Who is Messmer the Impaler from ELDEN Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC?
Yuriy SheremetOn February 21st, From Software presented the gameplay trailer for Shadow of the Erdtree - the first and only DLC for ELDEN Ring. This event quickly sparked enthusiasm among fans of games from Software and other enthusiasts of quality (and rather difficult) RPG games.
The central character of the debut gameplay trailer is a red-haired, slender man (who obviously will become a new boss of Shadow of the Erdtree) with a gothic spear and snakes up his sleeve. As it turned out later - this is Messmer the Impaler and he will be one of the key characters of the expansion.
We've already talked about what to expect from the plot of Shadow of the Erdtree, and now it's time to focus on the characters. In this article, we will speculate on who Messmer the Impaler is and why he is one of the most important characters in the DLC for ELDEN Ring.
Why Messmer the Impaler – key character in Shadow of the Erdtree DLC
Before we delve into theories (because official confirmation will only be received on June 21st) about Messmer's origin and role in Shadow of the Erdtree, let's make sure once again that he is definitely a key character. This is, in fact, beyond doubt, but there is always room for imagination in From Software's worlds.
So, Messmer the Impaler is a key character of the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC if only for the reason that he appears in the gameplay trailer of the expansion and addresses Queen Marika. From the same video, it is clear that Messmer will be one of the new bosses of Elden Ring, but he is unlikely to be the final boss of the expansion, as FromSoftware does not show them in trailers.
Another reason why Messmer is so important is the collector's edition of Shadow of the Erdtree. By purchasing it, you can get a figurine of this character. In addition, the description of the DLC Shadow of the Erdtree points to the importance of Messmer: "A land purged in an unsung battle. Set ablaze by Messmer’s flame." This is how Software describes the setting of the events of Shadow of the Erdtree.
I think that's all clear. Messmer will be another challenge for the players. And to defeat a powerful enemy, you need to know him personally. So let's move on to the main topic of this article - Messmer's personality.
Messmer – son of Marika and Empyrean
Let's start with the simplest thing - Messmer's origin and lineage. From the information we have from just one trailer, it becomes clear that Messmer is the son of Queen Marika. He addresses her directly in the official trailer for the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. But it gets more interesting from here, but to dig a little deeper, I need to go back.
Marika's lineage is a plot-forming element in ELDEN Ring. From the original game, we know that Marika had 8 children (and 2 descendants) from 2 unions with Godfrey and Radagon. Of the 8 children, 5 were her biological children, and 3 were "adopted," if such a thing is possible in the world of Elden Ring.
Marika's biological children:
- Godwyn the Golden
- Morgott, the Omen King
- Mogh, the Blood Lord
- Miquella
- Malenia
Marika's adopted children:
- General Radahn
- Praetor Rykard
- Lunar Princess Ranni
Distant descendants of Marika:
- Godrick the Grafted
- Godefroy the Grafted
So, based on the fact that in the trailer, Messmer addresses "mother," and Marika was referred to as such in Elden Ring, he is Marika's son. Moreover, with a high degree of probability - her biological son, because all the names of her biological children (except Godwyn) start with the letter "M".
Another detail that confirms the theory of Messmer's family ties with Marika is the red color of Messmer's hair. Marika's children either had red hair (like Malenia) or white hair (like Miquella). So, from this, we can conclude that Messmer is the brother of Malenia and Miquella, because he is not an Omen like Morgott and Mogh.
What role does Messmer play in the DLC Shadow of the Erdtree?
The simplest description of Messmer that can be given is that he is a new boss in the Elden Ring. However, here we try to give a more comprehensive characterization of this character.
The first thing that comes to mind is that Messmer is someone (or something) like a jailer or guardian of this land. He may play the role of a kind of barrier for Miquella and prevent her from fulfilling her secret purpose. This is confirmed by Messmer himself in the trailer for Shadow of the Erdtree: "All those deprived of the grace of gold will meet death in the arms of Messmer's flame."
Another option is that Messmer is in exile. This is suggested by Messmer's weapon and his absence in the original game, despite the fact that according to Miyazaki himself, he is a legitimate heir to the throne and equal in rights to the rest of the Emyrean.
In one of the latest locations in the original Elden Ring, Mountaintops of the Giants, there is a battlefield between Marika's forces, led by Godfrey, and the Giants. It is strewn with the corpses of giants pierced by spears, very similar to Messmer's weapon. Perhaps he took part in that battle and after helping Marika's enemies win, he was expelled beyond the bounds of Erdtree's dominions. After all, according to the game's lore, such a fate befell Godfrey, so there's nothing surprising here.
We will be able to meet Messmer and learn more about him and his story from June 21st of this year, and in the meantime, you can read about soft caps in Elden Ring and learn about cross-platform in Elden Ring. Also, we recommend keeping an eye on our section about Elden Ring, where we will talk about new details of the game.
Yuriy Sheremet – Expert in mobile gaming and esports among shooters and MOBA games.
At EGamersWorld, Yuriy, as in 2020 when he joined the portal, works with content, albeit with adjustments to his area of responsibility.