Mysteries in the Shadow of the Erdtree Trailer

Elden Ring's upcoming DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree was teased to us long ago - but today, finally, we have a trailer! It's packed with details - so let's sort them all and try to make sense of it!
- Follow me on Twitter! / banditgamesyt (@BanditGamesYT)
- Follow me on Instagram! / jordanherndon96
- Tip me a Coffee! ko-fi.com/banditjo
- Join my Bandit Crew on KZbin! / @banditgames
- Join my Bandit Crew on Patreon! / banditgames
- Grab some flashy Bandit Crew merch: teespring.com/stores/mnbs-gif...
P.S. I'm very grateful for you. Thank you for watching, and I'll see you next time.
#eldenring #eldenringdlc #fromsoftware

[@BanditGames]

The real ones remember version one of this video

[@Dujma]

much respect for making a new video when you noticed errors in the previous ones and new info available. This video is of a much higher quality, plenty of good changes. It's always important, when doing these videos, to highlight when something is a speculation and when it's a fact.

[@egg0920]

I was watching it knowing all the info and I was correcting every mistake in my head lol

[@ShikiRyougi05]

Well there it is xD, v1 was deffo a bit frustrating to watch

[@egg0920]

Oh btw in a Japanese interview it is confirmed messmer is a child of marika. Just a little tad bit of info

[@egg0920]

I think this could very well be due to the fact he might be miquilla but infected by mohgs power

[@Ketoned-]

The opening line about shriving clean the hearts of man is obviously about Miquella bro

[@valentinvas6454]

Clearly. Messmer burns tarnished people to death. How is that using love LOL

[@theparagontribune5952]

Yeah, I don’t know if Messmer uses “love” to shrive clean the hearts of men.

[@rachelz5665]

Very funny. He certainly doesn’t look very loving.

[@Chessheromusic]

Yea it's likely miquella is actually the villain and messmer is protecting his mom and the golden order Miquella has his hand over the whole game As the player character is a mimic of miquella like radagon to marika

[@TheKniteOwl2686]

I think Mesmer is what the smoldering butterfly represents. 3rd child of Radagon and Marika 🤞

[@Senzuballs]

He looks a lot like Radagon as well. Look at his nose and mouth shape. It looks so much like Radagon so this is definitely a possibility!!

[@danamouyal8175]

I'd say melena is that and I could still go with the glom eye queen theory where she was born in Marika's Body

[@lykhoul907]

Right! I was wondering to whom the fire butterfly represents? Aeonian Butterfly: Malena, Nascent Butterfly: ST. Trina / Miquella, but then the Smoldering Butterfly remained mysterious. So know Mesmer: Smoldering Butterfly. This could be interesting, before I thought it could be Melina or the frenzy flame Butterfly.

[@Limcube]

What if he also has direct ties to Melina, have you seen how his closed eye mirrors hers? Shes also another unexplained child of Marika

[@TheKniteOwl2686]

@@Limcube quite possible I hope we get more lore on Melina and more questions answered. Since it’s following Marika’s past perhaps we will.

[@Cwronaga216]

The opening line is actually in reference to the item the bewitching branch which is a relic of Miguella. He is referred to as the most powerful of the demigods and has the power make everyone love him. The line is in reference to him who is also known as Saint Trina. The purple / blue flower seen throughout the trailer where the character is laying on the ground is Saint Trina's Lily another item in reference to the demigod that is known to induce sleep and anywhere you see the color purple or pinkish is probably related to some form of sleep Magic the red Sword Dancer could be a reference to the very Sword Dancer that taught a certain rot goddess her moveset. It's also seemingly implied that will be dealing a lot with the concept of The Crucible which was only lightly touched in the main game in regards to The Crucible Knights and the tree they used to follow as they had a heavy tie to both man beasts as seen in the trailer and Omens

[@darkmatter69420]

My understanding of the crucible is that it's not a tree. But a primordial soup that all things come from. The precursor to everything. Is this incorrect?

[@Cwronaga216]

@@darkmatter69420 well I was referring to The Crucible as an organization or faction.

[@victorprati7908]

Isn't the Sword Dancer who taught Malenia a man? As the prosthesis-wearer heirloom talisman says: "Though born into the accursed rot, when the young girl encountered her mentor and HIS flowing blade, she gained wings of unparalleled strength."

[@Cwronaga216]

@@victorprati7908 it could be the same faction though

[@victorprati7908]

now that's more grounded in the realm of possibilities 👌@@Cwronaga216

[@brombombadil]

I wonder if Mesmer isn't an inverted character of Miquella, like Radagon was to Marika. They are of the same bloodline, and if Miquella sacrificed himself to create the Hellig tree, Mesmer could be all that's left. I wondered if he might not be related to Rykard, because of the whole snake thing, but that wouldn't follow the R naming convention.

[@austin0_bandit05]

Given the alchemical and Jungian themes I'd say there's a good chance. The concept of the anima/animus (a king/queen hermaphrodite often conveyed in alchemical art).

[@death174128]

Mesmer is the result of miqella unalloying himself of his father's tainted gold and locking it away in the primordial crucible, the place where Merika first stepped foot in the Landa between

[@Eternalposting216]

Kind of along my thought. I think it's all a shadow of the lands between. It's all twisted darker versions of the other side

[@death174128]

​@@Eternalposting216 I posit that we have been in the dream all along, a dream of Merikas making. Perhaps the Shadow of the Erdtree Covers the real world that she first conquered.

[@doot7730]

Other theory...perhaps messmer pupped a tarnished. Opting to adopt the enemies of the erdtree and is plotting to overthrow the erdtree

[@Team40MilliGs]

"May we meet again" Sounds awfully like Ranni

[@wrathofthegods4739]

It’s Miquella

[@lolidiot4656]

nah it's most likely Miquella's voice actress

[@jungtothehuimang]

I personally also believe it is meant to be miquella. Miyazaki's little femboys are usually voiced by women VAs. I think Miquella is asking us to come find or help him.

[@sushanthraos9149]

The last voice we here is also similar to a young boy's voice and hence can be miquella himself which would make a lot of sense some more speculation When messmer says mother i think he IS referring to Marika as we become HER consort and become elden lord

[@hwttsss]

i thought that voice sounded like ranni

[@SDSypher]

@@hwttsss yeah, either ranni or Melina (but speaking loud)

[@WildFireAndEarth]

7:12 Could this be a Death Companion? Pregnant with this man's reincarnation?

[@victorprati7908]

Exactly my thoughts!

[@hornplayerchris]

That portrait pose absolutely indicates she's pregnant.

[@HeraldingHistorian]

I have this thought that the land of Shadow is kinda like where powerful beings go when they die, particularly demigods. Mesmer is a fallen demigod, the third child of Marika and Radagon who was the first to turn to blasphemy and was banished here. This place is where Marika first stepped because it’s where death was officially sealed and she became a god, in turn sealing this place away. Now when any demigods die, their consciousness goes here and it’s a constant battleground because Marika told her children to fight for dominance. Miquella went here when he embedded himself in the tree, looking to free Godwyn, hence the presence of death in the region. I imagine we’ll be taking on Mesmer because he’s holding Godwyn somehow (maybe, last part is kinda of a stretch)

[@qwart22]

I hope that’s not true because I don’t wanna fight a harder malenia 💀

[@m.a.dmatt6689]

If that is true then that would explain the Godrick vibes I got from that lion looking boss. What with all the grafted arms underneath it's cloak

[@Recon-601]

​@@qwart22nah You gotta get in between her and rahdan fighting again and it's a boss vs player vs boss three way match

[@brandonsalisbury7182]

I really like the art direction they went with for the expansion! A very twisted & somewhat darker looking world even more so then the base game & I’m loving it!

[@alliesangalli1757]

Let's goooo!! I'm so excited, this DLC looks massive and so cool

[@jdawg1034]

I like how you used all the creepy Zelda music in the back ground

[@gun_slinger6664]

I actually believe that the first line spoken in the trailer talking about someone shriving men clean with love and it being terrifying is not referencing Messmer but really referencing Miquella and I am calling it that we'll fight him or a corrupted version of him at the end of the DLC. But who really knows it IS FromSoft we're talking about here. 😂

[@lolidiot4656]

it's 100% referencing Miquella it's why as those lines are being spoken it's showing you Miquella's corpse in Moghwyn palace, idk why he didn't put that together lol

[@ted_the_kazooman2]

I sorta assumed that the Shadow lands would be kind of like Termina from Legend of Zelda. With some things being close and similar, but also different

[@skeletorgames8641]

Or the Dark World or Lorule.

[@user-jc2zu7uo2p]

love how FAST you are! i was so ready to talk about this dlc! :) everything you have said makes sense to me so far, i do not think, however, that the voice at the end is melina. it is deeper and has a different accent - at least to my ear. but maybe i'm wrong! so curious to see what the story will be. i am also curious if we will ever get to see the cucoon miquella move... like maybe that's a secret secret boss, so you get to fight this deformed and demonic form of miquella at the end of the dlc

[@alanwhite8870]

I think the female voice is the gloam eyed queen. She has the same voice as Melina and doesn’t die as she shows up in the frenzy flame ending promising destined death to the tarnished

[@SDSypher]

I thought the same as well

[@Cnote1]

The shrive clean part is talking about Miquella not Mesmer

[@arec305]

I’m so ready for this DLC

[@luminaria822]

Hey Bandit, just wanna say that your Elden Ring videos are one of my favorites, I often go back to them. I discoverd this game thanks to you as well as the other soulsborne games and a whole bunchs of theorist and passionate fans in the community So I'm hype for your futur analyses on the dlc once it releases x) Keep up the good work bandit ! [So I didn't hallucinate when I saw a notif for this video yesterday, uh ]

[@UberHero17]

The Giant fire being is based off the wicker man large stick and tree men used in religious festivals to burn down like the Burning Man events. Not only is this a reference to Pagen/witchcraft ideals but to Manga Berserk as one of the last chapters produced after dark souls has them with frail hands. This marks the last latest material based of Berserk that arc was the last before Kentaro Miura passsing. I like to think he designed such a enemy to see what Fromsoftware would do with it. Lastly the lady at the end could be Renna the snow witch which is why its similar to Ranni and Melina as the puppet body is based off Renna.

[@-thebatman-]

Lady at the end? U mean Miquella?

[@UberHero17]

Sorry i meant the final voice of the trailer who talks about touching the hand as they say they won't be far behind, meeting us in the DLC. The reason i think its Renna as it would not interrupt Melena actions the base game and they are similar looking so they could sound similar as well. @@-thebatman-

[@Derpgenerate]

12:18 I think due to the fog gate in the background that this could be a new boss and in the background we can see this new distorted tree and when observing the moment where the tarnished throws the explosive pot we can see a similar sort of castle under or around the new tree so maybe he could be a guardian for this tree or to Mesmer himself

[@victorprati7908]

more like the boss is on the other side of the fog

[@-thebatman-]

@@victorprati7908for real that guy is just a knight. He ain’t a boss for sure no way in the dlc they just put a basic knight for a boss.

[@khaoz4432]

7:47 is possibly a prison built by Mesmer? The lava would obviously be consistent with the fire imagery related to Mesmer and also the player model walking up the pillar is the prisoner starting class. Possibly somewhere that those deemed unworthy by Mesmer are sent? I have not kept myself educated with the Elden Ring lore to know if there is a backstory already discovered with the prisoner class, but this is my theory for now.

[@adamkorzon2972]

The knight standing with that crescent helmet looking at Miquellas rune has that cape on that is the one talking.The design on the robe perfectly matches the lower half we are shown

[@user-jc2zu7uo2p]

also, the weird alter behind the roderika look-alike seems to have either a strange tree petruding out of it or two fingers.

[@r3gret2079]

I dont think they are talking about Messmer "shriving the hearts of men". The full quote is "Pure and Radiant. He wields love to shrive clean the hearts of men. There is nothing more terrifying." Messmer is not one that could be described as "pure and radiant". It's very clear they are talking about Miquella. Lol Edit: iirc Miyazaki confirmed in a famitsu article that Messmer is indeed a "child of Marika".

[@arobotarmy9878]

The golden structure that has impaled the old man from the painting resembles the golden structure inside the Elden Beast.

[@Plaudible]

I believe the lion looking creature is meant to be a reference to Chinese lion dance as well, with separate (or grafted) people controlling its front and back halves

[@victorprati7908]

It's not a reference. Fromsoft doesn't make references only takes inspiration from.

[@-thebatman-]

It is Miyazaki said the bosses name is lion dance.

[@FireAssassin06]

Loved the Shadow Temple music. Was awesome

[@ramusn.6394]

It is very likely the person that speaks with you about not being far behind is Miquella himself.

[@MrBedZeppelin]

I believe there will be some kind of extended story related cutscene involving the parting of water (sea to the south) to reveal the "Shadow" realm location. If you notice the first scene where the tarnished first enter area on top of Torrent, you notice wet ground that Torrent runs on. Also, many camera angles appear to give the feeling of looking "upwards" at Erdtree. The many island type land structures also appear to be shaped as if underwater previous and surroundings seem like lands are just in a bowl type area.

[@cubber2139]

I'm so ready for this dlc bandit great video too my friend

[@shawnwilcowski]

Yessir thank you Bandit!

[@patrickg3872]

Muh character just sitting, waiting for me to download this and spend summer dying over and over to these new bosses

[@sk8legendz]

The drapes veil theory i think is fitting as it mirrors the golden lights protruding from the Erdtree in similar fashion. I think they're the same veil/drape of light/shadow

[@SeanMcM]

the person in the room with the cages on the throne looks like the person on the inverted statue in the base game

[@merleetomlin6218]

I'm so excited for this!!!

[@jackirish9022]

I think the hearts of men thing. Is referring to Mikel.

[@HerMi.T]

It is definitely not mohg miquella is awaiting. It is us definitely because miquella rejected mohg very clearly in mohgwyn palace.

[@aidenfuhrman8579]

I personally really like how bandit presents his theories. He’s really fun person to listen to.

[@adamkorzon2972]

The bridge in Lyndel went to this place,The highway is been broken off.There have several roads completely missing going to obviously to these lands.

[@Panpizzadeluxe]

The “pure and radiant” line in the intro is in reference to Miquella, not Messmer.

[@bojatr1]

Nice analysis. I want to play this game now

[@mmystixx3285]

just finished, great video, cant wait for this udpdate bro i am so exc ited

[@DyHi_]

1:16 I figured this to be a description of miquella. Possibly a reference to the bewitching branches, that can get enemies to fight for you, or it could be the possible bewitching incantation that seems to be shown. (It could also be a sleep incantation, but I doubt it because the colors are a bit off from the purple/lavender that sleep is associated with in Elden ring.)

[@BlackwingVayu77]

possible the realm is in the past? that new castle kinda looks like farum azula and theres dragons flying around. also the voice actor for miquella has been cast and thats who the narrator is. only reason i think its in the past is cause of that red spear that goes thry marikas body when we first see her in the boss room. messmer "the impaler" hes got the red spear that kinda looks like it too

[@user-uy6ji9if8p]

Dude what if that lion-omen looking monster is the thing that the omens see on their nighmares (also the one on the omenkillers masks)

[@m.a.dmatt6689]

I honestly hope the Shadow Realm is also a sort of mirror realm of the Lands Between

[@Godlysound]

I feel like the opening line is referring to miquella, since it's stated everyone loved him even to unnatural levels. Perhaps miquella is actually abusing his power in this shadow realm and mesmer is actually against it, being a seemingly abandoned/forgotten/banished child of Marika 'mother, wouldst thou truly lordship sanction, to one so bereft of light?' He's definitely talking to Marika, seemingly about the tarnished, destined to become elden lord, but he could also be talking about miquella, perhaps Marika left him as lord of the land of shadows after her departure to the lands between?

[@SrchangwaytogoC]

16:45 Holy Moly, Miquella himself!

[@Dualitymadness]

Seeing elden ring, its story, its unrivaled atmosphere, dungeons and character designs, man i would love to see fromsoft help work on a zelda game it would be amazing.

[@skeletorgames8641]

I always figure dark souls felt like a mature Zelda without the puzzles, more than a Castlevania like others claim.

[@levim.3505]

My theory: Messmer is the third (fourth, counting Melina) and firstborn child of Marika. As the third child of Marika and Radagon he is the correlating child to the smouldering butterfly. Messmer was inherently evil from birth and the true adversary to the Golden Order (akin to the biblical figure of Satan). Soon after his birth, Marika came to discover his desire to destroy the Erdtree and Golden Order. For this reason, he had to be banished to the Shadowlands. Furious over his exile, he plunged the Shadowlands into a war and set them ablaze. _A land purged in an unsung battle. Set ablaze by Messmer’s flame_ Miquella, born after Messmer, one day came to find out about the existence of his brother. Marika, burdened by guilt and shame, was unable to tell him the truth about his brother's malicious nature and banishment. Miquella still learned (part of) the truth, being informed about it by Mohg. This was when Mohg took Miquella with him to Mohgwyn's palace, promising him to bring him to the Shadowlands and letting him visit his lost brother. Mohg did not teach him about the evil nature of Messmer. With the help of Mohg, he teleported his body to the Shadowlands. This was done by putting his childlike form into the cocoon. He went on his journey to find Messmer. Upon meeting him, he finally had to learn the reason for his mothers secrecy. Messmer revealed his demonic nature to his younger brother who, from then on, was captured and held prisoner by him. This is the reason why Miquella has been unable to return from his journey, stuck inside of the cocoon in Mohgwyn Palace. _It was to this land that Miquella departed_ _Divesting himself of his flesh, his strength, his lineage_ _Of all things Golden_ So upon visiting the Shadowlands, Miquella got rid of his body and his godliness to some degree. Could he be the "one so bereft of light", who Messmers refers to in his dialogue? _And now Miquella awaits the return of his promised Lord_ The promised Lord are we, in form of the Tarnished, opening the portal at Mohgwyn's Palace once more, to visit the Shadowlands and free Miquella. Messmer's motivation to keep Miquella prisoner consists in his envy and bitterness towards him, since Marika granted her Lordship to Miquella instead of Messmer. Miquella is the one "so bereft of light". _Mother, wouldst thou truly Lordship sanction, in one so bereft of light?_ _Divesting himself of his flesh, his strength, his lineage_ _Of all things Golden_ But Messmer has ulterior motives: He also holds Miquella captive to instrumentalize the cocoon and Miquella in his stuck and helpless state, using it to trick the Tarnished into opening the portal to the Shadowlands, thinking he will be able to find Miquella, when all he does is giving Messmer the chance to enter the Lands Between and wreak havoc. This manipulative and deceiving nature is what gave Messmer his name: A clear reference to Franz Mesmer, the german physician that developed the first forms of hynposis. His ultimate goal is the destruction of the Erdtree. However, Messmer is revealed to be but a puppet. He, like Mohg, is controlled by the Formless Mother. This gives his dialogue line from the trailer a double entendre: _Mother, wouldst thou truly Lordship sanction, in one so bereft of light?_ Not only does he refer to his literal mother Marika and his brother Miquella as the one so bereft of light. He also phrases this as a rhetorical question, adressing his symbolic mother and lord, the Formless mother, with him being the one so bereft of light, that was granted his powers by her. Like Mohg, the Formless Mother was the one to teach him the use of the Bloodflame.

[@-thebatman-]

Well Miyazaki said he’s a child of Marika

[@daniellongpre9623]

Mesmer calling someone mother could also refer to the formless mother as well, not to say he isn't related to radagon at the very least as shown with his red hair but weh have 3 known enities refered to as mother, Merika, Renalla and the Formless Mother. Considering where the DLC is speculated to start I wouldn't be surpised if the Formless Mother takes a more prominent role in the DLC

[@skeletorgames8641]

As others have mentioned, asking the mother about eldenlotdship qualifications sounds like he is talking about Mario’s specifically. Since that is her sphere of knowledge nfluence.

[@hurricaneman7777]

My favourite theory for the last narrator is Marika as they sound a bit deeper that Melina

[@wrathofthegods4739]

Last character is Miquella, it’s confirmed by miyazaki that he will guide you through this journey in the same way you followed grace in the lands between. I don’t even think the checkpoints will be graces in the dlc I think the rune the knight is looking at in that clip are the new checkpoints

[@eldenringpvpenthusiast1710]

if you look up a picture of Rykard, even a part of the giant snake, he does not have slit eyes. Mesmer must have done some dragon communion

[@rogerz666]

Messmer is a children of Mohg and Miquella. Blood dynasty 🤯🤯🤯

[@wrathofthegods4739]

Messmer is miquellas and malenias long lost and exiled brother

[@-thebatman-]

Messier is a child of Marika. Also Miquella and mohg are both males how tf they gonna have a child?

[@jmfkage]

​@-thebatman- are your forgetting his parents are the same person anything is possible

[@-thebatman-]

@@jmfkage not according to Miyazaki who confirmed he’s a child of Marika.

[@skinlesschickennugget2411]

13:32 those attack is reminiscing of the forest spirit head in Hayao Miyazakis Princess Mononoke

[@chriswright9316]

@bandit since we explored “the lands between” in the base game, and are traveling to “the lands of shadow”, I can’t help but wonder if there will be a “land of light” also… 🧐

[@-thebatman-]

This is the only expansion so no.

[@dwighttheislander7369]

You can actually see the Halig tree from a distance, I obviously cqn't send a screenshot, but at the north end kf the windmill village, by a cliff, you can see the Halig tree as well as the consecrated snowfield

[@adamkorzon2972]

0:54 matches the robe of the knight in the shot of the rune exactly.

[@adamkorzon2972]

4:51 is the knight and rune

[@apple1231230]

10:11 my guess is Mesmer is a son of the formless mother and is referring to "her" choosing to make mohg a lord.

[@robertmunoz7058]

There was a comment on another breakdown video of the DLC that I personally feel best explains the lion creature, and it's that its meant to be a mockery of the Golden Lineage. The long blonde hair representing Godwyn the Golden, the Omen horns representing Morgott and Mohg, and the lion head representing Godfrey. Also, am I the only one who thinks the area with the undead horse enemy/boss looks similar to the place you fight Darkeater Midir in Dark Souls 3?

[@knightmare965]

I think he is one of Marika's forgotten children

[@-thebatman-]

Miyazaki already confirmed that.

[@benitoswagolini7140]

That Giant fire golem thing kinda looks like the wicker men from berserk so they might have made another reference

[@giannkarlocalderon]

I knew I seen that guy before

[@mangodango1733]

Wait bandit is an elden ring guy LETS GOOOOO

[@adamkorzon2972]

That man is the key to everything

[@shroomian2739]

I have a very weird theory that I’m just throwing out there: the man pulling a spike out of his head might be the soul of godwyn. We know he has a strong tie to deathbed companions, he is the source of deathroot, which might have something to do with the golden root the man pulls out of his head (we know that the things that are golden are decayed, so maybe the things that are decayed become golden), and his soul has been withering away in torment /somewhere/ so it’s not implausible

[@galaxsija4591]

Let Bandit's New Era officially begin!

[@AriseDearRose]

Midir boss area and the face of that skeleton horse rider looks like the abyss spells from dark souls

[@user-kx8ph9rp3e]

I’m sure the lady in the portrait is the Deathbed Companion.

[@RealCutieMutie]

I would love to see a new prediction video just before the DLC drop, with update theories from the community. Just to better compare what we got right and wrong about the DLC.

[@tebone3573]

Also, the fight in the white flowers reminds me of the fight with Ishin in sekrio

[@mangodango1733]

I am so excited for more lightning ⚡⚡⚡⚡

[@TheFallingFlamingo]

These are my early (but actually late) theories: -Marika and the Gloam Eyed Queen (GEQ) are actually the same person, GEQ is another aspect of Marika, similar to Miquella and St Trina. (This would also explain Marika's seeming distrust/distaste towards her shadow, as she had him kill a version of herself.) -Melina is the daughter of Marika while she was the Gloam Eyed Queen. (Possibly a daughter of GEQ + Godfrey) -After Marika expunged the GEQ from herself, she would eventually replaced the missing personality with Radagon. -Radagon personality ended up overpowering Marika, so she set up the events of Elden Ring in order to free herself from Radagon and choose a new Lord. -Messmer is the corrupted 1/2 of the adult version of Miquella, with the other half being St Trina (I believe the St Trina aspect of Miquella will act in a similar way to Melina in the DLC)

[@craigauclair4026]

The Erdtree in the dlc isn't the Haligtree. It's the Shadow Erdtree, aka, the shadow of the Erdtree. If it was the Haligtree, we wouldn't be going to a new land.

[@-thebatman-]

It’s the real Erdtree. The one in the base game isn’t real. When you look at it it’s see through it’s just a projection with physical properties.

[@craigauclair4026]

​@@-thebatman- how is it the real one, it's literally in the shadow of the Erdtree?

[@-thebatman-]

@@craigauclair4026 Miyazaki said it’s the shadow lands is the birth place of the erdtree from the crucible. So it seems it might be the first erdtree.

[@adamkorzon2972]

those are bird cages like those at the Academy.

[@Destriee1993]

It's interesting how the grafted beast enemy seems to have two set of teeth, one jagged beast like and another more human like. Great video Correction: not a grafted beast. Just an interesting cosplay

[@red-kh3jz]

Miyazaki said that it's a lion dancer, similar to Asian dragon dancers in the real world, and the lion dancer is indicative of a culture of the shadowlands that existed before the erdtree

[@red-kh3jz]

Also, it's good to note that the lion dancer isn't grafted together, we know from godrick that when two creatures are grafted together, the one in control has complete control over whatever limb they have just received, however, if you look closely, the first frame that the lion dancer is in, there is a hand under neath the jaw of the lion that pushes it closed, the lion face isn't grafted to a person at all, it's just a mask

[@s0nnasauras630]

It's 2 omens on top of each other not grafted

[@adamkorzon2972]

5:10 is the person facing cocoon,look at cloak design.

[@davidcoblentz6264]

The tree looks like a crucible knot

[@Bubumuk]

Great vid, Mr. Bandit

[@keo528528]

This looks bigger than all the additional areas from TOTK that were stacked on BOTW. It appears to be a contender for the biggest dlc ever.

[@aaronjohnson1005]

I think everyone isn’t thinking about the fact the Mesmer mentioning his mother could be referring to the blood mother not marika. After all he has the body shape what was miquela being transformed in the egg

[@MegatronDconZ]

It sounds a lot more like nepehli loux then it does melenai in my opinion, and she did say she would always watch your back after you helped her out

[@Senzuballs]

5:15 that sword has to be a nod to the Nameless King’s sword

[@victorprati7908]

wdym? NK wields a Swordspear not a greatsword

[@-thebatman-]

@@victorprati7908it’s a great spear.

[@victorprati7908]

@@-thebatman- it's literally called Dragonslayer Swordspear. Even so my point stands as it's not a greatsword/CGS

[@emoharalampiev1590]

12:11 obviously I don't know at all, but to me that kidna looked like PvP, I mean the background would fit a PvP arena and both characters seem like they could be players.

[@DarknessXevil]

Is the egg that Mohglester is protecting the flesh that Miquella divested before departing for the Land of Shadow? The lion looking omen creature looks like it could be the woman that was standing next to the man in the portrait, hair and clothing look sorta similar. The mother that Mesmer is talking about could be the Formless Mother considering the fact that it looks like he's wielding bloodflame abilities like Mohg. The Land of Shadow is where Marika first step foot apparently so it seems like they could be a real place and not a dream realm. The Land of Shadow could be part of the "Badlands" that the Tarnished were banished to once the Grace left them or a surrounding territory of the Lands Between because the name literally implies that its between something.

[@OctoClink]

Mohglester 💀💀

[@victorprati7908]

Quite the spitballing right there 😅 Sorry I don't see the bloodflames a lot of people are talking about. Looks like his own new flame as Messmer himself says: "... in the embrace of Messmer's flame" This urge to tie everything together is very unproductive in the souls community. Like when you try to tie the woman in the painting with the lion creature when it's most likely to be something completely unrelated. hair and clothing look nothing alike. And when you bring up the possibility of the Land of Shadow be part of the Badlands. Like really trying to mash things together. That would be very lame if true. And I will call it now: The Formless Mother will not be part of anything in this DLC. As there's basically little to no lore about her in the base game. Same goes for the GEQ. It's not gonna happen guys, sorry. Stop with urge to shove GEQ speculation with everything remotely related to the godskins (which, by the way, are no where to be seen in the trailer).

[@red-kh3jz]

While it is possible, it seems more likely that messmer is speaking about Marika when he says mother, because he talks about her sanctioning our(the player's) lordship, which is exactly what the standard ending is, we forcibly marry Marika in order to become elden lord

[@red-kh3jz]

Also, the lion creature is actually a lion dancer, very similar to Asian dragon dancers in the real world. Miyazaki stated that the lion dancer is a relic of some long lost culture of the shadowlands from before the erdtree. Also, we know that the lion head isn't grafted onto the body because in the first frames with the dancer a hand pushes the jaw of the lion closed, meaning that the lion head is just a mask and is not controlled automatically like grafted limbs are

[@-thebatman-]

Bro go Google Miyazaki’s interviews cuz he explains a lot and pretty much everything you speculated is wrong.

[@WeyounSix]

I think the tree in the DLC is the REAL Erdtree. Concealed in the land of Shadow by Marika after it started to die, and the tree was separated from the lands between just like miquella, which is why we see the giant rune tree left over from the Erdtree dying. The Erdtree in game is just a giant illusiory tree that not everybody can see in the first place, and it takes the same form as the small trees on the ground when something with grace (ie a tarnished) dies.

[@Always_has_been]

Is "kind" reference to Miquella or is it reference to what "kind" of things he's doing there?

[@madlazy4778]

The old man may be goldmask

[@rohiogerv22]

I don't think the other ideas are bad, but isn't it much more likely that the lion head boss is related to Godfrey, the blonde-haired man with a lion spirit? It's almost as if all of Godfrey's symbols-himself, his spirit, his legacy of grafting, his passing of the omen disease-all got merged into one massive curse

[@jamescurry5846]

Day drinking coming soon!

[@MyJeer]

The first armor reminds me of the Arch drake set from ds2. In fact, a good amount of the trailer reminds me of Drangleic. Also, the lady in the painting is holding her stomach which usually means she is pregnant.

[@shimizutanitheii8945]

The voice at the start is clearly talking about Miquella.

[@Blockvard]

The siblings all come in three. Morgott and Mohg is missing a third. Messmer seems to have snake growths and could also be warped in appearance like the sibling twins. But his affliction could have been accepted at first

[@Orciwan548]

I cannot wait for more bosses. I know some people thought some of the original ones were too strong and unfair but that was my favorite part. I want another difficult boss and a couple fun bosses to play against for awhile. So hyped for this though.

[@Orciwan548]

Oh I almost for NEW BOSS MUSIC! Oh Elden ring as a whole has such a good sound track we’re getting more let’s go

[@MossOwnsYouYT]

Yes, please. I need a new perspective on this. I really would like to see what more of the internet thinks, especially with the themes we see going forward with the Crucible Culture and sleep stuff. I personally think that Messmer has to do with Sin, since he has thorny growths around his flame, which makes more sense when we see the flame monks and thier thorns.

[@lykhoul907]

I haven't seen someone mention the great rune we see in the DLC, it is almost identical to Malenia's great rune and following that logic, Morgot and Mogh great rune are the same with only the color that changes as they follow different paths. It suits very well as Miquella great rune

[@xfirerhyloxx1941]

The zombie ripping out his spine is gonna be the new melania

[@HerMi.T]

I think it is miquella the guy at start talking about. Because miquella in lore uses love to shrive clean of hearts of men. Give them home and helps in their fight by bewitching them. It is miquella through and through. And coincidentally very similar to Griffith in berserk which makes sense because miquella has this bewitching beauty to him just like Griffith.

[@Derpgenerate]

Holy shit this is such a good observation that would make so much sense due to how much Miyazaki takes inspiration from berserk

[@Colette_is_strange]

Agreed, I'm 99% sure the opening line is talking about Miquella. And the Griffith comparison is so apt, from item descriptions like the bewitching branch. "The Empyrean Miquella is loved by many people. Indeed, he has learned very well how to compel such affection." Combined with some other theories of the anima/animus, I'm wondering if this is where Miquella will get his Elcipse moment.

[@user-ei7wg7wo7k]

Yay

[@Florjb0rjTheFloorboard]

Ah, the memories....