Talk:Dragon Slayer Ornstein/@comment-104.129.192.56-20170501222924

It's actually not implied anywhere that he was an illusion. That is simply a fan theory trying to connect all the games together logically through a retcon. My opinion is that I think all three games are on separate timelines, since time is convoluted as established in the games.

In 1 he stays to defend anor londo and is defeated by the chosen undead. In 2 he goes off in search for his mentor, never finding him and eventually becoming corrupted turning his armour dark. In 3 he goes off searching leaving smough to defend anor londo in search of the nameless king.

Everyone will come up with their own interpretation, unless offically stated otherwise. So there really is no right or wrong answer to one's speculation unless it is proven wrong. We've yet to receive the offical continuation of a story that started in DS1 with what's now considered canon and what's not.