In the Trailblazer's long-awaited anticipation, Honkai Star Rail Version 3.0 is finally about to meet us. I wonder if everyone is more eager to pull for Aglaea or The Herta, or perhaps determined to secure both? As the lady who has accompanied us all the way from the space station, always presenting herself in a doll form, The Herta will finally reveal her true appearance before us. Today, let us thoroughly appreciate this 'extremely self-obsessed lady' and see why she, who seems so cold, possesses such great charm!
1. Honkai Star Rail Herta & The Herta—Illustration Design
First and foremost, let's begin by examining the illustrations. We are no longer unfamiliar with the 249 permanent dolls and 32 reserve dolls stationed in the space station. Since the dolls are modeled after Herta's childhood appearance, albeit with only 70% similarity, I believe the design team must have considered the connection to Little Herta and the new variations when designing The Herta.
From the numerous details in the illustrations, we can discern the design ingenuity from childhood to adulthood, from doll to true form. The overall design concept for the doll Herta depicts her sitting on a platform, flanked by two motionless dolls, surrounded by books and ribbons representing knowledge. The entire illustration actually conveys a sense of "stillness," which also aligns with the design of doll creations unaffected by time, not aging like humans.
Switching to The Herta's illustration, the raised foot in a near-floating state and the scattered flower petals impart a completely different sense of "dynamism" to the picture. This change can bring a refreshing feeling and corresponds to the true form Herta's constant thirst for knowledge and inquiry. Beyond this, the utilization of other elements also allows us to perceive an upgrade from childhood to adulthood.
2. HSR The Herta—Costume and Composition Upgrade
The Herta doll wears a beret. As a round, soft cap, the beret style lacks a brim, sitting peacefully atop the Herta doll's head. In contrast, The Herta undergoes a transformation, adorning a witch hat from our traditional perception, its most typical characteristic being an exceptionally wide brim. The evolution from no brim to a broad one—this kind of "extension" can be associated with "growth," highlighting the keywords of becoming bigger and more beautiful.
In the clothing design, we can also observe such "extension." The exquisitely puffy dress, reminiscent of a youthful charm, has transformed into a short skirt with more flying ribbons and a smooth, leather-like texture. Certainly, there are also the black stockings representing maturity, enhancing the charm of Herta. Whether small or large, we can see many purple flowers accompanying them. Judging by their appearance, they should be purple lilies. In the language of flowers, purple lilies carry meanings of "mystery," "nobility," "admiration," and "achievement," making them the perfect flower that aligns with Lady Herta's own temperament.
Many people are deeply captivated by The Herta's beauty at first glance of her illustration. Beyond the superb design of her true form, the overall composition of the entire illustration is quite pleasing. The large picture frame in the background strongly evokes the exclusive Light Cone "The Birth of the Self." Originally a closed shape, the frame does not completely contain The Herta's entire true form. The protruding leg and ribbon, paired with the direction guided by her limbs, give us a feeling that she is about to leap into the mirror and begin exploration.
Although the first frame does not firmly lock her at the center of the picture, there is a second frame outside. Gears and surrounding stars—two different objects—form an identical symmetrical circle, highlighting The Herta within. Further out, the doll cat jumping in the mirror can both hint at The Herta's background setting of time cycles and rejuvenation, and also form a third balancing point with the huge pointers in the left and right oblique directions. It is precisely because of the presence of these elements that we are guided to fully appreciate the central Lady Herta without feeling any dissonance.
As an "Erudition" Emanator, the most representative element that runs through the entire character design is undoubtedly the "lock" and "key." "Knowledge is locked behind a gate, the key to which is hidden from those seeking answers from others, while made obvious for those determined to find it on their own." This is the description from the three-star Erudition Light Cone "Passkey." The ascension materials for characters on this Path are keys without exception, corresponding to inspiration and enlightenment.
Applied to The Herta, it is her supreme intellect, her unceasing thirst for knowledge; the constantly raised new questions and perplexing problems are the locks hanging on the door, barring us from the answers to truth. The pursuit of knowledge is the process of using one key to open one lock.
I wonder if everyone has some familiarity with the "Cthulhu Mythos" system. Within it, there is an Outer God named "Yog-Sothoth," regarded as the ruler of time and space and the "All-in-One." His true form exists beyond all multidimensional universes, and our Nous does share similarities with him. Yog-Sothoth has an alias: the "Key to the Gate." He would sometimes bestow knowledge upon those he deemed worthy. Those who, guided by the Elder Things, traverse the ultimate gate to meet him would come to understand part of the essence of the world. Isn't this just like Nous? And the fact that Lady Herta could meet him multiple times undoubtedly demonstrates her unique strength as the "key."
The weapon wielded by The Herta is itself a key, and this was shown to us as early as the conclusion of "Simulated Universe: Unknowable Domain." It is a key named "Pursuit's End," its description reading: "The infinite layers of shells encase the ruler of the infinite universe, yet even so, she continues to turn the key, opening the next door infinitely." The 'ruler of the infinite universe' in this statement naturally refers to our Lady Herta herself.
This sentence pays homage to the line written by Shakespeare in Hamlet: "O God, I could be bounded in a nutshell and count myself a king of infinite space, were it not that I have bad dreams." It is worth mentioning that, in reality, Hawking was also influenced by this line, naming his book "The Universe in a Nutshell." Its core idea—that the future of the universe is uncertain—bears similarity to the artificial universe created by The Herta.
3. Honkai Star Rail The Herta—Diverse Personality
Why is The Herta's personality universally considered poor within the game, yet she still manages to achieve such high popularity among us outside the screen? I believe the answer lies within these exquisitely crafted details. Firstly, one certainly cannot view members of the Genius Society through the lens of ordinary people. Compared to others, The Herta can truly be considered approachable; at least she still says "Go for it" to the space station staff, which already counts as the ultimate form of humanistic care among their group.
Furthermore, The Herta's seemingly extreme self-obsession doesn't actually provoke dislike. Because a chasm exists between different kinds of "self-obsession"—some people sound boastful even when stating facts plainly, while the extreme self-obsession of others makes one feel they are being overly modest. She has indeed made numerous great achievements influencing the universe's course and has never ceased her thirst for knowledge. Even when facing the threat of death, she still strives vigorously, recklessly broadening the boundaries of knowledge. This is the captivating essence of her spirit.
Moreover, her self-obsession accommodates others; she doesn't skimp on her praise and will also seek help from others for the purpose of her quest for knowledge. Her worst attitude is merely "not interested" rather than dislike or even hatred. This allows those of us familiar with worldly social intricacies to interact with her without the usual real misgivings. Such a simplified way of interaction is more comfortable for people.
From the perspective of ordinary people, many of her behaviors possess a charm of contrast. Whether in doll form or her true form, this way of behaving not only creates a contrast with her identity as a genius but can even form a contrast with her age of "living again." It can be said that what achieves The Herta is precisely the diversity of her personality; the vividness grants her max charm value. She is both a tsundere, adorable little girl and a serious, inquiring big sister.
Finally, how would you evaluate The Herta? Let us continue to anticipate the arrival of Version 3.0 and witness the heroic epic together! Do not forget to follow our other articles and the in-site merchandise. See you next time!