Some of the original Void Hunters are still alive, so where are they?
We’re now halfway through the second year of Zenless Zone Zero, and while the first half of this arc pulled players deep into the conflicts of Waifei Peninsula, the main story's central mysteries have often been sidelined. Much of the focus of recent story updates have shifted towards chasing the Exaltists and anyone tied to the Creator, leaving some earlier lore threads quietly sitting on the sidelines.
However, one of the biggest threads still left hanging involves Zenless Zone Zero's original Void Hunters. Ever since the release of the lore teaser, “Where the Miracle Began”, players have been asking about the original Void Hunters. Who are they, what happened to them, and where are they now?
Seasons 1 and 2 have scattered a few story breadcrumbs over the past year and a half regarding these mysterious figures. However, for a long time, these details came across as narrative flavour in the form of Easter eggs, rather than actual plot developments with immediate relevance to the ongoing story.
However, things changed when HoYoverse confirmed during the Version 2.4 livestream that some of the original Void Hunters are still alive. Version 2.5 then went even further, finally giving players substantial new information about two of them: Sunbringer and Joyous.
So where are the original Void Hunters now, and what role could they play in Zenless Zone Zero’s future? Let’s take a look at each one of the confirmed Void Hunters we know of thus far, their possible in-game futures, and the ongoing theories surrounding their current whereabouts.
Swordmaster
Before Version 2.5, only one Void Hunter had ever been directly mentioned in the story: Swordmaster, the ancestor of Hoshimi Miyabi. Given that the Swordmaster was the third generation from the Hoshimi Clan, and Miyabi’s parents are from the tenth generation, it’s highly likely that Swordmaster is already dead. This is further reinforced by a moment in Where the Miracle Began, where Fairy wonders how the descendants of the Swordmaster are doing, framing her as more of a historical figure, rather than an active participant in the story.
Lady Sunbringer
Lady Sunbringer is one of the most prominent Void Hunters. While she hadn’t been mentioned in the story before Version 2.5, small Easter eggs hinted at her presence. During the Chess event in July 2025, top players received a message from Lady Sunbringer via a Bangboo. Whether this was a live transmission or an old recording stored in the Bangboo is unclear, but it showed that she could still influence the world in some form.
Then, in Version 2.4, some theorised that the silhouette that altered Banyue’s core module in the Lemnian Hollow was Lady Sunbringer, based on the horns, the Marcel Group logo, and her general outline:
However, Version 2.5 finally revealed much more. In the latest story update, the Proxy (Belle/Wise) encounters an ancient Bangboo named Lockspring in disrepair, claiming to be personally created by Sunbringer. Lockspring explains that Sunbringer didn’t simply vanish into a Hollow, she created a “utopian floating island” called Roscaelifer above New Eridu. This location is hinted as a future major area (potentially Season 3), where Sunbringer may still reside, preserved by advanced technology or a time dilation effect unique to the area.
Later, players find a beheaded statue inside Lemnian Hollow. The accompanying Bangboo explains that while Sunbringer was kind and benevolent, fear surrounded her. Rumours of her turning evil, misusing her power, or expanding the Hollow then circulated.
Not long after, players witness a miasmic vision of two miners discussing another one of Sunbringer’s contributions: she was the first to discover Porcelume. The last piece of her story comes from a recording of two people: a man who abandoned her because she insisted he leave, and a woman who was upset that Sunbringer might be overtaken by the Hollow.
From there, however, the trail runs cold.
Sunbringer’s story seemingly aligns with that of Prometheus in Greek mythology, the Titan who stole fire and knowledge for humans. Taken as a whole, she discovered Porcelume for anti-corruption equipment and created Bangboos, which are vital tools for daily life and Hollow exploration. In this reading, the Creator acts as a Zeus-like figure seeking to banish her.
Whether or not Lady Sunbringer is alive remains unknown, but with Roscaelifer now named and hinted at, she may yet reappear. Perhaps in Season 3!
Joyous
Another Void Hunter leaving behind a fresh trail of clues in Version 2.5 is Joyous, credited with creating the first data Carrot and the standard for Hollow exploration routes. His last known act was entering the Divine Maze in Papago Hollow, the largest Hollow near the Outer Ring.
The Proxy finds a clue via a shard recovered from the Divine Maze, following the conclusion of a series of in-game co-op missions. After Nanson analyses it, a blurry vision appears, and a man only seen from behind speaks:
“Some say that seeing is believing, and that hearing is deceiving. But we often forget that it's sound that resonates with the heart more. And I shall listen to the echoes of these thoughts and bask in the mysteries and power within these souls. I hope you can listen with me.”
The vision ends there. However, given its placement as the final cutscene players see after completing the Divine Maze main quests, it’s a fairly blatant tease. It's possible that Joyous may still have been in the Papago Hollow, but being the legendary first-ever Proxy, he may have found a dimensional fissure in the Papago Hollow that led who knows where.
Joyous may still be alive, but whether he remains loyal to humanity or has sided with the Creator is uncertain.
Professor Arche
Professor Arche is the most mysterious of all seven Void Hunters. He founded Helios Academy, where the Phaethon siblings grew up, and learned everything about how to become exceptional Proxies.
Arche was an exceptionally thorough researcher, so much so that he discovered a Hollow's common characteristics and set the baseline for all Hollow research, which later branched into various studies. When Hollow Zero first arose, Arche ventured deep into it in search of “the truth,” whatever it might be. To this day, he has not returned, and his whereabouts or fate remain unknown.
Arche occupies a unique place among the Void Hunters, because his ultimate fate is ambiguous even to characters in-universe. He entered Hollow Zero before the Fall of the Old Capital, and was never seen again. Some Redditors have theorised that Arche may have entered another dimension or an alternate timeline.
This theory is supported by in-game lore: at least one location in Hollow Zero, the Crystal Door, is rumoured to enable time travel. Information about the Crystal Door was uncovered in the Night of the Hollow Passage, a set of items from the Lost Items from the Old Capital found in Ray's Research Log. If true, Arche could be stuck in a loop or another timeline while trying to find a solution.
At the same time, some fans theorise that Professor Arche could also be the Creator. Many characters who search for ultimate truth are eventually drawn toward the Creator, and Arche ventured deep into the centre of Hollow Zero, potentially tapping into the Ether’s full potential.
However, while these theories are intriguing, there is currently no in-game evidence suggesting that Arche turned to the “dark side," as it were.
The Falkenhayn Mercenary Troupe
The Falkenhayn Mercenary Troupe includes three known Void Hunters: an unnamed leader, Colonel Vike, and Lieutenant Colonel Dan. They pushed the Dark Wall by 37 kilometres, but vanished from the records afterward.
Recent lore, however, shed more light on their ultimate fates. In Sarah’s backstory, Lieutenant Colonel Dan appears. Zhao uncovered that Sarah claims to be a former HAND agent, but all records of her squad were erased after a mission involving a dangerous ethereal attack. In her flashback, she encounters a figure resembling Dan, who ignores her cries for help and leaves her buried in rubble.
One theory points to Sarah’s squad being sent on a suicide mission, with Dan ensuring no survivors. Alternatively, the mission may have aimed to assassinate Dan himself, disguised as an ethereal extermination. Developers have noted that some factions oppose the Void Hunters; if the plan failed, HAND may have erased all evidence. Sarah could also have been displaced through time or an alternate timeline, consistent with known Hollow distortions.
However, the troupe’s unnamed leader, recognisable by pink hair, remains a mystery. Some have compared her to Elysia from Honkai Impact 3rd, but there is no concrete evidence of any ties between the two. Fans also speculate she could be related to Nicole Demara, citing their pink hair, though this is largely superficial. The leader also appeared to have wings, suggesting a rare Thiren breed.
However, one of the most intriguing points of debate from theorists is that Nicole’s suitcase weapon bears a logo reading “Open Your Eyes to See”, which may represent a future faction or be a deliberately gifted tool, rather than one that was scavenged or stolen. Perhaps it came from the Falkenhayn Mercenary Troupe faction?
The Void Hunters: Where are they now?
The question of where the original Void Hunters are is far from settled, and perhaps that’s exactly the point. Sunbringer’s utopian Roscaelifer, Joyous’ cryptic messages from the Divine Maze, Arche’s disappearance into Hollow Zero, and the Falkenhayn Mercenary Troupe slipping through history all hint at stories yet to be told.
Could Arche have become the Creator, or is he still trapped in a loop within Hollow Zero? Is Sunbringer quietly shaping the future from above New Eridu, or has she been lost to time? And with Joyous’ intentions unclear, and the Mercenary Troupe’s leader and Lieutenant Colonel Dan operating in the shadows, who can be trusted, and who might be working towards an unknown agenda?
Every clue points to a larger picture just out of reach, and for players piecing together the breadcrumbs, the story is only beginning.
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