Ok I’m going to actually get my thoughts out about Luocha - who, as a character is incredibly suspicious even without knowledge of HI3
This took a while to compile so I do hope you’ll give it a read.
Do take heed: There is a minor beta spoiler for one of Luocha’s lightcones, but there is no story spoilers of any sort (even I stay away from those.)
please enjoy!
1. The coffin
Alright, I have a lot to say about this part since it’s the main point of Interest surrounding his character so far.
So firstly, I don’t believe you can take anything Luocha says as the full truth, he definitely lies in some of his dialogue although it is very subtle.
He says, early on when we meet him, that he was supposed to deliver the coffin or whatever was inside to the Xianzhou, yet he seems and even says that he was intending to leave the Luofu while he still had the coffin. This is really odd as it seemingly contradicts what he said before.
(These could be seen as him scheduling but still having enough time to deliver the coffin - however he was in Cloudford where is where nobody is supposed to be and where people would usually get ready to leave, also he could mean a different Xianzhou ship but as I’ll get into later, I think it is a lie or he is going there for a different motive than he lets on.)
The main points we learn about the coffin in 1.0 is that he knows the individual inside the coffin, yet it is not a friend, relative, or sweetheart (This was a fun nod to HI3 tho)
You could say nothing is in the coffin anymore but later when Sushang tries to get some answers out if him about it he speaks as if, yes, there is still something or someone inside.
He says they only met once, and owed someone else a favor that required the “delivery” of the coffin and the thing/person inside to the Luofu. (I’ll speak more on what I think of this later)
An interesting point that was brought up and that I do not believe is coincidental is that right after Kafka tells the MC how Aeons can die we cut right to Luocha explaining the same thing. He also stares at the Coffin whilst explaining how even Aeons will eventually die and reach the end of their life. This isn’t a coincidence.
It relates to something, though we don’t know yet. Sure he could be explaining in relation to death with the thing in the coffin but that seems too unimportant to be drawing so much attention to, mind you?
Whatever is in the coffin is very important and lore relevant, and I don’t think there is any way it isn’t.
(I’ll get onto theories and more info at the end and in his Lightcones section)
2. The way his English voice actor speaks (with small notes from his JP one)
This may seem like a null point but I do think it is worth bringing up.
His English voice actor was given directions on how to act and this is very common with any actor, especially one like Luocha where what he says is important and has more than one way to interpret or say.
Lines like this one (image above) could be said with a flat or informing voice, or a kind and straightforward voice, what’s important to note is that the voice actor, doesn’t say it like that.
He speaks as if he is weary, he pauses at points that don’t make sense when reading it, but gives off the appearance of being careful with what he’s saying and is uncomfortable? Or uneasy with the subject at hand.
He also switches from a medium level of speaking to a very low voice, which is actually jarring and seems very odd (you could chalk this up to bad acting but by going thru the story you would see that this isn’t the case and he is very talented.)
What important is that he seems to want to move on from the topic as soon as possible and even shortens his answers to simply yes or no, as if he wanted to quickly move the subject along - and when he couldn’t he gave an inconclusive answer and forced the subject to be dropped.
(right here he gives the most vague and inconclusive answer he can give to end the conversation, he is ending it without really answering anything.)
(Stops the conversation.)
This is going away from the voice acting but I do think it adds to his unease and him ending the conversation the way he did.
Lastly I would like to talk about his JP voice actor at the end of Myriad Celestia Trailer: History of the Xianzhou.
I’ve seen a few people say that Luocha seems too happy at the end and that he sounds eerily like HI3 Otto, and I would have to agree, something is definitely up.
Also it is very interesting that he makes an appearance in this trailer and to me only solidifies his lore importance.
Also for who he is talking to it’s the scared teacher man (Master Gongshu) and as of right now I can’t figure out why Luocha would feel the need to talk to him to learn all this information.
3. Voice Lines From Other Characters
The voice lines are things I don’t think many have looked into in a theory lens, but I have and I want to share my findings.
There isn’t too much but Tingyun and Jing Yuan have very interesting lines I would love to dive into but first let’s get the others outta the way.
Nothing too interesting of note here except the immortality line, there are a couple back ups to support what she is saying but simply not enough for me to consider this thus far.
The weak part is what I focused on and it does make me wonder if Luocha also had the same sickness Otto from HI3 had as a kid? Just things to think about.
Nothing really of note at all in this one but I do think it is funny he thinks Luocha’s coffin is a ‘sword casket’ - though now that I do think about it this lends even more evidence to his words being lies since he was supposed to deliver it - although perhaps the coffin and the body do not come as a package.
ALRIGHT. This one is really fascinating. This proves that he was probably lying about having a meeting with Tingyun, or at least that he had it planned beforehand. Also, he is apparently not on record. The Whistling Flames is a merchant guild and Luocha says he has been to the Luofu many times as a merchant and traveller, this is very very odd. Makes me wonder if he is even a merchant at all.
Not to mention that Tingyun states that she can’t remember him and that is weird. This is weird! She lives here and is IN the merchant guild, the fact that she’s never seen him lends even more proof that he is also lying about being a merchant or at least being here before!
This is for Jing Yuan, and I honestly think it explains why he is watching Luocha in the Lightcone I’ll discuss later
he shares that he doesn’t think many merchants would act like him - like they didn’t want or were in a hurry to do business at all. Makes it seem like he wasn’t here to do business or be a merchant at all. I think Jing Yuan is very suspicious of Luocha and Luocha knows this (hence, lightcone.)
Also this is backed up by what Luocha says about Jing Yuan:
“The general not only knows how to reveal other people’s intentions, but also skillfully hides his own and does it spectacularly. When you want to "prove” something, you have to be careful.“
Anyway I think I’ll touch more on this later, during the theory section but this is wild.
4. Lightcones
First up we have the one currently in the game
The description reads:
"On a bustling street he walks and walks. The sunlight closely follows his footsteps.
He makes a stop and picks up an umbrella to shade himself from the sun …and from that prying gaze.”
this is obviously referring to Jing Yuan, who is keeping a close eye on him due to his odd manners. Luocha is aware of Jing Yuan watching him and picks up an umbrella to hide himself. This shows that Luocha probably knows of Jing Yuan’s suspicions, however for some reason instead of trying to change Jing Yuan’s mind, he simply hides himself from him. Perhaps he wishes to simply avoid him yet we do not know yet.
This one isn’t in the game yet, and although it will be soon, this is a minor spoiler warning.
Next we have this one - and oh boy this one does imply a whole lot.
The description reads:
“Under the watch of the white irises, he knocks on the coffin. "Sometimes I feel I underestimated you by proposing this deal.”
He receives no response other than a thorny branch piercing through his palm.
Yet he smiles, and tightly grasps the thorn, “Indeed. This is how it is. We wanted to use each other, and both ended up underestimating each other.”
This is SO much. This teases so much it is actually insane how much it is trying to imply.
First off, it implies that whatever is in the coffin - is alive.
This also makes it seem like the favor itself maybe was a cover up for this “deal” which he seems to have made with the person in the coffin.
Between Luocha and the entity in the coffin, they both had something they wanted to gain from the other, they both probably wanted to take advantage of the deal and each other - but ended up - as they said, underestimating each other.
The entity in the coffin seems to be able to control these “vines” and is seemingly quite unhappy with Luocha or the situation since he stabs his hand.
It’s also interesting to note it seems like this Lightcone takes place in a church. There is a lot of symbolism in this, but I am not knowledgeable to say more on it at this time.
I want to get into this right now - and luckily I can because for the last section I have today is -
5. Theories and Possibilities
Ok so first I want to touch on who could be in the coffin, and I’ve narrowed it down to only two possibilities.
Void Archives
An Aeon
These are the only things that stay consistent with all information we have thus far.
For Void Archives - he fits the description of being not friend nor family, and it would be very fitting for them to have only met once before this situation came to be.
This explains what happened to Void Archives and it also fits very very well with Luocha’s second Lightcone description. It fits well with HI3 Otto and VA , and I do think it matches up too well to be something small or insignificant.
even if VA is not in the coffin I am pretty confident he has something to do with Luocha or WILL have something to do with Luocha in the future - it is simply too much of a story opportunity.
As for it being an Aeon - He looks at the coffin while speaking on how Aeons can die - also he bears the name fool in one of his eidolons and one of his skills. This bears resemblance to someone who apparently majorly injured Nanook…the presumably final boss at this point in time, …and again bares resemblance to Otto from HI3 (a lot of his skills and eidolons have easter eggs).
However these are not end all be all’s and it’s way to early in the game to make any substantial theories for this.
No, I do not think Kallen is in the box.
While I do think it is a possibility, it is not likely. The way he speaks to the coffin in the lightcone is not one of love - it is of something more serious and important to him, but seemingly in a more dangerous way than a loving way. There is a small allusion to the thorn seemingly about to pierce his heart but I still think that relates to a different symbolism than “Oh it’s just Kallen.”
Also while there is more evidence I do think Hoyo wants to do something new with his character, however instead of making him good like more people thought, they are probably doing something else.
Luocha placed or activated the Stellaron
I do believe that Luocha either brought the Stellaron or activated it. However with the timeline of events being the way it is, I suspect he simply brought it but did not activate it.
Kafka said that the person who brought it and the person who activated it have different goals, so this makes sense with the lore presented thus far. None the less he came here for a different reason than trading, and of that I am certain.
Ending Thoughts
All in all Luocha is one of the most intriguing Honkai: Star Rail characters and I am very excited as to where they choose to take their story, there are so many unanswered questions and at this point it would be very odd to not elaborate or for him to just be fully good.
This is only as much I could stand to talk about today, I could write even more about his medical usage, his relation to the abundance, his potential to be an emanator and how Dan Heng and Luocha possibly know each other but I think I’ll wait until 1.1 comes out, I hope you enjoyed my crazed ramblings haha.
