The Path Nobody Follows | Honkai Star Rail Lore

[@kravt3772]

It's paradoxical to find a meaning in following the idea of everything being meaningless. It can't have followers, only victims.

[@gktte2574]

Not rlly. There is an idea that because everything is meaningless then you can freely decide what is meant for you. I would love to have someone who is a follower of IX because of this thought process

[@kravt3772]

@@gktte2574 What you described is an evolution. As soon as you found a new meaning you are no longer subscribed to original idea of everything is meaningless. You pretty much described Doctors of Chaos, they are/were tainted by Nihility yet they obtained a goal of changing IX's ways. And that is opposite of what you can call a follower behavior.

[@arnowisp6244]

Honestly. Nihility is looking to be a Path you do not want but get anyway due to the random chaos of Life.

[@Maevix3142]

Its doesnt seem like you have much choice though, once you experience something that puts you on that path it seems almost like a natural progression that leads to nihility

[@CelesNihility]

The moment your experiences embodies nihility or when you came to the realization or conclusion that you literally have "nothing" left, that's when you are unintentionally closest to IX's shadow, and IX unintentionally let you use its power because it doesn't care.

[@Dragongirl-925]

So in other words be depress AF

[@Maevix3142]

Name checks out 😂, but yeah with the only exceptions being the doctors of chaos who seemingly lead a paradoxical life of accepting meaninglessness but also seeing the beauty or meaning behind it

[@arnowisp6244]

Nihility is the Thug life path. You don't choose Nihility. Nihility Chooses you.

[@DreamingBloodfiend]

So basically Hunt: As long you hunt the destroyer Abundance: As long life prevail Destruction: As long you destroy things Erudition: As long you're smart Elation: As long if its funny Propagation: As long the worlds is propagated Preservation: As long it preserves the civilization Trailblazer: As long its a journey Remembrance: As long you remember Finality: As long there is end of the line Enigma: As long you don't exist Harmony: As long you're harmonious Order: As long people obey Beauty: As long you realize everything is beautiful Permanence: As 'long' Equilibrium: As long if its balance Nihility:

[@Anti_Plot_Armor]

Funny how the Permeance didn't survive as 'long' as the others

[@DreamingBloodfiend]

@@Anti_Plot_Armor its the joke both meaning the time and being a 龍 (Lóng) which is a dragon

[@longps9528]

The fact that every single sentence here is missing an "as" behind the "long" is making me rolling in my bed.

[@iMacho1300]

Verocity: As long there's something to devour.

[@DreamingBloodfiend]

@@iMacho1300 I didn't add Voracity because the path isn't known to have a faction or a pathstrider yet

[@jakeail1995]

5:06 you don't need to think coz this is canon and already mention, doctor of chaos was once self annihilator themselves, technically they still are 6:08 The method Acheron do to walk nihility itself is quite interesting and not just her strong will either, her will is still part of it ofc. You actually can interpret that Acheron put her existence and life into her sword which help her stay safe from nihility, as she walk further into nihility she is getting consume but becoz she already move her entire self elsewhere she remain safe(atleast the core part of her remain safe), you can think of this method is like an anchor or horcrux from harry potter in nature. - i think the reason why Acheron able to become emanator eventhough IX won't glance or notice anyone is becoz there is no permission or gatekeeping for nihility compare to other path, IX don't manage nihility in any way so there is no barrier to become an emanator so if someone manage to walk far enough into nihility and they could become emanator but most would fail before coming far enough or disappear into nihility, i believe it was Acheron transfer everything into her sword that she was manage to walk so far into nihility - on subject of nihility, hi3 actually explore the concept of it very well with flamechaser and previous era story, even Welt story actually embody many aspect of nihility

[@noahi.1381]

Basically, Nihility is the CONCEPT. A concept that can quite literally BREAK or ANNIHILATE you. Meanwhile, ABSURDISM is the PHILOSOPHY that keeps you alive and relatively sane enough to keep treading along Nihility. Not just because it's pointless, but because absurdism focuses on DOING THINGS BECAUSE IT'S POINTLESS. It's likely why the Doctors of Chaos came to be, and how Acheron is an Emanator. It's also why there's even an Aeon for Nihility. IX MOVES across the Universe even if it's pointless. IX casts a shadow even if it's pointless. Creates change even if it's pointless. It just... IS, because it's pointless to care for otherwise. Come to think of it, Nihility's conceptualization is close to the concept of Wei Wu, or "actionless action" in Taoism.

[@robertoalexandermendezmore408]

funny that just make Aha the opposite of IX

[@kado3661]

Fun fact, the root word of Nihility, Nihil, is found in annihilation.

[@zameme383]

6:35 I don't think Acheron would think that they led unfulfilling lives at all. From my understanding, Acheron is easily one of the most meaningful person in the story thus far. She says that all those actions people do are meaningless, because in an objective sense weighted against IX, they are. However, she constantly reinforces that there doesn't need to be a meaning to be worth doing. She waves goodbye to the girl that delves into IX with a smile, she stays and helps tiernan, and then proceeds to give her name, place flowers on his grave, gives respect to Duke who died living his belief, and once again states that the trailblazer's answers aren't important, but the act of answering with your own will does. On the other hand, actions that seem to have some tangible practical meaning are seen as pointless in her eyes, namely how penacony operates: pepeshis constantly working to make more money, not noticing someone falling from a building, a pair of lovers arrive to penacony thinking it'll give them a dream life, only to be separated, etc. In conclusion, Acheron can really see meaning because of her curse of IX's shadow, and through her, the story tells us what it deems as truly important, because now, what she remembers are the more mundane, little moments that most would take for granted. I think those she lingers around are the truly meaningful in the story, doing ultimately pointless acts, but their convictions are undeniable. While she's a self-annihilator, her role perfectly captures the essence of doctors of chaos. Everywhere she's gone, she's helped people around her find/complete their purpose or meaning: tiernan, talk with aventurine, help awakening penacony

[@Maevix3142]

Thats certainly one possible way of seeing it, I've always seen acherons 'life-story' and experiences as someone who under all circumstances does not want to give any more weight to nihility and while she is aware of how meaningless some of the things she experiences is, she is trying to prove otherwise. She admits to tiernen (or rather his shadow) that her waiting around for him is meaningless but its still something that needs or should be done almost like shes trying to insert meaning in something that otherwise appears meaningless. I feel that shes been doing it where possible but still ends up seeing how meaningless her actions still are. I am however rather interested in the idea you mentioned about how she is quite close to the doctors of chaos in her actions despite being a self-annihilator and given she is in search of the device IX, whether by the end she might embody all 3 factions of nihility

[@nojambear572]

so acheron is optimistic nihilistic

[@Ultimate_Hater75]

I would love to see a future character willingly take the path of Nihility. Maybe a character that believes he/she doesn't have a purpose anymore and so wants to become a Self-Anihilator.

[@ancalyme]

I thought this was going to be Aventurine's story arc angl He fits Nihility far better than Preservatio

[@Cubo-Doodle]

They *WILL* become a Self-Anihilator even if they want to or not thats how it works breh and a character like that is real crazy cuz it's hard to give them a reason to want to follow Nihility

[@Doflaminguard]

You wont survive being a self-annihilator if you dont fight back btw, you just get absorbed by IX.

[@mikhailabraham421]

@@Doflaminguard go seek the the help of the doctors of Chaos ig, they seem to have work arounds for that

[@Maevix3142]

If im not mistaken, there was a female nameless that met with Acheron who wanted to travel into the very depths of nihility but they werent doing it out of a willingness to accept nihility but rather to trailblaze to a place no one has been to before, the centre of nihility. Thats probably the closest example we currently have of someone willingly taking the path of nihility though probably only in name

[@joshuahirst8560]

I think it’s those who have such purpose. Like Acheron wanting to save Izumi but failing in their goal are the people most susceptible to to the nihility. I believe self annihilators are those who have survived the will of IX. Acheron emplies that there are other self annihilators IIRC

[@Smug_o]

I feel like there are some people who follows the path of Nihility since there are certain fractions who follow them (ex the doctor of chaos). A path that nobody truely follows is the path of Voracity. There are both no people and no fractions that follow the path of Voracity. The only follower is the Aeon themself.

[@darknessknows1235]

Not true. If you look at Divergent Universe(or maybe it was Swarm disaster) occurrences, there's a group that also follow the path of Voracity. There's no Path that is only used by it's aeon.

[@PA70805]

Honestly I think we will get more info with device IX on IX and aeons in global. Tho you right not only bc of the shadow of IX but also bc basically nihility is one side of the coin within the universe with reality so basically nihility is omnipresent through the whole universe across space time dimensions realities world, IMG Space etc. To say it’s influence is really big even if nobody really see it or sense it.

[@TinkRomero]

Before I share my thoughts, I must first remind everyone that with very little information about this Aeon, I could be researching into the wrong area and could be wrong about my conclusions. Also, my thoughts are concerning what inspired IX’s existence, which can hopefully lead to discovering something more about the Path of Nihility. Why is the Aeon of Nihility named IX? We see from HooH, Aha, and Mythus that an Aeons name is normally adapted to that Aeons respective Path. So for the Aeon of Nothingness, where does IX come from? Let me introduce you all to the Missing Ninth Legion of the Roman Empire. Legion IX Hispana, this Roman Legion is rather popular in certain areas of media due to its mysterious disappearance. IX’s last recorded appearance was in 120, and in year 197, a list consisting of every Legion was discovered, the Ninth Legion was not on this list, suggesting that it no longer exists. Perhaps, that is what the Path of Nihility suggests? An Existence no longer existing, this might be one aspect of Nihility, it definitely fits somewhere within that Path. Now, there is one question about the Nihility that I have, concerning its potential link with Death. When Tiernan and his fellow Galaxy Rangers all died, they died fighting an Emanator of Destruction, so why would they appear as Sin Thirsters? Was the Nihility nearby, was the Nihility inevitable, or was the Nihility a consequence of some kind? (Was this explained to us and I simply forgot? If so, then apologies for asking an answered question.)

[@Farah-x8e3r]

That’s actually a thought that crossed my mind for some time, but still that doesn’t explain how someone can be an emnator without the gaze of the aeon

[@beaniehats__]

There was a theory where Acheron’s planet, Izumo, was supposedly orbiting IX before their imminent doom. Acheron was the closest to the person achieving and understanding Nihility, and happened to be within the proximity of IX hence how she got her power.

[@Farah-x8e3r]

@@beaniehats__ I think she os a very special individual or the process to be an emnator doesn’t necessarily require the aeon to directly gaze at someone , at least that’s the case with IX

[@Farah-x8e3r]

I think either she is *

[@ilnas8242]

I think we (the player) are in fact the Elio cuz we made decisions during penacony event and was written directed by Elio and probably thats why Acheron will look at us during her ultimate while sampo (who could be aHA) break 4th wall scene and talk to us.

[@Maevix3142]

Its certainly possible and is one of the prevailing theories at the moment as to who Elio is though the credits could be written off as simply being the "false dream". Im not discounting it but I cant as of this moment say thats the case for sure. What we do know is that elio is definitely related to the cat 😂

[@Anti_Plot_Armor]

I'm surprised you never mention Device IX or Dr. Primitive (The same guy who made the anti meme for Sparkle), as he is probably the 2nd most deeply connected individual to IX. He invented impossible constructs like gravity-capture technology which allowed him to forge boots that he used to walk on space itself. He is also the creator of The Doctor's Robe, an item that had surfaced on Device IX's dark web and supposedly had incredible powers. As in you know Doctors of Chaos As well as that; according to a drunk Galaxy Ranger, Device IX is where all of Dr. Primitive's secrets lie. Acheron is searching for Device IX and Dr. Primitive knows exactly all the information that Acheron is searching for. I suspect we'll get out answers when Acheron meets with Dr. Primitive. (I bet he's a monkey cause he likes bananas source trust me bro)

[@Maevix3142]

I've wanted to do a video on device IX and dr primitive for a while now but each time I start a draft on it I can never write up something that im satisfied with. It ends up having too many speculations so i've kept delaying it. That said, as you mentioned, Acheron is in search for device IX and we are slowly getting more info on Dr Primitive so once it reaches that point ill surely talk about them 😁

[@hamadaljobore]

it's a game and not all paths necessarily make since or right they are not complicated they are wrong in some cases. from our perspective such thing as seeing the future and be sure about it is simply impassible but in hsr there is people who can do that, IX is such example because for us nothingness or nihility can't have in effect or existing all together but in hsr it does as a path for those who fall so far in despair but did not yet reach the bottom of it, that's why the descriptions of IX shadow or their existing is like an ocean that you will fall into, the more you drowned the farther away light seems, for me the idea of nihility as philosophical questions was answered by some examples one as follow "there was a ship in the harbor, the ship arrived on it own, the the goods start moving by there own and the cargo has been unloaded even no one was there to do the work, will you ever believe that?, no you will not because that is not passable, that is existing, you can't say it's random or meaningless as your own existing disapprove the meaningless or randomness of life", it's rather clear if you lost your path than start another or die in despair the choice is your's, the lore of hsr is one of my favorites as i played hi3 first than Gi second and now hsr, so for now i will enjoy the rides on the astral express and laugh with Aha as much as i want.

[@RePhantomz]

I disagree about nobody willingly join path of nihility. Based on Acheron retelling about freebas end disolving into nihility stale water when talking to tiernam. Freebas did kowingly accepted it. The same as several doctor of chaos. Not all if them start as self annihilator.

[@whiteender7694]

Isn't Doctor of Chaos group is a faction that want to convince IX that the universe has meaning?

[@RePhantomz]

@@whiteender7694 Yep and ironically they also covered under nihility. You can find them group as nihility pathstrider faction. They are also not the only faction, that somehow against their aeon considering both cremator and mourning actor both destroying memory they deems unnecessary and spreading sadness and tragedy respectively.

[@andysabur4966]

Acheron talked about Razalina? Did I miss that somewhere? The only friend she talked about I remember was in the cave flashback with Tiernan, talking about a short Nameless girl, people said that's Frebas from relic lore? Now that I type this out, huh Razalina is kinda short and a former nameless...

[@RePhantomz]

@@andysabur4966 yep that convo. And yes razalina are depicted as short multiple time. In fact it is one of her most described feature beside being a princess on her planet. Acheron mentioned about her previous companions in conversation with tiernam inside a cave. A girl with small stature that turned into nihility still water without regret.

[@andysabur4966]

@@RePhantomz oooo ok, thx for this! now it hits even harder that Acheron has met Raz and helped Tiern move on

[@iMacho1300]

A quote of a certain Ranger: "To say that eminator of nihility don't exist! Well, i guess we ain't nilistic enough."

[@Phapchamp]

Can you make a video about "justice" theme of The Hunt? From what i read on reddit The Hunt is actually called something like "The Justice" in CN and has a lot of ties to some historic chinese myths.

[@PA70805]

Tho not only they become followers not by choice but even most of them become part of nihility itself if they can’t overtake it or contradict it in a philosophical sense.

[@Phapchamp]

I think you are ignoring a massive part of Acheron's character. She doesn't follow the path philosophy at all. She thinks there is a purpose behind life and a light behind the shadow called nihility. I think Acheron represents the "meaningless" part of Nihility more than the "emptiness" part. As Tiernan says "treading this path watching others depart to nihility is pointless and meaningless". Acherons entire duty of "finding the light behind the nihility" is meaningless.

[@MelianLimGachaVideos]

Hmm... so this is probably how Trailblazer will unlock the Nihility Path in the future. Make the MC experience that nothing matters.

[@Maevix3142]

Maybe at some point, the MC ends up losing and falls into despair coming out of the experience as a pathstrider of nihility 😁

[@neel5715]

One thing I'd liek to point out is that nothingness should be given a new meaning of wanting to do nothing and observe and not interact instead of like how Nihilism is the very spitome of pessimism and seeing that life is meaningless so why even life? Why even IX exists? Maybe because it is mearly a gloomy entity that knows it all yet wants to know what comes next and what if it gives life meaning. Relatively how The followers of the path even Acheron live to to see what ensues forward in life if it's a straight up shitshow or something climatic and thirlling

[@ForTheViolence]

Do you have any information about the Genius who made Duke Inferno? aventurine mentions it in 1.1 when Black swan takes us away from Sam and Acheron.

[@Maevix3142]

I dont have any videos on it at the moment, or maybe i covered it in one of my videos before (i cant recall) but the genius he is referring to is genius #29 Sserkal, who created the phase flame. You can actually look up the phase flame item and theres a brief excerpt on it 😁

[@migueldoesstuff6994]

Maevix can you do a video about what we know about space travel in hsr or is there just not enough information in game?

[@Maevix3142]

Its an interesting idea and I might look into it but off the top of my head I seem to recall we dont have much info on that which is kinda surprising now that I think about it 🤔

[@migueldoesstuff6994]

@@Maevix3142 Yea I was thinking about that one day in the shower like does the entire universe travel on the silver rail? Is there some generic sci-fi hyper space? How do the xianzhuo ships travel cross ship from what I assume so far away from each other etc. idk Smth to think about

[@migueldoesstuff6994]

@@Maevix3142 I think I know how now, within the dialogue of Himeko on the express and you ask about the galaxy and then faction there's like one sentence which says that every faction uses the power of the aeons to travel the galaxy after akivilli started trailblazing all over the place and people started to become more aware of other worlds, and that "These factions possess the same power as us to voyage between worlds"

[@Phapchamp]

Space travel is possible and works normally in HSR. You can simply go to other worlds or systems with spaceships (though distance still applies which you can use path power to get beyond). But you are unable to get out of Galaxy of HSR unless you are an emanator/aeon. Galaxy of HSR is surrounded by imaginary barrier.

[@migueldoesstuff6994]

@@Phapchamp where'd you find this

[@harveycapulong-zk7qm]

The path of destruction is also a fat similar to nihility one becomes depressed wally other is vengeance in the universe there's also vengeance

[@idontspeakjapanese6289]

Deymm I actually thought you were talking about the Voracity since it's the only path that has no followers or faction. NGL Voracity and Nihility has a lot in common, both are associated with black holes.

[@darknessknows1235]

Voracity has no faction, but it is a path that does or did have followers/pathstriders/users at one point. Sugilite's purple candles reference an occurrence that involves Voracity's followers trying to do a ritual

[@Maevix3142]

Voracity is essentially nom nom nom but nihility is "why bother eating im just gonna get hungry again" 😂

[@markmarkmark08]

HSR x Fate collab is coming! Don't give in to despair just yet 🔥💪

[@Maevix3142]

And we still havent gotten the genshin anime, despair is inevitable 😂

[@Dragongirl-925]

Makes me question can you abandon a path? If so, can people unintentionally/accidently join nihility

[@ginkage5863]

Depressing? I think it's fun😆

[@Vergil69420]

i wonder why acheron's coat disappear

[@jonathonsirlord8251]

Did Heizou get the Thief that killed his friend

[@Maevix3142]

As far as I know he did not, he found his friend dying after the thieves had already escaped

[@jonathonsirlord8251]

@@Maevix3142 you mean Thief it was 1 well hope we go back to inuzuma for another Character quest with Heizou to get the guy or In the GI anime

[@butter4104]

So basically its over for depressed people in HSR

[@DreamingBloodfiend]

Depend on the severity of the depression if you're so depressed to the point of apathy and nihilistic then yeah you're cooked

[@Phapchamp]

They literally disappear from existence lmao

[@totallynotfangirl8102]

Nihility is the lack of a path rather than a path

[@darknessknows1235]

100% not the case the all

[@JerilouPendragon-fu3zh]

Nihility is emo phase~