Many fans already have a definitive opinion on one aspect of Elden Ring's Shadow of the Golden Tree DLC, but FromSoftware may do something unexpected.
- Elden Ring's upcoming DLC expansion, Shadow of the Golden Tree, has been highly speculated by fans, but there is no official confirmation or details yet.
- The teaser image of this expansion has led many to believe that this expansion is about Michaela, but it may involve a version of Queen Malika or some other characters.
- FromSoftware has a history of subverting expectations in its DLC, so fans shouldn't be surprised that Shadow of the Golden Tree has a different focus than expected.
Taking FromSoftware Studios to a new level of success and developing this year's Armored Core 6 for it, Elden Ring can be seen as the culmination of the studio's previous efforts. It may go deep into the open world, but in many ways, it still sticks to the pattern of the previous Souls games. However, the development time of the upcoming Shadow of the Golden Tree expansion has become the longest of any expansion in the studio's history, since it was announced nearly a year ago. Elden Ring's DLC could go beyond its predecessor and may continue to surprise fans in another significant way.
As time went on, there was no progress on further exploration of the contents of the expansion, and fans were left to create theories based on the only announcement post available. From the beginning, the association of several Elden Ring characters with the teaser image of Shadow of the Golden Tree has been at the center of speculation, but there has been no official confirmation of any details about the expansion. Data mining and the alleged leak have proposed a release date for early 2024, but what exactly the subject of the DLC is is unclear.
Michaela and Malika in the teaser image of Shadow of the Golden Tree
Michaela is the preferred candidate
Although there is no official confirmation of who exactly the character in the trailer image of the expansion is, many fans are already convinced that it is most likely Michaela. The character's braids are strongly like Michaela shows in the game's opening film, and his association with places like Castle Sol has stoned speculation about the dead tree in the teaser image, which may indicate the importance of Godwin's Root of Death in Shadow of the Golden Tree. Rumors about the inclusion of Michaela in the content cut from the base game also fueled his belief that the DLC would be important, as some fans even considered that the content surrounding the demigod would turn into its own expansion. However, in the classic FromSoft way, the teaser images may be deliberately misleading, in a way that leans toward these rumors.
Michaela is most likely Malika
There may be no other known character to be a blonde, but the expansion doesn't have to happen around the same time as Elden's Ring base game. Some fans have instead speculated that the character in the trailer may be a younger version of Queen Marika in "Shadow of the Golden Tree", sometime before the power of "The Big Tree" came to glory. In this case, Marika may be riding towards a furnace or tree that has been swallowed by the "Big Tree", possibly with the help of the player in a time travel scenario reminiscent of several previous expansions.
What fans probably wouldn't have anticipated with Shadow of the Golden Tree?
The Souls DLC is good at subverting people's expectations
If FromSoft doesn't end up focusing on Miquila as the focus of "Shadow of the Golden Tree," this could be seen as a major twist in terms of fan expectations, but it's not the first time the studio has gone against players' predictions. For example, in the original Dark Souls' "Souls of the Abyss", there is a mystical aura that resembles a character only mentioned in the base game. Artorias is said to be a hero who sacrifices himself to save others from the abyss, but going back in time reveals that he has descended into madness, making the player his legendary hero.
The Old Hunter of Bloodborne, through its DLC region, also reveals the unexpected history of its world. There is even a statement interviewing producer Yasudai Kitao, highlighting the specific contrast between this upcoming expansion and the approach of these old projects:
Although there is still some time, it is going well. Like the 'Dark Souls' series and 'Bloodborne', this game features new battles and new characters. Please look forward to something new.