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From Valkyries on Battleships to Skirmishes on the Moon
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Earlier this year, HoYoverse concluded Honkai Impact 3rd’s seven-year-long main story, bidding farewell to the adventures of the Valkyrie warrior Kiana. HoYoverse's new story – featuring a fresh cast of characters and a new primary setting – is set to release in February 2024.
While players can dive into the upcoming story without having played through the first saga, you can still expect to see lots of important connections to the wider Honkai lore. So, for players looking to start the next story with more context, stick with us as we recap the entirety of Honkai Impact 3rd's first saga, The Moon's Origin and Finality.
For this recap, we’re only following the game’s core story and not supplementary media such as the Manhua series and animated shorts.
The Moon's Origin and Finality
Where Dreams Began (Chapters I & II)
Valkyrie students Kiana Kaslana, Bronya Zaychik, and Raiden Mei are sent on an urgent mission to regain control of an unmanned battleship before it crashes into the city.
On the ship, the Valkyries battle through waves of vicious beasts created by Honkai, an enigmatic, cataclysmic force bent on destroying mankind. With support from Murata Himeko, the team's handler, Kiana, Mei, and Bronya successfully gain control of the ship.
Later that night Kiana has a strange dream where she is contacted by a being claiming to be the long-deceased Herrscher of the Void. Herrschers are exceptionally powerful human vessels for Honkai energy and are typically enemies of humanity.
The End of Destiny (Chapters III-VI)
Kiana and her allies are sent on a new mission to recover the Gem of Desire, a Honkai-powered artefact. Before the gem can be recovered, Fu Hua, Kiana’s class president, appears and kidnaps Kiana under the orders of Otto Apocalypse. Otto is the leader of Schicksal, the governing organisation charged with training Valkyries and fighting the Honkai.
Under the Falling Sky (Chapters VII-IX)
To save Kiana, Mei, Himeko, and the St. Freya Valkyries team up with Anti-Entropy, a rival organisation to Schicksal and attack Schicksal headquarters. However, due to tampering by Otto, Kiana is now possessed by Sirin, having awoken as the new Herrscher of the Void.
Hua, who until now was unaware of Otto's true motives, turns against Otto and fights the Herrscher of the Void until Otto intervenes and lets the Herrscher escape. Disappointed in Hua for betraying him, Otto coldly shoots Hua in the head, killing her.
After a lengthy battle with Sirin, Himeko sacrifices herself to administer an anti-Honkai serum, allowing Kiana’s consciousness to regain control. However, after the battle, as the Valkyries grieve over their fallen teacher, Kiana is nowhere to be found.
Four months later, the St. Freya Valkyries and Otto’s Valkyries are each following clues on Kiana’s whereabouts. During their search, the St. Freya Valkyries discover the Gem of Desire’s location. The group splits with Mei’s group continuing the search for Kiana, while Bronya’s group travels to the Sea of Quanta, an extradimensional realm where the gem now resides.
From the Deep Ocean (Chapters X-XII)
In the Sea of Quanta, Bronya reunites with her childhood friend Seele Vollerei who has been trapped there for years. Vowing to free Seele, Bronya awakens as the Herrscher of Reason. Meanwhile, Seele encounters a dangerous organisation called the Word Serpent, led by Kevin Kaslana, a distant relative of Kiana.
Together, Bronya and Selee escape the Sea of Quanta but are unable to recover the gem.
A Shooting Star Streaking Across the Night (Chapters XI-EX, XIII & XIV)
Since receiving the anti-Honkai serum, Kiana has been living in exile and struggles to keep Sirin’s Herrscher influence suppressed. To Kiana’s surprise, she is contacted by an avatar of Hua. Hua’s avatar reveals that before her death she uploaded her consciousness and she now wishes to atone for her part in capturing Kiana.
Kiana, still harbouring hatred for Hua, refuses her aid but Hua earns her trust by helping her to permanently remove Sirin’s influence. With Sirin gone Kiana begins learning how to properly control her Herrscher form.
Otto’s Valkyrie team, led by Durandal and her second in command Rita, uncover World Serpents' plan to detonate a Honkai-powered bomb in the city. World Serpent aims to use the bomb to forcibly create more Honkai-resistant individuals.
Kiana reunites with Mei and the two are informed of World Serpent's plan. Seeing no other way to stop the detonation Kiana fully harnesses her powers as the Herrscher of the Void, with support from Hua’s avatar, and absorbs the impact of the blast, saving the city. And this is the first time a Herrscher, who is supposed to be humanity’s enemy, saves humankind instead.
Elegy to Yesterday (Chapters XV-XVII)
Durandal appears, overpowers Mei and abducts a weakened Kiana, taking her to a Schicksal base where Kiana is forcibly experimented on by Schicksal scientists. Kevin and a squadron of World Serpent soldiers launch a surprise attack on the base, seeking to kill Kiana. Hua’s avatar appears and fends off Kevin so Kiana can escape in the ensuing chaos.
Kiana travels back to the city and is found by Mei, though Kiana starts to show worrying signs of Honkai sickness.
Desperate for a cure for Kiana, Mei accepts a deal with Kevin to become the Herrscher of Thunder, sharing part of her new Honkai energy power to suppress Kiana’s sickness. As part of the deal, Mei joins World Serpent, leaving a devastated Kiana behind.
Here Lies Bellflower (Chapters XVIII & XIX)
World Serpent sends Mei to capture the newly awakened Herrscher of Ice. Mei forms an uneasy truce with Durandal and Rita who are also investigating the Herrscher.
Working with an informant named Owl, the group discovers that the Herrscher of Ice is a Schicksal Valkyrie named Ana. Owl awakens as the Herrscher of Earth and fuses with Ana, becoming the Herrscher of Stars. After a fierce battle, Mei and Durandal slay the Herrscher, killing Ana and Owl.
Taixuan Dream (Chapters XX - XXII)
At Schicksal Headquarters, Hua’s real body suddenly returns to life, revealing that Otto didn’t actually kill her. However, she is unable to fully remember the events that led to her death until she encounters Otto. Overwhelmed with emotion, “Hua” seemingly kills Otto in revenge and destroys Schicksal Headquarters. After that, “Hua” goes back to Taixuan Mountain where Kiana and Bronya are also exploring, tracing the clues left by Hua’s avatar. They find out that Hua is a MANTIS from the previous era, a warrior whose DNA had fused with a human and the Honkai beast.
Hua’s avatar reaches out to “Hua” and reveals that the latter is not the real Fu Hua and is instead the Herrscher of Sentience which awoke inside Hua’s body. This enrages “Hua” who still believes herself to be the original Fu Hua.
Hua’s avatar recruits Kiana and Bronya to help exercise the Herrscher from Hua’s body. Hua’s avatar reconnects with her original body and mentally subdues the Herrescher. Finally accepting that she is not the real Fu Hua, the Herrscher of Sentience agrees to leave Hua’s body, leaving Hua’s avatar in control, effectively restoring the real Fu Hua in mind and body.
Remaining Flames (Chapters XXIII - XXV)
The newly awakened Herrscher of Dominance captures Bronya and Hua and uses its unique ability to steal their Herrscher powers. Kiana deduces that the Herrescher of Dominance can make its own pocket dimension and uses her abilities to enter the dimension to save Bronya and Hua.
The Herrscher of Dominance attacks Kiana by bringing up her melancholic past and with their Herrscher power. Kiana is not influenced by the Herrscher’s attack and firmly keeps her faith in humanity and all the beautiful things in the world. Together with Hua, Bronya, and her teacher Himeko, Kiana obtains a powerful new form as the Herrscher of Flamescion, and destroys every trace of the Herrscher of Dominance.
Thus Spoke Apocalypse (Chapters XXV-EX - XXVIII)
It’s revealed that Otto survived his encounter with “Hua”, or as they are also called, the Herrscher of Sentience. After many years, Otto manages to resurrect his childhood love, Kallen, and is now ready to implement his final plan by resetting the world. Kiana and her team uncover Otto’s master plan. Otto sends Durandal to stop Kiana’s team from interfering, however, Durandal switches sides and joins Kiana after learning of Otto's true motives.
After an epic battle, Otto succeeds in my plan by creating a parallel world where Kallen lives, but at the cost of his own life.
To the Flawless (Chapters XXIX - XXXI)
Taking place simultaneously with ‘Thus Spoke Apocalypse’. Mei is escorted by Kevin to Elysian Realm, where she hopes to learn about the previous era. Elysian Realm is a world of data created by the memory of Flame Chasers, 13 Honkai-infused warriors, also known as MANTIS. Their real forms were killed during the battle with the Herrscher of Finality at the end of the previous era; data is all that they left behind in the world.
Mei befriends Elysia and learns the events that led to the demise of the group aeons ago. The next morning, Elysia’s data has been deleted, effectively “killing” her. More Flame Chasers suffer the same fate, leading Mei to investigate and discover that the newly awoken Herrscher of Corruption is the cause of all the “deaths”.
To defeat the Herrscher of Corruption Mei works with the surviving Flame Chasers to restore Elysia’s data, reviving her. Elysia reveals her true form as the Herrescher of Human and her role in the past as the first Herrescher to fight for humanity. This selfless act is the reason why Herrschers in the present day — such as Kiana, Mei, and Bronya — are able to resist the dark, destructive will of Honkai and instead fight for humanity.
Elysia and the flame Chasers defeat the Herrscher of Corruption, at the cost of the entire Elysiam Realm. Mei returns to the real world.
The Moon's Origin and Finality (Chapters XXXII - XXXV)
The final test of Honkai is about to start. There are two groups with different solutions for the survival of Honkai: one led by Kiana and her friends, and the other led by Kevin. Kiana, Mei, and Bronya travel to the moon to lead an attack against Kevin who has revealed himself to be mankind's final trial to determine its survival. Kiana defeats Kevin and meets the Cocoon of Finality, an extraterrestrial entity that controls Honkai. The Cocoon of Finality recognises Kiana as the Herrscher of Finality, a Herrscher of near-God-like power.
Kiana chooses to remain on the moon to find a way to safely remove the threat of Honkai from Earth. The remaining Valkyries return to Earth as its protectors.
What comes next?
In the short wait until Honkai Impact 3rd's new saga lands in February 2024, players can look forward to the 7.0 October update, which features a unique story and the vampire-inspired Lunar Vow: Crimson Love battlesuit for the Valkyrie Theresa. Silverwing: N-EX's new outfit, Outstanding Attitude, will also be available in the update. What’s more, by joining the login event, players can get an S-rank Battlesuit for free! Players can also journey through the already released epilogue story, the ‘Dance of Life and Death’, which focuses on the character Seele.
Of course, there’s plenty more to the story of Honkai Impact 3rd that we weren’t able to cover here. If it sounds like the kind of adventure you’d like to be a part of – whether starting from the beginning or picking up the story from where we left off--get involved by downloading Honkai Impact 3rd now for free.
