AnElden Ringfan on Reddit has pointed out a potentially revealing aspect of Messmer’s design, inviting a new storm of speculation about the mysterious character’s role in the greater lore of the game. This observation can be viewed as part of a general desire toknow more about Messmeras, while strikingly designed and clearly important to the overall narrative ofShadow of the Erdtree, he is mostly shrouded in mystery, never even being mentioned in the base game.
Based onElden Ring’s recentShadow of the Erdtreegameplay trailer, it looks like Messmer will be one of the primary antagonists of the expansion. Aside from the fact that he is shown to be facing off against the player-character in combat, his statement about “one so bereft of light,” who is presumably the Tarnished, and the additional NPC comments regarding “the embrace of Messmer’s flame,” suggest that he will be acting as a sort of agent of the Golden Order, which is diametrically opposed to the Tarnished, in many ways. His overall appearance, specifically his red hair, has also led many to believe that he is a child of Radagon and Marika, though this is just speculation.
AsElden Ringfanspick apart theShadow of the Erdtreetrailer, one potentially poignant observation has been made about Messmer. A Reddit user called George2J points out that Messmer is left-handed, setting him apart fromElden Ring’s other bosses. George2J and commenters on the post were quick to point out that left-handedness has been viewed as a sign of evil throughout history, with many cultures actively discouraging or severely punishing those who favor their left appendage.
What Messmer Being Left-Handed Could Mean
Analyzing this design choice, some may be led to believe that, even amid the bevy of hostile andunsettling enemies inShadow of the Erdtree, Messmer will be positioned as particularly fearsome or evil. This seems rather unlikely, though, as there are plenty of unambiguously evil characters inElden Ring, like theDung Eater, who are right-handed.
Technically, bosses like Radahn, who wields two swords, could be considered left-handed, but no other notable boss uses their left hand exclusively.
It should go without saying that left-handed people in real life aren’t actually evil, only perceived as such at different points in history due to intolerance or superstition. It’s possible, then, that Messmer’s left-handedness could tie into themes of discrimination or prejudice. Then again,the minutia of Messmer’s character designmay not have any deeper meaning, althoughElden Ring’s deep lore and FromSoftware’s history of subtle storytelling suggest otherwise.
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ELDEN RING, developed by FromSoftware, Inc. and BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc., is a fantasy action-RPG adventure set within a world created by Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R.R. Martin. Danger and discovery lurk around every corner in FromSoftware’s largest game to date. Hidetaka Miyazaki - President and Game Director of FromSoftware Inc. Known for directing critically-acclaimed games in beloved franchises including Armored Core and Dark Souls.George R.R. Martin is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many novels, including the acclaimed series A Song of Ice and Fire - A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast For Crows, and A Dance with Dragons. As a writer-producer, he has worked on The Twilight Zone, Beauty and the Beast, and various feature films and pilots that were never made. He lives with the lovely Parris in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
