Notes on Harbingers and Villainy in Genshin Impact

Introduction

• Villains are popular in media, and Harbingers are no exception.
• "A Winter's Night" has 17 million views, indicating their popularity.
• Poorly developed villains can ruin a story.

Defining Villains vs. Antagonists

• Villain: A character who does evil acts with little remorse.
• Antagonist: A character opposing the protagonist (Traveler, in this case).
• All Harbingers are antagonists but may vary in their villainy.

The Morality of Harbingers

• Importance of character development in making villains memorable.
• Villains should be three-dimensional, with understandable motivations.
• A spectrum of morality exists, from not evil to pure evil.

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Analysis of Individual Harbingers

Senora

• Development: Least of all Harbingers; died too soon.
• Backstory: Known as Rosalind from Mondstadt, consumed by grief after losing her lover.
  • Transformed into the "Crimson Witch of Flames."
  • Seeks to cleanse the world of monsters (moral grayness).
• Morality: Not pure evil, but willing to harm innocents for her goals.

Child (Tartaglia)

• Development: More well-rounded than Senora; friendly to the Traveler.
• Motivations: Family, serving the Tsaritsa, and fighting strong opponents.
• Actions: Willing to gamble lives for objectives (e.g., summoning Osial).
• Morality: Not purely evil; exhibits both good and bad traits (morally gray).

Scaramouche (The Wanderer)

• Development: Complex character; evolves throughout the story.
• Backstory: Initially gentle, becomes hostile due to betrayal and anger.
  • Murders of innocent people rooted in personal pain.
• Morality: Acknowledges past mistakes but not redeemed yet.

Dottore

• Development: Currently not playable; represents pure evil.
• Actions: Experiments on children, responsible for many atrocities.
• Morality: Lacks redeemable qualities; embodies the extreme of villainy.

Arle Kino

• Development: Morally gray; has shown care for children but uses them as agents.
• Actions: Ruthless yet not excessively violent; manipulative.
• Morality: Nuanced character; potential conflict between duties and intentions.

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Conclusion

• Harbingers are a diverse group with distinct motivations and moralities.
• Their complexity makes them interesting characters that challenge traditional notions of good and evil.
• Further exploration of their interactions could reveal more about their unique dynamics and individual stories.