Warning: This text comprises spoilers for the story of Shadow of the Erdtree, so if you have not completed the growth or at the least made it to the ultimate boss, you would possibly wish to achieve this earlier than studying on.
With regards to the story instructed in Elden Ring, Shadow of the Erdtree is a bombshell. It focuses on one main character who wasn’t truly included within the base game–Miquella, one of many demigod youngsters of the goddess Queen Marika–but whose presence forged an extended shadow on occasions. Of all of the demigods, Miquella appeared like probably the most virtuous, and probably the most tragic.
Your path by means of the sport repeatedly brings you into shut proximity to Miquella’s story and actions, despite the fact that he isn’t current, and also you be taught in regards to the methods he apparently tried to assist the individuals of the Lands Between and bucked the management of the Golden Order. Miquella appeared just like the one one that may actually have helped a world in chaos, however by the point you present up, others have already sealed his destiny.
Turns out, all of that was improper. Miquella might need had good intentions, however in Shadow of the Erdtree, we be taught he was accountable for a complete lot of really horrific issues that occurred within the Lands Between. By the tip of the DLC story, it is clear that Miquella was simply as unhealthy as the opposite demigods, and in some circumstances, perhaps worse.
Miquella’s Story So Far
Very like in Shadow of the Erdtree, we spend lots of time following in Miquella’s footsteps by means of the unique story of Elden Ring. The place the opposite demigods appeared to consolidate energy, warring with one another in hopes of turning into Elden Lord (though even that concept is much more difficult now), Miquella seemed for a substitute for Queen Marika’s rule and authorities, the legal guidelines and faith often known as the Golden Order.
We all know Miquella spent lots of time looking for a solution to heal his sister, Malenia, who was born with the illness often known as the Scarlet Rot. That affliction is definitely the affect of one in all Elden Ring’s supernatural cosmic entities, the Outer Gods, and making an attempt to heal Malenia ultimately appears to have pushed Miquella to reject the influences of all the Outer Gods. That features the Higher Will, the entity accountable for the Elden Ring and Marika’s standing as a goddess. Miquella seems to have rejected the Golden Order in favor of one thing he known as “Unalloyed Gold,” and he even customary the Unalloyed Gold Needle merchandise to counter the affect of Outer Gods. Regardless of his greatest efforts, he seemingly was by no means capable of finding a solution to actually assist Malenia.
As he seemed for a brand new means ahead for the Lands Between, Miquella tried to create a substitute for the Erdtree, known as the Haligtree. You’ll be able to go to this location, which is stuffed with individuals loyal to Miquella and appears to have been customary as a haven for individuals who the Golden Order had oppressed, just like the Albinaurics, a individuals who had been mentioned to have been created by the sorcerers of Raya Lucaria. Finally, although, the Haligtree started to wither. If you discover your means there, you uncover its roots are additionally bothered with Scarlet Rot. Miquella had embedded himself within the tree, perhaps in an try to reserve it, however while you present up, he is already gone. Miquella did not depart the Haligtree, however–he was taken.
After we lastly monitor Miquella down, it is in Mohgwyn Palace, the house of Mohg, one other demigod. Mohg is the brother of Morgott and Godwyn, the unique youngsters of Marika and her first Elden Lord, Godfrey. Each Morgott and Mohg are Omen, a type of individuals bothered by horns rising throughout their our bodies, and due to that, each youngsters had been banished to the sewers beneath the capital metropolis of Leyndell. There, Mohg found one other Outer God to worship–the Formless Mom. He embraced his “cursed blood” and hoped to create a brand new dynasty to reshape the Lands Between, elevating himself to Elden Lord and consort, with Miquella serving because the lands’ new god.
To make that occur, Mohg kidnapped Miquella from the Haligtree, however for no matter purpose, the plan by no means labored. After we discover Miquella within the palace after defeating Mohg, his physique is encased in a cocoon, one lifeless and blackened arm hanging out. It seems that Miquella was Mohg’s sufferer, and that no matter good he had hoped to convey to the Lands Between has been destroyed.
After which we begin up Shadow of the Erdtree, and all the things we thought we knew is modified.
Miquella The Variety
Standing in entrance of Miquella’s physique in Mohgwyn Palace is the place Shadows of the Erdtree begins. There, you discover Needle Knight Leda, a follower of Miquella’s, who tells you that his physique is definitely a gateway to a different realm known as the Shadow Lands, and that Miquella has deserted his bodily physique to journey there. You employ his physique to observe, and while you arrive, you meet a number of different warriors making the identical journey. Like Leda, they’ve come from all around the Lands Between, compelled by a sense of loyalty to Miquella. He helped every of them in several methods, they usually’re hoping to search out and serve him.
The story of the DLC has you following in Miquella’s footsteps, ostensibly as he executes his plan to change into a god in order that he can exchange the Golden Order. That appears to require him to forged off all the weather of his human life–everything that may maintain him again. Generally, which means items of his literal, bodily physique, in order that he can change into a form of luminous spirit. Generally, it is parts of his character and his feelings.
Already, although, there are some unusual questions arising. How did Miquella get right here if he was kidnapped by Mohg and seemingly utilized in some form of blood-worshiping dynasty-making ritual? It appears awfully handy Miquella would have wound up on this place he seemingly wished to be by mistake or coincidence.
Interacting with the assorted characters you meet who’re additionally monitoring Miquella begins to supply clues. They’re all exceedingly loyal to Miquella, regardless of the very fact they beforehand served different demigod lords, together with Radahn and even Mohg himself. Within the Lands Between, you could possibly uncover lore that mentioned Miquella’s singular energy: He had the flexibility to compel individuals to like him. He appeared to have virtuous intentions, positive, however the recreation is express about the truth that Miquella can also be able to a form of magical thoughts management.
Advancing by means of the Shadow Lands, you ultimately get some extent while you actually hear one thing break. That is the second when Miquella discards his Nice Rune, the piece of the Elden Ring he took after Marika shattered it. Speaking to the opposite characters after Miquella abandons this energy reveals {that a} spell over them has additionally been broken–they had been all, in reality, magically compelled of their loyalty to Miquella. It begins a lethal chain of occasions, as every of the characters begins to go their very own means and pursue their very own targets, inflicting them to come back into battle with each other.
In the event you monitor down Sir Ansbach, one in all Miquella’s knights who beforehand served Mohg, you begin to be taught much more about Miquella and his energy. The spell breaking causes Ansbach to see Miquella as monstrous, utilizing his “love” to utterly overtake individuals’s wills. That begins Ansbach speculating about what occurred to Mohg, and when you convey him the suitable merchandise discovered inside Messmer’s Shadow Hold, you may assist him uncover the reality.
Miquella The Tyrant
Discovering a selected scroll and bringing it to Ansbach begins to uncover what actually occurred between Mohg and Miquella. Ansbach explains that what Mohg did was truly Miquella’s bidding–to get to the Shadow Lands, Miquella wanted Mohg to conduct a ritual, and that positive makes it sound like Miquella used his energy to compel Mohg’s love with the intention to get him to do what he wished.
What’s extra, Ansbach additionally notes that after Mohg is killed by the participant, somebody stole his stays and introduced them to Miquella.
In the event you hold following Ansbach’s storyline, you ultimately uncover one other secret ceremony that Miquella means to carry out. Its outcomes are made clear while you attain the ultimate boss. Miquella wanted Mohg’s physique as a result of the ritual for turning into a god requires the soul of a lord, and that soul requires a vessel. As Ansbach notes when you convey him into the ultimate boss battle, Miquella used Mohg’s physique as that vessel–for the soul of Radahn, as soon as the mightiest warrior of the demigods. Within the ultimate boss battle, you battle the resurrected Radahn, introduced again to life to be Miquella’s consort and assist him attain godhood.
This revelation adjustments quite a bit about our understanding of the story of Elden Ring. For one, Mohg did not kidnap Miquella, he was apparently used to meet a task in Miquella’s plan. What’s extra, plainly function was meant to incorporate Mohg’s loss of life, as nicely.
Discovering Radahn resurrected by Miquella within the DLC additionally calls into query Miquella’s relationship with Radahn. After you defeat the ultimate boss, you may see a brief cutscene during which Miquella asks Radahn to be his consort, presumably lengthy earlier than the Shattering Battle that turned the demigods in opposition to one another. That implies this has been Miquella’s plan for fairly a while.
But when Miquella requested Radahn to be his consort previously, earlier than the shattering of the Elden Ring, then that raises one other large query: Why did Radahn and Malenia sq. off within the largest and most devastating battle of the Shattering Battle? The battle implies that Radahn did not undergo Miquella’s request and needed to be forced–Malenia went to Caelid to kill him, to cease him resisting turning into Miquella’s consort.
As an alternative, they fought to a standstill, till Malenia succumbed to the Scarlet Rot. The ensuing bloom unfold the pestilence all through Caelid like a weapon of mass destruction, and whereas Radahn did not die, the an infection invaded his mind and he misplaced his thoughts. Miquella’s actions doomed his brother and desired consort to torment, till the participant lastly confirmed up and managed to kill him, and that allowed Miquella to proceed his plan.
And if Miquella was keen to do this to Radahn and Mohg, you may’t assist however marvel about Malenia, too. Did she select to assist Miquella and attempt to kill Radahn, or did Miquella use his talents to compel her? Is that why we discover Malenia sitting on the base of the Haligtree, despondent and forlorn–because she’s wracked by guilt? Is it as a result of she is aware of she was used as a software by Miquella to do one thing horrible?
If Radahn manages to seize you in the course of the ultimate battle, Miquella will present you that energy in motion. First, he’ll whisper in regards to the compassionate order he needs to convey into being; the second time, he’ll compel you to hitch him, actually stealing your coronary heart. It is a demonstration of what Miquella is actually about. He would possibly wish to make the world a greater place, however he is going to take action by turning into a dictator. He is keen to make use of individuals he claims to care about to result in his targets and is completely keen to steal their free will to take action. And he’ll sacrifice them, the best way he did to Radahn, Malenia, and even his alter ego, St. Trina, if that is what it takes.
This new info additionally utterly recontextualizes our understanding of the Shattering Battle. Earlier than, it appeared just like the demigods warred with one another in petty squabbles over private energy. Now, we all know the reality: When Malenia confronted Radahn, it was to homicide him for Miquella’s profit. What might need occurred within the Lands Between if the 2 fiercest warriors hadn’t fought each other, destroying Caelid within the course of? May there have been peace and stability slightly than limitless battle and destruction?
Via the actions of its story, Shadow of the Erdtree utterly adjustments Miquella’s character, from somebody heroic and virtuous, to somebody monstrous and calculating. Even when Miquella actually does have the most effective of intentions, he is keen to spoil anybody and something to enact them. Miquella’s imaginative and prescient of the long run is one in all a benevolent dictator, ruling over an enslaved Lands Between filled with people who find themselves compelled to like him. For all Miquella’s discuss of bringing extra compassion into the world, what we be taught within the DLC is that, for no matter good he did, Miquella was keen to make use of lots of evil to attain it.