The sparse role of the Ancient Dragons in the critically acclaimed Elden Ring by FromSoftware leaves a lot of room for interpretation. While they're some of the most memorable encounters of Elden Ring, the Ancient Dragons struggle to find the same plot relevancy as their humanoid counterparts. The upcoming DLC expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, is the perfect opportunity to expand on the presence and lore of the Ancient Dragons. With several clues hidden through the base game, Shadow of the Erdtree seems poised to offer more from the Ancient Dragons.
The Ancient Dragons of Elden Ring are nothing short of technical marvels, but their minor role saw them often overlooked in favor of all the other iconic Elden Ring bosses. Most basic dragon enemies in the game reuse the same base model with slight variations in abilities and appearances, causing a fatigue common in a game known for its resourceful but repetitive asset recycling. The actual Ancient Dragon bosses are few and far between, with almost no backstory compared to the rich histories of the other bosses.
The Shadow of the Erdtree Teaser Image Hints at a Godwyn Connection
Shadow of the Erdtree could provide more opportunities to shine for the massive creatures. The Shadow of the Erdtree teaser image released by FromSoftware showcases a delicate blonde figure riding the player steed Torrent, with some kind of withered tree figure in the distance. The image could be considered vague, but there are subtle details here that actually hint at a potential connection to the dragons.
Within the teaser image, what might appear to be a single withered tree leaking gold liquid actually seems to be two different withered trees twisted around each other. This is relevant because the demigod Godwyn’s undead corpse lies deep underground beneath the Erdtree. His corpse is said to be the progenitor of Deathroot, a corrupted substance in Elden Ring that causes the Deathblight status ailment. This withered tree could be the manifestation of Godwyn’s Deathroot wringing the life out of the Erdtree.
The connection between the teaser image and Godwyn is significant since the place where the player finds Godwyn’s corpse, the Deeproot Depths, is actually also the location of one of the Ancient Dragon encounters, namely with Lichdragon Fortissax, a former ally of Godwyn's. Fortissax is supposedly encountered in a dream about the undead Godwyn. This is apart from the deeper lore implication that Godwyn was the originator of the Ancient Dragon Cult, a mysterious group with massive influence in the capital of The Lands Between.
Godwyn’s Ancient Dragon Cult Has Deep Ties to the Lore
Due to the possible presence of Deathroot in its teaser image, the mysterious and underdeveloped Godwyn could come into a far more prominent role. With his connections to the Ancient Dragon Cult, Godwyn’s bigger role would likely mean bringing the Ancient Dragons to the forefront at some point in the DLC. The teaser image appears to take place in a different time period than the base game, so connections can also be drawn to the anachronistic encounter with the secret Elden Ring boss, Dragonlord Placidusax. Players could potentially see the Dragonlord in an even stronger form, as he appeared far past his prime in the base game of Elden Ring.
Despite their limited role in the base game, the upcoming Shadow of the Erdtree has the potential to expand on the significance of the Ancient Dragons and provide a more in-depth exploration of their lore. With the direct connections to Lichdragon Fortissax, it seems that the dragons can play a more prominent role in the DLC’s narrative. The expansion’s possible focus on the dragons would connect to the game's broader themes of life, death, and the balance of power. Shadow of the Erdtree is set to be a mysterious new chapter in the Elden Ring story, and a connection to the Ancient Dragons may be the key to some of the game’s electrifying moments yet.
Elden Ring is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S.
