Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree Theory Puts A Convincing Twist On The Scadutree

Summary Shadow of the Erdtree adds more questions to Elden Ring lore than answers, leaving Tarnished puzzled about plot gaps.

The Scadutree in the Land of Shadow could be strangling the original Erdtree, tying back to Marika's story.

Marika's potential reasons for sealing the true Erdtree to conceal its power, as suggested by trailers, seem compelling.

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree seems to raise more questions regarding the game's overall lore than it answers. Many Tarnished went into the Land of Shadow believing that it would clear up some plotlines from the base game that had loose ends, but that wasn't the case. From the initial reveal of the image of a shrouded tree to Messmer and how he fits into the birth order of Queen Marika's children, Shadow of the Erdtree makes already confusing lore even less clear.

Shadow of the Erdtree takes place entirely in the Land of Shadow, which can be accessed after defeating Mohg and Radahn, then speaking with Needle Knight Leda near Miquella's Cocoon to teleport to the new area. The Land of Shadow was sealed off by Queen Marika, hiding the atrocities she committed there before and after her ascension to godhood. Quite a few distinct images greet the Tarnished here, such as the spectral gravestones filling the field they enter the area in, but the most noticeable feature has to be the Scadutree with its imposing figure and similarities to the Erdtree.

The Scadutree Is Strangling What Might Be The Original Erdtree

Is The Erdtree In The Land of Shadow?

An interesting detail about the Scadutree in the Land of Shadow has been pointed out by u/echolog on Reddit. It looks like the Scadutree is tangled with another tree, and it's incredibly possible, given the lore of Elden Ring, that the second tree is the original Erdtree, and that the Scadutree is strangling it. One key element to this theory is that the Erdtree in the Lands Between is spectral, meanwhile the tree tangled with the Scadutree is bleeding gold sap, which matches the Blessed Dew Talisman's description of the old Erdtree's sap. The Minor Erdtree Incantation shows that Marika can create these illusory trees.

Related Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree Theory Adds A Disturbing New Layer To Marika’s Story Marika is already a rather tragic figure in Elden Ring, especially as the vessel for the Elden Ring, but a new theory adds more tragedy to her story.

Of course, that's not the only piece of evidence that u/echolog provides to support this theory, although it's a fascinating one. They also point out the description of Root Resin , which says that the roots of the Greattree were once linked to those of the Erdtree, and that catacombs were built around those roots. These catacombs sound similar to Map (Deeproot Depths) , where there are a lot of massive tree stumps, but there's also Crucible Knight Siluria here, who would have a reason to be close to the remnants of what was once the Crucible.

With this background knowledge, u/echolog goes on to point out that the largest stump in Deeproot Depths lines up with the location of the Scadutree if the maps for the Lands Between and Land of Shadow are overlapped. Altogether, this builds a strong case for the original Erdtree, which was the Greattree, being sealed in the Land of Shadow and the Scadutree strangling it. However, it doesn't answer the question of why the Scadutree would be strangling the true Erdtree, but that doesn't mean there aren't theories that look into a reason.

Why Marika Would Seal Away The True Erdtree

Some Of Marika's Motivations Remain A Mystery

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This post doesn't stop with just providing details and why they believe this theory has merit, it also provides a possible reason as to why Marika would seal away the true Erdtree and its precious sap. Part of the trailers and promo images leading up to the release of Shadow of the Erdtree included the line "An affair from which gold arose. And so too was shadow born." Looking at this line in the context of the Greattree, Erdtree the Tarnished sees, and the Scadutree, it seems like it could refer to Marika essentially using her power to create the illusory Erdtree and use the Scadutree to hide the Greattree.

Marika has gone to great lengths to hide her sins, but in the early days of her reign, it's possible she also took measures to prevent others from seeking power to either take her place or seek revenge on her. The power of the Erdtree's sap could be a cause for concern, and using the Scadutree to keep the sap contained, then sealing them away would be a reasonable measure for somebody worried about what others might use the sap's power to do. Alternatively, it could've been a way to limit the Greater Will's control over her, since her illusory tree is described as the kindness of gold without Order.

Elden Ring's lore is complicated, to say the least, but that's what makes diving into the details of every item, character, and location more rewarding. Plus, the inclusion of small details with large impacts on the lore is common for FromSoftware, meaning that nothing is too insignificant to investigate. While there might never be confirmation about its validity, the theory that the Scadutree is strangling the real Erdtree seems probable in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.

Source: u/echolog/Reddit