The two are an unlikely pair, as evidenced by how the Traveler catches them arguing in the Akademiya. Despite the friction, Alhaitham lets Kaveh crash at his house because the latter is currently broke. If anything, this lets their dynamic in Genshin Impact shine, and it becomes increasingly obvious that the two are each other’s opposites.
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Genshin Impact’s Alhaitham and Kaveh
Alhaitham of Genshin Impact works at the Sumeru Akademiya as a Scribe, which is why the player runs into him in the first part of the Sumeru Archon Quest. He’s a shifty yet clearly intelligent individual, always with a plan in mind and willing to use people to further his own goals – which is something the player has to go through in order to progress the quest. Because of this, he’s seen as a man who “purely operates by rationality,” as Tighnari describes in his voiceline.
However, perhaps the most interesting voiceline about Alhaitham is Nahida’s. The Genshin Impact Dendro Archon acknowledges his intellect, saying that he’s more advanced than most. However, she ends with a poignant thought: “But is the wise man truly wise to view the mediocre majority as defective? Because without them, there is no us.” Pure rationality eliminates any room for feeling and emotion, which is something the Dendro Archon sees in Alhaitham. That’s what Kaveh is for.
In stark contrast, Kaveh is an individual that operates on feeling. He’s a renowned architect who is known for having built the Palace of Alcazarzaray, as well as a lover of the arts. Though he’s only appeared during his argument with Alhaitham, players can learn a bit more about his character from some of the message boards scattered around Sumeru. In the message board by Puspa Cafe in Sumeru City, the Traveler can find a heated exchange between two people – Kaveh and Alhaitham.
In the written exchange, Kaveh of Genshin Impact laments that the presence of the Akasha system causes people to overlook the nuances of storytelling. In response, Alhaitham brushes his ideas away, claiming that arts like storytelling are only as valuable as their commercial value. In reply, Kaveh explicitly states, “And that is exactly why I’ve always despised materialists like you.” Clearly, the two hold clashing views of the world, so it’s a wonder they’re still roommates.
Yet again, Nahida’s voiceline reveals interesting information. When talking about Kaveh, she says that he holds an “almost-perfect grasp of what it truly means for Sumeru to be a Nation of Wisdom.” However, she doubts the greater populace will ever come to accept a worldview like Kaveh’s. She then expresses surprise that he’s living with Alhaitham, meaning she’s aware of just how much they clash in terms of ideology. That aside, to have the God of Wisdom praise Kaveh’s ideals is no small feat. Clearly, there’s something in Kaveh that not even Alhaitham’s knowledge can trump.
This idea will most likely be explored in Genshin Impact’s later quests. Perhaps Alhaitham will have a change of heart, following all of Kaveh’s antics. Conversely, Kaveh might experience the same from Alhaitham’s stubborn rationality. Whatever the case, no one can doubt that the two are polar opposites, which makes their dynamic all the more interesting. Just their argument alone from Genshin Impact update 3.2 was amusing to watch.
Genshin Impact is now available on Mobile, PC, PS4, and PS5. A Switch version is in development.
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