKaiser]

The Moonlight Blade appears in most FromSoft games, including the King's Field series and Armored Core. Yes, there is a giant mech version of the Moonlight Blade.

[@Teranova]

Great job on this lore, coming back to it years later I have an even higher appreciation for the detail given. Thank you.

[@bryangan2224]

I always thought Ludwig's 'horse' form was also a nod to his personality and role - a loyal and steadfast beast, even if misguided. Instead of being a total zealot to the Church's mission, he is also concerned if his Hunters conduct themselves honourably. When you interact with him, it's the first thing he asks. Not about whether the Church has succeeded in elevating humanity with the Old Blood, or any progress communing with the Great Ones, or how the hunt against the beasts is going. I like to think that he wasn't greedy for eldritch knowledge or more power from the blood, or a hate for Vilebloods and beasts and stuff. He did his duty to the Church, although some of those missions got dirty and bloody, but still tried to uphold his personal code of honour and impart it to the Hunters under him. His name the 'accursed' is likely part of Kos' curse to the hunters in general - he got the shit end of the stick (being this beast instead of just hunting forever) because he was the chief and had to take the most respinsibility, regardless of how involved he actually was in the Hamlet massacre. Brador and Maria are ashamed too, and they fight to keep their shame a secret. Ludwig seems like the kind of guy who would just tell Kos (if he could), that regardless of whether he took part in the slaughter or not, the Hunters are his guys and he's responsible for any bullshit that they pull, so blame it on him.

[@VichyGlitterGun]

It's amazing how the first boss of the DLC can leave such a deep mark on the player. Ludwig was the hardest boss for me personally, but it doesn't sadden me, rather it is a pride that eventually I overcame the struggle. It somehow feels like the first and last fight at same time. The fear of fighting something completely new and the immersion of the arena, music and mid cutscene contrasting to finishing the battle to music going insane at the end makes you want to walk away with sunglasses and explosions in the background. Deciding Ludwig's fate I was terrified and intrigued what would come next, what could possibly top this battle they really can't top this I thought, I was thinking why wasn't this the last boss fight it would definitely be a satisfying ending but it is the perfect first boss fight, it sets the fear into your bones for the future, puts your nerves on end. Then I found Lady Maria and the music and graceful blood battle just imprinted into my mind because I felt a sadness defeating her, killing Maria gave a feeling of, is the hunter really any better? When killing Ludwig it feels more merciful, you finally bring peace to his madness, the contrast is so amazing between the two and I think that's why those two are the bosses I remember the most.

[@rtinc3241]

3:00 ok but are we going to ignore that awesome transition

[@mattslatt3]

I was waiting to see someone point this out lol

[@mikeblxde4735]

Buddy got clapped lmao

[@DaddyRedBoneXii]

about time people started talking about BB again

[@lancejewkes1666]

Love hearing The Light of the Seven music in there. Favorite track from GOT

[@johnnyblack3454]

for years i thought the human Ludwig in the thumbnail was wearing like bandages around the top of his head like the harrowed outfit, but then i realized it was just weird hair. Insight gained, frenzied.

[@therealludwigtheholyblade]

Starting at 16:34 a lot of Ludwig’s attacks match up with the music and MMMMMMmmMmMmM it is another level of satisfying

[@Cedwig234]

Awesome Video m8. Its amazing that u even recorded the dialogue with Ludwig ingame, rather than just reading it.

[@TooBigBirdy]

Thank you for all the lore videos you've made on your channel. Top quality.

[@Gamerilla4real]

Ludwig was the first “church” Hunter. German was the first Hunter of the “old hunters” before the church was established. After the incident at the fishing hamlet and the “Bergenwerth schism” Lawrence then started the church betraying Willem and outcasting Gerhman. Ludwig was then the first of the hunters ordained by the church.

[@vksasdgaming9472]

I think that church existed as religious/political entity before Ludwig and maybe even before Gehrman. In that case Old Hunters (successors of Gehrman) were considered some kind of occult group, but necessary. As beasts became more numerous it was very smart for church to officially approve hunters and Ludwig was first of these. He might have been best old hunter or maybe he was best as mediator and manager as official approval most likely added numbers of hunters.

[@huskytzu7709]

I don't mean to offense fans by comparing but Bloodbornes lore is much more interesting than DS

[@alexkok5748]

Your opinion

[@OrphanCrippler1]

@@alexkok5748 The correct opinion

[@AttiMatter]

I agree! but still love DS too

[@YahMum69]

huskytzu it is lmao

[@momoura5]

DaS1 is pretty fascinating purely due to the player unearthing the history of a creation myth long after the gods have fallen or left their homeland. BB has more a cohesive narrative, sure, but it's hard to compare the lore between the two series.

[@utm0st]

BB lore is very impressive, especially after playing through it first without reading into it. I didn't understand anything from playing it tbh, but I noticed how fleshed out it was and just how interesting it was that everything seemed to connect together. Still I never knew it was as incredible as it is. Thanks for the videos!

[@alainbourassa1998]

Love that transition at 3:05 well done

[@Deatheater4444]

I would argue that the Phlegethon in the Seventh Circle is a more apt comparison or allusion from the Inferno. A literal river of blood wherein those who have done violence to their fellow men are boiled alive together for eternity. Particularly apt in Ludwig's case, and that of the Old Hunters in general: 'O blind cupidity, O wrath insane That spurs us onward so in our short lives And in the Eternal then so badly steeps us!'

[@ithinor]

This is just my interpretation but I want to share my thoughts on why Ludwig is more equine rather than the typical 'Yharnam-look' of a wolf or rapid dog. So hear me out and feel free to disagree but here I go. Ludwig to me comes off as a tragic figure, one who clings desperately to his "guiding light" and believes what he did was noble and just, and I personally also believe that in the eyes of civilians he very much embodied the view of a classical hero(in the Greek/Roman context). In many ways he is something of a paladin in the traditional sense referring to Charlemagne's court and the twelve paladins being knights renowned for heroism on chivalry. Apologies if I seem a tad off track but bear with me. Continuing on with that mentality a Knight was first on foremost a mounted combatant and later through fantasy tropes becomes a stand-in for that classical hero archetype, so yes maybe he did ride a horse into battle but in my personal view mounted combat with a greatsword would be quite difficult against the beasts of Yharnam so as such I believe he was a more typical singular combatant alongside his noble "Holy Blades', which in my mind always evoked images of Charlemagne's paladins or King Arthur's knights. So rather than at some point fusing with his steed I instead believe that his beastly appearance is a perversion of that noble and knightly image. He seems very much into his final moments wishing to believe what he did was right, and refusing to look closer at his "Guiding Light" that seems to have lead him into damnation. A beast and degenerate did he become, yes, but deep within his heart and perhaps even the hearts of those following him he was a noble knight, one fighting to protect and defend. As such his transformation evokes the images of that perverted 'knightly nobility' as well as the fact that horses have been tied to symbolism of strength, nobility, grace and power. Sorry if I rambled or that was hard to follow but that's my interpretation of why Ludwig looks the way he does and just felt like sharing.

[@stephensporman8206]

Interesting theory. I believe though he transformed and fused with his horse because he was able to greatly resist the transformation. Longer than any other hunter I'd imagine and this is confirmed due to his unique appearance. Unfortunately for him though, the longer and harder he resisted the more grotesque of a beast he became. I believe he was on his horse still battling the scourge when his will was no longer strong enough and his transformation finally completed.

[@PotatoPatatoVonSpudsworth]

Perhaps by using the dancing sprites, Ludwig could sense his opponents while keeping his eyes closed. This would allow him to combat the horrors of the night without risking his own sanity.

[@eduardovazquez7817]

Love the touch of the Moonlight Sonata sounding in the background. You know, since the song was made Ludwig Van Bethoven and you know... Ludwigs sword is the Moonlight Sword ✨

[@z.hunter3825]

I love how much work you put enough.

[@Jacob-hv7jz]

3:03 god damn that was a good transition! bravo!

[@douglasdiggins8296]

The Moonlight Greatsword is a Great One, or some form of antenna to a Great One. Different influences create different kinds of beasts; wolf like beasts, snake beasts, insect like beasts. We only see one horselike beast. The one man to wield the Moonlight Greatsword. Just my two cents.

[@stephensporman8206]

That's very interesting. I think it also makes sense that he fused with his horse because he was a powerful hunter and greatly resisted the transformation for as long as he could. Unfortunately for him though, the harder and longer he resisted the more disgusting and grotesque he became and he fused with his horse.

[@samlewis7952]

I feel like when he says about never wanting to know what was behind the light , this is his curse. A great one possibly the sword reached out and gave him a chance for insight for probably a greater task but he closed his eyes

[@arisniro3167]

Damn it, such an awesome video. Listening to you is so entertaining, all those little bits of information from outside sources are just delightful, you're awesome!

[@revfunk8823]

The way you combine reality with lore is phenomenal man! Thanks!!

[@KirillTheBeast]

Great vid, m8. You've made a fantastic job. Keep up with the good work! ;-)

[@mitchl6896]

Khelthrai Hellbane Thank you!

[@Blackirish57]

The final battle of the video, during Simon's dialog with the Bow Blade, was just as exciting as the fight with Ludwig.

[@ZerkMonsterHunter]

Hey Mitch, I really enjoy your content and your ideos, they are so in-depth and well edited, bloodborne's lore has never been made so entertaining, and i can safely say that your work had a very big influence on my own bloodborne content and i'd like to thank you for being awesome!

[@Thenamelessnomad]

I always believed the dancing sprites of light were the Messengers, they bring you into the Hunter's Dream and every hunter has a natural rally affect. Maybe not only because of the bloods healing property but because all hunters have a form of guidance. The messengers will dance and hold messages giving guidance and even open the door that requires the hunter chief emblem. They also resemble the pale Pthumerians.

[@mitchl6896]

Nameless Nomad That's an interesting theory, and one I've started to buy into since making this video. It would also imply that Ludwig may have been a Paleblood hunter at some point, similar to the Player Character.

[@Thenamelessnomad]

Mitch L He could have had to enter the Hunter's Nightmare to silence its Nightmare newborn, the Orphan of Kos. But ended up going mad in the process.

[@mitchl6896]

Nameless Nomad Maybe. Perhaps another possibility would be that when he found the Moonlight Blade (presumably in the Chalice Dungeons) the Messengers came to him as if he were Paleblood. I feel like the process of hunting the Nightmare Newborn is a semi-irregular process that Gehrman encourages. For instance, the cleric in Oedon chapel says something along the lines of "the hunt always ends, except this one" or something, implying it's different this time. Ludwig doesn't strike me as someone who would want to go after the Newborn, as he was one of the Healing Church's most trusted hunters. These are all just theories, however.

[@Pupperpats]

You said insight 2 seconds before the boss death insight was earned.

[@LeiCal69]

His second phase still give me chills, even the first time I already knew what they wanted to convey in that transition, I am no longer fighting a mad beast, I am now fighting THE Ludwig.

[@LSB44446]

Haven't had time to watch your videos seeing as I'm busy with school. I've been saving them for a Bloodborne marathon on Halloween.

[@mitchl6896]

LoganSoulsBorne4 I hope that you'll have a few hours to spare!

[@LSB44446]

Mitch L Well, however long Ashes of Ariandel is. I'll be listening as I play through it!

[@mihirmelinkeri5737]

I love how the background music is Ludwig van Beethoven's Moonlight sonata. Considering Ludwig's weapon was the 'moonlight' sword.

[@bernardosales1044]

"Does the nightmare...never end?" *shows the description of the rifle spear* I see nothing wrong, move along

[@justalockheedf-117nighthawk]

I see what you did there in the intro whit that music Really cool man... Right on point lol

[@Churrros]

You might not see this but thank you for letting the second half of the fight play out :)

[@CadePDrumstiX18]

When you dive deeper into Lovecraft's work and the mythos you will come to realize that some of the outer gods were sympathetic to humans. People could call upon these beings and request help with their plites in different ways. So when you read the cursed chalice's lore I think you misinterpreted it's meaning. The curses were "used" to vex others instead of one directly recieving the wrath of a great one. This becomes apparent when you know that the villagers of the fishing hamlet were subject to the cruelty of the members of Berganwerth and throughout the game you can hear the chant of the curse that was recited for the "death of mother Kos" and also when you enter the DLC. The wandering malformed man at the fishing hamlet rambles on about this and says "have mercy for the poor wizened child" The accursed brew is the skull of a fishing hamlet resident whose brain was checked for eyes which gives reason as to why Berganwerth defiled the village. I believe that Willem, Ludwig, Lawrence, Gherman and Maria were involved in the incident at the fishing hamlet and Ludwig disected from the healing church because of that heinous event for shame and guilt. He desired retribution through raising an army of church hunters. He was cursed with his monstrous form as a result of the townspeople's curse. When Gherman and Maria learned of this they retired their old ways. Maria commited suicide amd Gherman couldn't handle the loss of his love so he created the doll. When that wasn't enough he called upon a great one and the moon presense answered. It granted Gherman's request but out of necessity for offspring it imprisoned him in the dream that was made from everyone's shame and the influence of the great being. TAADAAA! There you go.

[@jarenmay4885]

actually, laurence is covered in fire because thats how he was killed. remember, all beasts are weak to fire, even the ones that wield it. laurence was killed by the powder kegs and the laurence we fight is in the nightmare. laurence is no longer alive in the waking world and died a cleric beast. the first cleric beast

[@otimo144]

God I still come back to this game everyone once and a while, I really do feel like it is the best game I have ever played. From the story to the gameplay to the world all of it is just a touch above the rest even when it comes to Dark Souls games. Then we get videos like these that make it even more worth it to listen to the story all over again!

[@Azryluna]

I feel as Ludwig is the most tragic character in Bloodborne and maybe that is just me, however what strikes me with sorrow is that Ludwig felt that what he was doing was right and he felt that being the leader of the healing church and giving into bloodthirst, because Laurence founded the healing church on blood and hunting the beast that were affected by the blood and when you tell an already mangled Ludwig that the church is decript and dead and that is what pushed him or we the edge and losing what remaining sanity he had left .Rather if said yes that comforted Ludwig and he is maintaining the small piece of light that remained in his soul, he clinged on to the moonlight for as long as he could. And I feel as a heroic character as Ludwig with such a tragedy happening to him and the only this keeping him “sain” was the moonlight and to think that you strip away the moonlight from him is really saddening. I just wish that you could have the choice to let Ludwig even keep the moonlight even in death would have been a great symbol of peace and hope.

[@TheOriginalKnight]

11:10 - “ . . . Part of the description from the Moonlight Greatsword from Dark Souls 3. It reads - ‘pizzas for 5.99$ at Domino’s.’” I died laughing XD

[@TheOriginalKnight]

A very well timed ad indeed

[@j.j.4708]

Thanks for using another Ludwig's Moonlight Sonata for this one

[@dxst9600]

Yours are the best and my favorite lore videos I've seen

[@AwfulWeather5684]

2:59 that transition though, holy shit!

[@TheLegendaryTashy]

Wow this is the earliest I've been. I love lore and your vids are among the best

[@euronico7949]

When you played that Inception theme...that shit hits hard man, poor Ludwig man....

[@Fadilanse]

"so perhaps Ludwig rode a horse during hunts, and his body fuse with that of his noble steed" wait..., human have two hands two legs, horses have four legs, Ludwig has... two hands and six legs..... oh god no.....OH MY GOD JUST as I feared... AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH PULUBLUBLUBULBULBBHHRHBHRHHBHRHBH PUBLBULUBULUBLUBLB

[@zaclovesschool2273]

You always choose the best music. The piano songs were also in creepypastas, and hearing them always makes me feel nostalgic

[@IAmMugel]

Sad part is Gehrman was originally going to be mentioned in the DLC by Lady Maria. There's a video of her cut content restored and I find it quite interesting. Not only does it show Maria and Gehrman had a relationship, but it also answers one or two questions about a certain doll.

[@alexsinek9937]

Dude, you definetly deserve more subs... anyway, I bumped into your channel a while ago and I'm now binge-watching all your videos :) Keep up the good work!

[@RogalDorn23]

I would fucking love to see a spinoff game or movie about Ludwig, The Holy Blade....

[@KingSav1or]

Just speculating, but if the moonlight sword was discovered in the dungeons. Then maybe the sword could truly be utilized to its fullest potential if wielded by a great one. If Ludwig was only a mortal and not a god, the swords darker side could affect him negatively as he was called a degenerate beast by his detractors. And as Simon says, the sword mislead Ludwig in the end. Maybe only a great one can filter out the bad side of the sword, resisting its corruption. As Ludwig, a mortal, failed to do. But come to think of it, the pale blood hunter, the player, can wield the sword perfectly fine. Maybe, because we have access to the dream( strength of the moon presence), we are resistant to it's corruption and can fully use it, as if we're the moon presence itself, a great one worthy of the sword. This could be why Ludwig was seduced by its darkness and not us.

[@TheFirstCurse1]

15:53 this is how it should've been. It makes the scene so much more impactful with the music. From Soft doesn't understand how to use music to elevate emotions in cutscenes.

[@ElfTrap]

The Moonlight Sword goes all the way back to the King's Field series, where it is a cursed relic.

[@blazaybla22]

12:28 I don't know, to me this sounds a lot like an oblique reference to the Messengers. Even the name of the rune, Guidance, makes the most sense to me in this context. (Sidebar: I haven't quite formulated a more specific interpretation of this but take note of the opening intro, where the beast shows up to basically collect our souls for beasthood, yet is repelled and disintegrated by the light of the Messengers who bring us into the service of the Moon Presence. If you are like me and consider it significant that Ludwig, now a great beast, is so strongly intertwined with a weapon that is clearly imbued of Cosmic energy, this should be noteworthy for you.)

[@blazaybla22]

So the impression I get from all of this together is that Ludwig may have been the first hunter directly contacted and/or utilized by the Moon Presence - although, perhaps not one brought directly to the Dream, as with Eileen and Dhura. His defeated, disembodied head asks the player, "Have you seen the Light?" And whether you respond yes or no, he makes reference to either "detractors" (who he says were correct to criticize him if you haven't seen the light) or "denigration I suffered" (which he says was worth it, if you have seen the light). To me, this, along with the interpretation of the Guidance rune's "tiny beings of light" being the Moon Presence's Messenger servants, suggests someone who dealt with the beast scourge caused by blood ministration, as did the rest of the Church, but was perhaps dismissed or attacked by those who didn't believe his claims of being guided by what we now call the Moon Presence, because it appeared only to him (just as the Messengers and the Dream appear only to us, having been chosen by the Moon Presence, as hunters like Eileen and Dhura already served their purpose and can see them no longer.) Edit: I did a little more digging because this video did a great job of piquing my interest. The Holy Moonlight Sword's description says "few have ever set eyes on the great blade, and whatever guidance it has to offer, it seems to be of a very private, elusive sort." However, a literal translation of the item description in the Japanese version is more specific: "It's a weapon that symbolizes Holy Blade Ludwig, but the ones who have actually seen this great blade are few. It was only his; a secret, hidden guidance." So again, there is a motif of the Moonlight appearing only to Ludwig and guiding him. I believe the "guidance" here in Japanese is the same word used for the Guidance rune. Furthermore, while the English refers to "/blue/ moonlight danc[ing] around the sword," the Japanese is again more specific, describing "the great blade entwin[ing] with the /pale/ moon's light." The word used for pale here is the same as the one used in "Paleblood," as in "Paleblood sky," as in the power of the Moon Presence.

[@thundracleez]

Is that "Light of the Seven" playing at 18:30?

[@mitchl6896]

Yes.

[@xperiona2833]

The light of the seven just fits perfectly in the background

[@ForeveraBoss117]

Ludwig taking that moment to gain his composure as he drops his blade down to block out the more monstrous half of his face is some of the most beautiful symbolism I’ve experienced in a game. Rest in Peace Ludwig. You held fast to your guiding moonlight till the very end.

[@Terastas]

The one thing I always liked about Bloodborne lore over Dark Souls was that, while the latter often involves tales of truly noble men and women trying to fight an inevitable darkness and failing, Bloodborne gives a sense that, while Laurence, Maria, Ludwig etc. were never quite sure WHAT they were meddling in, they were at least aware that they were meddling in something. They didn't know what they had, but knew for sure it was great. They never quite knew what precisely they were looking for, but they knew the old blood was crucial to finding it. And while they never knew precisely what the consequences of their meddling would be, they were all very much aware that failure WOULD come with consequences and that, more often than not, they considered that risk worthwhile. Ludwig himself describes his "guiding moonlight" in similar terms, admitting that he never gave much thought to how or why it was guiding him, though was aware it was doing so. I would wager his appointment to Holy Blade was far more improvised in nature; that he was not appointed Captain for his battle prowess, but rather just settled into the role since he was the one to whom the Holy Moonlight Blade responded. As for the anticipating "larger inhuman beasts", well, that you could probably chalk up to simple foresight. They knew the consequences of their meddling was beginning to manifest, and they could also see that said consequences were escalating. Once again, they weren't aware of what to expect, only that they should expect it, and were trying (and failing) to stay one step ahead. Similarly, all hunters, Ludwig included, were well aware of the fact that hunters routinely became lost to the beast curse and needed to be hunted in turn. Ludwig, like his compatriots in the Healing Church, no doubt considered this a worthwhile risk in the name of their greater pursuit, but after seeing firsthand just what precisely the beast curse could do to a hunter, began to take greater precautions and more preemptive measures against his own corruption. A lot of people suggest that Ludwig was corrupted by his Moonlight Blade. But actually, just the opposite seems to happen: He REGAINS himself in the presence of the Moonlight Blade. That would give me the impression that maybe his big mistake was considering that corrupting possibility for himself -- was discarding it and, without any "guiding light" to give him a clear sense of direction, succumbing to the same fear and blood lust that overcame the others. On a related note, I'm of the mind that the beast curse isn't a genuine curse, but rather a sad side effect of humans acquiring insight faster than their minds or bodies are capable of processing it. It's worth noting that Ludwig is not the only beast who communicates in plain language directly to the player while in a beast form. Hell, the one that picks off the other refugees if you send him to the cathedral even demonstrates his capacity to switch from man to beast willingly. I think you are correct that Ludwig began to show physical signs of the beast plague, but with his "guiding light", still felt very much in control mentally. It was likely only after his "denigration" -- and more likely than not -- loss of his official title and duties, that he began to consider the possibility of the Moonlight Blade as a corrupting influence, which, in the saddest twist of irony possible, resulted in his loss of guidance, and with it, a full downfall into mental corruption.

[@cheesydream]

I like how the composer of Moonlight sonata and the subject of this video have the same name :)

[@thomasmckeever91]

3:01 that was too clean😯💨

[@Fafafohi]

So, the whole time I'm watching this video, I kept thinking to myself, "man, I am definitely listening to Ludwig's Holy Blade theme after this." Thank you for including it! Great video!