- "There's a million things I could have done: Contemplated my own death, contacted everyone I've ever known and loved, gotten drunk... but... I obsessed about whether or not I should text Anita."
- ―Kenny Chau, during the final months of the Faro Plague[2]
Kenny Chau is a character in Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds who only appeared in holograms.
History[]
When the Firebreak facility was designed to stabilize the Yellowstone Caldera and prevent it from erupting, Kenny Chau was placed in charge of Project Firebreak as its director. Kenny worked together with Anita Sandoval, the project's lead programmer,[3] to create the facility's governing AI: Caldera of Yellowstone Analytic Nexus, or CYAN for short. He also was aware that CYAN was capable of limited emotional responses,[4] which he helped keep secret due to the legal ramifications of such capabilities.[2] The two also secretly worked together to further conceal the facility from the outside world. He was very proud of the project's success and of everyone who had worked on it, with the estimated number of years the caldera would remain stable for being 1,654 as of the project's completion.[5]
After his tenure as director was over, Kenny left and continued on with his life,[6] keeping in limited contact with Anita.
On November 21st 2064, Anita sent Kenny to the Firebreak facility in order to deploy measures to make sure that it was never discovered by the robots.[7] Over the next week, Kenny realized what the projected outcome would be and the importance of his task,[8] taking all measures suggested by Anita by reducing the energy draw of the facility so that its presence was hidden by the activity of the caldera.[9][10] Following that, Kenny made one final visit to CYAN, encouraging her to stay strong and that someday she would have to protect whoever was left. She requested that he stay with her while she started to hibernate, afraid of being alone, which he did. CYAN now asleep, he evacuated to spend his remaining time with his family.[1]
Personality[]
Kenny was seen to be a likable man by almost all of his colleagues. He was patient, understanding, kind, and thoughtful.
Relationships[]
Anita Sandoval[]
"I could finally see that she had what she wanted, and it simply wasn't me."
During his work on Firebreak, Kenny developed a mutual romantic interest with the project's lead programmer Anita Sandoval, even sharing a long kiss at one point. This romance eventually dissolved[11] when Anita left the project.[2] Kenny expressed regret that he did not act on his feelings for her, but was also happy to see her doing what made her happy.[11]
During their time together, Kenny greatly enjoyed Anita's company and admired her. They often had lengthy "arguments" about complicated subjects like robotic ethics and artificial intelligence.[12]
Dodger "Dod" Blevins[]
When everyone else in the project was sending many messages to Chau complaining about Blevins' extremely controlling behavior and abrasive personality, Kenny was surprisingly cordial and patient with him, even if only to keep Faro Automated Solutions and, most importantly, Ted Faro off of his back.[13]
When the facility's food menu was hacked to show insulting messages towards Blevins, Kenny suspected that Anita was behind it, but kept this between them as he found it humorous regardless.[14]
CYAN[]
Kenny came to understand just how important CYAN was, and developed a bond with the AI. He considered her to be "human in every way that matters." He and Anita kept CYAN's emotional capabilities a secret from everyone else,[2] coming to regard her as more like a human child than a machine and, as such, was protective of her.[15] During the Faro Plague, he paid a final visit to CYAN and had an emotional conversation with her, even staying with her a little longer to help her not feel afraid.[1]
However, Kenny continued referring to CYAN as an it, until he approached her before having her hibernate, finally referring to CYAN with she/her pronouns.
Family[]
Kenny had a sister and two nieces, one of whom was named Jenny, with whom he was close. He regretted missing holidays with them and,[16] before his final conversation with CYAN, went to spend his final days in the face of the Faro Plague with them.[1]
Datapoints[]
- Firebreak Upgrades
- OMG Blevins
- Thanksgiving
- Ban him!!!
- Oh-Point-Six
- Incommensurable
- Security Measures
- Menu Prank
- Stage 2 Complete
- That Kiss
- The Toast
- Holo Redux
- Return to Firebreak
- Kenny's Homecoming
- Geothermal Suspension
- Excessive Secrecy
- The Swarm
- The Conversation
- Induced Coma
- Last Goodbye
- When You Wake
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 When You Wake
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Last Goodbye
- ↑ Firebreak Upgrades
- ↑ Oh-Point-Six
- ↑ The Toast
- ↑ Kenny's Homecoming
- ↑ Return to Firebreak
- ↑ The Swarm
- ↑ Geothermal Suspension
- ↑ The Conversation
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 That Kiss
- ↑ Incommensurable
- ↑ Ban him!!!
- ↑ Menu Prank
- ↑ Induced Coma
- ↑ Thanksgiving