Horizon Zero Dawn: The Sunhawk #4 is the fourth issue of the Horizon Zero Dawn comic series. It was written by Anne Toole, illustrated by Ann Maulina, and published on November 4, 2020.
Summary[]
A brand-new comic series based on the award-winning game by Guerrilla. Aloy and Talanah return in a new story set after the events of the game! Nature has reclaimed the planet. Awe-inspiring machines dominate the land, as humanity fights for survival on this new Earth. Co-created by one of the writers of the Horizon Zero Dawn game Ann Toole.[1]
Plot Summary[]
Talanah and Amadis are targeted by an enraged Shellsnapper emerging from a subterranean lake, while Kyran and the Burnished Sons approach from a nearby tunnel, intent on capturing Amadis. While hiding from the deadly machine, Talanah devises a plan to pit the Shellsnapper against Kyran- since she has never encountered a Shellsnapper before, she suspects he will be similarly unfamiliar with how to defeat it. Talanah attacks the Shellsnapper to get its attention, then she and Amadis flee towards Kyran and his men, passing them in the tunnel. Kyran and his men scramble to take aim at the two, but are quickly attacked from behind by the rampaging machine.
At the lakeside outside the cave, Amadis separates from Talanah to procure Blaze from a nearby herd of Grazers, so that they can cause a cave-in and seal the Cauldron. Talanah stays near the cave's entrance to distract the Burnished Sons, borrowing Amadis' headgear to aid in the deception. As Kyran and his men exit the cave, she attracts their attention by dangling Amadis' hood around the edge of a boulder, giving the impression he is hiding there. Kyran fires arrows at her decoy, while the other Burnished Sons struggle to deal with the Shellsnapper that has pursued them out of the cave.
In the forest nearby, Amadis has downed a Grazer and crafted a Blast Bomb. Before he can return, however, a Clawstrider bursts out of the woods to attack him.
Kyran manages to hit Amadis' headgear with an arrow, revealing Talanah's ruse. Abandoning the deception, she emerges from cover and confronts Kyran. While he threatens her, Talanah observes the Burnished Sons still struggling with the Shellsnapper, which is emitting an intensifying glow from its shell with each arrow that is fired at it. Just then, Amadis returns, running immediately into the lake in an attempt to evade fire from the Burnished Sons. The Clawstrider that was chasing him serves as a diversion, but Amadis is still struck in the shoulder by an arrow from the mercenaries, and is left without cover in the open water. Recognizing Amadis' dire situation, Talanah makes a desperate move, firing a Triple Shot at the Shellsnapper's shell and shouting for Amadis to dive beneath the water.
The Shellsnapper responds by releasing a powerful electric blast in all directions, incapacitating the mercenaries and the Clawstrider. Amadis, unscathed, emerges from the water and rushes into the cave. Before Talanah can celebrate, though, the Shellsnapper attacks, crushing a nearby boulder with its mighty jaws. Knowing that Amadis will be setting an explosive inside the cave, Talanah lures the Shellsnapper back towards the entrance, hoping to catch it in the blast. She succeeds in drawing it towards the entrance just as Amadis leaves the cave, having fired his Blast Bomb at the cave ceiling. Amadis tackles Talanah into the water, shielding her from the explosion, while the Shellsnapper is blasted with flames and debris.
As Talanah and Amadis emerge from the water, they find Kyran and the Burnished Sons have recovered, and are once again aiming bows at the two. Kyran, standing atop the motionless body of the Shellsnapper, gloats that he can now collect Amadis' bounty while also claiming the title of Sunhawk, using the downed Shellsnapper as a trophy. Kyran also voices his intent to dispose of Talanah, but before he can issue any orders to his men, the Shellsnapper awakens, tossing Kyran from its head and crushing him beneath its foot. Lacking ammo, Talanah is forced to improvise- she swiftly grabs Kyran's spear and slides beneath the Shellsnapper, slicing it open and finally defeating it.
A few hours later, Talanah and Amadis are on the path to Rising Light, which brings them past the abandoned Beit Raveesh manor. Amadis plucks a flower of Medicinal Wild Ember from the ground and offers it to Talanah, which she initially mistakes for an attempt at medical care. Amadis explains that he means it as a gift, leading Talanah to blush as she infers that his intentions are romantic. Amadis goes on to explain that Talanah has renewed his confidence and given him a new purpose, but that he must now part ways to return to the Forbidden West. Talanah is taken aback, but Amadis clarifies that he must return to the battlefield where Nessa died, in order to lay her to rest so that he can finally move on.
Talanah wishes him well and asks that he write to her in Meridian in two months time; she reveals that she now feels the Hunters Lodge must do more than hunt for trophies, and intends to mold the organization into a protection force against the ever-increasing danger of the machines. Amadis replies that he hopes to see her again when their work is done, and the two say their goodbyes. As Amadis walks away, Talanah reflects on the unexpected outcome of her journey to Rising Light- looking upon the sunset, she smiles as she holds the flower Amadis gave her.
Editions[]
- November 4, 2020; Titan Comics
- UPC 79361173567500411; Cover A; Peach Momoko
- UPC 79361173567500421; Cover B; Guerrilla Games
- UPC 79361173567500431; Cover C; Lois "Loish" van Baarle
- UPC 79361173567500441; Cover D; Stanley "Artgerm" Lau
- UPC 79361173567500451; Cover E; Harvey Tolibao & Kevin Tolibao
Cover gallery[]
References[]
| Comics | ||
|---|---|---|
| Horizon Zero Dawn | Vol. 1: The Sunhawk | Issue #0 - Issue #1 - Issue #2 - Issue #3 - Issue #4 |
| Vol. 2: Liberation | Issue #1 - Issue #2 - Issue #3 - Issue #4 | |