An Elden Ring fan on Reddit has pointed out a potentially revealing aspect of Messmer's design, inviting a new storm of speculation about the mysterious character's role in the greater lore of the game. This observation can be viewed as part of a general desire to know more about Messmer as, while strikingly designed and clearly important to the overall narrative of Shadow of the Erdtree, he is mostly shrouded in mystery, never even being mentioned in the base game.

Based on Elden Ring's recent Shadow of the Erdtree gameplay trailer, it looks like Messmer will be one of the primary antagonists of the expansion. Aside from the fact that he is shown to be facing off against the player-character in combat, his statement about "one so bereft of light," who is presumably the Tarnished, and the additional NPC comments regarding "the embrace of Messmer's flame," suggest that he will be acting as a sort of agent of the Golden Order, which is diametrically opposed to the Tarnished, in many ways. His overall appearance, specifically his red hair, has also led many to believe that he is a child of Radagon and Marika, though this is just speculation.

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Miquella Lore
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All The Elden Ring Lore You Need to Remember Heading into Shadow of the Erdtree

Shadow of the Erdtree will continue to build Elden Ring's world, so players should have a solid grasp on certain lore elements before it drops.

As Elden Ring fans pick apart the Shadow of the Erdtree trailer, one potentially poignant observation has been made about Messmer. A Reddit user called George2J points out that Messmer is left-handed, setting him apart from Elden Ring's other bosses. George2J and commenters on the post were quick to point out that left-handedness has been viewed as a sign of evil throughout history, with many cultures actively discouraging or severely punishing those who favor their left appendage.

What Messmer Being Left-Handed Could Mean

Analyzing this design choice, some may be led to believe that, even amid the bevy of hostile and unsettling enemies in Shadow of the Erdtree, Messmer will be positioned as particularly fearsome or evil. This seems rather unlikely, though, as there are plenty of unambiguously evil characters in Elden Ring, like the Dung Eater, who are right-handed.

Technically, bosses like Radahn, who wields two swords, could be considered left-handed, but no other notable boss uses their left hand exclusively.

It should go without saying that left-handed people in real life aren't actually evil, only perceived as such at different points in history due to intolerance or superstition. It's possible, then, that Messmer's left-handedness could tie into themes of discrimination or prejudice. Then again, the minutia of Messmer's character design may not have any deeper meaning, although Elden Ring's deep lore and FromSoftware's history of subtle storytelling suggest otherwise.