Summary
Honkai: Star Railhas been pumping out character banners at a blistering pace since its release last year. At the time of writing, the game has over 52 playable characters, including the Trailblazer’s different forms.Firefly and Jadeseem to round out the final cast of banners for the Penacony storyline for now, leaving fans wondering why the main villain, Sunday, hasn’t been released yet. A recent leak reveals that he will be a playable character, but it might take long before players get to pull him.
Sunday is part ofHonkai: Star Rail’s Penacony storyline, which saw the Astral Express crew disembark on their third major adventure in a new world. He and his sister Robin are part of the Oak Family, one of the prominent lineages on the planet of the dreams. He started as an ally but soon betrayed the player when he revealed his plans to trap the people of Penacony into an endless sweet dream. Sunday is a complicated, charismatic, and powerful character, making him a great addition to the playable roster, despite being a villain.
Why Sunday’s Leaked Release Date is Unfortunate for Fans of the Character
Sunday is such a popular character that several fans already assume that he’s going to be playable. These players may end up getting their wish, as recent leaks have shown that their favorite character may be released this year. Team Mew, one of the most popularHSRleakers, predicts that Sunday will followthe path of Harmonyand use Imaginary as his element. The sad news for Sunday mains is that he might be released in Update 2.7, which is still a long way ahead.HSRdrops a new major patch almost every month, so judging by this schedule, Sunday’s banner might be slotted for December 2024 at the earliest. However, there may be a few valid reasons behind this possible late release.
Sunday Could Return in a Future Storyline
While the Astral Express defeated Sunday, leading to his imprisonment by The Family, it’s hinted that he might become a free man again. This is because Robin made a backdoor deal withJade, a powerful Interastral Peace Corporation memberto secure his release. However, it’s unclear whether Sunday accepted Jade’s offer to get him out of The Family’s grasp. The recent leaks about Sunday’s banner also state that he’ll likely sport a darker outfit, which suggests that he might be coming back with a new look or even disposition. Plus, it could also show that he might still have a role in future story arcs.
MiHoYo Could be Putting Imaginary and Harmony in the Backburner
There has been a surge of characters following the path of Harmony in recent releases and reruns, which includes Robin a few patches ago and Ruan Mei in the current banner cycle. The Imaginary roster is also growing rapidly with the recent releases of Dr. Ratio, Aventurine, andMarch 7th’s upcoming Swordmaster form.
The leaks show that Sunday may also follow the same path and have the same element as Harmony Trailblazer, who also draws from Imaginary power. Therefore, it’s no surprise that the game could be moving away from that path and element for now. This is further evidenced by the Update 2.4 banners,Yunli and Jiaoqiuhaving Destruction-Physical and Nihility-Fire as their respective paths and elements.
All things considered, Sunday’s possible later banner release may be best for the game’s story and character drop schedule. However, fans should still take the recent leaks with a grain of salt, as they are subject to change.
Honkai: Star Rail
WHERE TO PLAY
Board the Astral Express and roam the universe in search of myths and legends. From global interactive entertainment brand HoYoverse comes a new space fantasy RPG. Harness the spirirt of the Trailblaze in a cel-shaded space fantasy adventure where you’ll embark on an unforgettable intergalactic odyssey. You and your fellow Astral Express passengers will hop from world to world, resolve conflicts, form friendships and uncover a wealth of mysteries. In this exciting new free-to-play game, you’ll journey through immense worlds of the unknown and bond with a series of memorable characters. Choose your companions and arrange the ultimate four-person combat team to help you take down a looming threat to the universe.
