Summary
Elden Ringwill finally be getting its long-awaited Shadow of the Erdtreeexpansion this summer, and it’s shaping up to be just as expansive and multifaceted as many fans have hoped it would be. On top of new weapons, spells, and locations, the DLC will expandElden Ring’s puzzling and intriguing lorewith new concepts and characters, making it a veritable feast for fans of FromSoftware’s signature narrative flavor.
Of the new bits of lore introduced in February’s Shadow of the Erdtreegameplay trailer, few have sparked as much discussion as Messmer, an ostensibly menacing force who will no doubt kill players dozens of times.Elden Ringfans have endlessly speculated about Messmer’s origins, abilities, and relationship with other major characters, which has birthed several interesting theories. Naturally, some of these theories are more plausible than others, but it should be noted that virtually nothing is known about him, so any and all conclusions have been formed on the back of suggestive, rather than concrete, information.
Elden Ring: The Most Prominent Messmer Fan Theories
Messmer Is Radagon and Marika’s Child
Radagon of the Golden Order and Queen Marika, the split-persona progenitors of the Golden Lineage, are at the heart ofElden Ring’s conflicts. Their offspring, Malenia, Miquella, and possibly Melina, are instrumental in the game’s plot, and at least Miquella will play a major role in Shadow of the Erdtree. Radagon is known for siring children with distinct red hair, and Messmer bears a strong resemblance to the man in general, which has led many to posit that he is likely a long-lost child of the couple.
Supporting this theory are other elements of Messmer’s character design, such as his snake companion and his use of flame, which may be references to his half-brothers Rykard and Mohg, respectively. The base game references an unwanted child of Marika’s, so perhaps Messmer is that child.
There’s dialogue in the Shadow of the ErdtreeDLC suggesting thatMessmer may serve the Golden Order, which would of course be another link to Radagon and Marika.
Messmer Is Misquella’s Alter Ego
Identity plays a significant thematic role inElden Ring. The aforementioned shared identity of Marika and Radagon is the most significant example of this, but there are several other instances of characters either having different personas, both in a literal sense or in more symbolic ways.Elden Ringcharacters with dual identitiesinclude Maliketh (Gurranq), Godfrey (Hoarah Loux), Ranni (Renna), and Morgott (Margit).
St. Trina is strongly implied to be the alter ego of Miquella, but since Miquella has potentially undergone a metamorphosis in his cocoon to grow older, it’s possible that Messmer is another alter ego, one more appropriate for his new, less androgynous adult form. By all accounts, Miquella is more of a charismatic leader than a fighter, so perhaps Messmer could be an alter ego he has assumed in order to protect himself in Shadow of the Erdtree’s mysterious, dangerous setting.
Messmer Serves the Formless Mother
The line “Mother, wouldst thou truly Lordship sanction, in one so bereft of light?” presumably spoken byMessmer in the Shadow of the Erdtreetrailer, is generally assumed to be a reference to Marika, which would support the theory of Messmer being one of her sons. However, Messmer may be referring to the Formless Mother, a powerful Outer God who is associated with Mohg, granting him his signature Bloodflame magic, which Messmer may also be wielding.
If this is the case, then maybe the “one so bereft of light” is supposed to be Mohg, whose role in Shadow of the Erdtreeis unclear, but seems highly likely. In this context, Messmer and Mohg could be rivals of some sort, though this would admittedly pose some complicated questions.
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.
