>>507342457This would be significant dialogue for determining what happened to Marika if true death wasn't very difficult to come by in this universe. Life, in this context, refers to the body but not the soul. Her body was supposed to be eternal, yet perished leaving a ceramic like doll in it's place. As with Ranni, her body remains animate even if it has no vital functions, and I would say that Radagon is still shown as alive in a similar manner in his boss fight, battling with Fundamentalist spells along with a moveset that differs from the Elden Beast when the ceramic body is eventually brandished as it's weapon. This proves that death in this context doesn't mean the consciousness leaves the body, or even that it has to stop being animate.
At the end of the game, the rebuilding of Marika signifies a return to bodily life. A rebirth is taking place, as if the body is already conscious and animate then the only rebirth/renewal that can take place of significance would be bodily restoration. Consider that Radagon and the Elden Beast did their all to prevent the Tarnished from making contact with Marika's form for this reason, as she wouldn't resist having their vision be implanted into them and have the Tarnished supercede the previous Order which Radagon/Elden Beast desperately wanted to maintain. Her return to bodily life would also mean she would have the ability to birth demi-gods, which would secure the new Order. Interestingly what looks to be in coloration a Rune of Death shard seems very intentionally to be pierced through her womb, yet falls and breaks away during Radagon's boss fight. This further drives home the implication that Radagon/Elden Beast are attempting to keep Marika in stasis so she can't help the Tarnished she intended to aid centuries ago physically or have gods with them. Yet the moment the Tarnished enters the Erdtree this plan is null, as they can dislodge it and commune with Marika, so Radagon/Elden Beast have to fight them.
