Penacony Seems Like an Ominous Honkai: Star Rail Destination

Finally, we got to know more about the Honkai: Star Rail destination Penacony. It’s a place we were supposed to head to, before the “Windswept Wanderlust” Trailblaze Missions swept us off course. While “Obsequies Performed, A Long Road Ahead” was quite a brief interlude, it did set up things to come. Also, I honestly feel like it set an ominous tone for our future trip to Penacony.

Editor’s Note: There will be Honkai: Star Rail spoilers concerning Penacony below.

First of all, I think it is interesting how close the name of the Honkai: Star Rail planet “Penacony” is to “penal colony.” It might be a bit on the nose. Still, it does make sense and it definitely gets across the idea of the planet’s origin without outright saying it was a prison.

Second, we only have a basic understanding of what to expect from Penacony. We were supposed to head there instead of the Xianzhou Luofu, after all. However, the Stellaron crisis there and Kafka sidetracked that. The Astral Express was sent an invitation to the former penal colony turned alleged “utopia” by a group called the Family. So we know going in that this is a planet that went from a prison to a paradise after a Stellaron burst, and that the Astral Express crew is allegedly “welcome” there.

However, there are some concerning parts. We know the IPC was involved with Penacony originally in Honkai: Star Rail. Our experience with that group so far includes Findie ads and them trying to turn the Xianzhou Luofu’s Aurum Alley into a warehouse. One of its agents even attempts to scam the merchants there during it, stooping to sabotage.

We also know that the planet is currently associated with the Aeon Xipe and Harmony path. In game, characters on that path seem to have a laudable goal of helping others. Some of the best supporter units in the game belong to it, like Bronya and Tingyun. However, there are also some ominous elements to Xipe. We know this is an Aeon is essentially a legion of multiple ones. While it is focused on harmony and unity, it also suggests everyone must come together. This could imply that the people on Penacony suggest abandoning all sense of self and “uniting” into some sort of hivemind.

We also had a Memory Bubble on Herta Space Station involving the Family and Penacony appear in Honkai: Star Rail since launch. In it, we see the viewpoint of a person who was trying to get an invitation to Penacony from the Family. Someone known as Mr. Renoir, who is associated with the group and planet, interacted with the person. At the end of this story, the person telling the tale mentions being told by a “noise” that may or may not be Mr. Renoir to put a hand into an ominous box. After they do, they describe feeling as though everyone is watching and judging them as though they are a criminal.

Clearly, Penacony seems like an ominous place in Honkai: Star Rail. We’ve seen what Stellarons can do to planets and locations. We know they can corrupt. The one above this new planet clearly caused a drastic change. While our party is invited, it feels like we’re being set up for being lured into a potential trap. However, if Honkai: Star Rail follows Genshin Impact’s example, we may not know more until 2024.

Honkai: Star Rail is available for PCs and mobile devices, and a PS5 version will arrive in 2023.

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