Horizon Forbidden West sets up an epic and difficult encounter for Aloy and her allies, as they must now prepare for the next big threat, NEMESIS. Unlike the previous games, however, NEMESIS seems equipped to easily take down highly advanced civilizations, like the Far Zenith colony, which will place a lot more challenges on those still living on Earth. With this dangerous new threat, a few new allies, and another clone of Elisabet at her side, Aloy’s future may shadow Sobeck’s, as she might have to give up her life to protect the planet in the Horizon Forbidden West sequel.
Being a clone of Elisabet Sobeck, Aloy is not only extremely intelligent and headstrong but is also compassionate and willing to risk her own life for the safety of others. In Horizon Forbidden West, Aloy was able to muster enough allies to take out the Far Zenith threat. However, since they themselves were escaping from NEMESIS, it only shows how dangerous this new threat is. As NEMESIS continues to approach, Aloy may find herself running out of options that would keep her alive and victorious against the machine that not only took out the Far Zenith colony but also kickstarted the events of Horizon Zero Dawn with the HADES Extinction Signal.
Horizon Zero Dawn & Elisabet Sobeck's Death
Elisabet Sobeck has always been portrayed as a hero who was willing to do everything to stand against the Faro Plague and give humanity and life on Earth another chance. Her views on life and the planet seem to have been passed down to both Aloy and Beta, who now strive to ensure that Elisabet’s vision of a better planet comes true. Ultimately, Elisabet’s own sacrifice could have foreshadowed what would happen to Aloy at the end of the Horizon Forbidden West sequel as the planet faces its biggest threat since the Faro Plague, NEMESIS.
Following the initiation of Zero Dawn, Elisabet and the other alphas of the project retreated to GAIA Prime, the facility that would eventually be used to repopulate the planet. During the sealing of the facility, it was discovered that one of the seals did not properly close, which could lead to the Faro machines discovering the location and destroying the facility. To give life another chance, Elisabet left the facility to fix the seal, trapping herself outside, where she eventually met her fate, presumably due to the inhospitable environment created by the Faro Plague.
Aloy Could Meet A Similar Fate
While Aloy has gotten herself out of some sticky situations before, NEMESIS may prove to be a threat too big for her to handle. With new allies that are ready to lay their life on the line, and Beta, another person capable of accessing Old World ruins, Aloy can remain assured that the planet will be in capable hands, even after her death. So, it is possible that Aloy will sacrifice her own life to take down NEMESIS and leave the future protection of the planet in the hands of her friends.
If the Horizon Forbidden West sequel decides to mirror the events that took place at the end of Elisabet Sobeck’s life, then Aloy’s death is all but a certainty. Using MINERVA, one of the subordinate functions of GAIA, they can override NEMESIS or even force it to stop similarly to how the function was used to stop the Faro Plague. Yet, with how Elisabet died, and with the true dangers of going up against NEMESIS, it seems like Aloy sacrificing herself for victory is the logical step for the Horizon Forbidden West sequel to take, and would be a fitting end to the life of a hero.
Horizon Forbidden West’s sequel will unleash all sorts of evils for Aloy and her friends to face head-on, and while Aloy may not survive the climax of the game, it may not mean the end of the franchise. With many other characters to pick from, including Talanah, Beta, or even Varl’s unborn child to take up her mantle, the next game in the series should mark the end of Aloy’s story. In whatever way it is handled, the final fight against NEMESIS is already set up to be the most challenging one in the series, requiring all of Aloy’s skills and allies in a final push to safeguard the planet.
Horizon Forbidden West is available now for PS4 and PS5.