Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree – Who is Messmer the Impaler?

FromSoftware finally announced a release date for the Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC and showed off gameplay, but questions still surround the expansion’s primary antagonist: Messmer the Impaler.

Once Godfrey, the first Elden Lord, lost his title and was banished from the Lands Between, Radagon swooped in, married Marika, and became the second Elden Lord. Radagon and Marika had twins, Malenia and Miquella. However, the Erdtree DLC trailer suggests Radagon may have had another child, and community members tried their best to put on their detective hats and figure out who Messmer the Impaler really is.

Who is Messmer the Impaler in Elden Ring?

Messmer the Impaler appears prominently in the Elden Ring Erdtree DLC trailer. Based on the gameplay footage, it’s evident players are in for a tough fight against Messemer the Impaler, who wields a fire spear. Fans on Reddit debated Messmer’s possible background, and Radagon’s signature red hair led some to believe that Messmer may be the brother of Malenia and Miquella.

“He’s Radagon’s kin, whoever he is,” one community member responded. “Nobody is rocking that hair without being related to Radagon.” Other fans noted his interaction with Marika and what he chooses to call her. In the trailer, Messmer asks, “Mother, wouldst thou truly Lordship sanction, in one so bereft of light,” which potentially hints at his bloodline

Messmer having a snake draped around his neck and a snake helmet also opened up the possibility of Rykard being the father. Rykard was a demi-god that offered himself to a serpent in the pursuit of immortality. “I do think he’s Rykard’s son, I think he’s the son of Rykard and Tanith,” another redditor theorized. “Like Conceived when Rykard’s/the Great Serpent’s body was being consumed by Tanith,”

As with all Elden Ring lore, community members will have their hands full trying to figure out Messmer’s identity, even well after Erdtree launches.