Melina's intentions behind burning the Erdtree in Elden Ring remain ambiguous throughout the Tarnished's journey to become Elden Lord. This is despite the fact that she serves as the Tarnished's most consistent source of information in a world whose lore and history are hazy. In fact, even when Melina comes close to expressing her reasons behind committing the First Cardinal Sin - burning the Erdtree - she may not be speaking the whole truth.

[Warning - major spoilers for Elden Ring follow.]

Melina lies to the Tarnished in the first conversation they share together in Elden Ring. She offers the Tarnished an accord, claiming she will become the Tarnished's Maiden only if she can be brought to the foot of the Erdtree. However, Melina later admits she cannot be a maiden and that her wish to be brought to the Erdtree is to find out the purpose her mother, Elden Ring's god Queen Marika, has given her. In her own words, "I'm searching for my purpose given to me by my mother inside the Erdtree long ago, for the reason that I yet live, burned and bodiless...."

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Such cryptic words make this admission feel dishonest, a feeling that is proven valid when she expresses the reasons behind her mission. When the Tarnished is unable to enter the Erdtree, Melina explains that she, with the Frenzied Flame, can sacrifice herself and burn the thorns surrounding the Erdtree, something she greatly desires because of the chaos the Lands Between were plunged into when Marika shattered the Elden Ring: "I have long observed the Lands Between. This world is in dire need of repair... and Death... indiscriminate...." Here, Melina shows she knows exactly what her purpose is, but it is clearly a purpose that Marika - the destroyer of the Elden Ring and the god who blessed the Lands Between with immortality - does not want. This calls into question what truly enables Melina to know her purpose and go against the wishes of Marika, a question whose answer lies in another demigod's story: Ranni.

Melina & Ranni May Be The Same Person In Elden Ring

Elden Ring Ranni and Her Spirit From Melina

Ranni, the witch demigod who takes the form of a blue doll, is the primary reason why the Shattering took place and the Tarnished were banished in Elden Ring. Ranni is believed to be born from Radagon, the male form of Marika, and Rennala. However, Ranni is more likely born from Radagon and Marika, as she is classified as an Empyrean - those born from one god - alongside Malenia, Miquela, and most importantly Melina.

Empyreans were selected by the Two Fingers who worship the Greater Will to eventually succeed Marika as the god of the Lands Between (which is different from being an Outer God). None of the Empyreans desired this fate, especially Ranni. She thus stole the Rune of Death from Maliketh, who was given the rune by Marika because the queen did not want death in the lands of Elden Ring. Ranni bestowed the Rune of Death to the Black Knife Assassins so that they could kill the demigod children of Marika, including Ranni herself. However, the assassins only partially killed her so that Ranni's soul could be freed from her Empyrean flesh. Ranni's doll form has thus allowed her to remain alive in the Lands Between.

That Ranni's soul lives free from her actual flesh points toward Melina's earlier dialogue about being bodiless. Art of Ranni's spirit form looks identical to Melina. Considering that Melina and Ranni both seek to bring mortality to the Lands Between and are missing the eye the other has, it is believed they are two halves of the same person. This is further supported by Melina getting her eye back in the "Lord of Frenzied Flame" ending and it being the same periwinkle color as Ranni's. Thus, Melina's reason behind burning the Erdtree in Elden Ring is likely to enact the "Age of Stars" ending in which Ranni becomes the god of the Lands Between and establishes a world that bestows its inhabits free will and destroys the old order that bred the chaos of Elden Ring.

Next: Take Your Time With Elden Ring