With just a few days left until the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion launches, Hidetaka Miyazaki and the FromSoftware team have been busy answering a bunch of crucial questions. One of the most talked-about topics: why is Messmer so attractive?
FromSoftware has a unique style when it comes to their bosses. Think of The One Reborn from Bloodborne, a grotesque creature made of writhing corpses, or Elden Ring’s Death Rite Bird, which is equally unsettling with its skeletal form and shadowy wings. The Lands Between is full of vivid and creepy imagery, including human limbs grafted onto bodies. Tarnished hunters even hunt others like the main character to use their limbs. But what’s the story with Messmer, who looks like he stepped right out of Netflix’s Castlevania?
In an interview with CNET, Miyazaki explained, “Just like Malenia was somewhat the face of the original Elden Ring, Messmer is the face of this DLC. But will he stay this way until the end? That’s uncertain and will depend on how the story unfolds.”
Speaking about Messmer’s striking looks, Miyazaki added, “Messmer may appear this way now, but as you delve deeper into the DLC, you’ll understand it’s classic FromSoftware. Expect a transformation similar to Malenia’s in Elden Ring—likely into something monstrous, with wings, a hunched posture, and some mysterious power.”
Early promotional images show Messmer, possibly before a battle, with snakes starting to detach from his body. These scaly serpents are bound to shatter any notion you have of a “sexy Messmer.”
Before providing the serious answers, Miyazaki joked around a bit, saying that “Bandai Namco encouraged us to make him attractive.” A humorous tweet from the publisher even suggested that fans “treat themselves to an 18-inch statue of Messmer the Impaler,” referring to a Collector’s Edition figure.