Every Elden Ring Mystery Left Unsolved So Far

As a seasoned Soulsborne veteran who’s spent countless hours navigating the labyrinthine worlds of these games, I must say that Elden Ring has left me utterly bewildered… in the best possible way! The lore and mysteries hidden within this game are as vast as the Lands Between itself. From the contradictory timeline of Messmer’s parentage to the purpose of Godwyn’s corpse husks, each revelation feels like uncovering a piece of a cosmic puzzle.

It appears that the conclusion for Elden Ring came with the launch of “Elden Ring: Shadow of Erdtree” earlier this year, and statements suggesting it’s the final content for the game. While the well-received expansion has provided resolution for many players, it has left lore enthusiasts puzzled about several unresolved points. Given that Elden Ring: Shadow of Erdtree is FromSoftware’s largest title to date, it’s not surprising that its setting includes the most lore threads and unanswered questions compared to any Soulslike game before it. However, the extent to which certain plot elements have been left open for interpretation is quite noticeable.

The additional content in SotE expanded upon the original game’s storyline by providing insights into St. Trina’s reality, revealing the dark past that shaped Marika’s behavior and her unwavering commitment to the Golden Order. On the flip side, this expansion also introduced new puzzles that need solving, while omitting certain aspects of Elden Ring‘s storyline and world-building, leaving potential gaps in understanding that might remain unexplained.

The Identity of the Gloam-Eyed Queen

An Empyrean of Ages Past Who Could Be One of Several Characters

In the world of gaming, much debate surrounds the enigmatic figure of the Gloam-Eyed Queen in Elden Ring, with her true identity remaining a mystery following the revelations in SotE. While hints suggest she was the ancestor of the Godskins and wielder of Destined Death through Black Flame, only remnants of her power are visible within the game itself. Various theories tie her to the serpentine qualities of Messmer or Marika’s history of treachery, but since Melina resembles her in one of the base game’s conclusions, no fresh insights about the Gloam-Eyed Queen have emerged since then.

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 that SotE‘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 around Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree‘s Scadutree has 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

Since the game’s release, players have been puzzling over the source of the colossal buried bodies scattered across Caelid and the Mountaintops of the Giants without finding a definitive answer. The imposing corpses attributed to Messmer are hypothesized to be related, but the giants’ corpses, which far surpass these in size, lack any apparent in-game connections or references.

In Elden Ring, the structures and ruins resemble ancient thrones adorned with colossal skeletons – remnants of a mysterious mass death incident in the Eternal Cities. The Lands Between are filled with countless buried buildings that have stood for centuries, such as Stormveil Castle, which shows signs of construction, occupation, and modification over different periods. All these suggest hidden catastrophes and power struggles throughout the vanished civilizations of Elden Ring.

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, but SotE further 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 make Messmer being Radagon’s son in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree seem 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 speculated that the Dark Legacy of Cinder (DLC) would explore the bond between Miquella and Godwyn; however, the Prince of Death is only mentioned indirectly in locations like catacombs and Stormveil, where peculiar Deathroot growths resembling his remains persist. While it’s suggested that Godwyn’s tale concluded within Fia’s questline and Elden Ring’s Age of the Duskborn ending, his eerie husks seem to indicate that there are still loose ends in the demigod’s story.

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 of ER‘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 in Midra’s Manse in Elden 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 reaching Radahn in the climactic battlefield of Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, the grand Divinity Gate that empowers Miquella stands out. It’s eerie to see countless petrified Hornsent creatures, evidence of their sacrificial rituals. Upon closer examination, it becomes clear that not just the gate, but much of Enir-Ilim is constructed from bodies without horns, a disturbing reminder that the Hornsent are not the only culture in this tower or the Land of Shadow. This suggests other civilizations that have been wiped out, serving as a grim portent of the world within Elden Ring.

2024-11-27 00:54