Shadow Of The Erdtree Story Trailer Thoughts - Elden Ring

[@psevdhome]

Looking for Fromsoft's next DLC: "Shadow of the Bird-Tree" it's just a tree full of those giant crow monsters and each one is more monstrous than the last.

[@slightlytwistedagain]

Marika is doing what Ranni does in the Age of Stars ending, it's basically the birth of the new age. The strands she's holing is the Elden Ring and is in the shape of her crucifixion crescent. The corpse is most likely the corpse of the Golem Eyed Queen.

[@TheHonoredMadman]

Thats a great comparison. The stance is even the same, i wish i wouldve thought of it so i could put a comparison of the two scenes

[@travman1987]

But the gloam eyed queen was killed by Maliketh. Maliketh came after these events correct? I thought it was the Godskin swaddling cloth.

[@slightlytwistedagain]

@@TheHonoredMadman Do another video. That would spark debate in the lore community more than my little comment.

[@ianwilliams2632]

@@travman1987 Maliketh was the half-brother of Marika, so presumably they were contemporaneous

[@Solibrae]

@@travman1987 If this is supposed to be the birth of the Golden Order, then Maliketh is definitely present because that's when Destined Death was sealed in his sword.

[@diegoalderette6485]

B I R T H I N G S A C K

[@SpontaneousPudding]

CUM HOSE

[@Ghostgate611]

Hmm interesting way of saying bollocks

[@minespatch]

Yeah... I can't unsee a woman's crotch from that opening. People say it's a cloth sack, but the goo on her hands... 😬

[@austinmenezes8074]

Looks more like a punani

[@SpontaneousPudding]

M I N G E

[@orioncoats]

Watching Marika hold the immature threads of the universe together and weaving them atop the alter, really feels like the most important thing we've been shown. And yet im not even sure thats what is happening. Its insane that we can know so much but still just miss a few key pieces of information that would elucidate the truth to us.

[@Quoisboy]

HUH

[@shquankinket8068]

Similar threads can be seen on marikas hammer from the original reveal trailer for the game. I wouldn’t be surprised if Miyazaki looked into string theory for the inspiration for these strands. What I’m thinking is the strings are the literal laws of physics and life and marika used them to shape the Elden ring in turn shaping how the lands between works. Hence why removing the rune of death removed death from the realm. Also I wouldn’t be surprised if we learn that the lands between are actually the alternate dimension and the land of shadow is the real world. We had to cross a fog to get to the lands between but maybe I’m looking at it wrong

[@avgfunkygamer]

I think you can tell that the lion dance is already a "puppet" if you go frame by frame, you can see hands holding the jaws of the lion like in the first trailer.

[@TheHonoredMadman]

youre right

[@facundovera3227]

I love the parallels between the battle of Messmer the Impaler and the Chinese Dragon boss (?) and the conflict of Starscourge Radahn and Malenia the Severed, because history doesn't repeat, but it sure does rhyme.

[@ALaz502]

Miquellas plan will ultimately be benevolent. The rub? We will have to be sacrificed for it. And we're certainly not about to let THAT happen.

[@phantomleaves]

Oh I really hope this is the case

[@GhostWriter-Gohan]

We're being played by Miquella AND Marika together

[@alyseleem2692]

It has been...a long while... The Crucible Of Life being fueled by Death is something most of us had guessed in some form; still, to see it be so literal... For some odd reason, I have the distinct feeling all of them died fighting. As in, this was how life went. They fought till died, and the red paste left behind would make life. Messmer being loyal to his mother and yet using fire and serpentsis not contradictory, per se; one need only observe the context. Why is fire forbidden in the age of the Erdtree? Because the Erdtree is perfect; eternal. The end of history. In the context of it's existence, fire has no purpose.... But what about before that? How would Marika view Fire before her tree was born? Simple; An invaluable tool. To create the Erdtree and the Golden Order, that old order had to burn as fuel. Messmer was the engine behind Marika's progress; the force through which the Erdtree became possible... And for that same reason, he needed to be cast off. Such is his mother's hypocrisy. The Omen we see impaled are of a higher breed; nobles, perhaps. Tall, thin and well-decorated; their purge was necessary not precisely for their horns, but their organisation. Such a thing could not be allowed. Mercy and treatment, and perhaps hiding, may be allowed to mere unfortunate infants like the Omen we meet, but these? These could not be allowed to see another day. Not in Marika's order.

[@bigboy6019]

lion is still a puppet, you can see the hands moving the jaw again. I went frame by frame there when I watched the trailer because I also thought it could be the "alive" lion lol would be cool

[@TheHonoredMadman]

You right. I totally didnt notice that but then that means the speared omens are probably some of the puppeteers

[@Dastardly_Duo]

2:55 Thats still the puppet. You can see the hands and feet sticking out

[@ThommyofThenn]

5:12 man I love when I have nothing, someone else talks about something they're unclear on, and their take inspires something in me. You talk about this being the primordial crucible and that image of her walking through the meat walls reminds me of the 'opening canal' when you leave the cave in DS2. Obviously a birth metaphor but the texture of the meat wall drew my eye again. The texture reminds me of the snake things infesting Rykards' charred corse when Tanith is gorging on his flesh. The creepy snakey/arm things. Could just be an asset reuse but knowing fromsoft, I feel there is more there

[@sk8legendz]

The way the city buildings started evaporating into black matter reminded me of twilight princess when the bridge pieces were transported And how they floated towards the tree with the golden glow above it all I'm thinking we saw Marika sending some parts of the land to the new land she created *the lands between* The land being between that arch I wonder if alludes to a greater meaning of the name *the lands between* like if she creates her own pocket of Oblivion basically

[@TheHonoredMadman]

Yeah that castle is very twilight princess esque with the particles going black and into the heavens, thats a great theory of her taking parts she wanted

[@DustDemonTwilight]

don't know if anyone noticed, but when wind blows on marika, sounds like a roar in the distance, maybe elden beast?

[@GearShotgun]

8:36 It wasnt until i heard you mention demi-humans that I realized how similar the lion dancer is to them in appearance. They dint have the horns it does, but the misshapen mix of man and beast reminds me of them

[@TheHonoredMadman]

This was dawning on me as well during editing. They have very similar faces, but as you said the demi humans lack horns, but some of them where goat horns on their backs so maybe they do it in honor of the dancer

[@milijanpetrovic7228]

The first part every Berserk fan would find first part of the trailer with Marika to be similar to the Eclipse event.

[@TheHonoredMadman]

I can see some similarities with the visuals especiallythe fleshy red ground, it had the same eldritch birth event horror aspect to it. The eclipse chapters and the 90s anime adaptation of it are burned into my brain

[@milijanpetrovic7228]

@@TheHonoredMadman And both events signify the ascension of someone through mass sacrifice. In similar way I also do not trust Miquela.

[@TheHonoredMadman]

I agree, i always think back to the narration in the first trailer in regards to miquella "there is nothing more terrifying" and that description about him learning how to compell affection. He basically is griffith already

[@TheLyricalCleric]

Love that music of the shadow realm from Link to the Past! First time that happened to me I turned into a bunny and ran around flabbergasted on top of death mountain. Great times, great game!

[@ThommyofThenn]

The palette of the dlc, black, grey all striken through with gold, is just gorgeous. And those firey battle scenes are fearsome looking

[@hankskorpio5857]

That Bighat guy is the one doing kungfu kicks in the trailer isnt he?

[@TheHonoredMadman]

I believe so

[@coledaulton8740]

Ik there was a cut questline with a dude obsessed with st Trina, I’d like to see him with that band of tarnished

[@willardtk]

"...that's like tattoo material type shit." lmfao never change, man

[@callmejrob1]

Theory for you, "mother how could you endow lordship on one so bereft of grace" is referring to Godfrey, who was aligned with the crucible , he does lead the crucible knights - leading to the line about seduction and betrayel.

[@lexmortis5722]

There is no indication except for the crucible knights that shows a connection between the crucible and Godfrey. And the crucible knights are not enough to connect them.

[@callmejrob1]

@lexmortis5722 I would argue the early form of the Elden Ring itself (its form), the lion imagery associated with both, the crucible knights, the wild and untamed aspect of both, and the apparent time line of it all, all support it

[@callmejrob1]

As well as Marika's known tactic of seducing an enemy, breaking them from within, and incorporating what she finds usefull at the current moment into her order

[@OscarTheStrategist]

@@callmejrob1yeah Marika constantly hooking up with enemies she can’t beat is undeniably her MO

[@clementa918]

Also in the latter half of the trailer, we get this 'playful' kinda music almost reminiscent of children's music which turns sinister suddenly and then continues to plateau around that. My guess is that this is Miquella's bossfight music and that means, we do have Miquella as a boss

[@CJusticeHappen21]

A War that could never be put to song? Sounds like another way of saying that the war ended all who might sing it, which that sounds like GRRM's way of saying that the War ended all humans. Except Marika. *Theory:* Marika the Eternal is just that, Eternal. She is the last person to live through the World's End, and maybe she's been alive through many more before that. And she is trying to escape from it. Maybe at one point she actually wanted immortality and Godhood. Maybe she pulled a Griffith to obtain them. And maybe her Heaven is now her Hell.

[@lexmortis5722]

WW2 is a war not worthy to be put to song. A terrible war that all agree was bad will not be put to song

[@CJusticeHappen21]

@@lexmortis5722 A terrible war, but there have been many songs about WW2 and even the Holocaust.

[@lexmortis5722]

​@@CJusticeHappen21you know what I mean, nobody is going around and singing about WW2 unless it is in mourning

[@dakitofey171]

its still a puppet, you can see the arm moving the head under its chin

[@beansnrice321]

Glad you mentioned the music. I swear, when the church bells kicked I swear the ascending notes sounded like the hook from, "Dilated Peoples - Worst Comes To Worst" Powerful. Did you notice that the gold pouring out of the burnt tree/s actually looks similar to how Marika currently looks in game, crucified on the bottom portion of the Elden Ring? I wonder who that could be. Could that be Marika still or could that be the Gloam-eyed Queen or even someone else entirely.

[@rattle_boyale]

An indie sci-fi movie I liked a lot is Sunshine. Banger.

[@TheHonoredMadman]

Gonna check it out for sure, thanks for the recommendation

[@gygaxthecat2448]

"Six string samurai "

[@Umbra_Watcher]

It's probably best to say Melina she'll be around before going to farum azula, I'm actually doing on almost all characters in fact, there's probably a much more lore enphasis to learn. The only thing I suspect that we enter the DLC and she will be separated just like the time we arrive at Lyendel. It's probably best that everyone should save a lot of stuff for new game plus 2, an upgrade material so we can actually focus on which weapons should be best AR if anyone is starting a new game.

[@ABrickinTime]

I don’t know why I always thought of the crucible as a melting pot of molten lava etc. The bodies blended together would be an interesting take

[@lordofchaosinc.261]

Matt Smith-esque demigod? Dude he looks like Elric of Melniboné.

[@TheHonoredMadman]

I need to get around to reading those books. I hear them mentioned alot and it seems up my alley

[@GhostWriter-Gohan]

I literally just rewatched your last trailer cause i know you been busy this is blessed timing

[@GhostWriter-Gohan]

Remember how Fromsoft said this is where Marika first set foot in the lands between? What if this was right before she literally does that and her she steps into TLB. Also, not much evidence but inside the thing Marika reaches into, the serpent's amnion might be nestled. Just bc it fits the description, i think. Amnion from the mother's womb which cradled the poor unwanted offspring of a repellant birthing ritual. It will never dry out, remaining damp indefinitely It's has something oval, heavily maternal coded, the entire scene was repellant, Messmer is or may be an unwanted child a nd I KNOW it certainly doesn't sound like it was dried out or would ever have an issue remaining damp.

[@global-sequence]

If you look at the base game trailer, the golden strands are hanging from Marika/Radagon's hammer.

[@facundovera3227]

I don't have much to add, you just did a nice job with the quick video!

[@eliezertorres9236]

DLC trailer video lets light up and lets goooooooooooooooo

[@theiberianbadger0123]

All I know is, I’m gonna feel bad for exactly five seconds when I end these tarnished for all their drip.

[@ThommyofThenn]

Edit: corrected spelling of "run" to "rune." Bro first I just want to thank you for working so hard on the demi human video and still making a trailer review for this joyous surprise! Second, i dont get excited for "AAA" gaming much these days so it was great to feel genuine hype from this. One of my favourite scenes from this is the figure (probably Miq) kneeling while uplifting the strands of hair. Almost like a rune* arc!

[@aquazamm4926]

Madman back! Knew you were cooking something when I seen this trailer drop.

[@dbfzato-1327]

with red being the colour of the crucible i think your right, kinda reminds me of Rykards boss arena as well, and also the eternal city's weird statues of clumped together people, what is confusing me is that "marika" looks so not masculine but defo not feminine either, maybe she was radigon but golden hair version (possibly turns red after this scene or after the giant war) and used the mimic veil to seduce and betray the gloam eye queen or possibly the snake god, she even did it again to renalla what confuses me is how renalla has miquellas rune? how did radigon have it b4 he was even born? the one in the trailer looked slightly different tho, do they need it to birth him anew after his death to get to the shadow land? also now seeing that marika seduced something red to make the erdtree work...... miquella currently got his brother (lord of blood.... was a lot of blood in the trailer! and he watered his tree with blood) infatuated with him.... red and gold sounds familiar, we already know miquella wants to grow his tree and and is most likely there to see how marika did it

[@Arc-ug7dc]

“Abandon his fate” + having to defeat Rahdan to access the DLC, im guessing those are tied because of the stars controlling fate, and we help Miq cuz he’s like “fuck godhood I wanna help my bro”

[@jake212]

The undetermined, the guy in the middle of the back row. His helmet seems similar to the ones Mesmers spearmen wear, but his over all outfit reminds me of Gideon

[@russian_knight]

i really love the idea that the initial shots from the trailer is the crucible

[@qwertyuiop42385]

I wonder if this means the primordial crucible and the formless mother are one? The blood and flesh and the uh... other thing really make it look that way. Makes sense why it would be so linked to omen too.

[@PS_Artorias]

Definitely one of my favorite KZbinrs, a funny upstanding madman

[@danielkubicek1323]

I love how Madman phrases things. -Other video makers: "The shot is glorious!" -Other other video maker: "That image of Marika is pure cinema! Like a Renaissance artwork!" -Madman: "That looked like tattoo wortht shit!" 😆😆😆

[@RolloTonéBrownTown]

Stoked on this brotha

[@michaelkelly6568]

To me it is a portal or opening into the Lands Between as Queen Marika has done whatever she needed to do to to welcome the Greater Will. We can see the skyline of the Shadow Lands on the outside of the “portal” and the golden skyline of The Lands Between inside the “portal”.

[@frogginGunt]

LMAO, I JUST NOTICED. Using the oracle bubbles totally fits your "outro" 😂

[@5N3K93]

FS released a picture today of the knight in front here at 2:13. It’s a girl and the caption is “come walk with us” or something just like the line we hear in the gameplay trailer

[@leek5682]

I was skeptical about how good the story surrounding Miquela would be, but the trailer was impressive

[@Thegrunch12]

Babe wake up, the goat posted

[@5N3K93]

I feel like this is showing how marika became a god and created the golden order. You hit the nail on the head imo E 6:42 Godskin swaddling cloth possibly? Bloody birth?

[@diredier]

Would love hearing you talk about movies!

[@Golden284-fan]

I think merika and the gloam eyed queen had a haligtree double helix type situation going on before merika betrayed her. The gloam eyed queen controlling death and merika controlling birth makes a complete cycle, same as michella representing eternal youth and Melania representing eternal rot. I think that's what was going on with the shadow tree and physical erdtree that we see in the dlc.

[@lexmortis5722]

There is no indication that GEQ controlled death in the sense of a cycle. What GEQ did with black flame was absolute death, no cycle.

[@Etticos.]

I’m fiendin’ for that Aldia video.

[@TheHonoredMadman]

Hes burning for you. Im gonna finish it asap the wait has gone on long enough

[@Etticos.]

@@TheHonoredMadman nah man don’t rush, take your time. I’m sure it’ll be a banger.

[@oddissy]

What if when Melina said she was born at the foot of the Erdtree she actuality meant the Erdtree in the shadow lands...the birth of the Erdtree itself, and thats why she has no body as shes not from the lands between. What if Melina is plucked out of the womb in the intro or is the result of whatever happened there and the womb is the Gloem Eyed Queen, thus instead of being the suspected daughter of Marika she is the daughter of the gloem eyed queen. What if the gloem eyed queen is the pregnent women in the painting and thats why Melina is gloem eyed in one of the endings. What if Melina burning the Erdree ia not the will of Marika but rather her true mother the gloem eyed queen. What if Messmir is not Marikas long lost son but hes rather Radagons brother as hes hair is also red, how would he be the son of Marika if Radgon wasnt in it the picture yet if all of this happened way before the events of the land between and it would make sense that Radagon was a separate being and maybe got punished alongside Marika by the Outer God by being fused ( Adam and Eve?) or what else explains the red hair. Now why would Messier destroy hes own kingdom well the story trailer does speak of betrayal but betrayal from who? So could Messmir, Melina and Radagon be related, i admit Radagon serveing the Order would be hard to explain if hes the son of the Gloem Eyed Queen but what if.

[@MacDaddySnuggles]

But what if lol

[@Solibrae]

Those are good points, but I see no reason why Radagon couldn't have existed at this point in the timeline. I'm now thinking that he seduced and then betrayed the Gloam-Eyed Queen, just like he would eventually do to Rennala. Messmer and very possibly Melina were born to this couple.

[@spmcginnis6892]

Marika the eternal is golden and orderly. The Formless mother is chaotic and bloodthirsty. I believe that Marika stole destined death (the full centipede) And used it to have malekith murder the gloam-eyed queen in order to steal her infant child messmer. This creates another those who live in death scenario and explains why there are two "godwyn"s corpses (and why melina is in spirit form. The golden strands are the rune of life. Plucked from the elden ring in order to allow Marika to bear her own children. This was when the sun realm became the lands between and the shadow lands. The rune of life and thus the rune of death (the one malekiths arm) are created as mirrors or shadows of themselves. Now that Marika is split into 2 being; the eternal of the golden order and the Formless mother; messmer is left with the Formless in the shadow realm. The erdtree was grown somewhere along the way as a symbol of order and abundance. The shadow tree grew as well, slowly sapping the grace from its sister tree the lands between The eretree was able to grow the way it did because it was grown with accursed blood of those touches by the crucible. Specifically omen and golden crucible lions ect. The beast blood doesn't go bad. The omen blood allows the tree to absorb the spirits of those given an eretree burial and being touched by the crucible gives it a large capacity for life. When death was taken during the night of black knives it created a bridge between realms through death root. The eclipse is when the spirit realm and lands between overlap With the stars in stasis this can never be achieved Mohg and Miquella were working together in order to grow the haligtree. Miquella figured out that the key was accursed omen blood. The albunerics are being lured to mohgwyns dynasty so they can be harvested for omen blood since their silver blood takes on the accursed properties. But it's missing gold. It's why some characters only have one eye open and why melinas both open in the ff ending. The reason all of the demigods are cursed

[@MidnightatMidian]

The over-use of fire by Messmer makes me think of the Redmanes fighting the Rot in Caelid. Maybe Messmer was sent to ''clean up'' the shadowland, because of the emergence of the god of rot.

[@lexmortis5722]

The redmanes used fire giant incantations and derived lesser fire magic. It has nothing to do with Messmer

[@MidnightatMidian]

@@lexmortis5722 Blablabla your opinion, wait until the DLC comes out before making such assumptions kiddo.

[@ar7h3]

Haven't seen anyone mention yet that the way the sap of the erdtree is falling down looks like the cross those npcs are hanged on near the tree sentinel in the beginning, it might have some deeper symbolism

[@lexmortis5722]

You mean the peasants that are crucified like Marika in her boss room? Bro that is already figured out.

[@jake212]

big hat man is the kung fu master we see in the first trailer

[@jake212]

Also I don't mean for the above comment to be rude. Your videos are great and I look forward to everyone. I hope you have a fat intro on the next one

[@DougRobertson]

Messmer is based on the Mesopotamian god, Ningishzida, which translates to "lord of the good tree". Messmer "planted" the Erdtree by piling up corpses. That first scene shows Marika entering the Erdtree, which we know has a gold lining around it. The Erdtree roots are always surrounded by corpses. Marika surrounded the Erdtree in gold to veil the fact that it is made entirely of CORPSES. That is the shadow of the Erdtree.

[@lexmortis5722]

Funny how people go around and claim to have figured out an entire character just because of 1 small partial inspirational choice on the design team

[@alexlever8298]

What if the dlc npcs we see are gonna pull a totk and be like companions that follow you around

[@topcat59]

Cool vid bro.😺

[@bigboy6019]

narrator for this one kind of sounds like the narrator in the end of the last one that everyone thought was miquella. idk if it's the same person. but it can't be miquella

[@rattle_boyale]

First here! Thanks for the vid. Love to see it

[@minihands_]

maybe the Birthing Sack is a godskin swaddling cloth or something relating to the godskins because of all the skinned corpses piled up

[@bigboy6019]

that was my first thought

[@TheHonoredMadman]

That was my first thought as well but i kept rewatching at it looked weirdly root like to me. But i instantly thought of the swaddling cloth on the first view tho

[@lexmortis5722]

It's clearly not made out of leather, how can it be godskin?

[@ladonmccabe]

Vaatividya's vidya: 😐 Honored Madman video: 😃

[@dakitofey171]

so what does miquella have to do with mesmar?

[@thebarbecube317]

lets gooooooooooo

[@oriongross6747]

I think you should make a video about that movie you like

[@randywilliams6248]

Damn, this shit be scary

[@i.salcido8183]

My dumbass thought it was Miquella who was holding the threads lol

[@PoopilussMcDoopiluss]

Yes yes yes its the crucible

[@cullysloy2705]

A lie will remain a lie..

[@PoisonSwampRS]

Why does that fleshy hole from which the golden haired woman takes something give me such "Godwyn in Stormveil basement" vibes? It looks like his flappy eye socket.

[@palesmichael]

Well, I thought that the crucible predates the dragon society and its version of the elden ring. If my assuption is correct, then that cannot be the crucible. 5:20

[@GunRunner106]

if it is marika in the trailer holding up the strands of the forming great runes or such, it also looks like it could be the birth of radagon, cuz looks quiet male over there....

[@TheHonoredMadman]

I was realizing that in editing as well, the silhouette looks more like radagon or like it shifts into him while the hair is blowing

[@GunRunner106]

@@TheHonoredMadman it's also potentially the birth of the godskin apostles, or at least the practices that lead to their creation evtl. with all those skinned dead ppl everywhere. the 'bag' where she pulls out the golden strands of the elden ring/great runes looks alot like the white skinflab armours the godskin apostles seem to be wearing.

[@lexmortis5722]

​@@GunRunner106that bag looks like silk and not unfinished leather like that apostles wear, no face can be seen in that cloth. No purple jewels or such, just a simple cloth

[@lexmortis5722]

Radagons red hair is a curse, maybe this is the moment where Marika was cursed. A gore portal is a curse-worthy thing, especially if she usurped another empyrean for it

[@swagsaul7674]

They confirmed that sack of skin is a womb

[@Nuchraptor]

I thought Melina was going to be St Trina in some form. Everyone is saying its Merika holding the gold strings but i think it looks like a mans torso and would be Miquella. idk what this timeline is going to be. I was hoping for some answers but now i have even more questions.

[@lexmortis5722]

Most ER players have never seen a normal chested woman hold something up without clothes on, I know it's weird to realize that we all have the same ribcage. I get what you mean but nah, she does not look like a dude

[@Cheattoe]

AND ONE MORE THING! Did anyone else notice the narrator was speaking a modern dialect?marika says a lot of Harl yee tarnished and tarnished eh? And other older English phrases this woman said come join us and idk it just sounds strange to mine ears

[@conhair1543]

The first scene reminds me of the one in berserk where Griffith is being manipulated by the godhand into following through showing the corpses he built his kingdom on and it could be something similar for marika

[@minespatch]

Something tells me that froghelm guy with the gael crossbow might be Lapp/Patches. He's not in the major group shot, so he might be hidden in the upcoming story. If you ever talk about the Aldia video again, you should show a clip from oneyplays about trump/linkara going "It'll be done when its done" 😆

[@lexmortis5722]

Patches would be at Vulcanoe Manor and not in the dlc, he cannot be in 2 places at once.

[@minespatch]

@@lexmortis5722 Tell that to Lapp 😆

[@caliaid]

I wonder if the Godskins are involved with the crucible? those corpses Marika walks thru all looked pretty skinless…

[@kamantariq2513]

Crazy idea. 1st elden ring was of the dragons after Elden beast landed. 2nd elden ring was of a women who became gloomeyed queen. She slays the kin of plasudesax's god making it flea from her god killing flame. 3rd is of Marika after she eliminates the gloomeyed queen & sealing away death. The lady in the photo with old dude might be the gloom eye queen. Messmer is her child. One that would inherent her black flame, as in trailer his flame in red & black. marika then pulled an Obito. during messmer's birth, Marika struck, Maliketh stole Destined death and Marika took the Elden ring from inside the Gloomeyed queen. Yrs later messmer, raised as Mairka's child would wage war, killing his own mother the forme Gloomeyed queen( the lady in flame fromtrailer). Mairka being petty as fuk would then tell him he killed his own mother and he burned the erd tree in retaliation. Marika then sealed off the land into a shadow realm as punishment. What are your thoughts

[@IndieGinge]

If we're right about the crucible being in the trailer, I gotta say how much I love how hard FROM can throw a curveball just by being 100% literal. No, the swirl of life was not a metaphor, Marika pulled a Mohammed Atta and took down a world trade center's worth of body parts to make her golden order.

[@havanaradio]

It isnt

[@coledaulton8740]

He has all the flavors of fire in one? The dark trail left behind by black flame, the oily red residue of blood flame, and the bright orange of rykards and giant flame?

[@Cheattoe]

Mmm but is the shadow land then the real land? Are we truly in marikas mind? Is the lands between truly the lands between? And between what? Are eyes are not yet opened but the questions are becoming rapturous

[@specialnewb9821]

If it is, I'll be mad because it is significantly more boring than in my head.

[@Cheattoe]

I just want to take my gay ass back to ac 6 and bask in the inhuman presence of machines but the BIRTHING SACK and the BIRTHING CANAL are seared into my mind thanks Miyazaki you’re putting eyes on the inside again

[@ednigma23]

That second one might not have been Merica, they weren't wearing a top.

[@SHHitsOVER254]

I’m not disagreeing, but she she has the same cuffs on as Merica

[@lexmortis5722]

The top is hold by a strap that goes around the neck, Marika always has her back exposed. It's still Marika, most people simply have never seen a seemingly naked woman holding something above her head, from behind. Marika is still wearing her dress, which flutters in the wind if you pay attention.