The Horizon franchise is stacked with some of the best characters in gaming, each with their own individual personality that fans are instantly drawn to. From Erend to Talanah, Aloy’s growing list of allies are a vital part of her fight against the powers trying to either take control of the world or destroy it. However, one character whose role in Horizon Forbidden West was nearly non-existent needs to have a much larger role in the next installment of the series.
Sun-King Avad played a major role in Horizon Zero Dawn, partly due to the fact that much of the game centered around Meridian. In Horizon Forbidden West, however, his role was cut down to only a short conversation he has with Aloy before she embarks on her quest at the start of the game. Now, with NEMESIS set to be the greatest foe Aloy has faced, and the next game possibly being the last in Aloy’s story, Avad could potentially play a much bigger role as an ally to Aloy and her friends.
Sun-King Avad
Sun-King Avad is the current ruler of the Carja Sundom and one of Aloy’s most powerful allies throughout her journey. He commands the Carja forces and resides in Meridian, which he successfully liberated from the rule of his father, the Mad Sun-King, Jiran, and reformed to be a place open to all people, even those who are not Carja. His role in the Horizon Zero Dawn is felt throughout the story, as Meridian serves as the centerpiece of the main mission, but with Aloy moving to the Forbidden West fans were unable to see more of Avad in the most recent title.
In Horizon Forbidden West, Avad informs Aloy of the peace that he is trying to broker with the Tenakth following the horrific acts committed during the Red Raids. He tells Aloy of the embassy that kickstarts the story for the game, and gifts her with a new spear and headgear which she wears for many of the initial quests. With the next installment focusing on an incoming threat that will require more forces than Aloy’s small group of allies, Sun-King Avad will likely play a bigger role.
Aloy’s Relationship With Avad
Prior to Aloy’s departure to the Forbidden West, she gets a chance to speak privately with Sun-King Avad, who informs her of his decision to step down from the throne so that the young prince can take his place. This decision is quickly followed up by a request that Avad joins Aloy on her travels in the future, and his hopes that Aloy will spend some time with him following her quest in the Forbidden West. This conversation had many fans wondering if Avad will become Aloy’s eventual love interest toward the end of her story.
As Sun-King, Avad has a lot of responsibilities, and as the protector of the planet, so does Aloy. However, neither want to hold those roles forever. While the Horizon franchise has never revealed whether Aloy will get a love interest, conversations with Avad, Erend, and a few others show that there are many characters who would like to explore a relationship with the fiery hero. Fans will have to wait till the release of the next installment in the Horizon franchise to see whether Aloy decides to settle down with someone, or simply continue to explore the world by herself after defeating the NEMESIS threat.
The Sun-King and His Armies
With the upcoming threat of NEMESIS, an A.I. that wiped out the far more powerful and technologically advanced Far Zeniths, Aloy is going to need all the help she can get. This time, it does not seem like her small group of friends will be enough, even with the brains of Sylens and her clone sister Beta by her side. To fight off the army that NEMESIS will bring, Aloy will need an army of her own, and Sun-King Avad can provide her with that army.
Avad has the entire army of the Carja under his rule that will likely be willing to help Aloy protect the planet from the upcoming threat. Further, the events of Horizon Forbidden West saw the Carja and Tenakth work towards putting their rivalry aside and forming a new partnership. So, having the Sun-King play a larger role in the next Horizon installment seems to be the best way for the game to justify Aloy gaining a massive army to lead into combat with NEMESIS.
Whether as an ally or a romantic interest, Sun-King Avad will need to have a greater presence in the third Horizon game as the odds against Aloy continue to grow. A newer, much more dangerous threat, along with a possible journey to unknown lands, means Aloy will need all the help she can get. After finally understanding the importance of having allies, she will likely grow her current team in the next Horizon game. Having the Sun-King by her side not only gives her access to his armies, and those of his allies, but also gives her access to vital information that she could use to defeat the NEMESIS threat.
Horizon Forbidden West is available now on PS4, and PS5.