[4.2] Archon + Patch Recap and Analysis - Genshin Impact Lore & Theories

This patch was jam-packed with content, and boy oh boy do we have a lot to cover, from that banger of an archon quest finale, to Furina's very personal story quest, to unlocking the mysteries of the Narzissenkreuz Ordo and so much more!

**TIMESTAMPS**
00:00 Introduction
2:52 Archon Quest
18:20 Furina's Story Quest
23:35 Narzissenkreuz
32:19 The Missing Steambird
36:43 Freminet
39:24 Mini-theories & Observations

**CREDITS**

**RELATED VIDEOS**

**SPOILER WARNINGS**

**Notes**

[Ashikai]

**NOTES & CORRECTIONS**
- The line at 42:00 "I am become death, destroyer of worlds" is from Oppenheimer, but @dotkiarika1026 pointed out that Oppenheimer was actually referencing the Hindu poem Baghavad Gita. I actually like this line MORE now because it ties together all the Arkhium stuff going on in Fontaine (which is a very explicit reference to nuclear development) and Rene's whole death, rebirth and the understanding of the "self" themes!
- @Mar-lf3ni pointed out that if you do the Narzissenkreuz questline BEFORE the archon quest, you get some dialog changes wherein Rene and Jakob are aware that the prophecy is coming but hasn't happened yet. I personally did the AQ first so I did not get these lines, but you can see them on the wiki.

[doveevalyn]

Ashikai breaking down lore for me is always a treat. Ive got two brain cells left fighting over third place, so Ashikai making it more digestible is greatly appreciated.

[ririurbestielife]

I'M A SIMPLE WOMAN I SEE ASHIKAI I CLICK

[Mar-lfni]

26:59 I think it's pretty important to point out that if you do the final act of Narzissenkreuz quest BEFORE act V the story completely changes as both Jakob and René are aware of the upcoming prophecy plus Renè KNOWS ABOUT THE NARWHAL, and he also tells us in advance that the cause of the primordial water rising is also consequence of this star beast

[v.v]

“What the traveler sees is basically the truth” relates back to how not even Paimon or Nahida, the two with the traveler at the moment, remembered Rukhadevata, only the Traveler remembers her after she’s wiped from Irminsul

[fencerderio]

I just hope Natlan’s Archon Quest is just as good as Fontaine’s.

[waawaa]

i have to say the chicken mushroom skewer and kaeya connection came outta nowhere. i laughed but when you explained about sinthe/absinthe and his fav drink, that made me go "...we truly live in kaeya impact"

[hijinks]

Just to note Ashi. Nahida says in her voiceline about Furina that the Prophecy of Fontaine was carved into Irminsul a long time ago. So it seems like Celestia wanted to guide them to this conclusion instead of a warning.

[wheattins]

Honestly, I was never satisfied with the narrative that the prophecy was enacted as a punishment by Celestia for Egeria’s actions and that the narwhal just happened to be the cause for the prophecy. Ashikai’s idea that Celestia was powerless against the narwhal who was attracted to the Primordial sea due to Egeria’s tampering and simply issued the prophecy as a warning makes so much more sense so I’m accepting this as canon.

[IronAmethyst]

I think Arlecchino is behind the flooding of Poisson. If not directly the cause of it, she at least knew it was going to happen and waited out to appear to the rescue, to have leverage in the negotiations for the gnosis. And she executed it brilliantly. And everyone bought it, just as Hoyoverse intended. It fits well with what Childe and Scaramouche are saying about her too.
We know the Fatui can dig big tunnels, we seen em do it for transporting a whole house with us. We also know the Fatui have been monitoring the waters. They either caused it (a bang was heard, tremors) or they knew it was going to happen and transported equipment for the rescue closer to the scene. I am not saying she is outright evil, rather choosing few casualties for the greater good.
Also how convenient for her, to direct us to those slates, with one missing, to be pronto found by Freminet once needed. Another debt owed. She is a cunning manipulator, always mentioning the children to us, trying to gain trust, and it seems she succeeded 😇
Cant wait for her release patch, we are in for a treat

[robertgerman]

Genshin Impact lore is like a freaking kaleidoscope; you take another look and there is just MORE.

[alejandraruiz]

The Kaeya connections are absolutely SENDING me and I hope to the archons that it actually amounts to something. 🤣

[heavenschickxx]

was VERY nice when i realised your 4.1 theory was almost spot on the mark. i was like “wait a second, aside from not being eidolons, ashikai got the premise perfect.” well done from a dedicated subscriber!

[nahidu]

Actually people are saying that this move of the All-Devouring Narwhal is it interfering with Childe’s fate, and also making him unable to use his vision. But sure his constellation could be based on this Narwhal assuming he got his vision while he was still in the abyss (I don’t remember his vision story)

[itsmehenrii]

I think someone might’ve pointed this out already but the thing with memories becoming books and vice versa might be a nod to what Nahida does with the memories registered in the irminsul, like she did with the memories of wanderer.

[ThisNameMakesNoSense]

This patch was an absolute banger. Thank you for timing the upload with the game's downtime too!

[megamcee]

Ok, that last connection was INSANE. Mihoyo are freaking crazy to make a silly joke that links to enormous potential revelations and hints.

[devennent]

There is one thing that's felt really strange about Rene's world formula and the way the Ordo quest line resolved. Namely, I don't think there's any mention of the destruction Rene was trying to avoid being limited to Fontaine. Some of his notes also talk about the cycle of destruction of the world, and how this will be the last one. It feels greater than the Fontaine crisis.

[sthezh]

the fact that the ordo relates to at least 2 of the harbingers (sandrone/arlechino) and possibly even dottore too is kinda insane.

it honestly seems to be pointing towards the idea that those who know about the true nature of teyvat always somehow end up in the fatui, even more recently the traveler. the ordo has been the only other organization than the fatui that has attempted to attain the power of a descender, the former using the sword of narcizzenkreuz and the latter collecting the gnosis to possibly revive the third descender.

[YuriVoltre]

I wonder how Foul's Legacy is related to Surtalogi the Foul. Does it simply resemble him, or does the abyssal power Childe uses come from Surtalogi himself?
I loved the Narzissenkreuz Ordo and their weird esoteric and occult society theme.