Elden Ring DLC has the potential to tell some powerful and heartbreaking stories using the groundwork that FromSoftware laid in the base game. At present, there's no official word on what the DLC will cover or who the primary characters will be, but many players suspect that it will focus on Miquella, the only Shardbearer that players aren't able to fight yet. This is a character that is shrouded in mystery despite being central to the core family of demigods that serve as the main antagonists of Elden Ring, and could end up serving the same role to the story that the fan favorite Artorias did for the original Dark Souls' DLC story.

The lore of both Elden Ring and Dark Souls can be difficult to understand, especially since it is often hidden behind obscure lines of easily missable dialogue and one off item descriptions. Despite this, both games manage to weave an incredibly engaging story with unique and tragic characters. The parallels between Artorias and Miquella are by no means obvious, but they are certainly there. Examining them may give players some insight about how developer FromSoftware might handle the highly anticipated Elden Ring DLC.

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Dark Souls - Who is Artorias the Abyss Walker?

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In the base game of the original Dark Souls, players only hear about Artorias in secondhand accounts. All of these accounts paint him as an incredible hero that braved the abyss in order to seal away Manus, the Father of the Abyss. For the most part, this is a true story, but the DLC called Artorias of the Abyss reveals some crucial missing information that makes this character all the more tragic. In order to learn more about this, the Chosen Undead actually has to travel back in time to the land of Oolacile.

In a shocking twist, players find Artorias rather early on in the DLC's story. Rather than the proud and noble knight players expected to meet, they find Artorias to be a shell of his former self, corrupted by the darkness of the Abyss. In reality, the chosen undead is the one to walk the Abyss and play the role of Artorias in the legends. The character's incredible design, tragic backstory, and faithful companion Sif the Great Wolf all likely play a part in Artorias' popularity among fans.

Elden Ring - Who is Miquella?

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Possibly even more enigmatic than Artorias, Miquella is also only mentioned by other characters or item descriptions. Digging deep into the lore, players can learn that Miquella is the son of Radgon and Marika, and brother to Malenia. This makes him a demigod, and he is also one of the Empyreans and bearer of a shard of the Elden Ring. This character is central to the games story and it's main cast of antagonists, yet he is still shrouded in mystery.

Miquella is cursed to always remain a child, but despite this Malenia refers to him as the "most fearsome of the Empyreans." In an effort to cure the rot Malenia suffers from and undo his curse, Miquella created unalloyed gold, made the Haligtree, and entered a metamorphic state of slumber. This plan may have worked, but Mohg, Lord of Blood kidnapped Miquella in a scheme to start a dynasty of his own. From what little is known about Miquella before the events of the game, it seems he was a kindhearted demigod adored by all that was passionate about the equal treatment of all people in The Lands Between and wanted nothing more than to save his sister.

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Similarities Between Artorias and Miquella

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Both Artorias and Miquella rank directly under the Lord of their respective worlds, and both are referred to as the fiercest of their kind. They are further united by a general desire to do good, and the tragic circumstances that prevent them from doing so. When the player fights Artorias, they do so burdened with the knowledge that they are about to slay a hero. It's very possible that similar emotions might be invoked if players do end up going face to face with Miquella himself.

For Miquella to play the same role in Elden Ring as Artorias did in Dark Souls, FromSoftware would do well to bring his backstory to the forefront. The character is full of nuance already, but most players will likely completely miss this unless they love diving deep into the game's lore. It would be a shame if Miquella is presented as yet another faceless enemy for players to kill. To be fair, though, Artorias' lore was equally obscured by the nature of Dark Souls' minimalist storytelling, and it was the community that pieced together his story in the end.

How Miquella Could Impact Elden Ring DLC

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Throughout the story of Elden Ring, the Tarnished leaves a trail of carnage in their wake. If Miquella were to finally wake up, it's not unreasonable to assume that he'd be furious at the loss of his family and his world as he knew it. Assuming his metamorphosis worked, a fully grown Miquella would emerge from his cocoon, likely even stronger than he was when Malenia knew him. With Mohg slain, his ire could only be directed at the Tarnished responsible for killing his sister, father, and mother. This would no doubt result in an incredibly challenging boss fight that may even rival some of the hardest bosses in the Soulsborne series like Malenia, Orphan of Kos, and Darkeater Midir.

It's also worth noting that Mohg has been sharing both blood and bedchamber with the sleeping demigod, a process that may distort the Empyrean's transformation. Just like Artorias was corrupted by the Abyss, Miquella may find himself corrupted by the blood of an Omen. What eventually breaks free from that cocoon may be equal parts beautiful and terrifying, but players will know that who it was before was a force for good in The Lands Between. Only time will tell if Miquella has a role to play in Elden Ring DLC and how similar his role is to that of Artorias. With any luck, FromSoftware and Bandai Namco will share news about an upcoming DLC soon.

Elden Ring is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.

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