[5.3] The TRUTH about the first Pyro Archon – A Genshin Impact Theory

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Everyone’s talkin’ about Capitano this, and Ronova that, Nod Krai blah blah blah – MEANWHILE I’m still preoccupied with this weird little guy: the first Pyro Archon Xbalanque. Cuz I dunno if you guys know this but he just APPEARS in history one day. No backstory, no family history, no nothing! So where did he come from? Who exactly WAS Xbalanque?

Stick around to find out!

#hoyocreators #genshinlore #natlan

**TIMESTAMPS**
00:00 Introduction
03:00 Historical Context
09:05 Theory

**SPOILER WARNINGS**
– Archon Quest Chapter 5 Act 5
– Mavuika’s Story Quest
– Mualani Story Quest/Tribal Chronicle
– Ochkanatlan main world quest (including Hall of Parting Vow, Hanan Pacha/Upper Sanctum, and Ancient Temple sub-quests)

**CITATIONS**
https://pastebin.com/kJJMtJnv

source

48 thoughts on “[5.3] The TRUTH about the first Pyro Archon – A Genshin Impact Theory”

  3. Perhaps, I'm just remembering wrong, but Records of Hanan Pacha called the dragon defeated by Chaac and the Sage, a scion of Xiuhcoatl, right? Also, in the Pre-Banquet of the Contenders (obsidian goblet), it's implied Wayobs already existed prior to the defeat of Xiuhcoatl, and that the influence of tribal wayobs is what the Sage failed to foresee. This should mean that Chaac would've created the first Wayob achieving his desire to reunite with his comrades prior to Xbalanque defeating Xiuhcoatl. Even if Chaac lived after creating the first Wayob, it is hard to imagine him going on to complete Xblanaque's journey and not be someone the Sage had accounted for. It really seems like, "the hero who had drawn from the flame rode a tamed beast to the fortress built from massive stones through the guidance of the tribal Wayob,"(obsidian goblet) is meant to be Xbalanque and is way of connecting to Mavuika and her bike.

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  6. When the lore is jumbled up and cryptic or unclear, we can only assume and theorize. Leave it to Ashikai to see through the foggy lore and tie extremely loose ends to make a coherent video from poetic scattered crumbs. Honestly, the game should give clearer indications that Xbalanque is indeed Chaac. Most players do not have this level of intelligence and insight to piece together lore that is hidden like this. If the devs could get Yohualtecuhtin to talk about the three realms of Teyvat in an archon quest, then they ought to reveal more hidden lore in a more obvious way. Such as lore about Chaac and about the scarlet-eyed hero. And the lore about Tequil the Brave.

    Speaking of which, any thoughts on Tequil the Brave @Ashikai? It has not been mentioned in the video or in the citations, so perhaps it It's possible that this story is an allegory referencing true events about Xbalanque and a potential brother of his. I'll explain:

    Your video got me thinking about Venti, how he's not actually Venti, but only took Venti's name and personality. Similar thing with Ei and Makoto. Isn't it possible that Tequil and Rimac could be referencing Chaac and Xbalanque respectively? Meaning, Chaac the fool found out that his brother the wise, died in the hands of the enemy. The enemy being the earth mother (Abyss) and the serpent (Lord of Eroded Primal Fire i.e. the corrupted Xiuhcoatl). It would mean Waxaklahun Ubah Kan was not referenced in the story because he was playing a supportive role, I think. The story explains why the serpent has one eye, it was given to it by the earth mother – is it applicable to what happened with Xiuhcoatl? I think it's possible, perhaps an alternative to the theory at (11:36). The Goddess of Mountains and Fire could be referencing the Lord of the Night, and the gem that stopped his wound, could be the Pyro gnosis. We could say that Chaac's objective was to make Xbalanque's name known by all. This way, we could say Xbalanque had an actual biological twin, not a thematic one as you propose at (12:47). It's the only story that could justify the possibility of Xbalanque (or Chaac, as we now believe) having a twin brother.

    The aforementioned story has different versions at the Children of Echoes perhaps to accommodate the myth of the Mayan twins in real life. That would make Chaac the Hunahpu of Genshin Impact. Xbalanque and Chaac, just like Makoto and Ei, or like Rukkhadevata and Nahida, the former of each couple of gods being the moon, the latter being the sun. Can anyone prove otherwise? Makes sense to me.

    Afterthoughts:
    1. The fact that Xbalanque appeared in Mavuika's story quest could be hinting at one thing: both of them lost a loved one, a sibling. Mavuika lost (or got separated from) Hine. And Xbalanque (or Chaac) lost the real Xbalanque. I wish the story quest addressed it, or at least introduced Mavuika's sister. Hine could have been a moon figure just as Mavuika is a sun figure. A story like that of Makoto and Ei. Anyway…
    2. Waxaklahun Ubah Kan could be argued to be a moon figure just as Xbalanque was a sun figure, because he served humanity as a god figure (imagine Prometheus) right after the sun figure before him died by the hands of Xbalanque. However, a counter argument could be made that Ubah Kan is no god but a dragon who does not care about humanity, as Och-Kan perceived, an enemy to get rid of from the human society.

    Edit: "or in the citations"

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  16. Idk about the name change reasoning. You mention that xbalanque and chaac could be the same since a change in status is a common thing seen in the nahua people. However xbalanque's name doesn't come from nahuatl, its a mayan name. The mayans did not matching 1:1 cultures with the nahua at all even if there was interlap, the story of Xbalanque and hunapu doesn't exist in any equivalence for the nahuas for example.What the popol vuh does do to inspire genshin is basically the whole ancient name system, since the mayas did think that sharing names with powerful people was a source for knowledge and influence and etc.

    But then again what genshin has really done with natlan making a grinded and blended porridge out of mythological and cultural elements from frankesnteining half the world, with a main serving of mesoamerica sort of does make me wonder. I think if anything it wouldn't be reliable to take any real world justification than whatever the hoyo devs would decide to make up as the actual justification in any case.

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  17. I don't know how to describe this feeling but the magic of genshin isn't working for me anymore. I used to love watching your lore videos but now… nothing, it feels empty. Truth be told, you do a better job fleshing out genshin lore for them lol. Natlan dropped the ball for me, after finishing the Archon quest, it felt bland and anti-climatic. People say the lore drop was insane, but the storytelling didn't do the lore any justice.

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  21. The truth is that he once joined a group called Grand Chase to combat the evil Kazea'ze, but in between fighting monsters he couldn't help but be a fan of Amy's dances.

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  22. The problem with this theory is that their are two independent pacts made with Ronova with Chaac's being necessary for Xabalnque's story and you can't die twice. There are other smaller problems like the obsidian codex saying Chaac found the first tribe but in Xbalnque's story you have characters like Yupanqui who already have tribal affiliations and it's clear their are many generations between the two as Waxaklahun Ubah Kan had been teaching the people how to use fire and they instead fought amongst themselves.and made sacrifices (pre banquet of contenders). Also the obsidian codex places the stealing of the fire and the people of natlan learning how to use phlogiston in the age of the dragons as the winged ones were said to be still sleeping and unaware that their time was ending making it very unlikely pyro sovereign was killed here because when Xblanque kills him the age of the dragons is thoroughly over.

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  25. Anyone else having problems with Ashikai's Infinite Nikki affiliate link? I think the website is bugged?? I've been thinking of playing and this seemed like a good excuse to finally start but it won't let me download the game… qwq

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  32. I like this theory because of the link to the concept of “change your name, change your fate”. Xbalanque would then have 3 names (Ancient, original, Archon) and potentially another we don’t know! Ultimate avoider of fate! That would also explain why the Pyro Gemstone and the Xiucoatl boss fight still have a name blanked out – the evidence has to stay erased. There’s obviously more to the story (1000 year lie, time shenanigans, other inconsistencies) but this is a cool theory to mull over until we get more info.

    Also! Scarlet eyed boy till date still does not have a name in the records. Xbalanque inhabited the body of a scarlet eyed boy. Can’t be a coincidence!

    Wouldn’t be surprised if the answer or “truth” also helps connects Mavuika to Vanessa. Their stories have a lot of parallels… and so far, no other Natlanese have red eyes and red hair except these 3.

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  34. Bro really befriended dragons, defeated the pyro sovereign, became the pyro archon and seduce the shade of death to not only create a whole new ley lines system but also to resurrect himself thousand of years in future to see how the nation is doing.

    What a gigachad.

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  35. I have several issues with this video. Firstly, the disrespect to the Maya name Waxaklahun Ubah Kan. If you can't be bothered to pronounce it, just call him "the Sage" as many places in the lore do. Calling him 'wuk' is just disrespectful to a culture that experienced cultural, linguistic and actual genocide. Now, for your actual theories:

    The biggest problem with your theory is that all of Chaac's companions DIED. They didn't part normally, they DIED due to the verdict of time. And this is why you couldn't explain why Chaac wanted to contact the Night Kingdom to see them and could only explain it by utilitarian terms – he just wanted to see his old friends again. The Wayob do NOT exist to give out ancient names and i have no idea how you'd come to that totally incorrect conclusion. They exist to connect the people of Natlan to their ancestors and grant them guidance, to give the tribes a centre. Which is what Chaac wanted.

    Chaac did not found tribes plural – he founded one tribe, the very first (and all of them died/scattered later). In Xbalanque's time, not only were there many tribes, but they had become so well-estabished that they were infighting after so many victories over the dragons. This means that CHAAC AND XBALANQUE DID NOT LIVE IN THE SAME TIME PERIOD AT ALL.

    It also makes more sense that Och-Kan's hatred for dragons comes from being imprisoned by them than being imprisoned FOR being a dragon. Thus, there is no need for Xbalanque to be a respected leader at that point at all.

    Lastly, your use of Vol.1 of Records of Hanan Pacha. There is nothing stating this dragon has to be Xiuhcoatl. It is confirmed in the opening text to the story that the story has no basis in historical fact, for starters. There is just too much that doesn't line up with time periods especially Och-kan's birth and the establishment of the tribes gaining victory over many dragons.

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  38. in Indonesia when you are a child and you often get sick, there is a custom to change your name and most of them are no longer sick. for example, the 7th Indonesian president Joko Widodo was previously named Mulyono. And a lot of my friends to

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  39. What if Xbalanque was originally his Ancient Name, but once he became archon it became his actual name, being replaced by Kiongozi, the Ancient Name him and Mavuika share, being some kind of a prophecy that many Pyro Archons have held as well. Also, I’m confused with the fact that Kachina has said the Pyro Archon ages and dies like a normal human, but Mavuika stated that she could live for at least 200 years more, and she had already technically lived for 500+

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  44. What annoys me about xblanque is that he sounds SOO much like Anakin from Star Wars… so much so i have to skip his lines whenever he appears otherwise i get hit by Revenge of the Sith trauma

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  48. 10:27 you said xbalanque appear when chaac disappears but from what I can gather it's the opposite
    Xbalanque frees ochkan then fights the pyro sovereign (meaning he shows up before) and chaac fights the pyro sovereign and then he teaches humans to use phlogiston

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