In a thrilling update for Honkai: Star Rail, the latest trailer has dropped a massive lore bomb on players with the debut of Stellaron Hunter Sam. The Jepella Rebellion trailer revealed all the Stellaron Hunters, including the previously unseen member, Sam.
The trailer showcases the Stellaron Hunters, led by the dashing femme fatale Kafka, as they engage in their usual shenanigans in pursuit of yet another Stellaron. Kafka finds herself being judged in a court of the Jepella Brotherhood, but she uses her ‘Spirit Whisper’ ability to manipulate the jurors and keep them unaware of the rebellion the Stellaron Hunters incited to facilitate their escape.
Towards the end of the trailer, we get a glimpse of the familiar Stellaron Hunter members Kafka, the genius hacker Silver Wolf, and the immortal swordsman Blade, all looking incredibly badass in suits. But the real highlight is the reveal of Sam, an imposing, Gundam-like mechanical being with fire spewing out of vents in his armor.
The description of the Chinese version of the Jepella Rebellion trailer on Bilibili confirms that the mecha is indeed Sam, listing the present characters and their respective voice actors, with Sam included. Sam is voiced by Adin Rudd in English, Jun Kasama in Japanese, and Ganzi Ziye in Chinese.
Interestingly, both Adin Rudd and Jun Kasama have previously voiced other mechanical characters, adding to the excitement of Sam’s eventual release as a playable character. Adin Rudd voiced the Decepticon Scrapface in Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy, while Jun Kasama voiced Kyoya Kujo in 2018’s Gundam Build Divers.
Sam’s appearance in the Jepella Rebellion trailer has left players eagerly awaiting his inclusion as a playable character. Despite not yet making an in-game appearance, Sam has been mentioned in the lore of his fellow Stellaron Hunters. Blade and Silver Wolf’s Character Story entries both indicate that Sam was present when they were recruited to the group. Blade’s Character Story III reveals that he encountered Kafka while an imposing armor grappled him and locked him in its arms, which likely refers to Sam. Similarly, Silver Wolf’s Character Story IV mentions that four members of the Stellaron Hunters, including Sam, were present during her recruitment.
There have also been brief interactions between Sam and the player’s character, the Trailblazer, through daily messages. Blade sends the Trailblazer an attachment they can’t open, followed by stickers of Pom-Pom and Blade. However, it is soon revealed that the messages were actually sent by Sam, who had been using Blade’s phone and mistakenly sent the Trailblazer Blade’s part of the script given to them by their leader.
Additionally, there is evidence to suggest that Sam was the very first Stellaron Hunter recruited into the group by its founder and leader, Elio, also known as Destiny’s Slave. Kafka’s Character Story IV includes a Wanted Order by Destiny’s Slave, instructing someone to go to Kafka’s home planet and wait for her in an abandoned building. While it is not specified who actually meets Kafka, the pattern of recruitment indicates that it was Sam. Blade and Kafka recruited Blade, while Kafka, Sam, and Blade were present during Silver Wolf’s recruitment. This suggests that Sam was the first member recruited by Elio and went on to recruit Kafka, Blade, and Silver Wolf.
While Sam’s debut in the Jepella Rebellion trailer stole the spotlight, it may have also hinted at another important member of the Stellaron Hunters. Elio, the enigmatic founder and leader of the group, is known as Destiny’s Slave. According to Kafka, Elio’s plans culminate in a confrontation with Nanook, the Aeon of Destruction. However, Elio has yet to be shown to players or most of the game’s characters, except for the Stellaron Hunters. Kafka’s splash art features her surrounded by a crowd, including Silver Wolf and Blade, with a black cat at their feet. Speculation suggests that the cat may represent Elio, as no one else knows what he looks like. It is possible that the cat serves as a familiar through which Elio communicates with the Stellaron Hunters while remaining hidden.
As players eagerly await the release of Honkai: Star Rail version 1.3, which will introduce new characters and quality-of-life changes, the anticipation for Sam’s playable debut continues to grow. With his imposing robotic form and the mystery surrounding Elio, the Stellaron Hunters are poised to become an even more formidable force in the Honkai universe.
