How are Elden Ring’s Radahn and Mohg related to Miquella, the central figure of Shadow of the Erdtree?

About the same time that Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree gameplay trailer dropped in February 2024, the video game website Famitsu released an interview with Elden Ring director Hidetaka Miyazaki. In it, Miyazaki explained the prerequisites required to access the upcoming DLC. Two bosses from the base game, Starscourge Radahn and Mohg, Lord of Blood, must first be defeated. Once completed, players can interact with the cocoon found at the back of Mohg’s boss arena, Mohgwyn Palace. Doing so will teleport players to the Land of Shadow – a new area that sets the stage for the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. 

Those familiar with Elden Ring’s lore will know that the cocoon in Mohg’s dwelling is supposed to house the body of the Empyrean Miquella. Miquella is mentioned numerous times in the game but never makes an appearance. Shadow of the Erdtree will focus on this missing character and his connection to the rest of Elden Ring’s cast. 

Just who is Miquella? 

The offspring of the Elden Lord Radagon and Queen Marika (both are of the same body but with different personalities), Miquella is an Empyrean born with special powers and the potential to ascend to godhood. Since Radagon and Marika were one and the same (Elden Ring is weird in more ways than one), Miquella and his sister Malenia were born with afflictions. Malenia was cursed with the Scarlet Rot – a disease that slowly eats away at the affected being’s body and psyche. Despite her decaying body, Malenia took it upon herself to be Miquella’s blade and became a fierce warrior, thanks to the help of a blind swordsman. 

Miquella’s affliction is one of eternal childhood, preventing him from growing old and becoming an adult. To compensate for this, Miquella was gifted with the terrifying ability to use love and compassion to influence others (this is stated in the Shadow of the Erdtree official gameplay trailer). Miquella also created the Haligtree – a massive magical tree that was supposed to rid him and his sister of their afflictions. Miquella never got to finish his work as he was kidnapped by Mohg, Lord of Blood while he was embedded in the Haligtree in his cocoon form. 

Enter Mohg, Lord of Blood 

This is where Mohg enters the picture. The son of Queen Marika by her first husband Godfrey, First Elden Lord, Mohg is an Omen demigod just like his twin brother Margott. Shunned for his omen blood, Mohg contacted the Formless Mother – an Outer God who imbibed Mohg’s blood with fire. Mohg used this power to create all manner of bloodflame magic that would become his trademark. 

Mohg and Miquella are half-brothers through Marika. Whether the two knew of this is a mystery, but Mohg did know of Miquella’s nature as an Empyrean. Mohg’s reason for kidnapping Miquella was to raise him to full godhood and rule alongside Miquella as his consort. Mohg brought Miquella’s cocoon to Mohgwyn Palace and had his followers offer blood sacrifices to the husk. What Mohg failed to realize was that Miquella had already separated himself from his physical body and made for the Land of Shadow. It is in Mohgwyn Palace where players find Mohg talking and offering blood to Miquella’s cocoon. 

What about Starscourge Radahn? 

Radahn and Miquella are also half-brothers, but through the union of Radagon and his first wife Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon. Born as a demigod, Radahn had very little interaction with Miquella. He did, however, fight Malenia in combat; pitting his gravitational powers against her Scarlet Rot. Malenia’s unleashing of the Scarlet Rot during the fight put her into a coma, while Radahn was severely affected both physically and mentally.  

Radahn and Mohg may serve as nothing more than challenges that players need to overcome to access the DLC, but they are connected by narrative as well . Mohg and his Mohgwyn Palace are closely connected to Miquella as they were his captor and place of capture respectively. Radahn’s battle against Malenia may have indirectly resulted in Mohg’s capture of Miquella as the sister was too preoccupied to notice her brother’s absence. By turning these two optional bosses into requirements for the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, Fromsoftware has drawn more attention to the relationships between Elden Ring’s gods, demigods, and their family ties. 

The Elden Ring DLC “Shadow of the Erdtree” is scheduled for release on June 21 for the PC (Steam), PS4/PS5 and Xbox series X|S/Xbox One.