Genshin Impact has a rich lore and it is only starting to unravel slowly. With the release of version 5.1, a ton of new and old names in the lore have appeared with even more context and background information about their existence in the story. One such character in Genshin Impact is Ronova, the Ruler of Death and one of the Heavenly Principles. So, who is Ronova and what is her part in the creation of the current Natlan in Genshin Impact? We have answered all this below with a touch of added theory-crafting from my side.
Genshin Impact Ronova: Who Is She?
Ronova is the Ruler of Death and one of the four shades of the Heavenly Principles in Genshin Impact. She was the one who established the rules in Natlan and guided the Lord of the Night Kingdom, Yohualtecuhtin, in creating the Night Kingdom to stand against the Abyss. Her involvement in creating Natlan’s rules and helping create the Night Kingdom was an expression of love and an act of reparation.
It was the first Pyro Archon Xbalanque who negotiated with Ronova to establish the rules in Natlan. Xbalanque used the Divine Throne to borrow Ronova’s power to establish the rules in Natlan. He also used it to set up the framework where the native of Natlan could become the Pyro Archon through the Pilgrimage of the Return of the Sacred Flame and gain knowledge and memories of the land through the Sacred Flames.
Although, Rovona said that she would deny involvement in helping Natlan, claiming that Xbalanque stole her powers if asked, she was still seen to have overstepped her authorities as a Shade, which caused displeasure among the Heavenly Principles. That’s when she succumbed to “self-pity”, according to Yohualtecuhtin, and stopped caring when others discussed her identity, which has been a taboo among the Heavenly Principles.
It was her power that Mavuika used at the end of the Act IV of Chapter V Archon Quest to defeat the onslaught of the Abyss against Natlan, revealing the fake sky. As Ronova is the Ruler of Death in Genshin Impact, her powers also come at a price. The one who wields the power of death will also have to accept death for herself. If the wielder of her power fails to conquer the fear of death, countless innocent lives will be claimed in their stead for the price to be paid.
Who Are Heavenly Principles & Four Shades in Genshin Impact
The Heavenly Principles are the god-like beings that descended to Teyvat and fought against the Seven Dragon Sovereigns alongside Four Shades. So far to our knowledge, the Heavenly Principles are said to have come from Celestia. Currently, the Heavenly Principles appear to be the main powers/rulers who oversee everything in Teyvat, and the Abyss and the Fatui Order are both trying to overthrow their ruler over Teyvat.
Now, whether the Heavenly Principles is a group of beings or refers to the Primordial One only is still not clear yet. The Primordial One is the first to descend to Teyvat and created the Four Shades to fight the Dragon Sovereigns. In Act 3 of the Archon Quest Chapter 5, Yohualtecuhtin mentions that Rovona is from the Heavenly Principles, hinting that it might be a group that includes both the Shades and the Primordial One.
So, that’s about everything we currently know about Ronova the Ruler of Death in Genshin Impact. I would love your opinion on this topic, especially any theory you might want to share for the story is also welcome in the comment section below.
