FromSoftware‘s Elden Ring is no stranger to obscure narrative threads and character motivations. Almost every other story revelation in the game is followed by a bigger and grander mystery which can only be solved either by scouring through endless item descriptions or by simply speculating your one conclusion to it.
One such mystery involves Miquella and his multiple personalities. Although there’s a lot of evidence in Elden Ring that suggests that these two are different entities, a new theory hints at the possibility of them being the same.
So, what’s this theory all about?
Melina being Miquella in Elden Ring is more than just speculation
The theory that Melina could be Miquella in Elden Ring was brought forward by ‘timdiggity’ on YouTube. They had a few pointers on which they based their entire opinion.
The first major point that ‘timdiggity’ puts forward in his video explaining the connection between Melina and Miquella (St. Trina) is that both of these characters are depicted with a shroud covering most of their face, which doesn’t seem that compelling. However, a closer look at Melina’s face and St. Trina’s icon does make it seem like both of them are the same person, at least to the naked eye.
The YouTuber also mentions how Torrent, who is gifted to the Tarnished by Melina is known to originally belong to Miquella. This has even been confirmed with the key art for Shadows of the Erdtree, which shows Miquella sitting on Torrent almost the exact same way that Melina does at the start of the base game.
Also, when Ranni first meets the Tarnished mentions a singular past “master” of Torrent, which may be a hint of Melina and Miquella being the same person.
‘timdiggity’ also points out how Melina was able to put the Tarnished to sleep at the Forge of the Giants on the Mountaintops, and “sleep” as an elemental status being connected to St. Trina, who is hinted at being Miquella’s feminine form.
Melina and Miquella seem to exist in their spirit form, having divested of their corporeal form, and can travel between realms, including places that are forbidden to Demigods in Elden Ring.
There are a few similarities in how these two characters are being portrayed in the Elden Ring base game and the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. First, there’s the silhouette of someone who definitely looks like Melina standing at the base of Miquella’s cocoon at Moghwyn Palace.
Secondly, just like how Melina guided the Tarnished to their objectives via the Site of Grace, Miquella seems to be guiding them using his footsteps, even conversing with the Tarnished at certain points.
While it’s unlikely that Melina is St. Trina or Miquella, mostly due to her being connected to the Gloam-Eyed Queen, ‘timdiggity’ does have some really valid points that could establish a strong connection between Miquella and the Tarnished.
There’s also the fact that Miquella is an Empyrean, and a child of two Demigods sharing a single body. As such, it’s quite possible that Miquella might also exhibit similar characteristics as Radagon and Marika, albeit in a different way.
Instead of converging two separate beings into a single entity governed by the Golden Order and their Outer God(s), Miquella is a single entity that’s capable of diverging into separate individuals, with different motivations, and perhaps even allegiance to different Outer Gods.
Whatever the real truth behind Miquella and Melina is, I’m sure we’ll get our answers once Elden Ring Shadows of the Erdtree is out. Or knowing FromSoftware, we might never get our answers, not in a direct way at least.
