Much to everyone’s surprise, the story trailer for Elden Ring‘s first and only planned DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree, released today out of nowhere. Naturally, FromSoftware fans have started eagerly dissecting every detail in every frame of the trailer.
While it offers a glimpse into the DLC’s story – centered around demigods Miquella and Messmer the Impaler – a new theory has emerged regarding the potential connection between the expansion and Godwyn the Golden, another demigod whose tragic end domino’d the base game’s events.
The Trailer Shows Miquella At The Beginning, Or Does It?
In typical FromSoftware fashion, the trailer reveals more about the core conflict of the DLC, but in a highly confusing, extremely verbose fashion. It shows Miquella (perhaps not) sacrificing himself to confront a fiery threat embodied by Messmer the Impaler. It also shows an unseen war and the suffering of Leyndell, the royal city.
While Shadow of the Erdtree appears to be heavily focussed on Miquella and Messmer, another notion regarding the masked, slightly percutaneous creature featured in recent promotional art for the expansion has led to a flurry of speculation.
This masked Omen creature, possessing blonde hair and a feminine appearance, has led some fans to believe it could be Godwyn himself. Moreover, the blond, long-haired demigod at the very beginning of the trailer, while alluded to as Miquella, does bear a striking resemblance to Godwyn. The mention of “gold” could also be a hint to his full title: Godwyn the Golden.
Godwyn’s Believable Connection To Shadow of the Erdtree
Godwyn’s story in Elden Ring is one of tragedy. He was murdered during the Night of the Black Knives, his death setting into motion the events leading to the shattering of the Elden Ring and triggering the demigod war.
However, Godwyn’s demise wasn’t a clean one. Due to a peculiarity involving the stolen Rune of Death, his body transformed into an immortal husk known as the Prince of Death, a monstrous entity influencing undeath in the Lands Between.
The theory regarding Godwyn’s connection to Shadow of the Erdtree draws on his past relationship with Omenkind. Unlike most demigods, Godwyn displayed compassion towards Omens, a marginalized group ostracized by society.
This facet of Godwyn’s character has led some to believe that his transformation into the Prince of Death, the embodiment of a reviled existence, could be a central theme explored in Shadow of the Erdtree. Speculation also suggests Messmer might be attempting to revive Godwyn, fueled by knowledge of Ranni’s role in Godwyn’s demise and possibly Marika’s involvement.
Messmer’s goal might be to use Omen blood in Godwyn’s revival, a plot twist that could significantly alter the course of the expansion’s story. Lastly, the theory posits that Messmer’s imprisonment in the Land of Shadows could be a consequence of his actions in Leyndell. It’s a lot to take in, and the theories are coming hard and fast, but this one does stand out from the rest.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree releases 21 June 2024 across PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series X/S, and PC.
