Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree’s first major boss, the Divine Beast Dancing Lion, has quickly become a talking point among players. This formidable, airborne creature, drawing clear inspiration from traditional Chinese Lion dances, serves as a significant early challenge, reminiscent of Margit in the base game. However, the depth of this Lion dance influence extends far beyond mere visual cues. A fascinating discovery by BonfireVN on YouTube unveils a surprising truth about the boss’s construction: the elden ring lion dancer model is ingeniously designed with not one, but two distinct characters concealed beneath its elaborate exterior.
Initially, many players, including myself, might have assumed the Divine Beast Dancing Lion to be a singular entity, perhaps a grotesque amalgamation of grafted flesh hidden under layers of armor and ornate robes. Images of enemies like the Royal Revenants from the original Elden Ring, brutally disrobed in another BonfireVN video to reveal their nightmarish forms, might have fueled this expectation of a monstrous, unified being.
Close-up view of the Divine Beast Dancing Lion model as revealed in a YouTube video.
However, BonfireVN’s insightful video, peeling back the layers of the Dancing Lion’s design, reveals a different reality. Beneath the majestic facade, two smaller figures are clearly discernible, working in tandem to bring this creature to life. One figure takes the lead, while the other, positioned at the rear, is hunched low, effectively forming the lion’s hindquarters. One can only sympathize with the dedication of the animator responsible for the rear character, perpetually consigned to the less glamorous, posterior role of this mythical guardian.
What’s truly remarkable is observing the Dancing Lion’s attack animations with its outer layers removed. It underscores the meticulous effort invested in animating both of these concealed performers. Even though the majority of players will never witness this underlying structure during normal gameplay, the developers at FromSoftware dedicated themselves to animating the movements of both ‘dancers’ with remarkable fidelity. While a spinning attack might momentarily appear comical, with the rear figure seemingly on the verge of being flung off by centrifugal force, the overall animation coherence is impressive. It lends a surprising degree of plausibility to the movements of a magical, extradimensional Lion dance, and this level of commitment to detail is a hallmark that distinguishes FromSoftware’s creations.
Once again, FromSoftware has subverted expectations. Instead of opting for a single, grafted monstrosity, they’ve embraced the true essence of a Lion dance, realizing it as a collaborative performance between two individuals. Perhaps my initial assumption was simply too literal, too grounded in the grimdark aesthetic of Elden Ring. But this revelation does prompt a humorous thought: might encountering a Lion dance in real life now trigger a moment of fear, mistaking it for a genuine Elden Ring beast? Perhaps next, I’ll be wary of suspiciously tall individuals in trench coats – could it just be two kids stacked on top of each other?
Erdtree map fragments: Uncover the Land of Shadow
Scadutree fragments: How to level up in Erdtree
Erdtree bosses: A full hit list for the DLC
Leda quest: Track the Erdtree main quest
Sir Ansbach quest: Help the former servant of Mohg
Hornsent quest: Complete the quest for vengeance
