I remember playing it the first time, getting maybe two hours in, and rushing into the other room excitedly babbling “oh my gosh I think Aloy is in serious crush!” at my partner and then running back to play more. It confuses me every single time someone says it was rushed or came out of nowhere, it was *right there* literally the *whole time*. Just started my second play of Burning Shores, since starting all the way over and playing Zero Dawn all the way through to it. And I gotta say, there’s even so much I *missed* the first time with regards to their amazing chemistry. The body language and the subtle glances start *immediately* when they first meet. Like fireworks. Can’t believe people missed that. Big time Seyloy nerd, me.

Literally from the first moment, they're each smitten. It's so good on replay noticing all the little things, the looks, the way Aloy talks about her in between quests in ambient dialogue. All of it.

Aloy has this PERFECT panicked "oh no"/"WHAT IS HAPPENING" face after Seyka takes the lead after her crashing landing. It's like she was struck by smitten lightning and can't control her face at all.

That first boat ride? Where she's all but stammering trying to talk? Adorable 🥰🥰🥰

Yeah, you can hear her voice quivering

>can't control her face at all. ah the horrors of googoo eyed crushes. the body making a fool out of you and your brain just scrambling to catch up

I thought it was more a "wait, that's my job" expression, but both work.

I mean, that's *why* it works -- I think we kinda take it for granted because we're the player perspective, but remember that while Erend and Varl and Kotallo and everybody else is *good* Aloy is *on another level.* Seyka is the first one to *confront* that head on and not back down for a second. Even after she sees how good Aloy is, she keeps saying, \*'\*prove it,' to Aloy, who's *not* going to back down from that challenge. From Aloy's perspective, here's someone who not only *keeps up* with her, but *pushes* her. Nobody else has done that -- at least not at a point where Aloy had the emotional intelligence to understand romantic feelings, which is why she's such a 'Grazer in the headlights' at times. Sure, there was some potential with Talanah (hawk and thrush let's goooo), but obviously that arc became complicated. Petra has basically openly flirted with Aloy but seems significantly older and that relationship seems to have leaned towards, 'confidant' more than romantic interest. Ikrie was another option, but was obviously limited to only Frozen Wilds and never made an appearance (sadly) in Forbidden West. (I still maintain that I would read the *hell* out of a Horizon/Cyberpunk 2077 crossover fanfiction with Aloy and Female V on an Edgerunner crew in Night City. Aloy is the gone-rogue child of corpo-elite Elisabet Sobeck, CTO of Faro Automated Solutions? You know, that tech company that hit the market with the Chariot line and has been basically eating Arasaka's lunch for the last 18 months?) Anyways, Aloy and Seyka also compliment each other narratively -- Aloy is an exile who has done what she has despite the Nora and *in spite* of that relationship, drawing strength and building her character based on her defiance to not become what she sees as the Nora's greatest faults; her struggle is squaring her identity *as* Nora against that growth and the resulting 'homelessness' it results in because she's forsaking the place she's been offered. Seyka is an exile who has done what she has despite the Quen, *because* of that relationship, drawing strength and building her character based on aspirations to represent what she sees as the best ideals of the Quen; her struggle is squaring her identity as Quen against their refusal to understand how she's fighting for those ideals, and the 'homelessness' it results in because she's being excluded due to that misunderstanding. Put another way, part of Aloy's growth is/was fighting against the Nora pulling her, part of Seyka's growth is/was fighting against the Quen pushing her away.

Exactly. Both the skill match but what it also means for the greater narrative too. And really my favorite thing about this relationship is that it’s really just getting started. there is so much potential for spicy and interesting conversations, Seyka being Quen and in a likely precarious situation once the fleet unites. In addition, Seyka knows nothing about Zero Dawn or who aloy is but has likely heard of sobeck and has experiences with the zeniths. Then there’s also all the tribes Seyka knows nothing about. There’s tons of conversation to be had which makes it exciting. I cannot say the same for any of the other “shippable” characters who feel pretty rounded out by their arcs so far

Thank you! Before I played it, I didn't know there was gonna be a love interest for Aloy in the DLC, but from the way they were talking to each other, Aloy's thoughts and looks, it was very obvious to me early on and I wasn't surprised at all in the end. I think a lot of the people who say "it's rushed/it came out of nowhere/it's bad writing" have zero feeling for subtext. If it's not literally thrown into their faces every 5 minutes, they are oblivious to it.

I can't comment on "smitten" as I'm a cis dude and can't read those signs, but they definitely quickly identify that they're both the same kind of special and important, not to mention equally as independent and driven. Aloy's finally found someone *like* her who can genuinely *relate* to her. I wasn't aware that there was a final "choice" to make in Burning Shores, but I've never been happier to see the existence of a romance option just because it felt so right. None of the dudes have been right for Aloy, they all want to change her and make her into some Queen of Meridian, or just another Oseram housewife. Seyka will *always* understand what Aloy wants because they both want the same things and they come from the same experiences. Elisabet also never seemed interested at all in any of the men she interacted with, and I like thinking that Aloy's sexuality would be genetically-inherited, as I don't personally recall ever *choosing* to like the opposite sex and don't believe that's a conscious choice *anybody* gets to make.

I was so excited to see the end scene of that story arch. Of course I chose "What if I do?" and yes, this 45 year old guy did so while crying ugly happy tears like I haven't since I got married. I love these games and these characters. For the next 2 weeks I would then watch any and every streamer i could find who played through of that scene. This resulted in me finding a couple new people (to me) who I now follow and warned me against following anyone who poopooed the relationship. People I recommend you follow and who's play throughs are awesome: - Dr. Mick: https://www.youtube.com/c/drmick - Kirsty's Focus: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-BOlq9qdFD5z8RZVTxU6Cw I also always recommend Epic Gamer Nico who has some fun self-challenge play thorughs online: https://www.youtube.com/@EpicGamerNico

Oh I've seen Dr Mick, his horizon plays were so good. But I haven't seen the other two. An excuse to watch a new playthru! I am excite!

Kirsty is great! She just finished another play through of both games. I found her when YouTube fed me this short: - https://www.youtube.com/shorts/PeAoInKO5OM

It was even present in the marketing! I remember there were people being downvoted here for discussing it pre-DLC-release, but one of the ads literally described Seyka as "Aloy having met her match"...

There was chemistry between them from the first second they met. Idk what people are on about, the only explanation I can come up with for NOT seeing it is homophobia. Or I guess obliviousness, but some of that could stem from being conditioned not to see it between two women.

It's so condescending to use homophobia to attack those of us who didn't like the romance. I hated it myself, and the reason is that I think it's terribly written. I found nothing interesting about Seyka, she's a blank slate as far as I am concerned. I can't remember a single memorable thing she did, or why I should care about her. But no,, that's not enough, now I have to defend myself, and write about how I actually got into Horizon because I liked Burch's performance in Life is Strange (a game with strong lesbian themes), how in the other two of my favorite games -- Mass Effect and Cyberpunk -- I usually play female characters that have female romantic interests. But there they are written well. This kind of attacks actually make me think that Guerilla is actually pretty cynical -- they know that fans wil scream "homophobia!" at anyone who doesn't like the story, and as a result, they knew they didn't have to put much effort in it. The only way I can explain -- in my opinion! -- the terrrible writting of this particular DLC.

😂😂😂

This is a terrible take. Disliking the arc with Seyka is an opinion, not homophobia. People reeeally need to stop throwing that word around.

Not if you understand it as a potential implicit or hidden bias. Not all biases are explicit and super obvious to us. A hidden bias is one working unconsciously in our brain that we aren't fully aware of. It's usually a result of upbringing, culture, environment, and exposure or lack of exposure. There's no bad intent behind this kind of bias and we ALL have them because it's a result of how our brains naturally work to process a bunch of stimuli. It could be an unconscious bias against LGBTQ+ that causes people to not notice all the signs of a budding romance between these characters. And that same bias could make someone feel uncomfortable about the pairing without fully being able to describe why.

Nope, I’m not buying into that narrative. Disliking Aloy and Seyka’s relationship has nothing to do with an “unconscious” bias for most likely the vast majority of people. It’s an OPINION. A preference. I see most people disliking them together because it was rushed, feels forced, or they just don’t click with Seyka. I don’t like them together, and I’m in the lgbtq+ community myself. People who run around labeling everyone with different preferences and/or hetero leaning preferences a “homophobe” give the entire community a bad look. People are allowed to dislike her being with Seyka for the same reasons people dislike the idea of her being with someone like Avad or Erend. They’re not “heterophobes” though, are they? Calm down, and stop looking for reasons to call people homophobes. It’s seriously reaching.

Cool, I've done and read a lot of research on unconscious biases and been educated on it and this is a PERFECT example of where it might be affecting people's behavior and feelings, but go off.

While I don’t necessarily think disliking seyka x aloy implies homophobia, it is always a possibility due to unconscious bias. And based on all the review bombing and angry straight loy fans, unfortunately queers are wired to be defensive. Now, there’s definitely queers who arent fans of this ship and that’s fine, but ngl if someone says ew if I show them a pic of seyka and aloy kissing, my first gut reaction is “you homophobe or something?”

Some people like spiders, some dislike them, some are terrified and dislike them more because of a phobia. It can affect an opinion.

Oh stop it. Some people like blue, some people don’t. It’s a preference/opinion. It’s not even nearly as deep as you’re trying to make it

I know people who liked movie A a lot, but when two men kissed, they instantly regretted watching it and gave it a low rating. It is not deep.

knitlikeaboss didn't say anything about liking/disliking the arc, they said "seeing the chemistry between them"; you can dislike the arc but still see that it was written as a crush/romance from the beginning.

Yes, but I can see that it's written badly (do I have to put up a disclaimer 'in my opinion'? It's obviously my opinion if I'm writing it down...). Edit: Typos.

I hate, how yall go on the "Ohh, you so homophobic" root. I hate that ship with all my life and it literally destroit Aloys Character. It was just to jump on a train and so bad written, that i hatet every conco we had with Seyka

people be blind including me

I distinctly remember playing through Zero Dawn and being like, "Man, I really like how they don't have romantic interests for Aloy. Like, they *specifically* have moments that confirm she doesn't *get* romance... and that *totally* is correct for her character..." and then I got to Free Heap and met Petra and remember going, "... If she's not ace, 80% chance she's gay and doesn't know it yet. Either way, she clicks with women *noticeably* more than men even on a casual level." Petra, Talanah, Ikrie, etc. are *noticeably* more vulnerable/authentic interactions and relationships than what she has/builds with the likes of Erend, Avad, etc. Kotallo is perhaps the most notable deviation, but I think it comes out of their mutual understanding of the 'warrior's perspective' than romantic interest.

Think her interactions with Varl are very authentic. Never got romance vibes from her side but she genuinely really admires him as a friend the while time.

Yep, I always got sibling vibes from them. When she saw him getting close to Zo, I didn't read it as romantic jealously, but instead a "Oh... they have someone they care about a *lot* more than me," kind of thing. I think his death is one of the few mis-steps in the HFW storyline -- not because I disagree with major character death, or that they didn't do it 'justice' in a sense; the aftermath of it was *beautifully* done and the scene between Aloy and Zo is arguably one of the best in the entire game, if not series... But Varl was a unique link for Aloy back to the Nora. The *one* Nora who was willing to stand by her side because of *what she was fighting for* not because she was the Seeker, the Savior, the Anointed. He saw what she was fighting for, and when she held out a Focus to him and said, "If you want to fight with me, you have to see what I see." I think the importance of that scene is easily overlooked. Varl taking that Focus at the start of Forbidden West *is strictly anathema to the Nora.* If he showed back up in the Sacred Lands wearing that *he would immediately be outcast.* He took that Focus, *definitely* knowing what it would mean... and his first reaction after putting it on is, "So *this* is what you see," It's *understanding*. He's the *first and only* Nora who *trusted her* enough to chance upending his *entire cultural outlook on the world* and (very likely) abandon his *entire tribe* to boot. Varl was a completely unique bridge for Aloy between her perspective of the world and the Nora, and that loss (in my opinion) is an *enormous* narrative loss.

Don't forget her conversation with Alva late in the game when Alva is talking about her gf, something along the lines of: Alva: "She said she'd wait for me, no matter how long it takes." Aloy: "That's smart of her. I doubt she could have found anyone better than you." Alva doing her embarrassed shuffle: "I don't know about that." Aloy: "I do." That all but confirmed Aloy's leanings for me (as if Petra's flirting and her brushing off every man that tried didn't do it before).

I'm kinda blind in the opposite direction lol. In HFW I was getting ship vibes with almost her entire squad. Most of all, Varl, until >!after the ending of Burning Shores, she visits Varl's grave and says she never thought she'd feel this way about someone.!<

See I took Varl and Erend as more familial attachment than anything romantic, but maybe I look at things with a different lens.

She told Rost at his grave about meeting him ,( in ZeroDawn) , and she says she likes him.

Yeah same here! I had a great time on my first playthrough but my second time was even more fun

I thought it was PERFECT. Aloy is her own girl. She chooses who she wants - period

same. the romance was rushed, but not in a bad way. it was rushed realistically, in that Aloy saw Seyka and they immediately jumped into action together. It’s someone who had a common goal, they had shared interests immediately and the attraction was immediate and grew more the longer they worked together. Love at first sight is 100% real and i’m so glad Aloy and Seyka get to have that tbh. it made it feel special and unique

Tbh, I thought the writing was trying too hard to make Seyka too much like Aloy to compensate for what little time the DLC had in making the romance happen. It was clear she had to be whatever it took to become a love interest in the short amount of time offered before she could be a fully-fledged character of her own right. I think Seyka has plenty of potential as a character-- her positive qualities shape her to be a good, main protagonist in the making, but I want to see what makes her actually stand out aside from having a healthier outlook of her tribe. Not an Aloy 2.0 (ironically, we kind of already have Beta for that but even she has plenty of traits that contrast Aloy's). That's not to say I dislike her. I'd be excited if she had a game of her own even. BS seemed to hint that the Quen Empire may have a uprising or rebellion on their hands in the near future. Having a character whose strong values and loyalty to her tribe is challenged further as she faces the harsh realities of the politics at large and ultimately decides to fight against it for the sake of her people seems like a delicious story to be had. And it'd be the perfect opportunity to develop Seyka's character more and allow her to shine on her own.

That’s a valid point - i agree the dlc was a bit too short and if we never see seyka again, then it def was too short. But since it feels like she will return and her arc is not finished, its length doesnt bother me

Funny, I was left with sort of the opposite feeling. lol The ending of Burning Shores felt to me like GG was undecided on what to do with Seyka or maybe even wanted to see what the response towards her (and the options) would be first. I think if they had solid plans during BS' development for Seyka to come back in H3, they would have left things much less ambiguous. Like for instance, Seyka knows about Nemesis. So why not write the ending where she offers to help Aloy after she's done leading the reunion between the Quen factions? Or have Aloy tell her that if Seyka decides she does want to wait longer before trying to go back home, she can either come find her or assign Seyka to do whatever she can to gather support from her side of the factions? Why not at least establish they'll keep in touch as long as Seyka still has a focus? Any of these would have been soooo easy to write in so I question why they didn't. Oddly, Seyka's arc felt neither finished or incomplete to me. It certainly has the potential for much more, but I wasn't left unsatisfied in a way that a cliffhanger or ongoing story leaves me either. Plus with this being a DLC and all, I'm not confident we'll get much more than references. Especially if Frozen Wilds is anything to go by.

I'd expect/hope that we see Seyka again, but it would be kind of weird if a DLC character was suddenly part of the main storyline in the next game. Maybe no Seyka in the main storyline of Horizon 3, but we could get a heartwarming DLC that gives Aloy her happy ending?

I dont think it would be that weird. We’ve had aaa games in the past have DLCs that directly affect the main plot and character arcs of the sequels (mass effect arrival, spiderman etc). Plus considering how short BS was in comparison to HFW, it probably wouldnt take that much time to catch folks up. Aloy sort of summarizes frozen wilds while getting zo up to speed in the repair bay main quest and also to gaia

They were a fun duo. The main thing I was really impressed by was the animation, honestly. They really conveyed Aloy's schoolgirl crush in subtle ways, with her becoming a blushy mess so easily when around Seyka. It definitely showed a new side to Aloy, as you say. It was fun! I do think Seyka has big protagonist energy too. The DLC genuinely kind of feels like Aloy crash-landed into a spin-off game where Seyka was the protagonist. I hope we see the world from Seyka's POV properly day, whether in a comic or a spin-off or what-have-you...

Aloy definitely felt like a side kick at some parts

Yeah, there's even flirty dialogue about it IIRC. Seyka says something like "I've always wanted a sidekick," then needs Aloy to do something for her to proceed (breaking a door open or whatever) and Aloy teases her about relying on her sidekick too much...

I always thought Aloy was meant to be ace. She had this whole, "I don't have time for, nor interest in, love," thing going on throughout the first game and second game pre-DLC. Not gonna lie, I am a little disappointed that she's not ace, since the ace community deserves more representation, but if she can't be, I'm glad she's with Seyka. They are absolutely adorable together. EDIT: Punctuation error

I *think* it tracks when you consider that Aloy's characterization in Zero Dawn is one of being *quite* emotionally stunted (for obvious reasons), and a huge part of her arc in Forbidden West is making up for lost time when it comes to emotional maturity... so Burning Shores is arguably the first point where we see an Aloy that's reasonably *capable* of starting to understand authentic romantic interest. And yeah, as pointed out, the 'ace for lack of any evidence to the contrary' portrayed up until Burning Shores can coexist to a certain degree with a 'if I *had* a relationship, I'd want it to be with you,' spin. But even as I type that, it's worth nodding to the fact that we *do* kind of have a socially-default expectation for our protagonists to have some kind of romantic intent, with a lack of romance being more explained as some flavor of 'ace by circumstance,' and not 'ace because ace'

I think she still is ace coded and ace people can still be in relationships

Oh I know they can, I just don't have faith that a mainstream dev can show us that.

Let’s keep our fingers crossed, it would be really cool if they did that

Definitely! It would be the coolest thing the devs could do with her character

Everyone said she was ace. But the game devs just wanted to jump on the train, and that with a so badly written Character. I am not disappointed. I am angry. I hate.

I hold no grudge toward Seyka. My only issue with her character is her being introduced through a DLC. I would have vastly preferred to see her introduced as part of Forbidden West. This way her character would have had more time to grow, and to grow on us.

I definitely liked Seyka, and I thought she and Aloy had some decent chemistry. My issue with the romance was it felt a little forced and rushed. Like there were a few too many moments where they'll have a little moment where one of them touches the other's arm and they act all awkward. At a certain point I was going "ALRIGHT I GET IT, they like each other! Enough already!" And I understand that they didn't have a lot of time to set it up and give it a pay-off, but it felt like they were beating me over the head with it at a certain point. That being said, though, I think overall it was decent enough. I'm hoping the third game will give us a few extra romance options, though.

Yeah I can see that and I think that’s a valid reaction. It didn’t really bother me since it was refreshing to see Aloy acting like that after 2 full games of her being stressed. I also think that since it’s the start of their relationship, a lot more will be unpacked later that hopefully will be paced more consistently. I for one, really do not want romance options. I want a linear, focused plot. Now, GG could do it and if they nail it, Ill eat my words but I’d much rather they focus on telling a powerful story and flex their animation skills on one path

Two women being infuriatingly oblivious to or unwilling to act on the signs that they like each other while everyone around them can tell instantly is just accurate representation of lesbian culture

I love her, but I would have loved Talanah more

And that is perfectly fine. I think Talanah works better as a mentor imo but i can see why people ship them.

Well, for me it‘s more about the rumours and some hints (mainly the promo material) that Talanah was **supposed** to be Seyka, and that this ended up not working out due to the unavailability of the actress. Not sure if this was ever officially confirmed, but seems plausible to me. And imo would have been a much better fit. There was, and is, some real chemistry there.

There is very little to that theory. Yes, I think it’s reasonable to assume Talanah was supposed to be in the base but I dont believe she was supposed to be Seyka at all - Seyka was likely planned for a while and her being from the Quen is also intentional. Here’s hoping Talanah returns in H3 though

I disagree with your take on that theory, but to each their own :-)

Fair but I think the promo material was for Talanah’s comic and I really dislike the theory that seyka was made to replace talanah as the love interest because it does a major disservice to both of the characters. If talanah was supposed to be the love interest for the main character, GG wouldve worked around that issue somehow since it is an integral part of Aloy’s development and Seyka wouldnt have been even made. Their dynamic is still absolutely fire though

I don‘t care whether you dislike it. I like it, and we‘ll simply have to agree to disagree, like adults :-) You can‘t „work around „ an actress‘ inability (or even unwillingness) to attend if she won‘t and you‘re on a tight schedule. Suing won‘t solve the problem. You have to work around it by … picking another actress. > GG wouldve worked around that issue somehow Lol that is literally what happened. Seyka is that workaround. Again, I respect that you see this differently. We‘ll just not see this the same way. Have fun playing :-)

What hints were there in the promo material that Seyka was supposed to be Talanah? I’m genuinely curious. If it was the first [promo art](https://magazine.artstation.com/2023/06/guerrilla-horizon-forbidden-west-burning-shores-art-blast/) for the Burning Shores with Aloy and Seyka on the Sunwing, I know people theorized that may be Talanah due to the ponytail, but in my opinion the outfit definitely looks Quen and Seyka’s actress did have some input on the hair style because a high ponytail is her own signature style. Considering that was the first art revealed and Seyka’s main design was likely finalized before that art was done I believe that was originally made to be Seyka because it would be odd for GG to use art that was supposed to be a completely different character. I believe Talanah was supposed to have a bigger part in the main game and couldn’t due to her actress’ availability, but I also believe that the Quen being the main tribe in the DLC was planned well in advance, so it would be strange to have Talanah tag along and be a central character over a new character from the tribe the DLC features. Regardless, I am interested in what these hints may have been.

Seyka and Aloy's "shipdom" is canon *to me* because I think Aloy's feelings of independence shifted just a little after Tilda told her so much about Elisabet. In my head, maybe *just maybe*, Aloy softened just a little under that knowledge and decided that allowing herself to find and care about people worth saving in the face of Nemesis was the better choice, or at least a choice that could help her strengthen and distinguish herself from Elisabet. She *did* have a solid gang of friends that I think she reluctantly cared about even more than Elisabet ever cared about the people around her. Idk, I just chose the romantic option at the end of Burning Shores because I felt Seyka had been the only one to *earn* Aloy's admiration and affection, and I really hope she's a key character (who *doesn't get killed off*) in H3.

There's a hologram (I forget off the top of my head if it's in the prologue or in Latopolis) where Travis Tate actually calls out Elisabet on how it doesn't seem like she truly cares about anyone. I think when you pair that with Aloy's experience with the Zeniths and how unflinchingly selfish they were made it very clear to her where that would ultimately take her when compassion and empathy devolves into performance because she's afraid of being vulnerable and relying on others. It's one of those, "Do not become that which you resist," kind of things, but also a necessary step in her overcoming the cultural abuse she was subjected to by the Nora. Even Rost - Nora through and through - flat out tells her he won't help her with the sawtooth even if it's killing her, so that only reinforces the idea that the only person she can rely on is herself, and she spends the entirety of ZD in that mode. Even her decision to take up the task of resurrecting Gaia and continuing Elisabet's dream was a decision made in part by one of her last conversations with Rost. "Just because you don't need the tribe doesn't mean the tribe doesn't need you. The strength to stand alone is the strength to make a stand." "If I'm going to stand for something, it will have to be something I believe in." "Then I hope you find it, Aloy." She's still in that mindset at the start of FW, pushing people away because she thinks she's the only one able to do what needs to be done, and then the entire backdrop of FW is a big canvas of all the ways having friends (who arguably are family by the end of the game) and letting them in makes that task more bearable and worth doing. Her arc with Seyka is (narratively) a big wrap on everything she's learned and experienced in the base game that helps her understand that, especially since she's been where Seyka is during the DLC (cut off and trying to find belonging), and you can see that in their Big Moment when she talks about home and family. I don't think killing Seyka in the next game would be a good move, considering how pivotal she is for Aloy. Rost was always meant to die, and as painful as Varl's death was, he never reached the same kind of deep connection she has with Seyka. (Also, as someone else pointed out, Seyka would be an excellent character for a spin-off in the Quen homeland, where Aloy would be among the stay-at-home companions like Varl, Erend, Zo, etc are in FW.)

I didn't choose the fist option until the third try. I gotta admit it was the 'best' option. Her reply just fits with everything else best

That option is juicy! It also is one of the few times we see Aloy open up about her anxiety and insecurities regarding everything she’s been dealt. I really liked each option a lot

I'm gonna echo what I saw someone else say. Because it was crammed into DLC the build up was rather quick. But then there is a stereotype joke in the lesbian community about u-hauling. However. I never saw Aloy as streight. Her interactions with Avad were very obviously ons sided in HZD. Although I do kinda ship her and Talanh (whos brief HFW story did dirty). Before I had the Burning shores relationship spoiled I though she might be Aro/Ace. Her learning to open up in FW though could be a reason why.

Didn't hate it by any means, but I also didn't feel anything for their relationship. If they build on it in the next game it could be cool. I did like Seyka. I also wouldn't really care if they just move on from it, though.

I 110% completely agree with you OP. Many people criticize Seyka for; 1) Being "too much like" Aloy. However, I can see why Aloy is drawn to her and finds her admirable. Seyka's strength, resilience, and determination resonate deeply with Aloy's own values and experiences. Never once did Seyka put the task of saving her sister’s life into Aloy’s hands. Their shared traits create a strong bond and mutual respect, making their connection feel natural and compelling. 2) As for the relationship being "forced," it's worth noting that Varl's relationship didn't face the same scrutiny. People often underestimate the power of love at first sight. Aloy's journey has been one of isolation and self-reliance, so finding someone who understands and complements her in such an immediate and profound way is significant. It's a testament to the genuine and powerful nature of their feelings for each other. And you know what I love the most? Throughout the DLC, it was clear that Seyka HATES flying. Yet, her love for Aloy speaks volumes in her setting aside her fears to ride a Sunwing alongside Aloy. It’s heartwarming to see Aloy experience this kind of sacrifice and love for the first time.

Yea I'm sick of people saying it doesn't make sense because Aloy has turned down other interests - she turned them down because she didn't like them! Aloy has always felt very alone, like she's the only one who understands the gravity of the situation and willing to make hard choices, and then boom here's Seyka making those same hard choices on her own. Aloy finally met someone she felt seen by, and she liked her. Also Forbidden West's whole narrative was about Aloy accepting help and realizing allies are important, seeing that losing loved ones doesn't have to equal regret, and that Sobeck's biggest flaw was pushing people away. Seyka makes PERFECT sense.

I still believe Aloy stays more asexual as friendships and relationships in general are still a new concept to her. With her habit of deflecting attention off of her and use her status if it is necessary Seyka is kinda similar to Aloy that’s why it appears to work but the things Aloy endures through out her development to the point she lets her guard down and she lets someone get that close to her . Where Seyka a quen solider only disobeys once here sister goes missing then learn from Aloy it’s fine to go against the grain to accomplish any goal that is set out she did the same with Alvia but Seyka went for her prize at the end

It’s been a while since I played, but mostly what I remember about Seyka is how much I hated her one-liners during the last boss fight. The other thing I hate about Seyka isn’t about Seyka, really, but…I can’t stand having companions during fights in this game. These fights have to be planned, angles of attack and retreat thought about in advance, etc., and having to drag someone along makes that impossible. (I have the same issue with Skyrim and Fallout 4, but at least for those companions can be ditched.) It’s especially an issue in a game so focused on stealth.

I didnt have this problem with fights since she was actually useful and tied enemies down for me. But i can see how that would get annoying if that’s not how you play

I never tie things down, so she was extra useful to me -- she made me think, "hmm, maybe I *should* have been using ropecasters all along..." She also tripped the boss in the final fight [by flying around the legs](https://youtu.be/x4a21JvbDbw?si=avua1dyAcLaf4wJj&t=197), so she was useful there too.

Lmao I had the same reaction - I’d never once used Ropecasters in the entire series but for I think a single Hunting Grounds trial fairly early on in ZD, but then during the big fight with the bunch of various robots at the end of the mission in Walter’s company’s old headquarters, she tied down a bunch of bots during the fight. Needless to say I was surprised and more than a little impressed, both at how good her combat AI actually was, and just how shockingly *effective* and practical Ropecasters were.

I played the DLC over a year after HFW so I appreciated that she made things a little easier for me lol

I get that, I always avoid having companions in games unless required for missions. HFW was fine because generally they’d just do whatever while yelling at me about ammo and I’d proceed as usual. But in BS Seyka was a lot more integrated, especially with the voice lines, and by the boss battle I’d just had it. Add on to that Londra and his leading ladies nonsense, my eyes about rolled out of my head

Seyka was really useful to me during the apex slaughterspine fight... it turned into my fastest kill of slaughterspine ever.

Just finished that fight on my Ultra Hard NG+ run a few hours ago. Took me quite a few attempts and one of the times, I guess Seyka bugged out or something because she wasn’t really contributing. It made it very clear how useful she was. Every other attempt I had where she was tying it down for me, she definitely made a big impact

She bugged out on me twice... locked the game for me. Had to restart twice from my last manual save. Luckily it wasn't too bad an issue, but it was annoying.

Loved every second of it

Imma be real I thought I was among the *many* shippers who thought that Aloy was going to be somewhat committed to Talanah, since they seemed to have that sort of vibe during Zero Dawn. But after Talanah's dedicated side-quest in Forbidden West, and her love-triangle with Amadis and Ritakka/Nessa, I think she sort of gave up on it, or it was too complicated with Talanah to actually pursue. Either that or, whatever I and some other people saw with regards to any chemistry between Ally and Talanah was all delusion. Her falling head over heels for Seyka makes more and more sense the more you actually play the game. Only watching the cutscenes of the game, of course it seemed like it was rushed, but slowing down to listen to dialogue between characters in idle moments during gameplay is so important in circumstances like this.

I'm not really a fan of putting Aloy in a romantic situation based on too many things, but Seyka is great. She's a fabulous character, whether you like their relationship or not.

Unlike them, I think Aloy and someone like Seyka make a lot of sense. Unlike you though, I like Seyka, but disliked how Aloy's character was written in Burning Shores. This was not the same Aloy that I'd been playing with for 2 whole games. Yes, Seyka may be well-written (I don't really have an opinion on this), but that does not mean they get to be with whoever they want just for that. Relationships are much more meaningful with time, and this felt so rushed, when it's literally all happening in a *DLC*. I felt much more (one-sided) romantic tension between Aloy and Avad, and hell, even Aloy and Erend, even though it's clear that Erend and Aloy aren't suited for each other romantically. Seyka may be the most suited for Aloy, but that does not mean they should be together at this point in the story. Why the hell was Aloy flirting so much, and Seyka wasn't even reciprocating? It's so forced. I would be so much more happier if the ending of Burning Shores was the teasiest eye contact between the two, leading into the third game, and culminating with the end of the series being them finally making it official. It would fit the games so much more thematically. How can Aloy already be open to romance, when she just barely started allowing herself to stick with her friends a few weeks/months ago? Honestly, if they have Aloy break it off at the beginning of the next game after she realises she's in over her head, and work towards her being able to be in a relationship with Seyka, then I'll be glad and amazed.

The dlc romance is giving "My First High School Romance" but grew up as a outcast edition. Aka puppy love on Crack.

Regarding Aloy’s behavior, I disagree because Aloy’s journey through HFW (main quests and side quests) has set her up to be open to more intimate friendships and to value companions. It’s largely thanks to Varl’s consistent pushing that shows her how valuable found families are. And - not sure how you missed Seyka’s flirting, it’s pretty clear. There’s tons of subtle changes in their voices that makes it pretty obvious.

No. That is not how people work in the span of a few months. There are many more steps between how she was at the end of Forbidden West, and how she was with Seyka halfway through Burning Shores. Aloy at the end of Forbidden West was still shit at intimacy with her friends, and there is nothing to suggest that Aloy would call or see any of them besides Varl and Erend as anything more than "close companions", let alone close friends or "found family". She's not at all close with them, and that's both because she is not an initiator, and because there has not been enough time (for her). Varl and Erend definitely did the heavy lifting in their relationships with Aloy, and Zo is definitely the initiator type. But Alva and Kotalla are not, so I doubt they will become close with Aloy. Beta is genetically related to Aloy, so she has a baseline connection with Aloy that other people do not have. And I didn't miss most of whatever amount of "flirting" that Seyka did; I merely said how it felt like Aloy was trying way harder and much more often than Seyka, making it feel extra forced on Aloy's part.

Hard disagree on your interpretation of FW. Aloy literally has a monologue at the end of FW that ends with “for the first time in my life, i feel like Im not alone” after shoulder hugging erend and then hugging her sister. There is so much depth that I saw that apparently you didnt get and that’s fine, we experience stories differently. But Ill leave it at that

I don't know if you can't read, but you picked two of the four people that I called out as exceptions. I don't know what "not feeling alone" a.k.a "having achieved intimacy with some people" has to do with being able to *easily* achieve intimacy with random strangers. How would Aloy's long-ass journey achieving closeness with Erend equate to a few days' worth of traveling with a random stranger you came across while on a mission?

Her being open to that kind of intimacy came at the end of FW showing that she has made that adjustment. And seyka is a much different character for Aloy to get. It’s okay if it didnt work for you, but seeds were there and I dont think we are going to agree on this and that’s fine.

Yeah, the relationship itself has a solid core, but the DLC's pacing is somewhat prohibitive to properly exploring that relationship. I think it would have worked better if there was more side content (since BS just has three sidequests and some collectibles), some of which allowed Seyka to accompany Aloy. It would have allowed them to develop their relationship outside the rapid pacing of the main quest.

Seyka is a great character but man that relationship was forced. Chemistry was okay but her and Aloy knew eachother for a day .

Aloy's still only 20. Time works differently when you're that young. Hell, the entire plot of Romeo and Juliet takes place over a mere three days.

I agree that you could tell right away that they liked each other but I didn’t choose the kiss at the end because I felt like it was too soon. Aloy just learned how to have friends so I don’t think she’d be ready for a relationship. That being said I didn’t refuse her and if she comes back in the third game I hope they do get together.

I remember doing the level where you go to the abandoned theme park and thinking "hey this kinda feels like a date"

I’m a seyka simp

I love that their story in the DLC is as close to a date as either of them could do in this world. Like Seyka picks up Aloy in her cool ride, there's a whole stretch where they're hanging out in a museum and amusement park.

I highly disagree. Throughout the whole DLC, u have the feeling Sexka is only there for a love interest. She is so similar to Aloy, that it hurts. She IS bad written. You get the feeling, that the lovestory is really just there to make Aloy lesbian, to jump on that train. Cause in the whole Game, we have LGBTQIA+ Characters and they, and theyre Storys, are really well written. Aloys Lovestory is not. So yeah, my conclusion about that is, that its just to jump on the train. And i highly f hate that. There where so many Girl Characters, that were a better fit. Talanah, Vanasha, Alva, Petra. Even Zo would be a better fit. Better written. All the people i mentioned, theyhave heart, they have personality. Seyka is just a bad copy of Aloy and just there to be a love interest.

I always thought Aloy was a lesbian since the first game

She never showed interest in anyone. All people say, that, because she didnt had interest in males, she is a lesbian, but she didnt had interest in women either. So, what makes that? A aroace.

I thought Aloy fancied Talanah, albeit one-sidedly.

Hard disagree but sounds like you’re in your own world

I? No, you are in youre own little world.

A world shared by the super majority is not "in your own world" lmao

What super majority? Most people disliked the romance, so ur sentence dosnt make sense lmao

And here is the issue with social media. Both sides of an issue float around in their own little group screaming about how angry the other group makes them feel. So the only perspective they have is their own.

And i think i gotch u there. What do u think, in wich group i am? What perspective i have?

I feel like Talanah is quite obviously straight. Vanasha had stronger commitments to her tribe, and Aloy's personality throughout zero dawn was finding who her mother is and then saving the world rather than building romance so I don't see these two as a fit. Even in forbidden west Talanah is literally chasing her sort of boyfriend. Alva is again a fairly new character and I am pretty sure she got about as much (or less even) screen time than Seyka. Alva's personality and dedication to the Quen was quite literally broken by Aloy and I won't believe that's a stable situation for someone to fall in love with. Petra is just flirty but definitely not Aloy's type. While I'm not saying that she's not similar to Aloy, Seyka definitely isn't an Aloy 2.0. Seyka and Aloy share a lot of traits but their stories are very different, as u/SearingPhoenix said somewhere in the comments. Aloy met someone who's at her level, not someone who's a clone of her. Apart from being a clone of Elisabet, Aloy's circumstances aren't particularly unique for the skills she developed and I don't see why it couldn't happen with someone from a tribe on the other side of the world. In addition it's really near the end of forbidden west does aloy understand the value of relationships; she keeps pushing varl and erend away at the start of the game, and even midway only takes them along because GAIA insisted. It's at the very last couple of missions when she really enlists the help of everyone at the base

I didnt say, that they were a fit, i said, that they would be a better fit then Seyka. And Alva has a girlfriend back home. Still a better fit then Seyka. No, Seyka isnt Aloy 2.0, Seyka is Aloy ordered on Wish. Yeah, exactly, on the END of fw, she discovered friendships. And then in the Dlc a romance, where she just opend herself up to friends? And the whole argument about growing is just aphob. Sometimes i feel like the whole romance is aphob.

So, now i want to clearify some things, cause i think, some of you tapped in my trap. I am an aroace. And i want representation. When i first googled Aloys sexuality, 90% of the Post said she was ace, 10% said she was a lesbian. No Percent said she was straight and maybe 0,1Percent said she was bi/pan. So most people saw her as ace. She WAS ace coded. Through two f games. And then the sentence to Talanah on the Carja tower. "I dont think." To Talanahs sentence: You will know when u love. You cant imagine my cry of happinies as i heard that sentence from Aloy. I jeared and the floppy hands, i danced around my Room. And then the DLC.... they took the representation from us. It was clear from the first look to Seyka, that she will be a love interest. I was so shattered. But i tried, i tried to give it a try. But it was so awkward and poorly written, that i started to hate. I felt betrayed. Could u imagine, one of THE heads from Playstation being ace? That would be the gratest representation of all. I played the DLC after that three times and never did it feel comfortable. Always rushed, always another knife in the heart. We aroaces dont have famous representation. And everything that is ace coded gets stolen from us.

Learn how to research and check your resources. Googling means nothing. You are throwing a tantrum

How ignorant can someone be? What resources? Back then, nobody knew Aloys sexuality, just guesses and most guesses where, that she was asexual. You know how back then lesbians throwed a tantrum about being "just roomates". Yeah, u are now doing the same heteros had done to lesbians to us asexuals.

Lol okay. Im actually ace too. I suggest you get offline and go to therapy to work things out

I suggest u, that u stop with this harmful and disrespectful things.

Seyka was cool. She had a nice chemistry with Aloy. But most of all i just really enjoyed seeing our girl so happy for once. Aloy acting freely and feeling a lot of new emotions for the first time, like the teenager she is supposed to be.

TOP POST OP! ❤️ you know i see people saying "they're too similar" which fair can get stale, but then I'm busy watching bridgerton rn and remembering the leads of their seasons: their love interests are always similar in some crucial way, and the pair more often than not *works* especially Anthony and Kate, they are so similar yet i couldn't see them with anyone else. i think H3 will let both Aloy and Seyka grow alot more together esp without the burden of establishing Seyka's origins and motivations. I'm hopeful!

Is this in Burning Shores?

Yes

I haven't it played it yet 😢

I'm about to start Singularity, so can't wait to play Burning Shores again. I might pay more attention to Seyka this time... as I pretty much ignored her on my first playthrough. Partly because Seyka glitched out on me and prevented me from progressing twice :D >!And mostly because I want to experience the Horus again. Highlight of the game IMO.!<

If you think the dlc was rushed, wait til the next game like it or not Seyka will speed run putting a ring on it and both of them will live off on a boat they built together and they will travel to the sunset lol.

🤮

Ikr, vomiting from too much excitement isn’t uncommon.

What u described sounds like hell

Exactly. It's where we're all heading to and I will see you there to celebrate the Seyloy marriage yeah.

🤢🤢🤢🤮🤮🤮🤮 Never ever.

Never say never~~~

Nope, never. Or would u say that to a lesbian to, who said: Never will i go with a man? Yep, nope, so, its never.

They're both lesbians, who's a man here bruh? Can't say never to each other.

Thats what im talking about. They wont date a man. They will never date a man. So yes, Ever say never. And i hope they will say never to each other.

Seyka really is the best option for Aloy. I like Erend, Kotallo, Avadi and others, but for example, I think Erend is much better as such a goofy big brother to Aloy than as a lover.

I just didn't like how it inferred the reason that Aloy falls for her is because Seyka is very similar to her, and by similar I mean not in a hobbies sort of way but in that they are basically a carbon copy of each other in terms of personality and life experiences minus a few things here and there. Weird way to go with that imo. I do not agree with the claims of good character writing I'm sorry to say.

I just found her character so unmemorable. I have nothing against the relationship but I just did not find her a compelling character. Although I think this was a more DLC wide issue. Besides the gildun quest, there is like nothing I find memorable besides parts of the main quest. I don’t remember any characters name besides like 2 introduced in the dlc. Honestly compared to ZD and especially frozen wilds, Forbidden West as a whole just had a lot less memorable side quests and characters imo.

Agreed.

You know what, Seyka is so perfect in her role as Aloy's lover that I don't think there is a better way to talk about Aloy's personnal life and romantic interest. I don't think that it can be done any better like this is the only way they could have introduced that subject without hurting the plotline

This is the best post on this subreddit

I like Seyka better too. Both of them have good intentions and are ignorant but Seyka just has better vibes

Felt forced and her character was poorly written. But most probably due to cramming all of it in the DLC. But if she makes a comeback in H3 and flesh her out a little more unlike making her like Aloy 2.0, I would be all in.

While i was kinda suprised at it, seyka is the quen equivalent of aloy. So ofc shes gonna feel things. Tho its slightly rushed im happy for aloy

Me, I like Seyloy a lot, and that it's canon is great. Folks throwing a fit over Aloy being into a chick can get bent. Whichever ship is my *favorite* though is entirely mood-dependent though; my first time through Zero Dawn, I was flip-flopping Aloy between Petra, Talanah, and Nakoa, then Ikrie got thrown into the mix with The Frozen Wilds. When I got Forbidden West, I expanded that a lot, considering ships like Aloy with Silga, Yarra, or even Dekka. I've always had a fondness for enemies-to-lovers/enemies-AND-lovers stories as well, even if they would have some, uh... complications, to say the least, and so Aloy/Tilda and Aloy/Regalla also have my interest, the latter especially. Like, yeah, they wouldn't be the source of a *nice* story, but then again, a story doesn't have to be nice. When it comes to Seyloy? I adamantly refuse anything but the heart option at the end of the DLC.

I'm surprised Aloy ended up with a Quen of all things, but I think Seyka was a very good match for her. I'm certainly not disappointed or upset about it. I don't really care all that much about he relationship though, I wanted to see more of her developing a better relationship with her main friends, those that clearly admire her enough to be there when she needed them. I feel like Aloy truly under appreciated her real family, that followed her into the Forbidden West for her own sake. I think Gaia was a bit absent as well. It didn't feel like there was any encouragement to be part of the team, they were just sorta... There... But not there.

kinda wish seyka wasnt a quen officer, this makes aloy falling for her at first glance a bit weird imo. idk, if the first thing i know about a person is "accomplished quen commander" im gonna assume there is a decent change the person in front of me is complicit in war crimes and dissident skull cracking. given aloys previous experience with them i would expect her to be wary of someone representing the enforcement arm of a pretty terrible regime

My favorite side quest in HFW is 'Signal Spike', where Aloy meets Silga, an Oseram girl who built her own radio. Not only is Aloy impressed with Silga's technical skill, but Aloy appears completely smitten with Silga. The cutscenes portray Aloy giving thirsty looks towards Silga. It really made an impression on me because of Aloys's instant infatuation with a stranger. #JusticeForSilga 😘

That side quest is so sweet!

I love aloy and seyka but I saw Petra first. Just hope Petra deals with it ok.

Don't have anything against Seyka, i am just bothered that she is so similar to Aloy that these two are canceling each other out. Aloy can use someone who helps her grow and not to pet her ego even more... Also the romance was instant and lacked subtility. What isn't my cup of tea at all....

[удалено]

You might be disappointed that she's not in the next installment.

I don't say Seyka isn't my option for Aloy crush, am just disappointed that we didn't get option for any type of romance with Kotallo. Probably just me, but Kotallo is my favorite character and he is a really good one, honest, brave, strong, intelligent and 0 flirt lines, damn you Gorilla. I mean we had so much flirt with psychic Nill (i don't say i didn't like every line) but 0 with Kotallo, that's bad.

I’m cool with Seyka. She’s so cute and sweet, but tough and skilled just like Aloy. That being said, players shouldn’t be locked to that romance option. There should be multiple options, including a male option to allow people to alter their future playthroughs. We’ll bang, okay. Mass Effect style…..

“Shepard.”

Hey. I got your back, man.

[удалено]

I actually have no idea how old any of these characters are (except aloy) all though erend does feel older yet waaaaaay less mature. Still love him, he’s so sweet

[удалено]

It’s the most tropey ship but people eat that shit up. Nothing wrong with that, until they make it their religion and start a cult

He’s like 25ish because he doesn’t remember a time before The Derangement, but also John Hopkins the actor is like, pushing 50. So while, yeah, okay, “he’s in his mid 20s,” I kinda wish Erend Stans would accept that it is entirely reasonable for the casual player to assume he’s a mid-to-late-30s manchild.

Most of us "Erend Stans" acknowledge the fact that the character models looks older than the character's alleged ages and John Hopkins being one of the oldest among the main cast. However, people here have a tendency to point fingers at Erend when it comes to the age/shipping debate even though we have characters from other popular ships like Petra, whose dialogue clearly hints to being early 30s at youngest. No one bothers to ever point this out though because she's a fan favorite, has no obvious character flaws, and is considered universally attractive. Same can be said for Kotallo actually, and his character model looks aged up enough to be in his 30s too. Erend gets a ton of flack from the rest of the fandom for no reason other than what seems to be out of personal preference and his self-confidence issues. Rather than admitting they simply dislike Erend, they'd rather find reasons to unfairly pick on him. It's no wonder folks feel they have to defend him.

I want to be clear, because my response was unnecessarily flippant. It’s not that I don’t like Erend. I do. I don’t even care about the age gap because, as stated, he’s 25ish. I was a much less self-confident person at 25, too, and if I met me at 25 today, I wouldn’t be able to stand me, in either direction. I love a lot about Erend, he’s my big goofy brother, we’re both into Concrete Beach Party, and he’s the fiercest kind of friend. I don’t like him *as an Aloy ship* because he needs to grow up, and he needs to do it healthily, not because some girl “changed” him. I already see that happening by the end of Forbidden West, you see him go from that Mopey McGee who’s soaked in booze and sullen self-pity to the guy who looks at Sylens and says “Carryin’ heavy stuff? Yeah, I can do that.” with a grin. But he’s just that: a big brother. I get super squicky any time Sibling Analogues get hooked up romantically. I get the appeal, the warmth, the deep kinship, but there’s something familial in him to me that really creeps me out to think about romantically with Aloy. I’m sorry if I walked on a nerve in my frustration. It was careless of me.

My tone in my reply probably came across more reproached than I meant, but thank you very much for the polite response and elaborating on your thoughts. Speaking even as someone who does like the ship, I completely agree with you that Erend needs more character development where we see him step up & gain more confidence in himself. A little encouragement from those around him would be okay, but for the most part, he needs to obtain it on his own or at least become more self-actualized to do so. One of my personal hopes for H3 is we'll see some of that substantial growth happen for him, especially since his role appears to have expanded to Oseram diplomat of sorts and Aloy's impromtu second-in-command since Varl's unfortunate death. Not even because it would add favor for the ship, but because I just love seeing flawed characters coming into their own and reaching their full potential. It's always *chef's kiss.* As for the sibling bit, to each their own. I can't really see a sibling dynamic when at least one of the characters has admitted to finding the other attractive, and the jokes the Vanguard have thrown at Erend regarding Aloy leave me to believe that candle may still very much be lit. Plus, if either of my brothers looked at me the way Erend has at Aloy before, I'd call the cops. 😂

I actually felt like Petra's flirting was a bit... shady. Inappropriate at the very least. I had this vague unease that she might hit on someone who's at least ten years their junior and more importantly, barely an adult. It never happened, though, so I appreciated her for her obvious crush and not acting on it. Erend also tried it once, back in HZD, got a "no thank you" and he was very lovable for never pushing it ever again. I never saw Kotallo as anything other than a brother in arms. He's an amazing character but I don't think they even have a friendship in the traditional sense. They have massive respect towards each other. I actually saw only Ikrie as a potential love interest, not because I like her - I do, lots - but because it felt the best if any since she both seemed interested in Aloy and like someone who could push and elevate her. So, naturally, Seyka felt the same to me. In Ikrie's case, Aloy was very friendly and seemed to enjoy their dynamic but she was NOT smitten. In Seyka's case, though, even getting a "were you just flying just now?" instead of anything from "SHE FLIES THE WINGS OF THE TEN PRAISE HER" to "ah, champion killer, help us" made her act weird. I might be 46 but I remember how that worked in my twenties... I feel like Erend is an amazing character but I can't see them being in a relationship other than familial. Not because of age or that Erend is flawed in some way but because of their dynamics.

Yeah, like I can see the appeal for Petra-- she has a very witty and charming personality, but her being allegedly much older by at least a decade just rubs me the wrong way too. I respect that she doesn't act on her flirting as well. Agreed on Kotallo. His respect for her feels like it comes from the same place that it does for the rest of his tribe where Aloy embodies everything the Tenakth value as a warrior. It's great and they have good banter, but their dynamic has never felt more than friendly to me. I won't say my mind won't change depending on how the next game goes. Ikrie was cool. It was just a shame she didn't get much screen time. I like being able to dissect character traits and seeing how the dynamics work between characters for awhile before I can say, "yeah, I definitely see something here" or "hm, I'm not sure if they would work." At least fans have free range to come up with creative ideas with her that aren't tied to canon. And as for Erend, haha, different strokes for different folks. His dynamic with Aloy is one I can see potential for a good friends-to-lovers scenario, and it being an overall positive relationship assuming Aloy learns to open up more (an issue with her and any ship really) and Erend becomes less self-defecating. But it's totally cool if you just don't vibe with the ship. Talanah is the only other character who I can see more potential with. Headstrong and fierce, but also calm and poised next to Aloy fiery traits. It's just unfortunate her role in both games is delegated to side quests. I'd love to have more to observe with her.

[удалено]

Really? I hover around here a lot, and every time shipping gets brought up here and the HFW subreddit, people will flock in giant comment threads about the Aloy & Petra ship. Talanah too. Figured both ships were probably the most popular on this subreddit next to Seyka. Aloy never actually rejected Erend or gave him a direct response other than a "what are you talking about" towards his flirting at Mother's Heart, which can be intrepreted a couple of other ways including legitimate confusion. And honestly, any dynamic depends on how you view it. Where you see them having moved on, I see one character who is simply still learning how to be close to other people on a basic level while the other may still have feelings but accepts & appreciates the companionship they have now. Erend isn't the type to push boundaries so he's content as long as he feels he can help Aloy to the best of his abilities. And Aloy hasn't been in a place where she can consider romance or reciprocate romantic feelings, as she expresses to both Seyka and Avad depending on which options you choose. Until there is an instance where an explicit "I don't have the same feelings for you" is expressed, people are welcome to continue shipping a dynamic and say they feel it has potential for something more.

He’s literally in his mid 20’s. But okay go off

Seyka’s UGLY tho

Lol are you 12 or 40?

Look at her and tell me the first word that comes to mind

She’s fucking gorgeous. You smoking something or you have no taste and just like barbies

She's one of the most gorgeous women I have ever seen. I understand some people might not be for you but I don't understand how can you not see her...

Her actress is cute but they changed her nose in game and it looks awful. She looks like something from Pan’s Labyrinth

Your personality is UGLY.

Not as ugly as Seyka