Snezhnaya trailer Analysis time (with some theories) My Tsaritsa child theories are still being worked on, but here's my analysis of the assassination plot that people have probably already discussed, but I had fun with it so hey haha (and who knows maybe people haven't)
First off, while we know from previous region trailers the events for the most part don't literally happen as shown, they do generally jibe with the vibes of the story/character set forth.
So this dude:
The man who starts the chain reaction of the councilors(?) rejecting Project Stuzha. He is the same man as earlier in the trailer:
This guy who was threatened by Odette at knife point and was going to be sniped by Alyosha (who works with Vodyanitsa). His bodyguard(?) is Valeriy, who we know from the recent event is a Major in the Fatui.
So the general plot line of this, is that Vody and Alyosha are planning to assassinate him for some reason, but the Fatui (via Valeriy) want him protected and alive. Odette however manages to sneak in and threaten him with a knife, presumably threatening him into objecting to Project Stuzha (hence why our Harbingers are quite surprised at the objection).
Vody mentions a Lelek, who considering the framing of the above shot, and the fact that Lelek is a bird, is probably referencing Odette. Whether Lelek is like her codename or something else, I'm not sure at this moment.
I am curious how Odette and Vody connect. Because they both are seemingly against the Fatui, and are both performers (opera singer and ballerina)? I wonder if they are less different factions, and instead are the same group but slightly different modus operandi. Odette keeping the man alive but threatening him to vote against Project Stuzha, while Vody thinks it's better to just kill him (how killing him would help, idk, though it might just be in the trailer for drama and not something that literally happened this way). But they could very easily be rival factions, though if they are, I am curious how their goals differ.
Or maybe it's a red herring, and Alyosha was sent to snipe Odette when she showed up, and Valeriy who was sent to guard him by the Fatui rightfully misunderstood his intentions to allow us a cool trailer wolf bear fight. So she and Alyosha are on the Fatui's side. I'm not sure how I feel on this one, because of Vody's whole speech which implies she probably isn't on the Tsaritsa's side, but wanted to bring it up.
Though Vody is interesting, because even if we ignore that one possibly sus leak I won't mention, she is part of the Korolevskiy Troupe. Which we know from Columbina and couple other places seems to be quite pro-fatui? Like they have their fancy free Harbinger box the Harbs take advantage of all the time (off-topic, but I need more fan art of the famed Sandy complaining about Dottolone at the theater that remembers that Columbina and Siggy and probably all the Harbs but Arle were also there. Give me more Harb Found Family Theater adventures).
So I wonder if the free Harbinger stuff is just a cover to hide the Tropes anti-Fatui secrets, or if Vody is doing this separate from the Trope. Easily could go either way. Odette and her ballerina almost points the trope's involvement, but also Alyosha seemingly is unrelated to the Trope based on his design so who knows.
Is Danica and her mission related to any of this? I have no idea haha. The dude she shoves over is white haired too, but he is wearing different clothes so is probably a different man (and we only see the shoes of the other people in the room, so nothing to go off there. and the room itself doesn't have anything interesting in it).
But the reason I spent some time going over this, even if these exact events probably won't happen in game, is that it is implying pretty heavily that there is internal division in Snezhnaya on what needs to be done. Not everyone is happy with the Fatui, and we will hopefully be seeing some playable characters in conflict with each other in some meaningful ways (I had a great time with Nod-Krai, but one of my big critiques is how they hyped up the faction tensions and then basically nothing came of it. I really hope they rectify that here).
Based on Vody's speech, she's not remotely pro-gods/Heavenly Principles, but isn't really pro-Fatui/Tsaritsa either. As she herself says,
"We find a way to transcend the rules"
Valeriy, unless there is some twist, is representing the Fatui in this little specific conflict, so by process of elimination, I wonder if Odette will represent the people who wish to remain under the reign of the Heavenly Principles. I think that would inspire the most interesting conflict, but there is nothing that hints at Odette's motivations so far so we shall see (even her being a swan lake reference really doesn't give us anything. I mean, the story ends with Odette and her lover ascending into heaven? But until the game gives us more I wouldn't read into that just yet).
My main question going into Snezhnaya is where we (the traveler) will fit into this. In the long term I feel fairly safe in saying we will end up siding with the Fatui (tbh I think most if not all of the Snezhnayan playable characters will as well, but u never know). Despite what people might claim about the Fatui being set up as the big bads, ever since 1.1 with Childe's lore/Zhongli's contract with the Tsaritsa (honestly bits even in 1.0 lol, the cataclysm was never a good look), it's been fairly obvious we would team up with the fatui against the Heavenly Principles.
But the question will be if we side with other factions first, or will we just immediately start allying with the Fatui. With how we act around the Fatui these last several regions, it could really go either way haha. Also I didn't bring it up, but there is still very much the possibility of inter-Harbinger drama too
But I don't think this will really happen. The person people might point to is Pantalone, but no. Just no lol. Like I could be wrong but so much of his lore and goals line up with the Tsaritsa. So I cannot see him causing any true issues. Pulcinella at this point is the Harb we know the least about (ignoring missing 10, though at this point they might be Rhine lol. I kind of hope she is because that would be so funny). But while people theorize he is holding Childe's family as hostage, that's Scara's biased opinion lol. He infamously doesn't understand his ex-coworkers at all. Arle also complains about him, but not in a way that implies he'll betray the Harbs. At this point he would just be too obvious a twist villain? Its more interesting if he's a morally ambiguous ally. And he's decently likely to be playable due to being in the Dain trailer, so likely to be reasonable. So yeah, while Harbinger drama is likely, I don't think there will be any major betrayals/conflict between them. More likely to just have external conflicts they have to deal with.
That Harbinger sidebar went longer than expected lol. You know me, Harbinger girlie haha.
But yeah, I think the early Snezhnaya Archon quests will be more inter-Snezhnaya conflict, which will eventually shift into conflict with Ronova/HP and probably another Sinner will show up like Rerir did. Hrop is probably Pierro's old boss, so I feel fairly safe he will finally show up. I can also see Surt showing up properly out of flashback because of his Childe connection. Rhine is confirmed to be here, but she is probably on our side. Or at least the Tsaritsa's, considering you can see the Life Shade power around the Tsaritsa's spear in the trailer. I controversially think Rhine isn't actually evil like a lot of people do, so I think she will stay our ally, but maybe she will betray us (I hope not, but who knows. I just really hope when Dain inevitably shows up they get more scenes together).
Back to the Vodyanitsa/Alyosha/Odette/Valeriy conflict I really do hope this trailer is showing a microcosm of the larger conflict at play in Snezhnaya, and Genshin will really dive into it. All sides have valid points, even if ultimately we need to overthrow the Heavenly Principles.
avem you knew not to trust the trailer... why did you delude yourself lol
Hoyo what do you mean Odette is part of the Fatui??? Was she not threatening him to vote against Project Stuzha??? Or was he nervous because he was ignoring her threat? (and maybe Vody was trying to kill him for the same reason, that he was always planning on voting against Project Stuzha) Or was I wrong and there is a traitor among the Harbingers.... But none of them were acting like they foresaw his objection...
blah, we shall see haha. I am way more curious about her now (we shall see if I like her enough to pull in this ultra stacked cast lol. My funds are quite good so I have some wiggle room, but I do like being careful)
