Honkai Star Rail Phainon trailer breakdown: 33550336, Irontomb reference, and more

Honkai Star Rail has just released Phainon’s trailer, “Coronal Radiance,” ahead of Version 3.4, which is launching this Wednesday, July 2, 2025. Unlike other trailers focusing on the Chrysos Heirs' personalities and combat styles, this one emphasizes Phainon's tragic role as the Deliverer. It explores the pain, sacrifices, and haunting memories he endured across countless cycles.

With Amphoreus' current cycle nearing its end, the trailer has sparked widespread speculation. The Honkai Star Rail community has been analyzing the cycles, Lord Ravager references, and symbolic imagery to uncover hidden meanings.

Here's a full breakdown of the trailer and what it could mean for the future of Amphoreus and the overall story.

Note: Some of the content in this article is based on speculation and community theories.

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Honkai Star Rail: Phainon's trailer analysis

The trailer begins with a counter rapidly increasing, eventually revealing that over 33 million cycles have passed in Amphoreus. These are repeated cycles in a simulation where Phainon, the Deliverer, continues to fulfill his role as a Chrysos Heir.

The counter shows over 33 million cycles at the start of the trailer (Image via HoYoverse)

His role as the Deliverer implies that he completes the Flame-Chase journey by submitting the final coreflame of Kephale, the World Bearing Titan. In each cycle, the Chrysos Heirs, including Casotrice, Hyacine, and Mydei, meet tragic ends, often killed by the Flame Reaver or falling during battles.

Visual cues in the trailer for Honkai Star Rail highlight these losses. Casotrice is seen dying while protecting Aglaea, Hyacine cries while trying to save someone, and Mydei is once again struck down at his weak point.

Flashbacks from earlier cycles: Casotrice protects Aglaea, Hyacine breaks down, and Mydei is struck down by the Flame Reaver (Image via HoYoverse)

The role of Chrysos Heirs is to defeat the Titans and collect the Coreflames. This is meant to lead humanity into an Era Nova, a new beginning that should protect them from the threats of the Black Tide. However, the trailer implies that each Era Nova marks the reset of the Amphoreus simulation, starting the cycle over again.

Each of these events implies a memory from Phainon’s past cycles. The Honkai Star Rail trailer rapidly shows Phainon in each cycle, every failure, and all the sacrifices made along the way.

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Phainon’s transformation and Irontomb references in the trailer

In what may be the previous cycle, the Flame Reaver attempts to kill Phainon. But this time, the latter grabs the Flame Reaver’s sword, triggering a massive transformation. His chest begins to rip apart, his eyes and blood turn gold, and a surge of destructive energy surrounds him. Here's what the transformation visuals reveal and what they might represent.

Golden blood

Golden blood flows from Phainon's body as he holds the Flame Reaver's sword (Image via HoYoverse)

All Chrysos Heirs are said to possess golden blood, referred to as Ichor, a term from Greek mythology describing the divine blood of the gods. This transformation mirrors that of Phantylia, another Lord Ravager who also wields golden blood and destructive power.

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Mimicking the Flame Reaver and Pollux

A notable moment in the trailer shows Phainon imitating the Flame Reaver’s attack by shattering an infinity-shaped loop.

Visuals from Phainon's trailer resembling the Flame Reaver and Casotrice's dragon (Image via HoYoverse)

The visuals intensify as dragon-like claws, resembling Pollux, the dragon seen in Casotrice’s ultimate, tear through the scene. This time, however, the move is performed by Phainon himself, suggesting his increasing alignment with destructive power.

By mimicking both the Flame Reaver and Pollux, the trailer suggests he might be absorbing the collective power of all Chrysos Heirs across Amphoreus' countless cycles. This accumulation could be fueling Phainon's transformation into the powerful, destructive entity.

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Connection to Irontomb

Phainon's complete transformation in the trailer (Image via HoYoverse)

After Phainon’s transformation completes, his appearance begins to mirror that of Irontomb, a Lord Ravager and Emanator of Nanook.

Irontomb in Honkai Star Rail is known for targeting advanced civilizations, causing total AI failure, intellectual collapse, and widespread ruin, often without appearing in person. Their actions are only evident through the aftermath, such as the fall of Baranza Forge.

Irontomb as depicted in the Myriad Celestia: Fables About the Stars Part 2 (Image via HoYoverse)

The visual similarity between Irontomb and Phainon’s new form raises important questions: Is Phainon evolving into a Lord Ravager? Or has he been on this path all along?

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Honkai Star Rail: The fall of Amphoreus and symbolism of the Dawnmaker

The aftermath of Amphoreus is depicted in the trailer (Image via HoYoverse)

As the trailer continues, Amphoreus appears to fall apart, with debris floating, flames burning uncontrollably, and the world seemingly crumbling. The visual supports the theory that the isolated world is a simulation, likely powered by Rubert II’s scepter and now nearing collapse in Honkai Star Rail.

Flame Reaver holding the Dawnmaker, which is Phainon's sword, as shown in the game (Image via HoYoverse)

A particularly striking image is the Flame Reaver wielding the Dawnmaker, a sword that Phainon himself forged. The sword in Honkai Star Rail was originally meant to usher in a new era and slay the titans. It represents the hope of the Deliverer and the duty of the Chrysos Heirs to reset the world.

Why the Flame Reaver holds it is unclear. It may hint at a merging of identities, or that Flame Reaver is the hero, and Phainon the calamity.

Towards the end, Phainon appears, standing alone with a mask resembling the Flame Reaver’s, surrounded by a destroyed Amphoreus. As the scene shifts to his homeland, Aedes Elysiae, another cycle begins, further confirming the endless loop.

Phainon holding Flame Reaver's mask (Image via HoYoverse)

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Honkai Star Rail: The influence of the Trailblaze

In Myriad Celestia: Fables About the Stars Part 2, the Lord Ravagers mention that the people who walk the path of the Trailblaze have the power to bring salvation or ignite something.

The number 33550336 appears in the final seconds of the trailer with the logos of Honkai Star Rail and Astral Express. This is not arbitrary as it’s a perfect number, meaning its divisors add up to the number itself. This is the current cycle that we are experiencing in Amphoreus.

33550336 represents the number of the current cycle in Amphoreus (Image via HoYoverse)

This implies that Phainon will not be a Deliverer in this cycle, but someone trying to break the endless loop and reclaim purpose.

The trailer’s imagery, like flames, ruins, and data-like imagery, suggests that the climax of Amphoreus’ story is near. Whether Phainon is truly becoming Irontomb, or if he will finally break free from the Deliverer’s curse, remains to be seen.

Honkai Star Rail Version 3.4 drops soon, and with it, possibly one of the biggest lore twists yet. The trailer strongly suggests that Phainon is nearing a turning point in this simulation.

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Edited by Dinesh Renthlei