Genshin Impact 5.1 explained: A plot point first teased four years ago has finally arrived

“It’s all a gigantic hoax. A lie.”

HoYoverse

Isn’t it so very satisfying, when a piece of lore and world-building that was first introduced early on during a story gets a big pay-off later? The Genshin Impact devs at HoYoverse seem to agree.

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Please be aware that this article contains spoilers for Genshin Impact's main story, so only read on if you're okay with that.

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Table of Contents

1. Genshin Impact 5.1: A fake sky over Teyvat
2. Genshin Impact 5.1: You wanted a war, right?
3. Genshin Impact 5.1: Oh Capitano, my Capitano
4. Genshin Impact 5.1: The Lord of the Night, The Shade of Death

Genshin Impact 5.1’s Archon Quest delivered a prime example of this, finally showing us something that was initially teased four years ago during a time-limited event in version 1.1 of the game – yes, we’re talking about the fake sky over Teyvat.

Genshin Impact 5.1: A fake sky over Teyvat

Update 1.1’s flagship event, Unreconciled Stars, not only introduced Scaramouche as one of the Fatui Harbingers, but had him make an immense discovery. “I've discovered something far more important... and far more terrifying,” Scaramouche said back then. “The stars, the sky... It's all a gigantic hoax. A lie.”

Shortly afterwards, Mona confirms that she had heard of the sky being fake during her training to be an astrologer: “He seemed genuinely shaken, though. I don't think he was lying. I was always taught to talk about the ‘false sky’ during astrological readings... Could there be more to such phrases than I have been led to believe?”

It’s important to note that Mona was apprenticed to a member of Mondstadt’s powerful and wise Hexenzirkel, which means that this shadowy council possesses much advanced knowledge – and tries to disseminate this information, though covertly.

The topic was dropped after that and we wouldn’t hear more about it until the end of Sumeru’s Archon Quest, two years later.

After helping Nahida defeat Scaramouche and erase Greater Lord Rukkhadevata from Irminsul, the Traveler is rendered unconscious by Dottore, who then holds a lore-heavy conversation with Nahida in order to gain the Electro and Dendro Gnosis.

To strike a bargain for the Dendro Gnosis, Dottore offers Nahida a piece of knowledge she didn’t yet possess, which – as the God of Wisdom – obviously gains her attention: “Let me ask you... Have you in all your mighty knowledge ever heard the rumor that ‘the skies of Teyvat are fake’? That's the secret hidden by Irminsul concerning the ‘truth’ of this world…”

Unfortunately, the conversation is cut off just as Dottore is starting to go over the details of what the Fatui discovered about the fake sky. Of course, the Traveler didn’t actually hear any of this – this is information that only we, as players, got to hear, which is why they never brought it up with Nahida, who obviously knows about it now.

Another two years later, we finally got to see the truth. In order to defend Natlan from a massive invasion by the Abyss Order, Mavuika uses a power bestowed by Ronova, a Ruler of Death so ancient that they pre-date even the Archons – Mavuika thereby seemingly dooms herself, but manages to strike down the Abyss Rift flooding Natlan with enemies. 

So powerful is her attack that it punches a hole into the sky, briefly revealing what lies beyond – the darkness of space and the fragments of a shattered moon. Indeed, if you look up into the sky after finishing the current Archon Quest, you can now see the outlines of these shattered pieces behind the sky – it’s as if the Traveler can’t unsee what they’ve seen, albeit briefly, which fits their role as a witness to this world.

Mavuika's attack reveals the true sky of Teyvat for a moment: a bleak sight. / HoYoverse

Is the fake sky the doing of the Unknown Goddess alias the Heavenly Principles? That seems probable, given it seems to be composed of the same red cube-shaped magic that sealed the Traveler at the very beginning of the game. Is it designed to keep Teyvat safe from some outside threat, or is it there to keep its people imprisoned? Or is all of Teyvat a mere simulation, like in the Matrix? We certainly can’t answer these questions at the moment, but it feels like the fake sky being confirmed puts a lot of terrifying options on the table.

Genshin Impact 5.1: You wanted a war, right?

Remember when some of you – yes, you! – mocked Natlan for being peaceful and harmonious, despite previous lore tidbits claiming it was a nation beset by war? Update 5.1 certainly had a lot of war to offer, which should satisfy even the most bloodthirsty players out there.

Aside from all the dead bodies of people and Saurians we encounter during the fighting, some of the named NPCs we’ve previously spoken to and interacted with fell during the battle.

Chuychu, Chasca’s sister, died from the Abyss’ corruption in an emotional moment that led to Chasca being acknowledged by her Ancient Name. Vichama died, without whom we could not have rescued Kachina during version 5.0’s Archon Quest – at least now he’s been reunited with the friends and comrades he’s mourned for so long.

A list of the deceased, which can be found after the most recent Archon Quest, also contains the names of Wayta, Batz, Tlihua, and Hunza.

We once again team up with the Fatui, which is becoming a common occurence. / HoYoverse

It’s notable that we once again fought alongside the Fatui in this conflict – just like in Fontaine, the Fatui became allies to face a greater threat, which lends ever more credence to the theory that we will, in the end, assist the Tsaritsa in her plan to fight the Heavenly Principles. At this point, the Fatui have gone from being pure antagonists to being morally questionable (don’t forget or forgive what they’re doing in their secret research facility below Natlan) allies of convenience.

Genshin Impact 5.1: Oh Capitano, my Capitano

Capitano seems downright sane compared to most other Fatui Harbingers and we learned a lot about him during update 5.1 – namely that he’s a former officer in the military of Khaenri'ah, that he wears a mask to hide his body, which was disfigured by the curse put upon the Khaenri'ahns, and that he, too, has been given some sort of quest by the Ruler of Death, which he believes will decide the fate of Natlan.

Why does he care about Natlan? Apparently, the former leader of the Masters of the Night-Wind took him and the remnants of his troops in after they escaped Khaenri'ah, despite most people being distrustful of them. Fighting side by side with each other against the Abyss for years, the tribal leader divulged the secrets of the Pyro Gnosis to Capitano before he died. Suffice to say, Capitano believes himself to be honorbound to protect Natlan.

Capitano, like Pierro, has previously met the Traveler’s sibling when they were on their journey with Dainsleif.

Genshin Impact 5.1: The Lord of the Night, The Shade of Death

Version 5.1 did not drop lore bombs sparingly, as we managed to learn a ton of new info on the past of Natlan and how its unique Archon and Ley Line system came to be. Apparently it was Yohualtecuhtin, now known as the Lord of the Night, who established the Night Kingdom as a replacement for the Ley Lines, which had been damaged by the war between the Descender and the Dragons – crucially, she once belonged to the same race that the Seelies stem from, which were considered angels back in their day.

Then there is Ronova, who we already mentioned as the Ruler or Shade of Death. She helped Yohualtecuhtin to create the Night Kingdom and then collaborated with Xbalanque, the first Pyro Archon, to set up not only the Ode of Resurrection, but also the mechanism to ascend regular mortals to the Pyro Archon’s Throne – and she did all that in defiance of the Heavenly Principles. 

It certainly looks like the Hydro Archon was not the only entity to conspire against the Heavenly Principles from very early on. They haven't exactly made themselves popular, throwing nails of mass destruction everywhere.

It is also due to the agreement between Xbalanque and Ronova about the use of her powers that Mavuika seems to be doomed to die now that she tapped into Ronova’s might – and we will very likely learn more about all that as well as Capitano’s mission in the next Archon Quest, when we accompany Mavuika into the Night Kingdom.