The Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is still mysterious in many ways, but its content was likely teased throughout the entirety of the game.
At this point, the only official information on the Elden Ring DLC is a single piece of concept art and a short statement. There’s a lot to talk about when it comes to the picture posted by FromSoftware including the figure riding on Torrent, the field of spirits they’re riding through, and the bleeding Erdtree in the background. But those who have beaten the game and delved into the lore can probably piece together much of what this means.
Famed developer FromSoftware tells stories in its games in subtle ways like enemy placements and level design. Combine that with the game’s dense lore and the artwork used to tease Shadow of the Erdtree, and the contents of the DLC are probably spoiled to some degree.
Who is riding Torrent in the Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC art?
The blonde-haired figure riding on Torrent is very likely Miquella. Fans likely remember Miquella as the person Malenia is sworn to protect.
Miquella is a major figure in Elden Ring’s story, but their only actual appearance in the game is as the arm in Mohg, Lord of Blood’s arena. That said, they are a key figure in the lore and are essentially the only person in the game that everyone seems to like. Miquella’s reputation attracted the Lands Between’s most downtrodden demographics to the Haligtree, and Miquella is the only one of Marika or Radagon’s children who isn’t at war with the rest of the family.
The source of this adoration is the fact that Miquella is basically the only powerful figure in the Lands Between that is actively trying to help a number of different groups. While their end goal isn’t known, one of their objectives is made explicit and will likely set up the final boss of the DLC.
Godwyn likely to get final boss treatment in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
Godwyn the Golden is the biggest boss fight that didn’t happen in the base version of Elden Ring. He is a major figure in the game’s lore, is a central figure in the shared questline of Rogier, Fia, and D, and technically “wins” the Shattering in the Age of the Duskborn ending. Players actually get to see him during the course of the game, but they won’t necessarily recognize him as a godly figure.
The giant face at the bottom of Stormveil Castle is actually Godwyn. The first child of Marika and Godfrey was assassinated by Ranni using the rune of death. However, he wasn’t truly killed. His spirit was killed but his body survived, tainted by the rune. He was buried in the roots of the Erdtree with the rune’s taint spreading through the roots, reaching the surface, and creating Those Who Live in Death.
Miquella is looking to save Godwyn from that fate according to both item descriptions and a phantom in the Mountaintops of the Giants. Whether that entails having his soulless body killed or bringing his soul back to life is uncertain. Odds are that players will find out when the Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC comes out, and there’s a chance they might get to make that decision themselves.
