Horizon Zero Dawn left many questions unanswered, the vast majority of which were addressed throughout the events of Horizon Forbidden West. Why Sylens captured Hades represented the primary mystery, of course. But there were still several unknowns about the Old World and the aftermath of Project Zero Dawn that Guerrilla Games kept tucked away. Many would argue Forbidden West's wide-spanning story left no stone unturned in this regard.
[Warning: This article contains major spoilers for Horizon Forbidden West.]
Horizon Zero Dawn opened with protagonist Aloy's birth 18 years prior to the main plot, yet her origins weren't as simple as the game would lead players to believe. By the end of Horizon's first installment, it became clear that Aloy's arrival into the world, in addition to her status as a clone, constituted a failsafe, a desperate AI's last-ditch effort to preserve some semblance of a future for the doomed life on Earth. It all seemed rather cut and dry from the outside looking in, thus opening the door for Sylens' aforementioned betrayal, this lingering thread that proved rather minor when considering Horizon Forbidden West's more impactful twists and turns.
In fact, the recently released sequel raised questions that most players probably hadn't considered while exploring Zero Dawn. The truth about the supposedly destroyed Odyssey space vessel and its crew of Far Zenith elites served as the cornerstone of Horizon Forbidden West's overarching narrative, for instance. Similarly, Guerrilla Games saw fit to offer more insight into Elisabet Sobeck's past. And with help from GAIA and her newfound allies, Aloy even discovered the very reason for her birth - the reason the main plot exists in the first place.
Sylens Successfully Breaks Hades in Horizon Forbidden West
The brief teaser at the tail end of Horizon Zero Dawn shows Sylens capturing the rogue AI Hades for reasons unknown. Forbidden West discloses that Sylens spent the six months between the first game and its follow-up torturing Hades for information. Sylens explains in text logs that the key to interrogating the AI lies in feeding it holographic representations of a thriving Mother Nature - plants growing, rabbits frolicking through flowers.
To the character's dismay, these methods produce adverse effects, as the data stored within HADES becomes irrevocably lost the more Sylens digs in. When Aloy finally reunites with HADES, the AI is on its digital death bed. It doesn't die without boasting of the three separate times - not two - that it destroyed the Earth's biosphere, though.
Forbidden West Introduces the Unexpected Far Zenith Threat
Players hear about the Odyssey colony ship and the Far Zenith organization that boarded it tangentially in Zero Dawn. Those who lived in the Old World believed the ship exploded, squashing humanity's one chance at surviving beyond the stars. The first act reveals the truth about the Far Zeniths in Horizon Forbidden West, however.
Not only did the Odyssey ship make its way deep into outer space, but Far Zenith members also survived long enough to reach a hospitable planet in the Sirius System, then went on to develop life-extending technology. They lived on the unnamed planet in a lap of luxury for centuries, with highly advanced machines tending to their every need while virtual reality simulations fulfilled various fantasies. The Zeniths' return to Earth marked an attempt at saving themselves from a formidable threat of their own design and is one of the biggest spoilers in Horizon Forbidden West.
Aloy Meets Another Elisabet Sobeck Clone, Beta
While fleeing the Sirius System and traveling back to Earth after centuries away, the Far Zeniths used Elisabet Sobeck's genetic code to create a clone of their own, Beta. This genetic double of the famed scientist gives Horizon Forbidden West's immortal antagonists access to GAIA and the complex terraforming systems that help rebuild and maintain the biosphere. Naturally, Aloy and Co. are nothing short of surprised upon learning of Beta's existence.
Since she's another version of Elisabet, Beta resembles both the 21st Century scientist and Aloy - her genetic twin for all intents and purposes. Beta notably lacks her counterpart's tenacity and courage, though, resulting in the two butting heads throughout much of the story. Fortunately, in the end, Aloy's and Beta's growing bond of sisterhood becomes integral to defeating the Far Zenith threat and making preparations for that which lies ahead.
Horizon Series' Nemesis Threat Started It All In This Story Spoiler
After reveling in the highs of immortality for several generations, some of the Far Zeniths concluded everlasting life in the physical world had proven far too limiting. True eternity, they believed, rested in transferring their minds to other forms. One attempt at accomplishing such a feat led to the production of Horizon Forbidden West's Nemesis antagonist, an AI entity designed with the purpose of housing the collected consciousnesses of the Far Zenith crew. After their experiment failed, Nemesis' creators set it aside and moved on without realizing their AI project had developed sentience.
Having grown vengeful because of neglect, Nemesis escaped captivity and wreaked havoc on the Zenith colony. It didn't take long for their civilization to crumble, forcing the surviving colonists to escape the planet they called home. Nonetheless, Nemesis' thirst for revenge persisted. To ensure its inventors never found refuge, the corrupt AI sent a signal that activated the HADES extinction protocol on Earth. The fallout from this action engendered GAIA's destruction; fortunately, the AI managed to carry out one last order - initiating a Zero Dawn protocol that gave life to Elisabet Sobeck's clone, Aloy. Nemesis' development and subsequent abandonment, thus, serve as the catalyst for the Horizon series as a whole.
Aloy Explores Ted Faro's Tomb In Horizon Forbidden West
By the end of Horizon Zero Dawn, players knew the fate of every lead designer, or Alpha, on Project Zero Dawn. Aloy even discovered Elisabet Sobeck's remains. Details about Ted Faro's last days were left unaccounted for, and few could've guessed where that particular arc would land in the sequel. Partway through her journey into the Forbidden West, Aloy encounters a tribe of people known as the Quen who traveled across the ocean in search of valuable information about the Old Ones. Yet, their understanding of the Old World runs rampant with misinformation, so much so that they believe Ted Faro to be a savior of their ancestors, unaware of his direct involvement in the world's end. Aloy's dealings with the tribe in Forbidden West ultimately lead her to Faro's "tomb" in San Francisco, a massive underground bunker named Thebes where he retreated after killing the other Alphas - bar Elisabet.
Like the Zeniths, Faro dreamed of immortality and subjected himself to gene therapy to achieve such ends. A desire to assume the role of leader for a new generation of humanity constituted his stated purpose. Hubris begat tragedy, of course. While the efforts of Dr. Narong Somptow slowed the aging process for Faro, the side effects included genetic mutations that marred him both mentally and physically. Faro survived in Thebes for centuries, locked in a room and deformed beyond recognition. Whatever monstrosity the Faro Automated Solutions CEO had morphed into died shortly after Aloy and the Quen entered the world of Thebes. This serves as one of the biggest story spoilers in all of Horizon Forbidden West.