Credits: me

I just noticed it's 3 days old ....wow 🫪

And on top of that, the aura of those stars looks exactly like Capitano’s and Antumbra’s.

This article will be a kind of prologue (forget it, a full-fledged first part came out in the end) to a future theory. It is also necessary to change your perception of the Ignition Teaser, since past methods for finding clues have practically exhausted themselves, yet we still have no damn idea what on earth the "Ignition Teaser" actually is?

Yes, we know that in its time, it was an announcement of Natlan, its advertisement, etc. Like any similar trailer, it allowed for artistic simplifications or even mistakes that make no sense in the present. We also know that this teaser 100% exists somewhere in the future plot. So, let's start what is called a brainstorming session and try to find out what the Ignition Teaser really is? Watch the attached video only at the end of the article. There are no spoilers, it's just that otherwise you won't understand.

So, I suggest starting with an analysis of what has already happened in the game. That is, with patch 6.6 "Truth Amongst the Pages of Purana" and what preceded it.

Way back on July 11, 2022, an interlude teaser was released: A Winter Night's Lazzo. It highlighted current events at the time of the game, but along with this, we were shown a scene of the burning of Irminsul, in which Dottore was present.

Since this was before the release of the main AQ 3.x, we couldn’t notice anything suspicious. But with the release of 3.2, the title of the "final" AQ was not what had been demonstrated to us in the Travail Teaser. And the events with the burning of Irminsul suddenly didn't happen.

Based on the events of the official manga, we learn that the god remains of an ancient deity were injected into Collei. In the end, as I understood from a brief look at the manga, the god's remains sent alternative dark visions of the future to Collei, thus trying to manipulate her. According to the results of the manga, the god's remains were sealed by Cyno, and this topic was never raised again until version 6.6. Nicole informs us: inside Collei are the god remains of the long-deceased Goddess of Flowers — Nabu Malikata. According to the lore, she was from the angel race, and also one of the few who preserved her mind and beautiful appearance, even after Phanes' curse was placed upon the angel race. She also had a unique gift of prophecy — she could foresee the future. She was even able to foresee her own death. There is no need for us to dive deep into the full history of ancient Sumeru.

In the end, it was the tiniest god's remains of the Goddess of Flowers, located inside Collei, that was able to foresee the future burning of Irminsul and send it as a revelation in a dream to Collei.

But there is something strange here, which I haven’t seen anyone anywhere pay attention to yet. According to Nicole's statements, this storm was from outside of fate. But why then was the god's remains able to see what was “outside of fate”? Though it is logical that it was exactly one of the worst possible scenarios that the corrupted god remains was supposed to show to Collei.

This leads to a natural question: are there ways to foresee those events that lie outside of fixed fate? And we already know the answer: yes. But then surely someone else must also be able to see such a future, since even a tiny god remains of the Goddess of Flowers managed to do it.

We can definitely name a few such beings/objects:

Absolutely for sure — Barbeloth, and I even know how to argue this.

As we know, Mona couldn't predict Paimon's fate. But she reads fortune only by the stars of Teyvat. Let me not speculate on doubtful leaks right now, but then why, using the exact same technique (even if she is more experienced), was Barbeloth able to do this in Durin's Story Quest (even if she just gasped meaningfully….and gave no answer)? Surely this is connected to the ability to predict even what lies outside the fixed fate of Teyvat.

Surely such a character must also be Istaroth — the Shade of Time.

Although we know little about her, her power can absolutely for sure intervene in the current fate of Teyvat (the Sacred Sakura in Inazuma, the story of Zibai, the siblings' quest in 5.7, etc.). And this means she must foresee other variations of development, besides the fixed fate, which someone surely wants or even needs to prevent.

Irminsul is the former hub of all ley lines in Teyvat, except for Natlan.

Even though it is already destroyed in the current plot, it is important to emphasize something. Recall the plot of Nod-Krai and the fact that Wanderer's heart, made from a branch of Irminsul, served as a source of missing power for us. The task of the formula created by Sandrone was literally to calculate the future so that Columbina could be born in the present time. If a small branch was capable of this, what could the main tree have been capable of? It is also obvious that to prevent errors when erasing certain elements of Teyvat, Irminsul must calculate not only the primary fate but also other possible outcomes, so as not to accidentally allow them as a consequence of erasing history.

The Night Kingdom is the current hub of Natlan's ley lines, under the management of Yohualtecuhtin, Lord of the Night.

It is logical to assume that if the main "computer" of Teyvat can calculate alternative paths to fate, then other existing systems based on ley lines should be capable of doing this too. There are no contradictions here, just a different wrapper in the form of the Night Kingdom, Wayob, Ancient Names, etc. But there is one main difference from Irminsul. In the current iteration of the plot, there is an entity that both physically and legally manages and controls Natlan's ley lines — Yohualtecuhtin, Lord of the Night.

Let’s refresh our memory a bit on the general information about Yohualtecuhtin. She is also a descendant of the angel race, and she also managed to preserve herself after the curse placed upon the angel race by Phanes. However, over time, her body still transformed into a clump of energy resembling the smoke-like energy of ley lines, due to a lack of power spent on maintaining the Night Kingdom and fighting the Abyss. In the fan wiki, an assumption is made based on depictions of angels found in Dragonspine's Mural Room and during the World Quest "Revelations from the Past", that like her sisters, Yohualtecuhtin once had a winged humanoid form with a long crest, horns, or a headdress extending behind her head, though this may just be artistic fiction. Ultimately, Yohualtecuhtin fell into anabiosis due to a lack of strength.

Yohualtecuhtin was able to awaken only right in the midst of the main AQ in Natlan, thanks to Capitano's attempt to carry out a rewrite of Natlan's ley lines using the Secret Source mechanism. I think there is no point in retelling the tragic memories for us further, since you surely remember the events of AQ 5.3, so let's return to the theory.
After everything you've read, a completely random parallel must have unintentionally arisen:

A person with the god remains of an angel inside, who is capable of predicting the future / Collei and the remains of the Goddess of Flowers inside her.

A person fused with an angel, who is directly connected to Natlan's ley lines / Capitano fused with the Lord of the Night (Ley Line Master).

In both cases, we have the opportunity to receive a revelation, since both here and there, the reasons for being able to see the future are present.

But let's reason logically. Collei's situation is more of a huge coincidence than someone's plan. But the situation with Capitano looks completely different. For the sake of this deal, Capitano personally corresponded with the Tsaritsa; they were probably adjusting further plans because of a "suddenly" popped-up opportunity. And afterward, the Tsaritsa did not change the rank of the First of the Fatui.

In fact, what we got is Capitano's soul between life and death. Since his soul is immortal due to the Curse of Immortality, the soul cannot die. But since the soul fused with Yohualtecuhtin, while the leadership of the "body" of the Lord of the Night still remained in the hands of Yohualtecuhtin, we can straight up say that at the moment, Capitano's soul is not alive. Imagine that Capitano is currently in a state of "false death".

Such concepts are found in science, fiction and real life. But since there are about a dozen such states that can be called "false death," let's choose the most suitable options specifically for our situation. For us, the main ones will be two conditions, and I will also argue them:

1. Only that "false death" will suit us, in which the main processes of the body (breathing and heartbeat) are preserved in one form or another, since Capitano's body, as is well known, is still breathing to this day.
2. Since it was stated that souls are capable of seeing causes and effects while being in the ley lines, it is logical to assume that Capitano's current existence is not just Malevich's Black Square, but some kind of conscious or unconscious state of the spirit. I think the concept of lucid dreaming will fit best to describe my idea. That is, we need such a "false death" in which a person can see dreams.

These two points will already be enough to narrow down the circle to three options:

Hibernation (artificial torpor), lethargic sleep (lethargy), or medically induced coma (deep anesthesia).

To be honest, I can't choose just one of the options, so I will describe the main features of each, and further, I will refer to this state under the name of "false death". You can choose for yourself which of the three states to understand under "false death", whatever you like best.

1. Hibernation (artificial torpor) is a regulated state of deep depression of vital activity, in which the metabolism in the body is reduced by 90–95%. Body temperature drops almost to the level of the environment, and breathing and pulse slow down to a critical minimum (just a few beats and breaths per minute). At the same time, tissues do not freeze, and the brain retains weak electrical activity, which leaves the body with the ability to perceive signals and see dreams. In science fiction and medicine, this mode is used as an ideal way to "preserve" a living body without its actual killing.
2. Lethargic sleep (lethargy) is a severe state of apparent death, in which a person is completely immobilized, loses consciousness, and stops responding to any external stimuli. In this mode, the body works on the edge of survival. Breathing becomes shallow, and the pulse drops to barely perceptible values, because of which a person can visually be taken for dead. Despite the deep depression of vital functions, the brain retains activity, allowing the sleeper to partially perceive sounds from the real world and see long, realistic dreams.
3. Artificial (medically induced) coma is a doctor-controlled state of deep inhibition of the central nervous system, achieved through the continuous administration of special sedative drugs. In this medical mode, the activity of the cerebral cortex is reduced to a minimum, and the functions of respiration and blood circulation are artificially slowed down and maintained by life support machines. During such sleep, the patient's brain is completely isolated from external pain and sound stimuli, however, it continues to generate internal electrical activity. Because of this, people in a medically induced coma often see incredibly complex, vivid, and surreal dreams, which can subjectively be perceived as entire years lived, and are sometimes described as nightmares.

So, being in a state of "false death", Capitano's soul is actually enjoying a well-deserved rest right now, after 500 years of carrying souls in his heart. But rest in this sense is the dream itself. In other words, starting from 5.3, Capitano has been literally sleeping to this day. For any normal person, such a long sleep is abnormal and carries health risks. But first, think about it. Collei always complained that she couldn't remember her realistic "dreams" (that is, revelations) in detail. She only remembered that they felt like a nightmare.

Let’s distract ourselves just a little bit and draw a small parallel with the Traveler, which confirms that "dreams" in the form of revelations always seem like a nightmare, and not just for the one who sees them.

After the Ancient Name "Tumaini" was forged for the Traveler, effectively establishing a connection with Natlan's ley lines, strange visions (of the near future?) began coming to them in dreams. This has already happened twice: at the very beginning of Natlan's fifth act, "Incandescent Ode of Resurrection", and in the plot of Natlan's sixth act (5.7), "A Space and Time for You". In both cases, the dreams showed us actions in the Night Kingdom; in both cases, the Traveler had a headache; in both cases, Paimon woke us up, referring to the fact that it was as if we were having a nightmare. And ultimately, the Traveler couldn’t fully remember what they saw in those dreams.

Kind of reminds you of Collei's "dreams", doesn't it?

Let’s also recall the fact that thanks to the Ancient Name — Tumaini, the Traveler is still recorded in Natlan's ley lines, despite being a Descender. That is, technically, if someone were calculating the future using Natlan's ley lines, they would be able to access those paths that, in principle, could not have been calculated earlier by anyone or anything, since in the new calculations, the Traveler will be taken into account in the form of Tumaini; however, such an analysis will extend only to the territory of Natlan.

Actually, predictions, foresight, visions, etc., are not that rare of a topic for Natlan in the general lore of the region. At the very least, Citlali used her Shaman skills to observe the fates of certain people, and sometimes she receives messages from the Wayob or even Yohualtecuhtin herself. The Wayob themselves choose future owners of old Ancient Names, guiding their choice not only by the present but also by their future actions, which will perfectly embody the meaning of the names (guiding themselves by the person's fate). It should also be added that, as we observed, the Pyro Archon herself has the opportunity to officially ask to forge an Ancient Name for a person if they are truly worthy of it. Apparently, the Traveler just became the first such person in the history of Natlan.

But let's now summarize everything mentioned above and look at Capitano's situation. I am sure that the opportunity to fuse with an angel was used wisely, and there is a purpose here much deeper than what was shown to us at first glance. You perfectly know the ways the Tsaritsa works — the true purpose of her actions is always hidden deeper. Just as the gathering of the Sigils of Life in AQ 7.1 and the explicit defiance regarding the Rules of Life were only a way to lure Rhinedottir out for "negotiations" (, which actually turned out to be a trap, the purpose of which was to destroy the tandem of Rhinedottir and Ronova in Snezhnaya), so it is here — the saving of souls in Capitano's heart is just the second layer of the Tsaritsa's real plan, the true depth of which we are yet to discover. It's just a beautiful cover for Capitano, since no one will conduct investigations regarding him, because on the surface it seems as if all motives, goals, and conflicts have already been resolved definitively. By the way, the ideal cover in detective films is the staging of death, which is in fact exactly what the state Capitano is currently in represents — a "false death".

If we assume that the Tsaritsa intentionally managed events so that her first two subordinate Fatui would themselves come to the two "centers" of ley lines in Teyvat, then it becomes obvious that the true part of the Tsaritsa's plan was to seize control of all the ley lines of Teyvat. However, Nahida outplayed Dottore using the Pyro Gnosis in Sumeru, which came as a surprise to the Tsaritsa (her convulsive first question to the Traveler confirms this… as does her suspiciously calm reaction to the answer). It cannot be said that the result of Dottore's actions for the Tsaritsa's plan is bad; rather, it’s a draw, since with the help of Aaru, it is unlikely that anyone can change or erase history. In that case, there is no point for the Tsaritsa to seize a new "center" of ley lines, since no one can use it for their own purposes. Aaru was completed only taking into account the most necessary functions of Irminsul.

Thus, Capitano is the only one who is currently directly connected to the only "center" of ley lines that can be controlled. Obviously, if something was meant to be seized, it represents value for further use for one's own purposes.

As we have already observed, Yohualtecuhtin did not hesitate to support Capitano's ideas, just as she did not oppose helping the Abyss Sibling for the benefit of the future New Khaenri'ah. Obviously, Yohualtecuhtin feels indebted to Capitano for his action.

If we assume that the duration of a dream directly correlates with how clearly you see and remember the dream (by the way, that is exactly how it works in real life, lol), then theoretically, it is Capitano who currently possesses the opportunity to receive the longest and most memorable revelation about the future in a dream.

But the most amusing and quite realistic thing is not even this conclusion.

Technically, at the moment, Capitano and Yohualtecuhtin are one single being. But since Capitano is recorded in Natlan's history as an independent individual — a hero, an outstanding warrior, there are no reasons why he shouldn't be seeing revelations about himself in Natlan right now, because at the moment, the entity of "Capitano and Yohualtecuhtin" does not equal Capitano. He can literally receive revelations about himself from the perspective of Yohualtecuhtin right now, since he himself is not Capitano at the moment. Yohualtecuhtin can completely facilitate this, and the tool for it is right at her fingertips — literally the entire Night Kingdom and all its powers.

But what could Capitano see that would become a trigger for his voluntary return from oblivion and his rejection of rest? (Draw a parallel with Varka's voluntary expedition to Nod-Krai to save Mondstadt, when Barbeloth's chalice showed him the imminent danger of the Wild Hunt). As we have already learned from the example of Collei and the Traveler — revelations, for some reason, always appear in response to a future bad event, as a way to warn of danger. Yohualtecuhtin is always on the side of humanity, and especially her children — the people of Natlan. If she sees danger in the future, her paramount task will be to warn the one who stands a chance to prevent this danger.

Let's not debate the topic of "What happens if you separate Capitano and Yohualtecuhtin?", but simply assume two options: a) Yohualtecuhtin has restored her strength during the absence of the Abyss threat and is capable of temporarily holding out without Capitano, b) the writers will find a way to return Capitano's soul to his own body without breaking the connection with Yohualtecuhtin. This question is not very important in the context of the whole theory, but it needed to be outlined.

And here we come to the core of this part of the theory, answering your question: why exactly “The Ignition Teaser is a Lord of the Night revelation”? I have rewatched the structure of the Ignition Teaser many times, voiced various interpretations, but an idea crept into my head that this is not just a “looped teaser”, but possibly a real, true sequence of history that happened (will happen), but just not only once.

When I connected these two different judgments (everything we talked about above and this short paragraph), I suddenly realized that there is a causal relationship between them, which literally predicts that Capitano will stand up. And I have a new finding that is proof of this causal relationship.

As I have already said, normal people have a high risk of deteriorating health after very prolonged dreams. And out of all the major organs, the greatest risk is to the heart. All other organs can either be restored through medical adaptation to life after regaining consciousness, or they inherently possess strong mechanisms of self-defense and self-preservation for such situations. The heart, unlike other human organs, cannot be restored and lacks the mechanisms of self-defense and self-preservation applicable to very prolonged sleep. This damage is irreversible, meaning it remains for life. The main problem with the heart is that it inevitably becomes unaccustomed to normal workload during long sleep.

And now recall my finding regarding the sounds of the heart, and match it with the new order of perception of the Ignition Teaser that I am about to demonstrate — though it doesn't differ much from the previous interpretation.

Watch the attached video.

Such an order of perception implies that Capitano appears in the Ignition Teaser with an already sick heart. And such a consequence can only happen after waking up from a very long sleep. In other words, the Capitano taking part in the events of the Ignition Teaser can only be that Capitano who woke up from a long sleep and by no means before, since Capitano simply had not slept for 500 years and had no opportunity to damage his heart prior to the moment he sat on the Throne of the Primal Fire. (Otherwise, we would have already seen him with heart problems in the plot).

This also explains why he couldn't refuse Mavuika's offer to participate in the Tournament. Most likely, he was forced to accept it because by participating in the Tournament, he would be able to heal his heart, and he had already, in a way, foreseen this (We do not know by what path, but the fact that in the correct, proven order of perception of the Ignition Teaser, the sounds of the heart first sound unhealthy, in the scene featuring the six flames, and then healthy, during the scene in the arena — is a fact. We will still devote time to this issue in the next part).

But that is not all. The reason why the Ignition Teaser is a future dangerous event lies in how time was rewound for us and what exactly was not shown in this future. By this rewind, they literally told us: “this timeline can no longer be saved, next one”. A clue to what hides in this unrevealed future has already been given to us by Simulanka. And it must be directly connected to the Mare Jivare, since it is precisely into such a prototype of the Mare Jivare that Farobert and Climest — the prototypes of Capitano and Mavuika — intend to go, already after the Tournament has taken place, where Farobert was recognized by an ancient relic as the Champion. The danger that hides in the Mare Jivare to this day is known to everyone — Bakunawa.

TL;DR for the lazy and conclusions for those who read: The Ignition Teaser is a Lord of the Night revelation for Capitano, warning of a danger originating from the Mare Jivare in the future. Capitano is capable of seeing the most vivid, prolonged, and memorable revelation precisely right now because his sleep is abnormally long, and he is also directly connected to an angel linked to one of the "centers" of ley lines in Teyvat — the Night Kingdom. However, one of the consequences of long sleep is risks to health deterioration. The heart is the most vulnerable in this case. As I already mentioned in another theory, most likely we are hearing Capitano's heart in the Ignition Teaser. This aligns with why, in the correct order of perception of the Ignition Teaser, we first hear the sounds of an improperly functioning heart, and then a properly functioning heart. The reason for Capitano's voluntary return from oblivion lies in an attempt to prevent a future catastrophe looming from the Mare Jivare in the future (and it won't succeed on the 1st try; we will talk about this in more detail in the next part); the consequences of a long stay in sleep will be helped to resolve by Mavuika and the Tournament.

Nooo it’s worse than yesterday. Craving some architects rn. Capitano tomorrow.

"Just let Capitano rest already."

Whenever people express their hopes for Capitano's return, I often see responses like this.

After spending 500 years fighting to save the souls of his fallen comrades while enduring the decay of his own body, he has finally found peace. So why can't we just leave him alone?

I understand where this sentiment comes from.

However, there's something about this argument that has always bothered me.

Is Capitano really getting the rest he deserves in his current state?

And even if he is at peace right now, would remaining that way for eternity truly make him happy?

1. Resting and Being Unable to Move for Eternity Are Two Different Things

First, let's look at Capitano's current situation.

At the end of the Natlan Archon Quest, Capitano merged with the Lord of the Night, using his curse of immortality to sustain her existence and Natlan's ley lines indefinitely.

Through this sacrifice, the souls of his fallen comrades were finally saved, fulfilling the wish he had carried for centuries.

But what happened to Capitano himself?

His curse of immortality was never lifted. He remains suspended between life and death, bound to the throne.

Certainly, we can assume that he has been freed from the suffering caused by his decaying body and the voices of the souls he had been carrying.

But that doesn't necessarily mean he has regained his freedom.

Think about it this way.

Spending an entire day lying around and doing absolutely nothing can be a wonderful way to relax.

But what if you were forced to do that for the rest of your life, unable to go anywhere or do anything else?

It might feel comfortable at first, but what about after 100 years? 500 years? 1,000 years?

Of course, there's no definitive evidence that Capitano is currently suffering.

However, being at peace right now and being happy to remain in that state forever are two completely different things.

I don't think we should treat them as though they're the same.

2. Why Must He Shoulder Another Eternity After Finally Completing His 500-Year Mission?

One of the biggest reasons Capitano couldn't find peace for 500 years was the souls of his fallen comrades.

Unable to pass on, those souls remained with him, and he spent centuries carrying their suffering alongside his own.

But that problem was finally resolved during the Natlan storyline.

The souls he had desperately wanted to save were finally granted peace.

In other words, the mission that had driven Capitano for 500 years had finally reached its conclusion.

You would think this would be the moment when he could finally be freed from his responsibilities and begin living for himself.

Yet instead, he merged with the Lord of the Night and took on another responsibility: sustaining Natlan's ley lines for eternity.

After finally being released from a burden he had carried for 500 years, he was immediately given another burden with no end in sight.

Isn't that simply replacing one responsibility with another?

Of course, this was a choice Capitano made himself, and there's no denying that his decision saved Natlan.

That's precisely why his sacrifice was so meaningful.

But just because his sacrifice had meaning doesn't necessarily mean that sacrifice must continue forever.

3. Remember What Mavuika Went Through During Those 500 Years

There's another character whose story I think is particularly relevant here: Mavuika.

Five hundred years ago, she willingly entered the Sacred Flame to reach the future.

In the animated short depicting her journey, we see a symbolic portrayal of those 500 years.

As she continues along her seemingly endless path, she eventually loses sight of where she's going and comes to a stop.

It's only after an encounter reminiscent of her reunion with Hine that she remembers her purpose and begins running forward once again.

To me, this scene illustrates just how unimaginably long 500 years can feel to a human being.

And I think there are some interesting parallels with Capitano's current situation.

Of course, Mavuika's experience within the Sacred Flame and Capitano's fusion with the Lord of the Night are not exactly the same.

However, both involve willingly placing themselves in extraordinary circumstances for an extended period of time.

There's one crucial difference, though.

Mavuika had a destination waiting for her after 500 years. Capitano has no clearly defined endpoint.

If his current situation continues indefinitely, we're not just talking about another 500 years.

It could be 1,000 years, 2,000 years, or even longer.

No matter how strong Capitano's willpower is, he's still human.

So how can anyone confidently claim that he would be content to remain in the exact same state for eternity?

4. Capitano Is a Human Being, Not a God

Personally, I think this is the most important point.

The Lord of the Night is an angel, a being fundamentally different from humans.

She has a duty to serve humanity and has long played a role in maintaining Natlan's ley lines.

But what about Capitano?

He may be the First of the Fatui Harbingers, possessing power far beyond that of an ordinary human.

Yet fundamentally, he is still human.

He lived for 500 years because he was cursed with immortality, not because he wished for eternal life.

So why should he be expected to shoulder the same eternal responsibilities as an angel?

His decision to save the Lord of the Night was meaningful.

But if that decision means he must now fulfill that role forever, isn't that an incredibly cruel irony?

For 500 years, he lived for the sake of others.

And now, even after finally saving the souls of his comrades, he still cannot live for himself.

That's why I find it difficult to call his current situation a complete salvation.

5. "But Capitano Chose This Ending Himself, So We Should Respect His Decision"

I imagine some people will respond to everything I've said with this argument:

"But Capitano willingly sat on that throne. Shouldn't we respect his decision?"

And to that, I completely agree.

Nobody forced Capitano to take his place on the throne.

He willingly chose to merge with the Lord of the Night to accomplish his goals.

I have absolutely no intention of dismissing that decision.

But here's something I'd like people to consider.

If we truly respect his wishes, shouldn't we also respect the possibility that those wishes might change someday?

For example, imagine that Capitano somehow becomes capable of moving freely again in the future, and he personally decides that he wants to walk forward once more.

Would people still say, "Just let him rest"?

At that point, wouldn't they be disregarding the very wishes they claim to respect?

Of course, if Capitano himself genuinely wants to continue resting, that's also a perfectly valid choice.

What matters isn't whether he comes back or remains where he is.

What matters is that Capitano himself should be the one who gets to decide.

We don't currently know whether he'll be able to express his wishes again, or whether there's even a way for him to leave the throne.

But respecting the decision he made in the past and denying him the possibility of a different future are not the same thing.

6. What Would True Salvation Look Like for Capitano?

So, if Capitano were to return, what kind of ending would I actually want for him?

Personally, I don't think simply bringing him back to life would be enough.

I want him to be freed from his curse of immortality, live as an ordinary human being, and eventually die as an ordinary human being.

To me, that would be the most fitting conclusion to his story.

After all, Capitano never asked to become immortal.

For 500 years, he was denied even the ability to die, forced to continue living as his body slowly decayed.

And even now, his curse of immortality remains.

What someone like him needs isn't another eternity.

Isn't it the chance to finally reclaim the ordinary human life that was taken away from him?

Of course, for this to happen, there would need to be some way to maintain the Night Kingdom without depending on Capitano, as well as a solution to the condition of his physical body.

Whether such solutions exist remains unknown.

But imagine, for a moment, that these problems were resolved and Capitano could finally move freely again.

He could choose to return to battle if that's what he wanted.

Or he could spend the rest of his life somewhere peaceful, far removed from all the responsibilities he's carried for centuries.

And when his time eventually came, he could pass away naturally, just like any other human being.

I think only then could we truly say that he had been freed from the curse that had bound him for 500 years.

7. His Story Doesn't Have to End on That Throne

Finally, there's something I want to make clear.

I don't believe Capitano's ending in Natlan was meaningless.

Quite the opposite.

His decision to sacrifice himself to save the souls of his comrades and protect Natlan was incredibly meaningful.

But I also don't see why that decision must be the final choice he ever makes.

His long journey was portrayed as having reached its conclusion during the Natlan storyline.

But does that necessarily mean his entire future must end there as well?

Wanting Capitano to return doesn't automatically mean rejecting or undermining his sacrifice.

In fact, I think there's something beautiful about the possibility of a man who spent 500 years living for others finally getting the opportunity to live for himself.

And if Capitano himself wishes to walk forward again, I would want that decision to be respected.

On the other hand, if he genuinely wishes to remain at rest after everything he's been through, then that choice should be respected too.

Ultimately, what I want isn't for Capitano to be brought back against his will.

I want him to regain the freedom to choose his own future.

"Just let Capitano rest."

I understand the sentiment behind those words.

But if we genuinely want him to find peace, I don't think we should assume that remaining asleep forever is the only acceptable answer.

After spending 500 years living for everyone else, doesn't Thrain deserve the chance to finally decide how he wants to live his own life?

So, we're all expecting version 8.x to bring

a new reaction, and with people thinking it's gonna be 'Solar', Pyro will definitely take the spotlight.

But that just gets me wondering-is Capitano really gonna be the headline character for this patch? Like, yeah, I've seen all the theories about him using Pyro, but I still feel like it's a stretch for them to actually release him as a Pyro unit.

That just makes me even more skeptical about him dropping in 8.x, especially in the first half. Honestly, at this point, I have zero clue when we're actually gonna see him

Sub 2 mins much better. Man hunters crest with silkspear is so satisfying. Capitano tomorrow.

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Lantern wrong? [Take with a grain of salt]

This could just be my capitano centric brain but this story (yes its a made up story) could be foreshadowing who our lantern rite character is. This is a story told for a Moonchase event and it sounds a lot like Capitano (I know someone here pointed this out already but I'm adding to it) Also, this thaumaturge calling upon the souls of the warriors to help him out in battle is exactly the kind of thing I'd expect to see him do in his come back and possibly in his kit.

Vesna his mentee

Vesna's quest is very cultivation liyue themed and Capitano himself looks like one of those Xanxia immortal cultivating dudes. Moreover, Vesna uses sword spirits in her attacks and it would be very neat if this is a preview of what Capitano's attacks might involve (or maybe his burst is like a soul army from the leylines he commands.) Maybe there is a chance in hell that Capitano is the lantern rite character?

Just add liyue lore

He went to Liyue once it was one of the nations he visited to try to lay the souls to rest. If they really wanted to they could give us lore about him in the black cliff forge which could have Khaenri'ahn or the unified nation ruins in an underground part of the map. Recall how Dainsleif and the other Khaenri'ahns felt some relief from the curse within the chasm. Maybe Capitano even extracted remanent souls from the shadowy husks in the chasm?

Or maybe he helped an adepti once and learned some adeptal magic from them? For a guy who said he traveled to all the nations it leaves a lot of room for interesting stories imo. If they never do I might just have to write some fanfiction of his travels.

Probably cope, the leakers say nope but...

If theres supposed to be some pyro lady adeptus in lantern rite, why did they not foreshadow her in this moonchase event? And why do we have visual descriptions of the other leaked characters and not her? I doubt Silverwing whom Lan Yan looks like a reincarnation of is her. Knowing my luck I'll probably be wrong and this 7.4 character is real and a 5 star. Cause Im aware this is a chinese game celebrating a chinese holiday so I totally get why they would release a chinese inspired character. They dont religiously release 5 star lantern rite characters every year (sometimes only a 4 star). But nothing is stopping them from releasing another Liyue 5 star so who knows? A girl can dream.

Boys, my girlfriend got Chibitano as a surprise gift for my birthday. I'm so happy, he looks so cool 🤩

Normal Attack: Three Virtues (Level 10)

Normal Attack: Performs up to 3 consecutive quick sword strikes.

Charged Attack: Consumes a certain amount of Stamina to perform 3 quick sword strikes.

Plunging Attack: Plunges from mid-air to strike the ground below, damaging opponents along the path and dealing AoE DMG upon impact.

Stats:

1-Hit DMG: 133%

2-Hit DMG: 233%

3-Hit DMG: 333%

Charged Attack DMG: 333% + 333% + 333%

Charged Attack Stamina Cost: 33.3

Plunge DMG: 133%

Low / High Plunge DMG: 233% / 333%

Elemental Skill: Aeternum (Level 10)

Thrain freezes time by plunging Antumbra into the ground, dealing massive initial AoE DMG. After the initial strike, Antumbra continues to unleash waves of AoE Eternal Cryo DMG for 13 seconds at intervals of 1.3 seconds per hit. Regular Opponents cannot attack while this skill is in effect.

"This heart and this sword will remember you for all of eternity."

Stats:

Skill Initial DMG: 3,333%

Antumbra Wave AoE DMG: 333%

Duration: 13s

Cooldown: 13s

Elemental Burst: Luna Invictus (Level 10)

Thrain reverts time to summon a physical manifestation of the eternal moon onto the battlefield. While the eternal moon is on the field, Thrain enters the Timeless state.

Timeless: Thrain gains a 33% bonus to DEF, ATK, Max HP, CRIT DMG, Elemental Mastery, Energy Recharge, and CRIT Rate based on his stats.

Apotheosis: Thrain also enters the Apotheosis state. While in this state, his Normal and Charged Attacks consume no Stamina, strike 3 times per attack, and are infused with Eternal Cryo DMG for the remainder of combat.

"He defied the rules of the world, and for that, THEY fear him."

Stats:

Eternal Moon Manifestation Duration: 33s

Apotheosis Duration: 33s

Timeless Duration: 33s

Energy Cost: 33

Special Elemental Burst: King of Hope (Level 10)

Can only be cast once while Thrain is in the Apotheosis state.

Thrain unleashes an ecliptic strike with Antumbra that ignores the laws of the universe itself. Any opponent hit by this attack is instantly erased from existence.

"He carries the guilt, the sins, and the hope of this world."

Stats:

King of Hope DMG: infinite.

Usage Limit: Once per combat.

Passives & Ascension Talents

1st Ascension Talent: The One Without Fate

Whenever Thrain is about to take damage, he automatically deflects the attack and deals 33% of the attacker's Max HP as DMG. Thrain is completely immune to damage while this effect triggers. This effect has no cooldown.

4th Ascension Talent: Three Heartbeats

For every 3 seconds Thrain remains in combat, he gains a 3.33% increase to all stats. This effect stacks indefinitely and resets whenever Thrain leaves combat.

Additional Talent: The Lone Apotheotic Warrior

Thrain cannot be added to a party with other characters.

Additional Talent: One with Thyself

When an opponent is hit by Eternal Cryo, they are inflicted with the Mistletoe status.

Each stack of Mistletoe increases the DMG taken by the opponent by 33.3%.

Stacks up to 3 times (maximum of 99% DMG increase).

Additionally, 100% of Thrain's Elemental Mastery is converted directly into flat ATK at a 1:3 ratio.

Passive Talent: Beloved Khaenri'ah

Whenever Thrain is in Neo Khaenri'ah, his appearance reverts to how he looked prior to the Curse of Immortality.

Promotional Weapon

Grievances of the Old World

Type: Sword

Base ATK: 888

Secondary Stat: 33.3% CRIT DMG

A sword forged in the depths of a windless land during the first heartbeat of a new world.

Passive Effect:

This weapon can only be equipped by Thrain.

Whenever Thrain erases an opponent using King of Hope, his CRIT Rate and CRIT DMG are permanently increased by 3.33% up to a maximum of 33.3% CRIT Rate and 99.9% CRIT DMG.

Additionally, while Thrain is in the Apotheosis state, his basic attacks deal bonus DMG equal to 33% of the target's Max HP.

"The day this sword came into my hands, I felt as if the very depths of the universe whispered my name."

— Thrain

I created all of the animation myself

I can also see the infinity symbol in it. What are your thoughts on this symbol?

"I always remember how he looked from behind. So sturdy and reliable, like a steadfast mountain. I never imagined there'd come a day when that mountain would fall. " - Vesna

I plan to keep filling up my desk space with drawings of the GOAT until he releases 😤✍️

I forgot to upload fuuh. And concentrating on this boss for more than 5 mins is hard but it’s just repeating the same dodges so it’s not that bad. Capitano tomorrow.

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Don't give up guys we're almost there

There's definitely a reason for all of this

Image from account @DailyCapitano (X)

Perhaps there's a reason they haven't revealed this yet. They might be hiding his face, waiting for the perfect moment in the Khaenri'ah arc. He could get a long animated short—similar to Sandrone's—showing his journey from Natlan to Snezhnaya, his appointment as a Harbinger, the moment his curse worsened, forcing him to put on the helmet, and his interaction with the soldiers there. It could also cover his journey across the other nations to find salvation for his people's souls, which opens up the possibility of him meeting prominent characters throughout Teyvat

I truly hope this happens in Khaenri'ah, because a character like Thrain has so many aspects that were only summarized for us without diving deep, such as:

1. His family: It was mentioned that he lost his homeland, his soldiers, and his family. Was he married with children, or did he mean he had siblings?
2. His relationship with Gothard in Khaenri'ah and his soldiers, and how he managed to escape the Cataclysm with his platoon.
3. Why did he get this heart, and why does it possess limitless capabilities? Who made it, and what was its original purpose? Was it solely to enhance his strength, or is there a prophecy from Vedrfolnir regarding Thrain specifically—stating that he is the one who will contribute to the restoration of Khaenri'ah alongside the Abyss Twin, thanks to his heart that stored the original souls and memories of his people?

And there are so many other questions that I could go on forever mentioning, like his childhood and relationships. Did he have very close friendships outside his duty as a knight, or was he introverted? I truly hope we see the light in Khaenri'ah, witness his return, and experience the best moments of his story by then

Since we're expecting him to drop in the first half of 8.x, let's talk about how he'll actually make his comeback. And I don't mean the lore/story side of things-I mean how it'll play out in terms of leaks and marketing

As we know once a beta update drops we can usually tell which characters have voiced lines in the Archon Quest. However, when it comes to something as massive as Capitano's return, I highly doubt the developers will let leakers spoil it. His appearance will likely be kept under wraps -either revealed in a final cutscene or teased during a Special Program livestream.

Right now, it's expected that we'll have main story quests across:

7.2

7.3

7.6

7.8

In my personal opinion, the ideal window for his return is between 7.3 and 7.6. While most people are betting on 7.8, I find it hard to believe his comeback would be crammed into a single patch. I'm no narrative expert, but a return like his needs proper buildup. By that, I mean we might learn about his return before we actually meet him face-to-face

A progression like this makes the most sense:

7.3 A major hint or teaser pointing to his return.

7.6 Full confirmation that he is back.

7.8 Directly meeting him in-game

I also have another reason regarding 7.8. Based on leaks, Dainsleif might finally become playable around then. Revealing Capitano out of nowhere in that same patch could negatively impact Dainsleif's banner sales. To prevent that, establishing Capitano's return early gives players enough time to plan their pulls

To lay all my thoughts on the table: early leaks about the next region usually start circulating well ahead of its release. Even though many early leaks turn out fake, something as significant as the premiere character of a major version is easy to leak or tease. Again, I don't think HoYoverse would let leakers ruin such a massive

moment.

Think about it: what if a leak surfaces around 7.7 claiming he's the poster character for 8.x, yet he hasn't even returned in the story yet? That would look absurd.

Because of that, I truly believe 7.3 to 7.6 is the final realistic window for his narrative return.

Anyway, just my two cents and personal speculation. If I got anything wrong, feel free to correct me. Also, sorry if anything sounds a bit off or hard to understand- English isn't my first language, so I used Al to help translate my thoughts. Thanks for reading!!

Honestly I just wanted to discuss something, why do yall like his design? I personally like it a lot and I had been trying to think of the specific reasoning behind it besides being tall with black/grey clothes with navy blue/gold accents. I guess this stirred up with the recent dainslef leaks but if capi was ever playable I would want his design to stay 100% the same, it has a sort of darth vader effect to it. His design with or without the coat already displays that he is a large powerful person and I think removing the mask would genuinely take away from that. It would be like comparing Vader and anikan, anikan does not look nearly as imposing as darth vader and the mask plays a large part in that

Those looked sick in the end. Capitano tomorrow.

Just as the title says. All of the top harbingers have a connection. Dottore had his artifical moon marrow, Columbina is pretty self explanatory, and Arlecchino has a connection to the iridescent moon. His sword, Antumbra has a connection to eclipses. Does he have a connection to a moon? If he does, is that perhaps the reason he's able to fly? What are your guys' thoughts?

Most likely if he gets released in 8.x he'll use a reaction similar to both Lunar and Stellar

And the fact that this archetype requires elemental application to deal damage

As someone who loves playing solo with my favorite characters I feel like constantly having to swap will be a bit annoying

Worst case scenario I hope he's at least

like C6 Lauma or even Zibai