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r/hyperlightdrifter•
Javerlin

The Hyper Light Drifter Story Analysis Experience. [Oh so many spoilers]

This is a work In progress, by no means perfect and probably not correct. please make suggestions. Here I attemt to descibe and explain the Story of Hyper Light Drifter

Please bear in mind ,I think this game has a deliberately obscure storyline so that you can make up your own and project what you want to see onto the story to some extent. Below is my interpretation, trying to use as many clues to come out with as canon a story as possible. But please don’t let this stop you from making your own story regardless of canon!

  • Stopped calling the pink substance hyperlight... That was just stupid
  • there is apparently more information in the game files. I will try to update when I find it.

TL;DR : The Drifter is a member of an artificial species whose origin began long ago. You're a drifter by occupation. Other drifters are not necessarily the same race. You travel the world in search of new and interesting tech from the long forgotten civilisations of the olden times. You're a nomad. A loner. The crystal or Immortal Cell you have to destroy is essentially a malevolent entity, called Judgement that has access to and has stolen the power of a God/Godlike entity. It's creation caused the armageddon that has left the world in a post-apocalyptic state. The God/Entity is Anubis, the Jackal with a halo. He wants you to kill Judgement so it can't resurrect the Titans, destroy the world and steal his power. You’re sick because you’ve been infected by the evil entity using the God's power. Your only hope is to reach Judgement and hope for a cure. Spoiler. There is no cure. In the end you destroy Judgement and restore balance to the world as per Anubis' wishes. But in the process you also sacrifice yourself.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Thanks

Now this post will contain speculation and I want people to call me out on things, and if your version is better than mine. I’ll update this post. Let's make this a good resource for the wiki writers of tomorrow. So here goes This will be long so hold on Chaps.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Evidence

  • (This text appears in the library after finding all 16 monoliths. Koykoy13 Is who I chose to credit for it’s discovery He has also been invaluable in translation and exploration).

  • HARNESSING A GREAT WELLSPRING, A PERFECT IMMORTAL CELL WAS CRAFTED TO BE IMBUED WITHIN ALL SENTIENT LIFE A NOBLE GOAL, THOUGH SUCH A POWER TERRIFIED OTHERS, AND BROUGHT RUIN AS ITS PURPOSE WAS TRANSMOGRIFIED THE ABHORRENT CELL STILL FESTERS DEEP IN THE CHAMBERS OF THIS WORLD *

  • Monolith texts are below inside modern history section.

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZW1RNq5PHyc - opening scene

Prehistory Speculation.

Long before the four main races rose to power there was a fifth race. The monolith race. Let's call them librarians. This is the race that you can see when you activate a monolith for the first time. I'd like to suggest that this is the primordial race, the first. They worshiped the Jackal God/Godlike entity (that some beleive to be a powerful AI or perhaps an eldritch creature) that we will call Anubis for clarity's sake. They were the ones who originally discovered the pink energy source we see everywhere. They also built the Titans for unknown reasons in the distant past. They modeled them upon giant creatures that walked the earth at this time. You can see the skeleton of one such creature in the west. Perhaps they created the Titans to fight these giant creatures. Perhaps they had their own extinction war with the titans. Perhaps, like nuclear weapons today, they were simply a deterrent. Or perhaps the Titans were simply massive worker machines, or trophies a Symbol of technological achievement. Maybe their original purpose was not for war. Perhaps it's the pink substance itself that corrupts. Maybe it was this that led to the disappearance of this old race. We may never know.

  • I do not think the skeleton in the west is a Titan and is a natural creature. For starters only four Titans are seen in the intro, and this skeleton is white and very large, where as the "Titans" are purple and slightly smaller.

We don't know what happened next. Maybe this fifth race was thought extinct, or maybe they lived on alongside the other races. Maybe they lived on in secret. Maybe only one survived. We don't know.

Ancient History

Our story begins in the world shown in the opening cutscene. Many races are sentient and technologically advanced. The brightest minds from four main races. The lizards of the south, the Racoons of the west, the Birds of the north and the Stoats of the east. All come together to further their technological goals. They discover the powerful pink energy source that the Librarians used before them. (It's the pink looking energy that's found in explosive canisters, powered the Titans and is produced/extracted in the eastern region). The confederate races had long studied the Librarians. They had studied the Titans and the pink energy source. They did not make the same mistakes as the Librarians and as such did not learn like they had. They, like the Librarians worshiped had once worshiped Anubis. However over time they forgot the sanctity of religion. Their humility gave way to an insatiable drive for progress and hunger for knowledge. They had developed too fast and reached a level of technology that was too dangerous and too poorly understood. They thought they had found a way to make themselves immortal. They developed a Power Cell that would harness the power of a God. It could also be that it was a natural entertain source they had discovered, such as the pink energy liquid we see in the game. “HARNESSING A GREAT WELLSPRING” The Wellspring is signified by the floating purple structure in the opening cutscene.

  • The reason I think all four main races are involved is because there are skeletons of a mouse and a bird/lizard near the last boss fight and the Immortal Cell and their effigies appear in the opening cutscene, all holding pillars that slowly light up. Furthermore in the intro there are bodies of all races lying dead in the water, suggesting that all were present and had a hand in the discovery of The Wellspring. New evidence was also discovered recently. A set of four statues in the southern lab shows all four race skeletons on plinths. (Though some have speculated this is another race keeping the statues as trophies).

They developed "A PERFECT IMMORTAL CELL," a power cell that would use The Wellspring (The power of a God) and would use the power to give themselves immortality. I beleive the librarians also reached this point of technology in the past but turned away from it, as mentioned above. It has been speculated that the power cell was also supposed to be an AI but this is not essential to the story so I will not mention it from now on in. “A PERFECT IMMORTAL CELL WAS CRAFTED TO BE IMBUED WITHIN ALL SENTIENT LIFE” The imbuing refers to how the power would be imbued within all life making them Immortal.

“A NOBLE GOAL” Yes quite. It would mean a civilisation with no death. Sounds like paradise.

“THOUGH SUCH A POWER TERRIFIED OTHERS” I assume these others were splinter factions within the races and possibly several minor races like those that are seen in town and the frog people. Likely they objected on moral, religious or social grounds.

“AND BROUGHT RUIN” The Immortal Cell would eventually be successful in harnessing Anubis’ power, but in doing so it would ensnare Anubis, essentially stealing his power and weakening Anubis. Understandably the God would not be pleased.

“AS ITS PURPOSE WAS TRANSMOGRIFIED”

  • How was the purpose transmogrified? To transmogrify means to change in a surprising or magical manner.

Upon accessing The Wellspring and gaining a portion of Godlike power, the Immortal Cell gained a Godlike scentiance of it’s own, from now on we will call this scentiance Judgement. It is also possible that Anubis didn't exist until this moment either, but depends on whether you believe him to have been created along with Judgement or having existed in some form before him.

It could be that it’s original purpose corrupted it. It could be that this infantile Godlike entity has not learned right from wrong. It could also be that it was created with selfish intent and so it’s nature is selfish, only caring for itself. Perhaps a mixture of those ideas, whatever the case I think It is simply trying to stay alive. We will never learn it’s true motivation. We see the activation of The Immortal Cell in the opening cutscene. It’s symbolised by the structure with four pillars that slowly light up. It slowly powers up until it accesses The Wellspring.

  • For some reason, an explosion ensues. There are a few possibilities for this. It could be that Anubis and Judgement are fighting for control, and the backlash from this fight, is the explosion. It could be that simply breaking the barrier between Heaven and Earth would cause it.

The explosion happens moments later. The resulting energy cascade caused massive damage and loss of life. Judgement had gained a foothold against anubis and had access to the The Wellspring, Though not complete control, as Anubis still held onto a section of power. As said before we do not know it’s motivation, but I speculate that the old scientists, realising what they had done (Stealing the power of a god and creating a monster) was wrong, tried to shut The Immortal Cell down. They failed, only managing to seal it away before they are killed. This diminishes it’s power before it’s too late. In a rage, The Immortal Cell used it’s Goldike powers, and the pink energy source that sustains it, to activate the four Titans.

  • Perhaps, like many Gods in popular culture, he requires worship to gain more power and strength, and so hopes to force the peoples of this land to worship him.

The remnants of the races, left decimated by the explosion fought back against the Titans. They realised they could not defeat Judgement and so left The Immortal Cell sealed away to keep him weakened. Eventually after a long and bloody conflict, that left the once great cities in ruins and the races scattered and in disarray, the Titans were defeated. The Immortal Cell remained sealed away, but not destroyed. The ancient peoples had the lost connection to and knowledge of their old technology in the years of war and would have to start again in the ruins of their old empires.

However “THE ABHORRENT CELL STILL FESTERS DEEP IN THE CHAMBERS OF THIS WORLD” The races had forgotten so much, because of the fallout, that they had forgotten what started the Great War. With no knowledge of the ancient Immortal Cell whom is there to destroy it? No-one. Even though it’s sealed away, Judgement still retains some power and has control over the machines in the south. It is still plotting it’s escape and eventual return to power. In the meantime Judgement uses its power to corrupt and spread misery to the surface. Likely it’s his corrupting influence that cause the tragedy in the north and east regions.

Thus ends the ancient history section.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Modern History

Now we enter modern history. Many centuries have passed. This is the story told by the stone Monoliths that people have found scattered around. Their location is important as each monolith pertains to the region it is found within, then read in order. We’ll start with the four monoliths In the east, north, south and then west. It's my speculation that a few of the librarians survived or survive to this very day. They transcribe the history of the world on the monoliths, lest it ever be forgotten.

In the east, the old homeland of the Outer race. Monoliths numbered 9-12. The mouse in the old church confirms this story.

  • -9. AN ISOLATED PEOPLE FEARFUL AND OBSESSED

I think this probably refers to the frog race that lives in the eastern zone.

  • -10. OFFERING OF A GREAT CLEANSING FLAME

This is probably referring to the frog leader. He promised power and freedom to the frog people in exchange for their obedience. The east zone is also filled with pink fire, I believe this to be the mining/refining process of the pink energy source.

  • -11. A POISONED, MADDENED BONELAND

The frog people attacked and enslaved the stoats living in the ruined city. Enslaving many, killing many more. Those who’ve been to the eastern zone know of the piles of corpses littered around. The frog boss is even chewing a corpse when we first meet him.

  • -12. FRAGILE BALANCE SCORCHED, UNDONE

Again more flame imagery. By killing the stoats, the frogs have upset the balance and doomed the peace that could have arisen in the east. However a few Stoats remain hiding out in the church. In the center of the city you can see the first Titan’s resting place. The stoats managed to defeat the Titan many centuries past and it lies dead and lifeless in the city center.

In the north, the Bird homeland. Monoliths numbered 1-4. The old bird hermit Confirms this story.

  • -1. TRANSCENDENCE FAITH IMMORTALITY

At first the birds are living a peaceful tribal life steeped heavily in religion and ceremony. However an upstart religious fanatic (The north zone boss known as The Hierophant ) preaches a new religion. Slowly this new cult gains momentum and, in a midnight coop, take over the monastery.

  • -2. RIFTS CRAFTED, DANGEROUS POTENTIAL

This new religion focuses on religious sacrifice. By sacrificing on the altars this new religion likely gain many supposed benefits. They sacrifice everything, even their own young. Perhaps they supposedly gain an extended life, perhaps magical powers? Perhaps it’s all placebo and the “magic” is left over technology from what the bird's old civilisation. Perhaps this is the old way of worship and they actually do gain power from their rituals.

  • The rifts either refer to a magical kind, or to those among the bird people factions. I like to believe the latter,as it then leaves the magical element in ambiguity.

  • -3. A FOUNDATION FOR FAITH & VIOLENCE

This new religion is founded on fanaticism and violence. Slowly all the birds who stick to the old ways are killed. Save for one. This old priest gathers what eggs he can and flees the monastery. Founding a small haven for the mountainside to raise the young. You visit him and some newborn chicks when you climb the mountain in the northern region. He is still there protecting his little pocket of innocence.

  • -4. A LOSS OF SELF, A NARROW PATH TRAVELED

The birds that remain slowly lose themselves in their sadistic acts, likely they are irredeemable and their minds have become corrupted. When you defeat the Hierophant , his cultists vanish in terror and disbelief. That their chieftain was defeated does not waver their faith however and they continue in their ways. When you defeat him, you can see that he was infact, two birds, standing atop one another for increased height and majesty. A charleton to the core. The Titan can be seen clinging to the mountainside to the west of the city. I like to think it was destroyed before it could damage the mountaintop city, but the ruins tell a different story.

  • Hierophant
  • Known as the high priest he symbolises the tarot card and a strive to bridge the gap between heaven and earth... except he can't quite because he's a fake. We know this because of his true nature as a fraudster.

In the south, the lizard homeland. Monoliths 5-8. This story is not confirmed by the old elder lizard and contains the most speculation so please help me out on this one if you have any ideas.

  • -5. OVERWHELMING WONDERS AND POWER

This was likely once the seat of technology in the old world. Machines are strewn everywhere and parts of the Titan lie, still active, deep within the bowels of the earth. This monolith (5) likely refers to the glory days of the past. When all races were working together for the greater good and creating technological marvels in the labs below. A few drones are all that remain active. Many machine wrecks can be found here, these are probably the machines that were used to fight with and against the Titans. A smaller number of these machines can be found scattered all around the game world. These are probably what was used to fight the Titans in the other cities.

  • -6. DESPERATE HUNGER FOR PROGRESS

Of course the races had a deep set desire to advance, just like humans in the real world. They had a great thirst for knowledge. However their obsession was hubris and unhealthy. It resulted in them giving up their faith and morals in search of a greater God in machines and technology. Deus Ex Machina if you will, God found in ones own creations.

  • -7. DISTORTION OF LIFE, DEVOURING BODY

They created artificial and cybernetic life, you can see all the tanks in the lab below the desert. The giant machines and cyborgs, the little green Imps, the black spider things, and the green guys that shoot at you. However… another being can be found in these tanks, and I’m not talking about the Titan. I’m talking about a man sized blue-skinned, black eyed creature. Likely the race that The Drifter belongs to is artificial, and first created here, in these labs. Created by the coalition of ancient races. They are also likely the most advanced artificial life, the culmination of technology, as the drifter is clearly sentient where the other creatures from these labs are not. This Blue-skinned race also turns up in two other locations (Not including in The Drifter himself).

  • -8. THE FIRST VICTIM OF THE INVASION

As this was the region where the Titans were likely created/stored for study in the labs. As a result it was hit by the full force of Judgement’s armies. As a result this area is a complete wasteland. Whatever city was once here has long been destroyed. I assume The landscape was always arid, but now it's completely barren.

  • The lizard elder tells us the story of how his tribe rediscovered an elevator down into the labs, there they explored foolishly until they accidentally caused the release of an cybernetic life form that killed a few of them as they scattered. You can see their bones for yourself. Retreating to the surface, the lizards eek out a megre existence, sometimes eating their own tails to make ends meet. The robot in town is likely a product of this lab, perhaps your companion is too. And perhaps… So are you.

The Titan lies beneath in the labs deep in the earth. I believe the machines from the labs are attempting to follow their programming or Judgement’s orders and continue the artificial life project (along with trying to salvage and repair the Titan). Many creatures can be seen being grown in test tubes in the lab, Blue-skins among them. However the Robots have also salvaged parts of the Titan. Parts that could be used to reassemble the old or create a new Titian. The Heart and the eyes are still working. If a Titan is resurrected and released upon this broken and unprepared world. Then nothing will be safe from Judgement’s eventual dominion.

In the West, home of the racoon people and their king. Monoliths 13-16. This story is confirmed by the racoon hermit in the south west. I hear he makes a mean iced tea.

  • -13. PRECIOUS MOMENTS CAPTURED BY CRYSTAL

We start off back in ancient history. With what we now know about the origins of The Drifter, we can see what has happened here. When the power crystal activated the titans, it used the Titans to enslave The Drifter's race along with other artificial creatures. They formed the bulk of Judgement’s armies, along with the green imps and other enslaved artificial races. They invaded the west along with the Titan. The racoon people were ready and fought with the Blue-skins and the Titan. They had weapons powered by crystal technology. However when the Titan was destroyed (By the racoon hermit’s gunnery team no less) All of the crystal technology overloaded, creating the crystal forest and encasing many of the soldiers from that battle. Trapping them for an eternity.

  • -14. A STILLNESS OF MIND, SKILL HONED SHARP

There was finally peace again in the West. All the soldiers of old were trapped forever in crystal. Except there were likely survivors. Racoons probably survived and Blue-skins probably survived. Now I’m not saying that The Drifter was alive at this time. Though he could have been as we don't know the lifespan of artificial lifeforms. He’s been wandering ever since. Maybe he’s so old he’s lost his memory or perhaps he still remembers. He became a drifter and collected old bits of tech, like the other drifters. Drifters can be any race I believe, we see a few of them in the game, though most are skeletons. All you need to be a drifter, is to be nomadic, and collect old tech as an occupation or necessity. Another possibility is that he is descended of blueskins that survived this battle. That is if Blue-skins are capable of reproduction or replication. Either way he's an artificial life form of the Blue-skin race. The only other life forms are crystal golems, the crystal spiders and crystal wolves. These could have evolved in the crystal environment or they could be creations of the racoons back in the old times. We know artificial life was indeed a possibility.

  • -15. MIDNIGHT LOOMING

I think this refers to the Racoon King or The Hanged Man and the awakening of the racoon army. It’s been so long since the great war. No one remembers. Adventurers and drifters have come through the crystal forest disturbing the crystals and causing the raccoon soldiers to reawaken. The racoon hermit is one of such soldiers, though he has abandoned his old cause and now lives a reclusive life on the floating islands in the west by southwest area. Most of the racoon army that awakens return to their now ruined capital and their king. The king was likely encased in crystal like his soldiers. This is further backed by his tarot card, I will explain below.

  • -16. TRAPPED BY DESPERATION TO REMAIN

Imagine his surprise when you walk in. He thought he had defeated the Blue-skins many centuries ago. Perhaps the years inside and enhanced by crystal have driven him insane. Either way he attacks you, enraged at the past actions of your race. He thinks he can beat you easily. This monolith transcription makes me think the racoon king is desperate for immortality. Perhaps he was even one of those that created the Immortal Cell.

  • The Hanged Man
  • This tarot card is the name of the racoon king. It symbolises a suspension in time which pertains to his centuries trapped in crystal. It could even be he trapped himself and his army in crystal as a way to prolong their life and wait out the armageddon. It also symbolises a pursuit of knowledge and selfishness. This backs up my theory that he was one of those who commissioned or created. The Immortal Cell

The central zone. Speculation.

The central zone or the city, that we found ourselves in, houses the power core. Likely it was designed to be “the city of the future” where all races would live in harmony as immortals. Sadly this was not the case. However Judgement ruined this plan and the city was ruined by the explosion and the Titan wars that followed. Many centuries passed and travelers began to make temporary homes, as this was the only non-crazy place to rest for miles around. Slowly a small community built up, including shops and underground fighting arena. No one was the wiser about the Immortal Cell underneath.

There is also, another Blue-skin in the city. These days he sits drunk on the east of town. When you speak to him he tells of how the villagers beat him and left him for dead. I believe this to be because the villagers have some knowledge of what the Blue-skin race did in the past, during the war with the racoons. Maybe this is why The Drifter covers his face. Perhaps they don't beat The Drifter because he is a skilled warrior. Perhaps they don't beat him up because he was saved by The Pink Drifter, and they respect The Pink Drifter. Maybe it's a mixture of all of the above.

Thus ends our modern history section.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Present Day

Origins of The Drifter

As mentioned above I believe The Drifter to be a Blue-skin. A race artificially created by the old races, though if anyone still remembers this they do not show it. Now whether The Drifter was created centuries ago or whether Blue-skins are capable of reproduction we don't know. Feel free to fill in the blanks here. I personally like the idea that The Drifter is so old he doesn't remember his conception as an artificial being. But anything goes. He’s more likely descended from blue skins that can reproduce. He’s a drifter by occupation or necessity. It might be that, due to his race, he is disliked and must cover his face and be on the move. Never stopping for too long or making close relationships. It’s a lonely life. Or might be choice.

The Drifter is sick. This much we know. What caused this sickness? Here’s my theory.

  • Anubis still retains some power, but due to the nature of it’s relationship with Judgement and The Immortal Cell it’s power is tainted and diminished. For you see Anubis is still locked in a battle with Judgement for control of The Wellspring. They are intertwined and constantly at war.
  • Being unable to win without outside intervention Anubis reaches out and selects individuals it deems worthy and skilled enough to help him achieve his aims. This is further backed up by The Drifter’s tarot card being The magician. This card symbolises the ability to utilize the skills and abilities you have to achieve whatever goal you focus on. How fitting.
  • Anubis sends his chosen individuals visions to guide them to the location of the Thee Immortal cell he does not tell them what it is or what they should do. He only tells them of it’s location
  • Unfortunately, due to their intertwined nature, when Anubis touches the mind of one of it’s champions it also allows Judgement access.
  • Judgement knows of Anubis’s plan to bring someone to The Immortal Cell to destroy it. Not being fully Godlike Judgement knows if The Immortal Cell is destroyed then it will take them with it. This, Judgement cannot allow.
  • So Judgement causes the sickness with the intent that the chosen The Magician will not live long enough to reach The Immortal Cell
  • Anubis is forced to fight Judgement for the life of his champion.
  • This is why, when playing HLD, you cannot die. Each time you are killed Anubis ressurects you with what power he has left.
  • There will come a time however, when Anubis no longer has the stength to fend Judgment off, and so he abandons his defeated champion to their fate. Likely he goes to select another few champions he think will succseed where they have failed. This is what has happened to the drifter corpses you find everywhere.

Now the reason I do not believe that it’s The drifter’s race and artificial origin that causes the sickness, is that there is a minotaur/bison ingame that claims to experience visions like those of The Drifter and Pink Drifter.

Anubis and Judgement

  • Both you and The Pink Drifter and the Minotaur see Anubis and Judgement I have now explained the origin of Anubis and Judgement in the history section.

When Judgement Lost the great war and the Titans were destroyed, except for the one in the south. Where parts of it still remain active. Judgement Is attempting to have this Titan rebuilt si it can endorce it's rule and aheive it's full Godlike potential. Being connected to the Immortal Cell brings certain death. Judgement is the corruption causing the sickness that we see in The Drifter and The Pink Drifter.

Judgement is trying to kill anyone it can come into contact with, before Anubis has a chance to guide them to the Immortal Cell. Anubis on the other hand is using the connection to send visions to those it seems worthy and hopes to lead them to the Immortal Cell so that they will destroy Judgement and free Anubis. Saving the world from the horrors of the Titan wars, and preventing Judgement from succeeding.

You can see many drifters touched by Anubis and Judgement scattered across these lands. You can find the bodies of those that have failed in their quest. They have died alone, from sickness, not from battle. Judgement has claimed them.

  • The name Judgement is a tarot card meaning you have come to a sudden realisation and need to act quickly. This is what Judgement is!
  • The Sickness caused by Judgement forces those affected to act, as they realise they will soon die. Though they know not what they must do.
  • The Immortal Cell Also acts in this way for the old races when they realised thier mistake.
  • This could also be metaphorical for Alex Preston the game designer coming to terms with his illness and making the decision to publish his work in the form of HLD the game.
  • The truth remains, once you are connected to the Immortal Cell your fate is sealed.
  • Destroy it, or die trying.
  • Destroying it is your only hope of survival. But you might not know that.
  • All you know is you keep having visions of this crystal only to be engulfed by this shadowy mass that’s killing you from the inside.
  • So the story of the Hyper Light Drifter begins.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= The Opening

-The following is a description and explanation of the opening cutscene-

  • You have been selected by and reached out to by Anubis he has been showing you visions for some time, you have also began to manifest symptoms of The sickness caused by Judgement.

  • Anubis shows you what the world used to be. During the golden age.

  • The purple floating halo represents The Wellspring or Anubis’s power.

  • Anubis then shows you the fall. The Immortal Cell is activated. The four pillars held by each of the main races light up and power The Immortal Cell at the center.

  • The explosion ensues you see the explosion of energy from the Immortal cell.

  • Then Anubis shows you the Titan Wars. You see the four hulking figures in the background.

  • The wealth of dead bodies represent the death and destruction The Immortal Cell has caused.

  • You appear amongst the midst of dead bodies.

  • Judgement and Anubis are fighting for control of the vision with what limited power they have.

  • Judgement gains the upper hand and attempts to kill you. This is represented by you spewing pink liquid into the water. The liquid is pink, representing it’s connection to Judgement and the fact it is caused by otherworldly power.

  • Judgement then manifests himself and renews his efforts to kill you.

  • You resist and flee

  • Anubis then shows you the defeat (Melting) of the Titans. He only shows three because the fourth is still alive to some degree in the south.

  • Huge towers rise out of the ground. The trading cards call them The Tower. This is a tarot card represents a time of great destruction and turmoil followed by rebirth. The appearance of the tower predicts this time of destruction.

  • Anubis knows the destruction of The Immortal Cell and Judgement will free him from mortal grasp and allow him to be reborn in full glory and strength, as he was meant to be.

  • The Tower also symbolises the rebirth and regrowth the world can finally undergo if the corruption from The Immortal Cell and Judgement can be removed.

  • Anubis then to shows you The Immortal Cell before Judgement Takes control of the vision and engulfs you.

At this point The Drifter only knows that he is sick and the visions contain some clue to a possible cure. He does not know the full nature of his visions.

You wake from your dream, and begin the game. You pass out in the forest on your way to the city. The Pink Drifter saves you. He takes you back to his house where you see the module map he’s been compiling. You know you’re on the right track, and so is he, for he is also suffering from the sickness. You travel East, North and West, finding the modules to unlock the entrance to The Immortal Cell . The Pink Drifter is too weak to activate all the modules and so gives you their location. You overthrow the rulers of each cardinal direction and eventually head south. Here you find the The Pink Drifter finally succumbing to the sickness like all those who came before you. He was too slow. With his last breath he tells you of his Wife and of his past. He points you in the direction of the last shards, and offers you his gear to aid you in the hopeless quest you once shared.

You traverse the south labs, defeating the artificial scythe knight, the mage knight, the decoy knight and the archer knight. Seeing the artificial life forms growing in the process (Including Blue-skins, your own race). You finally activate the last module and head back to the city.

The Ending

-The following is a description and explanation of the ending cutscene-

  • You descend the elevator and confront the Immortal Cell. I believe the fight scene all happens in your head and is just a mental struggle against Judgement as when you defeat him you suddenly appear atop the Immortal Cell
  • However you did it, you battle with Judgement and eventually overcome it. Plunging your sword into the Immortal Cell/ Judgement destroying it once and for all.
  • You, however, were too late to save yourself.
  • At some point in your quest it probably occurred to The Drifter that The Immortal Cell was not a cure. Perhaps he only realised this at the very end when he plunged his sword into The Immortal Cell.
  • Perhaps you were doomed from the start. When you were first touched by Anubis and Judgement your fate may have been sealed.
  • You are too sick now to ever recover. You are too weak to dash and health packs no longer heal you. Perhaps Anubis was working to keep you alive against the corrupting touch of Judgement . Perhaps this is how you have survived all of the fatal battles you fought and all the fatal wounds you thought you received, only to wake up some time later.
  • As the cavern collapses around you Anubis leads you outside.
  • He shows you one final vision
  • The world free of The Immortal Cell's taint. He shows you a the world in sunlight.
  • The purple structure representing The Wellspring fades away. This signifies the rebirth of Anubis .
  • The glowing pillars being held by the four once-great races, crumble along with the Immortal Cell it'self. The Halo around the Anubis effigy fades, signifying the final destruction of The Immortal Cell and the sins of the former races along with it.
  • You are shown one last look at the world you saved. Ruined. Desolate. But alive. And then you die, bleeding your lifeblood into the peaceful ocean. Anubis no longer needs to unaturaly keep you alive. So he releases you from your fateful quest.
  • Though in reality you're dying under a statue, deep in the earth, within The Immortal Cell ’s old prison.
  • You are safe in the knowledge, you've saved the world. And then your vision ends. And the game ends.

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Thus ends the story of the Hyperlight Drifter. I hope you enjoyed.

Remember there is still hope in every region. The lizards survive in the south. The Birds survive in the north. The stoats survive in the East and the racoons are just waking up in the west.

Bonus stories.

Story of The Pink Drifter We meet the pink drifter a few times during the game. On the first and last meeting he tells us his tale. His entire family are affected by the sickness. After sometime his wife and child succumb to the sickness.The pink drifter thens set out to follow the jackal from his visions. Eventually his travels led him to the central city. Here he has stayed, searching for the crystals that will eventually lead him to the immortal cell. During his time here he saved many people and travellers from the creatures in the surrounding wilderness. One of the vendors in the city tells the story of how he was saved, along with his companion. In fact it was the pink drifter who saved you when you pass out during the first section of the game. It's quite clear that the residents of the city respect the pink drifter.

  • I think it’s up to you what this story means and what themes it covers.

Alternate theories

  • Here I will list alternate theories that also make sense.
  • 1.Both the Minotaur and the Drifter are all artificial and it's this that links them to the Immortal Cell whatever it may be.
    1. By u/omegashadow this theory suggests that both Anubis and Judgement are part of competing AI programs. Those that were imbued with the IC can see the two constructs in visions. Anubis wants the IC destroyed so that it can sacrifice itself inorder to rid the world of the Evil AI Construct Judgement.
    1. Anubis is actually the antagonist, all your visions are tricks to make you free him from the IC which is actually a prison preventing him from being free.
  • I've had to delete most of this section due to room. But feel free to discuss alternate ideas below.

I’d greatly appreciate your help with any new ideas. I hope I explained the story well.

Posted Apr 3, 2016, 11:15 AM UTC · edited

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