Summary
Shadow of the Erdtree has finally been officially revealed after nearly two years since the launch ofElden Ring’s base game, but its June release date still leaves room for months of speculation ahead. There have been numerous theories regarding the inclusion of Miquella that have turned out to be true, but few could have expected the major importance of a brand-new character. With an addition to the demigods ofElden Ring’s pantheon possibly coming in the form of Messmer, the abilities this upcoming boss has been shown to use may already hint at his ties to the existing lore.
Messmer is the biggest new mystery of Shadow of the Erdtree, but this is largely due to the fact he bears resemblances to several different keyElden Ringcharacters. Shadow of the Erdtree’s Land of Shadow setting appears to be a separate world from The Lands Between in the vein of previous FromSoftware DLCs likeBloodborne’s The Old Hunters. Moreover, hints atMessmer’s connections to Radagonand the Golden Order imply that the lore surrounding him could also come with similar lore revelations. Until another trailer or the expansion’s full release arrives, there is one aspect of this new character that could indicate his association with some ofElden Ring’s most enigmatic figures.
The Combination of Existing Elden Ring Elements in Messmer’s Introduction
A Surprising Subversion of the Expected Miquella Reveal
Ever since the announcement of Shadow of the Erdtree, it was predicted that Miquella would play a key role following the mysterious nature of his lore found within the base game. The seemingly unfinished business of the benevolent, allegedly manipulative character’s Haligtree and plans regarding Godwyn left the door open for whatShadow of the Erdtree’s reveal trailermay have now confirmed.
That said, few players likely saw the emphasis on someone as sinister as Messmer coming. Miquella, seemingly the focus of the DLC, has been stated to embody an ethereal sense of youthful purity in all of his forms thus far, but Messmer has now taken center stage with multiple motifs of traditionally evil imagery that may still be connected to Miquella instead.
Flames Appear to be Messmer’s Signature Magic
He may be accompanied by snakes and wield an intimidating spear, but Messmer’s primary power seems to be his manipulation of a unique form of fire. Given the presence of what seems to be a boss with similarities to the Fire Giant, there’s a chance that this usage of flames could be some kind of power that was taken from them and used by Messmer to setElden Ring’s Land of Shadowablaze. Apart from that theory, however, severalElden Ringplayers have already drawn a connection to the character Mohg’s own use of what is known as Bloodflame, a form of magic exclusively connected to the scheming Omen son of Marika.
The Significance of Bloodflame and Mohg’s Formless Mother in Elden Ring
The Dark Machinations of Mohgwyn Palace
The undergroundMohgwyn Palace region inElden Ringis a challenging zone that contains one of the game’s most obscure and disturbing bits of lore through its Remembrance boss, Blood Lord Mohg. As many have come to understand with much analysis of the game’s lore, this is the location where Mohg, cast out from the Golden Order due to his Omen status and far more bitter than his brother Morgott, attempts to execute a plan to take Miquella as his Empyrean and ascend to the Elden Throne with the power of an entity known as the Formless Mother.
While Shadow of the Erdtree has now recontextualized this entire situation, the Blood Lord’s connection to a mysterious Outer God could finally be explored through Messmer.
The Formless Mother’s Presence as One of The Land Between’s Outer Gods
A unique patron only associated withElden Ring’s Mohgwyn’s Sacred Spear weaponand Bloodflame Incantations, the Formless Mother is a being that was previously left ambiguous apart from the power she is shown to grant Mohg. The power of Bloodflame combines its namesakes to create a substance that can create chaos in the battle with the Lord of the Blood, and its origins are apparently the gruesome cutting and bleeding of the Formless Mother’s intangible body itself being manifested.
There is a greater association with blood that thisOuter God of The Lands Betweenhas been speculated to have among players that see parallels withBloodborne’s own Formless Oedon, but the reveal of Messmer’s ability to use fire magic could serve to represent the relationships between existing characters in multiple different ways.
Theories About Messmer’s Lineage Draw Parallels to Mohg and the Omen
It’s undeniable that connections could be made between Messmer’s snake motif and Rykard, especially considering theLord of Blasphemy’s fondness for Magma Sorcery, but hints at ties to Mohg seem to make even more sense. It’s unknown whether he is another child of Marika and Radagon, or possibly of Rykard himself, but it’s almost certain that Messmer has been hidden away and denied his place within his family similarly to the Owen twins.
The Deeper Impact of Mohgwyn Palace’s Boss Room
The usage of what could be Bloodflame seems to strengthen Messmer’s potential ties to Mohg, but their relation may go beyond even the borrowing of magic. A theory has pointed out that the arm seen dangling from the cocoon in Mohg’s arena looks much more like that of Messmer’s than howMiquella’s design inElden Ringhas been shown otherwise, opening up an entire slew of potential scenarios which could have set up the events of Shadow of the Erdtree, or vice versa.
Whether Messmer is an alternate form of Miquella created through the corruption of Bloodflame, the product of an unholy union between Mohg and the Empyrean, or an actual new entity altogether, his actual place inElden Ring’s extremely hyped DLCis likely to play an important role in finally bringing the game’s lore full circle.
Elden Ring
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ELDEN RING, developed by FromSoftware, Inc. and BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc., is a fantasy action-RPG adventure set within a world created by Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R.R. Martin. Danger and discovery lurk around every corner in FromSoftware’s largest game to date. Hidetaka Miyazaki - President and Game Director of FromSoftware Inc. Known for directing critically-acclaimed games in beloved franchises including Armored Core and Dark Souls.George R.R. Martin is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many novels, including the acclaimed series A Song of Ice and Fire - A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast For Crows, and A Dance with Dragons. As a writer-producer, he has worked on The Twilight Zone, Beauty and the Beast, and various feature films and pilots that were never made. He lives with the lovely Parris in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
