Pela's age has caused a disruption in Honkai Star Rail's timeline

The universe of Honkai: Star Rail is intricate. Taking place across multiple planets, the game revolves around the Astral Express Crew, a group of intergalactic travelers who venture to worlds plagued by Stellarons. Despite being released in April of this year, players can already perceive the depth of its lore through the main story missions and side quests. However, HoYoverse manages to keep many aspects hidden, intending to surprise its fans in future updates.

However, Honkai: Star Rail presents several mysteries, with one of the most notable being the ages of the characters. While the game provides some indication of certain characters' ages, such as some Xianzhou natives being centuries old, players often have to speculate about the ages of the majority of the characters. The lack of character birthdays in Honkai: Star Rail further complicates this matter. When the game did reveal a character's age, as in the case of Pela, it added complexity to the game's timeline.

Pela's Age in Honkai: Star Rail Explained

Pela is a playable character in Honkai: Star Rail who belongs to the Ice element and follows the Path of Nihility. She was initially introduced as the Intelligence Officer of the Silvermane Guards in the region of Jarilo-VI, where she closely collaborates with the Supreme Guardian. Her backstory was further explored in the companion mission "Farther Than the Snowplains," which provided players with insights into the friendship between characters. Towards the conclusion of the mission, it was revealed that Pela's mother had passed away approximately "16 years ago," coinciding with the time of Pela's birth.

Not only did this revelation shed light on a poignant aspect of Pela's past, but it also confirmed her age as 16 years old. However, this created confusion among many players of Honkai: Star Rail because it seemed to contradict the game's established timeline of events. One reason for the confusion was that Pela was perceived as an adult since she was a founding member of the rock band Mechanical Fever, alongside Serval, Lynx, and Captain Dunn. The band was formed during Serval's teenage years while attending a military academy with her bandmates, including the soon-to-be Supreme Guardian Cocolia. This would have implied that Pela was around the same age as Serval or slightly younger.

It's worth mentioning that Mechanical Fever was established over 10 years before the events of Honkai: Star Rail. This would indicate that Pela would have been only six years old at that time. Such a young age would make it highly unlikely for her to attend military school or participate in a band.

Despite the concerns raised by Honkai: Star Rail players, there are two conceivable theories that could reconcile Pela's age with the game's timeline. The first theory suggests that Pela enrolled in the military at an exceptionally young age, showcasing her as a child prodigy. It is plausible that she excelled academically, which would justify her appointment as Intelligence Officer at the age of 16. Furthermore, this theory implies that Pela displayed remarkable drumming skills as a child, leading Serval to recruit her as a member of Mechanical Fever.

The second theory proposes that the passage of time on Jarilo-VI, in terms of years, might differ from Earth's standard years due to the planet's slower rotation around the sun. This discrepancy suggests that a year on Jarilo-VI could be longer, potentially making Pela older than her appearance suggests. Furthermore, the variation in calendar years across different worlds could provide an explanation for why Honkai: Star Rail has not yet disclosed the characters' birthdays. It is possible that this same principle applies to other worlds like Xianzhou Luofu and the upcoming world Penacony.

Currently, there is an ongoing online debate regarding Pela's age and its impact on the timeline of Honkai: Star Rail. HoYoverse, the developer, has not offered a comprehensive explanation regarding the concept of time within the game. However, it would be imaginative if the developer took into account factors such as planetary rotations when constructing the game's universe, as well as the broader HoYoverse multiverse. Players will need to be patient and await the unfolding of the remaining game lore to gain further insights.

Honkai: Star Rail is currently accessible on PC and mobile devices. Additionally, a PS5 version will be launched on October 11.