He can be intimidating to others, but don't let that deceive you. He is a man of his word.
Hekarro is a character in Horizon Forbidden West. He is the Chief of the Tenakth tribe.
History[]
Background[]
Hekarro was born in the Lowland Clan's capital of Thornmarsh[2] and eventually became the Commander of his clan. It is unknown for how long he trained, but with time he caught the attention of the legendary Tenakth soldier, the Enduring,[3] and gained a reputation as a fearsome and capable warrior. His reputation soon became legendary for feats of bravery, skill, and endurance, as when he took the challenge of surviving in the Valley of the Fallen, a labour which was to be endured for ten days, he stayed for much longer, returning from the challenge after three whole weeks.[4] By this time, he was considered the finest leader the Lowland tribe had ever produced, and soon became the Clan's Chief.
Like many warlords of the Tenakth, Hekarro delighted in earning laurels through battle and savoured his chances to fight in the Clan Wars. Command seemed to suit him as he became known as a warrior who won more often than he lost, and had near fanatical support from his tribe. He fought alongside his clan against the Sky Clan for control of the Stand of the Sentinels, which was one of the few battles Hekarro ever lost.[5] Despite his success, Hekarro still longed to be recognized as the greatest warrior of all the Tenakth by claiming the Memorial Grove; an ancestral site of Tenakth battle, courage, and acclaim, throughout their history. As fate would have it, Hekarro would succeed in this endeavour, yet his success would also result in a moment that would change the history of the Tenakth as much as his own. Once he succeeded in claiming the Grove, Hekarro found himself standing all alone after killing all of his enemies, when the silence was split by what he thought was thunder from the east. Stunned, he soon witnessed AETHER fly into the processing core beneath the Grove as it escaped GAIA's self-destruction. Its appearance triggered the activation of the long dormant core, and produced a Vision never before seen by the Tenakth, a call across time for peace and unity in lieu of war against machines. To Hekarro, the Vision was a message from the Ten.[6]
Hekarro on his throne at the Memorial Grove.
Humbled and with renewed resolve, Hekarro swore upon his name to unite the clans under a single chief, driving his spear into the stone next to where he had seen the vision. To that end, he became the tribe's first Chief, and taking inspiration from the vision created the position of Marshal. The position called for strong warriors from each clan to serve under the Tenakth Chief as judges, mediators, and enforcers of Tenakth law, while dissolving previous clan oaths and affiliations to remain impartial.[6] The plan was ambitious, and his initial call for unity was met with mixed reception by many, yet his stedfast leadership and reputation soon made it a success.
The Red Raids[]
While many Tenakth were killed when the Carja had the element of surprise,[7] under Hekarro's leadership the Tenakth were able to push in invaders out of the Forbidden West. At the Battle of Cinnabar Sands, a Carja soldier named Fashav was captured and brought to the Memorial Grove for judgement. As a last resort, Fashav demanded a chance in the Kulrut, which he had heard in passing and didn't entirely understand. Impressed (and according to Fashav, intrigued), Hekarro granted Fashav the opportunity. Fashav became one of his Marshals, and through it earned Hekarro's respect yet disdain from Regalla.[8]
The Tenakth later retaliated against the Carja by infiltrating Barren Light and opening the gates from within, allowing the entire Tenakth and some Utaru fighters to flow into the settlement and completely overwhelm the Carja and raze the settlement,[9] forcing them to completely abandon the Daunt to the Tenakth. This marked one of the few times in the history of the raids that the Carja had been forced back. However, Hekarro refused to push further into the Sundom, recognizing the cost of such a war. While his decision was sound, many in his tribe still nursed grudges that could only be satiated by blood. Hekarro's mercy and caution soon started to drive a wedge between him and his greatest Marshal, Regalla,[6] who wanted to completely destroy the Carja and everything related to them for the brutal deaths of her brothers.[7] Given his success and power, Carja propaganda and records portray Hekarro as fearsome and monstrous, even after the Red Raids.[10]
The now strained and fraying relationship between Hekarro and Regalla came to a head when a Sun-Priest came as a delegate from Sun-King Avad declaring an end to the raids. The Sun-Priest and Hekarro agreed to form an embassy at the border between the Sundom and the Forbidden West.[7] Unwilling to form peace with Carja, Regalla challenged Hekarro for the position of Chief. After a brutal fight (which left Hekarro with seven scars), he bested Regalla in single-combat. Finding himself unable to kill her due to her prior service and strength, Hekarro chose instead to exile her, a decision he would come to regret.[6]
Regalla's Rebellion[]
Horizon Forbidden West[]
Two years after the Liberation, Hekarro decided to return Fashav to the Sundom: his hope was for Fashav to serve as a bridge between the two tribes, facilitating a cultural exchange of mutual benefit.[6] However, the Embassy was attacked in a coordinated assault by Regalla. Most of Hekarro's Marshals, including Fashav, were killed in the attack, which would serve as the start of Regalla's rebellion.[11]
The attack at the Embassy was a powerful first blow to Hekarro, robbing him many of his Marshals and much of his ability to hold the tribe together with them. He would need to hold another Kulrut to rebuild the Marshals, but this was problematic; the Sky Clan's commander Tekotteh refused to send champions to compete, intending to holdout in the Bulwark and wait out the rebellion. Even if he could gain Tekotteh's compliance, Hekarro knew that Regalla would attack the Kulrut in order to kill him in front of all three clans.[6]
Hekarro meeting Aloy.
A solution would come with Aloy, the outlander who defeated Regalla's champion Grudda at Barren Light. Her search for GAIA's missing subordinate functions led her to the Grove, where AETHER lay in the chamber beneath the throne. While unaware of its nature, Hekarro recognized the item she spoke of when she requested it: he agreed to give her access to the chamber, on the condition that she first force Tekotteh's compliance and defend the Kulrut.[12]
Aloy, Hekarro and Kotallo standing before the Arena.
As Hekarro predicted, Regalla attacked the Kulrut, but he was unprepared for the attack from underground. When Regalla reached Hekarro, the two dueled once more. Hekarro gained the upper hand but faltered when the jet above the throne began to fall. His life was saved by the quick thinking of Aloy, who redirected the jet to fall in between Regalla and Hekarro, forcing Regalla to retreat. With Aloy having fulfilled her end of the bargain, Hekarro fulfilled his, granting Aloy access to AETHER. Upon Aloy's retrieval of the subordinate function, the Visions of the Grove regained life, and the Vision of Unity that changed Hekarro's life reactivated. For the Tenakth who witnessed it, the Vision was the ultimate vindication of Hekarro's aspirations, and they gave their salute to the Chief.[13]
Hekarro being confronted by Regalla.
Regalla returned with her army in another assault on the Grove. She and a rebel entourage had Hekarro, Kotallo and Ivvira cornered next to the Arena. Before she could kill the Chief, Aloy arrived atop a Sunwing after single-handedly destroying her army and challenged her to a duel. Hekarro officiated the duel and Regalla was soon defeated. He encouraged Aloy to kill Regalla but left the decision to her. Hekarro volunteered to send the tribe to help her in her fight but she declined, citing that the tribe needed him now more than ever to keep the peace.[14] Hekarro later paid his respects to the fallen Regalla at her funeral.[15]
Hekarro was later approached by Kotallo, who told him about Nemesis.[16]
Personality[]
Imposing in both stature and mind, Hekarro is considered the greatest warrior the Tenakth have ever produced. He commands respect even in the presence of his enemies, leading by example and a firm but merciful hand. Far wiser than he may seem at first glance, Hekarro is a shrewd negotiator and strategist, having correctly predicted Regalla's strategy and understanding how to forge alliances. When negotiations fail, he is fearsome and capable with any weapon he possesses, though he has become more reluctant to kill his own people than he was in the days of the Clan Wars. He was once quite hotblooded and driven by a love of battle, and it wasn't until he first took the Memorial Grove that his desire for proving himself morphed into what he is today.
By reputation he is known as a daring and some may say foolhardy man. He has taken on challenges in the Tenakth culture that most struggle to survive, yet seem trivial to him. Most people are in awe when they hear of his three week stay in the Valley of the Fallen, a trial where most struggle to survive ten days. High accomplishments indicate a strong ability to be resourceful and careful, not succumbing to his desires and working towards his goals with steady progress. Uniting the Clans took years to accomplish, indicating he also has high levels of focus on his goals and the ability to persuade others that they are worth fighting for and orienting his people towards them. His efforts and accomplishments are said to be unequalled in all of Tenakth history, yet he seems to be quite measured and humble, not letting accomplishments or losses go to his head.
While a fearsome man, Hekarro is driven not by conquest, but a desire for lasting peace. He understands which battles should not be fought and which battles must be. He is capable of looking past tribal affiliation, hoping to build bridges and exchanges between the other tribes for the benefit of his own. He struck up a friendship and a type of cultural exchange when Fashav joined the ranks of his Marshals, and hoped he could continue doing the same with the Carja. Through this he discovered and developed a deep fascination with literature and writing of stories as opposed to the tattooing customs of the Tenakth. He has a deep desire to see Tenakth history written in books, and knows he needs Carja help to see that fulfilled. He also wields a strong sense of honor, always upholding the deals he makes and remaining true to his word.[8]
Skills and Abilities[]
Hekarro is considered the greatest warrior ever to come from the Tenakth. He began his legacy by surviving in the Valley of the Fallen for three weeks, twice as long as necessary to complete the rite. He was the man ultimately responsible for ending centuries of war within a single generation, having united the Tenakth Clans by the Red Raids. Carja propaganda and knowledge has him depicted as monstrous and savage, despite his own actions to the opposite.
Gallery[]
Official Artwork[]
Concept Art[]
Trivia[]
- Hekarro's name was released in a leak on Horizon Forbidden West's IMDb page in March 2021, which was quickly removed, although screenshots of the leak were taken by fans.[17] As his name was spelled in all capitals in the leak, this caused many fans to believe that Hekarro was going to be an AI character.
References[]
- ↑ Thornmarsh (datapoint)
- ↑ Thornmarsh (datapoint)
- ↑ As mentioned by the Enduring during The Enduring.
- ↑ Fall's Edge
- ↑ As mentioned by Ikkotah during A Hunt To Remember.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 As mentioned by Hekarro during The Broken Sky.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 As mentioned by Regalla after completing The Wings of the Ten.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 As mentioned by Fashav during The Embassy.
- ↑ As mentioned by Kotallo after completing The Kulrut.
- ↑ As mentioned by Aloy during The Embassy.
- ↑ The Embassy
- ↑ The Broken Sky
- ↑ The Kulrut
- ↑ The Wings of the Ten
- ↑ Singularity
- ↑ As mentioned by Kotallo after completing Singularity.
- ↑ Sequel Characters (Horizon: Forbidden West) by Random Side Quest