The world of Elden Ring is filled with various interesting and complex NPCs. The player journeys alongside these NPCs and aids or harms them on their quests. Out of all the many NPCs, one in particular has stood out amongst the rest. Iron Fist Alexander, the Living Jar, has quickly become a fan favorite character in the Elden Ring community.
Alexander is a source of humor, inspiration, and tragedy for many Elden Ring players. Alexander’s characterization seems to call back to another NPC from a much older FromSoftware game. Looking back to Dark Souls‘ Siegmeyer of Catarina, players will find many similarities between Alexander and him. Siegmeyer was once the fan-favorite character of Dark Souls and was a breakout character in the story. Alexander carries the same adventurer’s spirit that Siegmeyer once had.
These Elden Ring & Dark Souls Characters Bring Light to a Dark Place
One of the main reasons Elden Ring and Dark Souls fans love Siegmeyer and Alexander is because of their uplifting personalities. The worlds of these games are bleak places with death and horror around every corner, so it makes sense that most of the NPCs that players encounter have lost hope or have been driven mad. However, Siegmeyer and Alexander break from that trend. No matter what, they always have a positive attitude about their situations.
Siegmeyer brought a bit of humor to Dark Souls with his clunky onion armor and boisterous personality. He was always happy to see the player and encouraged them to work together. No matter how dangerous the situation or how difficult the challenge was, Siegmeyer was always eager to meet it. His hopeful attitude inspired the player not to ever give up either.
Alexander serves a similar role in Elden Ring. His walking jar body adds a bit of comedy to the otherwise dire world. Like Siegmeyer, he is excited to see you and offers his aid when you need it. Alexander is always hunting for the next challenge or fight. He never allows any setbacks or obstacles to bring him down or dissuade him from his quest. If Siegmeyer and Alexander ever met, they would certainly be good friends.
Both Elden Ring And Dark Souls Characters Want To Be Great Adventurers
Siegmeyer and Alexander have almost identical backstories. They were humble people who lived simple lives, but one day they felt the call of adventure. The two characters decided to answer that call and left their homes to go on grand quests. They also both left behind family members that decided to follow in their footsteps.
When Siegmeyer became undead, he saw it as the perfect opportunity to start his adventure. He left his wife and his daughter, Sieglinde, and traveled to Lordran to begin his quest. Siegmeyer has no broader goal than to become a great adventurer and conquer dangerous challenges. Eventually, Sieglinde also becomes an adventurer so that she can search for her father and deliver his wife’s last words.
Similarly, Iron Fist Alexander decided to leave his home of Jarbug and his nephew Jar Bairn so that he could also become a great warrior. Alexander journeys through the Lands Between in search of powerful warriors so that he can test himself. He faces fearsome foes and travels through ancient cities in order to achieve glory. Like Sieglinde, Alexander’s nephew decides to join the family business. Jar Barin eventually leaves Jarburg to become a warrior like his uncle.
Both Characters’ Stories End In Tragedy
Despite their enthusiasm, both Siegmeyer and Alexander continuously fail at their tasks. They like to think of themselves as strong and independent people, but they often need the player’s help. They rarely get the chance to prove themselves as courageous adventurers or warriors. These failures begin to wear on them and eventually lead to their ultimate demise.
The first time the player meets Siegmeyer in Dark Souls, he is stuck outside of a fortress with no way in. He needs the player’s assistance to get inside. This starts a trend wherein the player solves every challenge and puzzle that blocks Siegmeyer’s way. These failures cause Siegmeyer to become desperate to prove to himself and the player that he is an adept adventurer. During the last step of his quest, Siegmeyer will attempt to rush into a group of monsters to repay the player’s aid and die in the process. If the player kills the monsters before he can sacrifice himself, Siegmeyer will lose his will to live and go hollow, which causes his daughter to kill him out of mercy.
Alexander meets a similar fate in Elden Ring. Like Siegmeyer, Alexander is stuck the first time the player encounters him. Just like in Dark Souls, the player will remove every obstacle in Alexander’s way for him. His dependency on the player starts to wear on Alexander’s confidence as he is failing to live up to his dream of being a great warrior. This ultimately concludes with Alexander challenging the player to a duel and dying. Siegmeyer and Alexander may have failed to accomplish their dreams, but they represented what Elden Ring and Dark Souls are truly about — facing adversity with a smile no matter how impossible the odds may seem.
