#shadow of the erdtree spoilers

[glassrunner]

ELDEN RING: SHADOW OF THE ERDTREE ➺ Messmer the Impaler

[higgsbison]

NEW GUY NEW GUY NEW GUY

[blaiddfailcam]

ORPHAN OF KOS PLACENTA OBTAINABLE???

[garliicgun]

my husband and i collab'd pookie bear messmer the impaler :o)

[new-oc-blog-every-day]

Everyone else: *Pointing at all the new cool bosses in the DLC* Me: BITCH WE GET FUCKING WINGS LETS GOOOOO!

[rszealot]

Rewatching the trailer I noticed you can see the hands holding up the head.

[walter-sullivan]

[first-and-last-neocount]

MIQUELLA DLC CONFIRMED LET'S GET THE HYPE TRAIN ROLLING

I'm gonna fucking explode that trailer was amazing. We've had pretty sparse canon information on Miquella up to this point, but given the sinister tone the trailer was leaning into I think he might end up being a new favorite. Also I'm sorry but that fucking lion creature that was breathing what looked an awful lot like deathblight? Godwyn. I'm calling it now, that's Godwyn, or at least some fragment/memory/echo of him that's trapped in Miquella's dream. I think we're about to see validation of a lot of those fan theories about the role that Miquella played in the Night of Black Knives.

I'm on my coffee break right now so I have to leave it at that, but don't worry, I'll be back at lunch to watch the trailer six more times and agonize over every detail. XD

[telafel]

Messmer Speculation:

Messmer was Godfrey + Marika kiddo (older, locked away pre-shattering, name in-keeping with the M's of Marika's shunned children Morgott + Mohg) is touched by the power of an outer god (most likely the fell god) or embraced this flame power. Potentially tied to the god devouring serpent somehow... I don't know the connection yet. (snake motif. snakes could equally be tied to dragons (and this is pulling from dark souls lore bc Miyazaki likes similar themes. serpents descend from dragons). He could also just be touched by the crucible by a lesser degree.

Fought against the giants, saw the exile of the tarnished with Marika's goals in mind for them to return and become lord. (Dialogue in trailer, he knows tarnished and that Marika would have them become lord.) He could have lead the fire monks that fought on the erdtrees behalf during that too!

Text backing up my thoughts:

Flame Protect me:

"The most ancient of the Fire Monks' incantations. Creates a fire within that greatly increases fire damage negation.

It is said that this incantation was used during the War against the Giants long ago, during which it protected the champions of the Erdtree."

From the Catch Flame incantation: "The flame of ruin is anathema to the Erdtree. But prophets sometimes glimpse it within the faith all the same. Sadly when this occurs their sole reward is banishment. " + Surge, O Flame "And so, following the War against the Giants, its [flame of ruin] ruinous blaze was sealed, and guardians were appointed to watch over it."

+

Burn, O Flame "The Fire Giants borrowed from the power of a fell god, and still they were defeated. Yet their failure released them from their solitary curse: to serve as keepers of the Flame for eternity.

Marika easily assessed Messmer as a threat having fire that could burn the erdtree. I wonder if she she feared what could happen if she tried to fight/kill him considering if he lead the flame monks he had a whole gang at his back with fire and banishment was easier. It would also chop the head off that entire organization and lock them away to watch the flame in the mountaintops and lock them away.

I also have this thought that if he was the kid of Marika and Godfrey that he would have claim to the throne, making him extra bitter and spurned by his lack of recognition, that Godwyn was THE ONE kid they had that was worthy and praised, while the others got shut out once their usefulness was done.

his weapon design is also interesting and probably means something: it vaguely reminds me of the branches of the weird fire trees/staves at the fire monk camps

honestly idk how the snakes and snake eyes play into this whole theme yet besides Mt. Gelmir and fire being associated via the fire sorceries. But I'm also not a super expert on Elden Ring lore aside from a few areas I've done research on for Lore Stuff and writing.

[elykodi-k]

We can confirm Marika’s racism is hereditary, Messmer got it

[how-and-why-do-i-know-this]

*puts my analysis glasses on*

Ok so lookin' back at the trailer the snake twink is wearing a varient of the Dragon Communion armor set and has draconic eyes so he's likely a dragon cultist.

Also don't quote me on this but I think that flame spell he's using is some kind of bloodflame.

[tarnussy]

Elden Ring - Shadow of the Erdtree

[st7e]

So, this spell we see in the Shadow of the Erdtree trailer:

It appears to be a mass version of the same effect as the Bewitching Branch item, it even has the same particle effects.

The Bewitching Branch, of course, is an item associated with Miquella that turns enemies into allies. It appears that the spell in the trailer is doing the same thing. This spell is likely a version of a power that Miquella has.

Now let's compare this dialog from the beginning of the trailer:

"He wields love to shrive clean the hearts of men. There is nothing more terrifying."

To the description for the Bewitching Branch:

The Empyrean Miquella is loved by many people. Indeed, he has learned very well how to compel such affection.

We already know that Miquella was good at "compelling" love from others, but now we're being told that this power is terrifying and dangerous. We hear of many people who love Miquella in the base game, the most important examples being Malenia and Mohg. We must wonder, then, was this love genuine or compelled?

What if Miquella is the one who compelled Mohg to capture him? What if Miquella being torn from the Haligtree and bled dry by Mohg was actually part of his plan to reach the Land of Shadow? The YouTube description for the trailer says:

It was to this land (the Land of Shadow) that Miquella departed. Divesting himself of his flesh, his strength, his lineage. Of all things Golden

What if Mohg's fucked up ritual was a necessary step in Miquella's "divestment"?

What if instead of the tragic victim we all thought he was, Miquella was actually pulling the strings all along?

[obliviongate]

*twirls hair* hello messmer

[bichadraws]

Messmer the impaler

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[kkyos]

Embrace of the Flame