Board Thread:Dark Souls III/@comment-3236835-20160805064715/@comment-3236835-20160806211103

XSylancex wrote: I would agree that it is the Ashen One, wearing the Firelink Set, while I understand your point on the Ashen One wearing his/her class gear. That is only for the first playthrough. NG+ and beyond show the Ashen One rising out of the grave with whatever you had equipped when making the transition. Plus I always figured whatever he was crushing was an Ember, but now that I've taken a closer look it does make more sense for it to be ash instead. A close to his identity.

Wow, it had not occurred to me that he could be crushing an Ember and that maybe we are seeing him just as he is entering Lord of Cinder mode. The waving of his clothes and the effect of ash emanating from his body may support this theory.

However, as for events happening in NG+ and beyond, I would not consider them as canon.