Blade

Overview

Blade is the 22nd Novarch, governing the Aspect of Strength from a Plane called The Peak. He appears in his original form from Honkai: Star Rail and is one of the Phoenixbreaker Novarchs a faction dedicated to hunting the World-Ender and finding Sovereigns who went missing after the Sundering.

Before the Sundering

In the Old World, Blade served as the sworn guardian of the 11th Sovereign, Kafka who controlled the paired Aspects of Strength and Weakness. Kafka commanded dark power great enough to rival Amstradath (the 5th Sovereign of Life and Death). When the Sundering fractured the Old World, Kafka vanished. Her disappearance caused the faction under her command to collapse entirely.

After the Sundering

With Kafka gone, the Strength Aspect needed a new ruler. Blade took up the mantle as the 22nd Novarch. But he rarely stays in The Peak. He spends most of his time roaming the Planes, searching for his lost Sovereign. Joining the Phoenixbreaker Novarchs gave him allies in this search, Parayaya and Amorphiron share his goal of confronting the World-Ender and recovering what was lost.

Companion Anima

Blade's companion Anima is Bladehound, a mechanical wolf with a Strength Aspect and Striker Trait. The mechanical design contrasts with the softer, rounder creature designs most other characters have, fitting Blade's more intense personality.

Kardia ability

Blade is a 5-star Kardia character. His Exclusive Principle is called "Ephemeral as Dew". It triggers once per battle and works as a last-stand mechanic:

• Automatically protects the strongest allied Anima on the field

• Two seconds after that Anima is defeated, it revives with 35% of its Max Health

• Upon revival, all opponents within 2 hexes are stunned for 1 second

The ability is a safety net that rewards players for building around a single strong carry unit. The stun on revival also creates a brief window where the revived unit can act freely while nearby enemies recover.

Connection to Honkai: Star Rail

In Honkai: Star Rail, Blade is a member of the Stellaron Hunters with a history of immortality and self-destruction. His appearance in Nexus Anima in his original form (rather than as a variant) and the specific lore about his relationship with Kafka (who is also a Stellaron Hunter in Star Rail) deepens the connection between the two games. The fact that he's been alive long enough to have served a Sovereign before the Sundering fits with his immortal nature.

Both Blade and Kiana were revealed in the initial May 2025 teaser at the Honkai: Star Rail LIVE Concert, signaling from the start that linking the Honkai games was a core design intent.