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Ah, Paimon — the annoying little companion that follows Genshin players around, ruining narrating our experience as we travel through the world of Teyvat. She has a lot to say, but for all that bluster, Paimon doesn't share much about herself. What exactly do we know about the Emergency Food that tags along wherever we go?

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Genshin players have been left in the dark since the game's release regarding who Paimon is and where she comes from. We know that she absolutely loves to eat and that she shares the history of Teyvat's diverse cuisine with you as you experiment with cooking new ingredients. She's fiercely loyal to her friends but isn't afraid to share her dislike of Genshin's other characters, bestowing snotty nicknames upon them the moment they start to irk her.

Genshin's Mascot

Paimon from Genshin Impact

Paimon is the face of Genshin Impact, both inside the game and out; in fact, she's used on the majority of the promotional materials for the game. She's its current icon, ensuring that Paimon has a home on the desktop of each and every Genshin Player, whether they like it or not. She's used as the icon for the website and the Genshin social media accounts, too — and during Genshin's beta, Paimon was the spokesperson for people's questions and concerns about the game, addressing them directly via social media. Even the Genshin update emails and in-game correspondence are from P.A.I.M.O.N.

In Game

The Traveler fishing Paimon out of a river with a fishing pole

In Genshin itself, the player first meets Paimon upon fishing her out of a lake. She thanks you for it profusely, saying she definitely would have drowned if you hadn't come along. From that point forward, Paimon guides you around Teyvat, taking the lead in speaking with each of the characters you encounter. She's one of Genshin's major sources of exposition, sharing the lore of the world around you as you travel and detailing what she knows about many of the characters before you ever meet them. She is fiercely loyal to you, growing increasingly anxious when you're separated. She tells you that her greatest dream is to see your dream realized, and she does what she can to encourage you and stick by your side even during dangerous moments.

All that's really known about Paimon is what she has revealed about her character over the course of the game. Nothing is known about how she ended up in the river in the first place, who she really is, or her motivations beyond aiding you since you rescued her. There are several fan theories, but none that have been confirmed yet.

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A Devil In Disguise?

Paimon and the Traveler standing side by side in Genshin Impact

It is interesting to note, however, that Paimon's name originates from the Ars Goetia and several other magical books on spirits and demons. In these texts, Paimon is one of the kings of Hell — and the etymology for Paimon's name has played a role in many fan theories. Some people believe Paimon may turn out to be evil or may turn on the Traveler at some point, betraying you at a later point in the story. Others think Paimon is related to the Unknown God in some way that hasn't yet been revealed. This could be partial because Paimon jokes about being the "god of protection" since she sees herself as the Traveler's bodyguard, but it's hard to say how much of that is genuine. Still, others believe that because Paimon's name is an acronym in the correspondence received from her, she may be some sort of android or an extension of the Traveler's consciousness.

Nothing has been revealed about Paimon's identity or backstory quite yet, but either way, it's hard to tell how many fan theories have real potential and how many have been born of the Genshin Fandom's dislike of Paimon (especially early in the game). It's interesting to note that Paimon's clothing contains many of Teyvat's symbols, inverted or altered in some way to make them less noticeable. The main symbol on her chest, for example, is an upside-down triqueta; the upright version is seen throughout Teyvat in various locations, so its inversion could hint that Paimon does actually have some sort of negative connection to the world.

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