Who is Miquella in Elden Ring? Empyrean, Demigod, & Shardbearer

There are quite a few demigods in Elden Ring, and you get to meet almost all of them. However, one shardbearer who is famed for his strength and kind nature, is missing from the Lands Between. Who is Miquella in Elden Ring and what happened to them?

Miquella’s Family Tree & Affliction

Miquella is a demigod born of his mother, Queen Marika the Eternal, and his father, King Consort Radagon (who are technically the same person, but we won’t get into that). Miquella is also the twin brother of his sister Malenia.

Both Miquella and Malenia were born with an affliction – a birth defect of sorts that could have been the result of having two parents who are actually one person. While Malenia was cursed with rot, Miquella was cursed with eternal youth, at least in appearance. The twins were very close, and Malenia vowed to protect Miquella, as he couldn’t do so himself with his child-like stature.

Miquella’s Road to Becoming a God & The Haligtree

Miquella was chosen by the Two Fingers to be an Empyrean. The Empyreans are characters within Elden Ring that are selected as candidates to succeed Queen Marika and become a god or goddess. A very select few characters have been granted this status, including Miquella, Malenia, Ranni, and the deceased Gloam-Eyed Queen.

Malenia is quoted as calling Miquella “The most fearsome Empyrean of all,” and even claims he already had the wisdom and allure of a god. Even more, Miquella is beloved by many in the Lands Between and the Realm of Shadow, proving he can garner loyal subjects with his kindness.

As Malenia vowed to protect Miquella, the twin brother made a vow of his own. Miquella swore to find a cure for Malenia’s rot to the point where he abandoned the Golden Order, the belief system created by his mother.

In a search for a cure, Miquella began feeding his own blood to a tree sapling in hopes of growing a rival to the Erdtree. This is the location known as the Haligtree in Elden Ring, which is also where players will find Malenia. She stands guarding the tree where he brother once lay, but he’s no longer there.

Mohg Kidnaps ( & Kills?) Miquella

As the Haligtree grew, Miquella decided to ball up into a cocoon and embed himself into the tree, where he would presumably transform into a stronger Empyrean. During this time, Malenia was waging war in Caelid against General Radahn, and she departed the Haligtree long enough for Miquella to be kidnapped.

Mohg, the Lord of Blood and Miquella’s half-brother snuck into the Haligtree and ripped Miquella’s body from its cocoon. Mohg had his own selfish ambitions, wanting to raise Miquella to godhood and become his Monarch, but the premature removal of the cocoon killed Miquella.

Players can still see a portion of Miquella, or what we are led to believe is Miquella, in Elden Ring. When you challenge Mohg in the underground fortress of the Mohgwyn Palace, the boss emerges from a pool of blood that pours from a withered arm. The arm is believed to be Miquella, and it is jutting from the cocoon that Mohg stole.

Miquella & The Realm of Shadow

Miquella is seemingly dead in the Lands Between but not so much in the Realm of Shadow. This new area where the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC takes place is separate and hidden from the Lands Between, but is accessed by touching Miquella’s withered hand.

According to the DLC story trailer, Miquella gave up his right to become a god along with his strength and eternal youth in order to go to the Realm of Shadow. The DLC will allow players to follow in Miquella’s footsteps alongside his loyal followers. Elden Ring Director Miyazaki states, “It’s the players who will be tracing [Miquella’s] path and following in his footsteps, trying to see what he’s going to do there.”

We won’t know Miquella’s goal or motive in the Realm of Shadow until it is released in June, but Miyazaki has made it clear that Miquella is very involved in the story and does have plans for the Realm.