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Being the newest entry in HoYoverse's Honkai Impact series of video games, Honkai Star Rail naturally borrows several elements from its predecessors. While this title does feature neat references and very familiar-looking characters from the Honkai Impact universe, it is not exactly a direct sequel. Despite player expectations, Honkai Impact 3rd's protagonist does not make an appearance in Star Rail.
Curious individuals can read on to learn more about why developer HoYoverse omitted such a major unit from their newest game and who Kiana is.
Note: Heavy spoilers for both Honkai Impact 3rd and Honkai Star Rail will follow. Reader discretion is advised.
No, Kiana is not present in Honkai Star Rail
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Unfortunately, Kiana is not present or referenced at all in Honkai Star Rail. That is quite puzzling, as this title does allude to Honkai Impact 3rd in several of its in-game quests and dialogues. In fact, Star Rail has a direct connection with Honkai 3rd in the form of Welt, also known as Welt Yang. This character — who's in HoYoverse's latest offering — has been confirmed to be from the same universe as Honkai 3rd is set in, depicted by his splash art.
As such, it is incredibly disappointing that the protagonist and mascot of HoYoverse’s most pivotal title has no representation in its newest entry. Players can only hope that Kiana makes an appearance later on in Star Rail, either by means of a collab or during later chapters, with the expansion of its lore.
After all, Honkai 3rd has already established that parallel universes in this franchise exist via the Imaginary Tree (such as Genshin Impact) and by mentioning “Sky People" during A Post Honkai Odyssey 2.
Who is Kiana in Honkai Impact 3rd?
Kiana — though absent in Honkai Star Rail — is both the protagonist and mascot in Honkai Impact 3rd. She is a silver-haired teenage girl tasked with saving the world, beginning her journey as a carefree Valkyrie. Things take a dramatic turn, however, when it is revealed that she is a clone of the original Kiana and a host to the Herrscher of The Void.
After losing control of the Ultimate Ruler, this character enters a bitter battle against her friends and is finally able to regain her sway over the Herrscher, albeit at the cost of the life of her teacher Himeko.
As a sign of mourning and development, Kiana finally carries the world's weight on her shoulders. She aims to eradicate the threat of the Honkai once and for all. The new Kiana presents a significant departure from her usual cheery, callous self. In the events of A Post Honkai Odyssey (APHO) 2, it is revealed that she has voluntarily chosen to stay behind on the moon, sealing the Honkai as a result.
Her journey is far from over, however, and HoYoverse has plans for extending Kiana’s arc. This is indicated by the upcoming APHO 3 expansion for Honkai 3rd and its secondary campaign expansion due to arrive sometime in 2024.
