An Ode to Sunday: Character Analysis | Honkai: Star Rail

[@Ultimate_Hater75]

Sunday is a realist that became an extremist but his point still stands. This is why Firefly is a great foil to him. She is literally doomed by Fate to eventually die by a condition she has no control over yet she still does not want to forever be trapped in the dream.

[@silopunk]

firefly is an amazing foil to him, i agree!! they gave the same answer for "why does life slumber?" question but both had wildly different meanings. 😭 i love them so much.

[@arnowisp6244]

Honestly. Sunday is what Raiden Shogun Ei should have been written as uf Hoyoverse Wanted a redeemable Character.

[@kurobot100]

​@@vermilion6966L take

[@SariaAK]

@@vermilion6966 oh you would hate Honkai Impact then

[@bloddrinkeraka]

Sunday is hotter than her so he's better

[@seraphywang4638]

I like Raiden’s story for different reasons though her story was much worse written.

[@SariaAK]

@@vermilion6966 honkai impact 3rd

[@einszweidrei486]

Watching this video reminded of the question he posed to Aventurine in that scene after asking if he was the last Avgin. "...Do you hate and wish to destroy this world with your own hands". Take note the little pause before he asked it, as if to hold himself back. He didn't need to ask that question cuz it contributed nothing to anything Aventurine was hiding. That question was personal. He saw a part of himself in Aventurine and was wondering if all this was going to be worth it in the end. If there was still a chance this didn't need to happen.

[@silopunk]

sunday was projecting real hard, it's true. i feel like he had an answer he expected, but aventurine dealt with his trauma differently from how sunday did. 🤔

[@einszweidrei486]

@@silopunk yeah, he definitely thought that Aventurine would've probably went "yeah, I'd destroy the worl" just like how I assume he thought of it.

[@Suited_Nat]

I agree so hard with this- like… Sunday has so much religious trauma, and trauma in general.

[@tomatorama]

I have a different pov. I don’t think he saw himself in aventurine. But more like he saw aventurine as one of the weak he wanted to protect. So the fact aventurine said I don’t know instead of yes was interesting to him. Aventurine has nothing to lose, that’s why he is so reckless. Sunday has got everything to lose, that’s why he is stepping on stones. That’s why he asked that question: when you are out and about, do you check your appearance (something like that.) avaneturine says of course. While he disagreed.

[@rembbokie]

@@tomatoramai ask this genuinely, if this is true, why did he make him relive his trauma and perform the consecration on him? i watched this video because i thought i would understand something about sunday that i didn’t before, but unfortunately i already knew everything the video explained as i completely understand his philosophy and intentions with it. however, i still don’t understand his interactions with aventurine. so that’s why i’m curious if you have a theory about that

[@tomatorama]

Sunday is the most selfless selfish man. That unwavering determination to save everyone even willing to sacrifice himself to take away another’s choice in the name of liberation. He is a cynical man, trapped in a bird cage with open doors yet unable to take the leap of faith to fly out because of fear of what could be. No one ever stood by him and offered him solace, comfort and a different point of view. Sigh, playable Sunday when?

[@silopunk]

one day that leap of faith will allow him to fly. 🥺 whenever hyv releases him from npc jail!!!

[@_leena3825]

Sunday is coming im maybe 2.7!!! LEAKS INCOMING according to his leaked design he might join the astral express crew and become a nameless!! im so excited 😭

[@kazzion]

@@_leena3825i would love to remind u abt this bc its real!!!

[@Your_localghost12345]

Thanks for this you have no idea how misunderstood Sundays character is oml

[@silopunk]

i love sunday so much!! i'll defend him from everyone if i must. 😤 he's more than just what he tried to accomplish imo, so i can only hope this video will help people see that.

[@Your_localghost12345]

@@silopunk hopefully

[@sega_sistarz]

Agree

[@kanashiicup]

i swear so many hoyo characters get mischaracterized its scary😭 we need to make more people read

[@kanashiicup]

@@vermilion6966 no like i mean literally mischaracterizing characters example: ppl think jing yuan is some sleepy unbothered guy who neglects duties... but he works as diligently as any general would, and never lets the situation get too out of hand by working behind the scenes not to say hes not a drowsy fella, its just the fandom likes to overemphasize and inflate a characters specific trait to fit their own agenda

[@princeari03]

Sunday is such a wonderful character, I haven’t loved a character this much ever since Scara, and that is saying a LOT, thank you so much for this video I’ve been wanting to see some Sunday character analysis’s

[@silopunk]

thank you so much for checking it out!! he's like the first character who got me to write smth like this, which is also saying a lot. he's sooooo well-written 😭😭😭 i can yap about him forever...

[@hemlockalope]

REAL ME TOO I thought me going over insane over wanderer was going to be the peak of me falling in love with characters, but then Sunday appeared!

[@tylosenpai6920]

They're so close in a way...both view self worth as a nonsense and wanted to be strong because weakness was the source of their suffering

[@fiftychan9981]

The entire time with Sunday on screen I am crying while he makes his points while screaming "You dumbass, no!!!!" and "Arrrgh you idiot!!!" hahaha

[@Rainbow_Star_Blossom]

I’m so glad someone analyzed his character, I love Sunday’s character, they really fleshed him out really well and I love seeing his motives and understanding them.

[@Seyrinn]

"#1 Dreammaster Hater" and "Also an Otto apologist"... a true masterpiece ,D Thank you so much for the video! The delivery and the editing are amazing! I'm happy to see your take on Sunday's personality, and he, indeed, is a complex character who can be easily understood. Makes me remember the saying "good intentions pave the road to hell", and Dreammaster no doubt encouraged this direction the road was paved in. It's nice that Sunday had Robin, and Trailblazer along with others who could stop him and prevent him going down towards that end, as many antagonists do not have such luxury. Hopefully, we'll see more of him, his wings spread out and flying freely.

[@silopunk]

thank you so much! i like to yap about really interesting characters. 🥺 sunday's whole character is sooooo good, so i'm glad i was able to convey that in this video. i hope we see more of him too!!

[@Seyrinn]

@@silopunk As you should! It's far from yapping though, I'd love to hear more of your thoughts and analysis similar to this one! I fully agree. Thank you again, fingers crossed and manifesting that there will be more of him!

[@darknessknows1235]

@@silopunk To add onto the Gopher's raisings of the siblings to lead thing to how they were, in The trailblazer's Harmony art, Sunday is still there along with everyone else in penacony, but he rests on top of Robin's cage with a clipped wing. Just more interesting dichotomy in that Sunday saw himself as one of the weak, a bird who can never fly to where other people believe he should, while his sister is caged, but as her own splash art implies, can still fly out to wherever life takes them.

[@phrinus]

What's important to note, is that despite the influence and manipulation of the Dreammaster, Sunday's logic and ultimately the choice to go along with the plan is his own. It's like in Edgar Poe's poem, on which the "Death of the Crow" readable is based on, the raven just says "nevermore", which only further affirms the main character's negative mindset. Same goes for the Dreammaster and Sunday. I have grounds to believe that Sunday already knows just how much Wood has relied on his devotion to Order, and just how far his influence on him goes, but, still, it doesn't stop him from pursuing his "Paradise", because, to him, the logic he employed to get to his particular perspective is HIS OWN. While Sunday was put in situations that enabled his pessimistic outlook on life, I dare say that all the Dreammaster showed him was just the truth of this world.

[@pseudotangerine9687]

the poem's actually based on edgar allen poe's the raven

[@phrinus]

@@pseudotangerine9687Thank you kindly, you're a life saver. I don't know why I made such a mistake. I made the connection myself and still... ah, how embarrassing. Thank you again.

[@kazuhasdedfriend6548]

Interestingly theres a note in Dreamflux Reef with the same title, and it kinda implies Elio recruiting Sunday.

[@somerandompersonhi2028]

Nah, in that poem, for all the narrator knows, the raven could just be saying "nevermore" because that's the only thing it says. Yet, the narrator interprets it as the answer to their questions, thus causing their outlook to worsen. I agree that at the end of the day, even though the Dreammaster had some influence, at the end of the day the decision was Sunday's. However, the things the Dreammaster showed him was a limited outlook on the truth of the world. They're just all situations where things end up badly, as if nothing ever has a chance to turn out well, which is straight up false.

[@phrinus]

@@somerandompersonhi2028 No, the period of him working as a Bronze Melodia is literally just him listening to various different people with different ethnicities, from different backgrounds, with different problems. That's as "real" as life could be. Humanity really is this terrible. Sunday's pessimism is absolutely warranted.

[@rokarege9058]

This video gives me hope that reading comprehension maybe is not completely dead afterall. Long rant ahead and I'm not english so it might make no sense to some people. I wouldnt call him the villain in the story, he is the antagonist for sure tho. Character like him is very hard to write because by all means, he is absolutely not wrong. Everything he states is true. In a perfect world, he could go on and do systemic changes and try to elevate people and systems so no one has to suffer anymore, at least not a level of suffering that breaks and kills and enslaves people. But the world is cruel as he says, sadly. you dont have to look too far in life to see how terrible life can be for some, while people who have good circumstances can just go on their merry way. A good base line for life could be granted to everyone, basic neccessities could be made available, but it will just never happen. Since it can't be achieved in reality, he tries to create a dream reality where people can live better. Now since this is a hero story obviously the trailblazer and co has to fight back, and people just like stories that confirm it is worth fighting for and hoping for a better life in reality. This is a message neccessary for people to be able to cope with life and go on. Because if you look the cruelty in the eye, your kindness will destroy you. You cannot help the suffering of living beings around you so you either learn to turn a blind eye or get consumed by it. Irl we cant do anything about it. In game Sunday can try to make a dreamscape where all people have a chance to live in dignity at least. But if what Sunday is doing would be possible in our world, you really would have to ask yourself, if this cruel world is worth protecting? Do you have the right to tear a good dream life out of the hand of people who are starving, who would otherwise live under perpetual war, or just unlivable circumstances of any kind? Do you have the right to tell all these people that living in a dream is terrible and they should suffer just because you can turn your "real life" around? There are tons who cant. I think it is not a coincidence that he was starting to ascend to godhood under the name "philosophy". Reality is something we all just perceive and think it is real, but it is nothing more than perception. It is a pretty overrated thing if you think about it. Why is a bad base preception of ours, which we think is reality, better than a secondary which we would label as a dream? Does it matter in the end if you live your life in this secondary perception, or in the first one? You die eventually the same, and everything is only in your head in the end. What is real is a pretty hot topic, since you cannot even prove it. In conclusion, from my part, I would totally subscribe to what Sunday is trying to do. Unless there was an actual proof systemic changes will finally be made in reality (but even that would be side-eyed so hard because the strong as Sunday calls them just inherently keep taking without looking back so how long would it take to dismantle it all?) I really hope that hoyo won't change his philopphy when/if he becomes playable. His outlook doesn't need to be changed. Best he can do for his own sanity is to selectively help people and look away from 70% of hardship like the asrtal express crew and her sister lmao

[@theo6840]

Thank you thank you for understanding this all, this was good to read. I think most loud people I have seen come from a place having not experienced circumstances completely outside of your control preventing you from accessing even some of the most baseline things. Which is a good thing, but people simplifying and misconstruing it so much is frustrating. I really do personally hope that Sunday can become playable while retaining his philosophy, but applying it in a healthier manner. Growth for him should not come from suddenly believing "Anyone can do anything!!! XD", but instead I think learning to accept the limitations and learn the balance. I don't know how best to word it but basically martyr complex is a bitch, and it can be really hard to break out of destroying yourself in that mindset (especially when you lack genuine supportive influence, instead only people who try to worsen, or who lack any understanding)

[@silopunk]

this is such an amazing comment!! thank you for taking the time in sharing it. i absolutely agree with your points regarding how "reality" is rly just something we perceive, so who are we to judge sunday's opinion on what his sweet dream can provide? i also hope hoyo doesn't change him drastically. the foundations of his beliefs are good, but he just needs to learn how to be selfish here and there... he can't forever shoulder everyone else's burdens on his own. 😢

[@Houndnwolf]

I love Sunday because he actually cares a lot. He cares so much that he walks solemnly to his own death. And that’s heartbreaking, man.

[@yharnamiyhill787]

I'm impressed on your character essay. Please do one about Robin and Gallagher, because it seem like Penacony was 90% mystery and 10% character.. Hopefully they have character quests..

[@silopunk]

omg thank you so much for the super?! 😭😭 this means a lot to me! i do have a robin essay cooking but that's more part of the angel siblings essay in the future. and for gallagher... i love that old hound so much, i just might try to do smth, we'll see! but it is true that so many of penacony is just guessing what their true agendas are LMAO. the real mystery tbh.

[@yharnamiyhill787]

@silopunk no pressure. I believe good, professional content should be tipped.

[@Virelie]

Sunday truly is Penacony's most ambitious dreamer This is honestly a very well made and structured character analysis on Sunday as a character, excellent video👏

[@gh4939]

“The night is too short…” “It’s Monday now.” Bro you’re so right 😭

[@bangtanssera]

"and targeted him from the very start" THIS! and also im so sorry but even the voice of that dream master sounded to me at the very first line we hear from him as if sunday was abused who knows how exactly by him...(

[@koii319]

5:04 i noticed that Sunday is crying but robin js not. Probably means that sunday took his mother’s death more to heart or Im just over-analyzing lol

[@starbunii]

i cant do this man i teared up almost immediately WAHHH HE DESERVES SM BETER I LOVE HIM SM

[@truemizu1596]

I feel Sunday with Robin's help can see that he doesn't have to do this alone and can reply on those he trusts. Maybe as they drift through the deeper realms of Penacony maybe Robin can help Sunday see that he doesnt have to bare this pain and sorrow alone. Maybe because he is the Bigger brother and he wants his sister to never feel pain and sadness like they experienced before he was willing to make the ultimate sacrafice even if he knew she would be sad for his actions he has committed. I am hoping the next time we see them Robin has convinced Sunday that he never has to be the lone star in the sky and they can be together forever as they keep their promise they made when they were kids. And maybe this is what helps him become a member of the Harmony again like his sister.

[@silopunk]

everything he did was for robin. 😭😭😭 he truly just wanted to protect his little sister... but he swerved way too hard and things ended up this way. i also hope they are not "doomed to eternal separation" because sunday needs to hug her back.

[@truemizu1596]

@@silopunk all depends on how and if Xipe punishes Sunday for what he did. But as a fellow Sunday fan I hope they get their Happy Ending

[@HaloGoated]

My favorite character in the hole hoyoverse and bros not even on the game yet I have not played the story myself I've only seen playthroughs

[@anhhlan2907]

Thank you for sharing your thoughtful analysis of Sunday with us and I always feel so emotional reading your every words. Sunday is a truly complex character ever from his predicaments and convictions and not everyone could understand his inner self and motivation. All he did was for the love of his sister and his compassion for the harsh reality of this world and he had to challenge himself through the loneliness and the Dreammaster's manipulative actions. Thank you for doing justice to Sunday, I hope more people could watch this video to understand more about him as well as our current world. Sunday actually motivates me so much in reflecting myself and thinking more about the definition of reality !!

[@gh4939]

I joked a lot during the story that they “oh no red-pilled my husband”, but I think Sunday’s character does really speak to that demographic. The founders of Hoyo stated early on they wanted to target otaku’s and their loneliness, and I think Sunday is a perfect example of someone too logical, cares too much, and is too jaded. He is someone who shuts the world out, a loose parallel to shut-ins or anyone these days really who are too afraid and almost look down on others, believing no one understands how dire the situation is like he does. Was it hubris, or pure fear and desperation? I think it was interesting that he CHOSE not to go full power on us and have a fair fight, almost waiting for someone to prove him wrong. It shows how foul-proof he believed his logic was, but also how much he himself didn’t want to believe it, like the world forced him to. Reality was too harsh to him, poor soul, and he constantly had to see the worst in people and his beliefs be contended. I think he speaks to many. I also love how poetic his story is, especially with those lines “The night is still too short”, “Now it’s Monday”, and “the eighth day,” like he’s woken up from a long dream of a night-like festival, and it’s time to wake up and start the day again. His arc beautifully complimented the strife of Penacony, and this whole era has just been stellar. I’ll never forget how beautiful the first act was and I wish I could play it again like it was the first time, and this was a great ending for it all 🤧

[@mith1783]

Thank you for this film. I love how you describe his personality. Many people see him in black and white. Its a relief that not everyone.

[@starsreveur]

lets go jesus allegory!!! i really wanted to write a video essay like this oml i could talk abt sunday for hours.

[@silopunk]

do it!! more sunday essays are good. 😤🙏

[@TadanoCandy]

I didn’t just see his point of view. I wholeheartedly agreed with him because it is exactly how I think. I only deal with problems (which, mind you, are 99% not my fault) because I have to or I’ll have no money just to survive. I don’t enjoy being a cog in a machine that pumps out money for the very rich to go on vacation and be treated like the exploitative royals of the past

[@silopunk]

we love sunday for being against capitalism forreal.

[@saydiaugustine3180]

THIS THIS EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS :'))))))) Sunday broke my heart, he's so complex and such an incredibly written character, both he and Robin deserve to be happy :(

[@SariaAK]

Sunday, the HSR version of KeBin… both waffle about birds and both end up doing a few oopsies and may have slightly lost themselves while trying to save the world using dreams. We love our good-but-misunderstood bois Edit: there are a LOT more comparisons I could make between the two but if I did that we’d be here forever soooo-

[@DoubleAgent05]

Honestly, this is so true... if the Trailblazer is HSR's Kiana, as seen with the Acheron cutscene, then Sunday would be HSR's Kevin- even down to trying to achieve godhood (here, resurrecting Ena) and martyring himself. I love the bird boys ❤

[@silopunk]

i only know a little bit about kevin, but from what people have told me, he and sunday might have very interesting conversations!! i did get soooo sad when i saw kevin also had the bird talk 😭 shaoji is out for our tears tbh.

[@koreandersim]

7 days of rest encourages depression, as someone who has lived that life. ofc overwork is bad too

[@doctorhealsgood5456]

Personally i disagree

[@shae7074]

@@doctorhealsgood5456 personally i agree. It gets so overwhelmingly boring to do nothing but "enjoy" after a while that you start to feel even worse. It's like medicine. If you take a small amount of it - you'll eventually heal, but if you take a lot - you overdose. And that's just the TIP of the iceberg

[@theshellderinslowbrostail5422]

Personally i disagree as well

[@hoshi178]

Well done honestly! You captured everything I thought about (especially during "The Night is Too Short") perfectly. Someone pointed out on twt that when we give our answer to Sunday, there's no light in his eyes and then when Robin catches him the light returns T-T I can never watch that scene where he just lets himself fall off that stage without crying or tearing up. Even listening to you put into words that part and how Robin is giving him a second chance by saving him made me tear up again T-T

[@silopunk]

😭 yes!! i noticed that when i was scrubbing through my footage while making this video and started crying... he needs so many hugs. i hope he believes he's worthy of them someday soon.

[@bangtanssera]

hoyoverse has many diversity in their character's personal stories and honestly I tend to headcanon if any of those characters who suffered a lot in the past can be healed through communication with other characters.. so my choice for sunday is a not obvious one aventurine! but why this makes sense to me is that they are actually very similar in their core, both were even compared to each other with the lines about "do you love your family more than yourself?" and both do. maybe his sister robin would be more obvious but i think aventurine and sunday if tried to befriend each other in any way would heal each other so much. aventurine because of his ipc plans can never show even a true self in front of anyone who's connected to the ipc, bro expresses similar to sunday's loneliness. im still in awe how they mirror each other in so many ways and sunday really needs someone new to befriend anyways just to be sure there is no huge prejudice against him. and why i think aven would not mind is because his heart is very pure he may be overprotective and schemes his wins all the time but in such a situation he would definitely choose to give a fallen bird a chance and accept his attempt to figure himself out saying that their past encounters were more of ipc vs family things rather than their personal experience. idk sunday deserves so much care I wish he feels not even more heartbroken after facing his biggest fear - his order philosophy to fail miserably... honestly throughout the story i supported him a lot, his vision has quite strong foundation, though the means he chose.. yeah we dont talk about them! but also i really hate it that his boss form is crying and protecting the exact people who attack him... BRO THIS HITS HARD

[@silopunk]

aventurine and sunday would have very interesting conversations if they get the chance!! i do agree that sunday needs a real friend who will try to understand where he's coming from, and help him see where he went wrong. 🥺

[@cupidseason]

i'm so glad to see that someone also sees the narrative parallels sunday and aventurine have!! they don't have the friendliest interactions but the way they set up aventurine's backstory to be revealed in the patch right before sunday's was, i feel, very deliberate. if played straight through (so without that 6 week wait btwn patches) i think it would be a lot more obvious to people that they have a lot of similarities. paired with the focus on firefly in 2.0, the reveal of robin's philosophies in 2.2, and acheron, misha and gallagher's stories weaved throughout the entire arc, everything compliments their stories and penacony's so well. i always think about how, if given the chance, baby sunday and baby kakavasha would've been good friends. :') but now sunday and aventurine's similarities come from their darkest places, it's a shame they may never see eye to eye.

[@homuraakemi2932]

finally someone who recognizes the dreammaster aka gopher wood manipulation tactics over sunday, also the maniac gohper sacrificed himself and the entire loyal members of the oak family for the plan to work, currently only robin and sunday are the only survivors and legitimate next in line for the position of dreammaster and leadership of the oak family.

[@llStonesll]

I support Sunday's rights and wrongs!!! Great video, I loved the analysis you made. Sunday along with Aventurine were my highlights in Penacony, great characters

[@Moussecakess]

This last quest got me a huge impression on Boothill as well, I can't wait for see more of him and Sunday.

[@luiss428]

UGHHH I LOVE THIS VIDEO to add, i think this is why dormancy is the true death in dreams. death, in a way, signifies the end but also a chance to start anew, while dormancy is stagnation. i like to think the question posed by the watchmaker is a flip of a similar idea: we make the most of living because we know that someday we will die.

[@silopunk]

omg you are so right about "true" death being dormancy!! i didn't even make that connection but it makes so much sense aaaaa

[@Clouderixx]

thank you for this THANK YOU OMG. thank you so much for highlighting the fact that us as humans would more than likely want to escape reality in a dream. the fact we feel these things comes from a sense of hopelessness and despair, and the fact sunday wants everyone to live in a sweet dream means hes surely had these thoughts before. he is a character with that hopelessness. i also find it super interesting that he compares “the future” to “self-value” given the fact he sees some people without a future (and honestly, i believe he sees himself without one either.) i feel like he doesnt have that much self-value, or that maybe its implied with the self-value future comparison. perhaps he sees himself as a flightless bird, not worthy to fly into that sky

[@silopunk]

honestly, coming to the realization that sunday himself holds these beliefs because he sees no future for himself was so sad. 😭 i want to protect him so badly... i truly hope he can see that he deserves to fly one day too.

[@elysian499]

im so glad i stumbled upon this video, seeing someone talk about the exact same things that i felt during the quest. • Sunday, as a character, is so close to my heart partly because hes beautiful but mostly because i connected with his perspective and thought process so much. as someone who suffers from mild depression and anxiety, i really resonated with the way he views the world and the need for escape. while i may not be as compassionate as he is, tbh if given the chance to live in a dream like that, i would take it. i feel really bad for Sunday because most people view him as "the bad guy" and do not try to see things from his perspective. I agree that the dreammaster was the real problem. I always noticed an uncomfortable atmosphere whenever it was just Sunday and him talking- i think his manipulative nature was quite evident. • as an elder sibling myself, i completely understand Sunday's protective nature towards Robin. Shes the only one left in his life that he truly cares for, of course hes going to protect her from all dangers (im referring to the third hypothetical question where Robin gets shot). i get it when people say Robin is her own person and she has the right to make her own decisions, and yes i agree she does, but would you really send your loved one to their death, knowing that you could've stopped them? idk about others, but if i put myself in his shoes, i wouldnt let my sister do that. even if she hates me for it later, at least shes alive. my heart breaks everytime the dreammaster tries to manipulate Sunday by using Robin; shes the only family he has left leave them alone 😭 • also, in her voiceline for Sunday she mentions how her brother tends to shoulder all responsibilities on his own without relying on her or anyone else and that is so elder sibling coded 😭 he must have been under so much pressure not only from the dreammaster but the entire Family as well. always required to appear perfect, calm and collected. if we see it from this perspective, we can maybe understand his obsession with control and order- since being in a position of authority could've put him under all sorts of stress, having some things under his control is a somewhat normal way for him to have some solace and sense of things being okay. (i hope i make sense rn) • During Robin's quest as well, she mentions how Sunday must have been so lonely, and that destroyed me. if only the siblings had the chance to have a heart to heart talk, maybe a lot of things would've been prevented :< okay that was a rather long comment. I dont think anyone will, but if did read this all the way through, thank you! Have a chocolate 🍫🍫🍫 and a nice day/night ahead !! ❤❤❤

[@silopunk]

every time the dreammaster was with sunday in the same scene, i felt the same unease you experienced. 😭 i truly wonder how things would've ended up if the twins were found and raised by mikhail instead of gopher wood, but alas... at least now they can start anew again, and hopefully sunday will be able to find his way. and yeah, many of sunday's actions also stem from his desire to keep robin safe. after losing their mom, i'm sure he's fiercely protective of the only family he has left, and since he's the elder brother, he most likely put so much pressure on himself to keep her safe. 😔 it makes me sad to think about, even more so when robin expresses that he never confided in her (SUNDAY WHYYYYYY) and that he was incredibly lonely. i wanna give him so many hugs!! but thank you so much for this comment! i hope you have many chocobars too!! 💜

[@elysian499]

@@silopunk yess i agree ive had that thought too (if they had been found by mikhail instead) 😭😭 it's just sad to think about. and ur most welcome!! i loved this video 🪻💖💖

[@tylosenpai6920]

BTW, i've heard of something pretty close to the "7 rest days", which is "Everyday is your birthday" from Dibo the Gift Dragon...one of the characters wants everyday to be her birthday, and after something like 5 days in a row, she was worn down by the celebrations, and they became as gloomy as a normal workday, or even worse... Kinda funny how a literal show for kids that came way before shows the flaws of Sunday's argument

[@yue5558]

I like how Sunday being the realistic or logical sibling, became the extremist of the two, when people tend to think those who are more feeling and romantic would go insane or take much more extreme actions. He became the way he is because of his own thoughts that got further manifested by the Dreammaster, and wasn't even conscious of it because he had a limited world view UNLIKE Robin who started traversing the universe, opening her world view and enabling her to interact with those who they wanted to help (the weak), which helps her to understand humanity better. Unironically, if not for the philosophy of the trailblaze, if I were the protagonist, I would've sided with Sunday. Penacony is amazing for how they make me feel conflicted over so many things, like the emperor npc, Cocona, Leslie and 2.2 story quest. They implement alot of different thoughts and triggers me to think more, it pulls me out of the neutral state I've always been in and forces me to form a pure, black or white opinion. Yes, ultimately there will always be alot of gray areas in life, but when it's a 1 on 1 situation, it will almost always definitely be black or white.

[@yue5558]

2. I'm a student in art stream (meaning I study History and Geography), and felt that there's a bit of a political aspect in this which surprised me. But since most dislike or doesn't want to talk abt it, I skipped this, but I just wanted to get it out, it's interesting regardless. 3. The major gap between Sunday's and Robin's personality, ideology and way of life makes their love for each other even more precious. Because at the end of the day, even if you are completely different from me, I still love you.

[@tomatorama]

I like to think the only reason we were on the opposing side is because my guy Sunday is literally using the cancer of all worlds for his dreamscape. Like dude, cool dream and all but hoarding a time bomb is not cool.

[@silopunk]

@yue5558 i agree with many of the points you bring up! i do think the foundation for how he turned out was already there, and all the dreammaster needed to do was continue to enable it, really. which is what i rly hated about the dreammaster. like -- imagine if sunday ended up with mikhail instead? someone who gallagher states is very similar to sunday too... i wonder what could have been. also!! i really love your last point. 😭 this is why i love the siblings so much. they care so much for one another that something like this won't ever change that genuine love aaaaaa

[@julesandrewsusvilla4657]

​@@tomatorama Agreed, it just so happened that he's using a stellaron which will harm the people in the dreamscape for a very long time.

[@lucasjuliard4929]

I feel like the bird and Sunday can learn to fly. He just need to take small steps first. That bird crashed down because it tried to fly from an high floor window without prior experience! Had it trained from a smaller height, I feel like it could have flew off in due time.. So i hope that Sunday too will learn to fly eventually (since Robin saved him from that deadly first fall).

[@Xenomnipotent]

I love this character analysis so much! 💜

[@kerynmacnamara6822]

A lot of people are skipping over the "Trustful Boy" and the Dream Master's grooming, so I'm really glad to see someone mention the Trustful Boy. It's also interesting that a lot of players struggled with the choices he presented and the funny thing is was that he was the groomer in that context, forcing his views in the only way he knew how to, in the same way that abused people sadly often become abusers themselves. Sunday obviously endured hard choice after hard choice that was forced on him until he broke. He was a perfect canvas for the Dream Master - he was very kind, very devoted to his sister, traumatized from feeling unable to save his mother and while he was a very smart kid, he also was rather directionless, not even having his own dream. This doesn't EXCUSE his actions - he still was broken and he still was too extreme - but it does EXPLAIN why he did what he did. I've seen players label him as selfish and hypocritical when he really isn't. He cares too much for other people and he doesn't care enough about himself. The Dream Master is the worst. I'm 100% on the hating the Dream Master train. Not only that but after all his BS, he leaves Sunday as his scapegoat and gets away with everything. Ugh, that guy is just awful. I feel that the bulk of the fandom really don't get these nuanced villains but I love them. Otto Apocalypse? Goddamn, what a fantastic villain. I had to pull for Luocha as soon as I saw him because Otto is such an incredible character. Didn't take Luocha long to start on his Otto arc either 😅 Can't wait to see what Luocha is going to get up to next.

[@silopunk]

a lot of people try to view sunday as someone who can just be categorized as either "good" or "bad" when he's so much more than that. many shades of grey, really. the reason why i love him so much is because of exactly what you said: he was a broken man, shaped by outside influences that were beyond his control. that doesn't excuse what he did, but it lets us see why he turned out that way. 🥺 i just want to protect him!!! as soon as they give us luocha's whole deal, and it turns out he is connected to otto, i will absolutely lose all my marbles. I LOVE OTTO!!!

[@gingerscarlet113]

Something I find interesting in both Sunday's design is that thorny vines cover most of his outfit and one of his wings are quite literally pierced. His design pretty much saids a trapped bird. Also I think the roses and Robbins design is a way to connect her back to her brother, as well as show that their opposites.

[@grimoireweissfan6969]

Shaoji is the Yoko Taro of Hoyoverse writers, minus his urge to make every character suffer endlessly, I need him to continue to cook for the rest of Star Rail

[@silopunk]

i will be out of tears if this man continues to cook. (i hope he does.)

[@mat7258]

I agree, Yoko Taro is the absolute best man to compare Shaoji to lol

[@SleonHikari]

The dove was honestly the most blatantly obvious, especially when one of the siblins pointed out that the bird isnt native to the area they were at yet some how randomly appear while at the same time gopher wood is talkin to to siblins and was askin more of Sundays opinions than Robins.

[@lancelot2099]

Great video. One thing I think also to help facilitate Sundays character is how ideologically opposed the two siblings became over time. How Subday became a devote follower of Order itself. That of the two siblings, the rational and introspective would naturally align with order. He wants the inequality of the real world shatter. Yet Robin represents harmony. With how, despite every tragedy that befalled her (almost died), it never made her cynical. She strove to bring people together. She embraced life's pleasures and asked that people have that right. Robin is really interesting since a lot of the imagery surrounds her being caged and isolated. However, I think its meant to reflect Sunday's position in the story. Constantly pushed and used by forces greater than him to manipulate him into a fate worst than death. All to avoid a fall he knew was coming. There is a real tragedy. Sunday only wanted to protect people and give them a chance to show kindness in a world that was so cruel to him and his family. Yet even then he never wanted to hurt anyone even after the world's many betrayals. He opted to instead give everyone a dream that will protect them from that harsh reality. He only wanted some order when all he ever knew was unfairness. Robin's own wishes are to free her brother from his nihilistic beliefs and to try to bring him some peace and Harmony. With her explain to him that taking away people's free will isn't a real soultion and that you are taking away people's agency. That agency is what drives everyone to come together to create amazing things. Which can even be reflected in the trailblaze subplot. Such cool details.

[@silopunk]

i love the way hoyoverse surprised us with that - the fact that robin had a lot of imagery tied to being trapped in a cage, but it was pointing towards her brother all this time. 😔 i rly enjoyed watching their dynamics unfold during the quest. we were fed super well with this one!!

[@cseperegazesolefolyikazarcomon]

I agree with your analysis, it was clean and detailed. I think a lot of players don't hate Sunday because the writers showed us a lot why he chose this path and not for bad reason. One thing I'm crying about he is not playable yet but the first time we met him I knew I want to pull for him. Now I can only save and hope.💀I guess we will get a story quest about him at least in 2.5...

[@silopunk]

at least if we have to wait for him to become playable, that means more time to save, right... ahahaha... 😭 (come back soon, sunday)

[@seraphlazuli6251]

Sunday’s vision is literally the Heaven that Christians, and other religions, spend their whole lives chasing after, so it doesn’t make sense to me to deny or hate what he was doing. Honestly I was onboard with a lot of what he believed. It’s also very fitting that he is an angelic and priest-themed character with this in mind.

[@tartali63]

I CANT WAIT FOR HIM TO BECOME PLAYABLE AAAAAH

[@stantwitter1016]

Sunday and the whole story of Penacony is basically the expanded ideas of Moseis in Nahida Story Quest Act 1 from Genshin. The idea of staying in everlasting dream to escape reality. Also shares the similar idea with Madara Uchiha as well.

[@rao9574]

Thank you for this video. ❤ I think many people misunderstand him, and I strongly resonate with him, and he reminds me myself.

[@samster729]

this video was really well made and inspiring too, like i cried watching this :,) thank you for summarising sunday so well

[@ralfian0234]

WE ARE CRASHING ON THE GROUND WITH THIS ONE! 🔥🐦🐦

[@kuroken44f]

loved your video and your interpretation of the character even tough i disagre with some parts, its a pretty great take on the character and it shows how much effort you put on making this video definitively would love to see more of this

[@shugidayo]

This video is just so good ;;;; Sunday is such a great grey character and I don't think a lot of people could get themselves to hate him at the end of the story I really love Honkai Star rail's story, and you helped me notice details I didn't even thought about, thank youuu Please make more content like this, I would love to know more about your opinions on other characters, theories and the lore of Star Rail in general!!

[@silopunk]

aaaaa thank you shugi!! i knew i hard to write this essay as soon as i finished 2.2. i had too many thoughts that i couldn't just allow to sit in my headspace forever, so i'm glad it resonated with so many people. i'll definitely aim to do more of these in the future!! they're a lot of fun, especially when i can yap about the characters i love.

[@tortellini28]

well said!! you truly conveyed everything i wanted to feel about sunday 🥺

[@julilulyp5667]

started crying as soon as I saw the title, say no more.

[@julilulyp5667]

OH MY GOSH when you were talking about "who put sunday in those scenarios that he made us choose from?" EVERYTHING CLICKED what the heck man, hating dreammaster ten times more by the day man sunday makes me so sad

[@silopunk]

I AM THE #1 DREAMMASTER HATER!! he truly made sunday worse... smh.

[@nagaraventeel5952]

Thank you for this. I think a good character breakdown might help some people who were a bit confused.

[@Caroline_Kim_1209]

What a beautiful essay, you put words to my lingering thoughts on Sunday very well 💕 I actually really like Sunday. 2.2 reminds me of a saying, ‘You can do bad things with good intentions’ Sunday is so compassionate and empathetic but that was also what was holding him back in life. He’s such a beautiful soul who was hurt I wish nothing but love for him and Robin (cause they’re such sweet siblings like Ayaka and Ayato AAAAA)

[@silopunk]

when their designs were revealed, i also thought of ayaka and ayato immediately! 🥺 but sunday and robin feel so much more tragic... i wish for them to have happy endings from now on.

[@Caroline_Kim_1209]

@@silopunk Absolutely 🥹💕💕

[@callmeandoru2627]

I kinda agree with Sunday on, pretty much everything.

[@loonastrawberry]

he is so light yagami coded

[@arrivedatlast]

arghh i loved the last part of the quest with the callback to “the bird that crashed” being sunday revealed as the doomed dove, while robin, “the bird that flew” quite LITERALLY fell with her brother just to be reunited with him. this whole quest, we were led to think that robin was the weaker bird that needed to be protected in the cage, while we were tricked to think that sunday was the stronger dove seen flying, while the other doves (the family) crashed- while it was vice versa this whole time. literal chills. what a quest

[@silopunk]

lowkey think the lyrics for the CN version of white night was speaking about him all along. 🥺 he truly did see himself as the weakest out of everyone.. i love him so much.

[@alwinchai9394]

We need seven Sundays every week

[@diarrabeyesy3699]

This is wonderful ! I'm looking forward to other video essays from you ❤

[@jessicabowman7169]

Thank youso much for this, Ive been truly obsessed with Sunday ever since i saw his chibi in the 1.6 livestream when he introduced everyone in penacony ❤🥰

[@silopunk]

he kinda snuck up on me. i didn't care for him until near the end of 2.0... and then it slowly became brainrot from there. 😳

[@phrinus]

Why does everyone think that reality is better than escapism? Who said that? Why is that seen as a "right thing"? Sunday isn't "wrong", because there IS no "right".

[@seraphywang4638]

I think a more pragmatic view of this would be that escapism isnt bad and neither is reality but we have much more control over escapism and more often than not, it’s used as a tool for people to cope with the fact that their reality sucks. The Nameless dont touch upon it but escapism is a symptom, if you dont bother fixing the cause then there’s no point in telling people that they should go back to reality.

[@phrinus]

@@seraphywang4638 Hah. Get this. There's no point in living at all. Anywhere. The dream is just a more fun place to be, even though, technically it doesn't matter what you do or where you are, because nothing matters.🙂

[@seraphywang4638]

@@phrinus The true path of Nihility

[@Pjmasks-wy2uv]

I think that Sunday is getting the scars treatment right now They both had big robot things to fight the MC of your choice They both fell and had someone catch them Both are trying to redeem themselves(?) I think that they're really similar lol

[@Pjmasks-wy2uv]

*Scara

[@MaxsRandomBS]

I love how the whole community hates Sunday but I highkey agree with him. He literally shares the same philosophy as me. If penacony happened irl, I'd let it happen, or just help Sunday

[@GoodBuoysDontSink]

I am such a Sunday fan and watching this video solidified that even more for me, thank you. I've always resonated with him because of my own struggles and I guess it rings true that the people who are always trying to "save" others are the ones who need saving ❤

[@YuanSaccharose]

Sunday is such a good character, I'm glad to see more people writing about him.

[@justadragonnamemarcus1751]

I Relate Sunday so much.....

[@catdownthestreet]

49 days til Sunday 😼

[@silopunk]

WE ARE SO CLOSE AAAA

[@catdownthestreet]

​@@silopunk YEAHH I STARTED PLAYING AGAIN FOR HIM

[@bangtanssera]

by the way in hopes to give relief to sunday Marvin didn't mean to simplify evolution of life as just "survival of the fittest" and got misunderstood by this statement. so.. yeah life is more complicated than just hey we got big damage cause we are muscled so we rule here, sometimes it is this way but not always idk why im writing this sorry

[@piiyuun]

Hoyo release sunday from his cage already! Give us our chimken wing boy 😢

[@cat_withajellyhat]

ALL ME AND MY HOMIES HATE THE DREAM MASTER.

[@silopunk]

you are not alone 😤🤝

[@radiatingsunray]

THIS IS SO GOOD LETS FUCKING GO BANGER SUNDAY ANALYSIS

[@vijaysinghr988]

So he was madara and wanted to do the infinite tsukyomi on penecony right

[@adhyetrijoddar204]

Amazing video. Deserves 1 million views indeed

[@skipthewave]

I really do like Sunday as a character myself.

[@kyla_vina9410]

Thank you for making this video about my lord and saviour sunday 🙏🏽

[@sleepy_inside]

underrated af, good video!!

[@retired-r9u]

Great video!!!

[@silopunk]

thank you bapha!! 💜🙏

[@agekkcrow]

This is what I needed after finishing 2.2 😭😭😭😭 BANGER VIDEO SILO!!!

[@silopunk]

THANK YOU AGE AAAAA!! 2.2 fed us so well 😭😭😭

[@neel5715]

Honestly,sunday is the example of why harmony had to setp up and absorb order. Order on itself will seek to simple seek order let it by destroying and Aeon or Making a Clipped bird it's puppet. Order trying to make everyone live a Delusional happy dream,whiel harmony differs yo make the inevitable pain and suffering of existence better by being harmonious with one other. Which is basically what robin Always advocated for. Both are idealistic representations of order and Harmony .

[@Al-eo2li]

I dont think Sunday is misunderstood by most. Just disliked for his choices. Understanding a character doesnt mean he has to be liked.

[@visalserei]

Beautifully make

[@rakuyoame4408]

The way Sunday's story was written, played out and presented made me change my view on the current astral express crew 180 degrees. I can't stand them now anymore and I haven't opened the game ever since I finished the story. It's just unfair to antagonize and present him as evil, when all those suffering enthusiasts and naïve altruists are praised as great heroes, while none of them were even able to recognize their precious 'reality' was an illusion all along. This is such a pity and a waste of a character. And to be honest, I can't see any decent way for him to re-join the story later (even if he is alive) that wouldn't look like mocking his character even more and throwing him deeper into the mud. Discard the Order and embrace Harmony or whatever else - apologetic, guilty lost-boy type of new character outline? Please, no. Keeping the Order and being a stubborn villain against brave reality-hailing-heroes? Not much better.

[@Cyanidecat]

Sunday is a good person with good intentions, but is obviously an antagonist because his solution takes away everyone’s right to choose how they want to live. At the same time he was so selfless that he was willing to live in isolation for all eternity just to give everyone their sweet dream 😢 I really look forward to how hoyo is going to end his story he is such an interesting character.

[@silopunk]

i knowwww, i really hope we get to watch the rest of his story arc play out! this part of his life may be "over" but now he can live for himself, and i think that journey will be way harder, but it'll be more fulfilling. 🥺💜

[@Nithos]

istg if i get a job before Sunday drops im gonna be broke. again.

[@_Stefanie]

sunday is a twink

[@yesitsme1214]

Good video if I see more vids like this I will stay subbed looking forward to the Robin video 😊

[@sa1adforyou]

lol flame me all you want but Sunday has a point in the penacony quest

[@mizukiNoellemain]

BANGER VIDEO HES SO REAL PLEASE DO AN ANGEL SIBLINGS VIDEO

[@elysian499]

FINALLY SUNDAY NATION RISE

[@staeriix]

I have no idea who he is but he is silly ‼️

[@weeefwaff3995]

I do always- kind of simp for him and at the end, I feel sad for dis guy then this video appeared- I literally almost cry huhu

[@bigred75b77]

A feel an exchange between Gepard and Sunday would be veeery interesting; brothers trying to 'carry that heavy weight' and all.

[@doctorhealsgood5456]

Sunday did nothing wrong.

[@btwimmax]

i mean i guess kinda

[@braincandyx3]

sunday>>> real people

[@gojos_blindfold]

YES I LOVE SUNDAY ILL DEFEND HIM HE IS SO MISCHARACTERIZED

[@chiibi-chan]

All my homies hate the Dreammaster

[@caramelcwossont]

I swear Peacony desperately needs therapy. Sunday, Boothill, Aventurine, all of them need therapy. Anyway fuck dream master and the non-cool ipc 🎉