You finally made it to the Gate of Divinity. The air is thick, the music is swelling, and suddenly, there he is. Not the rotting, gravity-maddened giant you fought in Caelid, but something far more terrifying. This is Radahn, Consort of Miquella, and honestly, he’s probably the biggest "brick wall" boss FromSoftware has ever designed.
A lot of players were confused when he first showed up. Why Radahn? Wasn't he dead? Was he forced into this? The lore surrounding the final encounter of Shadow of the Erdtree is messy, beautiful, and deeply tragic. It isn’t just a remix of an old boss; it is the culmination of a vow that literally broke the world.
The Vow That Rewrote History
There’s a massive misconception that Miquella just "picked" Radahn because he was the strongest. That’s only half the story.
Basically, the "Promised Consort" title isn't just a fancy name. Miquella idolized Radahn’s kindness and strength since they were kids. He saw in his older brother a "Lord" who could help him usher in his Age of Compassion. But here’s the kicker: the lore suggests Radahn might have actually agreed to this vow long ago, under the condition that he’d get a warrior’s death first.
Think about it. Radahn loves war. He idolizes Godfrey. He wasn’t going to just sit on a throne. He wanted the "Battle of Aeonia" against Malenia. He wanted the festival. He needed to die so his soul could be scrubbed clean of the Scarlet Rot and placed into a new vessel—the body of Mohg, Lord of Blood.
If you look closely at Radahn's model in the DLC, you’ll see Omen horns budding from his arms. That’s because you aren’t just fighting Radahn; you’re fighting Radahn’s soul piloting Mohg’s discarded corpse. It’s twisted. It’s pure Miquella.
Surviving the Phase One Onslaught
Phase one is a test of rhythm. You’ve probably noticed he loves that opening gravity spin. Don't panic roll. If you roll too early, he catches you on the landing. If you roll too late, well, you're a pancake.
The biggest tip for phase one? Stick to his right leg (your left). Most of his sweeping combos have blind spots if you stay glued to his hip. If he does the move where he pulls his swords out of the ground for a shockwave, jump. Seriously, jumping is often better than rolling for those ground-based AOEs.
- The Cross Slash: This is the move everyone hates. He swipes left, then right, then crosses both. It’s incredibly fast. To dodge it consistently, you almost have to be mid-roll before the first hit even starts.
- Gravity Pull: If he sucks you in, don't immediately roll away. Wait half a second for the follow-up blast, then roll out.
Why Phase Two is a "Visual Nightmare"
Once Miquella climbs onto Radahn's back, the fight changes from a duel to a bullet hell. Every single sword swing now leaves a trail of holy light pillars.
Here’s what most people get wrong: they try to dodge away from the light.
Don't do that. If you roll backward, the light pillars will catch you every single time. You have to roll into Radahn. Stay as close as humanly possible. By hugging his body, the light beams actually miss you because they spawn slightly in front of where his swords land.
You also need to watch for the "Miquella’s Light" nuke. When he floats up and the screen turns white, run. Don't look back. Just sprint toward the edge of the arena until the explosion clears.
And then there's the grab. If Miquella grabs you twice, it’s "Heart Stolen" and an instant Game Over. You can actually use Miquella's Broken Rune (dropped by the Scadutree Avatar) to cleanse this effect if you get grabbed once. Most players forget that item even exists, but it’s a literal lifesaver.
The "Wall" Build: How to Actually Win
If you're tired of dying, stop trying to play like a professional YouTuber and put on some armor.
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- The Greatshield Poke: This is the most reliable way to beat him. Get a Fingerprint Stone Shield or the Verdigris Shield. Pair it with a spear or heavy thrusting sword (like the Antspur Rapier for Scarlet Rot). You can stay behind the shield and poke him while he's doing his 10-hit combos.
- Holy Damage Negation: This is mandatory. Use the Golden Braid talisman found in the Shaman Village. It cuts holy damage by a massive amount. Combine it with the Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman for physical defense.
- Status Effects: Radahn is surprisingly susceptible to Bleed and Frost. If you aren't using a bleed build, you're making the fight 50% harder than it needs to be.
Was Miquella Wrong?
The ending of this fight leaves a bitter taste. You kill them both. You stop the Age of Compassion.
St. Trina tells us earlier that "Godhood is a cage." Miquella abandoned everything—his love, his fear, his doubts—to become a god. In doing so, he became something cold. He thought he was saving the world, but he was really just taking away everyone’s free will.
Radahn, the "Promised Consort," is just the ultimate tool for that plan. Whether he was a willing participant or a brainwashed puppet is still debated in the community, but the tragedy remains: the greatest general in history ended up as a silent enforcer for a child-god’s dream.
Actionable Next Steps for the Final Boss
- Scadutree Fragments: Do not fight him below level 15. Ideally, be at level 18 or 20. The damage difference is staggering.
- Deflecting Hardtear: If you’re good at timing, this Sekiro-style tear for your Flask of Wondrous Physick makes his combos actually manageable.
- Summoning Strategy: If you summon NPCs like Ansbach or Thiollier, Radahn’s health bar increases significantly. If you're struggling, try it solo or with just a Mimic Tear to keep his HP lower.
- Respect the Meteor: At 20% health, he will disappear and come crashing down as a comet. Sprint to the very edge of the arena to avoid the one-shot.
Prepare your build, stack your holy resistance, and don't get greedy with your hits. This is the end of the road. Good luck, Tarnished.