Sylens

Sylens, known as the Boogeyman, is the deuteragonist of the 2017 video game Horizon Zero Dawn and a supporting character in its 2022 sequel Horizon Forbidden West and its 2023 DLC expansion Burning Shores. He's an explorer in the 31st century of mysterious origin. He may have once been a member of the Banuk tribe, but due to his deceit and mysterious history, this may have also been a lie, as mentioned by the Banuk shaman known as Ourea.
He's fascinated with the world of the Old Ones, and has dedicated his life to uncovering their mysteries, by any means necessary. He teamed up with Aloy, a Seeker of the Nora Tribe and the protagonist of the game, for this very purpose. While Aloy doesn't trust him completely, she does work with him, and he even saves her at one point. In most times, Sylens does not hesitate to commit morally ambiguous actions, in the sake of his pursuit for knowledge. Six months later after the battle of the Alight, Sylens would later venture into the Forbidden West, the land beyond the Sundom, where he would arm Regalla's forces.
He is voiced and motion-captured by the late , who portrayed Zavala in Destiny, Charon in John Wick, Agent Clappers in Paradise P.D., and Falcon in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
==Appearance==
Sylens is a tall man, presumably in his mid-40s, with dark skin, black eyes, and is always seen wearing the standard blue, gray, and black clothing common with the shamans of the Banuk tribe, which is what leads people to believe that he's a member of the tribe, although this has been disputed in game. He has shiny, blue rings imbedded at various points on his body, including in his chin, and at several places on both of his arms.
==Personality==
Sylens is a well-spoken and educated thinker who, in his quest of knowledge, is reckless and persistent. He's spent his entire life trying to figure out where the machines came from and what happened to the Old Ones. Sylens has few, if any, ethical bounds when it comes to growing his knowledge base and research: he has no qualms about manipulating and abusing people as long as he receives the answers he wants. He considers ignorance to be a curse, and believes that APOLLO was the best gift the Old Ones could have left behind. He also accuses the Quen of cloaking their knowledge of the Old World in mysticism and taboo, as well as constructing "a pantheon of corporate shills."
Sylens, with his coldly analytical demeanour, places little weight on human emotions, viewing them as impediments to attaining one's goals. As a result, Sylens may be quite direct, even to the point of being heartless. He was unconcerned with Aloy's mental distress after discovering her true origins, saying merely that she had two mothers: a dead lady and a machine. Sylens has a habit of being condescending, presuming Aloy believes the Earth is flat and then becomes embarrassed when she proves her point.
He's a very private person, only providing information about himself when it's absolutely necessary and otherwise insists on keeping his secrets to himself. He cautions Aloy not to go into his history any more. Aside from his penchant for secrecy, Sylens is a reclusive figure who only speaks with Aloy when absolutely required.
Despite his flaws, Sylens is capable of realising his errors and acknowledging that serving HADES was a mistake. Furthermore, while he first regards Aloy as merely a means to a goal, he gradually gains respect for her abilities and shows concern for her well-being. Moreover, despite his coldly rational rejection of the fatalities that happened in the Carja civil war, or indeed in any tribal struggle, he despises the Carja's needless bloodletting under Sun-King Jiran. While chatting to Aloy, he repeatedly expressed contempt for the Carja Red Raids and consequent human sacrifices, and sarcastically indicated that the Carja might one day reprise the practise.
==Skills and Abilities==
* Skilled Programmer: Sylens is unequalled in his ability to use Old Ones technologies. He was able to set up a network of Focuses as well as a back door through which he could monitor them without being noticed.
* Polymath: Albeit in a crude way, Sylens is well-versed in a variety of areas as a result of his encounters with HADES and by exploring ancient ruins. Since the annihilation of the Old Ones, he is very probably the most intellectual person in the new planet. Despite that, however, Sylens would be bested by Beta, in terms of intelligence, whose college-level knowledge through APOLLO outweighed his crude intellect.
* Archaic Knowledge: Sylens has spent much of his life studying the Old Ones, and he possesses possibly the most extensive knowledge of the Old Ones of any human living. His expertise encompasses the notion of companies, old medicinal procedures, and a working grasp of long-forgotten languages. He was able to conclude that Faro robots played a role in the Old Ones' civilization's demise, but he couldn't prove it until Aloy arrived.
* Master Strategist: Sylens is a great strategist in addition to his vast knowledge.
* Tribal Knowledge: Sylens has demonstrated that he is well-versed in Banuk and Carja legend. He knows enough about the Carja religion to be able to depict HADES as the Buried Shadow. While it is unknown whether he was ever a member of the Banuk tribe, his understanding of Shamanism is extensive enough that he might pass for a shaman, if not be one himself.
==Gallery==
Sylens5.jpg
Sylens6.jpg
Sylens8.jpg
Sylens12.jpg
Sylens13.jpg
Sylens14.jpg
Sylens15.jpg
Sylens19.jpg
Sylens20.jpg
Sylens21.jpg
==Trivia==
*The name "Sylens" is a pun to the word silence, which he demonstrated it during Maker's End, when he did not respond to Aloy's discovery.
==External Links==
*
*
*
*
==Navigation==
Category:Male
Category:Mysterious
Category:Video Game Heroes
Category:Science Fiction Heroes
Category:Jerks
Category:Liars
Category:Genius
Category:Traitor
Category:Strategists
Category:True Neutral
Category:Tricksters
Category:Determinators
Category:Good Vs. Good
Category:Heroes by Proxy
Category:Extremists
Category:Anti-Heroes
Category:Karma Houdini
Category:On & Off
Category:False Antagonist
Category:Misanthropes
Category:Servant of a Villain
Category:Lethal
Category:Dreaded
Category:Heretics
Category:Inventors
Category:Betrayed
Category:Masterminds
Category:Egomaniacs
Category:Thrill-Seekers
Category:Adventurers
Category:Localized Protection
Category:Vengeful
Category:Monster Slayers
Category:Failure-Intolerant
Category:Mischievous
Category:Virtually Resourceful
Category:Wrathful
Category:Provokers
Category:Paranoid
Category:Rescuers
Category:Deal Makers
Category:Obsessed
Category:Pragmatists
Category:Pawn of the Villain
Category:Leaders
Category:Warriors
Category:Misguided
Category:Elderly
Category:Criminals
Category:Heretics
Category:Lethal
Category:Successful
Category:Wrathful
Category:Arrogant
Category:Sophisticated
Category:Global Protection
Category:Merciful
Category:Honest
Category:Voice of Reason
Category:Non-Action
Category:Thieves
Category:Charismatic
Category:Protectors
Category:Fighters
Category:Rogues
Category:Strong-Willed
Category:Wayward Heroes
Category:Unseen