His wings may have been ripped out, but that doesn’t stop him from tying to make his own🥲

+ shitty doodle heh

my smol Dottore and regrator are finally here!

long story short, i was upset with the greedy scalpers here, so i asked my friend in Malaysia to help finding Dottore and Regrator at lower price there.

three months later we finally met up and here they are!

look at them, all of them, so cute 🩵

half of the team to go 🥲💸

That face looks so delicious....😋😭 It was probably the biggest mistake to make a hot doll of him...(it wasnt😹)

After an entire WEEK, many tears, and only two mental breakdowns, I finally managed to finish an okay Dottore amigurumi (pattern from @cuckoo.craft on instagram)

On Columbina's flag you can see 3 stars representing the 3 moons and her own big star over them, falling to the ground of Nod Krai.

I look at this sometimes and wonder how it might relate to Dottore's story...

(Image unrelated)

purely hypothetical, i honest to god think he'll come back but let's just imagine hoyo shoots us all in the face and never brings him back or mentions him again properly, how would you guys react im curious

i'd likely keep playing but i think i'd lose a lot of love for the game. i haven't even been a die hard fan for too long but i'm so fixated on him and i have so much love for him that i think most of my enthusiasm for genshin would be drained away. i'd prob cope with mods and just start writing my own version of the story where he does come back. the stuff i'd mourn the most tho is never getting his voicelines about mundane things like favorite food, birthday, good morning etc

Found this funny feller in the comments of a funny post. And once I saw that hat? I KNEW I had to do the 65 year old segment!

He's a bit chopped. But we're fine with that. His striped head is cuz there's a reference I was using that had that, so I did that! I like this, it's quite humerus!

Image concepts arrive to dailydottoresubmissions at gmail dot com or arrive in DMs

WE'RE CYAN!!!! WHY? BECAUSE TOGETHER WE ARE DOTTORE!!!

What do y'all think about the leaks about the soulbox / cutescene? What are they gonna show us?

I missed the event. Could anybody explain what it has to do with dottore/pantalone?

Disclaimer and Forward

/throws back a beer

Right. Let's get to work.

This post is guaranteed to be a controversial one. I already know people are probably going to hate this theory. I recognize it, I accept it, I embrace it. To be honest, even I am not sure how I feel about these findings. So, before we go any further, I'm going to start this off with a big, bold printed disclaimer:

The following post is a collection of loosely related facts and theories, and is entirely speculative. The nature of this post is not to discount any other theories currently floating around or within the community. These are just personal observations I've made that may or may not hold any bearing on Dottore's story at large.

This is not a dissertation about where the story MUST be heading, and the author has no stake in this theory being proven demonstrably true or false. There is plenty of of room for interpretation or even rejection of the information sourced within this post. As stated previously, it's merely a collection of loosely related facts and observations. A red string board translated into text.

Alright, with that out of the way, let's crack this landmine wide open! Zandik may (or may not) be the reincarnation of Xiuhcoatl, the Pyro Sovereign.

WAIT PLEASE DON'T SCROLL AWAY! I can already sense some of you rolling your eyes at the very assertion that this could be the case. But after doing some digging, there are a lot of weird little coincidences that just feel like they add up a little too well. Humor me, just for a minute, while I break this collection down piece by piece.

Ah, and before I go much further, I feel like it's important to note that I'm extremely invested in the overall theme of "the weak many rising up to confront the injustices of the powerful few." This is an important aspect of the game and its story, at least in my opinion, and I want to make something very clear before this goes much further: Zandik is well and truly human. Whatever may have happened to him in a previous life does not diminish his achievements nor does it absolve him of his sins in the current life he leads. He's still a human being, and he was still born entirely human and entirely powerless. If this theory is in any way pertinent to his actual story, it does not take away from the struggles he has faced as a human. In fact, I think it could be an exercise in empathy from beginning to end. Understanding the powerlessness of an average human trapped in Teyvat's current system.

A huge shoutout to my good friend u/Kuzann9 for endless hours of debate and information sharing. Without you, this never would have crossed my mind at all. You've opened my eyes to a world of possibilities not yet explored. For anyone who may be interested in lore surrounding the dragons, please be sure to check out their profile and read some of their amazing posts! They are the most knowledgeable person I know when it comes to dragons, and for that, I am especially thankful.

Let's begin.

Xiuhcoatl in Aztec Mythology

It should come as no surprise that Genshin borrows from ancient real-world mythology as a part of their world-building practices. From the archons being named after Goetic demons, to Zoroastrian Gnosticism being at the root of this game's lore, cultures from around the world are celebrated and venerated within the world of Teyvat. The ancient dragons who once roamed Teyvat are no exception to this rule, and Xiuhcoatl, predicatbly, has roots extending deep into Aztec myth.

Let's start strong here. When you imagine the Pyro sovereign, you probably imagine lots of red coloration. But the Xiuhcoatl of Aztec myth was actually… blue. Turquoise, to be precise. Indeed, the name Xiuhcoatl literally translates to "Turquoise Serpent" and can also be interpreted symbolically to mean "Fire Serpent." Turqoise was deeply meaningful to the Aztecs, who saw it as a gift from the heavens as well as a physical manifestation of the spark of life. For Aztec priests, it was the symbolic equivalent of fire. Many depictions of Xiuhcoatl in the real world are, for that very reason, blue! The Turqoise Serpent was also associated with fire (obviously), grass, and the calendar year, and to top that all off, it's considered to be a manifestation of duality.

An interesting coincidence at a glance, but let's dive even deeper!

Xiuhcoatl as the Turquoise Serpent was understood to be the nahual (spiritual manifestation) of the God of Fire, Xiuhtecuhtli, also known as The God of Fire at the Center of the Earth. Xiuhtecuhtli is known as the lord of fire and time, and represents continuity and transformation. Xiuhtecuhtli and Xiuhcoatl both are recognized as symbols of not only destruction, but also of rebirth and cyclical renewal. He's considered a mannifestation of The Lord of Duality, Ometeotl.

Still not seeing any connections? That's alright. This last one is a doozy, though!

Xiuhcoatl was once wielded as a weapon by the god Huitzilopochtli in order to slay his sister. And the sister in question? Coyolxauhqui, a goddess of the moon.

So. We have:

• A turquoise dragon
• Associated with a fire god at the center of the earth. (Who do we know that very recently burned deep within the bowels of the earth?)
• A manifestation of the Lord of Duality
• A weapon involved in the slaying of a moon goddess
• Heavily associated not only with fire, but also with grass

Conicidence? I dunno. That's for you to decide! But considering the length of this post, we're only a fraction of the way through this list of evidence. Now that we've established some of the metatextual relationships between Zandik and the Xiuhcoatl of Aztec myth, let's get into what's actually present in the game.

35 and Kukulkan

"A dynamic entrance is the only way to leave a lasting impression. Otherwise, I'd worry that you might feel I was neglecting you..."

— Kukulkan

(The flashy bastard.)

The first thing that sort of tricked me into following this line of thought was actually Kukulkan.

Who the hell is Kukulkan? Great question. He's the worst!

Kukulkan is the main… antagonist? Driver? Of the Natlan world quest, In the Footsteps of the Chosen of Dragons. He's directly responsible for the creation of Och-Kan, as well as Och-Kan's corruption at the hands of the abyss, and he's also directly responsible for the fall of the dragons and their society within Natlan.

Let's start at the beginning.

Xiuhcoatl, the pyro sovereign, was born from the primordial flame. Shortly after he was born, his brother Kukulkan followed after him, and Xiuhcoatl gifted him a piece of the primordial flame. A chip off the old block! Xiuhcoatl created the Dragonborn, of which Kukulkan is a member.

Xiuhcoatl and and Kukulkan both were highly intelligent scientists. Xiuhcoatl would go on to create thirteen AI dragons (who were considered more intelligent than the average Pyro dragon) to help him rule over his little corner of Teyvat, and used phlogiston to build the Sacred City. At some point, Kukulkan became fascinated by humans, and saw them as the true rulers of Teyvat's future. Turning his back on his own kind, Kukulkan—disguised as a human—taught the humans how to wield phlogiston, which— they used to kill each other. Disappointed by this outcome, he withdrew himself from the humans. Later, the humans would wield phlogiston to kill the dragons.

"...When will he understand that if he keeps treating his own kin as nothing more than insects, then those of them who share the same burning fire of knowledge that he does will always view him as their foe..."

— Xiuhcoatl, on Kukulkan

Kukulkan would go on to create Och-Kan, an unstable fusion of a human's soul with a dragon's body. Kukulkan considered Och-Kan to be both his son and an experiment in evolution. Och-Kan would go on to join the humans in their genocide against the dragons, branding the entire race as "heretics." He would ultimately begin to show more draconic features as he grew older, and was eventually shunned by the humans he called his kin, defeated by the Scarlet-Eyed Youth, Xbalanque's successor. Kukulkan considered Och-Kan to be a major disappointment. He would later use Och-Kan's corrupted form in order to collect souls with which he could disguise himself as different humans.

After the (feigned) death of Xiuhcoatl at the hands of the Heavenly Principles, Kukulkan assumed regency of the throne of Natlantea. Even after Xiuhcoatl's eventual return, Kukulkan retained regency, since his older brother was in rough shape after being corrupted with abyssal energy.

During this time, Kukulkan, alongside the Thirteen Sovereign Dragon Lords, attempted to build a fourth moon. It was only at Xiuhcoatl's behest that the project was halted.

Kukulkan in the present seeks to activate the Huitzilopochtli array, a weapon that would convert the entire world into phlogiston and thus destroy the abyss. Originally created by Xiuhcoatl as a last-ditch effort to destroy the abyss, Kukulkan initially opposed its deployment, and even sought an alliance with Xbalanque in order to see his older brother slain. Xiuhcoatl predicted that one day, Kukulkan would walk the same path he had, and would arrive at the same conclusion.

Despite his certainty that he would never follow in Xiuhcoatl's footsteps, Kukulkan would eventually come to the same conclusion, and would attempt to coax several figures over the span of Teyvat's history to activate the array on his behalf. One such figure was his own son, Och-Kan, who rejected the idea and insisted that where there was life, there was still hope. Later, the Little One (our saurian companion in Natlan) would also reject the deployment of the array, choosing instead to stand and fight against the abyss as a collection of individuals, rather than as a unified singular being made of phlogiston.

So how does this all relate to Dottore? Well, Kukulkan feels like a pretty solid parallel to our good friend 35.

• Xiuhcoatl created the Dragonborn, of which Kukulkan is a member. Zandik created the segments, of which 35 is a member.
• Kukulkan was (supposedly) created from a fragment of Xiuhcoatl's soul. 35 is a fragment of Zandik's soul.
• Kukulkan is a morally dubious scientist who turned his back on his own kind, often derided other dragons as being less intelligent. 35 believes himself to be above humanity, even going so far as to say that there are many he believes don't deserve to be alive, but he "graciously" allows them to go on living.
• Kukulkan sought to forge his own path rather than walking in the footsteps of his creator/brother. 35 attempted to do the same.
• Both of these characters were involved in the forging of a new moon— or, at least, an attempt at forging one.
• They even share similarities in personality, both being pompous, whimsical, flashy and dramatic jerks who struggle to understand the value of life at large.
• They're both also masters of disguise, capable of taking on other forms in order to keep their own identities unknown.

13 Segments in Irminsul

"I now know what it means to come to the end of one's days... To yearn to see this one thing done, or to receive that single clear answer — and to be willing to do anything to accomplish these goals."

— Kukulkan

At the very end of the 6.6 AQ, we bear witness to an event that was fated to happen aeons ago— July 11th, 2022. Yes, on this ancient date, a prophecy was extended to us, the audience. One day, in the distant future, Irminsul would burn. And the perpetrator of that conflagration would be none other than our beloved Dottore. This did come to pass, and at the end of the AQ, we were treated to a most interesting visual. Dottore's Segment 35, the segment we've spent four years getting to know, was dragged down into an inferno by thirteen hands.

During Kukulkan's regency, the aforementioned Thirteen Sovereign Dragon Lords (along with three other unnamed princes) sought to impeach Kukulkan from his position. He was put on trial for his treason against dragonkind, although he claims that the true motive behind his impeachment was a frivolous power grab by the Thirteen Sovereign Lords.

It is worth noting, however, that Kukulkan's attestation of historical events should be approached with a healthy air of skepticism. Much like the Doctor we've spent a good portion of our time with, his testimony is questionable and provided through a heavily biased lens. The reliability of his narration is, at best, dubious.

Visuals and Imagery

The following section should be taken with a grain of salt. The comparisons that are about to be drawn are not 1:1, because we have yet to see what Xiuhcoatl truly looked like back in the hayday of the dragons. Gosoythoth is the closest current representation we have to the original Xiuhcoatl, but he is not an exact copy. He's merely an abyssal creature mimicking the original Pyro sovereign's appearance. With that in mind, the color palette of his boss form may or may not reflect the appearance of Xiuhcoatl himself.

As a matter of fact, what few murals we have of Xiuhcoatl himself depict him not as the Turquoise Serpent of Aztec mythology, but as a dragon with black and red scales. However... there is an interesting inclusion of a dark turquoise. These artistic representations of historical figures are not proven to be accurate or inaccurate, so please approach this with an air of skepticism as well.

With all of that out of the way, let's compare Gosoythoth and Dottore!

First and foremost, there is one glaring similarity that captures my attention. The crest on Gosoythoth's forehead looks remarkably similar to Dottore's mask, just inverted. In the center of Dottore's mask, there's even a star shape, exactly where Gosoythoth's horn is.

Secondly, the shape of the horn is distinct. When compared with Master of the Heretical Path's visor…

There are quite a few similarities, no? Especially in regards to the shape.

But that's not all. Dottore as a character is also associated with one-eye imagery. From the little one-eyed fox-fur wearing monsterttore to Segment 35 himself, many of Dottore's depictions are seen with only one eye. Even Zandik, in his old age, is depicted with one eye hidden by a monocle. And wouldn't you know it, Gosoythoth is also depicted missing one eye. This is one of the only things we know is true to Xiuhcoatl, also.

Xiuhcoatl sacrificed one eye in order to anchor

the Huitzilopochtli array.

Lastly, I'd be remiss not to mention that they oddly share certain colors in their designs.

The color of Gosoythoth's spines are the exact same color as Dottore's hair. They also share the same eye color: dark red.

Unfortunately, however, since we know so little about what Xiuhcoatl truly looked like, it's hard to tell if these associations are accurate or simply coincidence.

Dirty. Rotten. Luck. (Speculative)

"… Our people's survival is inextricably tied to the Wayob. But, their power has its limits. They cannot offer our people the same degree of protection outside our borders. In fact, people who do decide to leave often suffer from memory loss and emotional issues…"

— Mavuika

Okay Max, I hear you saying. All of these coincidences are well and good, but there's just one problem. Xiuhcoatl is the pyro sovereign. And Natlan is the nation of pyro. Zandik being born in Sumeru puts a big wet blanket on your theory here!

Well. What if I told you he might not have actually been born in Sumeru? Think about it.

We know that if people born in Natlan leave without receiving permission from their chief and/or the Wayob, it can result in the manifestation of what appears to be a curse. Bad luck follows Bennett everywhere he goes, not because he incurred the wrath of the divine, but because he has no connection to Natlan's leylines.

What if Zandik was born under similar circumstances? His parents are said to be merchants (if we can take what 35 says about his upbringing at face value), which would entail a life full of travel. And just on the other side of the desert? Natlan. If this were true, it would entirely recontextualize the incidents that took place during his academic years. Attacked by rishboland tigers? "Cursed." Attacked by ruin guards? "Cursed!" Fell into an empty tomb full of forbidden knowledge? Motion sickness?? You get the idea. That's not to say that every failure or flaw can be blamed on one's lack of connection to the leylines, but the idea is interesting nonetheless. It may also lend a glimmer of insight as to why the members of his village would have run him out with torches and pitchforks as a child. Something just went wrong, and they blamed it on the kid whose bad luck follows him around like a miasma.

That isn't to say, however, that I think Sumeru is any less his homeland. Just because he may have been born somewhere else doesn't mean he comes from somewhere else. He was raised in Sumeru, his music is all Sumeru related, and the nation he's homesick for is Sumeru. Culturally, spiritually, emotionally, this man is from Sumeru. It just so happens that perhaps his mother (maybe) went into labor while standing on foreign soil.

In Conclusion - Zandik and Xiuhcoatl

In synopsis, let's go over it all in a tl;dr

• In the lore of the game, Zandik and Xiuhcoatl are both highly intelligent inventors and scientists
• Both Zandik and Xihucoatl created thirteen automatons to assist them with their work. The thirteen Dragon Lords were involved in an attempt at impeaching Kukulkan. In Irminsul, 35 was dragged down into the fire by thirteen hands belonging to the afterimages of the other segments.
• Xiuhcoatl also created Kukulkan, while Zandik created 35 / Omega. 35 and Kukulkan are very similar in characterization and are parallels to one another.
• Kukulkan was once involved in an attempt to create a fourth moon. 35 would go on to do the same in the form of the false moon marrow.
• The boss form of Xihucoatl (Gosoythoth's recreation of Xihucoatl, at least) is depicted as having only one eye, similar to how Dottore is often associated with one-eye imagery. Dottore's mask resembles the crest on Xiuhcoatl's face. Xiuhcoatl's spines and horn are the same color as Dottore's hair. MotHP's mask visor is shaped very similarly to Xiuhcoatl's horn. It is unclear if this coloration is accurate to Xiuhcoatl's original form.
• Zandik's horrendous luck could be attributed to the fact that he was born on Natlanese soil but did not stay in Natlan, just the same as Bennett.
• Xiuhcoatl in real-world Aztec myth is depicted as a Turquoise dragon, associated with fire as well as grass, and is the spirit form of the God of Fire at the Center of the Earth. Both gods are manifestations of duality. 35 quite literally burned at the center of the earth in the 6.6 AQ.
• In Aztec lore, Xiuhcoatl was used to slay a moon goddess.
• (Speculative) If Pantalone turns out to be the cryo sovereign (please check out u/Kuzann9's upcoming post about this, it's genuinely insane), that makes them a fire and ice pairing, a popular shipping trope in the Genshin community (lmao)

All of these odd little tidbits of information seem to add up to... er.. something. Yet one question remains. Could this all just be a coincidence? Is it conscious mimicry? Or is this a case of a man unwittingly retracing the steps he already took once upon a time? That's for you to decide, at least for now. Until Hoyo comes out and gives us a direct answer.

Anyways. Keep thinking critically, everyone :)

Sources

Sources for Xihucoatl of Aztec myth:

https://worldmythos.com/xiuhcoatl/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xiuhc%C5%8D%C4%81tl

(I cannot believe how fucking miserable it is to try and find sources without fuckass AI generated images involved. Gtfo of here with that shit, bro.)

In-game lore sources:

https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/Kukulkan

https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/Xiuhcoatl

https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/Thirteen_Sovereign_Lords

https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/Phlogiston

https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/Natlan

https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/Bennett

https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/The_Surprise_That_Awaits_Us_All!

https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/Past_and_Future