Who is Messmer in Elden Ring Shadow of The Erdtree DLC?

Just who is Messmer in Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC? Elden Ring’s big DLC expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, has a ton of fascinating lore implications. The latest trailer showcases the new environs and some gameplay nuggets, but players are particularly curious about the host of mysterious new characters. One particular red-haired character has stirred the pot of intrigue, and that’s what we’re talking about today.

Messmer’s Red Hair is a Clue

The first notable clue as to Messmer’s identity is his flaming red hair. Elden Ring doesn’t feature a ton of red-headed characters, but when it does they tend to be Demigods. In Elden Ring lore, red hair signifies the offspring of Queen Marika’s second husband, Radagon. Radagon himself dons the iconic red hair, as do his numerous Demigod children: Malenia, Radahn, Rykard, and Ranni.

But hair isn’t the only tell-tale sign of Messmer’s identity. He’s shown holding a giant flame in his right hand as a giant snake surrounds his body. Take a close look at this giant flame – it looks similar to something the Fire Giants would forge with its black cursed lines and chalice shape.

But back to the hair. Radagon’s red hair is symbolic of those born with the curse of the Fire Giants. Messmer holding a chalice-shaped flame and also possessing red hair points to strong Fire Giant connections.

Hidetaka Miyazaki has confirmed that Messmer is a child of Marika and Radagon via a recent Japanese Famitsu interview. Fortunately, we have a translation from Reikou on the Elden Ring Reddit page. Here is the translated portion of the Famitsu interview:

“The chair that Messmer is sitting on is the same chair that was used in the main story during the battle with “The Abominable King, Morgot,” and he is also a being on the same level as Godrick, Malenia, Radahn, Rykard, etc., and is also called “Child of Marika”.

Connection with Rykard

Messmer is shown wrapped by a giant snake in the Shadows of the Erdtree trailer while wearing a helm decorated with snakes. The snake motif is no coincidence considering Messmer’s shared lineage with Rykard, the Lord of Blasphemy. Rykard was an interesting fellow who fed himself to the great serpent inhabiting Mt. Gelmir, resulting in this monstrosity:

Rykard being part snake might have something to do with Messmer’s snake theming. Could Messmer be a son or sibling of Rykard? It’s very likely. Fortunately, Bandai Namco isn’t shy about showing close details of Messmer’s helm. Check out this replica of Messmer’s Helm available for pre-order on Bandai Namco’s website.

That covers what we can dig up concerning who Messmer is in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree. Elden Ring’s lore goes deep, so it wouldn’t be surprising if more discoveries were hidden under the surface. To see some other hidden nuggets, check out five cool details we spotted in the Shadow of the Erdtree trailer.