Horizon Forbidden West saw many returning characters from Horizon Zero Dawn, populating the new world map with enough familiar faces to make the games feel connected. Some of these characters even saw their roles expanded as Aloy slowly shed her lone-wolf attitude over the course of Forbidden West‘s story. The most notable characters with bigger roles to play are Varl and Erend who hang out at Aloy’s new base and occasionally join her on missions.
However, even a game as massive as Horizon Forbidden West can’t give everyone the attention they might deserve. With all of the new characters being introduced, there are a few inclusions from Zero Dawn that don’t get much time in the spotlight. While there are in-universe explanations for these absences that are mostly justified, there is one glaring exception: Talanah.
It makes sense that not everyone would be able to join Aloy’s mission out west. Sun King Avad has to prioritize his responsibilities as a ruler, and Petra ends up taking over as leader of Chainscrape. Since Petra isn’t much of a fighter, giving her this role role seems fitting and respectful. However, Talanah’s minuscule role in Horizon Forbidden West doesn’t feel nearly as justified. Her excuse for not joining Aloy is that she needs to return to the Hunter’s Lodge, continuing her role as Sun Hawk and instituting changes to the status quo. This might have worked if Aloy’s crew didn’t include Erend, who is Captain of the Vanguard. If the head of the Sun King’s personal security team can ditch work to save the world with Aloy, why can’t the Sun Hawk?
It’s especially disappointing since Talanah’s questline involving the Hunter’s Lodge in Horizon Zero Dawn is one of the most memorable from the game, largely due to how compelling she is as a character. Hunting down Red Maw by Talanah’s side and seeing her rise to the top for all of her hard work is one of the game’s most satisfying storylines. Many players likely pursued her side-quest in Forbidden West with the expectation that she would join Aloy at her base, or at the very least receive a focus and check in from time to time. Her lack of presence in the plot is even more odd since Aloy’s gang of misfits includes at least one member of every tribe — except for the Carja.
Giving Talanah a fun and compelling side-quest might have made up for her staying on the sidelines. Instead, Talanah’s story continues an arc that was set up in the Horizon comics, which are included with the Deluxe Edition of the game. The problem lies in Talanah’s romance with Amadis. While this relationship could have worked well, there’s something unpalatable about seeing a strong and dynamic woman like Talanah having all of her motivations tied to men. First it was her father and brother, and now it’s a man who leaves her hanging to find out what happened to his ex, who is missing and presumed dead.
There’s nothing wrong with Amadis seeking closure before moving on to another relationship, but the end of the “Need to Know” side quest feels like a slap in the face. It leaves Talanah on a frustrating and unsatisfying note, and it’s disappointing to see the character’s potential squandered in favor of a half-hearted love story.
Once the quest is complete, Aloy can find a potted plant left by Talanah at the seating area across from Erend. It’s easy to imagine Talanah herself occupying that little corner, ready to chat between story quests and join Aloy on missions. Perhaps she was intended to be there originally, but never made it to the final product for one reason or another. Speculation aside, one thing is certain: Talanah deserved better.
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