BAYLE THE DREAD from ELDEN RING Is Way Deeper Than I Thought
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- Опубліковано 4 лют 2025
- We're finally listening to Bayle the Dread from Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree. This one feels way deeper than all the others in the Elden Ring DLC. Why do I keep getting this sense of redemption and heroism?
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The game Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Deluxe Edition was given to me by Bandai Namco.
I have a bunch of other videos on Elden Ring music. They're all over here: ua-cam.com/video/pTss2Ot6atk/v-deo.html&pp=gAQBiAQB
There is a version of Bayles soundtrack with the voicelines of the NPC who joins in on the fight that’ll clear up why there’s heroic beats in the song
It seems you haven’t done Dragonlord Placidusax’s theme yet. One thing to note going into it that I haven’t seen any other composer mention is that the ancient dragons (of which Placidusax is one) have their own leitmotifs. Both are simple, double-note phrases, one note high and the other low. The immediate difference between them is which note comes first. You have done Fortissax’s theme, where these appear most prominently in the second phase, so you should be able to spot them.
Lore summary: Local dragon too angry to die. Local man also too angry to die.
Local Tarnished just wanted the heart, didn’t expect to get so attached to local man
an unstoppable force meets an unmovable object.
Doomslayer vibes
Reports say that heart still beats, meaning local dragon is STILL too angry to die
@@MLynchPhotograpy thats especially true for my dragon communion build lol. all my builds i have going atm are based off the seven deadly sins(concept not anime)
dragon communion build is gluttony, mainly using dragonmaw, dragonclaw, and greyolls roar, her travels through the dlc so far have seen her devouring all 3 dragons on the way to bayle, finding a new weapon meant to make an easier meal of dragons, and being disgusted at the very concept of the ghostflame dragons lol
she will devour bayle's heart soon lol
once she does she gets to join pride, wrath, and lust as their true versions lol
greed, sloth, and envy still have yet to enter the dlc but envy has the most requirements before i rename em to a 'true sin' which basically means ive surpassed a certain milestone thematic to their sin lol
BAYLE! VILE BAYLE!
_O TERROR INCARNATE!_
THERE IS LIFE IN ME YET!
BEHOLD A TRUE DRAKE WARRIOR AND I, IGON... YOUR FEARS MADE FLESH
I WILL RIDDLE YOUR ROTTEN HIDE WITH A HALE OF HARPOONS!
“Bayle VILE Bayle, OH Terror incarnate, THERE IS LIFE IN ME YET, I WILL SOON FEAST UPON YOUR HEART MARK MY WORDS YOU TOO SHALL FEEL FEAR!!!”
“Igon, piteous Igon, do you not REMEMBER? CONJURE YOUR PAST, HOW ONCE YOU WERE, WHEN FEAR WAS YET FOREIGN TO THEE!!”
“CURSE YOU BAYYYLE!! I hereby vow you shall RUE this day! Behold, a true Drake Warrior, and I Igon, your fears made flesh!!!”
“SOLID OF SCALE YOU MIGHT BE FOUL DRAGON BUT I WILL RIDDLE WITH HOLES YOUR ROTTEN HIDE!! WITH A HAIL OF HARPOONS, WITH EVERY LAST DROP OF MY BEING!!!!”
“CURSE YOU, BAYLE!
I HEREBY VOW,
YOU WILL RUE THIS DAY!
BEHOLD A TRUE DRAKE WARRIOR AND I IGON!
YOUR FEARS, MADE FLESH!
SOLID OF SCALE YOU MIGHT BE, FOUL DRAGON!
BUT I WILL RIDDLE WITH HOLES YOUR ROTTEN HIDE!
WITH A HAIL OF HARPOOOONS!
WITH EVERY LAST DROP OF MY BEING!
GHAAAAAAAAAAAA!
BAYLE THE DREAD!
YOU SHALL HAUNT ME, NO LONGER…”
bro i got so hyped when i realized i am the true drake warrior hes talking about
The voice actor really gave it 100%
So the analysis tells me, this is not just Bayle's theme. It's Igon and Bayle's theme. It's Igon's last hurrah, his final push for redemption with the player's help. This might be the first time an optional NPC is incorporated in the theme of a boss. And honestly, the fight is incomplete without Igon screaming his heart out at Bayle, so it makes sense to me.
Seems to absolutely be the case, the music ends on a calm note, because Bayle finally haunts Igon no longer, and he can finally rest.
Same thing came to my mind! Well said! The wild rush of the battle and then the dreaded introspection of Igon having been haunted by his hunt for the dragon all his life
It's a little funny how Bayle/Igon are just a very obvious Moby Dick reference, with no relevance to the main plot of the dlc whatsoever, and yet people care about them more than the actual Miquella stuff. Guess that book is a classic for a reason lol
@@georgiykireev9678 I like to believe they're split from the main story because Igon was so transfixed upon Bayle that even miquella's charm couldn't take him, how can one steal a heart that is already stolen?
I like the idea that the parts where it gets quiet is very representative of two voices - there's a higher voice and a lower one, which might be Igon and Bayle. It feels like theres that deep connection below the loudness of everything, but I don't know what it means (I'm too stupid to understand any further lol)
The fight with Bayle is most likely a reference to Moby Dick. I like to think that the theme song represents not just Bayle but the battle and struggle of Igon the stand in for Captain Ahab.
It certainly feels like a battle on a stormy sea, doesn't it? I can't help but see this ever since I saw a comment on the matter.
Yeah absolutely. The mention of harpoons as well harkens to that, and that the two of them die.
Igon is literally labeled Ahab in some files lol
@@boardsword certainly fits the bill. It’s a great reference.
Yea the grudge between the 2 is definitely based on Moby Dick
But I think Bayle as a character alone is based on Baal the God, or Baal the Fallen Angel in Paradise Lost. He fought God (Placidusax) and lost his wings and a leg. He's still revenge filled and will sacrifice anything to get it, even his life
It’s interesting how Placidusax and Bayle both have rather calm OSTs while being the strongest dragons in the world of Elden Ring. Just string instruments with some light choir and percussion. Comparing that to Midir it’s like light and day. It feels like something is missing which perfectly fits the lore. Both of them are missing multiple body parts due to a huge fight they had a while ago. Both are broken and badly wounded. Both are constantly alternating between pure hatred for each other and nearly collapsing because of their injuries. That probably explains the sudden and abrupt pauses in their OSTs. It’s also notable that, again, both of them finish on a quiet note just after exploding into pure rage and emotions. At the end they gave their all, only seconds before finally falling to the ground one last time. But this time the injuries didn’t came from another dragon or drake. It came from you as the player.
Both their themes remind me of the targaryen theme from game of thrones.
And at the same time their songs characterize the two so well
Bayle, described by Florissax is ambitious, vigorious and potentially a bit naive or at the very least very confident in his strength
his song is adventurous, climactic but has quiet interludes with a hint of sadness, or perhaps regrett but near the end all caution is thrown out the window and as Bayle fights to his last his song goes into this tragic, heroic chant as if to celebrate the glory of Bayle the Dread one last time
Placidusax is old, possibly older then all the other Dragons and with his age comes experience, his theme never really bellows up, it kaskades like rain while repeating the leitmotif of the Ancient Dragons, his people, the song warns you of the Dragonlord but remains very composed till the end, befitting a governing Elder Dragon, in a way his track always felt very sad, very mournful to me, especially the final notes, it is as if the song tells you "it is what it is and what was will never return"
I wouldn't call Bayle's OST calm whatsoever lol.
@@popkhorne5372 100%
@@umukzusgelos4834
Placidusax's theme to me always sounded like you're not fighting a dragon, you're fighting a storm. He's something more than you can truly comprehend and you're committing some kind of cosmic sin just by being there to challenge him.
CUUUUUURSE YOU BAYLE !
I HEREBY VOW, YOU WILL RUE THIS DAY!
BEHOLD, A TRUE DRAKE WARRIOR! AND I, IGON.
YOUR FEAR MADE FLESH
SON OF A SCALE YOU MIGHT BE, FOUL DRAGON
SOLID OF SCALE YOU MIGHT BE, FOUL DRAGON
To me track seems more treacherous than heroic. Like fighting a force of nature. I have to imagine that composer thought of hunt on Moby Dick when he composed it.
“FOR HATES SAKE I SPIT MY LAST BREATH AT THEE, FROM HELLS FOUL HEART I STAB AT THEE!!!” -Captain Ahab.
It's exactly what I imagine a soundtrack would sound like of the fight with moby dick it's actually insane
@@azazelsiad3601 Sounds like an Igon line
how fitting considering that igon is basically captain ahab but for this ugly ass dragon
I think, the soundtrack of Bayle is that heroic, because there is a NPC-Questline (Igon), that is very strongly connected with Bayle and includes very cool, heroic dialogue!
maybe not heroic per se, Igon is stated to be quite similar to bayle
@@torpedopickleHe is described as such because he is ambitious and quite crazy, the only difference between the two is the side on which they find themselves
@@Jakov-or7fp thing is we don't really know anything about bayle or placidusax. We don't know to what end bayle sought to usurp placidusax. If that purpose was malicious or not. All we know is that bayle wanted placidusax gone and then sired the drakes
@@torpedopickleFunnily enough, the biggest clue to Bayle's motives might be found from a random spirit in the hovel where you find the Talisman of the Dread.
"O Bayle, tyrant drake. Do your wounds yet ache? Is your fury still yet to crest its zenith? Hurry, hurry, and lay it all to waste! Lay waste to the proud, the conceited, each, ev'ry last one of that arrogant lot."
Undoubtedly the ancient dragons had a lot to be arrogant about. Perhaps Bayle, in his youth, bore the brunt of that arrogance.
@@elias.t yooo punk dragon
I absolutelly loves how Davi breaks down the music parts. And he pointed out something very interesting, that a lot of people that reacts to ER ost fails to understand about this music: The intimate parts of the song. It really brings me the vibe that Bayle might regret, deep down, his actions. Like...he can feel how lonely he became and how he might miss the old days with the dragons...very deep down. The end of the song brings me this vibe as well, like he died alone and probably felt very miserable at the end of the fight. Bayle shows a lot of rage, violence, lust of power, most parts of the music. But this ost always brings me the idea that, very deep down, he knows that he betrayed his kind, he knows the destruction he caused...and that hurts...and the only way to never face this pain is continuing to be angry and violent. "Im too corrupted and destroyed to ever go back".
WITH A HAIL OF HARPOONS! WITH EVERY LAST DROP OF MY BEING!
It makes sense. This theme is probably meant to represent slaying Bayle the Dread and Igon finally getting to finish his life long quest. That is why it's heroic and intimate because Igon has a history with Bayle and had given up on slaying dragons but the player inspired him once again to pick up his weapon. It's more like Igon and Bayle's theme than Bayle the Dread's theme. Igon finally gets to slay what has haunted him for so long which is why there are happy chords to represent the joy of finally setting himself free.
The second phase is more Bayle focused as he fights for his life as well. As you said evil, hopelessness and defeat are present themes. That's probably composed to finally represent why he is called "The Dread" he gets super strong in his 2nd phase. Its a huge spectacle and I'd wager the composition represents that there is no hope of beating Bayle The Dread. I feel like the last solo instrument finally represents the slaying of Bayle
I love watching those videos breaking it down I think your reactions are the best. I'm getting more and more inspired to learn music and music theory and your videos help a ton. Thanks
Bro, there is an npc named igon that can be a part of this fight. There is a version of the soundtrack with his dialogue laiden on it. In my honest opinion, the ultimate bayle the dread soundtrack experience is with Igon's dialogue. There is a version of it on youtube. Love your content btw.
Bayie the dread before promised consort theme. Curse you bayle!
we have to save this one for the last tbf
I dont like the promised consort theme that much so i don't mind 🫡
This fight, as usual for from, but especially so with this one, is equally a visual spectacle alongside the music. One of their best.
Tai Tomisawa is the composer of this masterpiece, as well for Godskin Apostles and Dragonlord Placidusax themes. I love his style, Great video bro!
The start of the Second Phase's theme is really reminiscent of Placidusax's theme.
It's almost like it represents the fact that we pushed Bayle to use the same powers he used in his fight against Uncle Placi.
This game is a masterpiece, best game of all time
It‘s amazing how much work they put into composing a song that portrays the fight and the story behind it so accurat. They know exactly when to put this snd that chord etc. incredible. People really need to appreciate more the music in videogames.
So since you are so curious about Bayle and his tale I’ll give you the most comprehensive explanation I can and trust me the song truly does match very well with this boss. It starts with the ancient dragons why they hunt their lesser kin. The ancient dragons if you haven’t played the game are covered in stone scales that warp time and thusly they are immortal, the lesser dragons however are not born with these and are viewed as a regression in dragon kind and so the drake warriors are tasked by Dragonlord Placidusax to hunt all the lesser drakes and consume their hearts in dragon communion. Bayle is by far the strongest of the lesser kin we have ever encountered, so powerful in fact that he led a rebellion against Placidusax and in a battle that ended in mutual mortal defeat he fled to the jagged peak to lick his wounds and in that time became known as “The Dread” this is also why Placidusax is so wounded when you fight him as that’s the damage done by Bayle. Igon a man of little repute and no known background save being a Drake warrior took it upon himself to hunt Bayle and his attempt left him physically broken and broken with fear and riddled with madness. However upon seeing the tarnished demonstrate their skill in slaying drakes his hope of defeating Bayle is renewed to a fanatic extent where he then bites off his own finger and give it to the Tarnished to use to summon him to finish his great dragon hunt. I guess in some ways Bayle could be considered a heroic type rising up against a tyrannical Placidusax but it’s also made clear he become even worse and was universally hated and feared. I think the heroic portions of this song speak to what could have been for Bayle a rebel turned tyrant but I also think it speaks to how heroic Igon and the Tarnished are for facing such a monster. And the second potion of the music speaks to how terrifying Bayle is when he fully lets loose on his power and tries to strike that sense of hopelessness into the player. And the last part goes really well with Igons final words at the end of the fight. “Bayle the Dread, You shall haunt me no longer.”
I have to recommend Slave Knight Gael after you’re done with all the DLC tracks. In my opinion, it’s tied with only Ludwig for best soulsborne track, and I know you’d love dissecting it. Great video as always 👍
I'll definitely do it at some point soon!
@@DaviVasc Slave Knight Gael is one of DS3’s best, my personal favorite. You should definitely listen to it at some point🔥
2 anos depois e ele ainda nunca analisou a OST do Gael? Jesus
Every damn time me and my friend fight Gael on our NG+ runs, I always mention how amazing the music is while I’m panic rolling away from him
It’s pretty much tradition at this point lmao
I second this Comment
Love all your takes on notes, my mother was a music teacher and I have watched your episodes with her.
I just draw and paint myself but I love orchestra.
I hear the music and feel it
but you help me listen to the notes and understand them.
i just fucking realized the start of bayle's theme sounds like the Targaryen theme from GOT
and i realized way back that the title of The Dread might also be a reference to one of the past dragon titles there mentioned
That'd be Balerion the Black Dread. Nice catch.
The names Igon and Bayle the Dread are a clear reference to GRRM's Aegon the Conqueror and his dragon Balerion the Dread.
@@johnsmith361now thats a catch! I noticed the bayle and balerion link but completely missed igon, good stuff.
i'm uploading a video on this to my channel as we speak, LOL. such a good theme
Placidusax from the base game is far closer, theme is almost one to one with Dany's theme
My favorite way to listen to this song is with Igon's dialogue layered over it
The cello before the 2nd phase theme gives that feeling of an old and pale warrior thriving to finish his one last quest, which fits Igon.
Man I can't wait to see you reacting the Promised Consort theme
i believe that the first phase is the prospective of both Bayle and Igon (a summonable NPC who hunts dragons), the sad and calm part could reflect on Bayles condition since his body is severely wounded from previous fights, it is missing an arm and a wing, yet the heroic part being how Igon's is portrayed from the first time you meet him, he has an exciting and charismatic character.
However, second phase seems more focused on Bayles prospective and his previous fights in the lore.
with all said, crazy how fromsoft's musical team always makes the player search for hidden meanings behind their music.
This may be a hot take but this track is such a breath of fresh air among the usual fromsoft music. Soulsborne music is always perfect for the context but on its own far too much is, in my opinion, just a bunch of melodramatic symphonic noise. This, I think, is why we all gravitate more to tracks like this. Final Battle from the Radagon fight, Abyss Watchers, Ludwig the Holy Blade, Slave Knight Gayle, Fortissax, Godskin Duo (by no means an exhaustive list) These more melodic tracks are popular because there is clear direction rather than just pounding symphony noise.
Ngl man this sounds very brutal to me, there is even a part in thr intro where the cello mimics growling. Also, I still haven't seen anyone mention is but the intro sounds so similar to the tree sentinel motif
The music even mimics him landing in the arena, i fucking LOVE this song and this boss
Promised consort next. It is my favourite song in the dlc.
Think of it like Moby Dick. The dragon is the white whale and youre hunting it with someone who was injured by it
I recommend The Saint of the Bud from the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC!
You could recommend almost every remembrance boss at this point, fromsoft once again cooked in every aspect
@@Ar17778except commander Gaius
Bayle's soundtrack is so damn good, was never tired of it when I was learning his moveset, those violins at 0:37 always hype up and then when it goes silent on the phase transition is so good because that lets you take Bayle's phase transition all in while he's charging to materialize electricity wings, and the roar while doing it, nnnnnnnnngghh, so good.
The redemption part of the song I believe is not for Bayle but for Igon. He finally got to kill Bayle. It was Igon's song all along
9:16 i love this moment
So many chills when the choir reinforces that orchestra! The sheer dread in that small arrangement is 🤌
“This doesn’t sound evil..”
This is what I was thinking too when I heard this song.
Bayle is always portrayed as a villain, a tyrant, traitor and the dread from the ancient dragon perspective and of course the dragon warrior that practiced dragon communion. Perhaps Bayle is a fallen hero after all, considering how miserable the ancient dragons and their lord are in this state of event
His own heart describes him as a tyrant. And given there are dead lesser dragons in his area when it says he fled back to the jagged peak after his fight with Placidusax. I imagine he did become a tyrant. He’s seen a force of indefensible destruction. Not to mention that there is an ancient dragon within Bayles domain so that dragon is either responsible for the corpses or he serves Bayle or it’s both and that’s why Bayle is seen as a tyrant because he’s willing to allow ancient dragons their greater kin into the fold when it’s their greater kin who hunt them.
@@azazelsiad3601
Did the heart item has tyrant in description?I am not sure for this, I know the spell Bayle’s tyranny, but due to its description said the flame will one day consume the devour, I am more willing to believe the word “tyranny” is from dragon communion.
It is a good point to include ancient dragon in jagged peak. Sene means “old “in latin and as accustom to other dragon names sax is “rock” in also latin, it would make a lot of sense that we found him resting in the spot, but then it would be strange for him to rest in a hostile position, it would make more sense for him to be in a defensive position for Bayle.
i think the first phase is more dedicated to igon, while the second make u witness the terror incarnate by bayle
Bayle's soundtrack is so good! Thanks for a really interesting analysis! I never got the heroic part, to me it always felt like a battle between raw animal power and short moments of intimacy and pain. You've given me additional perspective as usual, Davi.
Also would like to request Saint of the Bud for another video.
Oh, Bayle... Your struggle ends here. You fight no more. May you finally rest your broken body.
That’s interesting that we came away with such different impressions of the mood of this piece. Those moments you call out in the first part of the song as being “tender” sound more to me like being left to die after something huge destroys your home, the despondency that follows obliteration
It doesn't quite come across from the song alone, but the music and visuals at the phase transition work together to hit you like an absolute truck. Bayle has my favourite dramatic phase transition of any boss from any game, and my favourite phase transition of any kind from any FromSoft boss.
Also, CURSE YOU BAYLE!!
I love how you can hear Dragonlord Placidusax's motif at 1:31, shows that they have some sort of relation. Then you see the severed heads on Bayle's neck and talk to the npc's and the picture sets in. Best boss of the dlc with no doubt
the adventure ends with phase two
I think the adventure ends at thr start of phase 2. Bayle claims the theme as his own from Igon and thr Tarnished at the transition and revealing his true powers.
The heroic part it's not about Bayle...
IT'S I, IGON AND A TRUE DRAKE WARRIOR, YOUR FEARS MADE FLESH!!!!111!1!!!!1
This song is so good
You’re right, this is heroic. This isn’t Bayle’s theme, this is Igon’s.
No cuz you can fight the dragon solo.
True...
This is the one boss no one will give you crap about summoning. The fan base will rather hate you for not summoning the drake chad Igon
WITH A HAIL OF HARPOONS!!
Edit: I haven't seen many people bring it up, but it stood out to me that Igon is the only NPC summon ever to not do the generic summon standing animation, but instead spawns in already ready to go and screaming lol.
This has just got to be Igon's theme more than Bayle's. The battles, his injuries, the hopelessness and despair, and then resolution after defeating his enemy
This track seems to represent the ideas of victory, defeat and the need for a rematch. Both, in the present, with the "Bayle and Igon" situation and in the past with Bayle and Placidusax's history.
This one fight is not about us, here we are a mere bystander, a secondary character.
Dude, I love when you play the harmony chords with sheet music visible. I play by ear, but sometimes I have trouble identifying the left hand harmony. Your videos are a great place to go if I'm stuck. I would totally buy it if you ever pieced together a "Souls for Beginners" piano collection!
Why it sounds heroic and tragic?
-Well, we meet this guy on the road screaming in agony:
>O-Oh… Ohh… O-Ohh! Ohhhhhh! The pain… The pain! My arms! My legs! Each lies a bloody ruin! Ah…
>Bayle! Vile Bayle! O terror incarnate! There is life in me yet! I will soon feast upon your heart! Mark my words! You too shall know fear! Uaaaaargh!
The man (Igon), was scared a angry at Bayle, he just lost a leg and the courage to face Bayle again. But before he dies, I sees a "true drake warrior", me/us, fighting and killing two drake dragons and he finds the courage to fight again and before he die, he hands over one of his fingers and ask for us, to summon him so he can have his revenge. The moment he get's summoned he comes screaming:
>Curse you, Bayle!
>I hereby vow! You will rue this day! Behold, a true drake warrior! And I, Igon! Your fears made flesh!
>Solid of scale you might be, foul dragon... But I will riddle with holes your rotten hide! With a hail of harpoons! With every last drop of my being!
Great video man! Your reactions are actually interesting cus of the analysis, not a simple "wow such a great track". I have a suggestion though, there is this new Undertale fan-game which is really popular and really high quality and its even kinda approved by Toby Fox called Undertale: Yellow, and the soundtracks are really crazy and addicting there.. So if you'd want you could listen to some, there are a bunch, but I personally can suggest Trial by Fury or/and Retibution ❤
It's always fun to see other react to music like this and find bits and pieces of the story that the track is composed for. It's heroic for several reasons but, mainly because of an NPC questline, a guy named Igon that was severly wounded by this Bayle The Dread and this is his redemption, his revenge. Best yet, you don't get help from his body - it was ruined by Bayle - and instead you summon his soul, and after the fight when you return to where his real body is, Igon has passed on, haunted no longer by The Dread.
The song having these slow downs and then back to speed is likely a reference to Bayle The Dread's physical form: He is a dragon, but severly wounded and scarred, only able to fly through draconic magic, becase he fought the Dragon Lord an age ago, only for both to be wounded and Bayle to flee with his life.
I don't remember if it was Igon or Bayle, but either of them has their internal name of their ai directly reference Moby Dick, only this time the ending is different.
A beautiful song!
Top 5 without Igon. Top 3 with Igon
I love how the first half of the song sounds like you (the Tarniahed) and Igon's theme, teaming up to hunt one of the greatest and powerful dragons in history. But the second half is when Bayle reveals his true power and the theme becomes his. Despair sets in as you face his revealed abilities and wonder if you and Igon can actually defeat dreaded drake.
The introspection contrasted with heroism is Igon's character to a tee. He goes from full rage to hopeless despair and back in the blink of an eye.
A thing I love about this track is that Bayle the Dread and Igon are, beyond a reasonable doubt, a loose reference to Balerion the Black Dread (who is a giant black dragon) and Aegon the Conqueror (who is his rider) from GRRM's A Song Of Ice and Fire series, though the reference is basically in name alone. To go with that, parts of this track, especially the choices of some parts of the melody and the instruments, feel like a bit of a tribute to Ramin Djawadi's themes for Game of Thrones' dragons and House Targaryen. This theme is much, much more perilous-sounding than those, though. Bayle is one of those fights where you feel like especially in phase 2, it's like you're fighting some kind of primal god. That in turn is really, really in theme with what dragons look like to common people in the Song of Ice and Fire universe. Considering Martin's involvement I'm pretty sure the name choices were very much intentional.
I think you should analyze slave knight gael track. It's actually one of the most popular tracks not just in dark souls 3 but also in entire soulsborne. It's interesting mainly because it's a three phase song and each phase feels different than the other and tells a completely different story and actually matches the character and the fight in every phase
8:50 - 8:55 the best part of the theme. Sounds so heroic
Man, as a souls fan, this is the absolute first time the NPC lines made me feel like they were actually part of the track. Like listening to it whithout Igon's lines feels like an instrument is missing.
(I'm being hyperbolic, obviously the track is fantastic as it is)
You're going to have a blast hearing this soundtrack with the very necessary voice acting that enhances the whole experience.
Definitely sounds like this because of Igon it’s reinforced by the fact that the boss fight feels enhanced by igons participation if you summon him he motivated me through the fight and made it a lot more fun even if Bayle being a badass fight by itself
First phase:
"Yeaaah dragon fight lets fkin goooooo"
Second phase:
"Oh god, oh crap, ruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun"
You're helping a guy at the blink of death and defeat to kill his Arch nemesis, finally fulfilling his life long wish. You can also summon the restless spirit of said Person to help you in a final attempt to conquer this dread. That sounds pretty heroic to me.
Also the voice actor for the person you're helping NAILED IT!
For more background Story (beware spoilers)
Bayle was the first Drake and direct rival to the Dragonlord Placidusax, the Oldest Dragon and first Elden Lord. Both combatants left the battle with major injuries. Placidusax has several Bitemarks, lost 3 heads and his tail got cut. Bayle on the other hand lost his left Leg and both of his wings with only the stumps of his bones remaining.
You're beating the rival to the probably oldest being in the Lands Between.
For the second Stage, He regains his wings once again ascending to the skies, wreaking havoc, attacking you with the Power of his fire and lightning almost scorching everything in his viscinity.
Much like The Old Hunters, the base soundtrack for the game (Bloodborne/Elden Ring) was fantastic, but the DLC OSTs are absolutely magnificent
CURSE YOU BAYLE!
I can’t wait till he hears Igon too.
1º - Part(blunt and straight to the point) - IGON
2º - Part(Heroic) - Player
3º - Part(Despair) - Bayle
Thank you für the amazing Video!
You should also listen to Romina, Saint of the Bud, also from Shadow of the Erdtree, it’s amazing, you will see!
I like to believe that the first phase of the music represents the heroic encounter Igon with Bayle, while the second phase rather shows who Bayle truly is.
I downloaded a ressurect mod just to fight bayle as many times as possible. Theme and bossfight are unimaginably good
Plot twist: This is Igon’s theme
Take a look at Jori the Inquisitor theme from this DLC. It’s very underrated since he is a “filler” boss, but the theme is still amazing and very unique
Why did Bayle betray Placidusax? Why did Placidusax order the deletion of Bayle's children? Why does Bayle's lineage diverge so far from the ancient stone dragons that he "betrayed"? It seems to me that Bayle's only betrayal was evolving using the power of the crucible, violating the unchanging nature of the ancient stone dragons and their stewardship of the crucible of life. In that way, he is being unfairly persecuted and his violent betrayal of dragonlord Placidusax is justified. Igon is driven by honor and despair, but it seems to me that perhaps his lord of dragons may have just been using he and the drake knights as agents of a genocide, fitting that the rest of the DLC also deals with multiple genocides, it could be the theme.
Phase 1: Igon's theme Phase 2: Bayle strikes back
The heroic nature of the theme seems fitting. Bayle can be considered a hero to his low born brethren. He stood up for them against Placidusax, which was no small feat. Bayle is made off to be evil and wicked, even his appearance is very aggressive and imposing so it’s easy to embrace his story at face value as a treacherous and vile beast but if you set aside those biases, he’s actually a badass and a hero to his people. The doom and despair I think is actually Igons side, showing exactly what he felt before fighting Bayle. He even said his heart was taken twice over by fear. Haha, I feel like fromsoft is making sure people fall into the belief that Bayle is horrible and evil while keeping it hidden that this intimidating monster actually has a case as a force of good. At least I think. Of course, all speculative! Great video by the way.
Except he isn’t unanimously seen as a hero even amongst his own people as you can see many lesser dragon corpses in his own area. And his own heart refers to him as a tyrant. So I imagine in typical fromsoft fashion he was a promising hero who eventually ran foul and become the very thing he swore to rise against.
@@azazelsiad3601 bayles heart has little horns growing out of it. This comes off as the influence of the crucible to me, meaning Bayle and his drakes could be the next evolutionary step in the dragon lineage, and probably why placidusax and the rest of the ancient dragons felt so threatened. All of those dead drakes leading to his area either killed each other ( they are seen fighting one another earlier ) or were killed by sennesax who is on the side of placidusax. Also, drakes fighting each other isn’t necessarily a sign of an absence of control, quite the contrary. Animals fighting one another for dominance could be construed as a healthy sign in many ways. It could lead to fewer numbers or it could filter out the weak from the gene pool. Evolution is scary. But again, all speculation. Fun speculation at that.
"What's so special about this Bayle guy?"
Well, you'd be special too if you managed to tick off the Elden Lord of dragons so much he makes a whole system devoted SPECIFICALLY to killing you, after he's removed 3 of your 4 limbs.
I would say the track is heroic is not only because of igon, but bayle, from what I understand in placidusax's time the lowborn dragons, which are bayle's kin, were treated horribly, due to this bayle rebelled, and fought placidusax, a lowborn dragon against the dragonlord, i think it represents bayle's heroism, fighting perhaps the mightiest being in the history of the lands between while being a lowborn dragon, and even then, he managed to fight placidusax to a standstill being the most vital part to his and the ancient dragons's downfall, and today farum azula is swarming with bayle's kin, i think this theme represents bayle's heroism and the love he has for his children, after all, he isnt called the creator of modern dragons, but the father of all modern dragons.
Honestly as much as i love this track, all i can recall is a certain voice going "curse you Bayle!"
First phase feels to me like Igon's failure, hence the adventurous feeling.
The second phase is more dramatic and grandiose, so it feels like Bayle's failure, since his battle with the Dragonlord was of a much greater magnitude, and it was very brutal as well, which is probably why it sounds evil
Almost everything you learn about bayle both before and after you encounter him tries to paint a picture of a purely malevolent, tyrannical type of character, but I do think there are some clues throughout the game that would suggest there's a lot more to him than you're initially lead to believe. Bayle is a drake, not a true dragon like the ancient dragons, and you're told that bayle betrayed the ancient dragons and attempted to usurp the dragon lord, placidusax. Though you get this information from the dragon priestess, an ancient dragon herself turned human. So its definitely possible that she could be spinning the truth somewhat or just flat out lying. Fromsoft have always loved playing with the idea of history being written by the victors, and the ancient dragons we're known to look down on their lesser dragon descendants, so I think it may point to something more behind the supposed deception of bayle. Id say there are a fair few hints even outside of his soundrack that show a more nuanced character than a purely evil one.
"Curse you Bayle! I hearby vow that you shall rue this day. Behold a true drake warrior, and I, Igon, your fears made flesh. Solid of scales you might be fell dragon, but I shall riddle with holes your rotten hide, who the haill of harpoons, with every last drop of my being!"
Best looking boss fight in the game, got goosepumps on the second phase
It is an unbelievable design, visuals, music and in lore, too.
The followers of the Dragon Communion worship the act of consuming the hearts of dragons to ascend to dragonhood themselves.
This effectively makes Dragonlord Placidusax their god to worship.
Bayle the Dread was the strongest of Placidusax' allies, until he betrayed Placidusax, but while the fight was devastating, in the end Bayle was forced to flee into exile. There is more lore that goes deeper into this, but you can see 2 of Placidusax' severed heads still biting down onto Bayle's wing-stumps, refusing to let go even after all this time.
You are fighting the literal dragon-equivalent to Lucifer in judeo-christian mythology. Note also how Bayle's name doesn't end in "-sax" like all the other Ancient Dragons.
"-sax" might have the meaning "of the lord" or something behind it, and it could be that Bayle discarded that name or got it stripped from him.
Then you have Igon. A drake warrior that fell to Bayle, whose body was destroyed, but his spirit was not broken. He was consumed by fear, but seeing you fight through the dragons of the Archdrake Peak inspired him once more. So much so that this man, who came from nothing and scrapped his armor together from dead people on battlefields, allows you to summon the best version of him for aid. To face his fears once more, and overcome them so he can die in peace.
Again, there is more lore about this, but the design is godlike. Fighting the dragon-devil.
Bayle and Igon are a double reference of both Monster Hunter and Moby Dick, which is the coolest thing ever
as a monster hunter fan all i can say is "CURSE YOU AMATSU!!!!!"
Bayle The Dread is the dragon responsible for injuring placidusax, a fight that also injured himself. Because of bayles actions an entire religion was built around hunting and executing his entire species as reparation. His kind are sometimes referred to as drake's, two-legged two-winged dragons compared to the four-legged four-winged ancient dragons.
There is a ghost that you can talk to in the game that speaks about bayle very differently than any of the other NPCs that speak of him. Describing how he rose up against his oppressors. We don't have the full context of what happened between bayle and placidusax but I believe that other members of his race see him as heroic.
It’s possible that the lesser kin see him as heroic but he’s also described as a tyrant as well potentially worse than Placidusax. And while Bayle may have been a driving force for the founding of the Drake warriors I’m not sure he was the cause as lore indicates that the Drake warriors hunt the drakes because of the ancient dragons disdain for their lesser kind because they are veiwed as a regression in their kind as they lack the stone scales that ancient dragons have and thusly aren’t immortal like them and that they hunt the lesser kind as a means to staving off this regression. Though it makes me wonder, how would Placidusax react if he realized that the method of dragon communion will only bring about another Bayle as Bayles heart indicates whoever consumes it will eventually be taken over by Bayle.
@@azazelsiad3601 yes but he's described as a tyrant by his enemies. Of course they would call him a tyrant, they literally worship his opposition as evidence with the ancient dragon priestess.
First phase sounds like Gael's second phase.
Exactly.
Igon is the true hero who this song symbolises
“Bayle VILE Bayle, OH Terror incarnate, THERE IS LIFE IN ME YET, I WILL SOON FEAST UPON YOUR HEART MARK MY WORDS YOU TOO SHALL FEEL FEAR!!!”
“Igon, piteous Igon, do you not REMEMBER? CONJURE YOUR PAST, HOW ONCE YOU WERE, WHEN FEAR WAS YET FOREIGN TO THEE!!”
“CURSE YOU BAYYYLE!! I hereby vow you shall RUE this day! Behold, a true Drake Warrior, and I Igon, your fears made flesh!!!”
“SOLID OF SCALE YOU MIGHT BE FOUL DRAGON BUT I WILL RIDDLE WITH HOLES YOUR ROTTEN HIDE!! WITH A HAIL OF HARPOONS, WITH EVERY LAST DROP OF MY BEING!!!!” -Igon, True Drake Warrior.
To understand why the music sounds so heroic you need I listen to this track with Igon's voice lines
10:37 a sense of.... dread? :D
Everyone knows who’s theme this actually is
Really feel like you should listen to the song with igons voicelines, he is the character who is the "calm within all the storm and madness" also, such a good npc
CUUUUURRRRSSSEEEEE YOU BAYLE!!!!!!
My interpretation is that the 1st phase is Igon's theme, or more accurately the theme of Igon's struggle with Bayle. The 2nd phase is all Bayle the Dread, forefather of the drakes. The vile, foul dragon of havoc and destruction.
Please react to "Polluted Platoon Pathfinder" from Another Crab's Treasure
The sad part probably have something to do with Bayle's severe wounds, that his glory days has passed
You shall hunt me, no longer…
I'm gonna spread my wings and go on a music journey again so badly in the next video.
Just love the exits :D
Amazing music theme