The song from Horizon Forbidden West's opening cutscene, "In The Flood," plays again at the end of the game with altered lyrics that reveal how Aloy's character changed over the course of the game. Although abstract, the lyrics to "In the Flood" can be interpreted as Aloy's internal monologue. Comparing the first version of the song to the second offers players insight into Aloy's shift in perspective.
[Warning: This article contains spoilers for Horizon Forbidden West.]
Because she's a clone of Elisabet Sobeck and was made to restore GAIA, Aloy feels that saving the Earth is a challenge she must face on her own. Although her companions want to help, Aloy rejects their assistance because she thinks that, because they have no obligation to save the world, she shouldn't allow them to shoulder her burden. "In The Flood" plays during Horizon Forbidden West's opening credits, as Aloy journeys to the Forbidden West alone. The song offers players insight into Aloy's current mental state, and her mindset regarding the challenges ahead of her. The lyrics reveal her feelings of loneliness and isolation, with lines like "their kindness calls to me/I have to block it out" and "my heart in silence burns/through solemnness and bone" detailing her inner turmoil. As evidenced by her stubborn independence throughout Horizon Forbidden West's problematically extended opening, Aloy feels obligated to reject any assistance she's offered. Because she's a clone of Elisabet Sobeck and was made to restore GAIA, Aloy feels that saving the Earth is a challenge she must face on her own.
Despite her reluctance to accept help, it's also clear that on some level, Aloy desperately wants it. The chorus of "In The Flood" expresses her longing for companionship through the line "who can take my hand in the flood?" At the beginning of the game, Aloy fears she's as insignificant as "raindrops in the flood." Compared to the challenge ahead of her, Aloy feels small. However, as Aloy builds important relationships in Horizon Forbidden West, she realizes that her companions are defending Earth for reasons just as important as hers. She initially believes that saving Earth is her duty because she's upholding Sobeck's legacy, but as the game progresses, her motivations shift. The altered version of "In The Flood" that plays during Forbidden West's credits contains key lyric changes that demonstrate this growth.
Immediately, the ending version of "In The Flood" sets a different tone. Instead of holding "a crown of ash and salt," the ending version begins with the line "my hands are full of flowers." At the beginning of the game, Aloy feels regal, but not in a positive sense. Ash and salt, though associated with holiness and purity in some contexts, also symbolize destruction. In contrast, flowers represent life. This shift immediately clues listeners into the transition that has taken place over the course of Horizon Forbidden West's story. Instead of feeling burdened by destruction, Aloy now feels surrounded by life.
In the chorus of "In The Flood"'s ending version, Aloy once again states that she is "raindrops in the flood," but no longer views this in a negative light. Alone, Aloy is not enough to save the world, but she is no longer on her own. Although she may feel empty and lonely at times, she has friends who will help her if she needs them. In later verses of the song's ending version, Aloy recognizes her value through the lyrics "I had courage like the beast" and "the little child inside is jealous of your strength," which represents a more positive perspective than Aloy previously possessed.
As beautifully illustrated by the alterations made to the lyrics, Aloy's character changes significantly in Horizon Forbidden West. Aloy begins her journey in a dark place, but by the end of the game, she feels hopeful about the future. Hopefully, Aloy's newfound outlook will provide her with the determination she needs to defeat the threat that looms before her, but for now, the strength of the bonds she's forged has given her the willpower to, as Rost advised, "look deeper, and then fight like you can win."
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