Pela's Unexpected Twist Unravels Honkai: Star Rail's Timeline

Highlights

Honkai: Star Rail is set in a vast universe with multiple planets and revolves around the Astral Express Crew who battle Stellarons.

In the game, players are presented with various mysteries, one of which involves the ages of the characters. Due to the absence of character birthdays and an unclear timeline, players are left to speculate. One character, Pela, specifically arouses confusion among players. While she is revealed to be 16, her participation in a band and military school at a young age seems inconsistent with the game's timeline. The potential explanations for this discrepancy include her being a child prodigy or the influence of planetary rotations on time.

The world of Honkai: Star Rail is intricately designed, taking place across multiple planets. It revolves around the adventures of the Astral Express Crew, a group of intergalactic travelers who journey to planets afflicted by Stellarons. Despite being released in April of this year, the game's extensive lore is already evident through its main story missions and side quests, leaving players intrigued. However, HoYoverse deliberately keeps many aspects of the game a secret in order to surprise its fans with future updates.

That being said, Honkai: Star Rail is filled with mysteries, particularly regarding the ages of its characters. Although the game provides rough estimates for certain characters' ages, such as some Xianzhou natives being centuries old, players often have to make assumptions for the majority of the characters. Additionally, the absence of character birthdays in Honkai: Star Rail makes it even more challenging to determine their ages. When the game did reveal a character's age, such as with Pela, it complicated the game's timeline.

Pela's Age in Honkai: Star Rail Explained

Pela, an Ice-type character, is playable in the game's Path of Nihility. Initially introduced as the Intelligence Officer of the Silvermane Guards in Jarilo-VI, Pela works closely with the Supreme Guardian. In the Lynx companion mission "Farther Than the Snowplains," players were given more insight into the friendship between Pela and the other characters. During the mission's conclusion, it was revealed that Pela's mother had passed away around the same time she was born, indicating that Pela is 16 years old.

This revelation not only sheds light on Pela's tragic past but also contradicts the assumptions of many Honkai: Star Rail players. The game's timeline of events led players to believe that Pela was an adult. This was due to her being a founding member of the rock band Mechanical Fever, alongside Serval, Lynx, and Captain Dunn. The band formed when Serval, still a teenager at a military academy, joined forces with her bandmates and the soon-to-be Supreme Guardian, Cocolia. It was assumed that Pela was of a similar age to Serval or slightly younger.

It is worth noting that Mechanical Fever was established over a decade before the events of Honkai: Star Rail. This suggests that Pela would have been only six years old during that time. Given her young age, it would be unlikely for her to attend military school or be part of a band.

Despite objections from players of Honkai: Star Rail, there are two plausible theories that could potentially align Pela's age with the timeline. The first theory suggests that Pela joined the military at a very young age and displayed exceptional talent, possibly making her a child prodigy. This would explain how she obtained the position of Intelligence Officer at the age of 16. Additionally, it would imply that she possessed drumming skills even as a child, leading to Serval recruiting her to join Mechanical Fever.

The second theory suggests that the length of a year on Jarilo-VI may be different from that of Earth due to a slower rotation around the sun. This variation could result in Pela appearing older than she actually is. The difference in calendar years between worlds could also explain why the characters' birthdays have not been revealed in Honkai: Star Rail. It is possible that this principle applies to other worlds, such as Xianzhou Luofu and the upcoming world Penacony.

Currently, there is an ongoing online debate regarding Pela's age and its impact on the timeline of Honkai: Star Rail. While HoYoverse has not provided a detailed explanation of how time functions in the game, it would be innovative if the developer incorporated factors like planetary rotations into the game's universe, as well as the broader HoYoverse multiverse. Players will need to await the unfolding of the game's lore to learn more.

Honkai: Star Rail is currently available for PC and mobile devices. A PS5 version will also be released on October 11.