Bloodborne: How to Obtain Each Umbilical Cord and Defeat the True Final Boss

The umbilical cord is the connection through which we are all born into this world - a universal personification of birth that transcends cultural differences. In a game that thematically focuses on the life cycle and the theme (a theme that is present in most FromSoftware games), it is only fitting that umbilical cords also play a crucial role in the narrative of Bloodborne.

In the game referred to as "One Third of Umbilical Cord," the hidden umbilical cords play a crucial role in Bloodborne, not only for understanding the game's background knowledge but also for facing the true final boss and triggering the true ending. Although only three umbilical cords are needed to fight the final boss, there are a total of four umbilical cords hidden throughout Bloodborne.

Updated on September 9, 2023, by Sean Murray: The true ending requires consuming some gruesome items, but once you have found Bloodborne's umbilical cords, you will embark on the fight of your life. We have updated this guide with improved formatting, some additional warnings, and further relevant Bloodborne topics to explore.

Workshop’s Cord

To find the Workshop Cord, you must enter the Abandoned Old Workshop, an incredibly revealing area regarding the lore of Bloodborne. The workshop itself becomes accessible only after defeating the Blood-starved Beast in Old Yharnam. Once the beast is slain, proceed to the Oedon Chapel in the Cathedral Ward.

• Go through the right doorway and go up the elevator.
• Kill the Wheelchair Huntsman in the next room.
• Instead of entering the building, go around to the right.
• Drop onto the broken walkway below and follow the path into the building.
• To the immediate left of the rickety bridge is a platform down below. Drop down.
• Walk right off and land in front of the Workshop entrance.

The drop is steep, so heal yourself before you fall and after you have fallen from the shaky bridge.

Inside, you will find an exact replica of the Hunter's Dream, complete with its own Doll. However, this dream has been abandoned for a long time. The Workshop Cord can be found at the Memory Altar. The description reads:

Every great entity loses its child and then yearns for a surrogate. The Third Umbilical Cord triggered the encounter with the Pale Moon, calling forth the Hunters and creating the Hunter's Dream.

Along with the Workshop Cords, hunters can find the Doll Set, Small Hair Ornament, and an Old Hunter Bone. The Small Hair Ornament, in particular, can be given to the real Doll in exchange for a Tear Stone and new dialogue.

Arianna’s Cord

Obtaining Arianna's Umbilical Cord is not as elaborate as acquiring the Workshop Cord but still requires a certain process (and Arianna's survival thereafter). After defeating three bosses or killing any boss in the Cathedral Ward, Old Yharnam, Hemwick Charnel Lane, or Yahar'gul, Arianna can be sent from her home in the Cathedral Ward to the Oedon Chapel. There, she will offer you her blood.

However, be cautious. If Adella is also present in the Oedon Chapel, she will become jealous after Arianna has given away three vials of her blood and will kill her when you return next time. To keep Arianna alive, either refrain from rescuing Adella or simply refuse to accept her blood more than twice.

After defeating Micolash towards the end of the game, Arianna will leave the Oedon Chapel and go to the Aqueduct in the Cathedral Ward, where she will give birth to her child. Kill both the baby and Arianna to obtain the umbilical cord.

Every Great One loses its child and then yearns for a surrogate mother, and Oedon, the formless Great One, is no exception. To think that it was impure blood that began this mysterious connection.

Alternatively, Arianna can be sent to the Iosefka's Clinic and killed there. She won't be able to give you any blood, but she also won't be in danger of being killed by Adella (or the Suspicious Beggar).

Iosefka’s Cord

The Iosefka's Clinic plays a crucial role in the arguably morbid side quest of Bloodborne. Parallel to the questline of the Oedon Chapel, you can send potential survivors to the Iosefka's Clinic to keep them safe. Unfortunately, "Iosefka" is nothing more than an imposter whose sole motive is to conduct experiments on all the NPCs you send her way.

Although the entrance to the clinic is sealed, it is possible to infiltrate it through the rear caves of the Forbidden Woods. The impostor Iosefka will drop her umbilical cord upon being killed, but only after Rom has been defeated and the Blood Moon has risen over Yharnam. Iosefka's Umbilical Cord reads:

Provost Willem sought the umbilical cord to elevate his being and thoughts to that of a Great One by lining his brain with eyes. He knew that this was the only choice if humanity were ever to match their greatness.

During the Blood Moon, Iosefka will not be hostile but rather collapsed on a table in pain. However, be cautious of the celestial mobs in the area, especially if survivors were previously sent to the clinic.

Mergo’s Cord

The only umbilical cord dropped by a boss is Mergo's Umbilical Cord. It is obtained by defeating Mergo's Wet Nurse at the end of the Nightmare of Mensis - specifically, behind Mergo's Loft. Although fought near the end, Mergo's Wet Nurse is one of the easier bosses in Bloodborne. Dodge her attacks patiently, and she will be defeated after a few combos, dropping her umbilical cord in the process.

Provost Willem sought the umbilical cord to elevate his being and thoughts to that of a Great One by adorning his brain with eyes. He knew that this was the only choice if humanity ever wished to attain their magnitude.

It should be noted that Mergo's Wet Nurse is a mandatory boss, meaning that Mergo's Umbilical Cord is the only umbilical cord you will definitely unlock.

After acquiring at least three umbilical cords, consume them and proceed with the story as usual. As long as three umbilical cords are consumed and Gehrman's offer is declined, you will automatically transition to the true final boss and the true ending.

Showdown With Gehrman, The First Hunter

Before reaching the true final boss, you must face the First Hunter, Gehrman. An extremely aggressive boss, Gehrman is the most challenging part to actually reach the true ending. Gehrman is an incredibly fast and powerful boss, but he can also be parried, making him vulnerable to attacks.

Take your time to study his signs and treat the fight like a real PvP duel. Gehrman can be stunned, thrown off balance, and interrupted - but only if you know his signs. When Gehrman rushes towards you, dodge backwards and let him tire himself out. Use your weapon to interrupt him during his combos and then counterattack. With enough patience, Gehrman will be defeated.

After Gehrman is killed, he performs the gesture "Make Contact" to announce the impending true final boss. Note that the next fight will be triggered immediately after Gehrman's death, without the ability to replenish Blood Vials. So be prepared to engage in a tough battle in case you run out of supplies.

Descent Of The Moon Presence

The most challenging aspect of Moon Presence is ensuring that you have enough Blood Vials available. Worse yet, the boss can actually block your healing with its ranged attacks. Even if you manage to save up enough Blood Vials, there's a possibility that you won't have an opportunity to use them.

Fortunately, Moon Presence is actually easier than Gehrman if you know what to do and remain steadfast. Moon Presence deals reasonable damage but provides clear signs for all attacks and doesn't have too much health. You should primarily avoid projectiles, but otherwise, you can proceed without hesitation and attack Moon Presence with combos.

Try to maneuver around the boss until you're behind them, alternating between attacks and stamina regeneration. In the worst case scenario, you won't have to defeat Gehrman again if Moon Presence kills you. Once you have defeated the final boss, sit back and enjoy one of the strangest endings in the history of video games.