- "Itamen is the Shadow Carja's figurehead... Beyond that, he's just a boy who clings to his mommy."
- ―Vanasha
Prince Itamen is a minor character in Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West.
History[]
Prince Itamen is the youngest son of Sun-King Jiran, 13th in the Radiant Line, and his wife, Nasadi. He has two older half-brothers on Jiran's side: Prince Kadaman and Prince Avad, who were both adults by the time Itamen was born.
When Itamen was six years old during the Liberation of Meridian, Jiran ordered Helis to take Itamen and Nasadi to his summer palace in Sunfall, announcing that Itamen would succeed him as Sun-King. Helis fanatically obeyed alongside Ryas, taking with him Jiran’s loyal Sun-Priests, his civilian loyalists and their slaves.
Once at Sunfall, Itamen was announced Sun-King while Helis and High Priest Bahavas organized the civilians into the Carja splinter tribe called the Carja-in-Shadow, or the Shadow Carja, as they were referred to by the other tribes. With Helis and Bahavas, Jiran's highest-ranking officials, serving as regents, Itamen was little more than a figurehead to legitimize the Carja-in-Shadow. Itamen and Nasadi were guarded like prisoners in the Citadel, the palace at Sunfall.
Itamen had no desire to follow his father’s example. Indeed, once when Helis had him observe a human sacrifice in the Sun-Ring, a practice that Jiran had instituted and extensively engaged in, he averted his eyes, and Nasadi came and shielded him from the sight, much to Helis’ annoyed consternation.[2]
Horizon Zero Dawn[]
Itamen and Nasadi at Sunfall.
Two years later, Itamen and Nasadi both appeared before an assemblage of bounty hunters called by Bahavas to track down and kill the Shadow Carja army captain Uthid, whom Bahavas had falsely accused of trying to kill Itamen to cover up his own crimes. In front of the assemblage, Itamen stood and “commanded” Bahavas to speak on his behalf before sitting and resting his head on his mother’s breast in her comforting embrace, his fear and sadness plainly evident.[3]
Nasadi, Itamen and Three-Toe Huadiv on the barge, waiting to leave.
Itamen and Nasadi being escorted away from Sunfall.
Vanasha had been undercover at Sunfall in service to Avad, who had taken the Carja throne in Meridian. She became Nasadi’s handmaiden. They both bonded with her; indeed Itamen made her a Grazer doll, while Nasadi trusted her enough to confide in her that she wanted to defect to the Carja with Itamen. Eventually, Vanasha revealed herself to Nasadi and offered to help her defect with Itamen, which Nasadi accepted.[4] Eventually, Bahavas was killed by Uthid,[5] granting Vanasha the opportunity to enact the defection by spiriting Nasadi and Itamen out of the Citadel in the resulting chaos. She escorted them from Sunfall on a route through a gorge to the Branded Shore, where a barge waited to take them across the Daybrink to the Carja settlement Brightmarket. To eliminate expected complications such as pursuit, she had asked the Nora huntress Aloy to clear the route before their arrival. Indeed, complications arose, first in the form of a Rockbreaker that prowled the gorge, then pursuit, first by Kestrels, then Eclipse cultists with corrupted machines. However, between Vanasha, Aloy and some Carja guards, all these complications were eliminated. Nasadi and Itamen were ultimately taken across the lake between the Branded Shore and Brightmarket, where they were welcomed by Avad and brought to Meridian.[6]
Itamen's defection served an additional blow to the Shadow Carja, de-legitimizing their sovereignty and worsening the power vacuum left in Bahavas' death.
Horizon Forbidden West[]
Six months following the Battle of the Alight, Itamen joined Avad's royal retinue as they greeted Aloy at the base of the Spire. The young prince eagerly asked his brother if they were going to present their Champion with her new spear, but was swiftly hushed by his mother. Subsequently, Uthid and Vanasha bestowed Aloy a new spear and a tiara.[7]
Before Aloy set off for the Forbidden West, she spoke to Itamen and Nasadi. At his mother's urging, Itamen formally thanked Aloy for aiding in their escape from Sunfall and for defending Meridian against the Eclipse. He then requested Aloy teach him archery. The huntress declined, explaining she had to leave on an important mission but. but offered give him some pointers when she returned. Before she left, Itamen told her to watch out for Thunderjaws.[8]
As Aloy spoke to Avad, he told her that Itamen's growing into a fine young man, and that he intends for Itamen to succeed him as Sun-King once he comes of age.[9]
Personality[]
While Itamen is seen but a few times, all accounts indicate him to be a good-natured boy who is nothing like his father. He was resistant to Helis' attempts to shape him in Jiran's image, as evinced by his reaction when Helis showed him a human sacrifice.[2] His fear and sadness at being held prisoner at Sunfall were very evident.[3] When he met Avad at Brightmarket, some of that fear and sadness appeared to morph into cautious relief.[6]
After months back in Meridian and having the chance to grow up in a safe environment, Itamen has become noticeably more cheerful and outgoing, willing to speak up even when being hushed by his mother.[7]
Associated Quests[]
Horizon Zero Dawn[]
- Into the Borderlands (mentioned only)
- Deep Secrets of the Earth
- Traitor's Bounty (mentioned only)
- Queen's Gambit
Horizon Forbidden West[]
Trivia[]
- Although they are half-brothers, Avad refers to Itamen as his step-brother during Into the Borderlands.
Gallery[]
Concept Art[]
References[]
- ↑ Horizon Zero Dawn Collector's Edition Guide p. 603
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Itamen Coddled
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Deep Secrets of the Earth
- ↑ Dialogue with Vanasha during Traitor's Bounty.
- ↑ Traitor's Bounty
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Queen's Gambit
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 The Point of the Lance
- ↑ Dialogue with Itamen and Nasadi during The Point of the Lance.
- ↑ Dialogue with Avad during The Point of the Lance.