[1.0] Beginner's Lore Guide to Zenless Zone Zero - Spoiler Free!

Summary

Zenless Zone Zero offers a thrilling combat experience set in a world ravaged by supernatural Hollows. Unlike typical action games, it boasts rich storytelling and deep lore. The video serves as a spoiler-free guide to the game's intricate world, detailing the history of the Hollow Disaster, the last city of New Eridu, and the resourceful characters fighting for survival. With insights into the mysterious Ether energy and future plot speculations, this guide is essential for new players eager to dive into the game's story ahead of its July 4, 2024 release.

Takeaways

• 🎮 'Zenless Zone Zero' is a high-energy combat game with a compelling story and unique setting.
• 📖 The game features the best writing of any HoYoverse game to date, with a complex lore and foreshadowing.
• 🌍 Set on a planet ravaged by the supernatural 'Hollow Disaster', the game world is filled with alien monsters and apocalyptic events.
• 🏙️ New Eridu is the last livable city, inhabited by humans, sentient robots, and Therians, and is the central location of the game.
• 🔍 The 'Founders' discovered a way to harness the energy of the Hollows, preventing their expansion and providing power for New Eridu.
• 🛠️ Technology in the game is a mix of old analogue tech resistant to Ether corruption and new tech blending the two.
• 🕳️ Hollows are chaotic, ever-changing labyrinths filled with Ether energy and monsters known as Ethereals.
• 👾 Ethereals are violent monsters that can be created from Ether corruption of sentient beings or manifesting directly from Ether.
• 🛡️ Prolonged exposure to Ether can cause corruption, necessitating protective measures for those who venture into the Hollows.
• 🔮 The Hollow Investigative Association (HIA) is a crucial organization in New Eridu, handling Hollow-related missions and tasks.
• 🤖 Proxies, like the unique siblings Wise and Belle, assist investigators in navigating the Hollows using a special system called the H.D.D.
• 🧩 The game includes deep mythological references, tying into concepts of souls, curses, and forbidden knowledge.

Q & A

What makes Zenless Zone Zero's story different from other HoYoverse games?

Zenless Zone Zero is said to have the best writing out of any HoYoverse game thus far, with a complex and engaging story that includes subtle nods and foreshadowing, making it worth paying attention to.

What is the Hollow Disaster in Zenless Zone Zero?

The Hollow Disaster is a supernatural phenomenon that caused an apocalyptic event, swallowing cities and nearly destroying the world. The most recent and devastating disaster occurred about 10 years ago when Hollow Zero consumed the old capital city of Eridu.

How did humanity manage to survive after the Hollow Disaster?

A group known as the Founders discovered how to prevent Hollows from expanding and how to extract a unique resource from them, which could be used as a power source. This allowed them to establish the city of New Eridu, the last known livable city on the planet.

What are Ethereals and how do they relate to Hollows?

Ethereals are violent monsters with limited cognitive abilities that exist within the Hollows. They can manifest from Ether directly or through Ether corruption of sentient life-forms. Destroying Ethereals can shrink Hollows, preventing them from growing too large.

What role do Proxies play in Zenless Zone Zero?

Proxies are essential for navigating Hollows safely. They collect Hollow data to create 'Carrots,' which are time-sensitive maps predicting the Hollow's exit points. Proxies can be hired through the online Proxy Network, known as the Inter-Knot.

Who are Wise and Belle in the context of the game?

Wise and Belle are the player Proxies who use a special computer called the Hollow Deep Dive System (H.D.D.) to mind-sync with a Bangboo named Eos. This allows them to navigate the Hollows in real time and communicate with raiders and investigators.

What is Ether and how does it affect the world of Zenless Zone Zero?

Ether is a resource that can be harvested from Hollows and used as a power source. However, prolonged exposure to Ether causes corruption, which can mutate organic life-forms and sentient machinery into Ethereals. Special precautions are necessary to avoid Ether corruption.

What are some of the key myths and references in Zenless Zone Zero?

The game includes references to Japanese, Greek, and Mesopotamian mythology. For instance, the city of New Eridu is named after the ancient Mesopotamian city, and the player Proxies operate under the code name Phaethon, a reference to Greek mythology.

What is the significance of the character Fairy in the game's story?

Fairy is a powerful AI with unique abilities, integral to the plot. She signs a contract with the Proxy siblings and provides auxiliary support for Hollow investigations. Her design resembles a Nazar amulet, suggesting she may protect against curses related to Ether corruption.

What future plot points or mysteries are hinted at in the game?

The Proxy siblings, Wise and Belle, are investigating a mystery related to Hollow Zero and an event that occurred in their past. The Helios Research Institute, which created the H.D.D., may be connected to these events. The story hints at deeper connections between Ether, specific metals, and the possession of a soul.

Outlines

00:00

🌌 Introduction to Zenless Zone Zero's Lore

The video script begins by introducing 'Zenless Zone Zero' as a high-energy combat game with a compelling narrative. It contrasts the game's deep story with the typical shallow plots of similar games, praising the game's writing as the best among HoYoverse titles. The script mentions the Hollow Disaster, a supernatural event causing apocalyptic destruction, and the Founders' discovery of a method to stabilize and harness the energy from the Hollows, leading to the creation of New Eridu, the last livable city. The city is inhabited by humans, sentient robots, and Therians, and the script hints at the game's release date and encourages viewers to pre-register.

05:01

🤖 Understanding the Hollows and Ethereals

This paragraph delves into the nature of the Hollows, which are described as chaotic, labyrinthine dimensions filled with Ether energy and monsters known as Ethereals. The script explains the relationship between the size of a Hollow and the strength or number of Ethereals it contains, and how eliminating these monsters can cause a Hollow to shrink. It also discusses the different types of Hollows, including the largest, Hollow Zero, and the six original Hollows named after various mythological creatures. The paragraph further explores the effects of Ether on organic life and technology, the role of the Hollow Investigative Association (HIA), and the concept of Proxies and their importance in navigating the Hollows.

10:04

🔮 Speculations on Souls, AI, and Mythological Connections

The final paragraph of the script moves into speculative territory, discussing the concept of souls and their potential connection to Ether, metals, and the mythical 'forbidden fruit'. It introduces the AI named Fairy, who is unique and integral to the game's plot, and speculates on her role in protecting those with souls from the curse of Ether corruption. The script draws parallels between the game's narrative and Mesopotamian mythology, particularly the story of Eridu and the Garden of Eden. It also explores the significance of the player Proxies' code name, Phaethon, and its connection to Greek mythology, hinting at a deeper backstory involving the Helios Research Institute and the siblings' personal connection to the events that transpired there.

Keywords

💡Zenless Zone Zero

Zenless Zone Zero is the central theme of the video, referring to the game itself, which is described as a high-energy combat experience with a rich narrative. The game is set in a world affected by supernatural phenomena known as the Hollow Disaster. It is highlighted for having the best writing among HoYoverse games and is the main focus of the lore guide provided in the script.

💡Hollow Disaster

The Hollow Disaster is a catastrophic event that has nearly destroyed the world in the game's setting. It is characterized by the appearance of Hollows, which are disordered spherical dimensional labyrinths. The term is integral to understanding the game's world and the challenges faced by its inhabitants.

💡Hollows

Hollows are a key element in the game's lore, representing chaotic spaces where time and space are in flux. They are difficult to navigate and contain monsters known as Ethereals. The concept of Hollows is crucial to the gameplay and the story, as they are a source of danger and the primary setting for combat scenarios.

💡Ethereals

Ethereals are the monsters found within the Hollows. They are a direct result of Ether corruption and pose a significant threat to the characters in the game. Understanding Ethereals is essential to grasping the challenges and objectives that players will face.

💡Ether

Ether is an energy source derived from the Hollows and is central to the game's plot as it powers the city of New Eridu. However, it also causes corruption, affecting organic life and technology, and is therefore a double-edged sword in the game's narrative.

💡New Eridu

New Eridu is the last known livable city in the game's universe, established after the discovery of how to harness Ether energy. It serves as the primary setting for the game and is home to a diverse population of humans, sentient robots, and Therians.

💡Therians

Therians are a type of organic life-form in the game that do not identify as human, such as Nekomata and other creatures. They represent the diversity of life that has survived the Hollow Disaster and contribute to the game's rich world-building.

💡Hollow Investigative Association (HIA)

The HIA is a governmental association in the game responsible for managing Hollow-related tasks, such as rescue missions and resource recovery. It plays a critical role in the daily life of New Eridu and the safety of its inhabitants.

💡Proxies

Proxies are essential characters in the game who assist investigators and raiders in navigating the Hollows. They use data to create 'Carrots,' which are time-sensitive maps to locate exits within the Hollows. The role of Proxies is central to the gameplay mechanics and the exploration of the game's world.

💡Bangboos

Bangboos are a form of sentient machine-life in the game, designed to be exceptionally resistant to Ether Corruption. They are used by the player Proxies, Wise and Belle, to navigate the Hollows in real time, highlighting their importance in the game's unique mechanics.

💡Fairy

Fairy is a powerful AI with a mysterious background that resides within the H.D.D. and provides support for Hollow investigations. The character of Fairy is integral to the plot, as she embodies the philosophical questions and technological advancements within the game's world.

💡Phaethon

Phaethon is the code name of the player's Proxy siblings and is a reference to Greek mythology, where Phaethon was the son of Helios and met a tragic end after crashing his father's solar chariot. This code name foreshadows a potential narrative arc for the siblings and their connection to the Helios Research Institute.

Highlights

Zenless Zone Zero offers a high-energy combat experience with a rich story unlike typical combat-focused games.

The game is set on a planet affected by the Hollow Disaster, leading to the near-destruction of the world and the creation of New Eridu, the last livable city.

Hollows are chaotic spherical dimensional labyrinths filled with monsters called Ethereals and unpredictable time-space shifts.

The Founders discovered how to prevent Hollows from expanding and harnessed Ether energy from them to power New Eridu.

New Eridu's society includes humans, sentient robots, and Therians, who are organic beings not identifying as human.

Ether energy is both a valuable resource and a source of corruption, turning living beings into Ethereals.

Prolonged Ether exposure can mutate organic life and smart machinery into Ethereals, making Ether resistance crucial.

The Hollow Investigative Association (HIA) manages rescue missions, data collection, and Hollow containment.

Hollow Raiders operate similarly to HIA investigators but often seek treasure and operate without HIA approval.

Proxies, hired through the Inter-Knot, create Carrots (time-sensitive maps) to help navigate and exit Hollows.

The player Proxies, Wise and Belle, use the Hollow Deep Dive System (H.D.D.) to mind-sync with a Bangboo named Eos for real-time Hollow navigation.

Bangboos are sentient machines resistant to Ether corruption, originally designed for evacuating citizens during the Hollow Apocalypse.

Fairy, a powerful AI, assists with Hollow investigations and has a mysterious connection to the game's deeper lore.

Fairy cannot interact with machine life-forms that have passed the forbidden fruit test, which checks for the possession of a soul.

The game draws on various mythologies, suggesting a deeper connection between Ether, metals, and the concept of souls.

Transcripts

Zenless Zone Zero is a bombastic, high-energy combat experience

full of personality and style

and that's probably why you're here.

I mean, who could resist the allure of blasting faceless alien monsters

in the most ridiculous way possible?

Now, in my experience, games like these tend to have

pretty simple and inconsequential stories

in order to create cool combat scenarios.

But that's not quite the case for Zenless Zone Zero.

In fact, I'm gonna argue that this game has the best writing

out of any HoYoverse game thus far.

Although, I admit, sometimes the terminology

and subtle nods of foreshadowing get lost in the spectacle of it all

and that's why I put together this video.

Consider it a spoiler-free lore guide

to help you ease into the story

which is definitely worth paying attention to.

And, as a bonus, I've also included some speculations

about future plot points towards the end

that'll help illustrate to how the potential mysteries

of the Hollow Disaster might unfold

and some things to look out for.

This game releases July 4th, 2024

so if you're watching this before it comes out

you can use the link in the description to pre-register.

This is gonna be really fun, so grab a seat and get comfy.

The lore begins in three, two, one...

Let's start with the basics.

Zenless Zone Zero takes place on a planet

plagued by a supernatural phenomena

known as the Hollow Disaster.

The arrival of the Hollows brought about an apocalyptic event

that swallowed cities whole and nearly destroyed the entire world.

The most recent and devastating disaster occurred about 10-ish years ago

when the Hollow Zero (the largest of all the Hollows)

swallowed the old capital city of Eridu.

At this point, humanity was on the brink of extinction

but a group of people that I'm just gonna call the Founders

made a breakthrough in our understanding of the Hollows.

They found a way to not only prevent the Hollows

from perpetually expanding, but they also figured out

how to extract a unique resource from them

that can be turned into a power source.

This knowledge allowed them to establish the city of New Eridu

which is where the game takes place.

New Eridu is the last known livable city on the entire planet

and it's home to humans, sentient robots, and Therians

who are organic life-forms that don't identify as human.

You know, like Nekomata, General Chop, Ben, etc.

Now, from time to time, you're gonna hear people

talk about the old civilization

and when you do, know that they're talking about the time

before the Hollows arrived;

back when the planet was packed with people

and incredible space-age technology.

That level of technology is kind of rare and inaccessibility these days

as most of the stuff you're gonna see in New Eridu

is based on an even older, more analogue technology.

And that's mostly because analogue tech is cheaper, more accessible

and has the added benefit of being resistant to Ether corruption

unlike most smart devices of the old civilization

(although you're gonna see a lot of people

trying to blend the two types of tech together).

And this ability of analogue technology to resist Ether corruption

is kind of a big deal, because Ether energy comes from the Hollows

and it's also the resource the Founders are using to power the whole city

and it's also the reason for a lot of humanity's problems.

We're definitely gonna talk more about the Ether and what it can do

but we gotta talk about the Hollows first.

So, a Hollow is basically a disordered spherical dimensional labyrinth

where time and space are in a perpetual state of flux.

In layman's terms, Hollows are basically these big bubbles

that are constantly getting jostled around

which, as you can imagine, makes it very difficult

to navigate when you're inside.

And to make matters worse

you can't exactly see the edges of the Hollow when you're inside of one

like you can from the outside

so if you were to get stuck in one

and try to escape by running in a straight line

until you hit a wall or something, uh, you'd be running forever

because the Hollow would keep changing its layout

as you were moving through it.

Although, I guess this could work in like a really tiny Hollow

providing that you could reach the edge before the layout changed

but as Hollows get bigger, it gets harder and harder to find your way out

so you're probably better off just staying in one place

until someone who actually knows

how to navigate these Hollows can come and get you

especially because Hollows are also full of monsters

and you wouldn't want to run into one of those, would you?

And before you say “well, maybe this Hollow doesn't have any monsters”

no, no, no, no, no. All Hollows have monsters.

In fact, a Hollow size correlates directly

to the overall strength or numbers of monsters that it contains.

If you somehow manage to get rid of these monsters

(which are also known as Ethereals)

you can actually force a Hollow to shrink

by an amount proportional to the number of Ethereals that you destroyed.

This is a pretty effective way to prevent Hollows from growing too large

and it's also one of the main methods used to ensure

that the people of New Eridu

can live somewhat safely alongside the Hollows

you know, without getting sucked into one.

Now, you can probably tell based on all this info

that not all Hollows are created equal

and therefore there must be different types of Hollows.

Now, from what I can gather, it seems like Hollows

end up having a kind of parent-child relationship with each other

meaning larger Hollows can spawn smaller Hollows

which are called companion or sub-Hollows.

Companion or sub-Hollow seem to kinda come and go since they're smaller.

That means you could probably clear out most of the Ethereals

and make it kinda go away.

But larger Hollows tend to be more permanent fixtures

so they get their own names.

The largest recorded Hollow is Hollow Zero

while the next set of large Hollows (the six original Hollows)

are called Cretan, Lemnian, Hawara, Pursenas, Solove, and Papago.

Now, again, these might be the largest recorded Hollows

but in this world, even the moon has Hollows on it.

I don't even wanna know

what a Hollow the size of the Moon would be like

or what the Ethereals inside would be like.

But apart from being chaotic-space-time-bubble labyrinths

full of monsters that you can get trapped inside

Hollows also have one other flattering feature.

They are filled with Ether energy.

I've already mentioned that Ether can be harvested

and then processed to be used as a power source

but what I didn't mention is that prolonged exposure to Ether

causes corruption which affects different things in different ways.

Organic life like humans and Therians

as well as sentient smart machinery like cyborgs

and Belobog's construction equipment, can be corrupted

to the point where they mutate into Ethereals.

So, it's really important to pay attention to your Ether exposure

or increase your resistance to it by wearing special protective armor

or taking anti-corruption medication ahead of time.

Also, maybe don't eat food that's been exposed to Ether.

That can also get corrupted, although it will not turn into an Ethereal.

It's not sentient.

But speaking of which, we don't really know a lot about Ethereals

but what we do know is that they're violent monsters

with limited cognitive capabilities, and as far as I can tell

Ethereals can come into an existence in one of two ways:

either by manifesting from the Ether directly

or by the Ether corruption of sentient life-forms.

Fortunately, Ethereals exist within the Hollows

and only within the Hollows, as in they cannot leave the Hollows.

But if you do somehow manage to manually extract one

it will revert into an inactive and fairly harmless crystalline form

until it's put back into the Hollow.

This is its dormant state.

It's unclear to me if this dormant-Ethereal-crystal thing

radiates Ether energy, but it's probably best

that normal people keep their distance form Ethereals

no matter what form they take.

Some people are quite sensitive to the effects

of Ether energy and can grow ill or mutate

into an Ethereal with very, very, very limited exposure

like, within minutes, so it's best to err on the side of caution.

That said, some people have a naturally high resistance

to the effects or Ether exposure, which means that they can stay

within the Hollows for prolonged periods of time

without risk of corruption.

And some races, like the Therians

have an innately high tolerance for Ether

which allows for even longer exposure times

and faster recovery periods

but they also have much faster rates of corruption

once they've hit their limit.

Like, once corrupted, they'll turn into an Ethereal faster.

Now, folks with high Ether resistance usually end up

working for or with the Hollow Investigative Association

also known as the HIA.

The HIA is a governmental association

which takes care of all sorts of general tasks within the Hollows

like rescue missions, Hollow data collection

and resource recovery.

They also handle special missions

which involve deploying high-ranked investigators

to hunt Ethereals and execute tasks

related to Hollow containment

so, like, making the Hollows shrink.

So, they're pretty critical to every day life

and they have a lot of power in the city of New Eridu.

But investigators that go into the Hollows

without HIA approval are known as Hollow Raiders.

You'll hear the term pop up a lot

but apart from the legality of their operating status

they're not too different from regular investigators

except that Raiders also seem to go into Hollows looking for treasure

which is something I don't think the HIA does

but I could be wrong.

But Investigators and Raiders cannot go into Hollows alone.

They require the assistance of Proxies

in order to navigate the Hollows safely.

And no matter who you are, you can hire a Proxy

through the online Proxy Network

which is also known as the Inter-Knot.

The role of Proxies isn't exactly as easy as I would like it to be

if only because right now we're not super clear

on the scope of their responsibilities

and Wise and Belle aren't exactly your typical Proxies

so we can't really look to them as perfect examples

of Proxy responsibilities, you know what I mean?

But from what I can gather, the main responsibility

of a Proxy seems to be to collect Hollow data

and use it to create a "Carrot" for investigators.

Carrots are basically time-sensitive Hollow maps

that are used to locate a Hollow's exit.

Now, I know I kind of implied earlier that Hollows

are these ever-shifting labyrinths that you just can't escape from

but that's only the case if you don't have a Carrot.

By collecting enough data on a Hollow's movements

Proxies can create a kind of simulated model

that can predict how the Hollow will shift

which will then allow them to estimate where the exit will be

at any point in time.

I kinda like to think of this like we're predicting the weather, right?

Based on current data, we can provide a fairly accurate prediction

for things like rainfall and temperature

but the farther into the future we try to predict

the less accurate those predictions are.

That's kind of why Carrots are time sensitive.

They can't predict too far into the future.

But even with that limitation, Carrots are critical

to any Hollow investigation, so having a good Proxy

to make you a very reliable Carrot is a must.

Now, I did mention that our player Proxies, Wise and Belle

are rather unique, but I didn't say why.

So, here's the thing:

instead of doing normal Proxy stuff, like creating Carrots

these siblings use a special computer

(called the Hollow Deep Dive System, or the H.D.D.)

which lets them mind-sync with a Bangboo named Eos.

So, they're basically remote controlling this Bangboo

from the safety of their video store

navigating the Hollows in real time, and freely communicating

with the raiders and investigators that they're working with;

something that should be impossible

because you're not supposed to be able to send messages

into or out of the Hollow. But either way...

Bangboos at least are the best avatar for this sort of job

because they're exceptionally resistant to Ether Corruption

having been made for the express purpose

of helping to evacuate citizens from dangerous areas

during the peak era of the Hollow Apocalypse.

Bangboos are adorable and amazing and I love them

and they're also a form of sentient machine-life, kinda like Billy.

And you might be wondering

what could make a machine more or less resistant to Ether Corruption

and the answer is: probably certain kinds of metals?

At least that's what Billy's character profile data suggests.

They never actually say what kind of metals resist the Ether

but I'm assuming that they might be heavy metals

because Ethereals are graded based on strength

and those grades are named after heavy metals.

So, there might be a meaningful connection

between the metals that resist Ether

and the metallic naming conventions of Ethereals.

I'm not sure how that would apply to organic life

unless people with high Ether Resistance have heavy metal poisoning

which would actually be really, really funny

because heavy metals build up in the liver, and in alchemy, at least

the liver is considered the "seat of the soul."

Ok, so this is a very thin foil hat transition

into the speculation segment of this video

but while there are a lot of little nods and vague gesturing in the game

to suggest a connection between Ether

specific metals, and the possession of a soul

I'm not quite prepared to deep-dive into it yet.

At least not until we get more intel.

But until that point

I do wanna go into why I think the concept of souls is important

even if I can't quite explain how the souls and the metals link up yet.

During your first mission with the Cunning Hares

you're gonna be tasked with retrieving a lockbox

that contains a very powerful AI named Fairy, who's... unique, okay?

She's unique. Even in a place like New Eridu, she's pretty unique.

She signs a contract with unknown Terms and Conditions

with whichever Proxy sibling you choose

which kinda reminds me of making a contract with a demon

in exchange for power and knowledge.

Anyway, she takes up residency within the H.D.D.

and provides auxiliary support for Hollow investigations.

And all of this makes Fairy both a mystery

and also very integral to the plot

especially considering how specially designed she is

to deal with all things relating to the Hollows.

But there's one thing about her that stood out to me.

Minor out of context spoiler, but in chapter three

we learn that Fairy is incompatible with any machine-based life-form

that has passed the forbidden fruit test.

This seems to be a sort of Turing test, but with a mythological flavor

and it's used to ascertain whether or not an AI has been, quote:

"endowed with the soul of an individual."

So, a test to see if it has a soul.

And that's a philosophical debate and a half, that's for sure.

But if you think about it a little literally

this test is checking for a forbidden fruit

suggesting that the fruit is a soul.

As of the time of recording

Zenless Zone Zero seems primarily focused on

Japanese, Greek, and Mesopotamian mythology

but I kinda wanna focus on just the Mesopotamian.

See, New Eridu is named after Eridu

which is the oldest Mesopotamian city in the world

and is widely believed to be the original inspiration

for the biblical Garden of Eden.

You know, the one where Adam and Eve

eat the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. That one.

Now, one version of this tale features a gardener king

who entered the garden of Eridu's patron god, Enki

and ate a forbidden fruit from the Tree of Life to obtain immortality.

And then Enki cursed the gardener in retribution.

For simplicity's sake

I'm going to consider the repercussions of Adam and Eve

obtaining knowledge from eating forbidden fruit

to be a kind of curse as well

mostly because I'm pretty sure that in the context of Zenless Zone Zero

having a soul, or this forbidden fruit

is what enables someone to be cursed in the first place.

And what is this curse? Turning into an Ethereal via Ether corruption.

Because while lots of things can get corrupted by Ether

only sentient things turn into Ethereals.

And since Ether and Ethereals are intricately linked with the Hollows

then it makes sense that Fairy is designed to deal with the Hollows.

See, Fairy's design resembles that of a Nazar amulet

a Turkish talisman used to ward off the evil eye

which is typically associated with things like curses.

So, if the forbidden fruit is a soul, and those who have a soul can be cursed

then perhaps Fairy was created to protect

those who possess souls from this evil eye curse

just like a Nazar amulet.

This also kind of implies that she cannot possess her own soul.

There are a lot of directions I could launch into with this theory

but in the interest of time and scope

I'm gonna leave that for another video.

For now though, I'd like to close out this video with some speculation

on a potential future plot point, which also has a mythological basis.

I bet you weren't expecting so much mythology

in your post-apocalyptic sci-fi game, huh?

Alright, so our Proxy siblings operate under the code name Phaethon.

And Phaethon was the son of Helios, a solar deity from Greek mythology.

Now, to summarize his most famous myth:

Phaethon basically borrowed his father's solar chariot

didn't drive it well, crashed it, and then he died.

It's totally not an ominous code name at all.

But the coolest part about this reference

is that the H.D.D. that Wise and Belle use

was made by the Helios Research Institute.

And if we go by the myth, then it's quite likely that Wise and Belle

are related to this place

meaning that they are, metaphorically at least

the Phaethon, or children of the Helios Research Institute

which would make the H.D.D. the chariot that they borrowed.

Now, I also believe that the Helios Research Institute

was located in the old capital that was swallowed by Hollow Zero

about maybe 10 years ago.

And I also think that Wise and Belle

are looking into some kind of important event that happened there

because they mentioned wanting to investigate Hollow Zero

in order to figure out some mystery event

that happened to them when they were younger.

Perhaps something related to the Hollows and the H.D.D.

went down at the Helios Research Institute

that affects them or their family.

But there's no way to know for right now

so we're just gonna have to play through more of the story to find out.

And I think that's where I'm gonna stop for today.

Honestly though, going into this

I did not think there would be this much to talk about yet.

But the more I started snooping around in the game

the more interesting things I uncovered

so I am super excited for whatever comes next.

All the foreshadowing and references make me happy

just like a little Bangboo.

Anyway, guys thank you so much for watching

and I'm gonna see you in the next video

which will happen after the game officially launches

unless one of us gets sucked into a Hollow before then.

Maybe I should get some carrots.