The Hopeless Boss Fight is a fascinating video game trope. So many of these boss fights catch us by surprise and confuse us. We wonder why we’ve suddenly been defeated, sometimes even watching ourselves die within the blink of an eye. No matter how confident we felt at that moment, these seemingly unbeatable bosses proved us wrong.
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Thankfully, encountering an unwinnable boss fight doesn’t stop you from progressing in the game. In RPGs, these memorable battles are only there tomove you further in the story. It can also bring you down to earth, reminding you about the intensive virtual journey that awaits you. This adds a nice touch to the game, creating an element that captures our attention even more than we ever expected.
** MINOR SPOILERS FOR Undertale, EarthBound Beginnings, AND Dark Souls 1 AHEAD **
10Ser Cauthrien (Dragon Age: Origins)
Reliable and loyal, Ser Cauthrien is Teyrn Loghain’s most trusted lieutenant. Cauthrien is strong in her values, letting nothing stand in her way of meeting them.
Ser Cauthrien’s boss fight occurs when you try to leave the estate after rescuing Anora (the queen). She offers you the choice to surrender or die, but either decision ends up with you captured. If you fight her, be prepared to use almost all of your healing, as she’s tougher than she looks. Losing to her makes both you and your team ultimately surrender. However, if you win, you’ll get a moderately decent sword.
9Shadow Nejima (Persona 5)
The first time you fight Shadow Nejima, he’ll be untouchable and impossible to beat. Upon meeting him in the Mementos mission request, his immortal skills force you to retreat and return when you’re more prepared.
This is a plot-driven fight where you’re forced to lose. No matter how much you tactfully try to plan it out, the initial encounter with Shadow Nejima is never meant to be more than a mere loss. Even though it follows a minor side-quest, Shadow Nejima isan unforgettable bossthat you’re forced to be defeated by.
8R7038 (EarthBound Beginnings)
Seemingly coming out of nowhere, this combative robot starts a sudden battle with you right after Ninten and Ana’s love confession. Teddy walks in, interrupting them to say that he hears loud noises. This catalyzes the battle with R7038.
Trying to defeat it only results in certain death. It’s impossible to kill, and it deals significant damage. When everyone in the party has been beaten, Lloyd comes out of nowhere with a tank. It obliterates the robot, saving all of his friends. Despite how helpless this boss fight feels, its outcome is part of the charm behindEarthBound Beginnings.
7Yourself (Undertale)
It’s not every day that a game comes along and takes you by surprise. In an exhilarating twist,Undertaleturns the Hopeless Boss Fight trope around. Depending on your choices, the game determines if it should make you the unbeatable boss.
This mainly applies if you’re following the Genocide run. Sans is your last battle, thinking he’ll be an easy fight like all the others. However, Sans makes his combat harder the more you die from him. In hopes of stopping you from completing your murderous run, Sans leaves you to decide if all of the killings were worth it.
6Grafted Scion (Elden Ring)
The Grafted Scion is the first boss you’ll encounter inElden Ring. FromSoftware featured the classic unbeatable boss element with a new addition that was just as creepy. Grafted Scion is a formless mass of bodies, wielding two swords and a greatshield.
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Of course, even though it’s no walk in the park, it’s possible to kill Grafted Scion. But, because of the level of its weapons, you’re better off returning later. At the end of the day, as much as we all hate dying in a Soulsborne game, this boss defeating you is what progresses the story.
5Freya (Valkyrie Profile)
Freya’s unstoppable boss fight occurs if you’ve constantly disobeyed her, not following the task that she’s given you. Doing this unlocks the C ending, which curses your game to have the bad ending.
You’ll regret crossing Freya as her boss fight is utterly unbeatable. She has such a high amount of defense and resistance that you could barely give her a scratch. You can use cheats to defeat her, but the game will still act as though she won. The difficulty of this fight serves as a punishment for players who didn’t follow the game.
4Hades (Kingdom Hearts 2)
Kingdom Heartsis a series well-known for its unique and challenging bosses. The second installment of the series expanded on thedestructive capabilities of its bosses, seeing just how far these villains' limitations could go.
Among all theKingdom Heart 2’sbosses, Hades takes the cake. Invincible and powerful in his underworld, we attempt to defeat Hades multiple times. It isn’t until we get lucky with having Hercules' godly powers protecting us in the fight that we finally conquer him. Unwinnable from the start, Hades would be the one to lose in the end.
3Seath The Scaleless (Dark Souls)
Envious and full of betrayal, Seath the Scaleless is an unforgettableDark Soulsboss. He is careful (yet aggressive) with his immortal powers. Our initial encounter with entering Seath’s area leads to our inescapable death. It’s unable to be prevented, no matter how deft your skills may be.
Even though this death is predetermined, you’re able to still lose all of your humanity and souls. You’ll later wake up trapped in a cell in the Archives Tower. Once you’ve freed yourself, making your way back up to Seath and giving him a proper fight is the next step in your lethal journey.
2The Vanguard (Demon’s Souls)
Iconically known as theDemon’s Soulstutorial boss, even attempting to conquer this Vanguard can get you into trouble. The Vanguard is a powerful demon, on top of being the perfect practice for learning the game’s mechanics.
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If you kill the Vanguard, the game teleports you to another area. Lost and confused, you’ll move around the area until you trigger a cutscene with a boss seen later in the game: Dragon God. Relentlessly killing you, it will verify that you die this time. Although brutal, Demon’s Souls had creative repercussions for conquering an unwinnable boss.
1Lavos (Chrono Trigger)
Unless you’ve grinded to increase your levels, or on NG+, this parasitic boss battle is insanely hard. Lavos is a bit easier to fight later on. But, his powers at the beginning are three times more mighty. With an attack that can one-hit your entire party, Lavos is behind your demise.
Chrono Triggerfans always remember Lavos. As an alien parasite who strongly desires to drain the Earth’s energy, his appearance alone is engrained in our minds. Lavos stops at nothing to hurt you. Even if you’ve leveled up, or you’re on NG+, his combat is still infinitely hard to overcome.
