The Different Raiden Shoguns Explained
Christopher Ramos Genshin Impact's Electro Archon has shared three different forms: the Raiden Shogun, Raiden Makoto, and the current ruler of Inazuma, Raiden Ei.
Genshin Impact’s Version 2.0 update brought Inazuma, one of the seven nations in the world of Teyvat. Along with this new region, the Electro Archon, Raiden Ei, made her first official appearance in the game. The Electro Archon - along with the Vision Hunt Decree - was hinted at throughout the main story in character dialogue before Inazuma’s initial release.
Inazuma is described as a tense environment, and the Traveler is thoroughly warned before traveling to the region. Currently, the Raiden Shogun rules the Inazuma islands: Narukami Island, Kannazuka, Yashiori Island, and Seirai Island. Watatsumi Island - home of Genshin Impact’s Hydro-user Kokomi - worships the serpent god Orobashi while Tsurumi Island remains desolate and uninhabited.
Throughout Inazuma’s Archon Quests, the Traveler discovers that the Vision Hunt Decree was a scheme formulated by the Fatui in Genshin Impact in order to create enough internal conflict to market their life-draining Delusions. As the Vision Hunt Decree is officially disbanded, the Traveler learns more about Raiden Ei and her past. At one point, Inazuma was ruled by three different Raiden Shoguns: the puppet Raiden Shogun, Raiden Ei, and Raiden Makoto.
Genshin Impact: Raiden Shogun, The Puppet of the Electro Archon
The Traveler first meets the Raiden Shogun after Pyro-user Thoma is seized for the possession of his Vision under the Vision Hunt Decree. The Raiden Shogun attempts to take the Pyro Vision to inlay it upon the Statue of the Omnipresent God, but the traveler interferes and narrowly escapes with Thoma and his Vision safely in tow. This is also the first instance in which players can see the shift from the Raiden Shogun to Genshin Impact’s Electro Archon, Raiden Ei, who meditates in the Plane of Euthymia - a place similar to a Domain that houses Raiden Ei’s consciousness.
The Raiden Shogun is next seen in Tenshukaku, where the Traveler and the Eighth Harbinger, La Signora, duel before her. As the victor, the Traveler’s life is momentarily spared, and Signora is executed by Raiden Shogun’s deadly sword art, Musou no Hitotachi. As soon as the Traveler steps outside of Tenshukaku, the Raiden Shogun appears once more as she attempts to slay the traveler, as they are a threat to her idea of eternity. However, when the Traveler retaliates, the Plane of Euthymia opens and pulls the Traveler inside.
While Raiden Ei was meditating in the Plane of Euthymia, the Raiden Shogun acted as the ruler of Inazuma in her place. The Shogun puppet was created in the same method as Genshin Impact’s Sixth Harbinger, Scaramouche, who was the first prototype puppet that Raiden Ei released once she deemed him unfit for the role. Unlike Scaramouche, the Shogun puppet is often serious and expressionless as she thinks and acts according to Raiden Ei’s desires. This personality difference - along with the lack of light in her eyes - is often a telling factor in distinguishing the Shogun puppet from the real Raiden Ei. By the conclusion of Inazuma’s main storyline, the Traveler discovers that Raiden Ei has temporarily disabled most of the Shogun’s functions. This opens the possibility of the Shogun assuming her own identity similar to Scaramouche, though it is not yet confirmed.
Genshin Impact: Raiden Ei, Inazuma’s Current Electro Archon
Throughout Genshin Impact’s Inazuma Archon Quests, there are moments in which the Traveler interacts with Raiden Ei rather than her puppet, the Raiden Shogun. The traveler first sees Raiden Ei in her Plane of Euthymia when they interfere in the acquisition of Thoma’s vision. Raiden Ei is seen meditating before she duels the Traveler, subsequently knocking them unconscious. Raiden Ei then closes the Plane of Euthymia, leaving the Raiden Shogun to complete the task.
Raiden Ei is seen again as the Traveler fights back against the Raiden Shogun outside of Tenshukaku. The Plane of Euthymia opens and traps the Traveler inside, where Raiden Ei and the Traveler duel once more. This time, with the power from the stolen ambitions of the Vision-holders, the Traveler wins.
Unlike Genshin Impact’s Anemo Archon, Venti, and the previous Geo Archon, Zhongli, Raiden Ei was not one of the original Seven Archons ruling over Teyvat. Before she was the Shogun, Raiden Ei was a samurai tasked with ensuring that orders were successfully carried out. She acted as a body double for her twin sister, Makoto, who was the true Electro Archon. When Makoto passed during the Cataclysm, Raiden Ei assumed her place as the Shogun, operating under the same names as her twin: Raiden Shogun and Baal.
Raiden Ei’s desire for eternity stems from the loss of Makoto and witnessing the fall of Khaenri’ah. She had no desire to let Inazuma suffer the same fate. For centuries as the current Electro Archon, Raiden Ei had meditated in isolation in the Plane of Euthymia. She was unaware of the Fatui’s full intentions and interference with the Vision Hunt Decree that had caused the destabilization of Inazuma. In the Plane of Euthymia, Genshin Impact’s Yae Miko - the person that Raiden Ei entrusted with the Gnosis - convinces her to rethink her idea of eternity and what it means to be a proper ruler for the people of Inazuma. This marks the end of the Vision Hunt Decree and Raiden Ei’s official return from her centuries of isolated meditation.
Genshin Impact: Raiden Makoto, Inazuma’s Past Electro Archon
Raiden Makoto - also known by her Archon name Baal - was the former Electro Archon of Inazuma prior to the cataclysm that claimed her life. She was then succeeded by her twin sister, Raiden Ei. Before the Cataclysm, Raiden Ei and Makoto won the Archon War together. In order for Makoto to become one of The Seven in Genshin Impact, Raiden Ei sacrificed her body so her twin could ascend to Celestia. As the new Electro Archon, Makoto recreated Raiden Ei’s body. From then on, Raiden Ei acted as Makoto’s body double. The public was not made aware that there were two of them, ruling jointly. They complemented each other well as Raiden Ei was a fierce warrior while Makoto was kind and gentle.
Makoto had a deep love for Inazuma. She loved the scenery, the cuisine, and the people along with all the stories they told. Raiden Ei often heard these passionate retellings from Makoto. Unlike Raiden Ei, who had worries for the future, Makoto was focused on the present. This is learned through Raiden Ei’s character details, earned by increasing Friendship Levels in Genshin Impact.
Makoto had created the sword known as the Musou Isshin from her divine might. It acted as a symbol of peace, and therefore the blade was never sharpened. Makoto desired for this blade to witness everything that she loved about Inazuma. As Makoto was dying, she handed Raiden Ei the Musou Isshin and cemented Raiden Ei’s decision as the newest Raiden Shogun to enforce a future that could withstand eternity. Following the end of the main Inazuma storyline, Genshin Impact players will soon be able to see what Inazuma’s new eternity entails.
