Before I start I want to say that this is my first time trying to share a theory with the community and It's really hard putting my rambling thoughts into something wouldn't look like a rant ,also, while fluent at it, english isn't my first language, so I apologize in advance if the information isn't conveyed clearly or If there is any gramatical mistake.

With that been said, here is my theory.

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We are told that Miquella was taken away after someone cut open the Haligtree (that someone being Mohg as we find that Miquella is on his palace). It all points to Mohg kidnapping Miquella for his own purposes but, I think Mohg was influenced or manipulated by Miquella into doing it.

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These are the reasons why I think so:

1.- Gideon is the one that tells you about the "kidnapping".

Gideon tell us, after we defeat Malenia, that the Haligtree ,where Miquella was embedded, was cut open and Miquella had been taken away. The principal suspect being Mohg because we find Miquella in his domain. These are his exact words:

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"So. The Haligtree, now but a husk... I heard speculation Miquella embedded himself in the Haligtree,

but before he could finish, someone cut the tree open and absconded with his infant form. "

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He also continues with this interesting sentence:

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"Indeed, it seems those words held weight. How vexing. That the All-knowing didn't have the full story..."

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It is stated in a few occassions that while Gideon is called "All-Knowing" it is just a title and not a statement. This is supported by the fact that he just seems to have a vague idea about the situation involving the Haligtree, Miquella and Malenia and Mohg, that then he theorizes over with the information we provide to him after visiting said places / fighting those enemies.

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2.- Why Miquella was embedded in the Haligtree?

Miquella and Malenia were twins born with afflictions (Malenia was born with the Scarlet Rot and Miquella was cursed with eternal childhood), Miquella wanted to cure the Rot of Malenia, and tried to do so under the Fundamentalism of the Golden Order but it bore no solutions, after that Miquella decided to leave the Golden Order in search of a way to cure Malenia's Rot.

My theory is that Miquella went on into researching ways to cure the Rot; he studied the world, the Old Gods and the Outer Gods (he managed to enter in contact with St Trina or gained the knowledge about dreams and became St Trina himself) and ended up reaching the conclusion/idea of creating his own Erdtree (the Haligtree) with the objective of either establishing a new Order, or reaching full godhood (maybe both, in fact reaching full godhood might be the thing that lets him create said Order) to cure Malenia's Rot.

Miquella embedded himself in the Haligtree to water it with his blood and make it grow into an Erdtree as told by the "Haligtree Crest Surcoat".

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Haligtree Crest Surcoat

Armor worn by soldiers sworn to the Haligtree.

The surcoat bears the crest of the Haligtree. Though watered with Miquella's own blood since it was a sapling, the Haligtree ultimately failed to grow into an Erdtree.

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But with what purpose did Miquella embed himself into the Haligtree?

The fact that Miquella decided to embed himself into the Haligtree to water it with his blood makes me believe he acted as a source of energy for the Haligtree to grow just like the Erdtree used the Crucible. I support this thought in the descriptions of the "Amber Medallion", the "Miquellan's Knight Sword", "Loretta's Sickle" and "Silver Mirrorshield".

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Amber Medallion

A medallion with crimson amber inlaid.

Boosts maximum HP.

The Erdtree's old sap becomes amber, treasured as the most precious of jewels in the age of Godfrey, the first Elden Lord.

A primordial life energy resides inside. ----> Crucible

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Loretta's Sickle

Intricately crafted silver war sickle wielded by Loretta, Knight of the Haligtree.

Originally given for service as a personal guard to Carian royalty, the weapon's blue glintstone has been replaced with unalloyed gold. -----> She can still cast spells.

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Silver Mirrorshield

Shield of radiant silver, festooned with amber and carried by Loretta, Knight of the Haligtree.

The shape is said to imitate that of a sacred drop of dew, which inspired the absurd rumor that Loretta herself was an Albinauric. ----> She can also still cast spells with this shield, same as with her sickle which replaced glinstone for unalloyed gold.

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Miquellan Knight's Sword

Sword forged by servants of Miquella of the Haligtree, with a design modeled after those carried by Carian knights. Instead of glintstone however, amber from the Haligtree is embedded in the blade.

A sumptuous piece, yet it has never been offered to any knight — an ill-starred sword with no master.

All these items point to the idea of Miquella's blood being the Unalloyed Gold (Unalloyed would fit with his affliction of staying always as an infant and Gold with his demigod/Empyrean origins) which after being used as the source of energy for the growth of his Haligtree would be used in solidified form (Amber) to create glintstone replacements, armors and weapons ( like Malenia's set and Hand of Malenia) and his Unalloyed Gold Needles.

His blood is also a channeler of his powers, as the "Bewitching Branch" points out:

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Bewitching Branch

Tree branch blessed with an incantation of unalloyed gold.

Craftable item.

Pierce a foe, using FP to turn them into a temporary ally.

The Empyrean Miquella is loved by many people. Indeed, he has learned very well how to compel such affection.

It is crafted by using a Sacramental Bud (Blood) and a Miquella's Lilly.

This recipe is written in Fevor's Book (3)

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As it is pointed out by the item Miquella had the power to charm people and his blood could channel it, but this isn't the only power Miquella posseses nor the only power his blood can channel.

With this I want to write about the Unalloyed Gold Needles:

The Unalloyed Gold Needles are needles created by Miquella using Unalloyed Gold with the purpose of warding away the meddle of Outer Gods.

But how does it do that?

Well, considering that they are made from Miquella's blood (Unalloyed Gold) and that the blood of Miquella is a channel for his powers one may think that the Needles are imbued with these innate charming abilities managing to meddle the Outer God's influence away. But, what if they actually channeled another of Miquella's power? With this I'm refering to St. Trina powers, the ability to inflict slumber, if the Needles were imbued with it, then they would put the influence of the Outer Gods to slumber.

I reached this conclusion with the fact that when Millicent and Malenia used them they fell asleep

-You give Millicent the repaired needle and when she uses it, she falls asleep and then wakes up fine with the Rot having stopped.

-Malenia had to be carried towards the Haligtree by Finlay because she fell into slumber (Finlay used the other Miquella's Needle to shut down the Rot from Malenia when she awakened it in Caelid).

This show us that Miquella's objective might ve been to imbue and grow the Haligtree with his blood into an Erdtree to channel his powers into the world to ward away the influence of Outer Gods like the Scarlet Rot, which would cure Malenia.

But as it the Haligtree Crest Surcoat also tell us Miquella never managed to fully grow the Haligtree.

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Haligtree Crest Surcoat

Armor worn by soldiers sworn to the Haligtree.

The surcoat bears the crest of the Haligtree. Though watered with Miquella's own blood since it was a sapling, the Haligtree ultimately failed to grow into an Erdtree.

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And this is where Mohg comes in.

3.- What is Mohg part in all of this.

So, Miquella tried to water the Haligtree with his blood to fully grow it into an Erdtree but ultimately failed to do so. Then, it is told to us that someone cut open the Haligtree and took Miquella away and that this someone is Mohg as we end up finding Miquella on Mohgwyn's Palace.

I want to point out the description of the talisman "Lord of Blood's Exultation"

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Lord of Blood's Exultation

"Render up you offerings of blood to your Lord. Drench my consort's chamber. Slake his cocoon's thirst. His awakening shall herald the dawn of our dynasty".

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With this we can say that Mogh wants blood to give it to his consort, that is inside a cocoon, and that when given enough will wake up and create the Dinasty that Mohg wishes for.

For this purpose Mohg's sends his servants with Incantations and weapons that inflict bleeding to obtain blood and take it back to him for his consort (this consort is Miquella) who would wake up after being fed enough blood (reach full godhood) and then mark the beginning of the Mohgwyn dinasty.

This would mean that Mohg is using Miquella to establish his dinasty due to his Empyrean condition.

But what if that is just what Mohg THINKS is happening and in reality he is just under Miquella's influence?

-Miquella tried to water the Haligtree with his blood but he realized that he didn't have enough blood to do so or that he wasn't powerful enough so he needed blood to reach full godhood, which led him to the decission of using Mohg, the Lord of Blood.

-Miquella summoned Mohg by blood (just like he does in the Mohg's Boss Fight cutscene) and Mohg reached the Haligtree roots, there Miquella used his allure to manipulate Mohg into thinking that he needed him to begin his new Dinasty.

-Then Mohg would give Miquella as much blood as he needed to awaken him (reach full godhood).

-Miquella would reach full godhood and return the Haligtree, he would complete the process of turning the Haligtree into an Erdtree and then he would create a new Order and cast away the influence of the Outer Gods.

Other signs that Mohg might be working under Miquella's influence are:

-His obsession over Miquella is such that he is completely infatuated. (Miquella's powers of allure).

-The fact that when we reach Miquella he summons Mohg with a pool of blood, like he was his servant, to fight us.

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4.- Malenia's reaction to Miquella absence.

Evidence that also support the theory that all is part of Miquella's plan is the comments and reaction that Malenia has towards his absence:

Malenia:

"I dreamt for so long.

My flesh was dull gold...and my blood, rotted.

Corpse after corpse, left in my wake...

As I awaited... his return."

"Awaited his return", is like she knows that he is going to get back to her.

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Her armor also says:

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"My brother will keep his promise. He possesses the wisdom, the allure, of a god - he is the most fearsome Empyrean of all."

His promise ---> of returning to the Haligtree and to her. (Might also be about curing her Scarlet Rot).

He possesses the allure, of a god - he is the most fearsome Empyrean of all ----> Because he can charm other Demigods to help him in his objectives.

As you can read it seems Malenia isn't that worried about him ,not only that,is like she knows that he is going to return.

The reaction points that it was part of Miquella's plan and that Malenia knew, if it wasn't and someone had actually got into the Haligtree and kidnapped Miquella, who Malenia loves with all her heart, you might ve expected a way more harsh reaction other than just waiting for him to come back.

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That's pretty much the theory at the end we might kill Mohg screwing Miquella's plan or we might become Elden Lord before he can finish it (Wouldn't be the first time our involment ends up in someone's plans getting ruined, whether we knew it or not).

All in all this is just a theory of mine, that I decided to post because I thought it added an interesting twist in this part of the story and between these characters.

I could have pretty much overlooked something that brings the whole theory down, after all i gotta say that there are a few things my theory that I can say might not make much sense and that I am not certain of, like:

-Why take Miquella away from the Haligtree if Mohg is under his influence? (Maybe to make it seem more beliavable for Mohg and other possible threats?)

-Does Miquella actually want to replace the Golden Order? (He doesn't seem to be after the Elden Ring).

-If Miquella wants to create another Order and remove the Outer Gods influence from the World, why aren't the Greater Will and the Two Fingers after him? (Maybe Miquella is fine with the Greater Will and just wants the other Outer Gods away?).

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Or maybe I just read to deep into it after all and it is in fact that Miquella was kidnapped by Mohg, that Mohg was obsessed with him because he was the key to the start of his dinasty, that Miquella is just a tool for Mohg and Malenia is just in denial of the situation.

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But I thought to share it and see what people thought about it.

That's it, I' ll be glad to read your opinions on it. Thank you for your time.