public pleasing Furina and her private self reminds me of this story of irony: A man goes to a doctor. “Doctor, I’m depressed,” the man says; "life is harsh, unforgiving, cruel". The doctor lights up. The treatment, after all, is simple. “The great clown Pagliacci is in town tonight,” the doctor says, “Go and see him! That should cheer you up.” The man bursts into tears. “But doctor,” he says, “I am Pagliacci.”

This teaser is so fascinating. First of all, when she hugged the dog, I started tearing up. But also everything that Furina says and more importantly HOW she says it is incredibly interesting. And my brain can’t help but tie in Nicole’s line of “Only what you can see is true, What is unseen is but an illusion” in with what Furina is saying, especially since we know N is returning in the next update. How much is but a “play,” and how much is “real?”

Whole beginning is through a mirror. You can notice it on her eyes and gloves. Also the whole time, including the moment she embreces the dog, it's the "light Furina", in white shirt, white shorts, and with long hair. But the one sitting in the audience is the "dark Furina", in dark shirt, dark shorts, and short hair.

4:30 This line is really interesting because it basically describes how in pantomimes, audience participation is part of the performance. The pantomimes in England were influenced by Italian commedia dell'arte, whose performers travelled around Europe entertaining the public. This fits the portrayal of the Fatui as beguiling diplomats, as they're directly inspired by commedia stock characters. And the masculine Arlecchino (Harlequin) character in commedia is arguably the most famous of the stock characters; and his portrayal as a cunning, heroic trickster who pursues his own romantic goals over the interests of his master mirrors Genshin's Arlecchino and her independent ambition to save her homeland from the prophesied crisis. Pantomime (from Greek word for "all-mimicry") is said to have originated in ancient Rome, and was inspired by Greek tragedy among other genres. These were productions based on tales and legends, in which one dancer would perform all the roles to music, using a combination of masks, gestures and poses to convey the story to the audience. This ever-changing, mimetic nature is reflected in Genshin by the shapeshifting abilities of Hydro elementals (Oceanid mimics, Hydro Eidolons, etc), as water is a substance with the potential to take on any shape. Water also makes the tears of sadness, and water is fluctuant like human emotions. This is just one of the various examples of Hoyo cleverly implementing elemental symbolism in Teyvat's worldbuilding. (E.g. the wind = freedom, and tales sung through the air; stone = firm, resolute and enduring; thunder/lightning = terrific and imposing divine might and majesty, transient yet lingering, literal "enlightenment"; etc...)

Something i noticed, she's wearing her Pneuma and Ousia dress throughout this teaser. Notice how In Pneuma (White) she is in the past talking about the stage, act. While in Ousia (Black) she is in the present, everything already happened, Prophecy HAS been fulfilled. Also you can see she is crying in both Pneuma (1:12 on her right eye, right before switching to underwater) and Ousia (1:57 on her left eye)

This goes out to everybody and doesn't single anyone out but I feel the need to say this: if you believe Furina's character at face value or only see "potential" then you've been missing a lot of what her character has offered since the very beginning. I say this knowing all too well that we've been pretty swept up in the archon quest excitement and that the easter egg with the fountain doesn't essentially mean as much as some people initially pointed out(the many that would not stop pointing it out) so missing some things is very understandable. Furina has *always* been fascinating, far beyond whatever potential people want to see in her or preference they may have on what they like in a character. This mostly has to do with not just how she presents herself or how she is in private but what every little thing she does amd says truly means. Hydro as an element seemingly embodies strong emotion, faith and truth. Many hydro vision wielders embody these concepts with a strong sense of faith in their beliefs and personal truths i.e. Barbara's devotion to Barbatos, Xingqui's sense of justice in heroism, Kokomi's role as a priestess and plenty more fit the criteria that represents Hydro itself. Its pretty obvious that Visions are quite literally symbolic of a characters persona and goals in life so there's much to discern on how the archons embody their element. Furina has shown that she's very devoted both as a celebrity and an important figure in Fontaine. What's initially viewed by us the players as incompetence and arrogance is treated as fun and entertaining antics by her people. When we see her facade crack and fade, its far more than just the trope of a mask of confidence slipping to reveal the opposite like we've all seen before in other stories. There has always been a confidence in her step but more importantly, a resolute demeanor in her attitude towards the prophecy. She's not arrogant or clueless yet somehow she leans slightly into both traits while maintaining a visage of knowing more than she lets on yet seemingly is left in the dark about the bigger picture. She's cowardly enough to beg for her life yet brave enough to stand tall against her assailant when forced to attend 2 meetings with her regardless of the company of a trusted aide. She's a walking contradiction in almost every way yet we've all seem to have forgotten that in court, a contradiction can lead to the truth hidden behind the case and that's what amazes me about how she's beem written. In short, I fully understand people's preferences about character personalities but I do personally believe that its a disservice to Furina's character to take everything she has at face value or even call it "potential". I'm only as passionate as I am now about this because Genshin is showing much more depth in their character writing, both overtly and subtly, on screen rather than having a lot of it trapped behind walls of text in character bios. Furina is shaping up to be their best work in terms of very well written and well realized characters and I'm here for it. Not to diss on previous characters, I just see that they're trying something really unqiue with Furina and Fontaine as a whole that's been paying off super well so far. Honestly, if they fumble her in the last acts, I'd have to chalk it up as intentional sabotage because they've hit gold with her so far. I can only hope that they continue to improve after the archon quests are done in Fontaine

It's small, but Furina's appearance changes when the mirror cracks. Her eye colors switch now that she's no longer being mirrored!

I think furina we know is a character that she plays. She plays as a neglectful archon because real furina wants flood to happen because she knows thats the fate and we cant run but when the floods happen she has her plans

I'm starting to think Furina is a scapegoat for Fontaine. I can't stop thinking about when Neuvilette said "This sentence is too severe," regarding the rising of the Primordial Sea, implying that the Primordial Sea is a judgement against the "original sin" of Fontaine. Considering the various religious influences that the writers use in Teyvat's worldbuilding, then one way of cleansing sin is by sacrificing a scapegoat. And the biggest scapegoat of all is a nation's own beloved god. Furina's deception is that she knows she is the scapegoat, and she has been preparing the people of Fontaine and Neuvillette to sentence her to death and feel bad about doing so at the same time.

Your mention of furina sacrificing herself is really interesting because her black clothes form - the one presumably after the prophecy - has shorter hair. Add that to the guillotine imagery and maybe she got an incredibly plot relevant haircut? and im assuming the glowy part of her hair is the bit at the bottom, so that lends credence to some theories i heard of furina stepping down as archon

also does anyone realize that the one sitting there crying is the Ousia Alignment Furina?, the whole trailer we see the Pneuma Alignment furina with the long hair, and now in the last scene where she cried, its the Ousia one not the Pneuma one, which i find that very interesting

Well analyzed! I'm looking for her already!

How can you dislike furina after that neuvi story quest 😢

10:35 she is , actual fax

Hi new subscriber I’m im excited for 4.2, I hope I get furina she’s my favorite archon along with ei and nahida

It would make sense if by defying fate part of herslf or she as whole would be sacrificed. But, by her defying of Fate Neuv would regain his full dragonhood, she would - in a sense - cheat the Fate? She was meant to be lone surviver, yet she kills part of herself.. making other spectator on the ' audience ', while certain dragon sovereign takes her place.. but, unlike her is able to change the outcome... and there is traveler to be considered... hmm. Interesting

Did youu notice when The Almighty Archon Lady Furina at the very start of the video, her appearance is in pneuma form (long hair & white shorts) playing in the show but in the end, when she is part of the "audience" as you stated, she is in her ousia form (short hair & black shorts)

Things keep getting better and better. Cant wait for Furina to come home

The fact that both her eyes and clothes swap, could very much indicate that she simply stopped pretending for once.

goodluck to everyone who is going to pull for the most facinating character in game right now ww . im just really excited for the archon quest !

Well I think it's time to spend all of my primos that I saved for the last 2 months on her banner. Looking forward to it ❤

She looks so so so attractive at 4:58

I think Self-Sacrifice is probably her idea, I mean the prophecy can't come true if furina isn't there right? My idea is that she set herself on death row because without a Furina, she cant be on the throne for the flood

Oh my god look her eyes switched sides after the Glass breakes

I sware to The gods She better not die and I think the dog is from a world quest but i forgot his name

I just realized...we are hugging in front of the oratrice..how many layers of lore in this teaser is insane

I’m sure someone noticed it but her outfit is white all the way until the end when it switches.

I swear, I will storm off to Irminsul if she dies. Nahida, give me the keys gurl!

My rambling thoughts (for what it's worth): Furina is the Archon of Water and is the personification of the qualities of water. The tide is an essential quality of the Sea .. flowing one way then another. Furnia's strength is all about the ebb and flow of HP. I think the fortune and character of Furina will have the same quality as well. At the end of this video we're presented with Furina at her low tide. But this is just one extreme of the cycle of ebb and flow of her and her region. She's not done for. She's at the point of resurgence - possibly with Paimon's help (aided by Traveller).

Possibly something to note. In the prophecy it states that the hydro archon will be left weeping on her throne. On the note that you made on furina now being in the audience, maybe it could be signalling to her tricking fate by relinquishing her position as the hydro archon in regards to her "sacrifice"? I definitely dont think that she'll do anything too extreme, as I've seen some people say that she's going to sacrifice her life which i dont think is true in the literal sense.

❤❤❤

it is very interesting that shes hugging seymour and at the beggining at 1:05 shes at the place where mary ann was in the wonderland place could she have something to do with mary ann now i wonder

AAAAAH YOUR EYESS I keep getting distracted why do the wobble in size so much?? What are they hooked up to??

It's how you still manage to snip in Nuvellete as the main character when he wasn't even mentioned

I HAVE A THEORY Furina is a symbol of the very first line she says in this teaser. long hair furina is the opera performer, while short hair furina is the audience. Long hair furina is extravagant living in the moment as if shes a character of the fictional world that is the story being told, while short hair furina is the audience who knows how everything will go down, is realistic, and even knows the solution to the problem yet is powerless to do anything because she is not the performer. Long hair furina is the fiction of the opera while short hair furina is the truth of it.

Wait didn't that the dog in NARSIZZENKREUS world quest?

Have you played the world quests in Fontaine? Just asking because of a certain dog.

Do you know what I just noticed by rewatching this trailer? ''I, Furina, will show the world true meaning of justice'' She referred to herself as just Furina. Not Hydro Archon Focalor. And yet, usually she alwas boasted about hear being Hydro archon, especially in official setting. But now, it is as if she intentially separated herself from the Hydro Archon Focalor, and presents said archon for a trial. Very interesting detail supporting that Oratrice is the part of Furina's soul or actually Previous Hydro archon... though, for it to be semi-horcrux of Furina would make more sense. And to be a sacrifice, as I stated before... Interesting

*"There's the real person, and then there's the person she presents herself to be to the outside world"* Wait, I'm lost are we talking about Furina or Tsukisaur? (stares at the Hime model for a bit)

Hoyo can’t just drop something like this and expect me to wait two more days

While she's sitting in the audience here, Neuvillette, at the end of his teaser, is sitting on his high throne, so could this theory be confirmed in a way?

6:26 that smile is painful..

have you ever heard or read about this paper called "Theatre's Fifth Dimension: Time and Fictionality"

I don't understand how people can dislike furina as a character. How do you not find her to be incredibly interesting when genshin is so full of generic characters? I don't get it.

Did you notice she have short hair only in the last few seconds...?

Deceiving fate itself is like a fictional character deceiving its own writer in order to change the ending of the story. Quite impossible unless there's a third party that's involved. Someone whose not part of the play and not "recorded" by the -irminsul- camera.

Furina is a complex character

huh? neuv in another trailer sound like hes complaining about being played, calling focalor devious. how can he be the main character.

Give you a fact: If Furina have gotten the death sentence. Wouldn't she not be playable? HMmmmm