Highlights

  • Honkai: Star Rail and Genshin Impact share loose connections through the Imaginary Tree and shared lore.
  • Archons and Aeons are similar as gods in their respective universes, affecting gameplay through elements and paths. Archons and Aeons also rely on their followers for influence and power, with their legacies living on even after their deaths.
  • Aeons are arguably stronger than Archons due to their wider influence. Additionally, Aeons create wider paths to attaining their favor, while Archons are seemingly more selective with who can wield elements.

Honkai: Star Rail and Genshin Impact’s characters do not exist in the same universe. However, some in-game lore and fan theories suggest that they are linked through the Imaginary Tree, which connects all the games’ worlds. Considering the loose interconnectedness of each game’s lore, it’s no surprise that some story elements may seem similar — like the Aeons in Honkai: Star Rail and Archons in Genshin Impact.

MiHoYo hints at the links of its games within its HoYoVerse multiverse through subtle easter eggs and more apparent connections like Welt Yang, who somehow crossed over from HI3’s universe to HSR’s. This is because Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail, and Honkai Impact 3rd’s universes are all leaves on the Imaginary Tree. It is known in each game’s lore that the gods of Genshin and HSR can perceive and interact with other realities and universes. As such, it’s not a stretch to think that Aeons and Archons are connected and even comparable in some way.

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The Similarities of Honkai: Star Rail’s Aeons and Genshin Impact’s Archons

HSR’s Aeons and Genshin Impact’s Archons are essentially the gods of their respective universes, and they often perform like the usual fictional deity. They provide blessings to their devoted followers in the form of special powers and get into world-ending tussles with their fellow transcendental beings. These are all explained in each game through gameplay and lore drops.

How the Archon’s Elements and Aeon’s Paths Affect Gameplay

The Archons and Aeons are deeply rooted in each game’s core gameplay mechanics.

  • Archons and Elements: Genshin Impact’s characters follow an element, which affects the way they interact with enemies through elemental reactions. Allies with the same elements also gain Resonance buffs. Each of the seven elements is presided over by an Archon. For example, Barbatos is an Archon of Anemo, which means that they can bend the wind to their will.
  • Aeons and Paths: The characters in Honkai: Star Rail follow a path, which affects the way they interact with enemies and allies. For example, the path of Abundance is often associated with healing and cleansing allies, while the path of the Hunt focuses on dealing big damage to single targets. These paths are more abstract than Genshin’s elements, as they deal with ideals and philosophies. Yaoshi, the Aeon of Abundance, is all about keeping the existence of life and peace, so their most powerful followers gain the ability to heal others.

The Importance of Factions of Aeons and Archons

While gods are omnipotent, they are still dependent on their followers to enact their will and spread their legend. The Archons of Genshin Impact rule over their respective nation within Teyvat, whose residents worship them. However, it seems like only a select few can resonate with an element, and it’s unclear whether Archons choose to bestow powers onto them or not.

On the other hand, the Aeons create a path for people to freely follow on their own. As such, people from different cities and even planets can follow an Aeon’s path in Honkai: Star Rail and harness its power to varying success. It seems that the more emotionally in-tune and dedicated a follower is to their path, the more favored they are by an Aeon.

The Power and Influence of Archons and Aeons

When it comes to power, Aeons may be more dominant than Archons simply because of the scale of their influence. Aeons are worshipped by followers across different planets, and their powers can create and decimate worlds. Meanwhile, players only know the power of the Archons within Teyvat.

Another parallel between Archons and Aeons is that their elements and paths can outlive them if they get killed. The Astral Express still follows and harnesses the path of the Trailblaze despite its Aeon Akavili’s supposed death. Meanwhile, Genshin’s dead gods can be replaced by other existing Archons or those who ascend into godhood using their element. It just goes to show that in HoYoVerse, and even in real life, one’s legacy is the true measure of their immortality.