Bohai

"The lesson will be taught in due time, Aloy. Until then, we wait." This article contains heavy spoilers for Horizon Forbidden West. Read ahead with caution.

Bohai is a character in Horizon Forbidden West. As an Overseer, one of the leading members of the Diviners, his responsibilities include the monitoring and suppression of "heretical" information from the Legacy that could disrupt the stability of the Quen Empire.

History

The Eastern Expedition

Bohai was the Overseer chosen by his colleagues to attend the Eastern Expedition to San Francisco, in hopes of finding data necessary to save the Quen from famine and flood. He was among the Quen who survived the journey and successfully arrived, and acted effectively as second-in-command to the Ceo. After his subordinate Alva uncovered information on the location of Thebes, Ted Faro's resting place, Bohai confirmed her groundbreaking discovery, although he and the rest of the expedition were unable to enter the bunker after months.^[1]

As the Ceo descended into madness, Bohai worked to appease the man's vast ego. In truth, Bohai despised the man, who he considered an "entitled egotist", and only played along to protect his neck.

Horizon Forbidden West

Roughly a year into the expedition, Alva returned from the Greenhouse with an abundant amount of agricultural data, and claimed to have been assisted by Aloy, who was Elisabet Sobeck reborn.^[1] As Alva had told Aloy where to find Legacy's Landfall, Bohai ordered the sentries to bring her before him should she arrive.^[2] True enough, Aloy did show up, asking to see Alva. Bohai wanted first to confirm her identity and question her intentions, as she had killed some of the Quen's soldiers at the Greenhouse. The resulting argument was interrupted by the Ceo, who shared Bohai's concerns. When Aloy explained that she was looking for Thebes to find a way to heal the world, confirming the Ceo's suspicions, the Quen warmed up to her. Bohai then shared that the Quen did indeed find Thebes, but a Thunderjaw had forced Alva and the dig team to bunker down in the Digsite. To his surprise, Aloy correctly guessed that he was an Apex machine, although she didn't elaborate on the source of her information and volunteered to take it down.^[3]

Bohai later accompanied the Ceo once Aloy had destroyed the Apex Thunderjaw, and the party descended to the entrance to Thebes. When Aloy confirmed that only Ted Faro could open the door, Bohai quickly became the target of the Ceo's anger, as he had promised that a Living Ancestor with Sobeck's essence could open the door. Fortunately, Alva intervened, reasoning that Aloy could use the flooded passageways to get inside.^[3]

When Aloy managed to unseal the hatch, Bohai expressed he knew she would succeed, shortly before the Ceo stepped out in regalia reminiscent of Faro and forced Aloy to wear Sobeck's Raiment, threatening both hers and Alva's lives if she did not comply. Bohai then accompanied the Ceo, Aloy, Alva and some guards into Thebes before advising him to assign some of the guards to remain at the entrance. As they descended, the Ceo tasked Bohai to remember every detail of the exploration. When they came to a large atrium, Bohai took note of two threatening-looking statues, which Aloy identified as Corruptors, which came to life and attacked. Bohai retreated with the Ceo, before returning to the surface for his own safety.^[3]

Sometime after, the Quen were alerted to a disturbance coming from Thebes. Upon seeing Aloy and Alva frantically running from the entrance in haste, and the passageway crumbled behind them, he demanded an explanation and asked where the Ceo was. Alva claimed that the Ceo died giving his life to attain the secrets of Thebes. However, no longer having to bow to the whims of a madman, Bohai rejected her politically decided answer and threatened to have her and Aloy executed if they didn't give him the truth. Aloy agreed with him, placing the blame on the Ceo for triggering Thebes' self-destruction, only to "die like a gutless coward." Fortunately, she did indeed find something that will help the Quen homeland as well as everywhere and convinced Bohai to allow her to take it so that he can take credit when things start to improve. Bohai agreed with her reasoning and declared her welcome in Landfall, on the condition that Alva accompany her and report back on her progress.^[3]

When Oris and his unit failed to return from a scouting mission, Jomar asked Bohai for a search party to look for them, but Bohai denied this request.^[4] When Aloy found Oris's body and discovered that his necklace contained a map of San Francisco, she sent it to Alva, who shared it with Bohai in order to help the Quen more easily find their way around the Isle of Spires.^[5]

After the defeat of Far Zenith, Alva returned to Legacy's Landfall to tell Bohai about Nemesis, giving him a new Focus in the progress.^[6] Shortly after, Bohai began the voyage back to the Great Delta to petition the Emperor for help against the new threat.^[7] Alva believes that Bohai would find a way to use his new Focus to his advantage with the other Overseers.^[6]

Personality

Bohai's personality is shown to be one of an effective leader but also a highly-skilled political operative. Alva claims he has taken credit for her work multiple times,^[8] and his public bowing to the demands of the increasingly deranged Ceo show his focus on avoiding putting his own prospects in jeopardy regardless of the soundness of what he is ordered to do. This latter point is shown in best detail with how quickly he admits his real views of Ceo the moment the man in question is dead and establishes a far more effective and reasonable command to the expedition following the events at Thebes.^[3]

Associated Quests

Horizon Forbidden West

• Faro's Tomb
• The Souvenir (mentioned only)
• Singularity

Gallery

Official Artwork

Character model of Bohai by Arno Schmitz.^[9]

Artwork of Bohai from behind by Arno Schmitz.^[9]

Closeup artwork of Bohai by Arno Schmitz.^[9]

Closeup artwork of Bohai by Thomas Sykutera.^[10]

Closeup artwork of Bohai from the side by Thomas Sykutera.^[10]

Closeup artwork of Bohai from the side/back by Thomas Sykutera.^[10]

Concept Art

Concept art of Bohai by Ilya Golitsyn.

References

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