Flashpoint

A flashpoint is a mechanic that supports the dialogue and story in Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West.

Flashpoints occur at key moments in dialogue during quests. They give the player an opportunity to develop Aloy's personality by choosing between three different reactions. Each flashpoint choice will produce some unique dialogue, but only a small number of decisions impact the story itself.

Description

Flashpoints can be distinguished from regular dialogue options because they will include three icons representing the three possible ways for Aloy to respond: with heart, intellect, or threat.

Icon	Choice
	Choosing the heart option will cause Aloy to express compassion and understanding.
	Choosing the brain option will cause Aloy to use her insight to find a clever solution.
	Choosing the fist option will cause Aloy to confront the challenge abrasively.

Flashpoints in Horizon Zero Dawn

"The lesson will be taught in due time, Aloy. Until then, we wait."

This article contains heavy spoilers. Read ahead with caution.

Flashpoints with consequences

Main quests

Prompt		Result
During Lessons of the Wild
Bast throws a rock at Aloy.	Drop your rock	Changes Aloy's response to Bast's taunts during Mother's Heart.
	Knock the rock from his hands
	Aim for his head
During Mother's Heart
Rost: "This is goodbye."	I understand	Changes Aloy's dialogue during her first visit to Rost's Grave.
	But I will find you
	Then good riddance
During The City of the Sun
Decide Olin's fate.	Redeem yourself	Changes the events of the errand Collateral (as well as whether Olin lives or dies).
	This is complicated
	Your life is forfeit
During The Sun Shall Fall
Avad: "I could use someone like you at my side."	I need to go my own way	Changes Avad's dialogue during his next encounter with Aloy.
	I'm not a substitute
	Like you "used" Ersa?
During The Heart of the Nora
Lansra: "We must stop her!"	Let go of your fear, Lansra	Changes Lansra's dialogue after Aloy exits ELEUTHIA-9.
	Ignore them and enter the Hatch
	You're not stopping me
During The Face of Extinction
Helis : "Impossible. I am chosen. This was not meant to be!"	None of this was meant to be	Affects Aloy's last words to Helis and how she kills him.
	I don't have time for this
	I hope this hurts

Side quests and errands

Prompt		Result
During The Survivor
White Teeth Chieftain: "Convince me what an outlander's word is worth."	She's endured more than most	Changes optional dialogue with Mailen.
	By the rules of the ordeal, she survived
	She gave up everything for your rules
During The Hunters Three
Tulemak: "What will you remember of us?"	What you've endured	Determines the name of the hunters' werak.
	What you fight for
	What you've accomplished
During Frontier Justice
Inatut: "Where else would I go?"	Go where you feel you belong	Changes the circumstances of Aloy's next encounter with Inatut.
	Maybe you're in a good position
	You don't owe the werak anything

Other flashpoints

Main quest

Prompt	Choices
During The Point of the Spear
Rost: "Aloy. You're here."		Is everything okay?
		Good thing I know how to track!
		Why the hold up?
During Mother's Heart (optional)
Teersa: "I hope the ceremony wasn't too... unpleasant for you, given your... circumstances?"		I found it beautiful
		It meant nothing
		I hated it
During Mother's Heart
Bast: "You belong in the wilds, not Mother's Heart. And you definitely don't belong in the Proving."		I pity you
		You're afraid
		I'm going to win
During Mother's Heart
Vala: "You've never slept in a Nora lodge before. Not very private."		Not bad
		Too soft
		Hate it
During The Womb of the Mountain
Resh: "No wonder a curse is upon us and children lie dead under cairns of stone."		You dishonor the dead
		You're a nobody
		Watch your tongue
During The City of the Sun
Erend: "Now I'm supposed to fill her shoes. And instead, here I am, stumbling around in them."		I lost someone, too
		It'll get easier
		Stop feeling sorry for yourself
During The Sun Shall Fall
Avad: "You were there. Did she suffer?"		She thought of you
		Is that what you're really asking?
		This isn't the time
During Maker's End
Sylens: "Sylens. That's my name. Now why don't you try asking another question - something less trivial."		You don't understand...
		I see your point
		If you're so smart...
During The Mountain that Fell
Aloy: "That's not what I said!" Sylens: "She was. You shouldn't be afraid to admit it."		Stop acting like a machine
		Not in the way you mean
		You just don't get it!

Side quests and errands

Prompt	Choices
During The Forgotten
Brom: "No! Leave me alone! Can't you see I need time to think? How am I supposed to think when everybody is shouting at me!"		I know this is hard, but I can help
		Come closer, so I won't have to shout
		Get a hold of yourself!
During Insult to Injury
Jun: "The motherless girl! If I'd known, I never would have spoken to you!"		An outcast helped you, remember?
		Time to look in the mirror, Jun
		How about I put you in your place?
During Honor The Fallen
Aloy: "I'm done arguing with you. Stay or go. But I won't allow you to keep others away." Jahamin: "I am here by the will of the Sun!"		Change has already happened
		You have no authority here
		You're a coward
During Sun and Shadow
Aloy: "Are you saying what I think you're saying? Elida, no. Look at me."		You're not alone
		There's more at stake than you two
		You can't do this
During The Forge of Winter
Aloy: "You're asking me if you should lie to them." CYAN: "Broadly, yes."		Take it gently
		Use your judgement
		You've got to tell them the truth
During The Forge of Winter
Aratak: "Either way, I would not have been able to protect her."		You didn't let her down
		Look at what she accomplished
		She was willing to fight

Flashpoints in Horizon Forbidden West

"The lesson will be taught in due time, Aloy. Until then, we wait."

This article contains heavy spoilers. Read ahead with caution.

Main quest

Prompt
During The Point of the Lance
Avad: "When your mission is over, will you return to Meridian? And stay? Long enough for us to... spend time to... get to know each other properly, perhaps?"	It's a nice thought
	Now's not the time
	Are you kidding?
During To The Brink
Erend: "People like me, we fought and bled at your side, Aloy, and you just... disappear? What kind of person does that?"	Someone who had no other choice
	Someone who had a good reason
	Someone who doesn't have time for this
During Gemini
Beta: "What if they take me back? Alone in that cell again. Their slave... forever."	I'll protect you	Affects Beta's dialogue at the end of the cutscene.
	Look at the odds
	Find your courage
During The Wings of the Ten
Regalla: "Cowards! What more do you have to conspire about?" Aloy: "Whether you live or die."	There's another battle ahead	Affects when Regalla is killed.
	This isn't easy
	Your life ends here
During His Final Act
Seyka: "More and more, I've been thinking. I want to be with you. And I was hoping that you felt the same way."	Yes, I do	Affects Aloy's dialogue at Varl's grave.
	I'm not ready for this
	This is too much for me

Side quests

Prompt
During The Twilight Path
Tolland: "I don't care who gets in my way - Nora savages or Shadow Carja fleabags. I'm taking it."	Tough break
	Finders keepers
	You'll have to go through me
During The Promontory
Aloy: "I'm going to make sure you pay for all the suffering you've caused." Kel: "Too late."	It ends with you	Affects how Fane will dispose of Kel and Lyna's seed pouches.
	You still failed
	No one will remember you
During A Friend in the Dark
Gildun: "I was in his thoughts until the very end."	Hold on to that belief
	That doesn't add up
	You don't get it