There are several non-player characters and NPCs in Elden Ring who help spread the game’s tale and explain the lore of the Lands Between before and after the Shattering. Most of the key characters in Elden Ring are seen and engaged with as allies or superiors, and their stories are typically told indirectly through context and interactions with other characters. The player must piece together the characters and their stories to get a whole picture and see how the various threads relate to one another.
The gods and goddesses, as well as their offspring, are revered figures in the narrative. As the tale progresses, the player comes to recognize all of these characters by name. However, one name, Miquella the Unalloyed, is mentioned frequently by significant characters but is never properly introduced. Despite the fact that Miquella is never directly shown on screen, he is strongly hinted by other significant characters to be one of the most influential figures in all of Elden Ring.
History of Miquella
Miquella’s background starts with Queen Marika, and players must unravel her convoluted family tree to learn about her ancestry. Since the Greater Will, the Outer God who brought the cheap Elden Ring runes to the Lands Between, wanted a queen to rule over them, Marika was chosen for the position. Then, Marika chose Hoarah Loux to be her king; he was later dubbed Godfrey, the First Elden Lord. Margott, Mohg, and Godwyn are the couple’s three demi-god children.
To celebrate the beginning of the Golden Age, Markia married Radagon and cast out Godfrey and the Tarnished. Marika and Radagon welcomed identical twins, Miquella and Malenia, into the world. However, the twins were both born with unique congenital anomalies over which much doubt remains. Both Malenia and Miquella were cursed in different ways; Malenia was doomed to a lifetime of Scarlet Rot, while Miquella was doomed to always look like a kid.
Miquella, in particular, was viewed as strong and a suitable successor to Queen Marika. Miquella was still one of the most potent members of his family even in his cursed form, and he was held in high esteem by his fellow demi-gods in the Golden Order. Because of the Golden Order’s negative impact on his family, however, Miquella eventually decided to leave it in search of treatment for himself and his sister.
Origins of Haligtree and Pure Gold
After breaking with the Golden Order, Miquella developed unalloyed gold, which protected against both Scarlet Rot and the intervention of the Outer Gods. As well as curing his sister, Miquella hoped to use his invention to heal himself, so he planted a sapling and began nurturing it with his own blood. Miquella tended to the tree atop the city of Elphael, where it eventually became known as the Haligtree, in the hopes that its Empyrean blood would allow it to sprout into a new Erdtree.
Many creatures and troops, decked out in unalloyed gold armor, worshiped the demi-god at Miquella’s Haligtree, which they believed would defend them from harm. Despite Miquella’s power to coerce the emotions of others, it is unknown whether these guardians decided to safeguard her Haligtree. The Bewitching Branch is described as follows: “The Empyrean Miquella is loved by many people.” The fact that people are so devoted to Miquella and seem to believe in his magical abilities suggests that this may be the result of him learning how to manipulate them.
Without getting into the specifics of how he got there, suffice it to say that Miquella was cursed and decided to fix it by becoming one with the Haligtree. But his stay in the tree was cut short when his half-brother Mohg stole his cocoon and attempted to raise Miquella to full godhood so that Mohg could rule as his consort and monarch. At the end of the battle with Radahn, Malenia was injured and had to be carried back to the Haligtree by one of her warriors. Unfortunately, Malenia arrived at the scene too late to save her brother, so she waited for Miquella’s return at the Haligtree’s stronghold.
An Overview of Miquella’s Global Impact
Unalloyed gold is perhaps Miquella’s most remarkable contribution to the Elden Ring universe. When Millicent discovers that this potent ingredient can reverse Scarlet Rot, it becomes an invaluable asset on her path to Malenia. Sage Gowry is the first person the player will meet who mentions unalloyed gold, since he or she needs to locate an unalloyed gold holy needle in order to cure Millicent of her Scarlet Rot. After completing Millicent’s mission, players will receive the Unalloyed Gold Needle as a reward.
After defeating Malenia at the Haligtree’s base, players can use the Unalloyed Gold Needle on the massive Scarlet Aeonia that rests atop Malenia’s body. By taking this action, the player will grant Miquella’s dying request to save his sister’s life. In contrast, the game’s ending can be altered by the player’s actions if they choose to heal the Scarlet Aeonia and receive Miquella’s Needle in return.
There is only one option for players who have been eaten by the Frenzied Flame before the game ends to reverse the process and avoid becoming the Lord of the Frenzied Flame. When facing Dragonlord Placidusax in the boss arena, players who are armed with Miquella’s Needle can extinguish the flame and unlock a different ending. At Elden Ring lore, the unfinished needle is said to be able to protect against interference from the Outer Gods, especially the one who invokes the Frenzied Flame, although it can only be used in the eye of the storm in Farum Azula.
The Content Featuring Miquella
Miquella was taken from his Haligtree before he could mature, thus he sleeps in his cocoon for the duration of Elden Ring. He died fighting Mohg, and his remains, still covered in his cocoon, may be found at the far end of the boss arena. Since gamers have no way to engage with Miquella, it’s not obvious if his presence even matters.