FromSoftware has an obvious penchant for secrets, their games are just littered with them. This is probably best exemplified in Elden Ring for the simple fact that the game is unapproachably massive, you’re more than likely to find at least one secret somewhere along the line even just by accident. And four years on, the secrets continue to manifest, albeit on this occasion thanks to known FromSoft dataminer Lance McDonald, who’s managed to uncover a cutscene involving Miquella. You know, that guy that Malenia mentions almost every time she kills you, and also features prominently in Shadow of the Erdtree.
The cutscene in question features Miquella in the same arena that you fight Malenia in, at the roots of the Haligtree. But it appears to be something of a flashback, as it shows the demigod planting a sapling version of the Halgitree. A couple of lines of dialogue also appear to go with the scene (though McDonald isn’t sure where or in what order), one where presumably Miquella talks to the sapling telling it to grow stronger, and another where he speaks to Malenia offering the sapling as a gift. During the cutscene the sapling also is seen to grow and bleed. Gnarly!
It also, seemingly, would have played after acquiring part of the Dectus Medallion from Gideon, specifically at the next point you rested at a bonfire. Why the scene was cut, well, your guess is as good as mine. The unsatisfying, probable answer is that FromSoft just didn’t want to feature this part of the story in such a way. McDonald did also show that you can load in the map the scene takes place in, with the slightly grown, bloody version of the Haligtree at the centre, but there’s nothing to interact with.
I’m sure that this will be some reasonable fodder for the lore lovers’ fire. More than anything it’s just another interesting example of how much games can change throughout the course of development. It’s also a reminder that it’s just easier to leave things in without the relevant triggers to avoid breaking anything.
Speaking of cutscenes, that Alex Garland adaptation also appears to have leaked ever so slightly seeing as someone’s managed to sneak in a look at some of the set. Which, by may account, just looks like one of the churches of Marika. Amusing to see it in just some Bri’ish park! I wonder if this scene will be cut, too.
