The Twilight of Odette and La Signora | The Definitive Theory on the Future of Shenzhaya
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I predicted it from the very beginning, and every subsequent development has done nothing but vindicate each of my theories. Not only has Odette been revealed as the leading candidate to inherit the title of The Lady, better known as La Signora, but the splash art has unveiled an even more profound truth: the existence of an alter ego—a shadowy silhouette that unmistakably evokes Odile.
With revelations of this magnitude before us, the time has come to present what I believe to be the definitive theory regarding Odette's future in Genshin Impact. To do so, I will use the narrative structure of Swan Lake as my foundation, drawing parallels with the ballet's three most iconic endings: the tragic ending, the bittersweet ending, and the hopeful ending. Through these, I will attempt to determine which of these fates truly awaits Odette.
Before delving into this hypothesis, however, it is essential to revisit the premises I have previously established concerning Odile, La Signora, and Odette herself. Only by understanding the bond that unites them can we fully appreciate the magnitude of what is about to unfold.
It should go without saying, but it bears mentioning nonetheless: this theory contains spoilers for Sandrone's story quest. You have been warned.
Odile and Odette: Two Counterparts?
It is worth remembering that Odette and Odile represent two manifestations of the same essence; two faces of a single reality, destined to mirror and oppose one another.
In the original ballet, the wicked sorcerer casts a spell to transform his daughter—though some adaptations portray her as a supernatural being or a woman placed under hypnosis—into an almost perfect replica of Odette. Yet not even magic can suppress Odile's inherent nature. Her elegance, magnetism, and seductive presence transcend the disguise imposed upon her.
Whereas Odette embodies purity, melancholy, and serene grace, Odile abandons herself to a dance overflowing with passion, delight, and brilliance. Every movement she makes is an imperfect imitation of the true Odette—a performance that reproduces her appearance, but never her essence.
Blinded by his desperate longing to reunite with the woman he loves, however, Prince Siegfried falls victim to the deception. Unable to discern the truth hidden behind that flawless facade, he pledges his eternal love to the impostor, sealing Odette's misfortune and, at the same time, condemning the fate of every swan maiden.
These events take place during Act III, the moment when Rothbart savors the triumph of his scheme while Odette descends into utter despair. With the beginning of Act IV, Odile disappears from the stage entirely, relegated to oblivion as nothing more than a tool whose existence served solely to complete the deception. Yet despite the brevity of her role, she has long been celebrated as one of the ballet's most fascinating, complex, and enigmatic characters.
To understand the true purpose of this parallel, however, it is necessary to examine the reunion between Siegfried and Odette, and to transpose the meaning of that encounter onto one of the most significant events ever witnessed by the Genshin Impact community.
Is Odile the Reflection of La Signora?
I have found countless elements within La Signora that seem to embody, with remarkable fidelity, the archetype of the Usurper. Beyond her undeniable elegance, her seductive nature, and the refined mastery she displays in dance—whose mesmerizing choreography we witness during her final battle in Inazuma—there exists an even more revealing layer of symbolism. La Signora appears cloaked in a majestic mantle adorned with black feathers, immediately evoking the image of the Black Swan, Odile's inseparable emblem.
Yet the similarities extend far beyond aesthetics. Both share a destiny defined by instrumentalization. They were created as expendable pieces within the designs of greater powers, destined to be discarded the very moment they ceased to be useful.
Rosalyne perished at the hands of the Raiden Shogun once her usefulness to the Fatui had come to an end. Odile, likewise, vanished from the story shortly after the deception that led Siegfried to swear eternal love to a false Odette had been fulfilled. In both cases, their existence was sacrificed to propel the tragedy forward and to shape the development of the true protagonists.
There is yet another striking parallel: both concealed their true identities beneath an assumed appearance.
Rosalyne abandoned her mortal body to become the Crimson Witch of Flames, yet her true form, her memories, and the blazing power consuming her remained sealed beneath the Cryo Delusion bestowed upon her by Anastasia, the Cryo Archon.
Odile, by contrast, relied upon one of Rothbart's enchantments to assume Odette's likeness, appropriating her appearance in order to usurp her place during the royal ball held in Prince Siegfried's palace.
Finally, both share one last symbolic characteristic: vanity. Odile is invariably portrayed wearing a magnificent black gown accompanied by makeup as extravagant as it is defiant, while La Signora transforms magnificence and splendor into extensions of her very identity. It is difficult to overlook that Saltatio Favillae, La Signora's musical theme, proclaims a phrase that seems to define both women with unsettling precision:
> "All is vanity."
The Battle Before the Throne
Do you remember the event I mentioned earlier—the one that left an indelible mark on the Genshin Impact community? The time has come to examine it: the Battle Before the Throne.
Within the solemn chambers of the Raiden Shogun, at the heart of Tenshukaku, either Aether or Lumine—depending on the chosen protagonist—challenges La Signora to a duel to the death before the throne of the Omniscient Archon. Stripped of any possibility of resolving the conflict through diplomacy, and with the honor of her title as well as the prestige of her nation hanging by a thread, La Signora has no choice but to accept the challenge and face the Traveler with the dignity and elegance befitting one who was forged for greatness.
Yet there is one detail whose significance often goes unnoticed. Both the narrative of the battle itself and various official sources—including the materials obtained from her Weekly Boss fight—describe this confrontation through the metaphor of a dance: a final dance in which two destinies converge to determine which one will be claimed by the closing curtain.
The parallel is impossible to ignore. Just as Odile and Siegfried shared a single dance before the tragedy exposed the deception, the Traveler and La Signora seal their fates through a confrontation symbolically portrayed as a choreography whose only possible conclusion is death.
> "Very well... It is time for us to share this last dance together, until death do us part."
— La Signora
And the symbolism does not end there. The description of one of her ascension materials seems to reinforce this interpretation even further:
> "After breaking free from her icy chrysalis, the undying butterfly, remembering the appearance and the name of the man she once loved, danced amidst the burning blood."
— Hellfire Butterfly
The more I reflect upon this parallel, the harder it becomes to dismiss it as mere coincidence. If we interpret Odile's disappearance as the character's narrative death—the moment she no longer has a place in the story once her purpose has been fulfilled—then her connection to La Signora acquires extraordinary depth. Both fulfill the role of the usurper; both carry out the part imposed upon them; and both disappear once the curtain falls on their tragedy.
Viewed through this lens, the Traveler emerges as the counterpart to Prince Siegfried: the figure destined to break the spell, expose the truth hidden beneath the deception, and guide the story toward its conclusion.
It is precisely at this point that Swan Lake begins to diverge. Unlike many other works, its ending has never remained fixed. Every adaptation has reinterpreted the fate of its protagonists, giving rise to conclusions that differ profoundly in both symbolism and the message they seek to convey.
For that reason, I have chosen to focus this theory on the ballet's three most iconic and widely recognized endings: the tragic ending, the bittersweet ending, and the hopeful ending. Each offers a different future for Odette and Siegfried and, by extension, presents a possible interpretation of the destiny that may await Odette in Genshin Impact.
Let us begin, then, with the bleakest of them all: the tragic ending.
The Tragic Ending
In the tragic ending, Siegfried returns to the lake consumed by remorse after falling victim to Rothbart and Odile's deception. Upon his arrival, the swan maidens learn what has happened and realize that the vow of love has been broken, condemning them to remain under the spell forever.
Even so, Odette does not blame Siegfried. She knows Rothbart's cruelty and understands that the prince was merely another victim of his schemes. Their reunion, however, is interrupted by the sorcerer's arrival, as he comes to claim the Swan Queen and secure his victory.
It is then that Odette realizes there is only one way to end Rothbart's dominion. If she dies before returning to his side, the spell will lose its very reason to exist, and the swan maidens will finally regain their freedom.
Determined never to let the sorcerer enslave her again, she bids Siegfried farewell and throws herself into the abyss.
Unable to accept a world without Odette, Siegfried follows her and embraces the same fate.
Both perish, yet their sacrifice strips Rothbart of his powers and brings the curse upon the lake to an end. As dawn breaks, the swan maidens behold, for the first time, a horizon free from chains, while the souls of Odette and Siegfried remain united for all eternity.
The Bittersweet Ending
The bittersweet ending begins with an Odette consumed by sorrow. Convinced that Siegfried has given his heart to another woman, she recounts to the swan maidens everything she witnessed at the royal palace. Despair overwhelms her as she realizes that this apparent betrayal has sealed not only her own fate but also that of her companions, condemning them all to remain forever under Rothbart's spell.
Resolved to end her suffering, Odette attempts to throw herself into the abyss, but the swan maidens stop her.
At that moment, Siegfried arrives at the lake and begs her to hear the truth. Although he insists that he was merely the victim of Odile's deception, Odette cannot immediately cast aside the pain consuming her heart. Torn between lingering love and profound mistrust, she ultimately chooses to forgive him.
The two seal their reconciliation with one final dance upon the lake.
Their reconciliation, however, lasts only a fleeting moment. Rothbart appears to claim Odette and bring the tragedy to its inevitable conclusion. Siegfried attempts to confront him, but he is utterly overwhelmed by the sorcerer's immense power.
Realizing that no other path remains, Odette resolves to deny Rothbart his victory. Rather than allow herself to be captured once more, she throws herself into the abyss, dying instantly.
Her sacrifice greatly weakens the sorcerer's power. Seizing that brief moment of vulnerability, the swan maidens descend upon Rothbart and finally bring his reign to an end.
Shortly thereafter, Siegfried regains consciousness and, guided by nothing but his unwavering love for Odette, descends into the depths of the abyss in search of her.
When he finally returns to the swan's glade, he carries Odette's lifeless body in his arms. The curse has vanished; she is no longer the Swan Queen, but a young woman freed from her enchantment. Odette's sacrifice, together with Siegfried's unshakable love, shatters the spell once and for all, liberating every swan maiden.
In the final scene, Siegfried walks forward cradling Odette's lifeless body, unable to restrain his tears. Then, behind him, Odette's spirit appears one last time. Though death has robbed them of any possibility of sharing a future together, she offers the prince one final promise of eternal love—a bond that not even fate itself could break.
The Hopeful Ending
The hopeful ending begins much like the previous two. Believing herself betrayed, Odette eventually forgives Siegfried after learning that he had merely fallen victim to Rothbart and Odile's deception. Their reconciliation, however, is interrupted by the sorcerer's arrival at the lakeside clearing.
Unlike the other endings, Siegfried chooses to confront Rothbart in a final battle. Determined to atone for his mistake and protect Odette, he fights with every ounce of his strength until he succeeds in tearing away one of the sorcerer's wings, proving that even Rothbart can be defeated.
Throughout the battle, Odette watches from a safe distance, sheltered from the danger while awaiting the outcome.
In the end, Siegfried defeats Rothbart and brings the curse to an end. With the sorcerer's death, the swan maidens regain their freedom, and Odette is finally released from the enchantment that had condemned her for so long.
The ballet concludes with the two lovers swearing eternal devotion to one another—not through tragedy or sacrifice, but with the promise of a future that finally belongs to them.
Applying Swan Lake to Genshin Impact
Having examined the three principal endings of Swan Lake, the time has come to transpose their narrative into Genshin Impact.
We know that Odette is the leading candidate to inherit the title of La Signora. But what if she were to reject that destiny?
Under this interpretation, Rothbart could symbolize Anastasya—or perhaps even the Fatui Harbingers themselves. Siegfried would find his counterpart in the Traveler. Odile would represent La Signora, both as an individual and as the legacy she embodies. And the swan's curse would be none other than induction into the ranks of the Eleven Harbingers.
Viewed from this perspective, the duel between La Signora and the Traveler takes on an entirely new meaning. That confrontation, repeatedly described as a dance, becomes the reflection of the dance shared by Siegfried and Odile during the ballet's third act.
If that parallel is indeed intentional, then Odette's story would not truly begin with her ascension as a Harbinger, but rather with the events that unfold immediately after that dance.
And it is precisely here that the central question of this theory emerges:
What fate truly awaits Odette?
Will she sacrifice her life to prevent the mantle of La Signora from ever becoming hers?
Or will she discover, far too late, that escaping such a destiny is impossible?
We must not forget that Arlecchino inherited her position only after killing Crucabena, suggesting that the Harbingers' legacy is not a distinction one can simply refuse. Perhaps Odette now stands before the very same choice: to accept the destiny others have written for her—or to defy it, even at the cost of her own life.
Because, in the end, Odette is destined to become the next Odile, the next Signora, the next Black Swan...
...and if there is anyone capable of breaking that cycle, that person may very well be Aether.