Mars' Biggest Mystery Explained | Honkai Impact 3rd Part 2 Lore

[@HomuLabs]

Download Raid t2m.io/HomuLabs to get a Limited-edition Legendary champion + 2 strong Epics 1 - Epic Uugo ⚡ available only via my link and for new players from the start 2 - Epic Fayne ⚡ available only via my link and for new players from level 15th 3 - Legendary Sun Wukong via promo code MONKEYKING ⚡ available for new players by November 30; 72 hours after registering Link to enter Raid Shadow Legends codes (1 in 24 hours) plarium.com/en/redeem/raid-shadow-legends/

[@HALOHonkai3rd-fs5ov]

HELL NAH, but congrats tho, you finally get a Raid sponsor :)

[@FiragaJJC]

Glad you're back to help me understand the story more.

[@MeiEnjoyer]

Thelema sama is real in our hearts

[@martypcsr]

Hey thanks for the shoutout Homu! I found it SO interesting to find out how influential Dictionary of th Khazars is on the Part 2 plot. I'm slowly reading through it, and the parallels are immense. In context of the video, I think from ch6 we're beginning to see that these "NPCs" truly are becoming capable of some independent thought, and breaking free of the bounds of the system. I don't think people should be thinking of the Martians as just "fiction" much longer, especially with how Dreamseeker keeps re-iterating how the experiences are all real and valid to her. Its part of the narrative, plainly stated!

[@HomuLabs]

Thanks for making the post! I might hop on and read the book myself.

[@christopherpeelerii9700]

@@HomuLabs what happens if part 2 is finished

[@LoreBugCarv]

Some notes: - (05:04) Senadina only appearing in the last samsara is actually a bit up in the air right now. Because Chapter 3-EX has Dreamseeker saying they are sure that Senadina has been in all Samsaras alongside them while Chapter 5's recap of the previous plot has Dreamseeeker saying they are sure that Senadina was only on the last Samsara... (clearly some miscomunication between writters occurred here but which is right is ???) - (06:20) Saying Ajita created it is not wrong but at the same time it's clear more than one person is involved (including those higher up than Ajita) so more accurately worded would be that Ajita was part of it's development. Overall great video. There's some points that are debatable and some confirmations on Chapter 6 but that's for next patch not for here.

[@IAmDAN004]

@@LoreBugCarv In chapter 3-ex DS was under an influence which made her more of a simp to Sena than usual, DS herself acknowledged it later in ch 4 So once she came to her senses, she's certain that Sena was only in the last samsara, not "always existing"

[@LoreBugCarv]

@IAmDAN004 There's no evidence of Dreamseeker's behavior being altered before reentering the system at the end of Chapter 3-EX, meanwhile this dialogue I'm talking about happens both times before reentering Dreamseeker in Chapter 3-EX also realized that the memories that she was being showed were events that didn't happen to herself. And the nail in the coffin is that Dreamseeker specifies that they were memories from the Samsara where Senadina was adventuring together with them (including Helia and Coralie) while Leylah was specified to be sharing her emotions and memories (which couldn't possibly include the Earth duo).

[@Nerox2303]

Let's go a part 2 lore video by Prof. Homu! As a big Part 2 enjoyer/defender, I have to say that your take on the "Is this real?" debate was spot on. It doesn't matter if the characters are just simulations; what truly matters is whether you can resonate with them and feel for them. I was crying like a little bitch in chapter 3 and 3 EX for these "simulations" and almost closed the game because it was too painful, lol. And yes it really reminded my of ER. That was a great video Homu. Looking forward to more Part 2 lore in the future.

[@zeru5195]

I have really enjoyed this arc even though I know it is somewhat divisive. The ER comparison is spot on imo, it is one of the best arcs of part 1 imo and the parallels are quite obvious.

[@valentinleppe2858]

I think that my biggest problem with the ER comparison it's time. In ER we had almost an entire year of content to meet and bond with the flame chasers, not only through the main story chapters but with the ER itself. It was pretty good finishing a ER run and talk with whoever fc would be around, it helped to understand the story better and to know more about the fc (wich in no time became favorites of the story). But it was a slow cook, like I said it was through a whole year of main story chapters, ER story bits and events. Instead we barely know the shus, to me the backgrounds and interactions of them felt so rushed that I could not get invested in the story, and for me the twist of the simulation and them not being "real" actually became a demerit for the story because all became pointless. I really hope that the next chapters either give more focus on the hyperion crew (like the last one) or give the shus a status of permanent main cast who would not change their personalities and backgrounds with every chapter, thats the biggest flaw imo that part 2 got so far.

[@Gravity_Kat]

About Dreamseeker's gender you're right that it's a data life form, so we're playing with a skin. BUT in the note that they give us (and it's included here in the video), Ajita wrote that Leyla "is biologically a female" so that explains why the P1 character has a female avatar. So in the end Dreamseeker is only an avatar, but the real Leylah is (or was?) a female. Just to clarify a bit more!

[@Paragon..]

Is AI real or fiction? I remember when AI was still just a concept in books and movies as "Science Fiction" but over time it became science reality we live in. Theresa's dream was humorous but it had an underlying tone to her dream about work. "Can I use a book full of data and put it into a Soulium body?" My theory is Theresa was thinking of a reward for the Dreamseeker for helping them with Kiana when she fell asleep. That reward being given a Soulium body instead of being a hologram as a means to bring fiction into reality. There's a lot of really thought provoking themes or ideas in Volume 2. Not surprising given how educated and learned the developers are.

[@ShadowingXblade]

Everything artificial in honkaiverse made by Fiction. Everything "real" are recreation made by Remembrance. Everything eventually accumulate Entropy and die by it's weigh only to be returned to Zeroth point by Termina. Untiring cogs of Endless Returns of honkaiverse.

[@shinhikaru]

I was correct. The start of Part 2 js basically the same as Part 1 and also Honkai Star Rail, as it forces us to actually theorize what happened back. But Part 2 literally took that concepts and say " We'll help you" and proceeds to go back in time. The reason people think the story isn't that impactful as Elysian Realm is because we've only know the Mars' cast from the story for only 10 months, while the Elysian Realm cast we've already know them for almost 2 years because if the ER game modem same thing with the Captainverse cast as we know them since at least 2019. Elysian Realm was started as a side story project like APHO before getting integrated in the main story, hence why it was impactful. I had a feeling that since we're nearing the APHO Timeline, we'll be getting APHO Chapter 3 as an interlude after whatever happens on Mars exist, partially because Mei is now using her APHO design and I just want a DK for SW :). Although the addition of Sparkle, Sim Ajita, and Leylah still makes jt a very long chapter indeed.

[@SlimeTenseiImpact]

The fact that The quantum computer reveal was literally hinted at in chapter 1. THE CG for chapter one is literally Link Start from Sao. BLEW MY MIND. I have never been so astonished in a reveal in any media like that. I love part 2 so much. And crying like a beach in chapter 3, 3ex, and 5(bailing) was so funn😂

[@abadenoughdude300]

The Bailing part was brutal, and I knew damn well from the start how it's going to end because it was beyond obvious. Hoyo evidently haven't lost their mojo when they make you bawl for a basically irrelevant tertiary character (or maybe it's just me when it comes to "death in the family" lol).

[@SlimeTenseiImpact]

@abadenoughdude300 the bailing part was incrediblly brutal for me. It was midnight, 1 am or something, my parents asleep, me doing the quest. And all of a sudden bailing Made me Cry, and i had to do everything in my power to not scream or sob. The story of bailing and baiji, was a parallel to my parents not being able to attend the funeral of my grandparents, cuz they were somewhere else at the time. And when i remembered this, it reminded me of how my grandma Was KIA r8 infront of me. And that was when i was 8-10 yrs old. Now that im old enough, the trauma is real. Gd damn mihoyo, they really know how to fvk me up

[@SlimeTenseiImpact]

@abadenoughdude300 i was crying tho. For 10 mins, remembering the old times. And how much i regret what i have done to my grandmother

[@adamrimachiayala]

It is good to know this for those who do not know about these topics and are confused like I was after chapter 3 ex, that is, I believe that the quantum computer is a fusion between the elysiam realm and the stigma project, well if we see it like this it would be something never before seen or created until now

[@faithtalis3176]

Awesome video, I loved the way you explained things and put all the info together. I’m loving part 2 so far and I think it has IMMENSE POTENTIAL, mostly with how they will be able to make bossfights, music, sequences and maps in the future (langqiu a 100 years ago, is the best map for me in terms of quality and I have yet to see ruimu fully). One thing that I did notice in vita’s starry voyager trailer is that the only shus that don’t appear are Litost and Ajita, curiously they seem to be the ones to have some kind of connection with Leylah, and that’s been increasingly implied in ch5 (haven’t seen ch6 yet). But overall I’m really excited for the future of part 2 and I love that we are able to explore the past and wilderness of Mars, I just know they’re gonna go crazy with the snow and volcano maps

[@JKCrafted]

Something we do know is that the Quantum computer utilises SoQ in some way, as we have directly seen it in things like Vita's animation where she meets Leyla. So it's most likely that the original idea of the Sea of Data being a part of SoQ is still the case and that the events are actually happening in real bubble worlds which are being controlled by the computer. This also gives an explanation for how Vita is connected to it, since she travelled SoQ and could have easily run into it at some point.

[@oceanoana1438]

Another great video!! Honestly i found these chapters hilarious and i cant wait to see whatever the story brings up next!

[@sufferred7030]

Leylah us truly a real deal, she can f.cking turn all of Mars in to a computer

[@ShadowingXblade]

Go read about Alaya and connect the dots. Nothing new under the moon in honkaiverse.

[@sufferred7030]

@@ShadowingXblade what's the point of bringing Alaya here, a GZZ character ( and she's one of the strongest entity in GZZ ). We all know that with GGZ, Hi3 is nothing

[@sufferred7030]

@@ShadowingXblade and I'm talking about Hi3, there's nothing to do with GGZ character

[@abadenoughdude300]

HI3 community: Part 2 is nothing but VR, it doesn't exist and it doesn't matter. Also HI3 community: ER is still real to me, dammit! Elysiaaaaaaaa!!!1!1!

[@terrencenoran3233]

I once described the whole Mars storyline to someone who's just coming back to Honkai Impact as "The Matrix Trilogy but it's Groundhog Day".

[@lenz_at]

My only confusion is about how the information we got earlier is relevant. Chapter 35 and Goddess Senadina both mentioned Mars being bubble universes. I find it quite hard to grasp after the 3-EX reveal about quantum computer. You can't add "quantum" in front of anything and make it relate to SoQ. SoQ is another different dimension; how is it possible for characters to "change" their look in the system if it's still SoQ. Nobody ever called SoQ people NPC or digital beings. Also, Chapter 1 states Helia and Coralie fell in the quantum potential well, but later we know they came into contact with the DS terminal. How is it even related? Game doesn't give you an answer, and keep calling it just a system. Spoiler Chapter 6 Ajita who stopped the time in the system to show her authority. How powerful must the character be to do something similar in SoQ? But if it's just a "computer", then no surprises; she just has this authority

[@theunknowman12]

My theory is the mars that goddess Sena talking about is different from the mars that we played at. there's a part of mars that's stuck on the SoQ

[@asehastly]

13:26 - this is the first time I heard you curse.... calm down, rabbit man 😂😂😂😂

[@PrincessStabbityPLS]

Thelema may not be real, but I bought an adjustable desk so I could kneel while playing her. And if the pain my knees feel is real, by extension, Thelema must be too.

[@Mixtrelle]

idk for me early part 2 felt like playing gi quests. the pacing, writing style, nuance, dialogue script, event scene. they probably tried to absorb some of gi playerbase. it did go like er where some flamechasers are more developed than the rest but it still left a lasting impression, especially songque for me. honestly I prefer learning mars' past through files like in er rather than experiencing it because I can't change how it turned out by reliving it anyway. also it gives more screen time for interesting character interaction or development.

[@meltyice_cc]

13:22 yeah... thats why i never liked Elysian Realm. characters and their backstories are ok, but then fandoms are like Elysia this- Elysia that.

[@focalors_furinaa]

Just in time before Sparkle patch comes out, much appreciated!! 🍻

[@TJ-yc1zq]

The only thing that hurt me a lot is that the Shus from the final samsara won't remember the part 2 cast... especially Songque. I was really considering her as the Hua of the part 2 cast who although is part of her own ancient group, still hung out as buddies with DS, Sena , Helia and Coralie.

[@AcroRay]

So, our experience Mars is like how the protagonist of SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE experiences life?

[@yubato334]

What may be the reason the simulation progresses/unlocks backwards in time? If cleaning shadows means acquiring past data, how would that work? Perhaps martian bubble universes in SoQ exist in multiple time states simultaneously, and need to be woven together after resolving the shadow calamity in each one. Or, presence of shadows creates a chaotic environment that makes interpolating past data difficult. There needs to be a clean world state so that the simulation can run backwards and reach the past. I hope this will be addressed in the future.

[@theunknowman12]

The whole simulation is made from the real mars history so my theory is leylah is using DS to visit each key points in the history and analize on how to defeat the shadow on that point of history.

[@SovereignLin123]

I've seen so much raid shadow legends ads, for the past few years, that I might as well just play it.

[@honkedoffjohn]

I think it was this revelation that hurt the early chapters of Part 1. Like the pacing is slow and the open world gameplay, I just personally don’t want that from Honkai Impact I get enough of that from Genshin. So when you learn that hey none of that matters you are stuck in a Samsara and it’s all a simulation then at that point you realize none of the Seven Shu’s story is relevant to the main plot and it has been all filler until Vita, Sparkle and Kiana show up. The story is good now but yeah I would recommend people to skip chapters 1-3 of Part 2.

[@HomuLabs]

I disagree. The stories did matter and are very relevant to the plot. The lore we learned in Chapters 1-3 still relevant because we are in the same timeline, but 100 years earlier. The characters are also the same, but the way we interact with them is a little strage due to the fact that we are moving backwards in time, not forward. And like I said in the video, saying that the stories don't hold value because they happen in a simulation is the same as saying that ER had no value because the Flamechasers weren't real. Songque's story in Ch 3 literally moved me to tears, so why should I care if it's 'real' or a 'simulated' world? The feelings and experiences I got from the story were real and valuable for me. I can understand if that's something that you personally don't like and makes you less likely to connect with the characters. That's a valid take and if you fell like it kills the mood for you, that's fine. But saying that they are filler and irrelevant is factually wrong. I also don't recommend skipping Chapters 1-3. They are pivotal for worldbuild and lore. Although I agree that they drag on more than they should.

[@225Reaver]

​​@@HomuLabs If videogame stories can touch the players hearts - our hearts and feelings - a videogame story in a game can touch the hearts of the characters in that game, and resonate with us. It's still going to be less impactful, though. We're two layers removed from the reality of the situation. Saying "Elysian Realm has no value" is false. But it's also true that "anyone's self sacrifice in the Elysian Realm's has less value if they had the original surviving members of the Elysian Realm". We don't get as torn up about Sakura, Fu Hua, Su, or Kevin's deaths in the ER arc because we've seen them alive still in the main world, or their own tragic passing. Similarly, we get shaken by seeing the fates of the Shus the first time around, but that is lessened when we realise "that was all a dream and a future prophecy". And lessened further when it's revealed that our success at saving Songque and Langqiu is met with a hard reset, the hard earned victory is met with no gain except knowledge of the characters. Elysian Realm's sacrifice meant something - the sacrifice of brave souls to stop a menace to humanity. Conversely, the martian supercomputer currently may only save Kiana, and Senadina. *Maybe* all of Mars, but that goal is a murky, far off view that isn't clear at all, and given we have nigh infinite retries and any Vita scale destruction is quite literally meaningless - working hard seems pointless when we can always just do better next time? Even the Sabzeru festival in Sumeru had progress made, negatively or positively in each loop - meaning there were some stakes present. Here in the Martian Supercomputer, the knowledge we gained doesn't feel enough, and the victories not sufficiently meaningful - as meaningful as picking up a loredump and with as much impact other than an arbitrary success allowing us to get to a different level. (Which leaves me far more interested in Vita's involvement and Sparkle, fortunately! I am definitely looking forwards to chapter 6!)

[@abadenoughdude300]

I'd say the story is "good now" because we had to go through chapters 1-3 - I'll be the first to admit it's been a bit of a slow start but you don't build a new world and connect with new characters immediately. Telling people to skip the opening is like telling people to go straight to chapter 8 of part 1 - sure it's a slog sometimes but to use a popular quote "you may not notice it but your brain does", those small details matter in the end.

[@RebL3333]

I saw “Mars isn’t real” without seeing the character at first and I was so confused on why this was in my recommended 😭

[@reisen732]

07:23 "In Chapter 5, Vita states that the current objective of the DS Terminal is for Entropy to clear various stages based on Mars’s real historical events to trace the curse of shadows back to its source." people tend to forget about this crucial piece of information. they are in a sense literally playing a game by stage by stage but instead of the story going forward, its going BACKWARDS. they are done with the "Songque winning" stage, so the QComputer unlocked the next stage. and once they finish that stage, on to the next. so on and so forth. this doesn't invalidate what happened at all with Songque becoming a Herrscher like being because they are not literally travelling back in time. they are just accessing events from the past. its no different from you opening a folder of childhood photos in your computer. the only major difference here is that they can interact with the people in these events from the past.

[@PiedeSnx]

What I'm very confused and I'm still obsessing about is Ajita's conversation with the Will of Shadows in Chapter 3 and the Sea of Data's natura. Starting off by saying that my interpretation of the sea of data is that it doesn't exist in the new "Level" we unlocked (Langqiu 100 years ago). But we were told that the Martians turned their world into Bubble World in the Sea of Data, what's the truth? This seems contraddictory: Did Martians make Bubble Worlds and live off there or did they create the Quantum Computer? The people inside the Computer I doubt are the real martians: Thelema, Songque, Lantern and the others died a long time ago. Does that mean that initially they did make Bubble Worlds in the real world but the WIll of Shadow destroyed them, leaving only the memories of the event in the Computer? Is that is so... Ajita's conversation with the Will of Shadows is intriguing. We took for granted that the Sea of Data was different from the Sea of Quanta because it was an anrtificial Sea made in the Computer, but the Computer records history: the Sea of Data existed in reality? Or maybe it was changed in the COmputer to be the Sea of Data instead of Sea of Quanta (I doubt this last theory). Ajita mentioned a Continent... a World of great importance in the Sea, I don't know why but this "Continent" obsessed me since I've first heard of it and it seems like no one talks about it at all. If Mars really is Records of History, does that mean that Ajita found that Continent in reality? Is she somewhere in this Continent? What even is this Continent?! Anyway, just wanted to share this, hopefully it makes sense P.S. Just realized that Ajita described the continent as "THe cornerstone of Civilization, the protoype of all history and legacy, and the only beacon that deserves to be taken seriously". THis description made me think of the Anchor of the Apocalypse... could the Continent be the Place where DS met God Senadina in Chapter 1?

[@borislurgio]

I don’t understand how people can not like part 2 story and just say that everything after Kolosten and ER is shit (I’m referring to the community I’ve known from my country (Italy))

[@abadenoughdude300]

I wasn't a fan of part 2 when it started but ER gave me a painful lesson about dismissing new casts. It starts a bit slow but it has a whole new premise to build, I've been with this game for too long to not let them cook.

[@corvomeen5086]

for me is not about whether its real or not, it just the fact the one inside there tsavore, thelema and other dint remember what happen and thing will keep going onward, it just seem sad, i just wish maybe by the end of its atleast they can remember or maybe be free from the simulation that keep on repeating.

[@bartolomejdvorsky8263]

I wouldve loved it if the seven shus were villains instead. Would help to make it a bit different from ER too.

[@tactaillike]

we are so back

[@potatom2765]

My theroy is seandina wannts to rebuild mars for the people to live

[@Rhouka]

Some random thoughts: HSR Finality Aeon traverses the universe backwards kinda like how we do with Mars Kiana going asleep is assumed to be relevant to Mars We get a memokeeper and direct HSR connections. Maybe quantum computer can finally go back in time for simulation thanks to Kiana?

[@ShadowingXblade]

Time are linear and can't be rewind(only known "rewind" made by HotE in GGZ was only 55 sec and didn't changed anything). Assuming Kiana as Termina are plain but wrong - theres already character who was behind Kiana before she even attempt to become what we have rn = Selah. Unfortunately Zeroth Era of MU was retconned by mhy in 2013~14 and almost nothing left except "Selah, Selah, are chanting evermore Hear, oh hear All the voices trapped in thee"

[@225Reaver]

​@@ShadowingXbladeGGZ lore doesn't necessarily work the same in Honkai Impact. There's far more of a divide between GGZ and Honkai Impact cosmologies than say HI3 and H:SR. Besides, Dreamseeker already sent their memories back in time in the succeeding loop.

[@ShadowingXblade]

​@@225Reaver Enjoy your sweet innocent delusion) Deviation of wordline hardly matters, especially now when mhy making bigger picture with GLX.

[@saiwaqa2573]

@@225Reaver I disagree with that snetiment. There is far more disagreements in lore between hi3 and hsr.

[@natasha01108]

Chat is this real? Yes, the experience is similar to visiting a bubble world in the sea of quanta since the concept of soul system, quantum computer are similar in a sense.

[@muhammadaffry2123]

Need more build up from 7 shus story to be impactful as ER for me

[@KikuraKun]

There would be more chapters to come until we're moving on to the next quest.

[@saiwaqa2573]

I didn't care much for er but its not because it was a simulation. I just didn't get attached and I never liked kevin. But I really enjoyed chapter 3 of part 2. Chapters 1 and 2 were so so, but chapter 3 reminded me of why I fell in love in hi3 part 1. The ending of ch3 though was kind of a let down. My hope is that the story continues to excel from what we got in chapter 3.

[@okularnik125]

Hoyo fandom be like Whole Penacony takes place in dream , nothing is real, some characters are just memes : ABSOLUTE CINEMA 📽️ ER and Mars are simulations with digital entities : this isnt real, noone cares 😡

[@lw9194]

The agenda said we must hate HI3 and whatever they are trying to do now. I say f**k that agenda, this is still absolute cinema for me.

[@honkedoffjohn]

The difference is Penacony was all killer no filler. The fact that it was a Sunday dream sequence was a twist. Elysian Realm was slow in the way it told its story. Part 2 was boring chapter 1-3. Bad first impression.

[@RedCoreX725]

​@@honkedoffjohnSunday dream sequence is just him yapping at us constantly for the entire freaking quest. Besides part 1 chapter 1 to 6 was also boring. But compared to part 2. Part 2 chapter 1 to 3 did a better job at telling the story

[@reisen732]

@@RedCoreX725 people like to praise part 1's beginning but for some reason forgot how that beginning went. it was such a slog to go through for a lot of patches. there is a clear bias here to a lot of complaints.

[@lw9194]

@@reisen732 and I believe for some people they haven't played the before Reburn update version

[@aaron_guzman]

My dear Thelema *headpat

[@Infelious]

The whole concept of digital lifeforms never felt meaningless to me, a soul digital or not is not tangible so how can one have more value than another? Reset or not its the same person you knew, we just get to know more and see more.

[@ablanomor3050]

so since we start at the end of the of the mars destruction, does that mean that mars could not win against the shadows and everyone died? since the reason why we were able to win against them was because we were there?

[@KifuneRaika]

How exactly did Vita met with the entire crew? The difference in ER and this is Part 2 kept changing timeline so the characters doesnt remember DS. Whereas in ER, we have a more attachment to the 13 because it is a constant storyline with no changing timeloop BS.

[@wlm174]

Wouldn't the fact the simulation phase 2 (or whatever number) is 100 years into the past mean they are NOT the same Songque, Thelema, etc? Just from aging and the like. Unless martian humans are way more long-lived than Earth ones, I guess.

[@HomuLabs]

They explained in Chapter 1 that the 7 Shus and Scudder don't really age like normal humans due to their powers. Songque was 116 when we met her.

[@rockymerca]

Well since this is the past, they aren't the 7 shus yet. They're just regular humans. It's possible they were born just several years prior. Maybe later on in the timeline when they became the 7 shus, the astral rings also gave them immortality which allowed them to stay young and alive even after 100 years. Thus leading to versions we know in ch. 1-3.

[@Zeromee]

Fellow Thelema servants 😊

[@oniecalayag]

Your feelings for her…. Are not real

[@saddany3254]

They are very much real. Because their actions have real world implications. Additionally, I believe they're are still alive right now at least some of them. Ajita is definitely still alive, I fully believe it based off of how the little crumb of her story has been told in chapter 1-3 and current chapter. Or at least she'll be crucial character for the story soon enough regardless of her life status. The Shus is already established as a part of the main cast. They have always been involved in every chapter, because they're practically and historically one of, if not the most important people in Mars shadow calamity. I remember people dooming that they'd forget the Shus after chapter 3 🤦 how clueless they were. And this is a little off topic, but I'd say it anyway. Some of the Shus are already better than some of the Flame-Chasers. Like Songque is already light years better than Elysia. And Elysia was my favourite in HI3rd.

[@ShadowingXblade]

Everything is real as long as you believe in it. But the further you go into a lore the more you got proofs that nothing is genuine and real but only recreations that like Samsara - was given another chance to exist. To Earth Mars are dusty ruins. To Imaginary civilizations that barely formed yet(Earth) Mars are failed data that just exist. Is they learn their lessons? Are they be brought to "real" world? My x button long broken but well see. After all mhy need foundation to move storytelling outside of Sol so making every system populated to the level of Mass Effect are obvious cource. Honkai: Galaxia awaits)

[@ShadowingXblade]

Nothing from "real" Mars affected Sol. Leylah(who totally not Alaya of Mars) cling the her "precious" and like Sa didn't do anything in Sol. Few craters here and there on sand of the dead planet? Hardly a mark worth mentioning) CQC? Not different from Alaya or Planet Directory. Just smaller. So.. Could you point that "real world implications" please?

[@ALGNC]

Ain't no way is Songque in any way , shape or form better than Elysia and probably won't ever be.

[@RaginKavu]

Ok, now it makes sense. No being alive could be more hørnÿ than Ellie. That's why they had to simulate one....

[@MbahtedjoOfficial]

Ah that mean when oxia get destroy by Vita that place just a simulation not based real event oke-oke, i kinda confused and thinking character can become anything but is not is different

[@yingyang7000]

Is part 2 real? Is the Elysia realm real? Is chapter 5-6 (tundra reunion & Babylon prisoner) real? Is sakura samsara real? In my opinion the only thing important is how this event develops the character more than if the event really happens or not. Some events like sakura samsara can be a bit filler, but events like chapter 5-6 really change the story direction.

[@Artemitenx]

Were chapters 1-3 real? Well, we can't be sure, I doubt that we have managed to actually change history, but what pissed me off was bringing Songque back from the dead - rendering her sacrifice pointless - only to reveal that none of it really happened right after. That was a poor choice in my opinion. The Langqiu arc was complete and then chapter 3EX showed me that all the feelings that I had felt were pointless, because why cry over the sacrifice, if it wasn't really a sacrifice. This event also started a new storyline that got abruptly cut off and didn't really contribute anything to the story. It seemed to be a nice tribute to Songque, but her appearing (without an explanation on why) ruined the premise. Unless we're coming back to that particular Langqiu in the future, it's a mess. Come on hoyo, you know how to erase characters from existence, you know how to use it in storytelling, you can do better.

[@HomuLabs]

I respectfully disagree. The events in Chapters 1 to 3 had a lot of meaning for the overall plot. All the lore and the events we experienced there are important even in the latest Chapter. And the more comments I read, the more I'm convinced that people don't pay close attention to the story. It was hinted as soon as Chapter 1 that this was a simulation. I can understand people saying that they don't like the simulation thing and the fact that this makes them unable to connect with the characters as a personal thing. I mean... who am I to tell people how to perceive the story? But to say that the story in Chapters 1 - 3 objectively didn't matter is wrong and shows that people are not actually reading the text. In my opinion, the fact that we are moving back in time makes the story more interesting and it's a good opportunity for them to play with the narrative uniquely and unconventionally since we're basically following the story from the end to the beginning.

[@Artemitenx]

@HomuLabs Oh I absolutely didn't mean that the whole story was pointless. I meant the drastic change of events in Chapter 3EX, not the entire arc, I'm sorry for the misunderstanding. Those chapters were great regarding world building and character creation and they were important to understand Mars. I got emotionally invested and I think it would be impossible to advance without this part. I think it's very interesting to get to know the story in a non-linear way. I think it's okay to show things through simulations, though I admit I've dropped my guard when the Prophetic Dream ended - I assumed that's where the dreams and simulations were over and it turned out I was wrong, which is fine. However in my opinion this part of the story should have ended where Chapter 3 ends - and 3EX could start with Dreamseeker waking up from the simulation. Resurrecting Songque should've served some purpose, which I failed to notice.

[@saiwaqa2573]

Probably the biggest let down for me even though she is my fav part 2 character was her coming back from the dead. its something honkai doesn't do normally, but here we are.

[@Artemitenx]

@@saiwaqa2573 same here, I fell in love with her (/p) and mourned her real bad, and just as I was over the grief, they just flipped it upside down. I really hope it's gonna serve some purpose, otherwise it's gonna be hard to treat upcoming stories seriously. It's not that the story isn't important because it was stimulated, it's just that they reversed the plot they have been building up for three chapters inside the simulation itself

[@CelesNihility]

YESSSS!

[@ChaosEgo13]

So? Where's my sardine? 🤣

[@ShadowingXblade]

Somewhere beyond the sea Somewhere waiting Stands on golden sands And watches the ships that go sailing

[@saiwaqa2573]

Link Start!

[@darkomiku8902]

Hehehe sounds like Genshin's whole plot of it also being a simulated world. hehehehe

[@CrimsonVyper]

Man I love your videos, but I wont spoil myself cuz I havent even played the 2nd chapter😅

[@SovereignLin123]

Now I'm even more confused.Spoiler alert like how tf did, The Almighty Darklord, Corolie died if she was just killed in a simulation?

[@HomuLabs]

SPOILERS FOR CH6 We don't know. Normally, Coralie should have just woken up in reality, but somehow the wound transferred over. That's still an unresolved plot point.

[@ShadowingXblade]

Because if you believe it's real it becomes real. Project Stigma, Soul, Alaya from GGZ?

[@kamitonlatsery7847]

pretty sure the game has been non stop teasing that the line between dreams and reality is blurring, even DS keep saying that during ch 4 under laylah's influence

[@yuratsuni]

Finally lore videos i got so confused while Playing although I'm a honkai impact veteran

[@ShadowingXblade]

Amateur) Nothing is real in honkaiverse. After all it's all dream of ■, nothing more.

[@IAmDAN004]

I'm sure chapter 3-EX onwards are actually Hoyo's "Plan B" That is, it's their backup plan since their original one (making a story that focuses on new cast + attracting new players) failed, they have to bring in Sleepy Teri as their trump card and delete the male MC with the flimsiest explanation

[@reisen732]

that is a cope answer. since 1.5, we knew Vita was going to be a part of something bigger and since she has connections to characters in Part 1 its obvious that they are also going to be a part of it. nobody even said they are dropping part 1 characters. Part 2 is basically a new arc for a new story. its no different when they introduced new characters like Elysia, Raven, Kira, Misteln, etc. there is no back up plan. do people really think they right these stories per chapter and not actually planned things from the get go?

[@IAmDAN004]

@reisen732 They throw in Vita and Ai-chan in some scenes in chapter 1-3 as part of this backup plan Yes, she's gonna be involved no matter which way, it's just that you know it's a "just in case" thing

[@HomuLabs]

That is not true. They said that Teri would join the cast even before Part 2 was out and told us that Vita will be the link between stories. Stories for these games are planned way in advance. And while they can make small adjustments to the story: reduce the bloat and text due to feedback, pacing, etc., they can't change the entire direction of the story to such a degree. This was planned from the start and even hinted thought Chapters 1-3.

[@IAmDAN004]

@@HomuLabs in the form of Vita, yes? She's exactly the failsafe here And I said "Plan B" because it is also planned in advance in case their original plan didn't make it

[@majkat6549]

My question is wtf happened with the 7.6 part of the quest

[@HomuLabs]

What do you mean?

[@lmpllml]

if your problem is: not being able to enter previous chapters, you can do it from "chapters" page

[@ottovw]

17:33 WHAT!?!? Honkai telling an nonlinear story! #howdarethey

[@ShadowingXblade]

Non linear? Wheres your options that change course? Would you kindly show atleast one?

[@Gmatria]

Sadly the entire story lost weight for me by the fact that its only a sim.😔

[@KikuraKun]

Well, that's on you to invest. There are many people who pulled Elysia because they love her.

[@ShadowingXblade]

Following that logic - Elysian Realm are also bs in your eyes?

[@Gmatria]

@@ShadowingXblade dont put words in my mouth. I said it lost weight and i hope it will wake my intressed in the future but at this moment it is good but i dont care that much.

[@billcosbee2057]

Gotta be honest captains, the reveal that the Mars arc was just a cyclical simulation pretty much killed any emotional investment I had in the characters from that point on. No point getting attached to anyone besides the main protagonists if any interactions with the Shoes or any of the other NPCs was functionally fictional. 💀

[@KikuraKun]

It doesn't even matter because he pointed out about the Elysian Realm. Mei is your source when it comes to the emotional attachment to the simulations. They can influence you, just like how Thelema, and Baiji's backstory are.

[@RedCoreX725]

That's the point of the Hi3 story though? Everything is cyclical. From earth story and now to the solar system. (Earth has PE and CE) Everything ties back to the cocoon of finality and it's efforts to embrace the civilization that lived there but accidentally created a samsara to all the planets they encountered

[@vanessachowjiaying4423]

​@@RedCoreX725 this concept also applies to Genshin, though more obscure and indirect. The samsara cycles in Genshin are more akin to civilization's rise and fall. With the Fontaine World Quests Narzissenkreuz and Rene's world formula, Teyvat is now in its 4th and potential final samsara.

[@saiwaqa2573]

@@KikuraKun But i don't care about the Elysia realm either. So now my logic is valid?

[@saiwaqa2573]

@@vanessachowjiaying4423 But genshin is just a bubble world, while HI3 is a real world lol