It strikes me that malenia losing pieces of herself to the rot reflects how miquella casts away pieces of himself as he travels the shadow lands. The more pieces of themselves they lose, the closer they come to godhood
The game also highlights the contrast between them: Malenia has divine ascendance forced on her, absolutely does not want and never asked for it, and is actively resisting the process. Meanwhile, Miquella's ascendance is entirely his own choice, and, in the DLC, he is so intent on becoming a god that he throws away the best parts of himself. As in, the very parts of himself that would have allowed him to build a world of compassion in the first place, thereby dooming his plans to failure.
Well I believe that the rot would never truly kill her, it relies on her to have a chance of becoming the next god of the world, though the god of rot is mainly focused on creating the world in it’s image, they can’t do that without a god (or goddess) due to it being sealed away, she is more than likely still alive because from what Dowry says, if you betray Millicent, she is reborn with a bud, so Malenia is more than likely just being reborn, one blossom away from becoming a true goddess
That's kind of what I imagine. The whole concept of rot is to decay away and to rebirth so I. Assumed that she would eventually rot away. Then blossom into the goddess of rot
I don't think Malena was delusional, I believe she just loved her twin brother so much that she'd do anything for him and his goal. It's the same way Morgott loves his brother Mohg, and Godwyn loved all his siblings. It's normal. But Miquella didn't care about any of them, he just wanted Godhood no matter what. Just look at of his siblings that suffered: Radahn was left mindbroken, Malenia hopeless and feeling like she failed, Mohg was outright charmed and murdered without ever getting to be himself again, and Godwyn was killed. And Miquella was most likely part of that plan to kill him, he needed a body for Radahn's soul. It's funny how both Miquella and Ranni needed Godwyn and Radahn dead, but Ranni actually feels sick for her part in it, and Miquella tries to justify it. And if it wasn't for Ranni betraying Miquella and leaving Godwyn alive in flesh alone, who knows how it all would have paid off. And Malenia was there to help her twin, out of love. And I think it needs to be mentioned that we pretty much have proof now that Malenia would have been fine when she turned into the Goddess. Romina was doing better than ever when she bloomed. And even in our fight when we defeat her, her last words are hers, and not someone elses. She acknowledges us as the victor and acknowledges Miquella. Rot might look ugly and might do harm, but the Rot Goddess is all about rebirth. When one life is lost, another is born. It's the whole idea of Rot. Thousands died in Caelid but thousands of Kindred were also born. Sadly, that's not how Malenia sees it, and it's probably why she's tearing herself apart. If she becomes the next God, then Miquella can't. Malenia is just another victim of Miquella. Also a very interesting point, Malenia is likely Miquella's Shadow. It may sound weird at first, because they were both Empyreans. But it could be that Malenia was Empyrean by proxy, just for being born as Miquella twin. That's why Miquella doesn't have a canine Shadow like Maliketh and Blaidd. And those two were considered to be siblings to Marika and Ranni. And we literally never hear anything about the twins having Shadows, yet they're apparently very important to ALL Empyreans. I'm very aware I've got a bit off topic, but some things just need to be given context.
Very interesting points! And interesting about Romina too. I thought Malenia’s personality didn’t really change from phase 1 to phase 2 lol so I didn’t really think she’d “lose herself”. I think what Malenia really needed was balance in her life overall. She could have been Miquellas protector but also learn to the control the rot as well. But I think the whole point of her character is that she is always at an extreme end of spectrum and that is her downfall.
The idea that Miquella appeared during or after the Battle of Aeonia always troubles me. He cured Freyja, yet it seems he did nothing for the Cleanrot Knights or Malenia. He didn't cure them so they could protect Malenia better, leaving only Finlay to do the unimaginable, or at least tell them to go home. These soldiers just stayed there like that. Reasons can be created to justify this action, but for someone who is known for doing everything for his sister in the base game to suddenly leave Malenia's fate to luck... I just can't be positive that he would come back to help her out of the rot when he, fully in body and mind, decided to do this. I’ve tried to consider that maybe I’m missing something or being too harsh on Miquella, but I just can’t shake this disappointed feeling Edit: I'm glad that we can have peaceful discussions in the comment section here. It's really a pain when you just voice your opinion and people just throw dirt at you
Yeah I understand. I think Miquella does have good intentions sometimes but is very focused on his own goals, and that matters more than anything to him. I think since Malenia messed up her task of killing Radahn, Miquella ended up giving her another needle and then pivoted to other plans to become a god.
@@SilverMooney It's just that Miquella could have brought Melania back from the Divine Gate. Except that he didn't and chose Radahn. (There is a possibility that Godwyn the Golden was Miquella's first choice of consort, due to the evidence of Eclipse ritual in the mountains. Godwyn would have been ideal, since he is as strong as Radahn, allied to the Dragons, and seemingly kinder than the Demi-God of warfare.) Sir Asbach is right, he is a monster. Love through cursing is not love, it's subjugation through brainwashing. I think Prime Melania would have been a greater consort. I don't know why Miquella didn't choose his sister who had been loyal through it all. (and perhaps the only one who wasn't charmed. *she is missing her eyes.)
I think that in the end, Miquella doesn't know what love is. (The final revelation was that he discarded his Fear, Vacillation, and Love. If he merely wanted to divest himself from the Two-Fingers, he only had to discard his body like Ranni did with her's - yet he did more than that. The locations in which he divested himself of those 3 key faculties were significant. He made sure that no one can find them and St. Trina by placing them in the Fissures wthin the Sea. I think Miquella wanted to abandon it all to become great, which is pure selfishness akin to Griffith in Berserk.
Divesting himself of love could indicate, that he wanted to be able to view everything from a neutral standpoint. He never divested himself of compassion, and he wants to build a order around that feeling. Love could cloud his judgement. Especially someone as envious and poisoning like St. Trina. Would trust her, making her follower mad with her love. Concerning the first comment: My theory is, that Miquella thought Malenia died in Calid and left her. Only later he realised, that she was reborn thsnks to her scarlet rott. Either way, this whole deal with the post fight events in Calid is very interesting! We dont fight any Haligtree knights, but many knights of rott. One St. Trina sword.. but thsts it. Who knows... .
The third time that malenia blossom she would be a Goddess miquella probably went there Just to check It out How It went and must've been shocked that radhan was still alive and malenia got defeated
There are so many statues of miquella hugging various characters, especially Malenia. Knowing now this is how he charms people, how was she NOT charmed into doing his bidding?
Its an importend connection you show, but in my mind you could interprete it a different way. Why build statues of someone who you mindcontroll? And not in a strong position, but you hugging her as a child. If she was simply a tool, why did he leave the golden order to cure her rott? The whole deal with the haligtree welcoming the weak / outcast and so on... I think Miquella is a good guy - but even if you believe that he is an evil charmer... I hope my points are not too far fetched.
I don't think it he needed to charm her. Or if he did, it wouldn't make a big difference. We see other examples of people that he has charmed still remaining loyal, even if the charm is broken and nothing about Malenia's fight or cutscenes changes if you fight her after the DLC. Could be an oversight but I doubt it, they also added a new Sif intro in Dark Souls 1 if you met baby Sif in the DLC time travel first lol
@@ANDERB0RN the answer to why Miquella would leave the Golden Order and/or cure Melania's scarlet rot is (I believe) in the phrase "unalloyed gold." How could Miquella make his order the purest (an unalloyed metal) while accepting all those the "alloyed" golden order wouldn't/couldn't? His godhood would essentially be a hive mind, where all will is his will, no matter the type of vessel that contains his will. A purity of intention and faith. It would be unalloyed because it would all be HIM. There wasn't even room for poor Trina. Building a statue to the moment a demigod overpowered another demigod is seen many places in the lands between. But normally they are shown in war monuments. The hugging statues are displaying the true power of his age of compassion to be the "fiercest of all."
@@netmonkey I understand where you are coming from. Ive seen this interpretation of Miquellas age of compassion multiple times and this channel supports core aspects of this interpretation. But i completely disagree with this. In my opinion Miwuella is a good guy, through and through and only the purposefully twisted narrative of Miyasaki made him look evil in the first place. Looking deeper into his interaction with the characters revealed, in my opinion, that all of them still like him, despite of the charm. The charm beeing more akin to a supression of dark urges in the first place. St. Trina beeing an evil characters would fit the poisoning, envious theme in her quest quite well. Blinded by this kind of love, Miquella could not be truly compassionate, therefor he had to abandon her. But its a very unpopular take, i understand if you dont agree outright :D But i would be happy if even a few people consider it!
She was asleep when we see her and the haligtree was essentially locked up by hiding away the medallion halves as well as the town of Ordina evergaol I figured St Trina cast a spell of Slumber on her to help her recover from the battle/releasing the Rot as well as a way of subduing her so she wouldn't be a potential threat to his plans. Then he locked up and fortified the haligtree defenses and then had Mohg take him away to his Palace to enact his plans in the shadowlands. If Miquella became a god with no intervention the shadowlands and lands between wouldve been reunited which is what i think the trailer of Miquella raising his hand bringing the gold of the erdtree into its shadowland counterpart..from there i think he wouldve used his god power to heal malenia fully and to complete his haligtree and maybe even give Godwynn a true death The general perception is that Miquella leaves everything unfinished but i dont think he did, i think he hit a roadblock in his endeavours because all 3 required a divine power he currently lacked, and this is what provoked him to become a god and if successful he wouldve completed his plans I think Radahn was also told half the plan. He thought he would die and go to the shadowlands and resurrect in his own body with free will, but Miquella like he did with Malenia turned Radahn into a charmed Puppet in Mohgs body as a means of subduing him. Miquellas crown i think implies that he desired control over everyone and that we the tarnished are the only one to resist him entirely. We can see that desire for control in essentially every aspect of him besides St Trina. Marika became a god with Radagon as apart of her Being, Miquella only divested himself of St Trina because her love and kindness would be an opposing force to his desire for control over everything and godhood itself.
Ive had a recent thought; Ive seen many people ask where Miquellas shadow-bound beast has been. MANY of those theories write it off as Malenia, but I wasnt really sure; I think it's been Malenia all along, but she was charmed by Miquella at some point, to prevent her shadow-bound retaliation. My reasoning, is that we know of very few 100% officially confirmed Empyreans' shadow-bound beast; most famously Maliketh, and Blaidd. And what were both of these shadow-bound beasts referred to as, multiple times in the game? They were *raised as siblings.* Miquella also says, in his flashback/memory, "Brother, I'm going to become a god." It's as if it had just been decided upon by some outer party or force. Its possible Malenia may not have had a shadow-bound beast, due to the rot, or was possibly never eligible to begin with.
Yes!! This is the only satisfactory interpretation of Radagon's helm item description. The Loyal Blade is Malenia, the champion is the Tarnished of no Renown. Both have served his ends in destroying Radahn, which I believe was the only way to render him pliable enough to follow Miquella's will.
I find it really interesting that Malenia, as Miquella’s seemingly self-appointed blade, acts as a narrative foil or mirror to Blaidd being Ranni’s shadow. While Blaidd is mislead, excluded, and locked away by Iji, it seems like Malenia was mislead or kept in the dark by Miquella himself, and they both seem to end up losing a part of themselves that they maybe could have kept if the Empyrean sibling they were loyal to (or that sibling’s old babysitter, in Blaidd’s case) was more open with them. I see all the demigods as having some fatal exaggerated flaw that leads to their downfall (Rykard is the ultimate glutton, Godrick is motivated by envy and jealousy, Radahn is so afraid of letting go that he forced his poor tiny horse into service until they both became rot zombies), and ironically I don’t think Malenia’s fatal flaw was her pride so much as her refusal to see herself as anything besides Miquella’s blade. She commanded armies of women loyal enough to carry her from Caelid back to the Haligtree, like Finlay, and she was powerful enough to be the greatest swordsman ever heard of in the Lands Between, and yet she was so loyal to Miquella that it seems like it cost her all of her agency and purpose in the end. I think it’s fascinatingly tragic and also a lot more interesting than the “Malenia CHEATED, and she’s too prideful to admit that she’s lost before” narrative I see online a lot. It’s not that she’s too prideful-I just don’t think she sees herself as anything besides Miquella’s blade, metaphorically blinding her to everything else she could be. Great video! I love hearing about Malenia from people who appreciate her character and themes, and don’t let how tough her fight can be influence the things they say about her or just sling insults at her.
After the DLC came out and I learned of Romina I’ve always thought it IS the Rot doing that to Malenia but not necessarily simply because she’s a Vessal. When we compare Romina and Melenia we can see one is a walking borderline corpse of rot, the other has attained a full, and stable, transformation that has become of benefit to them. Where does that schism come from? Acceptance. Romina met the Aeonian Butterflies and had sympathy, reaching out and offering herself as a mother to the butterflies and the Pest. Melenia has spent her entire life figuring out ways to get rid of it, never truly accepting it as part of herself. She even devoted her entire combat style to keeping the Rot in check. I truly think that if Melenia were to finally accept the Rot as it is she would not only stop rotting but would regenerate the parts she lost with more advanced and stronger versions. Millicents story also has a sub plot of accepting the rot. As she fought against it she lost pieces of herself as well. In her good ending she removes the needle and dies as she is. I see her “bad ending” of becoming a Scarlet Aeonia as her embracing the Rot as a response to betrayal. So TLDR; Melenia wouldn’t be rotting and falling apart if she would just accept the Rot as a part of herself and accept the life that comes from the Rot. If she did she would go through some kind of positive transformation like Romina did. Imagine that? A Melenia with all her rotted off limbs being replaced with stronger insect-esque ones allowing her to become more fearsome!
This literally feels like Messmer 2.0. Do everything for someone you loved, just to be abandoned while you keep hope until your death. The only difference is Messmer saw his mistake at the end.
I feel like this video misunderstood what Malenia, Millicent and Miquella stories were all about. Isn’t about her needing to accept her Goddess of Rot form, that’s literally the exact opposite of what being expressed. Godhood is a curse and Elden Ring heavily criticize this. Malenia desire to be the Blade of Miquella not only because she loves him (of course she does. She’s his twin) but it’s her way to have her own agency in who she is. You are right that Millicent is meant to be a parallel to Malenia but that is to show that Millicent never let the Gowry her change into Scarlet Valkyrie something that she isn’t. She is Millicent. The point of her is that she remained herself even in death. When Malenia fought Radahn in order to break this stalemate of their’s, she used the Rot that was calling to her all her life. She gave up her identity, her pride to further Miquella’s goal because his ascension matters more than herself she believed he can make a world a better place that he can be a god. However, in exchange for that, she lost who she was. Gowry’s whole point is trying to force Malenia and Millicent to be things that they don’t to be want. The god of rot is forcing Malenia to be Goddess of Rot while Gowy is forcing Millicent to be a Scarlet Valkyrie. They both are try to remove their agency as people. “Little Millicent, following in the steps of her mother, no matter what. This is their fate, after all.” “If you happen to be present for the girl's fight with her sisters, I ask that you side with the sisters and kill Millicent. It must be done by your hand; no other. Millicent trusts you, rather deeply in fact. Sever that trust. Nurtured by betrayal, her bud will flower most vividly. When Malenia ascends to godhood, Millicent too shall be reborn. As a scarlet valkyrie.” - Gowry This also why Malenia becomes the Goddess of Rot in her 2nd phase. You killed her and pushed her further into this state. Losing more of her control. Malenia’s agency is that she CHOOSES to be the Blade of Miquella and it’s that desire that Millicent wants to bring back. Miquella’s needle isn’t finished unlike Millicent’s, we very clearly see that Millicent’s needle works as it stops the rot from spreading. This stated in the item description: “One of the unalloyed gold needles that Miquella crafted to ward away the meddling of outer gods. However, the needle is as YET UNFINISHED and can only be used in the heart of the storm beyond time said to be found in Faram Azula.” So wasn’t that it never worked it just that the one Malenia currently had isn’t working. Since it pretty obvious, the needle Millicent has was once Malenia’s when she lost in her fight with Radahn. Giving back the needle is giving back Malenia’s chance to reclaim who she wants to be.
As for Miquella, saying that he never cared about Malenia or doesn’t care about anyone is just ignoring everything in the game doesn’t support this. Miquella spent years trying to find a cure for Malenia. Studying Golden Fundamentalism, and when that didn’t work he pursued other means leading to the needles. “And yet, the young Miquella abandoned fundamentalism, for it could do nothing to treat Malenia's accursed rot. This was the beginning of unalloyed gold.” Radagon’s Ring of Light Miquella didn’t make Malenia a warrior, she is doing what she was taught. To fight. She’s her loyal blade because she trusted in him. “My brother will keep his promise. He possesses the wisdom, the allure, of a god - he is the most fearsome Empyrean of all." - Malenia’s armor Miquella calling Malenia his loyal blade is acknowledging what Malenia wants to be. Not a disrespect (I’ve seen too many people make this mistake). Not only that, Miquella made the Haligtree a safe haven for the oppressed. “Who is it that Miquella shall bless, if not the low and the meek?” - Haligtree Foot Soliders He tried to revive his brother to give him a proper death. “A sword made to commemorate the death of Godwyn the Golden, first of the demigods to die. Infused with the humble prayer of a young boy; "O brother, lord brother, please die a true death." - Golden Epitaph “ "Lord Miquella, forgive me. The sun has not been swallowed. Our prayers were lacking. Your comrade remains soulless... I will never set my eyes upon it now... Your divine Haligtree..." - Castle Sol Spirit When he learned of the Tragedies that Marika did to the Hornsents he felt like it was his fault, his bloodline. That is why he is even divested himself of his flesh. It’s to repent for his mother’s sins. “Ever-young Miquella saw things for what they were. He knew that his bloodline was tainted. His roots mired in madness. A tragedy if ever there was one. That he would feel compelled to renounce everything. When the blame... lay squarely with the mother. “ -Ymir “Well, I am much obliged. I can hardly believe it, he's divested himself of his very eye… Tender Miquella's eye is no mere morsel of flesh. It is a vessel of soaring grace. Proof of his Empyrean lineage. I wonder, does Miquella the Kind intend to sever his very birthright? His fate as a child of the Erdtree?” - Ansbach “By Marika long betray'd, set aflame. I believe Miquella's apologies, when he says our delivery will come. But never will I see your kind as worthy.” - Hornsent “Miquella has said as much himself - he wishes now to throw it all away. He says the act - though undoubtedly painful - will sear clean the Erdtree’s wanton sin. The truth of his claim can be found at each cross. Tis evidence enough to earn my belief.” - Hornsent To think Miquella cares only for himself is heavily misunderstanding his character. Miquella those use his charm to get he wants but it is to further his goal to truly fix the world. The tragedy is that he slowly loses himself in the pursuit of Godhood. Oh Hey! Guess what the point of Millicent and Malenia’s story was again? Not losing who you are for power. Malenia and Miquella’s story is two characters trying to fix the world they saw was broken but ending up losing themselves in that pursuit. At least for Malenia she might get a second chance.
One problematic aspect of childhood is, although innocent and well intended, a child cannot take responsibility for others and care for them. They seek attention and protection, which they deserve and need in order to grow to their full potential, but they are not able to give it back until they become themselves adults. Miquella is doing exactly what a child does: he wants everyone to do better, the weak, the downtrodden, the sick, but doesn't have the means to this end. He desperately needs and seeks the assistance and the protection of others, which he gets, but then cannot reciprocate. He abandons those that loved him unconditionally when they find themselves in need, because he does not grow from their support and cannot take that role in return. He has tested his limits many times to no avail, so now he reaches for godhood as if power over souls and lands would turn him into a grownup, mature, capable person. Miquella's not evil, he's pure because of his candid and kind heart, and radiant because of his youthful energy and charisma. But alas, by seeking godhood, and thus power over others, he brings down conflict and desolation. Just as when children get free rein to decide, everyone ends up lacking in many things: justice, safety, trust, serenity, constance. I think people who see Slden Ring characters as black or white do not consider this kind of nuance. For them, a character is either a hero or a villain. But heroes and villains are interchangeable in Fromsoft's and George RR Martin's respective universes, and Elden Ring is the perfect wedding of these two. Both Malenia and Miquella are unintentionally villains, as much as they display heroic intentions and deeds. The same can be said of all demigods. Each and every one is heroic in intention, most are in their deeds, but all end up serving or breeding villainous causes and perpetuate the cycle of violence that is the Shattering.
@@allthe1 I while agree with your end statement on character complexities and not seeing characters as flat evil or good characters. I fundamentally disagree with the interpretation of Miquella. I honestly feel people take the idea that Miquella being cursed to be young, means he’s mentally a child when all of his actions and achievements does not support this. Miquella youth prevents him from achieving his true potential. His strength. It is true he relies on others but his power even before the charm is that he is very charismatic. Being able to make people join him. “My brother will keep his promise. He possesses the wisdom, the allure, of a god - he is the most fearsome Empyrean of all." Miquella’s not a child. He can’t be wise and child at the same time. He’s an idealist. His desire to help people is act of kindness, to help his sister to help his family to help others. You did say this but the problem lies with your understanding of these actions as childish. Which is very confusing. Because wanting to help people…makes a child? *”Miquella is doing exactly what a child does: he wants everyone to do better, the weak, the downtrodden, the sick, but doesn't have the means to this end.”* Im not going to get to point of how children are mostly selfish and inexperienced. You are confusing idealism with a child that doesn’t understand how the world works. That is exactly opposite of Miquella. He is a genius both academically and technologically, he has saw the inherent flaws of the Golden Order that eventually lead him to Unalloyed Gold and found a tool that can halt the very Outer Gods. Has built a large and powerful army, a land of extraordinary complexity, The Haligtree. He made the very contraptions that Malenia’s uses in her battles, her prosthetics etc. A “child” by your logic would be all talk no trousers. However Miquella does act, he walks the walk. He has found ways to. He succeeded in alleviating Malenia’s pain. He has made a sanctuary for the oppressed. Did it fail yes but this not because he’s a child. That is simply unfortunate circumstances out of his control. If he’s a child for failing then literally every demigod that isn’t Ranni is a child. None achieve their goals, so this idea of him being mentally a child is confusing at best. Miquella is as old as Malenia, he’ been alive long than all of the Tarnished in the Land Between to say that: *”Just as when children get free rein to decide, everyone ends up lacking in many things: justice, safety, trust, serenity, constance.”* Not only is blatantly not true he those all those things. He does care to a fault. That he would take the blame on himself for his mother’s actions: “Ever-young Miquella saw things for what they were. He knew that his bloodline was tainted. His roots mired in madness. A tragedy if ever there was one. That he would feel compelled to renounce everything. When the blame... lay squarely with the mother. “ -Ymir He tries to redeem the Hornsents and show his commitment to his promise by divesting himself of anything to do with Marika, that’s why he’s even doing that. “By Marika long betray'd, set aflame. I believe Miquella's apologies, when he says our delivery will come. But never will I see your kind as worthy.” - Hornsent “Miquella has said as much himself - he wishes now to throw it all away. He says the act - though undoubtedly painful - will sear clean the Erdtree’s wanton sin. The truth of his claim can be found at each cross. Tis evidence enough to earn my belief.” - Hornsent I know I just reused what I presented in my previous post but it’s because I already explained this in my post. He’s idealistic nature is what blinds him when he pursues Godhood. You can’t even say his promises are empty because he was never able to do it, YOU. WE KILLED HIM. He never GOT to start. And It wasn’t for justice or anything like that. It was for are right to rule are right to become Elden Lord. We simply clashed, only one god and one lord can exist in the world. *”He abandons those that loved him unconditionally when they find themselves in need, because he does not grow from their support and cannot take that role in return.”* This part is what started this rebuttal. This claim. His goal, all the characters, his sister, his solider, Leda, everyone helps him to achieve Godhood. They believed he could change the world. What makes you think he abandoned them? He didn’t even get to start his reign. It died the moment it began. This idea he just said screw to everyone goes against everything he did to get to this point. It ignores everything Malenia abandoned to help Miquella to get to where is. The only thing Miquella abandoned is himself. That’s the point. In the pursuit of Godhood, you lose who you are. This “Miquella was a child” idea completely removes HIS agency, it makes him just a stupid child that didn’t know better and it reduces him to sniveling brat that took on more than he can chew. To end this off, I want be very blunt about something, I don’t want this to be the Story the DLC told. I don’t like how this ended, this is how I wanted Miquella’s story to end. However I’m not interested in people reducing Miquella to a sad naive child when he is far more complicated than that. This Miquella’s a mentally child needs to go.
To everyone under this comment: without disregarding any of your interpretations, go read/re-read Berserk and genuinely try to argue that Miquella isn't a Griffith parallel (troll move on Miyazaki's part)... You can't. 😏
Great vid.. I believe Malenia was betrayed by Miquella. He used her to protect his haligtree, then abandoned her as another mere part of himself in his ambitious attempt at rising to godhood. St Trina was used to put Malenia to sleep to allow Mohg to take his cocoon from the haligtree roots. Upon being awakened by the tarnished, Malenia seems tired, and doesn't speak of heroic tales but words of directionless despair. Perhaps she became aware of Miquellas true nature and plan, which is why she had to be put to sleep. In her waking pain, she clings on to her title as the blade of Miquella, as it's all she's ever known. But now, against the Tarnished, she ultimately fights for nothing. Because of this, she knows she won't win, and knows there is only one things left for her; the transformation into the God that she never wanted to become. While Miquella lies schemes, cheats, kills and abandons all the parts of himself that were everything Malenia ever wanted, to become a God, his sister simply has to let it happen. Indeed Miquella was jealous of his sisters power, all along.
Sooooo i think that the amber starlight that we find at the miquella malenia statue is malenias fate and not Miquella’s. Malenia’s great rune heals her as she takes damage. It directly works to coexist with the rot. She learns a method of flowing water that balances her stagnant waters. I think her fate was to conquer rot and stand as a God wielding its power but this would still incorporate an outer god and Miquella isn’t down for the betrayal of an outer god. We get evidence that miquella learned everything about marika in the shadowland and made choices around her choices. Usually the choosing opposite choice. The delusion is that she is undefeated because of skill. She is undefeated because as long as she keeps fighting, she is healed. The charm is becoming of one mind with Miquella’s will. “Our part of the vow” is him speaking for them both because she has no choice. She knows the power he wields and is aware of what he has done to her. millicent is the clue that Malenia’s pride wouldn’t let her play second to anyone. Ansbach shows the same awareness that miquella indeed charmed him and he speaks of him just as Malenia does. Fearful reverence.
One thing that I have never heard someone mentioned is melania's attack where she offers in the air and then sends out scarlet copies of herself to attack you, i think these are the scarlet Valkyries. In the boss fight she always attacks you with 4 clones like millicents 4 sisters. its possible that instead of transforming into a scarlet Valkyrie and returning to malenias side as a weapon, we help millicent return to her as she left her, her pride that resists the rot.
Love your takes on the Elden Ring characters lore, have some odds by the spirit bell and golden whistle but still, love the content. As you talked about Malenia and... by extent Miquella, The Tyrant... the in-game lore say they are Empyreans like Marika and Ranni, but apart from those two... we don't know who their shadows are... I have a theory that Malenia shadow is Commander O'Neil, that is why he was in the Aeonia Swamp looking for the Malenia broken golden needle. And Commander Niall is Miquella's shadow, he is staistioned at Castle Sol holding one half the Haligtree medalion needed to enter the Haligtree where Miquella is - supposed to - be growing a new Era. What do you thing? Again love the work, keep it on!
@@SilverMooney Sure, it could be. But, aside some lore exposition in three talismans, again the Blind Swordsman is another character that didn't appear in-game. While the commanders are described as veterans, quite powerfull NPCs guarding some in-game storylines progression linked to their (supposed) Empyreans like Blaidd and Maliketh.
Interesting vide with interesting points! The duality of Malenia as the goddess of rott on the one hand and as blade of Miquella on the other is well shown here. Its a tragedy, really. On the one hand she could have brought her own "new order" ... but her order is just the apocalypse. The endless cicles of rebirth, make one question if we even fight the real Malenia... or just a husk of her former self. Its like the the Theseus ship Paradox. Must have broken Miquellas heart. I believe, that he truly loved her. But in the end she was to powerful, he could not help her. Concerning the kindred of rott, they are living in the haligtree. I dont know if they are new there, but they seem to be near the center so i dont think they were excluded by Miquella. Quite the opposite, as you have pointed out, they work under him.
Thank you! So I actually think that the Kindred of Rot in the haligtree aren’t welcome, but they have just moved in and the guards are too checked out to do anything lol. I think Malenia doesn’t want them there but Miquella clearly doesn’t mind them.
Miquellas needle looks a bit like a bewitching branch. That's my guess. He managed to bewitch Malenia and make her go nuke Radahn. Because Radahn had to die for Miquellas plan to progress. However, even while inflicted with rot, Radahn refuses to die.
I don’t agree with this at all and I’m sorry if that sounds rude. I mean look at the statues of them. They’re embracing each other. They were born with these ailments and neither could live their life due to this. I would say that there’s a chance melania knew all along and is the very reason she attacked radahn, after falling In battle she was unconscious and was carried back to the halig tree where she sat until we came upon her. She claims to never have known defeat, that makes me think she was unaware or maybe even still dazed when she stands to fight the tarnished. If the very protector of miquella woke to find his body missing I’m sure she’d have something to say about that but she knows miquellas plan and the tarnished actually arriving at the haligtree shows her we are on his trail. And she’s gonna stop us rather than go looking for him, because she’s well aware of his plan. That’s how it reads to me.
Personal problems fueled by others manipulation and even gaslighting CAN lead to a disaster in personality..... Sth that I know very well on my own example .... in my own family terror....
Isn't this video redundant because Millicent says that it was exactly Malenia's dignity and sense of self that allowed her to resist the Scarlet Rot? So when you say she didn't have a sense of self, that's just wrong? Surely Millicent know's what she's talking about, she literally feels the truth of it as a primal intuition since she was once part of Malenia herself. I really don't like this "nobody related to Miquella has any ideals or character of their own, they were just acting as puppets" idea that's come up since the DLC.
Awesome thumbnail art. Anyway I think something important to consider is that... Uh, I got nothing. This was really well put together and I enjoyed watching it. I've had the idea that some of these people, starting with Marika, can just... Split off a part of themselves. Like they reproduce asexually. Like you develop a part of yourself that's a bit different, like radagon, and eventually it can separate completely, St Trina. I just thought of it recently and have not pondered it with the broader lore, but it seemed interesting.
While i think it's very possible that Shamans/Numens and their descendants can split into different aspects of themselves, i'm still not convinced about Radagon being ONLY an aspect of Marika... Radagon HAS to be related to Fire Giants and/or Zamors in some way, but i still haven't cracked the code and it seems no one has yet too.
Another reason why Miquella might have abandoned Malenia was that she was in the verge of becoming a goddess herself, as we can see when we fight her. So maybe kind Mike double charmed Malenia to keep her under control and thus, he becoming the one and only God of the new age
another piece of evidence that shows how miquella effortlessly controlled anyone around him, Malenia was never able to be her own person, she literally did everything for her brother
