Solaire of Astora

Lore & Background

Solaire is an Undead knight from Astora who travels to Lordran on a personal mission to find his own Sun. His world and the player's come into contact at various times during the game. He gives the player a White Soapstone item during his first meeting so that the player can be summoned into other worlds as a phantom and "engage in jolly cooperation". He offers to provide assistance for various bosses during the course of the game. His summon sign glows gold rather than the typical white, and he rewards the player with Sunlight Medals for a successful co-op fight, due to his membership in the covenant called the Warriors of Sunlight. The player may join the covenant upon meeting certain requirements, after which they can be summoned by a wider range of players, and gain the "Praise the Sun" gesture and "Lightning Spear" miracle. Solaire is described as a skilled warrior who does not rely on any special powers to win beyond his signature miracles and rigorous training, as his equipment exhibits no special traits. His armor and shield are decorated with a hand-painted sun, reflecting his worship of the Sun, and by association, Lord Gwyn. He uses a longsword called the Sunlight Straight Sword, which is described as a "featureless long sword contain[ing] the very power of the sun", as well as being "well-forged, and [kept] in good repair [...] but unlikely to live up to its grandiose name".

In Their Own Story

The player typically last encounters Solaire in Lost Izalith, where he has gone insane and hostile upon donning a Sunlight Maggot, which he considers to be his "Sun". However, if the player opens a shortcut and kills the Maggot beforehand, Solaire retains his sanity and can be summoned for the final boss. Director Hidetaka Miyazaki has stated that Solaire being taken over by the Sunlight Maggot was intended as "the general norm", but if Solaire is kept alive he fights alongside the player for the last boss. According to Miyazaki, this is the "happiest ending, as he links" the flame in his own world and dies by "becoming the Sun".

Reader's Guide

Solaire serves as a cooperative ally who can be summoned for boss fights. His golden summon sign appears at various locations. To save Solaire from his tragic fate in Lost Izalith, the player must open a specific shortcut and kill the Sunlight Maggot before Solaire encounters it. If saved, he can be summoned for the final boss. The player can also join the Warriors of Sunlight covenant by meeting certain requirements, gaining the "Praise the Sun" gesture and "Lightning Spear" miracle. Solaire's equipment, including his armor, shield, and Sunlight Straight Sword, are obtainable in Dark Souls III by trading various items.

Did You Know?

• The 'Praise the Sun' gesture was originally a rare holy gesture in Demon's Souls, secretly left in the game by director Hidetaka Miyazaki after publishers said it wasn't 'cool enough'.
• Solaire is director Hidetaka Miyazaki's favorite character, and he personally designed the sun emblem on Solaire's armor.
• The Sunlight Straight Sword is described as a 'featureless long sword' that is 'well-forged, and [kept] in good repair' but 'unlikely to live up to its grandiose name'.
• Solaire's armor and shield are obtainable in Dark Souls III by trading various items.
• The Solaire Amiibo was exclusive to GameStop, causing heavy shortages in availability and making it rarer than usual.

The Optimistic Knight's Journey

Solaire of Astora stands out distinctly within the bleak landscape of Lordran as a beacon of unusual friendliness and optimism. Unlike the grim demeanor typical of other inhabitants, this Undead knight travels from his homeland on a deeply personal quest to discover his own sun. Upon his first encounter with the player, he immediately fosters camaraderie by gifting a White Soapstone, enabling cooperative play through phantom summoning. His dedication to aiding others is further evidenced by his willingness to assist in various boss battles, marked by a unique golden summon sign that distinguishes him from standard allies. As a member of the Warriors of Sunlight covenant, he rewards successful cooperation with Sunlight Medals and offers players the chance to join his cause, granting access to specific miracles like the Lightning Spear and his signature gesture. Despite being an Undead, Solaire relies on rigorous training and skill rather than supernatural enhancements for combat, wielding a well-forged longsword known as the Sunlight Straight Sword.

The Tragedy of Lost Izalith

The narrative arc of Solaire takes a harrowing turn in the region of Lost Izalith, where his sanity is often compromised by a parasitic creature known as a Sunlight Maggot. In this tragic scenario, the knight mistakenly believes the infestation to be the sun he has spent his life seeking, leading him to become hostile and insane. This outcome represents what director Hidetaka Miyazaki intended as the general norm for the character's fate. However, players possess the agency to alter this destiny by locating a specific shortcut and eliminating the maggot before it can infect Solaire. If successfully saved, he retains his lucidity and remains available for summoning during the game's final confrontation. Miyazaki has described this alternate path as the happiest ending, where Solaire ultimately links the flame in his own world and dies by metaphorically becoming the sun he sought, avoiding the madness that plagues his standard conclusion.

Origins of a Beloved Icon

The creation of Solaire was intrinsically linked to the development of his signature 'Praise the Sun' gesture, which predates the character himself. Originally conceived as a rare holy pose in Demon's Souls when casting miracles with the Ring of Sincere Prayer, the gesture faced potential removal by publishers who deemed it uncool. Director Hidetaka Miyazaki secretly left the animation in the game due to its personal significance and later designed Solaire specifically to champion this movement within Dark Souls. Positioned as the first truly helpful NPC players encounter, Solaire serves as a 'champion' of cooperation, ensuring the gesture gained widespread recognition and popularity. The character holds a special place in Miyazaki's heart, being cited as his favorite creation; he even personally designed the sun emblem adorning Solaire's armor and shield to reflect the knight's worship of Lord Gwyn and the celestial body.

Legacy Across Gaming Culture

Following his debut in 2011, Solaire achieved significant acclaim, with critics hailing him as an embodiment of selfless camaraderie despite his potential for madness. Publications like Destructoid and Eurogamer praised his unique blend of optimism and badassery, while GamesRadar+ highlighted the mission to save him as one of history's most unique sidequests. His cultural impact extended well beyond Dark Souls, inspiring official merchandise such as a rare GameStop-exclusive Amiibo that triggers his gesture in the remastered Switch version. Furthermore, Solaire has become a staple of gaming Easter eggs and crossovers, appearing as 'Knight Solitaire' in Borderlands 2, 'Soulare of Andorhal' in World of Warcraft, and even as a playable modded character in Darkest Dungeon. His influence is so profound that other titles like Destiny have incorporated gestures inspired by his iconic pose, cementing his status as a memorable figure who reminds players that human connection remains vital even in the darkest worlds.