In Honkai Star Rail, there are many factions with different beliefs and values. One of them is the Genius Society with their 84 members in total. They are said to be the smartest scientists in the entire Star Rail universe, so let's try to find out more about this organization, shall we?
Those who are at least a little familiar with the lore of Honkai Star Rail know that every character, whether 4-Star or 5-Star, belongs to a faction. In order to better understand the world of Honkai Star Rail, it is essential to know which faction is pursuing which goals and who belongs to it.
This time around, we turn our attention to the Genius Society, which is one of the largest factions in the entire intergalactic space of Star Rail. Let's meet the smartest scientists out there!
Honkai Star Rail Lore: What Is The Genius Society?
As I mentioned earlier, the Genius Society is one of the many factions in Honkai Star Rail. Its leader is non-other than the Aeon Nous himself, who has over time gathered 84 of the most intelligent scientists and researchers he came across.
In order to become a member of said organization, you have to have a special talent, which draws the leaders' attention, since Nous is the only one, who can invite people into their small circle. The very first one who caught the Aeon's eye is Zander – Number 1, who also created the Genius Society after being chosen. (However, don’t get confused: Even if Zander founded said the Genius Society, the leader is still Nous, the Aeon of the Erudition himself!)
The ones who are chosen, will be invited by Nous himself. Frequently, the invitation is mistaken merely for consent. However, only a handful can truly grasp the intentions of the Aeon. These enlightened few receive a key to enter the halls of the Nous Temple. Upon crossing its threshold, they embark on a quest for wisdom from Nous, after which they depart, leaving their legacy behind and never to return to their former self.
After a long journey like this, it shouldn’t be to no one's surprise that each member has a quite unique personality, to say the least. If you thought Herta is a little strange and distant, you will be in shock when talking to most other members.
Within the Society, many Geniuses tend to be quite solitary, introverted, and struggle with social interaction, often choosing not to engage with others. However, a few notable individuals, like Aiden, Elias Salas, and Herta, stand out by actively sharing their discoveries and using their abilities for the betterment of the cosmos.
“Ruan Mei is a genius among geniuses — I won't deny that. I don't always get along with her, but I do admire her… Maybe the admiration is mutual.” — Herta about Ruan Mei
However, there are also some individuals who aren’t as cooperative. Among these, there are extreme cases: for instance, Rubert I, who became fixated on eliminating all organic life in the universe, and Polka Kakamond, infamous for harming and even killing other members of their community.
The Genius Society Members
The Genius Society organization has 84 members in total as of right now. We won't be looking at all of them in detail, however, we should at least take a closer look at a few, more important ones! It is important to note, that the member's number are purely the order in which they joined the Society and have nothing to do with the intelligence or rank.
Zander – Number 1
Zandar was known for his Cosmos Tree theory, which proposes that the galaxy is like an enormous imaginary tree, with individual star systems serving as its leaves.
(Zander is the far left one on the picture below.)
Although many of his creations and writings have disappeared over time, he remains highly esteemed and honored for establishing the Genius Society. However, his theories got later on disproven by another member of the Society, being Elias Salas, who was one of the two elected ministers of the organization's history. He died because of old age when he was 103 years old.
Polka Kakamond – Number 4
Referred to as the Lord of Silence, details about Polka Kakamond are as enigmatic as her persona. Her images, including portraits and sculptures, have been systematically erased throughout the universe. She is also believed to have played a role in the demise of several members of the Society. Herta holds a deep fascination with the Lord of Silence. Despite the absence of recent information about Polka Kakamond, Herta is convinced that she remains alive.
There are two confirmed victims, who have been killed by Polka Kakamond:
- Bohdan – Number 7: Killed after several days after proving Phlogiston's existence.
- Rubert I – Number 27: Killed during the Mechanical Emperor's Wars.
Aiden – Number 22
Despite being “just” number 22, Aiden was one of the members, who had the biggest, long term impact on the Genius Society. He set the universal laws for the entire cosmos and created the nine-worded formulae, which replaced traditional algebra and geometry.
Herta describes Aiden as one of the strangest members of the Genius Society, since he was much kinder and generous than all the other ones. His actions led to the popularization of the Society, and he became the first genius willing to partner with the Interastral Peace Corporation.
Herta – Number 83
Herta oversees the Herta Space Station, named after herself, and manifests in the guise of a puppet, crafted to resemble her younger self. In pursuit of understanding the enigmatic nature of Aeons, she joined forces with Screwllum, Ruan Mei, and Stephen Lloyd to develop the Simulated Universe.
Every member of the Genius Society is unique, and Herta fits this description perfectly. Her research is solely driven by her passions. If her interest wanes in the middle of a project, she wouldn't hesitate to abandon her work entirely. As a result, several projects with the potential to significantly benefit civilization were halted simply because they didn't hold her interest.
Recently, Herta appears to have broadened her horizons. She has begun engaging with the Interastral Peace Corporation, assisted the Xianzhou in repelling threats, and even encountered some challenges with the Garden of Recollection. Compared to her more reclusive peers in the Genius Society, Herta is notably more sociable.
It's crazy that Herta turns out to be the most pleasant of the scientists. Who would you like to have a longer chat with? Personally, I think Herta's approach is really cool, although it sounds really chaotic …