Summary
Speculation continues to swirl aboutElden Ring’s upcomingShadow of the ErdtreeDLC following the release of its official trailer, which offers the first real look at the expansion. While some questions, likewhether the DLC will involve Miquella, were answered by the trailer, there are several others that were left unanswered, and some things became even more confusing. That said, the trailer features some hints that may suggest the involvement of another iconic character in the DLC: Malenia.
As she is so closely connected to Miquella, many may have already assumed that Malenia will appear inShadow of the Erdtreeto some extent. Adding her to the mix comes with some complications, though, chief among them being her possible death at the hands of the player-character. Potential narrative complications aside, Malenia doesn’t make an explicit appearance in the trailer, nor has she been mentioned by FromSoftware in any of the expansion’s promotional material. Still, there’s a chance thatElden Ringplayers haven’t seen the last of this character.
A Character Who Looks Like Malenia Can Be Seen in the Shadow of the Erdtree Trailer
Although the trailer forShadow of the Erdtreefocuses on Messmerand the many new locations and enemies coming with the expansion, there is one short momentthat seems like a clear reference to Malenia; in the last minute of the trailer, a few seconds are shown of what appears to be a battle between the Tarnished and a hostile NPC in a red dress and shimmering red hair, wielding two swords and fighting in a manner that is highly reminiscent of Malenia’s boss encounter. This inclusion seems to clearly be connected to Malenia, although its unassuming presentation, along with a few other key details about the NPC that looks like her, raise some questions.
An Alternate Version of Malenia May Appear In Shadow of the Erdtree
There is evidence to suggest thatShadow of the Erdtree’s settingis something akin to a dream or alternate dimension, possibly one that has been constructed by Miquella. If this is indeed the case, then perhaps the “Malenia” seen in the DLC’s trailer is not actually the character players encounter in the real game, but a different version of her that exists within the confines of Miquella’s mind. This idea is supported by the differences in appearance between the character models:Shadow of the ErdtreeMalenia doesn’t appear to be affected by scarlet rot, and has all of her limbs intact. Her iconic red hair is also worn in a different style, and she is wearing a dress rather than armor.
Miquella’s main goal is to rid Malenia’s scarlet rotaffliction, so if theShadow of the Erdtreesetting is a conjuration of the former’s mind, then perhaps this is his vision of what he wishes for his sister: he wants her to be free of her illness and reverted to a healthier physical state. Alternatively, this could be what Malenia looked like when she was younger, before her disease took her arm, legs, and eyesight. The Malenia look-alike in the trailer seems to have a smaller stature than her base game counterpart, which supports this second theory. Either of these interpretations would also explain her attire; she either doesn’t need to fight anymore or hasn’t yet begun to fight.
Though not much is known aboutShadow of the Erdtree’s narrativeat this point, it’s almost certain to at least reference Malenia in some significant capacity. With Miquella playing an important role, it would be challenging not to loop Malenia into the story in some way, and with the DLC potentially taking place outside the base reality ofElden Ring, the feared warrior’s appearance seems even more likely.
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.
