In the 5.0 update of Genshin Impact, we saw the release of Natlan, Teyvat’s fifth nation. What was once theorized to be a land ripe with volcanoes and lore turned out to be something more akin to “Jurassic Park,” filled with joyful characters that live life to the fullest. With such a twist, what will the cold nation of Snezhnaya turn out to be?
The Archon of Love?
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Tsaritsa is a name that players have been hearing since 1.0. She’s the new Cryo Archon and converter of the Gnosis. She aligned a powerful army of super humans to do her bidding, and up to this point, they’ve accomplished their mission with ease.
Despite the brutal acts of her soldiers, the Fatui, Tartaglia paints a far different picture of the Archon. According to his in-game voice line, Tsaritsa is “Her Royal Highness the Tsaritsa is actually a gentle soul. Too gentle, in fact, and that’s why she had to harden herself. Likewise, she declared war against the whole world only because she dreams of peace.”
Many assume the Tsaritsa to be the Archon of love or purity. The cataclysm at Khaenri’ah left her deeply affected, likely triggering a similar inner personality change as Ai’s. This could explain the brutal nature of her soldiers and lack of openness with the Archons of the other nation.
The Tsrista gemstone, Shivada Jade Gemstone, further hints at this as its name translates to “grieving ice” in Chinese. This name implies a loss that’s set the Tsaritsa on a new path.
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A Mass Political Center
Snezhnaya is the political power of Teyvat that pulls many of the strings in the world. This is first seen in Mondstadt when they rent out the entirety of the Goth Hotel. Once players arrive in Liyue, the power they hold becomes more apparent when players learn that they control a majority of the banking systems.
The Fatui were also easily able to infiltrate Inazuma and were able to recruit the Harbingers over hundreds of years adding to their influence and power. In Fontaine, Arlecchino’s shown to be a high-level diplomat, and the Fatui operates the house of Hearth with little to no opposition.
Their most powerful asset, though, is hidden in plain sight. The Adventurer’s Guild is a product of the county, and every branch is run by Katheryn, a bionic Snezhnayan puppet likely created by Harbinger Sandrone, who shares a similar appearance. Chances are high that Katheryn gathers intel to send back to Snezhnaya about each and every nation.
The Harbinger’s True Identities
The Harbinger aren’t normal humans, with many of them being on par with the Archons in terms of power. Tartaglia is the weakest of the bunch, despite surviving against the All-Devouring Narwhal later on as he grows stronger. La Signora was killed by Ai, but Capitino stood almost evenly against Mavuika.
Despite their immense power, it’s canon that each Harbinger is driven by their own goals, with loyalty to the Tsaritsa. Each Harbinger has their own wish from Arrlecchino, wanting to protect Fontaine and Dottore’s drive to experiment.
The Harbingers are morally grey, and expecting them all to stand with the Tsrista by the end of the Snezhnaya storyline is probably a far cry from what will happen. Leaks have already pointed to potential divides in the beliefs, and so far, the most loyal soldier seems to be Tartaglia.
The coming war will likely plainly show where each Harbinger stands, with some becoming enemies and others like Tartaglia, who has been one of the only main recurring characters in each nation, fighting the Heavenly Principals at the end of the game.
Everwinter Without Mercy
It points to the cold land of Snezhnaya, which is a heartbreaking peak before the final chapter of the game, which will likely be based on the remnants of Khaenri’ah. HoYoverse is no stranger to the killing of important characters in other games and we will likely see an unforeseen tragedy and some of the darkest lore yet.
For more on Genshin Impact, stay tuned to Press SPACE to Jump! Curious about the best husbandos in the game? Check out our sister sister, Game Sandwich for their 12 Best Husbandos in Genshin Impact!
