Aloy’s character is remarkably different in Horizon Forbidden West when compared to how she was portrayed in its predecessor, Horizon Zero Dawn. In Zero Dawn, Aloy evolved from a lowly Nora outcast to a revered savior of the world. Her journey greatly affected her community status, but also profoundly changed her internally. Horizon Forbidden West’s Aloy maintains her courageous and noble character while advancing to meet the repercussions of the last game head-on.
In Horizon Zero Dawn, Aloy is outcasted by the Nora tribe as an infant because she does not have a mother, leading her to pursue the truth about her origins. Fellow outcast, Rost, lovingly raises Aloy as his adopted daughter and trains her to be a worthy adversary for man and machine alike. Aloy’s treatment is one of the most important ties between Horizon Forbidden West and Zero Dawn. Apart from Rost, most people Aloy encounters in her early life treat her with extreme cruelty. She is provided an escape when she finds a Focus, which she uses to learn the hidden truths about machines, ancient humans, and perhaps most importantly, her own existence. Together, Rost and the Focus provide Aloy with a foundation of selflessness and curiosity, each of which is integral to her character throughout the Horizon series.
In both Horizon games, there are flashpoint decision sequences where Aloy can choose to respond with aggression, insight, or compassion. These choices do not affect the overall story, but they do provide a window inter her full personality, which encompasses all three elements. Although Zero Dawn‘s Nora tribe doesn’t fully return in Horizon Forbidden West, Aloy was once hardened by the rejection she faced from them, and it continues to inform her character. While she learns more about herself in Horizon Zero Dawn, she protects the world at all costs. Going into Horizon Forbidden West, Aloy has grown immensely into a stronger version of herself.
How Horizon Forbidden West’s Aloy Is Different From Zero Dawn’s
By the beginning of Horizon Forbidden West, Aloy has been turned into something of an icon thanks to her heroics in Zero Dawn. There are even statues in her honor. In addition to the attention this brings her, she also has friends that regularly express care and concern for her. Aloy is uncomfortable with receiving attention, even when it is deserved. However, her trust in others develops exponentially in Forbidden West. She begins relying on her friends not only for help in battle but also for personal matters. Aloy grows past her protective shell with new and returning characters in Horizon Forbidden West. This allows her to create a community of people who care about her, which she largely lacked in the previous game.
Aloy endures great internal character growth in Horizon Forbidden West as well. After learning about who she is and where she came from, Aloy is no longer looking for her purpose in the world as she was in Horizon Zero Dawn. Rather, she fully takes on the responsibility entrusted to her by GAIA and Dr. Elisabet Sobeck. Aloy continuously juggles the burdens of her shared DNA with Elisabet while also grappling with her own struggles. Forbidden West’s Aloy learns how to transcend being just another clone of Elisabet, utilizing her unique abilities to protect the world from destruction.
Aloy is shown to be a nuanced character throughout Horizon Zero Dawn’s story and ending, and her development continues in Horizon Forbidden West. Although she maintains her most important traits in the recent installment, she has also grown significantly from the first game. Forbidden West’s Aloy builds a community of trust with her friends and even allows others to help shoulder her burdens, contrasting starkly with her depiction in the previous game. Aloy’s growing confidence in Horizon Forbidden West shows how far she’s come since Zero Dawn, and it’s great to see play out over the sequel’s story.
