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The much awaited DLC for the critically praised game Elden Ring, Shadow of the Erdtree, explores the lore and secrets of the Lands Between further. The disclosure of Miquella, the Kind, and his actual goals marks one of the most fascinating features of the DLC. Although Miquella's actual character is only fully revealed in the DLC, many hints and clues strewn around the base game point to his final fate.
Often requiring players to piece together the story through many interactions, item descriptions, and environmental details, Elden Ring's narrative is renowned for its complex network of connections and subtle hints. Deeper into the lore, players start to find startling similarities between Miquella and Marika, the Queen of the Greater Will, which ought to have foreshadowed the twist on Miquella's actual nature. Driven by their conviction that their actions will bring about good change in the world, both characters have a common wish to reach godhood.
Still, the similarities run much beyond their aspirations. Like Marika, Miquella is a fractured soul living two distinct bodies with different personalities and goals. Echoing Marika's wish to heal and bring peace to the Lands Between, Miquella shares a soul with Saint Trina, a kind man seeking to help others.
Shadow Of The Erdtree, where the player sees a notable parallel between Miquella and Marika on their respective paths, emphasizes this link between them. Marika breaks the link between the Erdtree and the Lands Between in an attempt to underlie the influence of Destined Death, so causing the Elden Ring to shatter. Saint Trina also knows that reaching godhood would imprison Miquella in a prison, much as Marika's restrictions followed from breaking the Elden Ring. Driven by their love and need to defend people they love, both characters make decisions that finally have disastrous results.
Shadow of the Erdtree highlights even more the similarities between Miquella and Marika by showing a comparable pattern of abandonment and control. Like Marika, Miquella depends on those close to him to reach his objectives independent of their own needs or wishes. Believing that his actions will eventually benefit Mohg, Radahn, and Malenia, Blade of Miquella, he shapes them in line with his ambition to reach godhood. Their opinions on his actions, especially for Malenia and Mohg, could not coincide with his view, though.
This manipulation is reminiscent of Marika's actions toward Messmer the Impaler, who she uses to eradicate the Hornsent, only to confine him in the Land of Shadow for personal protection. Although Marika's intentions might have been good, her actions still caused Messmer to suffer and betray her.
These recurrent cycles of control and finally betrayal should have been obvious signs that Miquella's ultimate objective might not coincide with the picture of a kind person. The player's past knowledge of Marika and her ultimate development into a strong opponent should have given a vital hint regarding Miquella's possibility to become the DLC's last boss.
Miquella's aims might have been motivated by a wish to establish an Age of Compassion, but his methods and manipulative strategies—which matched Marika's actions— finally helped him to fall from grace. Miquella's role as the last antagonist in Shadow of the Erdtree should have been expected given the similarities between these two characters—shown in their shared desire for godhood, their fractured souls, and their manipulative inclinations. Having seen Marika's terrible metamorphosis and had experience with her great power, the player could have expected Miquella to finally embrace a villainous role.
Using subtle cues and mirroring patterns, the creators of Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree have deftly woven the tales of Miquella and Marika, so challenging the player's preconceptions about these characters. Though sad and unexpected, the DLC's ending, which features Miquella as a strong adversary, finally supports the themes of power, manipulation, and the results of following one's aspirations, independent of their good intentions. The disclosure of Miquella's actual nature reminds us that the chase of ultimate power can corrupt even those who aspire for good by means of their needs.