Has Genshin Nicole Merely Lost Her Voice? Speculation on Nicole's Backstory

Hello Travelers! This article will explain some of the settings regarding angels and seelie, and attempt to uncover the hidden secrets and background stories behind Nicole. Some inferences may lack sufficient evidence and are for reference only.

In the official character introduction for Nicole, it is mentioned: "The moonlit chariot of the heavens shattered like crystal... For Nicole, the story had not reached its end. Rather, it was those who had once read it, and those who had once listened to its telling, who had long since taken their leave... she had even lost the voice with which she laughed."

Thus, the angel mentioned in the weapon lore of Azurelight—"One of us shall wander beneath moonless night, drinking a sea of tears in futility for kin who will not return."—can essentially be confirmed as Nicole. The "moonless night" corresponds to the shattered moon, the "sea of tears" to the lost laughter, and the "kin who will not return" to the departed readers and listeners of the past.

Genshin Angels and Seelie

The lore regarding angels, or rather seelie, can be traced back to the early-game book Records of Jueyun Vol. 4—Mountain Spirits. It mentions that the ancestors of the seelie met an outsider traveler, made a vow under the witness of the Three Moon Sisters, and finally, the seelie ancestors and her sisters were punished by calamity, losing their physical forms and wisdom.

These details correspond with the later text from the artifact set "Finale of the Deep Galleries." The ancestor of the seelie, also called the Dawn-Maiden, was moved by the beautiful future described by the star-faring traveler. She broke free from the constraints Phanes had placed upon her and fell in love with this traveler.

The outsider traveler and the First Angel made an oath to free the many beings imprisoned by Phanes, believing that Teyvat's creatures should not be confined within the eggshell but should look up to the stars. This vow was undoubtedly a blatant betrayal of Phanes, and everything was witnessed by the Three Moons.

The Punishment Received by the Genshin Angels

The punishment inflicted upon the angels, as explained by Wolfy in the theater preparation room, was to offer something upon a rusty scale until one side gave way. One could offer their intellect or their physical form, but Nicole chose to place something on both sides until the scale broke.

Speaking of scales, it is precisely in the "Finale of the Deep Galleries" artifact set that the phrase "the unerring scales" appears. In light of the earlier mention of the rusty scales, this statement becomes deeply ironic.

Returning to the cost, some angels offered their minds, retaining only their power; others offered their flesh, keeping only the instinct to guide others. This means that in considering the price, physical form, power, and intellect are three dimensions. However, compared to the "wolf, snake, and lizard," the fate of the "rabbit" seems exceedingly unjust.

Speculations on Nicole‘s Backstory and Her Loss of Voice

After the lore in Version 4.8 introduced this concept, whenever discussions about angels and seelie come up, everyone tries to decipher what these animal symbols represent, though without definitive answers. However, I will attempt an interpretation here, drawing on the Hexerei lesson lore involving Fischl from the Luna III version. This is merely speculation, for reference only.

Mr. Nine mentioned that he currently lacks the "sky's repository of knowledge and power." This suggests that an angel's intellect, or knowledge, is to some extent dependent on a certain connection to the heavens. As for power—this can only be speculative—it relies partly on the knowledge to wield that power, and partly perhaps on later learning. Thus, offering one's "brain" is akin to crippling oneself, indeed posing no threat, ultimately resulting in an existence closer to the original nature of angels.

The boar that offered its flesh lost its physical form and the organ that stores knowledge, thereby naturally losing its power and intellect. Yet, they can develop sapience and even regain the ability to speak through frequent possession of other beings.

It is known that when Nicole provides Mr. Nine with inspiration for novels, she often gives only a beginning and a framework before losing interest, leaving Mr. Nine to complete the rest. Additionally, Mr. Nine adapted the method of creating life. If she completely lacked knowledge in these areas, how could she modify the details? Even without prolonged possession, Mr. Nine, who has left her host, can still remember the past in her seelie form. Does this imply that the physiological structures she uses for memory and understanding, or organs that could substitute for this function, are not entirely absent? Since recovery is possible, in this sense, Phanes' punishment does not seem entirely absolute.

Analyzing all this mainly stems from my desire to clarify one point: how great was the price Nicole actually paid? She now retains a beautiful form, possesses considerable power, and could communicate normally with Alice upon their first meeting. It is truly hard to believe that with such a state, she has completely offset Phanes' punishment.

ut if we consider it from another angle, the two sides of the scale represent offering something tangible (physical form) and something intangible (knowledge). By placing bets on both sides of an already rusty scale, could it be interpreted as foreseeing the inevitable collapse (the scale breaking in the middle) of the Heavenly Principles' future?

The imagery of sacrificing one's voice easily brings to mind the story of "The Little Mermaid." After losing her voice, the Little Mermaid meets the prince but cannot make herself known to him, losing the future she originally sought by offering her voice. In short, losing one's voice severs a connection to the world. So, where is it that Nicole's voice cannot reach? Precisely, Columbina in the main storyline. In the main storyline, Columbina is in a state of gradually losing her connection to the world; she cannot hear Nicole's words.

You might ask, is it because Nicole hasn't noticed her and doesn't know? But based on the Traveler's voice lines, Nicole's scream can deafen beings within a hundred-meter radius to the heart. This suggests, at the very least, that Nicole's conveyance of her "voice" isn't dependent on whether she personally notices you.

Therefore, preventing Nicole from communicating with those who are gradually losing their connection to the world essentially means preventing her from guiding those beings rejected by Phanes' order. In that case, the sin Nicole committed could hardly be minor.

In Skirk’s voice lines, it is mentioned that Nicole has now become human and personally witnessed the destruction of her own kind. Moreover, according to Alice, Nicole guides lost individuals during times of great upheaval in the world. Combining these two pieces of information, it’s clear that the punishment Nicole received—losing her voice and becoming human—was no small matter, and what she once did (and may still be capable of) is anything but simple.

Undoubtedly, once Nicole becomes a playable character, the information she can reveal will be immensely important. Everyone, remember to check her character stories and voice lines. And most importantly, don’t overlook the affinity voice lines in the Serenitea Pot—she might just spill the beans once she feels at home.

That wraps up all the currently known details about Nicole's backstory and information in the game. It's truly a massive amount of lore, and there's bound to be even more to dig into once she's released! Remember to keep following our articles for more updates. See you next time!