The Flower (花 Hana ) appears in Drakengard 3 and it is seen on Zero's right eye. The Flower is the main antagonist of Drakengard 3. It is highly likely to be a fragment of the Black Flower that was sealed behind the Mercurius Gate in the Cathedral City.[1] The flower’s final evolved form serves as the final boss of branch D.
Overview[]
It is unknown how the flower in Zero's eye germinated, or where it came from, but it is most likely a fragment from the Black Flower that was sealed within the gate by a female sorcerer. It first appeared to Zero when she was dying from her wounds, making it the last thing she saw. The flower went into Zero's body, making her an Intoner, a special god-like being with tremendous powers. Zero tried to get rid of the flower by digging it out with her sword and attempting to commit suicide, but it failed. The flower, sensing Zero's hostility towards it, created five intoners, copies of Zero, each receiving a fragment of Zero's powers.
These Intoners went on to overthrow the tyrannical rulers of Midgard and bring peace to the land, becoming its rulers in the process while being worshiped as goddesses. Zero knew that sooner or later the flower would gain power over the other Intoners and control their every move. Blaming herself for bringing them into the world, she goes out to kill the other Intoners with the help of the dragon Michael, who would later reincarnate into Mikhail.
The only known way the flower could be destroyed is with the power of a dragon, as they are said to be enemies on an instinctive level. According to Michael, dragons have an existence deeply connected with the Flower.
While Zero possesses the flower, it grants her enhanced regenerative abilities and the ability to use magic via song. It is ambiguous what happens to the flower in the four branches, but the recorder, Accord, seems to be seeking a branch where humanity and the world would be permanently safe from the flower's threat.
Story[]
Drakengard 3
Branch A
When Zero is stabbed by One's brother with a dragonbone sword, she dies in the process. Since the sword was forged from the bones of a dragon, it is likely that the flower's power was nullified. However, its influence still remained a threat to the world because One's Brother still possessed the power of Song.
Branch B: The Price
This branch shows the flower being transmuted from Zero to Mikhail when she forms a pact with him to save his life. The flower is shown covering Mikhail's right eye and it is still considered to be a threat to the world but put under control because of the pact.
Branch C: Emesis
This branch shows the flower still being in Zero's eye after she kills One because she is still alive by the flower's power due to the fact that Mikhail dies before One does. Because of this, Zero tries to find another dragon to kill her and destroy the flower but fails to do so. Without a dragon to end her life, the flower is still a major threat to the world in this branch.
Branch D: The Flower
The Flower is considered to be the final boss of Drakengard 3 in this branch. When Zero accomplishes her mission in killing her sisters, she tasks Mikhail to destroy the flower, while telling him of the evil that it plans to do on the world. Zero lets the flower consume her and the flower turns gigantic while hovering over the city. Mikhail is forced to fight the flower in a rhythm battle and succeeds in defeating it. The flower is destroyed in the process and it is sealed in another dimension, nullifying its threat on humanity.
Drag-On Dragoon 3 Story Side
In this new branch, the Flower migrates to Mikhail (as in Branch B) when Zero forms a pact with him in order to save his life. The Flower is never given the chance to become a threat to the world because Brother One kills Zero. As Zero dies, the contract is broken and the newly resurrected Mikhail dies once more.Influence[]
The Flower | Zero | Mikhail | Michael | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Gabriella | One | Two | Three | Four | Five | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
One | Rosa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Unknown | Gruen | Grenat | Unknown | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Verde | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Luis | Fey | Ramia | Husband | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chloe | Golem | Seere | Manah | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Design[]
According to regular Drakengard designer Kimihiko Fujisaka, Zero originally had no flower in her eye. He placed it there to give her a more feminine appearance, as he sees flowers as symbols of femininity. The Flower was almost removed as producer Takamata Shiba felt it clashed with the game's atmosphere, but director Taro Yoko approved its inclusion.[2]
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Thanks to the flower, all 6 intoners were created, with One creating an extra clone of herself, who would form the Cult of the Watchers, which was instrumental in the appearance of the Watchers in Tokyo. When the Queen Beast was defeated, its particles triggered the White Chlorination Syndrome, starting the Project Gestalt. Through a strange case of Butterfly effect, In NieR: Replicant/Gestalt, the protagonist inexplicably dooms humanity to extinction by killing his Gestalt self to save his sister/daughter, thereby making the Flower victorious in its attempts to wipe out humanity.
- It is possible, given the lore and origins behind the world of Drakengard and the attitude of dragons towards it, that the Flower was created by the Gods as their original bid to retake control of the world and destroy humanity.
- Alternatively, the Flower may be a deity itself.