DISCLAIMER: This document contains story leaks for 2.3+.

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discretion.

Astral Express Theory

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As known by the majority of people, Sunday’s fate is currently unknown. After the ending of
the 2.2 story quest, we were all left at the cliffhanger scene where he was caught and clearly being held
by the Bloodhound Family, while his sister, Robin, is having her every move watched by them and
being kept in the dark about the status of her older brother.

Additionally, after 2.3, it can be seen that his fate is left unknown after Jade, one of the ten
Stonehearts, frees him under a deal conducted between her and Robin via Bonajade Exchange.

He is speculated to join the Stellaron Hunters faction, due to a letter named, “Death of the
Crow”, that was found near a trash can in Dreamflux Reef. The description of this poem states that it

1
may be a mysterious invitation, which prompted many people to believe that the author and sender of
the written piece going by the alias Cecil Simmes may be the leader of the Stellaron Hunters, Elio. As
the poem can be found before the final battle and before the quest ends, this prompts people to believe
that it is Elio because he is currently the only character in-game who can read a script and predict the
future.

However, there are parts of every theory as of now that do not add up properly, and here’s
why: each theory is lacking in the understanding of the clues we are given at the moment.

Let’s break down the basics of each theory first before coming to a conclusion about anything
in the rest of the patches of this version.

Using the information we already know about Sunday as a character, we can determine that he
will be receiving punishment for what he did at the end of version 2.2, but we do not yet know the
details behind this punishment and what will lead him to eventually leave Penacony as described in
'After the Charmony Fall' Light Cone. However, there are some major supporting theories that would
ultimately lead to the same conclusion. The theories are:

1. Stellaron Hunter Sunday

2. Astral Express Firefly and the Death of Sam the Stellaron Hunter (debunked as of 2.3)
3. Astral Express Sunday

After analyzing each theory and the evidence each theory proposes, I believe we can come to a
conclusion that all theories seem to share.

[OLD] TLDR:

Sunday will join the Astral Express in the ending of version 2.3, “Farewell Penacony”, and become
playable in the upcoming patch of 2.7 when we travel to the new planet, Omphalos, the Land of the
Eternal. Upon becoming a part of the Nameless, he will find his question, “Why do people sleep? Why
do they wake up?” to be answered, as he follows the Path of the Trailblaze and learns that the weak can,
in fact, be strong and that a bird with clipped wings can learn how to fly once again.

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While on the Path of the Trailblaze, Sunday will find that he will accomplish both his and his sister’s
cherished dream to make others happy. That nonexistent paradise may exist in a paradox – a form that
he never thought of before – and he will find the beauty in cherishing the will of the weak in joining
the Astral Express on their journey starwards.

[NEW] TLDR:

WIP

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 Information/Theory Before 2.3
Anything under here is the document before the release of 2.3. Scroll down for the newly
released information and conclusion of the theory after 2.3 and in light of the latest leaks
that have been released.

Elio’s Script: The Intentions Behind It

An interesting observation that can be made in the events that took place before Penacony is that each
of Elio’s scripts issued to each Stellaron Hunter all aim towards one goal: to help the Astral Express
gain as many allies as possible for their eventual fight with the Aeon of Destruction, Nanook.

This series of images are taken from the Trailblaze Mission: Wood Sprouts Anew, Fate Tilts Askew
(Windswept Wanderlust Chapter). The scene starts when Master Diviner Fu Xuan has Kafka in her
custody, attempting to see the reason why Kafka had come to the Luofu in the first place. The reason
turned out to be unexpected, as both Kafka and Fu Xuan confirm that the Stellaron Hunters are on
the Luofu, not for their own selfish pursuits, but for the sake of the Astral Express. Elio’s script had
constructed a narrative where the Express would solve problems on the Luofu and gain the Luofu as
their allies for their eventual fight against Nanook the Destruction.

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Thus, knowing the intention of the Stellaron Hunters and their reason for persistently offering crucial
support towards the Nameless time and time again (as can be seen with Firefly in Penacony and Elio’s
way of purposefully manipulating the outcome of events in the Nameless's favor), it now leads to the
next point of discussion: the poem.

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The Death of the Crow

The letter is obviously directed towards Sunday, so there is no need to analyze that aspect of it.

There are three different interpretations of the poem’s author, Cecil Simmes, and their identity.

● Elio: People speculate that the name “Cecil Simmes” is an alias for Elio because of a reference
to a man who can transform into a black cat from another video game named Ghost Trick.
○ This theory originally came from the CN fanbase.
○ The poem can be found before the final boss takes place.
○ It is mentioned that the name, “Cecil Simmes” in Chinese is the characters, 西塞尔·西
姆斯 (xī sài ěr·xī mǔ sī) and that the author of this poem shares the same name as the
man who can transform into a black cat.
○ Elio is stated to be a black cat.

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 ○ Additionally, the number of people in Kafka’s splash art does not mean any new or
hypothetical members of the Stellaron Hunters will be joining. This itself is a baseless
rumor and if one were to look closer, one could see that Kafka is using her ability,
“Spirit Whisper”, on the surrounding people. It is also important to note that the
umbrellas do not allude to any additional or new members of the Stellaron Hunters, as
it is raining in her splash art, so that explains the umbrellas. The umbrellas are likely
just civilians or people passing by.
● Robin: It is rumored that the author could also be Robin, as there are a few context clues that
would point to this:
○ Robin was the first one to become suspicious of The Family, thus conducting research
of her own and faking her own death, being the first of the main cast to get to the
Dreamflux Reef.
○ The poem can be found near a trash can amongst other piles of trash in the game
before the 2.2 quest is finished.
○ Robin has shown a knack for having greater premonitions of the future than other
characters or a greater perception than the others shown in the main cast, as she was
able to cleverly put together many context clues regarding The Family’s suspicious
behavior and the suspicious behavior of her own brother.
○ “Cecil” means sixth and it is theorized that it could refer to the sixth day of creation in
the bible. As the sixth day of creation in the Bible is said to be the day of creation and
the day of the creation of land animals and humans made in the image of God, it may
allude to how Robin is the representative of Harmony itself.
■ Another important note is how Robin has direct blessings from Xipe herself,
as her singing voice derives from the Harmony. When the Harmony is affected
and tainted, so is her voice, as seen in Version 2.0 and forward.
● Unknown Victor: It is theorized that the person who is sending this invitation is actually the
victor from the events of 2.2 – the victor of the final battle.
○ The name, “Cecil” derives from Latin origin, and the word, “Caecilius” and it means
blessed, one with drive and goals in life.
○ The name, “Simmes” also derives from Latin origin and means one with the mind of a
victor.
○ As one can suspect, the clues, as well as the fact that the name is derived from Caecilius,
would strongly suggest that the Unknown Victor or the sender of the poem could be a
Nameless.
■ With the theory that the Unknown Victor could be someone from the
Nameless, or someone closely affiliated with them, it opens the possibility that

7
 the person who could have written the poem could be either Misha or
Gallagher.
■ This theory is not exactly a stretch, as it was shown that Gallagher was the one
who had invited everyone to Penacony for the Watchmaker’s Legacy – it
wouldn’t be surprising if he had known about Sunday’s fate the entire time,
hence his voice line stating, “Mr. Wings is stubborn” to Mikhail’s decaying
body.

The existence of these different interpretations leads to one question – where is the sender inviting
Sunday to?
There are theories stating that it was Elio attempting to recruit Sunday into the Stellaron Hunters,
however, as there is no solid or explicit evidence that would state or confirm that it is Elio who is the
sender, it would show that all three theories have the same level of credibility and all three go
unconfirmed.

However, there is another way to see this situation; as all three theories go unconfirmed, one should
look at the conclusions that each theory leads to. If it were to be either Robin or the Unknown Victor,
then it would allude to an invitation for Sunday to join the Astral Express, as the victors in the battle
were the Nameless, and Robin has undoubtedly expressed her gratitude and trust in the Express, as
well as all of Penacony, as the Nameless are responsible for resolving the conflict of 2.2. Thus, it is
unsurprising if these two theorized senders would be inviting Sunday to the Express.

But what about Elio?

With Elio, the way it can be seen can go in two different directions: either he is inviting Sunday to join
the Stellaron Hunters, or he is inviting Sunday to join the Astral Express. It is with all understanding
that I can see why this would seem like an extremely unlikely approach from Elio, but I want to remind
everyone that the Stellaron Hunters’ purpose has been to support the Express from the very beginning,
as confirmed by Kafka at the Luofu. It was once again confirmed by Firefly, with her unwavering
support for helping the Express settle Penacony’s affairs and help save Penacony’s future in the name of
the Penacony that the renowned Nameless, Mikhail Char Legwork had aspired for.

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Elio’s Identity
In the Simulated Universe, we are shown to be playing in the POV of a simulated version of Akivili.

Although we know very little about his journey, we know these key factors:

- He began his journey from Pegana, an isolated world. Pegana refers to a book, “The Gods of
Pegana”, by Lord Dunsany. One of the gods is Roon, the God of Going, whose companions
are the Thousand Home Gods.
- This may be a reference to Akivili and THEIR companions, the Nameless.

During the Simulated Universe, we meet Fuli, the Aeon of Remembrance. In the conversation, THEY
called us Elio, stating, “Be careful Elio, the train moves forward.” THEY then speak about our
“dereliction of duty” coming to an end, possibly referencing the moment when Akivili was thought to
be dead and THEIR train was left on Himeko’s planet abandoned.

As a note, the Remembrance does not lie.

This implies Elio may be Akivili. More key things to note:

- On the path of the Trailblaze, Akivili sought to explore the three directions on the compass of
destiny:
- The Known
- The Unknown
- The Unknowable
- Akivili tolerated the Unknown, but refused to bow down to the Unknowable and persistently
explored the Unknown edges of the universe with the goal to uncover the Unknowable: The
Truth of Existence, also known as Destiny.
- Elio is known as Destiny’s Slave.

Additionally, if Elio and Akivili are the same person, it would tie into how Elio made sure that we’d
track down the Watchmaker’s Legacy of Penacony, which was owned by the Nameless, Mikhail Char
Legwork. Additionally, it would tie directly into how Elio is actively recruiting allies, not for the
Stellaron Hunters, but for the Astral Express, also tying into how and why the script is centered
around the Astral Express.

Link to Instagram video:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5bnh8yK_XF/?igsh=MXg4ODRveXp3b2ZqOA==

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The Feather He Dropped
Link to quest: Sunday's End? [The Feather He Dropped Achievement] | Honkai Star Rail 2.2

Here, Robin states that she doesn't think she and Sunday will cross paths again. This goes
hand-in-hand with Death of the Crow and the ultimate message of The Raven, which Death of the
Crow references frequently, by Edgar Allan Poe.

Robin will definitely have a

say in Sunday's punishment,
and it seems like she will
indeed take control of
Penacony temporarily,
possibly giving it to the
Alfalfa Family in the end [i.e.
Alfalfa Family is the second
most powerful Family
faction underneath the Oak
Family and they are in
charge of Penacony’s economic affairs and deal with reinforcing and protecting Penacony’s
reputation].

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Robin tells us she thinks he is alive. She also thinks that Sunday will find a new way to achieve his and
his sister's shared cherished dream. This also ties into the leaked lightcone, After the Charmony Fall.

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Robin’s Voice Lines

You might think "taking different paths" might be Harmony vs. Order, and that would be partially
correct in this context. However, it seems as if different paths may be different paths in life. We already
know that Robin and Sunday are fated to be separated due to her voice lines in the post-2.2 quest and
Death of the Crow being based on the poem by Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven. Perhaps this voice line
could foreshadow possibly more in the future? Voice lines are put in and remain even after quests are
done, so this could also go for after 2.3.

Now, a question arises: why would someone like her, a famous galaxy-known singer, never contemplate
stepping out of his shadow, especially if she is already so famous?

The answer may be that she is contemplating stepping up as the new Family Head or the new head of
the Oak Family, as all members of the Oak Family, except for her, are regarded as traitors and followers
of the Order. Because she is the only member of the Oak Family that was away for so many years and
uninvolved in the situation, she is regarded as trustworthy and most likely the only one who can take
up the position as either Family Head or Oak Family Head.

As for what this voice line may foreshadow, the quest, “The Feather He Dropped”, indicates that
Robin will be taking Penacony’s affairs into her hands and will fight off the “vultures”, otherwise
indicated to be the IPC, that are trying to capitalize on Penacony’s unstable situation. Additionally,
when she states, “...and I’ve never contemplated stepping out of his shadow…” it may allude to the fact

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that will step up as the next head of the Oak Family and take his place, or additionally, even become the
new Dreammaster of Penacony.

Regardless, it is indicated that she will have a higher role in Penacony, now that the Oak Family is in a
situation or position of disarray and is no longer trusted.

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Foreshadowing: Robin’s Trailer: A Cry For Help

Robin’s trailer is designed like a music video. However, certain parts in the trailer indicate that there is
something more going on behind the scenes.

The most noticeable detail is at 0:35 in the trailer. Robin falls into a cage with spotlights pointed at it,
with her briefly banging on it before the music video continues. It can be argued that it represents how
she feels trapped in the idol lifestyle, but what if it was a sign of something more?

At 0:17 if you pause at the right moment, you’ll see the blue screen of death imagery, but with a smiley
instead.

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Along with that, at 1:49, if you pay good attention there is a Morse code beeping “. . . - - - . . . “ which
is an SOS signal. Why would this be beeping for Robin, who isn’t in any danger? You can argue this
was because she was in the Dreamflux Reef, but Robin was fine and awake there in the 2.2 quest.

What if these signals are connected to how the two siblings are fated to have their paths never
intertwine again? Post 2.2 it is safe to assume Sunday will no longer be the Head of the Oak Family, so
who else is to take his place?

It would play well into the irony of Robin’s freedom being given to Sunday while she becomes trapped
in the cage he was in. And with exile, it would mean Sunday and Robin would never be able to meet
again since she’ll be stuck in Penacony while Sunday cannot visit there.

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Foreshadowing: Harmony Trailblazer - Splash Art

Harmony MC’s splash art has been used to confirm playable characters, who are either shown in the
picture frames or on the stairs as animals. On the left-hand side of the art, we can see a robin in a cage,
on top of which is a crow. It’s obvious that the robin in the cage is Robin herself, but once again; why
is she in a cage?

Now let’s move onto the crow on top of the cage. The crow seems to be attempting to fly while
perched on top of the cage. We can guess that the crow represents Sunday, given how the crow also
appears to have clipped wings; something Sunday is linked to.

As Sunday’s motif is representative of a bird with clipped wings, it leads to the question of why he, a
bird with clipped wings, is the one shown to be trying to fly in the splash art, as all of Trailblazer’s
splash arts thus far have been shown to display the story and events of the characters in each planet they
travel to.

This could be indicative of an ironic ending: Robin, the free bird who’s never felt trapped, is now in a
cage while her brother is above it, attempting to take off. It once again seems to hint at how their fates
might be interchanged, with Sunday now free to explore the galaxies while Robin takes on the duties
of the Oak Family, stuck on Penacony.

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Foreshadowing: Robin’s Messages

Robin’s messages appear to be indicative of a sense of foreshadowing of future events in the story. It
was already alluded through Robin’s voiceline that she and Sunday will be taking different paths and
that she never believed she would step out of his shadow.

It was already made clear that Sunday’s motif is a crow with injured or clipped wings. Here, Robin
talks about an injured bird whom she is nursing back to full health in hopes that it will be able to fly
again. She references the tragic story of the Charmony Dove, where it had to learn how to fly from
scratch, being much more unfortunate than this bird. Suddenly, Robin leaves for a bit and comes back
to mention positive news that the bird had tried to flap its wings and is gradually getting better. Robin
states, “It feels like I’ve resolved a regret from my childhood,” referring to the regret of the death of the
Charmony Dove. Finally, the Trailblazer states positive words of encouragement and Robin thanks the
Trailblazer, stating specifically that if it weren’t for their positive words, that she would have stopped
believing in the little bird’s recovery.

It is possible that the bird that Robin is referring to may be a foreshadowing of Sunday’s fate.
The injured bird may refer to Sunday and that with the Astral Express’ help, he will be able to learn
how to fly again, thanks to their words of encouragement and with Robin’s support of leaving
Penacony behind and continuing on the Path of Trailblaze towards their cherished and shared dream.

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Robin’s Splash Art

The splash art looks pretty simple at first glance, but it’s not immediately obvious that there are cage
bars rising up from the floor of the cage. These bars are pretty clean cut and Robin is also holding onto
them, which wouldn’t make sense if they were falling down. She’s also letting go of a robin as a
spotlight is pointed at her.

You’re probably wondering; how does this tie into Sunday’s fate and him leaving Penacony? Well, as
stated in the previous analyses of Robin’s trailer and the HarmonyMC splash art, she seems to have a
constant cage motif running with her everywhere, despite having much more freedom than her
brother, who despite appearances, is pretty much trapped by his role as the Head of the Oak Family.

[refer below to Old Oti’s letter that mentions the possibility of Sunday not being free to go after Sleepy
unless he wants to be impeached by the other Family Heads]

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The rising bars in the splash art could indicate her falling into the cage her brother was once in. You can
consider her letting go of the robin as a sign she’s letting her brother achieve the freedom he never had,
though, with recent leaks for 2.3, as Robin has a song that references the lyrics of a formal farewell, this
can be confirmed or thought of as Robin taking his place as the new head of the Oak Family and
accepting that the two will be eternally separated with their paths not crossing again, as they have
ultimately switched places.

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Additionally, Robin’s Dreamscape Pass sticker shows that even though she is a silent bird/bird in a
cage, she can at least still fly, as the position as the Oak Family Head does not mean she is trapped by
her position, since she is not groomed to be a part of the Order, nor is she trapped by the former
responsibilities that the Oak Family once stood for in their goals with Ena the Order.

One pivotal point that supports this is Robin’s goal as a singer: to bring hope to others. During the 2.2
quest, Robin explicitly stated that her goal is to rebuild Penacony, thus, her becoming the new Family
Head would prove to help her achieve that goal.

“But, wouldn’t Sunday be putting her in a cage too? He’s always been overprotective of her.”
The part of the 2.2 quest where Sunday gives us 3 choices; one of them involves letting his sister go live
her life despite what happened to her (stray bullet to the neck). He is protective, but he understands
her freedom and respects her enough to let her live her life regardless of what he thinks. Why do you
think this guy allowed himself to be the sacrifice for summoning Dominicus instead of Robin, who he
knew didn’t want to sing to the tune of the Order?

Overall, with her trailer, HarmonyMC’s splash art, and her own splash art, it’s safe to assume Robin
might be the one to take Sunday’s place in the cage or take his place as the new head of the Oak Family
as he is allowed to finally live his life.

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The Death of Sam the Stellaron Hunter and the Birth of Firefly the
Nameless (Rebirth Theme)
(In light of new evidence, this part of the doc was proven to be debunked)

There have been speculations going around that may end up being true after new leaks that Firefly will
be joining the Astral Express. As shown by the image above, Firefly has implications of becoming a
follower of the Trailblaze. This is also well within her motivations, as in the interview her wishes are
mainly to exist as a normal person, something which is far more achievable with the Astral Express,
making these unforgettable gains her new friends and life with the Express Family.

Additionally, Firefly embodies the same rebirth themes that both the Astral Express and Sunday both
embody [explained in the following sections after]. Whereas Sunday’s rebirth motif is referenced by the
biblical figure Jesus and his resurrection, Firefly’s rebirth motif is a reference to the death of Sam the
Stellaron Hunter and the birth of a larva hatching into a firefly.

She was born as a weapon and her fate was to slowly fade away akin to the actual lifespan of a firefly and
so her third death will be her final death as Sam the Stellaron Hunter and she will be born anew as
Firefly, the Nameless. She is pushing away the life she had as a killing machine and being reborn as an
actual person. In discovering the meaning of life in her arc in Penacony with Trailblazer, she realizes
that she can be more than a weapon and be a normal person like everyone else, free to experience
anything and everything the world has to offer.

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Link to full cutscene:
Firefly Transform into Sam Cutscene Animation | Honkai Star Rail 2.2

In discovering why people sleep and why they wake up, Firefly discovers the meaning of being able to
live like everyone else and experience everything the world has to offer, allowing for her to be reborn as
a Nameless and truly die with her name, Firefly, on her gravestone, rather than die as Sam, a killing
machine.

Now, the next section will cover Sunday’s motif changing from that of a crow to a puppet and why
Sunday’s “Death of the Crow '' parallels Firefly’s death as Sam the Stellaron Hunter and how the
resurrection of the crow will parallel the birth of a firefly.

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Evidence and Foreshadowing in the Grand Theater
In the Grand Theater, there are 8 puppets that can be seen, each with separate dialogue that appears to
tell a story about someone.

An analysis of all 8 puppets, their descriptions in chronological order, and how they pertain to
Sunday’s story:

1.
- This first description likely refers to the beginning of Sunday’s life, as he and Robin’s
homeland was destroyed and they had lost their mother in the tragedy.
- The puppet crying in a tragedy, hands raised for unreachable salvation may refer to him and
Robin eventually being adopted by Gopher Wood, the Dreammaster.

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2.
- This description refers to Robin and Sunday’s desire to make the universe happy and free of
worry. Sunday chooses to carry this burden on his shoulders, releasing the world’s happiness as
a sigh.
- Additionally, the puppet laughing during a comedy may reference the happier times when he
and Robin dreamed of singing and flying together, as shown by Robin’s Myriad Celestia
trailer, “If We Had Wings”.

3.
- In the third description, it describes the puppet as having lost themselves to the dance and their
body is now akin to that of the Charmony Dove, spreading its wings. The puppet having lost
themselves to the dance may symbolize Sunday having lost himself to the influence of the
Order and the influence of Gopher Wood (the Dreammaster) and his grooming.
- Additionally, the story of the Charmony Dove involved a bird that was caged and could not fly,
no matter how many times it tried. Perhaps, the part where the puppet attempts to spread its
wings akin to the Charmony Dove spreading its wings is a reference to Sunday attempting to
spread his wings and fly, but nonetheless, just like the Charmony Dove, is unable to and is
trapped in a cage, falling under the influence of the Order.

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4.
- This puppet is a reference to the moments that took place in the Grand Theater before the
fight against Sunday.
- It is referencing the moment when Sunday lets us into his inner world and tells us about
Penacony’s past, hence the quote mentioning wars and history.

5.
- This puppet is a reference to Sunday’s defeat at the end of the 2.2 quest. The meaning of
“farce” directly means a charade or a mockery. The puppet is not actually dying.
- As it is a direct reference to Sunday’s defeat, this puppet marks the end of the events we know
of so far that have happened. The rest of the puppets will look into and refer to Sunday’s story
in 2.3 and onwards.

6.
- This description references Sunday’s inability to make his and Robin’s cherished dream come
true. When it describes how the puppet fell in a romance drama, it is referencing how Sunday’s
methods to achieve his and Robin’s shared paradise did not work, thus, the puppet “twists
itself, yet cannot obtain its desire”.
- Describing it as a romance drama is likely referencing Ena’s Dream, a dream that he placed
everyone under, a romanticized dream of the ideal paradise, yet it is not what it seems on the
surface. Underneath the surface of the romance drama lies something much more sinister and
something that is the opposite of one’s true desire (Robin and Sunday’s cherished dream of
their paradise).

25
7.
- Sunday can be equated to the puppet learning to speak, as he seems to be forging his own
thoughts after his defeat.
- He appears to be learning from the Astral Express and reflecting on his actions, as alluded to
by the quote when it states, “All our actions are reflected by it as if a mirror.” This may
insinuate the idea of Sunday considering the Nameless and their Path of Trailblaze, as well as
them showing him why people wake up from their dreams.

8.
- Here, the puppet is contemplating in silence and finally appears to reach an answer to its
dilemma.
- This could reference Sunday contemplating the question that the Express stated and answered
to him. “Why do we sleep? And why do we wake up?” is finally answered by the Astral Express
and this puppet represents Sunday contemplating the question in silence and finally reaching a
conclusion to his question, as he realizes the answer needs to be given a new meaning
(reference to the leaked lightcone, After the Charmony Fall).
- This could insinuate or imply that Sunday joins the Astral Express, as the previous description
stated that our [the Astral Express]’s actions were reflected on the puppet as if like a mirror,
possibly alluding to Sunday becoming inspired by the Path of the Trailblaze, eventually being
willing to join them on their journey to different planets to find a new way towards his and
Robin’s cherished and shared dream of a paradise where they can save everyone and be happy.

26
The Resurrection of the Crow (Rebirth Theme)
After Sunday became Dominicus, his motif had noticeably changed from a crow with clipped wings to
a puppet, as shown by the various puppet motifs that had sprouted about right before the battle in the
Grand Theater. Additionally, the Grand Theater showcased eight puppets that all allude to the story of
Sunday’s life, leading up to his tragic defeat and towards the future, where he finally finds the answers
he is looking for.

It is already known by many people that his Dreamscape Pass shows a rebirth theme, similar to that of
the famous biblical figure, Jesus, who was eventually resurrected [see picture below].

This is the Dreamscape Pass sticker that shows rebirth themes. It

alludes to the beginning of a new course of life for Sunday.

The Dreamscape Pass essentially refers to the poem, “The Death

of the Crow”, where it can be seen that the crow has died and
instead, Sunday’s motif changed from a crow to a puppet,
symbolizing a metaphorical death, or in other words… a puppet
dying tragically in a farce.

Now, let’s take a look at the description of the fifth puppet in the Grand Theater. This is a reference to
Sunday’s defeat and how he tragically died in a farce.

We already understand that the Dreamscape Pass is alluding to a metaphorical death and rebirth, in
understanding this, it can be seen that Sunday exhibits the same rebirth motifs as Firefly does,
following the trend of new beginnings.

The next category will show the trends of rebirth in the Astral Express – all themes that are not present
in any other faction.

27
The Astral Express and the Theme of “Rebirth”

The members of the Astral Express follow a common theme; Rebirth.

● Dan Heng is reborn as such from Dan Feng, and no longer wants to be tied to that version of
him.
● March 7th, despite initially wanting to find her past before she was trapped in the Six-Phased
Ice, now wishes to travel with the Express.
● The Trailblazer seems to have a past of their own but joins the crew with help from Kafka,
having their memory wiped and starting a new journey as a new person on the Express.
● Welt came to the Express from the HI3 universe to protect Himeko, shedding his old life away
and beginning anew.
● Himeko, who had found the crashed train in her homeworld, restored it to set forward and
continue the path of the Trailblaze.

As we can see, pretty much the entire crew of the Express has a “rebirth” included in their way of
joining the Astral Express. It is therefore safe to say that anyone in the Express has rebirth themes in
their story.
Now take Sunday. He also has rebirth themes, as
seen here and as aforementioned:
Tying this picture into the rebirth themes that are
scattered all across the Express, it can be seen that
Sunday’s Dreamscape Pass may have been
foreshadowing his entry into the Express instead,
as the beginning of his new cycle in life marks the
end of his old cycle in life.
Additionally, take what Dan Heng had stated to
him during the final battle: “You have a noble
soul… Don’t be shackled by the past!” may hint
towards letting go of his past [or letting go of his
old cycle of life] and beginning a new cycle of life
with the Astral Express, moving forward in
rebuilding the nonexistent paradise he and Robin
dreamed of by helping people across different planets with the Astral Express Crew.

28
Additionally, Hope Is the Thing With Feathers:
The song which plays during the third phase of Sunday's boss fight, Hope Is the Thing With Feathers,
repeatedly uses the Astral Express as a symbol of both unity in the face of adversity and traversing the
unknown, as well as of rebirth. "In the face of fear and plight, and yet we hold our ground, whoa In life,
we stand and strive, our victory is found And the storms we weathered through And we hope in the
light of truth, whoa, whoa To break free from chains and come anew", The final line of this verse
particularly refers to rebirth and breaking chains. If we consider the lyrics to be directed towards
Sunday, we can infer that it is symbolic of Sunday breaking free from the shackles of his past and
starting anew.

[For the Firefly fans]

As aforementioned, she has rebirth themes that tie in with the Express, too!

29
The Fake-Out Ending: A Premonition

The fake-out ending in Ena’s Dream seems like nothing much other than proof that Sunday had
successfully defeated us prior to us reawakening from the Dream for the 2nd boss fight. However, there
was one scene in particular that stands out here:

In this false ending, Black Swan and Boothill would be joining the Express (temporarily) until they
reached their destination. This doesn’t really seem like much, but this begs the question;

Why did Black Swan AND Boothill have to be the new passengers of the Express?

Black Swan alone being there would make sense as she wanted to inform us of how we were still
trapped in Ena’s Dream, but there was no reason to add Boothill. Not to mention the reason for them
boarding the Express was to reach their destinations, despite being more than capable of traveling
across the galaxies alone. Why would we be shown getting two new people in the Astral Express,
especially when they had no reason to be presented that way?

The answer is simple; this might be foreshadowing.

Black Swan is a memetic entity that does not have a real body. Why is this similar to Firefly?
It was repeatedly mentioned by Firefly throughout the story that she is dying from entropy loss
syndrome and has to remain in Sam in order to survive, as her real body is incapable of the same
mobility and she is in a state where she is dying. Because of this, Firefly makes a point to tell the
Trailblazer that she does not exist in the real world and is only Sam outside of the dream, hence her
line, “This is to show you all that I am.”

30
Firefly not existing in the real world and only being Sam in the real world was shown to us through this
scene nearing the end of the 2.1 quest. Additionally, Black Swan was the first to inform us of how we
are trapped in Ena’s dream and this directly parallels how Firefly was the first to initiate direct action
towards getting everyone to wake up from the dream [her second death].

Finally, Boothill wouldn’t be added here without a reason. He is a wanted criminal who has committed
many crimes, adding up to a large bounty against him from the IPC. However, he is a criminal with
good intentions [i.e. how he immediately took action towards helping us wake up from Ena’s dream by
gathering the Galaxy Rangers and supporting us through the final fight in Penacony against Sunday].
He is a well-intentioned person, despite being a criminal, doing morally gray things to achieve his goals.
His quote about Sunday, “The path to hell is paved with good intentions'', may refer to Sunday, but it
also refers to Boothill as a person.

The “Firefly becomes a Nameless” theory and our current points for how Sunday can join the Express
strangely coincide with how Black Swan and Boothill would be boarding the Express in the fake
ending. Two people joining them in the dream could be a sign there are two new people joining the
Express in reality. And who would better fit the new passengers other than Sunday and Firefly, as can
be seen by their direct parallels towards each other?

Additionally, remember to take into account both Firefly and Sunday receiving the answers to their
questions [what it means to be alive and what it means for people to wake up from their dreams] both
by the Astral Express, as the Nameless show them what it means to grow as a person and find
themselves in their lives, as well as finding out where the next stop on their journey shall be.

31
After the Charmony Fall

The leaked lightcone, After the Charmony Fall, shows that Sunday is
confirmed to be leaving Penacony and by the time he has already left,
he is on a moving vehicle that is passing by planets at a rapid pace. In
the description of the lightcone, he asks the same question, “Why do
people sleep? Why do they wake up?”

This same question was the same question that the Trailblazer and the Express asked AND answered to
him during the boss fight. Additionally, it is worth noting that both Firefly AND Trailblazer ask and
answer this question together in the Summer Game Festival trailer.

Additionally, remember the evidence as aforementioned in the categories, The Death of Sam the
Stellaron Hunter and the Birth of Firefly the Nameless, Evidence and Foreshadowing in the
Grand Theater, The Resurrection of the Crow, and The Astral Express and the Theme of
“Rebirth”. If you need to go back and give yourself a recap, that is highly recommended.

The evidence for those categories tie into the conclusion of the lightcone. The Astral Express,
specifically the Trailblazer, tells Sunday that “Eventually, people wake from their dreams”, and Sunday
is left defeated and constantly thinking about the answers to the questions of “Why do people sleep?”
[why do they dream] and “Why do people wake up?” [why do people wake up from their dreams if
they can stay happy in them?]. The answer is given to him by the Astral Express, which results in him
contemplating a new meaning towards his life, leading to him coming to the conclusion that the
answer to why people wake from their dreams rather than stay in an eternal, maladaptive state needs to
be given a new meaning. In other words, it alludes to his decision to continue moving towards his and
Robin’s cherished dream of a paradise, but move about it with a different approach.

32
Referring back to the puppets:

It is a reference to Sunday learning how to formulate thoughts of his own and how the Astral Express’
actions are being reflected upon him like a mirror, as he feels inspired by the Path of the Trailblaze. As
he is inspired by the Path of the Trailblaze, this leads to the conclusion that the moving vehicle the
lightcone states he is in is implied to be the Astral Express.

Another additional piece of information that can support this conclusion is a page from the
Dreamtour Handbook:

This particular page in the Dreamtour Handbook was suspected to be narrated as Elio, but in light of
new findings, this proves to be otherwise.

The time of the description seems to take place after the end of the final battle in 2.2.

The quote, “We are but people passing by each other’s trailblazing journeys…” may be a reference to
the Nameless regarding themselves as just people passing by others they meet on planets in each and
every one of their journeys. The quote, being narrated by Sunday, then moves onto him stating,
“Interestingly, I feel the same way.” This could be a reference to the description of the puppet that

33
represents Sunday’s thoughts and his story. It is a direct reference to how the Express’ actions have
influenced him.

The next part is him questioning, “But is this truly the correct answer?” and it may reference the
lightcone description of him leaving Penacony behind and finding a new answer towards creating the
nonexistent paradise he and his sister share the dream and longing for.

The next part, “Don’t be in a hurry. When we have witnessed the end of this business together, I will
certainly reveal to you my true identity,” may refer to Sunday joining the Astral Express as a temporary
member [as foreshadowed by Black Swan and Boothill joining as temporary members in the fake-out
ending], telling the player that when you and him have witnessed the end of his trailblazing journey
together, he will finally reveal his real identity, or his true name. It was already alluded to that ‘Sunday’
is just a stage name of sorts, thus, we still do not know his real name nor his real identity. In the quote
stating that we will witness the end of Sunday’s business together with him, it alludes to his temporary
stay in the Astral Express, as he finds a new way to accomplish the dream he and his sister both share by
accompanying us on our journey and going on the path of the trailblaze to find himself as a person and
relearn how to fly.

Additionally, when taking into account these new leaks that

were proved to be from a credible source, we can see that
Jade and Sunday are shown to be speaking and Jade has
broken him out of Family containment and he is now free
to explore the world and leave Penacony behind. However,
it is shown that Sunday rejects her compromise. It can be alluded that the compromise involved joining
the Stellaron Hunters under IPC orders, but Sunday had refused this compromise in exchange for his
freedom. This, however, does not mean he is necessarily forced to join the Stellaron Hunters, nor does
it mean he will stay imprisoned if he refuses the compromise. This is why:

34
As shown here, Jade’s Splash Art shows many biblical references to Adam and Eve, but specifically
Adam’s Apple. In regards to this, it is a reference to making a deal with the Devil, as Jade is a debt
collector. Additionally, she was presented in the 2.3 livestream as a woman who will always get her way
with every compromise or deal she makes, but this, along with her splash art representing that of a
devil’s may all be another red herring: what if the devil, instead of being unkind, was actually kind? In
fact, far kinder than the angels, or the halovians, as we know it.

The devil being merciful and kind can be seen with her actions towards Aventurine and Topaz.
- She offered Topaz a job with the IPC.
- She offered Aventurine a job with the IPC instead of imprisoning him and even made him a
Stoneheart.
- It is also worthy to mention that she did this despite Aventurine/Kakavasha having
killed the previous Aventurine Stoneheart.

Additionally, it can also be seen in her 5 star lightcone description, along with the name of the
lightcone: Yet Hope Is Priceless.

35
 Yet Hope Is Priceless:

"Lady Bonajade, if it weren't for your

continuous supply of goods and donations,
the orphanage would probably..."
She gently stroked the children's heads,
cutting off the director's words.
"As long as I'm here, there's no need to worry
about the days ahead... And there's no need
to say these things to the children, it only
adds to their worries."

The children looked up, chattering with her

about recent happenings, their worries, and
their dreams.
"Lady Bonajade, when will you come next
time?"
"Don't overwork yourself, make sure to get
enough rest..."
"Lady Bonajade, when I grow up, I want to
be someone like you!"
She looked at the children's clear eyes and
paused for a moment.
"Someone like me..."
The child handed her an apple, "Yes! Someone who brings light and hope to others!"

Poverty, demerits, sorrow, suffering... She walked among the galaxies, taking others' pledges and giving
equivalent returns.
Life exists because of desire, runs because of desire, and dies because of desire — this is an irrefutable
law, as well as an inevitability of life.
A philanthropist with a hidden agenda, a villain who mortgages souls... She was given various identities
by the world, but only she understood the morality behind these actions.

36
Analysis of Jade’s lightcone:
- It is shown throughout Jade’s lightcone that she shows kindness towards the unfortunate.
- She, despite being someone with many motifs related to the devil, is regarded as someone who
brings light and hope to others.
- Her lightcone title is “Yet Hope Is Priceless”.
- This may be a reference to how she equates bringing about hope to others as
something that is priceless. Despite being a debt collector, she appears to show mercy,
as seen by her actions towards Aventurine, despite what he did.
- As she does not equate kindness and hope to a price tag, this may hint towards her
letting Sunday be free without having to agree to her and the IPC’s compromise.

Additionally, it is good to remember that Penacony is a planet filled with red herrings. Jade’s splash art
showing her as someone harsh with no sense of mercy may have been another red herring all along.
Compare her to the halovians we know, specifically, Gopher Wood, the Dreammaster, and the one
responsible for Sunday’s tragic defeat and tragic upbringing. Gopher Wood, as shown by a stage play,
was painted in a good light, as he was referred to as “the lord’s disciple”.

Additionally, take into account how Jade and

Gopher Wood’s characters contrast each other.
Jade is represented to be a snake or a devil motif,
while Gopher Wood and the rest of the halovians
[all halovians living in Penacony are members of
the Family] are regarded as angels. Yet, it is the
angels who are shown to be unkind, while the devil
is shown to be kind and full of mercy. This alludes

37
to the possibility of Jade granting Sunday his freedom without a price, meaning she grants him
freedom without the need to compromise, similar as to how she granted Aventurine the position of a
Stoneheart without him needing to repent for murdering the previous Aventurine Stoneheart. She
allowed Aventurine to get away unscathed without punishment and the leaks allude to the same
pattern reoccurring with Sunday, as she allows for him to choose where he wants to be instead.

Some supporting information that adds onto how Jade is kind, as well as alluding to Sunday joining
the Express instead of the Stellaron Hunters:

TRANSLATION AND BREAKDOWN

1. Travel with me
Meet the Astral Express by chance ※From the perspective of Firefly, the train group is seen on
the Hui Changshi (Radiant Feldspar Chinese name)
- This first achievement shows that from Firefly’s POV, she runs into the Astral Express
by coincidence on the Radiant Feldspar.

2. On the road
Pass by the Astral Express ※From the perspective of Firefly, the train group is focused on
finding the "Pawn of the Jade of Kindness" on the Hui Changshi.

38
 - This second achievement shows that from Firefly’s POV, she and the Express go
looking for someone by the name of “Pawn of the Jade of Kindness” on the Radiant
Feldspar.

3. Ship of Fools
Add a new footnote to our fate ※Successfully solve the "bomb" crisis and watch the grand
fireworks
- This achievement shows the aftermath of solving Sparkle’s bomb crisis and watching
the fireworks show that comes from it.

4. Tell me, Muse

Decide the next stop of the Penacony trip ※Departure - "Eternal Land" Omphalos!
- This last achievement is when the quest of 2.3 finally ends and the Express choose their
next stop.

Regarding the second achievement titled, “On the Road”, we have to remember that Sunday’s motif
changed from that of a crow to a puppet. It is highly possible that “Pawn of the Jade of Kindness” is
referring to him and also referring to the Express and Firefly looking for him on the Radiant Feldspar,
which, according to the 2.3 livestream, is where his negotiation with Jade will take place.

So, in conclusion…

Taking this into account, the scenario that can be painted from this is that Jade grants hope and
freedom to Sunday without a price attached to it and allows for him to make his own choice about
where he should go now that he is finally free and no longer in a cage. This symbolizes the beginning of
his rebirth.

Simultaneously, Firefly should be going through her rebirth/third death at around this time, which
would explain why she coincidentally runs into the Astral Express. After she coincidentally runs into
them, the quest is titled, “Travel With Me”, to symbolize the Express gaining Firefly as a new member.

The next achievement titled, “On the Road”, would symbolize Firefly and the Express looking for the
“Pawn of the Jade of Kindness”, which would refer to Sunday. As they are now on the road and all
together as a group, this ties into the next achievement, which involves them solving Sparkle’s bomb
crisis and watching the fireworks show unfold once they successfully solve it.

39
Finally, the last achievement, “Tell Me, Muse”, concludes the Penacony arc and shows the entire Astral
Express Crew, along with their new members, Firefly and Sunday, choosing their next destination, the
Land of the Eternal, Omphalos.

With this all concluded, it ties directly into how Robin and Sunday are eternally separated – Robin
steps out of Sunday’s shadow and takes Sunday’s place in Penacony, ending up as the caged bird in
Harmony Trailblazer’s splash art and Sunday, whom was previously the caged bird, is now free to roam
the universe and is now able to find the answer to why people sleep and why they wake up, as the
Express will give that answer the new meaning he is looking for.

And in following the trailblaze, he will be able to find a new way to move towards that paradise that
both he and his sister had always dreamed of.

The Death of the Crow and its Resurrection to New Beginnings – and the death of Sam the
Stellaron Hunter and the birth of Firefly the Nameless.

40
 Information/Theory in 2.3+

Jade’s Bonajade Exchange and Robin’s Deal with the Devil

WIP
Analysis of Robin’s Songs and the Connection to the Astral Express
WIP
ALL Rebirth Themes and Clues/Foreshadowing
WIP
Other Clues of Foreshadowing Towards Sunday Becoming a Nameless
WIP
Sunday Redesign Leaks
WIP

41
 Questions of Concern
1. Isn’t Sunday in IPC containment?
a. He was in IPC containment during the Fake-Out Ending in Ena’s Dream. As of now,
he’s assumed to be caught due to a dialogue from an NPC or has seemingly escaped as
per the Robin side-quest you get post-2.2.
b. Confirmed by leaks for 2.3: he was in Family containment before Jade freed him. He
was never in IPC containment.
c. In light of new leaks for 2.3, it appears that Jade has freed him and he is neither in IPC
nor Family containment. He is also not wanted and has no bounty.

2. Didn’t Hoyoverse commission artwork of Sunday with the Stellaron Hunters?

a. If an artist is commissioned by Hoyoverse, they clearly state it in the post.
The #MilleniumIdol hashtag (the most recent HYV tag at the time of this document)
has proof as the following were some artists who were directly commissioned:
https://twitter.com/par0llel/status/1790020806518489353
https://twitter.com/UNNrr_/status/1790006538427367606/
https://twitter.com/stephengiannart/status/1789966029361127465

As you can see, there is a clear mention of Hoyoverse commissioning them.

The SHday fanarts did not have these mentions, only the #DiveIntoDreams hashtag.
b. Additionally, another point I wanted to address is how a hashtag does not mean that it
was commissioned by Hoyoverse. Noticeably, one of the fanarts that was claimed to
have been commissioned by Hoyoverse did not state that it was commissioned, nor was
it retweeted by Hoyoverse, signaling that it was indeed not a commission. Additionally,
a comment under that post had asked if Sunday was a Stellaron Hunter and the artist

42
 replied that he was not.

3. Regarding the black crows in Jepella’s Rebellion, why is that not symbolism of
Sunday?
a. The Jepella Rebellion corvids (crow family of birds) might actually be ravens, given
their size in comparison to the crow in Harmony MC’s splash art (see images below):

Jepella Rebellion Ravens

HarmMC splash art crow (assumed Sunday)

It’s easy to see the size difference which is present in real life (a crow is almost half the
size of a raven), so it’s safe to assume the Jepella corvid is a raven, while the splash art
corvid is a crow.
Now taking this into account, we have the meanings usually associated with these two:
Raven = Death and Bad Omens
Crow = Death and New Beginnings
While both do show death, only the crow represents a new start. On further analysis,
you can see the crow is trying to take flight and also seems to have its wings clipped.
Who else has the “clipped wings” motif going around? A certain chicken wing boy
maybe?
b. Additionally, with the controversy surrounding the Jepella corvid and the corvid
shown in the Harmony Trailblazer’s splash art, we can confirm that the raven in Jepella
Rebellion does not have clipped wings, as many people would suggest. It may appear so
from a certain angle, but one should note that a bird with clipped wings does not
miraculously just fly again. In fact, logically speaking, birds with clipped wings are able
to fly again after their feathers have grown back and they are retaught how to fly.
To add on, the perspective that the ravens are shown in will have their wings appear
uneven because of the perspective, as the birds are mid-flight. There are also two ravens,
not just one, shown in the photo. If this was truly a foreshadowing or a motif that

43
 alluded to a new member, such as the cat shown in the photo that is rumored to be
Elio, then there would only be one bird/corvid shown, not two. So the birds in the
Jepella Rebellion are not foreshadowing of Sunday joining the Stellaron Hunters, as
they only represent the genocide and fall of Jepella.

4. Is the gramophone in Sunday’s LC a reference to the one in Kafka’s? Does it have

anything to do with the Stellaron Hunters?
a. Penacony has a lot of gramophone
references (Robin’s splash art itself has a
gigantic one) due to it being the Planet of
Festivities. Kafka herself also enjoys
listening to music, as seen by her violin
and the Fermata LC.
It is a stretch to assume him having a
gramophone is equivalent to him joining
the Stellaron Hunters just because Kafka
also has it in the Fermata LC.
b. Additionally, the gramophone may also
just be a reference to the Beyond the Sky
Choir, a faction that lost their faith when
Ena the Order was absorbed by Xipe. [refer to this image as proof for the reference of
Beyond the Sky Choir]

44
5. What is the location that Sunday is standing in, in his leaked LC?
a. With the background of Harmony MC’s splash art, comparing the picture frames we
can guess Sunday to still be in Penacony. This is further driven by the gramophone
with the Planet of Festivities theme too.

6. Why is it counterproductive for Sunday to be in the Stellaron Hunters?

a. It is counterproductive for Sunday to be a part of the Stellaron Hunters because of a
multitude of reasons, ranging from the events that took place in the 2.2 story quest, as
well as his own motives and his intentions. To begin, the Stellaron Hunters are a
faction of IPC-wanted criminals. As a faction of IPC-wanted criminals that are also
wanted all across the galaxy on different planets, it is unsurprising that their list of
crimes in the name of hunting down Stellarons would include:
1. Terrorism (the unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially
against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims, i.e. Herta Space
Station when Silver Wolf attracted the Antimatter Legion).
2. Murder (quite literally first-degree murder, i.e. Blade, Kafka, and
Sam/Firefly committing acts of murder on civilians, to which Firefly
directly admits to)
3. Genocide (the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a
particular nation or ethnic group; i.e. Jepella Rebellion)
Thus, it is paramount to remember and consider Sunday’s objectives, his goal, and his
personality and character development after the 2.2 story events and in regards to the
description leaked in the new lightcone in 2.3.
7. Doesn’t the Astral Express hate/dislike Sunday, making them unwilling to take him
in?
a. People assume the Astral Express hates Sunday because of what Himeko said.
However, she had only said that she’d declare him an enemy of the Express if he had
hurt Welt. Welt, however, was completely unscathed and even vouched for him, saying
that he (Sunday) hadn’t done anything to them (Welt and Robin).
As for them being against his ideals, the Express had assumed he was trying to resurrect
Ena, however, they later realized his real goal was to create a paradise devoid of
suffering, and they and Robin helped him break out of the dream.
b. Additionally, Sunday’s view of the Nameless is that he regards them as strong
individuals, more so, the victors of the final battle. He regarded them as strong enough
to challenge his view and to challenge the paradise that he thought was best for each

45
 and every individual. He regards them as strong enough to face him, thus, inviting
them to the Charmony Festival, not as guests, but as the actors on the stage.
So no, Sunday is not an enemy of the Astral Express and there’s no reason why they
won’t be willing to take him in.
c. It is worth noting that the Astral Express doesn't have any ill will towards Sunday; Dan
Heng even tells Sunday he has a noble soul and shouldn't let himself be chained down
by the past, and it wouldn't make sense with this in mind that they wouldn't accept
him, should he want to move on from his mistakes on the Express.

8. Wouldn’t joining the Stellaron Hunters also provide the Astral Express with allies,
given how they usually help the Express as per the script?
a. Although the Stellaron Hunters have helped the Astral Express twice now, there still
exists an amount of distrust between the two on the Astral Express’s part, and it would
be counterproductive to provide an indirect ally as the Stellaron Hunters’ status as
wanted criminals makes it difficult for them to provide direct assistance.

9. Won’t it be safer for Sunday, who’s probably a wanted criminal now, to be with the
Stellaron Hunters where he has a script to rely on for his goals?
a. It is actually less safe for Sunday to join the Stellaron Hunters than it would be for him to join
the Astral Express, given how the Stellaron Hunters not only have massive bounties on them
but are unwelcome virtually everywhere, such as in the case of the Xianzhou Luofu where
Blade and Kafka were both immediately taken into custody, meanwhile the Astral Express and
other Nameless are held in high regard.

10. Sunday in the leaked LC was not remorseful, so why would he join the Express? Why
would he want to follow Trailblaze?
a. It is implied in the lightcone that he is finding a new direction in life. He also says
“perhaps, perhaps I can still..” He can find a better alternative to make the world happy
and protect others.
b. Additionally, see the dialogue between Robin and Sunday in the following image.
Sunday admires the Express and their efforts and seems to hold them up to a high
degree of respect. There is no ounce of hatred or animosity shared between him and
the Express and he even expresses he admires the Path of the Trailblaze.

[refer to photo below]

46
11. Aren’t the Stellaron Hunters morally gray? Sunday is too, why would the Express,
who are morally good, take in someone like him?
a. The motivations of the Stellaron Hunters and the motivations of Sunday are wildly different;
the term morally gray takes on two different meanings for these characters. Where the Stellaron
Hunters are mostly selfish, whereas Sunday is the opposite, his motivation is clearly defined by
his wish to protect others. This can be seen with the charmony dove, he did not wish to cage it
because he believed it would be better that way, but simply because he wanted it to live no
matter what. Sunday was willing to do bad things in order to achieve the goal of paradise he
believed in so sincerely he nearly became an Aeon, meanwhile the Stellaron Hunters are fine
with bad things happening as a result of their actions because they do not care about the
consequences or how it affects civilians.

12. In Sparkle’s character introduction in Hoyolab, under “Something amusing to share”,

would the line “little chicken with black cat sunglasses” hint at Sunday joining Elio?
She calls Sunday a chicken wing boy and Elio is assumed to be a black cat.
a. Sparkle is themed after misdirection, meaning her words cannot be trusted. Taking
things that she says seriously could be a wrong move, considering her kit symbolizes
giving the wrong impression.The red fish on her design could symbolize a red herring.
A red herring is a misleading clue. Sparkle’s mask is also a fox, which also symbolizes
trickery and wit.
b. Anything Sparkle says should be taken with a grain of salt. She is known for leaving red
herrings, very explicitly during the detective missions where she leaves an actual red
herring fish, and even her technique is called ‘Unreliable Narrator’.

47
 c. Additionally, Sparkle is represented or symbolized as a red herring [see her splash art
above for reference]. Everyone in Penacony so far has been represented as an animal and
Sparkle is a red herring, which means both a fish and misleading clues.
d. [refer to photos as reference for Sparkle’s symbolism as a red herring]

[Sparkle’s entire symbolism is represented by a red and orange fish, a red herring, and as all characters
of Penacony are represented by animals, Sparkle is represented as a red herring. It is likely that it could
be a goldfish as well, but all other details as shown above hint towards it being a red herring instead.]

13. "He'll stay relevant if he becomes a Stellaron hunter!"

a. And he will stay relevant if he becomes a member of the Astral Express.
b. Additionally, right now, Sunday needs someone to go 'actually that's a bad idea' to
some of his more radical ideas, and he won't get that in the Stellaron Hunters.
c. He also would not be receiving much character development if he became a Stellaron
Hunter: he would be moving from the cage of the Family's expectations to the cage of
Destiny, as he would have to follow Elio's scripts as part of the organization.
d. The Stellaron Hunters would be even more of a cage than it already is if he joins them
under the orders of the IPC [based on current 2.3 leaks], a cage within a cage.

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14. "I don't want him to join the Astral Express because he'll upset the existing dynamic!"
a. The Trailblazer also interrupted an existing family dynamic, but this isn’t regarded
with the same animosity.
b. This is also irrelevant and does not explain why he wouldn’t be able to join the Astral
Express. This is an invalid argument.

15. Elio can see the future and he planned for Sunday to join the Stellaron Hunters.
Sunday cannot refuse.
a. Kafka says this in her companion quest if you reject her several times:

But, this quest is notable in that it has a branching ending. You can actually choose
NOT to help Kafka. This shows that Elio's scripts aren't as set in stone as Firefly would
have you believe. The rest of this section will be from the perspective you do not help
Kafka.

Furthermore, Kafka implies here that not all futures are created equal. It sounds like
Elio foresaw many possibilities, but many of those possibilities had the Trailblazer
reject helping Kafka, and he had to see many possibilities before he found one that the
Trailblazer would help Kafka. This means that, while yes, Elio foresaw the possibility
that the Trailblazer would not help Kafka, he tried (and failed) to guide the Trailblazer
towards the future that would help Kafka.

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 When you decline to help Kafka and get the achievement "True Free Will," you get text
afterward:

Even though Kafka is unsure if free will exists, she says here that the Trailblazer refusing
to help her transforms a nascent possibility into reality.

What this means for Sunday is that assuming that the poem "Death of the Crow" is an
invitation for Sunday to join the Stellaron Hunters from Elio, that doesn't mean that
Sunday has to follow the future Elio has predicted for him, and like the Trailblazer, he
could also transform a nascent possibility [not joining the Stellaron Hunters] into
reality.

16. "Okay, but the Trailblazer is special, they literally have a Stellaron in them. Sunday
doesn't have that." Firefly said she tried to defy the script many times but failed.
a. Sunday also almost became a god by accident (it's currently unclear if all gods are
Aeons or if it's a case of all Aeons are gods but not all gods are Aeons), Aeons only
know what sort of lingering effects that has on him.
b. This does not allude to the fact that Sunday will be unable to join the Express. The
Trailblazer was placed with the Express with their memories wiped by Kafka per Elio’s
script as she follows it. The script’s goal is to gather allies for the Express. Having
someone who essentially almost ascended to Aeonhood while also potentially having a

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 former Stellaron Hunter join as an ally would further insinuate the outcome that Elio
wants where the Express has enough manpower to fight Nanook in the end.

17. "The Stellaron Hunters aren't completely evil, they're morally gray. They want the
world to not be destroyed by Nanook."
a. At best, this places the Stellaron Hunters in the "good intentions, bad execution"
group. But their "bad execution" includes things like the Jepella Rebellion + leading the
Antimatter Legion to the Space Station as a distraction. Both events caused loss of life.
Sunday's "bad execution" was "I will put everyone in an eternal dream world without
their consent," and no one directly lost their lives due to his plot because of how
Sunday is against the idea of loss of life. [i.e. the Charmony Dove and the fact that you
cannot die in the Twelve Hours.]

Additionally, based on the events of 2.2, he acknowledged his methods were wrong. So
joining the Stellaron Hunters would just show... That he learned nothing and is
contradictory to the ending of 2.2.

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 Additional Information
Sunday’s Outfit Symbolism

● His outfit, as we all know, symbolizes Ena the

Order.
● The blue side piece on Sunday’s outfit could
symbolize that he is a member of the Nameless, as each
Astral Express member has a light blue/blue-green piece
on their outfits (excluding Welt).
● These colors stand out on the character, and for
Sunday, it stands out well. For characters like Stelle, it
has no purpose in being there. Perhaps this could be for
a narrative piece?
● Firefly also seems to have this color on her dress.
● Misha also has a blue color on him, however since his entire color scheme is blue it’s not as
noticeable.
● Characters like Boothill and Hook do not have this color on them. This color is going to be on
other characters because blue is a color, but for characters like Himeko, Stelle, and Caelus, this
color has no actual purpose being there.

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Being a Wanted Criminal and how it doesn’t relate to joining the
Stellaron Hunters

A popular argument by some theorists is how Sunday’s likely “wanted criminal” status is a sign he will
join the Stellaron Hunters since he’ll be on the run. However, the Stellaron Hunters are one of the
worst of many other wanted criminals across the universe, who also have their own bounties.

A noticeable example from a recent event (at the time of writing this) is Boothill, a Galaxy Ranger.

As seen here, Boothill has a bounty of 720.5M on his head, which is certainly not a small amount,
although the Stellaron Hunters have theirs in the billions (and for good reason).

Sunday’s crimes are simple; following Order and throwing the entire Asdana Star System into Ena’s
Dream. However, no one died in the process or was badly hurt, and as such it is safe to assume Sunday
won’t get too big a bounty. The situation was also resolved with no casualties and with less
consequences (one of the consequences being the Grand Theater).

In light of the new 2.3 leaks, it is seen that Sunday refuses the compromise with Jade, thus, alluding to
him not joining the Stellaron Hunters; additionally, his crimes do not equate to the same level as the
Stellaron Hunters, as he did not commit mass murder, nor was he responsible for the loss of any lives.

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(UPDATED JULY 18 2024) Sunday Black Redesign Speculation

Although there are ‘leaks' spreading on media such as X and Reddit, these are actually rumors and not
coming from any reputable source. However, if it is true that he does get a black redesign, this does not
necessarily confirm Sunday will become a Stellaron Hunter, and would actually fall more in line with
the Astral Express than in the Stellaron Hunters. Looking at all members of the Astral Express side by
side shows that not only do they all have a ticket with them, but every member has a black part of their
design, fitting in with the Astral Express's gold, red, and black theme.

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Newer leaks were given of Sunday’s redesign and it is
said that there is an express ticket on his redesign by Seele Leaks.

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(ADDED JULY 9 2024) Gallagher comparing Sunday to Mikhail
Sunday is directly being compared to Mikhail like the Nameless are here, by someone who knew
Mikhail well.

(ADDED JULY 18 2024) 2.3 Dialogue Foreshadowing

At the end of the Checkout quest in 2.3, it is mentioned and foreshadowed by the trailblazer’s dialogue
that there may be a new crew member joining the Astral Express.

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