I have written several posts about what I think might be in the Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. I will be honest with you–it’s all wild speculation. Well, most of it. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that the blue-hooded woman is Roderika’s sibling (or maybe a friend, but I’m doubling down on sister),
I would love to see more of Roderika and since this DLC is widely considered to be outside the timeline of the base game, we don’t have to worry about that aspect. The ending for Roderika and Hewg is one of the most poignant storylines in the game. And, yes, there will be *spoilers* throughout this post.
In the base game, Roderika becomes like the adopted daughter of Hewg, the chained blacksmith. They sit across from each other. Roderika went to the Lands Between to be grafted, but she said she was too cowardly to do it.
Turns out she had a talent for spirit tuning–which means she’s the one who upgrades your spirit ashes. She learned under the tutelage of Hewg, who said he owed it to a spirit turner he once knew.
OH MY GOD.
It’s her mother, not her sister. The woman with the blue hood. And she’s the one who Hewg knew. Oh, please, please, please let that be the case! I would be so thrilled about that. Or maybe that blue-hooded figure is not related to Roderika, but is the woman Hewg once knew. I would be fine with that as well.
Hewg mentoered her and taught her all he knew. Then, as the game progressed, it became clear that he was not all there. He forgot things he should have known, which to me, signals that he had dementia. Roderika was worried about him as well. Then, I don’t remember exactly when, but I think after you beat the final boss, the Roundtable Hold goes on fire. which is very much a From thing. The safe area goes on fire when the story is done. Hewg won’t leave, and Roderika decides to stay by him.
This is in direct contrast to Gideon and Nepheli Loux. By the way, I always call her Nepheli Loux. I don’t know why because I don’t call anyone else out by all their names, but for her, it’s both names. Always. She is the best. Anyway, she was the adopted daughter of Gideon until she questioned him about an atrocity he committed, and he turned on her. That broke my heart because she was distrught and blamed herself, but it was all on Gideon.
Having the oddly uplifting ending of Hewg and Roderikka really heartened me. Yes, it’s still bleak. The Roundtable Hold was afire and he was losing his mind, but Roderika was determined to stay by his side.
So, yes. I want the blue-hooded lady to be Hewg’s friend. That would mean everything to me.