My Genshin Impact Journey: The Forgotten Nine in Fontaine Era

As I dive deeper into Teyvat's ever-expanding universe, I can't help but notice how some familiar faces have completely disappeared from our adventures. During the entire Fontaine chapter, nine characters went completely MIA – not even a brief cameo or passing mention in any quest or event. Isn't it strange how characters can simultaneously be absent from the story yet appear multiple times on banner reruns? It's a peculiar situation that highlights how HoYoverse manages its growing roster.

The Vanishing Act: Nine Characters Who Missed Fontaine

Looking back at Fontaine's era, which is now behind us in 2025, I realized that a full nine characters never made an appearance throughout that entire chapter. Not in story quests, not in events, not even in passing dialogue. These characters simply ceased to exist in the narrative:

• Baizhu

• Kazuha

• Yelan

• Barbara

• Kujou Sara

• Razor

• Gorou

• Xinyan

• Chongyun

What's particularly amusing is how Baizhu and Kazuha hadn't been seen since Versions 3.6 and 3.7 respectively, yet they appeared multiple times on Event Banners since then. The same goes for Yelan, who featured in both Version 4.0 and Version 4.8 banners despite being narratively absent. It begs the question: do banner appearances and story relevance have any correlation at all?

The Most Neglected Characters

Among these nine, Kujou Sara stands out as possibly the most neglected character in the entire game. I've been part of numerous community discussions where players have repeatedly petitioned HoYoverse to create a Hangout event for the tengu general. As of 2025, those pleas remain unanswered. Will we ever get to know Sara beyond her unwavering loyalty to the Raiden Shogun?

Barbara's absence is also particularly notable. As one of Mondstadt's beloved characters and someone with family ties to Fontaine (her sister Jean is half-Fontainian), her complete absence from the Hydro nation's storyline feels like a missed opportunity. Wouldn't it have made perfect sense for her to visit the nation of Hydro and music?

The Banner Paradox

This creates what I call the "Banner Paradox" in Genshin Impact:

1. Characters disappear from the story for extended periods

2. These same characters receive multiple banner reruns

3. Players pull for characters they haven't seen in action for months or years

4. The narrative connection weakens while the gameplay/meta connection strengthens

Is this a deliberate strategy by HoYoverse? Are certain characters kept in a "banner-only" limbo to maintain their mystique? Or is it simply impossible to give screen time to all 88+ characters with each new update?

Looking Forward: Natlan and Beyond

The Natlan era has brought fresh excitement with characters like Mavuika and Xilonen joining our roster. Xilonen, who debuted alongside Chiori in Version 5.1 back in October 2024, proved to be an exceptional addition for players not relying on Dendro or Anemo teams in the Spiral Abyss.

But as we continue our journey through Natlan in 2025, I find myself wondering which characters will be left behind this time. Will our Fontaine nine continue their absence, or will some finally return to the spotlight? And which new characters might join the ranks of the forgotten?

The Reunion Possibilities

For Liyue characters like Yelan and Baizhu, their return to relevance seemed most likely during the Lantern Rite festival earlier this year in 2025. These annual celebrations provide perfect opportunities to reintegrate characters into the story.

The fate of Mondstadt characters like Barbara and Razor remains more uncertain. With the Windblume Festival being their main showcase opportunity, and Mondstadt receiving less attention as we move further from the starting nation, their chances for meaningful story involvement grow slimmer.

Inazuman characters like Sara and Gorou face perhaps the biggest challenge. With Inazuma's main storyline concluded and the nation being geographically isolated, opportunities for their reappearance are limited unless HoYoverse creates special cross-regional events.

The Character Balancing Act

Managing 88+ characters (and growing) presents HoYoverse with an enormous challenge:

• 🎭 Giving each character meaningful story development

• 🗣️ Recording voice lines in multiple languages

• 🎨 Creating new outfits and animations

• 🔄 Balancing gameplay mechanics and team compositions

• 📅 Planning banner reruns that make financial sense

Is it any wonder some characters fall through the cracks? Yet as a dedicated player, I can't help but feel a twinge of sadness when favorites disappear for years at a time. Don't these characters deserve better?

My Wish for the Future

As we continue through Natlan and look toward the final nation, I hope HoYoverse finds creative ways to bring back neglected characters. Perhaps through:

1. Multi-nation events that naturally bring together diverse casts

2. More Hangout Events for neglected four-stars

3. Story Quests that involve supporting characters from various regions

4. In-game mail or special dialogues during festivals

What do you think? Which long-absent character do you most want to see return to the spotlight? As for me, I'm still waiting for Kujou Sara to get the character development she deserves after all this time.

The world of Teyvat continues to grow, but let's not forget the characters who helped make this journey special from the beginning. After all, isn't the cast what makes Genshin Impact truly special?