Siegward, Siegmeyer, and Sieglinde: Catarina Family Matters (Or Lack Thereof)
Let’s get straight to it. If you’re wondering if Siegward of Catarina is related to Siegmeyer and Sieglinde, you’re not alone. These onion-armored knights cause confusion. They look identical. To make matters worse, Siegward and Siegmeyer share the same voice actor, Miles Richardson. Here’s the truth: despite the resemblance and same voice, they are unrelated. Consider it a cosmic joke from Dark Souls.
Siegward of Catarina: The Onion Knight of Dark Souls 3
Now that we’ve cleared up the tree, let’s focus on Siegward from Dark Souls 3. This chap, called the “Onion Knight,” is memorable in the Ashen One’s journey.
Siegward is an Unkindled, like you and adventurers such as Anri of Astora. He’s born into undeath but isn’t Hollow. Siegward keeps a cheerful disposition and a strong sense of duty. At 29, he has a mission driven by a past mistake made by a friend. Intriguing, isn’t it?
Siegward’s Catarina Set armor is distinctive. Yes, it looks like an onion. But don’t let its shape fool you; it deflects blows due to its curves. He typically wields a Storm Ruler or a Zweihander and wears a Pierce Shield. This makes him a formidable ally or opponent, depending on choices. Beneath that onion helmet? A pleasant face of a happy man with a black mustache and hair, showing no signs of Hollowing.
Finding Siegward at the Well: A Catarina Predicament
You’ll first find Siegward stuck in a well in the Cathedral of the Deep. Poor Onion Knight seems to have misplaced his armor! He’ll be stuck there until you, the Ashen One, retrieve his precious Catarina set and toss it down to him. Open all the massive double doors in the Cathedral to trigger his appearance at the well first. A warning: If you defeat Yhorm the Giant before rescuing Siegward, he’ll vanish. Timing is everything.
Siegward and Yhorm: A Friendship Forged in Fire (and Giants)
The friend Siegward is duty-bound to is Yhorm the Giant, a Lord of Cinder ruling over the Profaned Capital. Yhorm was loathed by his people, yet he was good and selfless. Loneliness led Yhorm to befriend Siegward. This friendship forms the emotional core of Siegward’s questline.
Siegward’s Fate: Homeward Bound?
After Yhorm’s demise, what happens to our onion-shaped pal? The game leaves it ambiguous. The implication is that Siegward likely returns home to Catarina. One can only hope he relaxes with a flagon of Estus and a well-earned nap after all that adventuring.
Patches and the Onion Knight: A Complicated Relationship
If Siegward meets an untimely end during the fiery demon fight, Patches won’t show up for the rest of your playthrough. Perhaps even Patches has a soft spot for the Onion Knight, or he just respects Siegward’s unwavering, if misguided, sense of honor.
Siegmeyer of Catarina: The Original Onion Knight’s Troubled Journey
Next, let’s talk about Siegmeyer, the OG Onion Knight from Dark Souls. Siegmeyer is a tragic figure. His adventure has no clear destination. It feels as if he is running from something rather than toward anything. His journey seems an attempt to escape his past. Unfortunately, he’s not good at fixing his messes. Someone always has to clean up after him.
The tragedy of Siegmeyer’s story lies in his descent into Hollowing. When he loses pride and resolve, he succumbs to the fate of many undead. In a heartbreaking twist, he attacks his daughter, Sieglinde, forcing her to put him down. It’s a grim reminder of the undead curse’s reality.
Sieglinde of Catarina: Daughter and Savior
Sieglinde is Siegmeyer’s daughter and a significant character in Dark Souls. You’ll first encounter her in the obscure location between the Duke’s Archives and the Crystal Cave. Like her father, she wears Catarina Armor. The onion shape runs in the family. Sieglinde plays a crucial role in her father’s storyline, often acting as the responsible one trying to salvage his chaotic adventures.
If Siegmeyer’s story concludes tragically, Sieglinde will eventually find her way to Ash Lake. You can find her near the first bonfire by the Great Hollow. It’s a fitting location for her reflection on her father’s journey.
Yhorm the Giant: The Lonely Lord of Cinder
Let’s delve into Yhorm the Giant. He is a Lord of Cinder ruling over the Profaned Capital, a city beneath the dungeons of Irithyll. Yhorm had a rough time; his people despised him for being a giant. To earn their acceptance, Yhorm linked the fire long ago. Despite this self-sacrifice, he remained an outcast. Yhorm is portrayed as a fundamentally good being who strives to rule well and care for his people, even if they don’t appreciate it. His friendship with Siegward shows that even giants can crave companionship.
Catarina Armor: More Than Just Onion Chic
We’ve talked about this onion-shaped armor, but what makes the Catarina Set remarkable? The design isn’t just for laughs. The Knights of Catarina developed this shape because it’s surprisingly effective at deflecting blows. Those masterfully forged curves are functional.
In stats, the Catarina Armor has high physical damage resistance. It can tank a good deal of punishment. Its weakness to Strike damage is minor compared to its resilience. It also offers excellent elemental resistance, especially to lightning damage. In a world filled with fire-breathing demons and lightning-slinging gods, that resistance is valuable that few heavy armor sets can match.
Deeper Dive: Related Dark Souls Elements
Let’s touch upon other elements that enrich Dark Souls lore:
- Abyss Watchers: Initially tasked with guarding against the Abyss, they became corrupted by it. Now locked in an endless battle with each other.
- Chaos Eaters: Grotesque creatures weak to fire and lightning. You can find them in Lost Izalith. Siegmeyer also has a run-in with them, so watch out for destructible floors.
- Unkindled: We’ve mentioned Unkindled like Siegward. They’re Ashen Ones who tried to rekindle the First Flame but failed and ended as ash.
- Hollowing:Siegmeyer illustrates that Hollowing happens when undead lose hope and purpose.
- direction – lose these, and you’ll become a mindless Hollow.
- The Chosen Undead: The Chosen Undead from Dark Souls 1 resist Hollowing. Players feel the need to play and progress. Their motivation is the ultimate anti-Hollowing agent.
- Soul of Cinder: The final boss in Dark Souls 3. A memorable antagonist and epic showdown for the Ashen One’s journey.
- Patches: A lovable rogue. He appears in various spots based on your actions. In the Cathedral of the Deep, he shows up after you open the door, wanders off, and returns. Classic Patches.
- Saving Solaire: A fan-favorite character. There are ways to save Solaire from tragedy. One odd method requires hitting him after the Centipede Demon fight. Dark Souls, everybody.
- Siegward’s Questline: A multi-stage adventure beginning with rescuing him from a well. It involves kitchen encounters in Irithyll and concludes with Yhorm. This questline is worth pursuing.
- Siegward’s Weapon: Zweihander: He can use the Storm Ruler against Yhorm. However, Siegward is known for his trusty Zweihander. A solid choice for any knight, onion-shaped or not.
Real-World Onions: Because Catarina Armor Isn’t Just a Game Reference
We’ve talked about onion armor. Now, let’s detour into real onions. Why does Catarina Armor look like an onion? Because it does. Moving on…
Ever notice that odd part in an onion? The soft, brown layer might be from a bacterial infection. Charming, right?
A red onion’s another name is purple or blue onion in Europe. They are just varieties of regular onions, with purplish-red skin and reddish-tinged white flesh.
How do you know if an onion is bad? Squishy onions are a no-go. Stinky onions also fail. Excess moisture is bad too. Small wet spots, brown spots, or softened textures indicate spoilage. If your onion looks or smells off, trust your gut.
To cut shallots, trim the stem end, leave the root end, cut lengthwise, and peel. Voila, shallots prepped.
Purple onions work best raw. Think burgers, salads, or anything needing an oniony bite without cooking down.
The swollen underground part of an onion is the bulb. That’s the botany lesson for today.
The green sprout in an onion? That’s its bulb attempting to grow into a new plant. Onions exist to reproduce.
Yes, pink onions are real. They are sweet and mild, keeping their pinkish hue even when cooked.
Other People’s Daughters: A Quick, Slightly Irrelevant Aside
Finally, let’s briefly mention other people’s daughters to highlight that Sieglinde is Siegmeyer’s daughter. Here’s a list:
- Sara Soroor, Hangama’s daughter. Juggling early childhood education and a music career.
- Mazarine Pingeot, daughter of François Mitterrand. Her existence was secret for years.
- Darya Dugina, daughter of Aleksandr Dugin. A figure in Russian politics.
- Prabhavati Gupta, daughter of Kubernaga. A princess from ancient Indian history.
- Kenji Kon, adopted son of Darius’s mother Bowman. An unconventional “daughter” situation but family nonetheless.
- Darion Slay, Darius Slay Jr.’s son. Technically a son, but we are on a roll here.
- Mera Stormcloak II, daughter of Ulfric Stormcloak. From Skyrim lore, leading Stormcloak remnants.
- Love, Gorr’s daughter, now Thor’s ward. From the Marvel universe.
- Cameron Mahkent, son of Icicle. Another son but supervillain families remain interesting.
- Stephanie Brown, Cluemaster’s daughter. A DC Comics character who became a hero.
- Bowman, Darius’s mother (and Brandon Bowman’s too). Mothers count as family too.
- Rohini, wife of Vasudeva. Wives are like daughters… in law? I know I’m stretching it.
- Zoraya, Rykard’s daughter from Elden Ring. Another FromSoftware family connection.
- Stateira, wife of Darius III. Ancient Persian royalty expands our horizons.
So there you have it. Siegward, Siegmeyer, Sieglinde, Yhorm, Catarina Armor, onions, and an assortment of other people’s daughters. Hopefully, this clears up confusion about Catarina knights and provides some entertainment. I now crave onion rings.
