Summary
- The Hunter is an enigmatic character in Starfield.
- The Hunter eventually opens up, diving into heavy philosophy about the nature of humanity and their preference for a world without assistance.
- The true identity of The Hunter is revealed later in the game in a huge twist, revealing more about the mysterious character.
The Hunter is one of the most enigmatic characters in Starfield that shouldn’t be ignored. With so much to explore and so many people to meet, it is easy to overlook some characters, especially those that can only be found when straying from the beaten path. However, Starfield's The Hunter stands out among the rest of the game's NPCs, and with good reason, as people will learn as they progress through the game.
[Warning: This article contains major story spoilers for Starfield.]
The Hunter can be encountered very early in Starfield and cuts a striking figure. Even a few hours into the game, his black armor immediately stands out, conveying that The Hunter is a space ninja. This character archetype is somewhat familiar in science fiction games, so it’s easy to write him off as a potential companion, especially when considering that his first location is in the New Atlantis Viewport bar, surrounded by other potential crew members. However, there is much more to The Hunter than he lets on in the first conversation.
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The Hunter Can Be Found In Starfield’s Akila City
After the first interaction with The Hunter in New Atlantis, he can also be found in Starfield’s Akila City. In the first conversation, The Hunter begins to speak about the dangers of space, upholding a bleak perspective of humanity and its tendency to engage in conflict. He cuts this short, however, citing that he shouldn’t be having a real conversation with someone. It’s one of the many mysterious things The Hunter states in this short interaction, which will likely leave the impression that he is just some edgy, mercenary-type character.
The Hunter opens up more when encountered next, this time at the Hitching Post bar in Akila City. In this conversation, The Hunter dives right into some heavy philosophy about the nature of humanity. He posits that people may have good intentions, but these choices still lead to conflict, which is incredibly complicated when one person’s version of what’s right clashes with another’s. The Hunter would prefer a world where no one helps anyone because assistance can be viewed as a form of control.
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These conversations with The Hunter are deep and somewhat overwhelming compared to those with people met throughout Starfield. It’s also peculiar that he feels comfortable sharing these thoughts with a stranger. It conveys that he has been around for a long time and has seen many things in his travels, which turns out to be true. The protagonist will learn this hard way in a desperate encounter during the main questline.
Starfield: The True Identity Of The Hunter
At a critical point in Starfield’s main questline, the identity of The Hunter is finally revealed. By this time, the main character will have learned that he is one of the main antagonists after having murdered one of the members of Constellation in an attempt to steal the artifacts. However, an even bigger reveal occurs in the “In Their Footsteps” quest. After boarding the Scorpius to speak with The Hunter and The Emissary to learn the origins of the Starborn, The Hunter reveals himself as a multiverse version of Keeper Aquilus. Yet, The Hunter isn’t exactly the same version of the Keeper met earlier in Starfield.
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The Hunter and Keeper Aquilus have glimpsed The Unity many times, but, in one universe, the Keeper found peace in what he’d learned after seeing everything the galaxy had to offer and chose to accept his place in that universe. Keeper Aquilus and The Hunter are more like opposite sides of the same coin. The former seeks peace and acceptance of the universe, while the latter relishes the conflict and challenge of seeking the artifacts to access The Unity. The Hunter’s Starborn status explains his previous cryptic statements about having lived many lives and spending his time on the fringes of the galaxy, presumably searching for artifacts.
Starfield: What Does The Hunter Want?
The Hunter’s motivations in Starfield are mostly straightforward, but the end he seeks isn’t precisely clear. He is open about his desire to glimpse The Unity again. He has done so before many times and has adopted a ruthless method to achieve this goal. The Hunter slaughters who he must in order to obtain all of Starfield’s artifacts to build The Armillary. However, things get a little fuzzy when determining why he desperately seeks The Unity.
The obvious and somewhat lackluster answer is that The Hunter desires power. He opposes The Emissary’s mission to regulate who enters The Unity and instead encourages the idea that anyone strong and skilled enough to reach The Unity deserves the power that comes with it. When meeting on his ship, The Hunter describes the hunt for the artifacts as a game created by whoever created the temples, and The Unity is the game’s prize. The Hunter plays the game to win.
Should You Side With The Hunter In Starfield?
Toward the end of Starfield’s main quest, the character can side with The Hunter. Alternatively, the protagonist can ally with The Emissary or decide to go their own way, but each path has a distinct impact on the universe left behind when stepping through The Unity. When siding with The Hunter, he will accompany the player through the Buried Temple and assist in the boss fight against The Emissary. After collecting the final artifact, The Hunter will remain on the player’s ship until they decide to enter The Unity.
The impact of siding with The Hunter is revealed at The Unity. The Hunter will be reborn again in another universe. He leaves a legacy encouraging others in this universe to seize power for themselves. This power is used for both peaceful and nefarious ends. Ultimately, it’s up to the player to decide who they agree with on the philosophical argument over The Unity — The Emissary’s preference for oversight or The Hunter’s ends justify the means ideology.
The intrigue around The Hunter created when players first meet him early on in Starfield is a masterstroke of narrative design. The resulting shock experienced when they find out he is one of the game’s main antagonists is brilliant. It is a testament to Bethesda’s attention to detail in its game worlds, and it's a great example of how rewarding it is to take the time to explore and speak with all the characters met in the universe of Starfield.
Source: Bethesda Softworks/YouTube
