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"The lesson will be taught in due time, Aloy. Until then, we wait." This article contains heavy spoilers. Read ahead with caution.
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The Looming Shadow is the twenty-first main quest in Horizon Zero Dawn.
Synopsis[]
After realizing HADES intention to capture the Spire to reawaken the Faro robots and obtaining the Master Override that will allow her to defeat it, Aloy journeys back to the Palace of the Sun to warn Sun-King Avad of the coming threat.
Relaying what she knows of the Eclipse and HADES, Avad agrees to have the Vanguard sent to the Spire as well as the city guard sent to defend the western ridge. While the defenses are organized, Aloy and Avad discuss the enemy. Afterwards, Blameless Marad informs her that allies have arrived from all over the Sundom, including a small force that has come for Aloy personally, bolstering the defenses at the ridge and the Spire. She is given access to Olin's Apartment, now abandoned, and told to rest before the battle. Knowing that all they can do now is wait, Aloy leaves to check on preparations.
Ridge Defenses[]
At the ridge, Aloy encounters many people she has helped in the past.
| Ally | Prerequisite | Dialogue |
|---|---|---|
| Elida | Side Quest Sun and Shadow | Knowing that if Atral had lived, they'd be fighting side by side, Elida has taken to helping prepare for the battle in any way she can, including digging battlements and collecting herbs. She gifts Aloy with an Antidote, although hopes she will not need it. |
| Janeva | Side Quest Sunstone Rock | Called back to duty, Warden Janeva tells Aloy that Marad offered every prisoner in Sunstone Rock a royal pardon if they agreed to fight for Meridian, to which they all agreed. |
| Nakoa | Side Quest A Daughter's Vengeance | Nakoa tells Aloy that the only other Carja the Nora feared and hated more than Zaid was Helis, vowing that she will do everything she can for the Nora that he terrorized. She also thanks Aloy, stating that because of her, the Sacred Lands have been opened, allowing her to finally go back home to her brother Yan. |
| Nil | Side Quest Cause for Concern - Farewell; Aloy must have declined Nil's offer. | Aloy is surprised to see Nil, who tells her that despite the odds being stacked against them, he could not resist the challenge or chance to kill without consequence. |
| Petra | Always Present; dialogue changes if the side quest Heap of Trouble has been completed. | Petra has been invited to look over the city arsenal and has set up a number of improved Oseram Cannons to help defend the city. She has set up some Grazer dummies for people to practice on. |
| Teb | Always Present | Because he cannot fight, Teb has been bestowed the position of honorary quartermaster by the Carja, responsible for setting up caches of ammunition and medicine during the battle. |
| Uthid | Side Quest Traitor's Bounty | Uthid thanks Aloy for helping him see the value of living out his days. |
| Vanasha | Side Quest Queen's Gambit | Vanasha admits that her coming for Aloy was only half true; she is more intent on seeking vengeance on the Shadow Carja that stole, killed innocents, and who transformed Meridian into a slave pit and Sunfall into a bloodbath during the Red Raids. |
Spire Defenses[]
Leaving the ridge, Aloy makes her way to the Spire. There she encounters Varl, Sona and her Nora Braves, and Erend and his Vanguard.
| Ally | Prerequisite | Dialogue |
|---|---|---|
| Aluki | Side Quest A Moment's Peace | Aluki remembers Aloy as the one who helped defeat the machines at the Banuk Encampment after they turned hostile. Eager to fight the army of machines, she gives Aloy her support. |
| Aratak | Side Quest The Forge of Winter | While he has yet to forgive the Carja for the Red Raids, Aratak feels compelled to help his former chieftain. Should Aluki and/or Inatut be present as well, he will make comments about them. |
| Erend | Always Present | Erend ensures Aloy that he will not let anyone past them. |
| Inatut | Side Quest Frontier Justice, with the aggressive option chosen in Flashpoint | |
| Namman | Side Quest Honor The Fallen | After he finishes praying, Namman tells Aloy that he believes the Sun he worships would bestow its favor upon her. |
| Sona | Always Present | While visibly perturbed from being so far from the Sacred Lands and in foreign territory, Sona still pledges her support for Aloy in fighting HADES. |
| Talanah | Side Quest Redmaw | Aloy is surprised to see that Talanah isn't defending Meridian itself. Talanah tells her that she could not allow one of her own to fight alone, nor could she leave her Thrush. Before Aloy departs, Talanah requests that Aloy leave her the largest machine. |
| Varl | Always Present | Varl admits he is having difficulty trying to fathom the task at hand, but is nonetheless grateful for all Aloy has done. He says that although it is by All-Mother's will that they fight, he would have come regardless for Aloy. |
Satisfied with the preparations and with nothing left to do, Aloy returns to Olin's apartment to rest. Pondering how Elisabet Sobeck could have slept with such a heavy burden on her shoulders or how Rost could have after losing his family, and trying to reach out to Sylens to no avail, Aloy finally drifts off.
Objectives[]
- Meet Erend at Red Ridge Pass (if The Field of the Fallen has not been completed)
- Discover what happened to Ersa (if Into the Borderlands has not been completed)
- Stop Dervahl's Plot to Destroy Meridian (if The Sun Shall Fall has not been completed)
- Go to the Palace of the Sun
- Talk to Sun-King Avad
- Talk to Blameless Marad
- Visit both Defense Sites
- Rest Before the Final Battle
Walkthrough[]
The Looming Shadow - Very Hard - No Damage - Video Guide
Collectables[]
Text Datapoints - Quests[]
- #46 Sobeck Journal, 7-16-65 R (obtained automatically after speaking to Marad)
Missable[]
- #47 Sobeck Journal, 10-31-65 R (obtained automatically after speaking to Teb)
- #48 Sobeck Journal, 1-15-66 R (obtained automatically after speaking to Erend and Varl)
Glitches/Mistakes[]
Aloy will make a comment regarding how Rost kept going after losing his family, even if she hasn't heard the story from Teersa.
While speaking to Aluki, she says "No, I'm thanking you! That night..." while the subtitles claim she said "No, I'm thanking you, Nora! That night..."