Asmoday’s Betrayal, Venti & Istaroth’s Secret, and the Return of Phanes | Genshin Lore & Theories

Greetings, Travelers.

The truth has finally been exposed: Venti is not just the carefree bard of Mondstadt… but the echo of a forgotten god.
But have you ever peeled past this layer?
What if Istaroth, the mysterious shade of time, was never a servant, but a mirror of Phanes itself?

In this special theory video, I explore a vision of Teyvat I had built over the years and that you scholars have helped me refine: broken cycles, repetitive patterns and beings wearing borrowed names.
If you’ve been following since Secrets of: Mondstadt, you know the threads were already there.

We'll explore the myth of Phanes and the Four Shades, their creation, and their purpose, in mythology.
We'll dissect the paradox of time: how Kronos could be born of Phanes, and yet give birth to Phanes in return.
And I ask the question: who now commands the Shades, if not the Primordial One?

This isn’t just speculation anymore, it's a dive into Genshin Impact’s deepest scriptural shadows.
Drawing from Orphic Cosmogony, Greek mythology, and the paradoxes of time dilation, this theory says one thing:

Phanes will return, but it may not be the being we expect..

If you’ve ever wondered who watches from the heavens when the gods look away... You're not alone.
And if you haven’t... You will.
____________________
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
1:12 Rulers to Shades
2:01 Phanes & Four Shades
3:28 Venti & Istaroth
5:29 Venti & Phanes
6:50 Rulers vs Creator
7:15 Asmoday's betrayal
8:54 What to expect
____________________
Clip credits:
‪@hamelin_‬ "Light in the Abyss", "Unawakened Dream"

Tags:
#genshinimpact #genshinlore #genshintheory #fightlikeskirk #genshinteyvatstories