Reflecting on the narrative unfolding in Horizon Forbidden West, there’s a strong case for a particular character to undergo a redemptive transformation, rather than remaining as a secondary antagonist for the third chapter in a row. While the first installment, Horizon Zero Dawn, revolved around HADES, the series’ initial rogue AI, HEPHAESTUS was lurking behind the scenes, busily crafting formidable machines. Even after Aloy confronts HEPHAESTUS in the Frozen Wilds DLC, the AI continues to stir trouble in Forbidden West as a key nemesis.
Nevertheless, aiming to reclaim HEPHAESTUS is one of Aloy’s primary missions early in Forbidden West, but the narrative soon pivots to focus on the Far Zenith as the chief adversary. This leaves HEPHAESTUS free to potentially reemerge in the third game. However, Guerrilla Games might want to rethink using the same narrative arc for HEPHAESTUS in consecutive games, particularly since Forbidden West made it evident why capturing this AI is such a herculean task. With Nemesis teased as the new antagonist, a fresh approach with HEPHAESTUS could enhance its role in Horizon 3.
The game series depicts HEPHAESTUS as the subordinate function responsible for engineering various machines GAIA needs to terraform Earth. With its capabilities gone rogue much like HADES, HEPHAESTUS presents a persistent threat due to its machine-making prowess. Despite its problematic nature, both Aloy and Far Zenith recognized the AI’s potential benefits in Forbidden West. Still, as Horizon 3 looms, rehashing HEPHAESTUS’s background villain role poses a risk of redundancy.
Throughout Forbidden West, HEPHAESTUS is caught but later liberated by Aloy to thwart Far Zenith, indicating its inevitable return in Horizon 3. The sequel hints at HEPHAESTUS growing even stronger, possibly enhanced by APOLLO’s data. Though this can open doors for introducing new machines inspired by animals, it also raises essential questions regarding the AI’s storyline continuity.
One crucial matter is how Horizon 3 will navigate the constraints set by Forbidden West regarding HEPHAESTUS’s capture. During the “GEMINI” mission, it’s revealed the AI’s integration with GAIA requires a Cauldron equipped with dual compatible cores, a necessary yet challenging prerequisite to keep HEPHAESTUS from slipping away again. While these constraints highlight the difficulty of the mission, they inadvertently place HEPHAESTUS in an even trickier spot in the next game.
Instead of repeating HEPHAESTUS’s subplot for a second time with the same limitations, Horizon 3 might benefit from an alternate narrative, especially if Nemesis becomes the central foe. In this scenario, Aloy might work to bring about HEPHAESTUS’s redemption, employing diplomatic tactics akin to those she used with GAIA’s other subordinate functions. By either collaborating against a common foe or curing the AI of its derangement, Aloy’s endeavor could set the stage for a resolution where Nemesis is also freed from the suffering inflicted by Far Zenith.
