Highlights
Honkai: Star Rail introduces new 5-star character Imbibitor Lunae, an alternate form of the Astral Express' Dan Heng, adding depth and uniqueness to the game's roster.
Imbibitor Lunae stands out as a unique character as they do not make a brand-new addition to the game but instead offer a distinct variation of an existing character, resulting in an invigorating gameplay encounter. Moreover, Honkai: Star Rail encompasses other characters like Herta, Sampo, and March 7th, who possess the capacity to acquire alternative 5-star forms, thereby broadening the game's roster and delighting players with unexpected surprises.
Honkai: Star Rail's character lineup appears to be just as good, if not better, than the characters in Hoyoverse's other games, Genshin Impact and Honkai Impact 3rd. The most recent update introduced Blade the Stellaron Hunter, a highly popular and powerful 5-star character. The next 5-star character to be featured in a limited-time banner is the Stellaron Hunter Kafka, who is introduced early in the game and is responsible for the creation of the Trailblazer. However, the upcoming 5-star character in Honkai: Star Rail is something special: Imbibitor Lunae, an alternate form of Dan Heng from the Astral Express.
According to the lore of Honkai: Star Rail, Imbibitor Lunae is the Vidyadhara High Elder of the Xianzhou Luofu, a draconic race. Interestingly, it is revealed in the newest Trailblaze Mission in Honkai: Star Rail Version 1.2 that Dan Heng, one of the free characters players obtain at the beginning of the game, is the reincarnation of the previous Imbibitor Lunae. Dan Heng's initial form is a 4-star Wind character following the Path of The Hunt, while Imbibitor Lunae will be a 5-star Imaginary character following the Path of Destruction.
Why Imbibitor Lunae Is a Unique Character in Honkai: Star Rail
Imbibitor Lunae stands out in Honkai: Star Rail as a unique character, as he is not entirely new but rather an alternate version of an existing character. The only other character with alternate forms in the game is the main character, the Trailblazer, who can freely transform between their Destruction (Physical) form and Preservation (Fire) form, offering two distinct combat styles and weaponry. This departure from the norm is a deliberate choice by Hoyoverse, as their other ongoing game, Genshin Impact, does not feature alternate forms for any characters aside from the Traveler.
Considering the rich lore and potential storylines in Honkai: Star Rail, it would not be surprising to see Hoyoverse follow a similar pattern of introducing a 5-star form for a 4-star character. Despite the game being in its initial year, there are still numerous characters yet to be added, providing ample opportunity for existing characters, such as Herta, Sampo, and March 7th, to undergo a similar transformation.
Other Existing Honkai: Star Rail Characters That Could Get Alternate 5-Star Forms
Herta, the leader of the Herta Space Station and a member of the Genius Society, has created puppet versions of herself in the game. These puppets resemble her younger self, while the actual Herta, who is older, has not yet made an appearance. It is possible for the character Herta to be upgraded from her current 4-star version to a 5-star character in the game.
Another intriguing character in Honkai: Star Rail is Sampo, a talkative mercenary/merchant from Jarilo-VI. Sampo always has something mysterious going on whenever he appears in the game. Players find his enigmatic nature puzzling, especially after witnessing a cryptic cutscene at the end of the Jarilo-VI Trailblaze Mission, where he seems to communicate with the players. There are rumors suggesting that Sampo may be the unknown Stellaron Hunter Sam, but there is currently no concrete evidence to support this claim. It is entirely possible for Sampo to have an alternate 5-star version in the game that reveals his true identity.
March 7th, a beloved member of the Astral Express and a highly popular character in the game, has a captivating backstory. Found by the Astral Express Crew, she was discovered adrift in space, frozen within a block of ice. Struggling with amnesia, March 7th's past is a mystery, offering countless possibilities for the Hoyoverse to explore and develop her character further. Similar to the special transformation of Dan Heng, players might anticipate a 5-star version of March 7th in the future. As Honkai: Star Rail continues to expand its cast with each update, perhaps Hoyoverse will even surprise fans with alternate iterations of their favorite characters.
Honkai: Star Rail is currently accessible on Android, iOS, and PC, with plans to develop versions for PS4 and PS5 in the works.