Chapter 1 Foreshadowing (Exiles, Nefarith, Zhuang, etc…)
Apologies for small images.
It’s been said that Arknights story likes to foreshadow things which really helps contextualize scenes from the past. I feel in Endfield, it’s no different.
If you go back to the end of chapter 1 with the band accord meeting all the way to the meeting with Zhuang Fangyi. You will realize that many plot points were already mentioned. This includes the exiles, Nefarith’s role, the Wuling science station, Zhuang’s character, and probably more.
The Exiles
I saw some people saying that Exiles were never mentioned in Arknights but this actually isn’t true. In OG Arknights, Fremont calls his ability to banish people to another dimension (Kagereich) “Exile” in Zwillingsturme im Herbst. The same dimensions that is theorized to be the Ætherside in Endfield.
Additionally, during the lore cutscene at the end of Chapter one. We are explicitly stated to have banished the threats from the past to the Ætherside. They are called exiles who are planning to return.
All this together makes Ardashir’s claims sound a lot more true and also gives ideas to who the exiles are.
Nefarith
This is a short one but I feel like it helps show the general direction that HG wanted to take Nefarith’s character. I’m not sure if Nefarith is still alive or not but I think Nefarith was always meant to be someone like Skullshatterer. A small obstacle in the grand scheme of things. I get this idea because of what M3 says before we head
to Wuling
Wuling Science Station
I’ve seen some opinions that the backstory of the science station and Zhuang’s character aren’t very fleshed out before the final part of the main story and I don’t agree. There has been a lot on both of them that we just weren’t able to see before.
First, the science station incident is one of the very first things we learn about Wuling and how it was built up from that previous disaster in the introductory cutscene to Wuling at the end of Chapter 1. Additionally, when Zhuang was walking with us for the first time, she also talked about the previous disaster and building of the city.
It wasn’t until we went through Qingbo Stockade were we able to see how that disaster affected some of the people who were already living there. Chapter 2 Process 2 and 3 was entirely about that and it’s consequences.
Zhuang Fangyi
In Chapter 2 Process 6, we were finally able to see what the disaster was like from Wuling and Zhuang’s side. It also helps show why Zhuang acts the way she does throughout the entire story. Actions that seemed weird at first like taking the Endmin on a walk through Wuling the moment they arrive suddenly start to make more sense.
Additionally, I saw some people feel like the way Zhuang acted was weird or “out of left field” so to speak. I disagree with this thought not only because I feel her choices make sense from a character sense, but also because parts of Zhuang’s character and actions were stated to us in dialogue before we met her.
Extra
Side note, I think it’s cool how we physically witness the blight being pushed back every update. Makes it feel like we are really making an impact.
I didn’t even include the various files which are sure to give lots of lore of the past and foreshadowing to the future. The ones in the picture are required for main story. It mentions the Yinglung Special Task Force and Xiranite Nexus in them. All on release patch.
I really like when they do this because it shows that they have the story planned quite far out and gives us opportunities to theorize. It’s more fun to rewatch/play as well. I also think that it makes the story stronger as you go along and in turn, makes the beginning stronger. I wasn’t playing Arknights then but I’m sure people were very mixed on Darknights Memoirs when it first came out due to people not knowing enough. All in all, I think the devs are cooking but it needs time to set up.