Paimon is the first character in Genshin Impact that players are introduced to after the initial cutscene. The Traveler finds Paimon when they are fishing her out of the sea. At first, she seems like a harmless floating companion that tags along as repayment to the traveler while they journey through the land of Teyvat. Paimon refers to herself using third-person pronouns, never using first-person pronouns when she talks about herself. Later, it was agreed among longtime players that Paimon becomes more of an annoyance, rather than a companion.
Genshin Impact has a self-insert protagonist, a common aspect in many modern RPGs. Players can pick between either the male or female twin and whichever name they want. It will not affect the storyline, at all. Because the Traveler is silent, they bring along a flying speaking creature (common in many RPGs) who does all the verbal communication for them. In this case, Paimon is the sidekick that basically provides the plot and allows the story to progress.
The question of Paimon's identity still lingers in players' minds. She is a fiercely loyal friend as shown in many cutscenes. She immediately flies to the Traveler's aide when they are separated during the fight with Tartaglia. When the traveler falls unconscious, she tries to wake them up despite her own instincts to run from the Raiden Shogun. She seems just as determined to find the protagonist's twin sibling, often expressing her concern over them. However, many people speculate that she may be the final boss or the evil Unknown God that abducts the Traveler's sibling in the beginning of Genshin Impact. This could be why she seems to only know as much as the Traveler does, and her color scheme does seem similar to the Unknown God's.
Is Paimon In Genshin Impact Really Evil Or Just Annoying?
Fans of Genshin Impact are divisive about her. Some people think she's cute and funny. She has lines that players can agree on, such as bluntly pointing out the ridiculousness of characters' requests or criticizing their irrational decisions. In contrast, other people consider her a nuisance and wish they have an option to mute her. This especially applies when she interrupts the player's fishing or puzzle solving with some useless comments. If the attempt is unsuccessful, then there is no need for Paimon to remind the player that they should try again.
Even when she doesn't speak, Paimon can still be annoying. When someone repeats the same commissions day after day, like in Genshin Impact's controversial endgame, Paimon says the same lines that should be skipped. These moments seem redundant and takes too much time. An example is during the commission called "Poetry Exchange." It is obvious to select the next one after a correct choice, so it becomes tedious that Paimon has to keep interjecting that the answer was correct and to keep going.
Many fans find the feature of having different dialogue options moot because they all end up leading to the exact same response, anyway. Worse, Paimon verbally speaks the same thoughts that the player just selected, making it feel like she stole the line because the Traveler could have easily had a voice line there. People argue that there is proof to the Traveler's personality as seen in some of those dialogue options. They include some flirty lines, abrasive responses to NPC's requests, and hilarious answers to others' questions. Some of them even go so far as to make fun of Paimon in Genshin Impact, usually deeming her as less than relevant or scolding her for her greediness of food.
Furthermore, not only do the Travelers already have canon names, but their shared voice lines with Paimon in their profile page determine their existent personality. As a result, many people are annoyed that Paimon seems to do all of the protagonist's speaking for them, especially during important scenes such as talking about the protagonist's sibling, which is the only reason why the Traveler is even on this journey. This is why some fans can't help but feel satisfied when other NPCs think negatively of her such as ignoring her or mentioning her ignorance.
Genshin Impact Has So Far Shown Paimon Is Silly Rather Than Sinister
The recent event called "Shadows Amidst Snowstorms" has the traveler drawing Paimon, based on how they describe her. Across all the different options, the end result is of her looking silly and with a clownish facial expression. The Traveler is very proud of this painting, but Paimon feels otherwise. She gets upset as she sees how the protagonist views her. Albedo steps in and "fixes" this painting by painting her in a very classy Mona Lisa pose, much to Paimon's satisfaction. She is very flattered and is immensely grateful to Albedo for drawing her in this kind of light.
People can't help but feel as although it is beautiful, it does not capture how they see Paimon at all. Later, players can check the painting and the description says exactly what they are thinking: "Paimon looks elegant and dignified, and she wears an enigmatic but romantic smile, her upturned lips displaying a vast brilliance beyond human ken. Very pretty, of course, but this isn't the Paimon you know at all..." It seems like the makers of the game is aware of Paimon's situation, but miHoYo has yet to do something about it.
It is easy to forget that the story of Genshin Impact involves the Traveler finding their sibling because that part has been lost through the many speaking lines of Paimon and the non-speaking lines of the actual main character. It makes it seem like Paimon is the one finding the twin sibling, not the Traveler themselves. In addition, the main protagonist already has a relatively subpar sword and combat skills in Genshin Impact, so they are widely underused in battle.
People often prefer to use other characters instead, and Paimon's incessant nagging existence is a recipe for the Traveler to lose all the qualities that make them a character. It is difficult to feel immersed in the wonderful land of Teyvat if someone has to hear Paimon speak constantly over some of the most minimal things. And while fan theories point toward Paimon having an insidious motive, for now, she seems more like comedic relief than a real villain in Genshin Impact.