Starscourge Radahn

Starscourge Radahn
Radahn, mindless and impaled with numerous spears. He is riding Leonard (bottom center).
First appearance	Elden Ring (2022)
Created by	Hidetaka Miyazaki
Voiced by	Pip Torrens
In-universe information
Race	Demigod
Spouse	Miquella the Kind (consort of)
Home	Redmane Castle

Starscourge Radahn (also called General Radahn) is a fictional character from the 2022 action role-playing video game Elden Ring developed by FromSoftware. A demigod, he functions as both a prominent figure in the history of the game's fictional universe, the Lands Between, and one of its main bosses. Radahn is first encountered in Caelid, a once-verdant area that has been reduced to a red, highly-toxic wasteland by a fellow demigod, Malenia the Severed, in a last-ditch effort to defeat him. He also has 3 siblings from Radagon of the Golden Order and Rennala, Full Moon Queen. These siblings are Rykard, Lord Of Blasphemy, who can be found in Volcano Manor, Ranni the Witch, who will be found in Ranni's Rise. He also has half siblings due to the changing of parents. The others are Malenia, Blade of Miquella, Messmer the Impaler from 2024 Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree, Miquella the Kind and Melina.

"Conqueror of the Stars", Radahn was formerly one of the most powerful warriors in the universe, able to halt the stars themselves in place using gravitational magic. During the Shattering, an immense conflict for control of the shards of the Elden Ring, Radahn battled Malenia to a standstill in the Caelid wilds. While the battle was ultimately a draw, with Malenia incapacitated, Radahn was rendered mindless after he was infected with Scarlet Rot, both a crippling toxin and an Outer God contained within Malenia. Radahn has been reduced to a wandering, cannibalistic husk, with warriors attempting to defeat him and preserve his honor through the regular Radahn Festival.

Defeating Radahn, while optional, is required for the player to obtain one of the game's Great Runes, shards of the Elden Ring necessary to proceed the storyline. It is also needed for the optional quest of Ranni the Witch, who requires the stars to begin moving again in order to fulfill her destiny. When he does get defeated, he releases all the meteorites or stars that have been held back. One of them was a giant star that landed in the area of Limgrave, opening a hole that leads to the underground settlement of Nokron, Eternal City.

Radahn's lore and first boss fight were praised by critics, who were impressed by the scale of the first fight and Radahn's tragic backstory, calling him one of the game's best bosses and characters, and the Radahn Festival one of the game's most memorable events. Hidetaka Miyazaki also revealed the first encounter with Radahn as his favorite boss battle. The second battle has been called one of the hardest bosses in FromSoftware's history.