For over eight years, the Horizon franchise has largely been centered around the life and achievements of the Nora Seeker Aloy. In most official Horizon media, Aloy is depicted as the main protagonist save for the virtual reality game Horizon Call of the Mountain and the tabletop games Horizon Zero Dawn: The Board Game and Horizon Forbidden West: Seeds of Rebellion. Aloy does make a few brief cameo appearances in these titles, and it’s expected she may play a similar role in the upcoming Horizon multiplayer and MMO spin-off games. However, though Aloy is a well-regarded and engaging character in most of her appearances, Guerrilla Games may have to delve into a Horizon world without Aloy depending on her fate in the inevitable Horizon 3.
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The Life, Impact, and Potential Future of Horizon’s Aloy
Horizon’s main protagonist Aloy, has a unique, complicated post-apocalyptic history and massive potential beyond the mainline Horizon games.
Aloy’s Potential Fate in Horizon 3
By the end of Horizon Forbidden West, the Tenakth Rebellion is on the verge of total collapse following the death of its leader Regalla and the death of the Sons of Prometheus leader Asera. Shortly thereafter, Aloy and her allies are successfully able to infiltrate the Far Zenith base and defeat most of the aliens, but not before learning that the faction was fleeing from a volatile artificial intelligence known as Nemesis. While the rogue A.I. HEPHAESTUS managed to escape during the Far Zenith battle, Aloy and her allies dedicated themselves to stopping both A.I.s and eliminating the remaining Far Zenith. Aloy and her new Quen ally Seyka quickly completed the latter goal after eliminating the final Far Zenith, Walter Londra, in the Burning Shores DLC.
With the incoming Nemesis threatening the destruction of the entire planet and the next mainline Horizon game being the third in the trilogy, many players are expecting Horizon 3 to be Aloy’s final outing as Horizon’s protagonist. She may valiantly sacrifice her life in the battle against Nemesis or simply retire to a less stressful life after Nemesis’ defeat. Either fate could serve as effective ends for Aloy’s character, going from a lowly Nora outcast to the savior of not just Meridian and the Forbidden West but the entire world. Guerrilla may even have Aloy survive her battle against Nemesis to distinguish her fate from Elisabet Sobeck’s sacrifice and allow Aloy to live the full life Sobeck never could, possibly serving as a mentor for future heroes.
Potential New Protagonists in Future Horizon Games
Some of the most likely candidates to lead new mainline or spin-off Horizon games are Aloy’s closest allies. Many of these characters already have rich histories, personalities, and abilities that could easily be expanded upon in their own game, similar to how Chloe Frazer and Nadine Ross headlined Uncharted: The Lost Legacy after previously being a companion and antagonist of series mainstay Nathan Drake. One companion who could easily lead their own Horizon game is the Oseram Erend Vanguardsman. Aloy’s closest and oldest friend following the death of Varl, Erend has appeared in every Horizon game besides Call of the Mountain. Given this prominence, fans could be more accepting of Erend transitioning from side character to protagonist in future games than an entirely new character.
Guerrilla Games could alternatively introduce a brand-new character to lead a hypothetical Horizon 4. The Horizon universe has primarily been set in the western post-apocalyptic United States, but Guerrilla could begin expanding to other regions of this machine-populated world with new characters in a new setting facing new threats. This character could be an up-and-coming tribesman in post-apocalyptic Europe, South America, Africa, or Australia who strives to save their civilization from new cults or warmongers who utilize old world technology. A story like this could help expand and deepen Horizon’s world while focusing on a protagonist who has virtually no ties to the ancient world and will have to rely more on their diplomatic skills than genetics and technological prowess.
A Horizon Game Following Varl and Zo’s Child Feels Very Possible
One interesting way Guerrilla could take the Horizon franchise after Horizon 3 is by having Varl and Zo’s future child lead the next mainline Horizon game. Toward the end of Forbidden West, Zo revealed to Aloy that she had become pregnant with Varl’s child. While it’s unknown how far along Zo was at the end of Forbidden West, it’s likely Zo’s baby will be born during or at the end of Horizon 3’s story. Horizon 4 could then have Zo or Aloy teach Varl’s child to be an elite warrior and set out on a new quest to save the world or at least to explore new regions of the world, such as the Quen’s homeland or eastern North America.
Throughout the Horizon series, gamers have only been able to play as five characters so far, including Aloy, Ryas, Varl, Teersa, and Erend.
9/10
- Released
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February 18, 2022
- ESRB
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T for Teen: Blood, Language, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Engine
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Decima