This article contains spoilers forHorizon Zero DawnandHorizon Forbidden West.
TheHorizonfranchise is filled with a variety of unique and enthralling characters. From Aloy, the series' outgoing lead, to Walter Londrathe, the 21st-century Far Zenith survivor, characters of all kinds have been introduced inHorizonas allies, foes, or digital forerunners. BesidesLEGO Horizon Adventures, eachHorizongame has introduced new characters in abundance, though only a handful have appeared in everyHorizontitle. WithHorizon 3expected to see the arrival of the world-ending Nemesis AI, and to act as the end ofHorizon’s mainline trilogy, the game is likely to bring back several characters fromZero Dawn.
Every Returning Horizon Zero Dawn Character in Forbidden West
Horizon Forbidden Westtakes place six months afterHorizon Zero Dawn’s Battle of the Alight, and while much has changed in that time, a few characters fromZero Dawndo make appearances inForbidden West. The most prominent returning characters fromZero Dawn, aside from Aloy herself, were some of Aloy’s closest allies and antagonists, including Varl, Erend, Sylens, HADES, and HEPHAESTUS. HADES has only a minor role inForbidden West, as it’s eliminated early on, but HEPHAESTUS has an important part to play, becoming the tertiary main antagonist behind the Far Zenith and Regalla. Meanwhile, Varl, Erend, and Sylens became some of Aloy’s main companions in the sequel.
Concerning other characters that return fromZero Dawn, they only appear in the prologue ofForbidden Westor briefly in select side quests. Before Aloy left for the Forbidden West, she headed to Meridian to get approval from Sun-King Avad to travel to the contested western region. There, Aloy met with Sun-King Avad as well as Blameless Marad, Prince Itamen, Dowager Queen Nasadi, Vanasha, and Uthid. Before Aloy actually ventured into the Forbidden West, she briefly met with Erend andPetra Forgewomanat Chainscrape. Most of these characters expressed frustration with how quickly Aloy left Meridian following the Battle of the Alight, but they soon forgave her abrupt departure after learning about her quest to rebuild GAIA and track HADES.
Talanah, Nil, and Gildun Side Quests in Forbidden West
InHorizon Zero Dawn,Talanah Khane Padishplayed a major role in the game’s many Hunting Grounds and the Carja Hunters Lodge. Eventually, Talanah made Aloy her Thrush, and together they took down a Thunderjaw called Redmaw, which granted Talanah the title of Sunhawk. InForbidden West, Aloy aided Talanah in tracking down Amadis Beit Raveesh and his former lover Nessa. Similarly, Nil helps Aloy take out bandit camps inHorizon Zero Dawnand can help in the Battle of the Alight if not killed. If players complete all the Gauntlet Runs races, a masked Tenakth racer called Red Teeth reveals himself to be Nil. In the Burning Shores DLC, the Oseram Delver Gildun of The Frozen Wilds returns in Los Angeles ruins.
Potential Returning Zero Dawn Characters in Horizon 3
At the end ofHorizon Forbidden West, it’s revealed that the rogueFar Zenith artificial intelligence, Nemesis, is on its way to Earth after wiping out the Far Zenith colonists on Sirius and being responsible for activating HADES inZero Dawn. Aloy and her immediate allies then plan on reaching out to all the known tribes in preparation for AI’ incoming invasion, with Alva and Erend reaching out to the Quen and Oseram, and Sylens seeking out 21st-century facilities to find a way to defeat Nemesis. Based on these developments fromHorizon Forbidden West, and its Burning Shores DLC, it’s highly likely that many characters fromZero Dawnwill return and take part in the fight against Nemesis inHorizon 3.
Erend and Sylens are practically guaranteed to show up inHorizon 3, and many of theZero Dawncharacters who appeared inForbidden Westare also likely to return. With Sun-King Avad’s support, most of the Carja and Oseram will likely join the fight against Nemesis, but the Nora and Banuk may be more hesitant. This hesitation may cause only a handful of members of theNora and Banuk tribesto join Aloy, and here are some of the tribe members that are likely to appear:
The Benefit of Returning Zero Dawn Characters in Horizon 3
Having all of these aforementioned characters return inHorizon 3could help expand upon what happened to theHorizon Zero Dawntribes since Forbidden West. For example, it could be revealed that Aratak and other Banuk spent more time with the CYAN AI, potentially using its data and experience with HEPHAESTUS to develop advanced countermeasures against other rogue AI and machines. Similarly,Sona would likely play a major role inHorizon 3as she’ll be grief-stricken over the death of Varl, potentially making her highly protective of Zo and her unborn grandchild.
Teersa and Teb, meanwhile, could receive more active roles similar to their portrayal inLEGO Horizon Adventures, with Teersa leading a few Nora against Nemesis and Teb crafting new battle armor.
Horizon 3’s Potential Reduction in Forbidden West Characters
If manyZero Dawncharacters do return inHorizon 3, someForbidden Westcharacters may be left in reduced roles to make room for returningZero Dawnfigures. For instance, many members of the Utaru tribe may not appear inHorizon 3as they refused to helpAloy inHorizon Forbidden Westand are likely to refuse to help against Nemesis. Otherwise,Horizon 3may be really packed with substantial characters, potentially making events too complex or confusing for some players. It’s expected that Alva, Beta, Kotallo, and Zo will return as they’re a part of Aloy’s inner circle, but others like Seyka and Gerrit may not return or at least reappear in reduced roles compared to their prominence in Burning Shores.
Additionally, if Guerrilla Games is striving to feature numerous characters fromZero DawnandForbidden Westin the thirdHorizongame, they may be forced to have most returning characters in minor roles to make room for potential new tribes and characters. It’s currently unknown whereHorizon 3will take place or if it will be limited to one region as the prior games had been, but it’s expected that at least a few new factions and characters will be introduced. For example, ifHorizon 3takes place in the Quen Empire, Guerrilla may provide more screen time for brand-new characters to help delve more into the culture and history of the new region.
Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered
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Experience the critically acclaimed Horizon Zero Dawn™ with stunning new visuals and upgraded features. In a far future where colossal machines roam the Earth, pockets of humanity survive in unique tribes among the lush, overgrown ruins of our long-lost civilization.
