If you’ve been on the internet at all the past few months, you might have heard of a little game called Elden Ring. Perhaps you’ve even played (or watched someone else play) it, and enjoyed its countless hours of exciting action, exploration, and plot. After all, the story of the game is amazing, recounting a number of larger-than-life tales of magic and mystery and exploring the lives of the divine and the impact their decisions have on the world. There’s plenty of exploration of themes of corruption, destiny, and purpose, and interwoven is the tale of a tragic duo and a family that could never be happy because one parent was always at the will of his other half.
Who cares about that when General Radahn has a super cute horse named Leonard? And said super cute horse is perhaps the most important character in the game.
You might be asking how that can be possible in a game that has so many major characters. This is a plot that surrounds a number of immortals, such as Marika and Radagon, whose actions have caused the main events of the story, and their children, particularly Radahn and Malenia, who are continuing to fight a war put in motion by their parents, and Ranni, who seeks to create a world free of Marika’s rule. It is Leonard’s connections to one of these vital characters - Radahn - that puts him in his position of importance. Radahn, a hulking giant of a man, had the title of Starscourge put upon him after he gained the ability to manipulate gravity. His powers were so great that he could move the stars themselves, holding them in the sky through his might. This power, both magical and physical, is what helps him get the upper hand over Malenia in their battle. And when he is finally defeated, free of the curse of rot put upon him by his sister, the very stars he could control come plummeting to the earth of the Lands Between.
However, Radahn would have none of that power without Leonard. His only reason for wanting to learn gravitation magic was to keep his beloved horse. Leonard is incredibly small when compared to his rider, and when Radahn realized that he was growing too large to keep riding his horse, he went out of his way to find a solution to keep his friend. This solution is what put Radahn on his ultimate path to being a powerful general, of being a demi-god able to control the stars. Without Leonard, there probably wouldn’t be Radahn as we see him in the game. Without Radahn in his role as the opposing force to Malenia due to his great power, the story of Elden Ring would have been quite different. That’s quite a burden on Leonard’s little horse shoulders.
However, it can also be said that Leonard is quite the powerhouse himself. Though he might not be as physically strong or magically gifted as all of the immortals around him, he does have something rather special about him: he is the only being that escapes Radahn’s wrath when he’s infected with the Scarlet Rot. It’s said that while under the curse of the rot, Radahn devoured friend and foe alike. He had no sense of mercy. However, he never tried to hurt Leonard. Leonard was able to stay relatively safe by Radahn’s side even as his mind was consumed by the rot. It can be assumed that this means that somehow, Radahn’s love for his horse was able to break through even the worst of his insanity. Leonard is that important.
Though, in this regard, it’s important to bring up what Leonard really adds to Elden Ring: light. Elden Ring is not a happy game; it’s really not supposed to be, either. It’s dark fantasy, and part of the appeal of dark fantasy is seeing just how crushing it can be. However, it’s important to add in a bit of lightheartedness so people have something to hold onto for comfort and security. These spots of light also make stories a little more relatable; after all, what’s the point of showing how evil the world can be without showing even a glimpse of the things that keep people so hopeful? In Elden Ring, this source of light is Leonard. It’s unexpected to see Radahn charging into battle on this comically tiny horse, so it makes you smile a little despite the world literally going to hell around you. When you learn about the great lengths Radahn went to, not to gain power, but to keep his dearest friend close, it pulls at your heartstrings. It makes a connection with the audience, who probably have their own pets or close friends that they would do anything for. This is an important job in a game like Elden Ring, and it’s Leonard’s job.
Sure, there are lots of important characters in Elden Ring. There are divine beings, heroes, and grand enemies throughout the plot, each essential to the lore or the gameplay, but Radahn’s horse, Leonard, manages to stand out more than any of them. This could be because people love an animal sidekick, but Leonard is also essential to the story of the game. He is Radahn’s primary motivation to gain the gravitational magic he has, meaning that without Leonard, Radahn may not have been as incredible as he was. Leonard’s relationship with Radahn is one that is both very sweet and incredibly heartbreaking, which adds to Elden Ring’s plot and helps the player make a connection with the story by giving them something they can relate to. As a character, Leonard is surprisingly special to the series by being pretty unremarkable when compared to all the other characters but is essential to the lore of a major character that somehow connects him to a great number of events throughout the game.
Of course, Leonard is also just the cutest little horse. And that’s the most important thing about him overall.