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| “ | She is a god with no love left for her people, nor do they have any left for her. Her followers hope only to be on her side when the day of her rebellion against the divine comes at last. | „ |
| ~ Dainsleif on the Tsaritsa. |
| “ | Behold! Even the gods have their limits. | „ |
| ~ Pierro saying her quote to represent for those who dare not to gaze upon Celestia |
| “ | Sorry... to also have you shoulder the grievances of the world. Since you could endure my bitter cold, you must have the desire to burn? Then, burn away the old world for me. | „ |
| ~ The Tsaritsa. |
Anastasya Feodorovna Snezhnaya, also known as the Tsaritsa of Snezhnaya and the Cryo Archon, is one of the two main antagonists (alongside the Traveler's twin) of the 2020 action role-playing fantasy video game Genshin Impact.
Anastasya Snezhnaya was the Tsaritsa, the divine ruler of the nation of Snezhnaya, as well as the Cryo Archon among the Seven Archons that governed Teyvat at the behest of the Heavenly Principles. Despite her position being mandated by the Heavenly Principles, the Tsaritsa sought to rebel against the divinity that ruled over Teyvat and establish a new order.
Synopsis[]
History[]
The Cryo Archon, referred to as the Tsaritsa by her people, was technically not one of the Seven Archons that each presided over an element and a nation on the continent Teyvat. Rather, she gained her position as the Cryo Archon after the death of the Belyi Tsar, the former Cryo Archon. She was the ruler of Snezhnaya, a technologically-advanced nation with a frigid climate, and was regarded as a compassionate and kind-hearted God. However, the Tsaritsa's attitude changed after the destruction of the subterranean nation Khaenri'ah at the hands of the Gods and the Heavenly Principles. The Cryo Archon's love for her people dwindled until she became a cold-hearted woman solely dedicated to rebelling against the divine and creating a new era of peace through war.
She formed the Fatui, a militaristic religious group comprised of her fanatical followers, and tasked them with sowing discord in the nations of the other Archons.
Well over a century after the cataclysm, the Tsaritsa was introduced to a nameless wanderer who had been recruited by the Jester. The wanderer was an artificial puppet/clone created and then abandoned by the Electro Archon and God of Eternity Beelzebul. Because the wanderer possessed the constitution of a god, the Tsaritsa placed him in charge of a company of Fatui and tasked him with exploring the Abyss. After spending a long time in the Abyss, the wanderer returned and presented his findings. For his efforts, the Cryo Archon promoted him to the ranks of the Harbingers and entitled him "Scaramouche" a.k.a. "The Balladeer."
The Tsaritsa personally attended the investiture of the Eleventh Fatui Harbinger Tartaglia, watching on sternly from her throne as Pierro pinned an Electro Delusion on the newest addition to the Fatui Harbingers.
At some unknown point in time, the Tsaritsa had an agreement with the Damselette, the Third Fatui Harbinger. Though the agreement details remain vague, what is known is that Damselette had made an unspecified promise with her, that resulted in losing quite a large portion of her power for reasons yet to be explained.
Collecting the Gnoses[]
Five hundred years after the destruction of Khaenri'ah, the Tsaritsa commanded her Fatui Harbingers to bring her the Gnoses of the other active Archons for reasons unknown (though this likely relates to her ideology of rebelling against the Heavenly Principles). The first Gnosis to fall into the possession of the Tsaritsa was the one belonging to her former friend, the God of Freedom Barbatos. The Eighth Fatui Harbinger La Signora ambushed Barbatos, now having assumed the identity of a bard named Venti, and a heroic outlander known as the Traveler outside the Favonius Cathedral in the City of Mondstadt and took the Gnosis by force. It was the Cryo Archon's instruction that the Anemo Archon's Gnosis be taken by force rather than by other means due to the animosity she felt towards him.
In order to obtain the Gnosis of the Geo Archon Morax, the Cryo Archon decided to negotiate. She signed a contract with the Geo Archon which granted her the Geo Gnosis in exchange for an unknown bargaining chip. Upon the fulfilment of the contract, the Gnosis was collected by Signora and Tartaglia and presented to the Tsaritsa in Zapolyarny Palace.
Later, the Gnosis of the Electro Archon Beelzebul was given to the Balladeer by her best friend Yae Miko in exchange for the life of the Traveler, who was at the Balladeer's mercy. Rather than returning it to the Tsaritsa however, the Balladeer decided to keep the Gnosis for himself in the hopes that he would be able to use it to attain true godhood. As an indirect result of the Balladeer's betrayal, La Signora was killed by the Raiden Shogun after a duel with the Traveler and the plots of the Fatui in Inazuma failed.
When Il Dottore was present at Sumeru, he was summoned back to Snezhnaya by the Tsaritsa (presumably along with the other Harbingers). However, Dottore left behind another one of his segments, and used it to retrieve the missing Electro Gnosis after the Balladeer's betrayal. He also negotiated with the Dendro Archon, Lesser Lord Kusanali in exchange for the Dendro Gnosis and gained them both.
The Tsaritsa later charged Arlecchino with retrieving the Hydro Gnosis from the Hydro Archon Focalors. Arlecchino, who primarily operated in the Hydro Archon's nation Fontaine, requested permission to use the power of the Hydro Gnosis herself upon retrieving it in order to save Fontaine from a cataclysmic flood that was prophesized to destroy the nation. The Cryo Archon granted her permission, though it was ultimately unneeded as the prophesized flood was halted through alternative means. Arlecchino received the Gnosis peacefully and subsequently bequeathed it to the Tsaritsa.
After the battle against the Pyro Archon and defeat, the Captain wrote a letter to the Tsaritsa, requesting her to remove him from the responsibility of retrieving the Pyro Gnosis. The Tsaritsa accepted the request, and following his sacrifice, she decides to keep his seat vacant. It is likely possible that she will assign another Harbinger to retrieve the Pyro Gnosis.
Nod-Krai's conspiracy[]
The Tsaritsa has apparently issued the "Palestar Edict", summoning the Fatui Harbingers back to Snezhnaya and deploying them to Nod-Krai. One of the directives of this decree is to retrieve the Damselette, who has fled to Nod-Krai and abandoned the Fatui in the process.
During a meeting between the Four Shades (minus Asmoday), it is revealed that the Tsaritsa plans to likely overthrow the Heavenly Principles while it is asleep, thus causing the Shades to decide to intervene.
Following the defeat of Rerir, the leader of the Wild Hunt (and one of the Sinners of Khaenriah), the Damselette reveals that the Kuuvahki Experimental Design Bureau, overseen by Marionette is busy designing an unknown weapon which plays a key role in the Tsaritsa's plan.
Having grown suspicious of Il Dottore's motives, and his prolonged inactivity, Arlecchino and Sandrone suspected that he was plotting something with the information that he was researching on the Ancient Moon's Remnants and was attempting to retrieve the Moon Marrows. Arlecchino later returned to Snezhnaya to meet with the Tsaritsa, entreating her to have him recalled under the guise of the fact that the Fatui's business in Nod-Krai had concluded and that three Harbingers were unneeded.
The Tsaritsa agreed with Arlecchino, having ordered Il Dottore's return to Snezhnaya immediately.
Following Columbina's capture at the hands of Il Dottore, Arlecchino thought of speaking with the Tsaritsa to remove the prohibition of Harbingers fighting against each other, but realized that it would not be practically possible.
The Tsaritsa authorised the Okhranka, or the Fatui Internal Affairs to review Il Dottore's case and identify whether did he turn traitor and acted against Snezhnaya's interests - while simultaneously accepting refugees from Nod-Krai and issued an edict to the Knave and Marionette through Childe - should the Doctor pose a threat, they are authorised to eliminate Il Dottore.
After Il Dottore's defeat, the Tsaritsa has revoked the Palestar Edict.
Powers & Abilities[]
Powers[]
- God Physiology: The Tsaritsa of Snezhnaya was one of the gods of Teyvat, an enigmatic race of beings who ruled over the human realm. The Seven Archons, all of whom were gods, drew strength from the worship of their followers and by extension the amount of control they exerted upon their subjects. Generally speaking, gods were tremendously powerful lifeforms who, at their full might, were virtually impossible for mortals to defeat one-on-one in a fight.
- Cryokinesis: All gods were able to harness immense amounts of elemental energy without the aid of an external source of power like a Vision. As the Cryo Archon, the Tsaritsa could presumably harness the power of the Cryo element to conjure and manipulate ice on a grand scale.
- Immortality: The gods of Teyvat were long-lived when compared to mortals, with the oldest known example being over six thousand years old. Even when a god was killed, their willpower would remain imprinted on the world. The eternal nature of the gods was limited however, as a process called erosion could gradually erode their minds until they inevitably lost their senses of self.
Abilities[]
- Political Influence: As the current ruler of Snezhnaya, the Tsaritsa had a broad political influence that gave her total executive control of her nation and the people within. She could call armies of loyal followers to fulfil her every whim, and was virtually infallible to prosecution due to her status as a god and a head of state.
Quotes[]
Quotes By The Tsaritsa[]
| “ | Sorry... to also have you shoulder the grievances of the world. Since you could endure my bitter cold, you must have the desire to burn? Then, burn away the old world for me. | „ |
| ~ The Tsaritsa. |
| “ | I hereby pardon your crimes, and bestow upon you a new name. This title and its legacy of bloodshed are now yours to bear, my poor, mad, cursed Knave. | „ |
| ~ The Tsaritsa, as quoted by Pierro, inaugurating Arlecchino. |
| “ | Winter nights know no mercy. She left her curtained nest in frost and snow; no one is obliged to restore that which she has lost. | „ |
| ~ Snezhnaya commenting on Columbina after her desertion from the Fatui. |
Quotes About The Tsaritsa[]
| “ | She is a god with no love left for her people, nor do they have any left for her. Her followers hope only to be on her side when the day of her rebellion against the divine comes at last. | „ |
| ~ Dainsleif on the Tsaritsa. |
| “ | Her Royal Highness the Tsaritsa is actually a gentle soul. Too gentle, in fact, and that's why she had to harden herself. Likewise, she declared war against the whole world only because she dreams of peace. | „ |
| ~ Tartaglia on the Tsaritsa. |
| “ | Everyone praises her for her kindness and benevolence, but they forget that love is also a form of sin. What if she's just trying to compensate for something? | „ |
| ~ The Wanderer on the Cryo Archon. |
| “ | When I was imprisoned, it was the Tsaritsa who pardoned me and gave me the title of Harbinger. I could sense she was a person of true sincerity and compassion, unlike all those pompous hypocrites with their posturing and rhetoric. Yet... It's difficult to say whether her compassion alone is enough to melt the ice and snow that permeates her land. All I can say is this... If we are forced to be at odds one day, I will raise my weapon against her without hesitation, because that is the greatest level of respect I am able to bestow. | „ |
| ~ Arlecchino on the Tsaritsa. |
Trivia[]
- The etymology of figures, places, and concepts related to Snezhnaya, including the names and titles of the Cryo Archon, were primarily derived from Russian culture.
- The given name "Anastasya" was an alternate version of "Anastasia," a popular Slavic feminine name of Greek origin derived from the Greek word "anástasis," meaning "resurrection."
- The middle name "Feodorovna" was a patronym, meaning "daughter of Feodor."
- The family name "Snezhnaya" translated from Russian to mean "snowy."
- The royal style "Tsaritsa," meaning "Empress," was the female equivalent of "Tsar," meaning "Emperor," a title used historically by the sovereign monarchs of Russia and other Slavic states. The word Tsar was derived from the Latin title "Caesar," a cognomen assumed by Roman Emperors which originated from Roman statesman Julius Caesar.
- In the English localization of Genshin Impact, the Tsaritsa was frequently referred to using the honorific "Her Majesty," a manner of address typically used for the monarch of a sovereign state. However, in the "About the Tsaritsa" quote spoken by Tartaglia, she was erroneously addressed as "Her Royal Highness," a manner of address used for lesser members of a ruling family.
External Links[]
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