Horizon Zero Dawn is dwelling house to both natural and mechanical marvels. Those on the mechanical side are innovations created by GAIA and the terraforming system's subordinate functions. Though many of the animal-like machines are mortiferous to the unarmed traveler, there also exist harmless devices such as the game'southward Metal Flowers.

Metal Flowers are scattered throughout the map of Horizon Zero Dawn and serve equally 1 of the game's main collectibles. Much like the other collectibles, there's some lore to be gleaned from the mechanical flora. In this instance, the Metal Flowers concur snatches of DEMETER's creation, also as hints to what might happen in Horizon Forbidden West.

At that place are a total of 30 Metal Flowers that can be constitute on the map, each surrounded by a triangle of bushes with violet flowers. The automobile itself takes on the shape of a bloom with long, pointed petals, and in its center is what looks to be a canister. To collect all the Metallic Flowers, Aloy can buy a special map that marks crude estimations of each collectible's location.

Once the actor has collected all 30 Metal Flowers, they tin merchandise these with a merchant in Elevation named Kudiv. In return, Kudiv will reward them with special Treasure Boxes. The player can also ask them about what they know nigh these Metal Flowers. Kudiv will respond that the Metal Flowers are in great need among his clientele. Though non much is known about their origins, they were said to have first appeared right later on the Derangement, so Kudiv theorizes that the Metal Flowers might sprout from the tears of the Sunday.

horizon zero dawn aloy and elisabet sobeck field flowers

Notwithstanding, the true nature of the Metal Flowers is far less mystical. In the Notebook section of the carte, it'due south written that the mechanical flora is primarily used for seed germination. Thus, these collectibles were nearly likely created by one of GAIA's rogue subfunctions, DEMETER being the almost probable candidate every bit it's the subroutine in charge of restoring the Earth'due south plant life.

Each of the Metallic Flowers contains lines of poetry in its code. Many of these verses accept to do with nature and are taken from existent-life poets of different nationalities. This is meaning because Naoto, DEMETER'southward Alpha, was fond of poetry. In one datapoint, Naoto even sends Elisabet Sobeck a long poem in response to an of import message. This creates a strong connection between DEMETER and the Metal Flowers.

Furthermore, the thespian has the option to talk with CYAN of The Frozen Wilds DLC virtually the Metal Flowers. Doing so will prompt the AI to say that the mechanical flora may have come from 1 of GAIA'southward now autonomous subfunctions. As for the poems, CYAN explains that unless the verses are original creations, they were likely programmed into the Metal Flowers' system. This further strengthens the connectedness betwixt the Metal Flowers, DEMETER, and Naoto.

Theories and Implications for Horizon Forbidden West

horizon forbidden west trailer screenshot

Given that the game is hinting at DEMETER's recent actions in Horizon Null Dawn, it wouldn't be a surprise to run across the sentient AI in the game's sequel. This has spurred the community to create theories surrounding the subfunction and the Metal Flowers.

1 idea has to do with a bit of CYAN's dialogue. According to CYAN, many literary texts were uploaded into its arrangement to test the AI'south emotional response. If Naoto did the same with DEMETER, possibly the poetry affected the at present autonomous subroutine'due south emotional capabilities in some way. In CYAN's case, the literary texts fabricated the AI more advanced, capable of emphasizing with humans and feeling emotions like fearfulness and joy. Perhaps the same tin exist said about DEMETER afterwards it became democratic.

If DEMETER truly became an empathetic AI, mayhap the poems shared in the Metal Flowers are a message to humankind. For example, the third flower in the second set of Horizon collectibles contains "The Dream That Must Be Interpreted" past Western farsi poet Rumi. It highlights how humans oftentimes forget that they were born from and go along to thrive through the natural world. This could be taken every bit DEMETER reminding humankind of the bounties that nature brings them.

Others in the community theorize that DEMETER is warning the human race. This can be seen in the sixth bloom of the second prepare, which features "The Mountain" by Arab poet Ibn Khafaja, as it mentions "blackness clouds" and "bangs of redhead lightning" - both of which are seen in the story trailer of Horizon Forbidden Westward. Similarly, the first flower of the third ready, containing "Nature" by American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, emphasizes nature's impartiality - how information technology both gives and takes away. Information technology as well highlights how little humans understand, and these could very well be foreboding messages near what'south to come up.

On the flip side, some fans don't recall DEMETER will be a benevolent force in Horizon Forbidden West. They suggest the rogue AI could be the source of the so-chosen Ruby Blight. These players theorize that perhaps the sentient subfunction has grown angry at humankind for not caring for the land and its flora. Though this is convincing as it mirrors HEPHAESTUS, it doesn't explain why DEMETER went out of its style to create the Metal Flowers and the verses contained inside them. Perhaps Horizon Forbidden West will shed some more calorie-free on the mechanical flora and its mysterious creator.

Horizon Nothing Dawn is available now for PC, PS4, and PS5.

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