The end seemingly came with the release ofElden Ring: Shadow of Erdtreeearlier this year along with subsequent statements indicating it would be the last piece of content released for the game. The well-received expansion has brought closure for many, but has also left lore theorists stuck on several points of ambiguity that were not addressed by the end of the DLC. As the biggest title ever released by FromSoftware, it’s only natural that the setting ofElden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtreecontains the most lore threads and loose ends of any Soulslike yet, but the degree to which some plot points have been left up to interpretation is hard to ignore.
SotEcame with several answers that enriched the base game’s lore, including everything from confirming the existence of St. Trina to showcasing the dark history that drove Marika to the point of her cruelty and dedication to the Golden Order. On the other hand, the DLC brought new questions to the table while simultaneously ignoring existing aspects ofElden Ring’s narrative and worldbuilding, potentially making them permanent missing links.
The Identity of the Gloam-Eyed Queen
An Empyrean of Ages Past Who Could Be One of Several Characters
As possibly the most enduring subject of speculation in the game’s community, thetruth behindElden Ring’s Gloam-Eyed Queenhas been left vague afterSotE’s revelations. Originating from item descriptions, she was allegedly the progenitor of the Godskins who wielded the power of Destined Death through Black Flame, but only the remaining relics of her power are seen inElden Ringproper. Despite theories connecting her to the snake traits of Messmer or Marika’s past of betrayal, the Gloam-Eyed Queen has received no new meaningful lore since Melina came to resemble her in one of the base game’s endings.
How the Land of Shadow Was Separated From The Lands Between
The Unknown Extent of Marika’s Influence on Geography
A detail emphasized by several bits of text in the DLC is the fact thatSotE’s map used to be connected to the main world of The Lands Between, but there’s no information regarding how this was performed. While the sky aroundElden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree’s Scadutreehas a projection resembling the similar veil in the Queen’s Bedchamber and there are theories connecting the Mimic Veil to this process, it remains unknown what the actual mechanism, be it genuine or illusion, that splits these two realms is.
Giant Corpses and Logic-Defying Stratigraphy
It’s Unclear if Geological Disaster Created The Lands Between
Ever since the game’s launch, players have speculated as to what the origins of massive buried corpses throughout Caelid and the Mountaintops of the Giants could be to no avail. Impaled bodies of typical huge scale are theorized to be connected to Messmer, but the corpses that drivetheories aboutElden Ring’s giantsvastly tower over those in size and seemingly have no in-game references.
This resembles the massive skeletons on thrones in the Eternal Cities, the unexplained remains of an apparent death event. With The Lands Between itself having countless buried structures that seem to have been around for centuries, and buildings like Stormveil Castle which appear to have been initially built and then occupied and modified in different eras, there have clearly been unseen tragedies and power shifts acrossElden Ring’s extinct civilizations.
The Contradictory Timeline of Messmer’s Parentage
Radagon Seems to Have Predated Godfrey
The status of Messmer as a secret child of Marika was a major reveal already, butSotEfurther indicated that he seems to be her firstborn. With Godfrey previously considered to be her Elden Lord and the father of her first set of demigods, this development shakes up the perception of the entire family tree’s history. The red hair and determined demeanor makeMessmer being Radagon’s son inElden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtreeseem practically guaranteed, but how Marika could have been with her other half so long ago challenges many notions of the timeline that were established by the base game.
The Purpose of Godwyn’s Corpse Husks
Some of Elden Ring’s Most Striking Imagery Lacks Explicit Meaning
It was predicted that the DLC would delve into the connection between Miquella and Godwyn, but the Prince of Death was relegated to references in places like catacombs and Stormveil that continue to feature bizarre Deathroot growths resembling his corpse. There are solid theories that propose that Godwyn’s story was finished within Fia’s questline andElden Ring’s Age of the Duskborn ending, but the ongoing presence of his strange husks appears to show that the demigod has unfinished business.
The Origins of and Relation Between the Two Fingers and Three Fingers
Seeing the Mother of Fingers Didn’t Bring Enough Closure
The enigma of the Two Fingers as eldritch entities which appear to communicate the will of gods stands as one ofER’s most original bits of lore, but they ultimately lack a deeper explanation beyond coming from Metyr. Despite entire Finger Ruins areas and strange finger-like structures hidden inMidra’s Manse inElden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, the origins of the Three Fingers and their relationship to other magic in the world are up to the imagination. While it may be enlightening to finally know where Fingercreepers come from, the idea that they have just been the random offspring of an abandoned godly being can seem underwhelming.
The Non-Hornsent Petrified Corpses in Enir-Ilim
The Gate of Divinity May Be Never Fully Understood
Upon arriving at the final battle arena and facingElden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree’s Promised Consort Radahn, noticing what composes the majestic Gate of Divinity which grants Miquella his power can be a chilling realization. The gate visibly contains countless petrified Hornsent bodies, showing their sacrificial practices. Upon closer inspection, however, the gate, and much of Enir-Ilim itself, appear made up of many corpses lacking horns. With the Hornsent being the only well-understood culture of the tower and the Land of Shadow as a whole, this sign of other peoples who have been erased remains an ominous sign of the age ofElden Ring’s world.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
WHERE TO PLAY
Shadow of the Erdtree is the first and only DLC expansion for FromSoftware’s groundbreaking Elden Ring. It takes players to a whole new region, the Land of Shadow, where a new story awaits the Tarnished.
