Zenless Zone Zero Anby: From "The Steadfast Tin Soldier" to "Echoes of Silver"

Anby's story unfolds with the arrival of Zenless Zone Zero Version 1.6, titled "Echoes of Silver." The Chinese codename prefix for Soldier 0 Anby, "银心锡兵" (Silver-Heart Tin Soldier), pays homage to Andersen's fairy tale "The Steadfast Tin Soldier." In the tale's conclusion, the tin soldier is burned down to only a heart, which-combined with Anby's role as the Silver Squad Captain-inspired the codename "银心锡兵" (Silver-Heart Tin Soldier).

However, the writers' adaptation of this fairy tale goes beyond mere linguistic wordplay. In reality, Soldier 0 Anby's storyline in this update intertwines with "The Steadfast Tin Soldier" on a deeper thematic level. The narrative team deconstructed and then reconstructed the original tale. Let's first explore what this classic story entails through the article.

1. Fairy Tale "The Steadfast Tin Soldier" Synopsis

On his birthday, a boy receives a set of 25 tin soldiers all cast from one old tin spoon and arrays them on a table top. One soldier stands on a single leg because, as he was the last one cast, there was not enough metal to make him whole. Nearby, the soldier spies a pretty paper ballerina with a spangle on her sash. She, too, is standing on one leg, and the soldier falls in love. That night, a goblin among the toys in the form of a jack-in-the-box, who also loves the ballerina, angrily warns the soldier to take his eyes off her, but the soldier ignores him.

The next day, the soldier falls from a windowsill (presumably the work of the goblin) and lands in the street. Two boys find the soldier, place him in a paper boat, and set him sailing in the gutter. The boat and its passenger wash into a storm drain, where a rat demands the soldier pay a toll.

Sailing on, the boat is washed into a canal, where the tin soldier is swallowed by a fish. When this fish is caught and cut open, the tin soldier finds himself once again on the table top before the ballerina. Inexplicably, the boy throws the tin soldier into the fire, which is most likely the work of the jack-in-the-box goblin. A wind blows the ballerina into the fire with him; she is consumed by it. The maid cleans the fireplace in the morning and finds that the soldier has melted into a little tin heart, along with the ballerina's spangle, which is now burned as black as coal.

2. What does the relationship between the "Paper Ballerina" and "Tin Soldier" in the story convey?

Many may initially interpret the fairy tale's conclusion as tragic mutual sacrifice. However, in the original text, the Paper Ballerina neither reciprocates the one-legged Tin Soldier's affection nor even notices him-her accidental fall into the fire being mere happenstance. This fundamentally depicts unrequited love: the Tin Soldier harbors unspoken devotion, while the Paper Ballerina remains oblivious amidst his silent admiration.

In Anby's Agent storyline within Zenless Zone Zero, the dynamic among Anby, Twiggy, and Soldier 11 mirrors the "Paper Ballerina" and "Tin Soldier" archetypes. After deserting the Silver Squad, Anby voluntarily distances herself upon witnessing Soldier 11's newfound friendships, honors, and life. She recognizes her presence would resurrect Soldier 11's traumatic memories and reimpose past burdens. Fearing she brings only anguish, Anby-akin to the Tin Soldier-refrains from reentering Soldier 11's world. Soldier 11's uncompromising purity parallels the Paper Ballerina; learning the truth could drive her to confront Silver Army leadership, risking annihilation like the Tin Soldier consumed by flames.

Twiggy's arc mirrors this dynamic. She deeply cares for the Captain, yet upon witnessing her enjoying hamburgers, movies, and dates-living a normal life-Twiggy loses the courage to reconnect. Perhaps she fears dragging the Captain back into traumatic memories or burdening her with guilt over past failures. In this phase, Twiggy embodies the "Tin Soldier," silently guarding her leader. Ultimately, Twiggy's descent into a self-destructive spiral shifts her stance, compelling her to drag Anby into the conflict.

But does the narrative conclude here? Refusing to merely retread classic tropes, the writers introduce a twist: through security feed left by Nekomata, Soldier 11 discovers Anby's true intentions and joins her in battle. The one-legged Tin Soldier no longer fights alone-this time, the Paper Ballerina charges into the inferno beside her. Lone heroes often meet tragic ends, but their isolation stems not from choice, but necessity. They become lone warriors not by preference, but because no allies can withstand the battles they face.

In an era rife with betrayal and self-interest, such bonds become extraordinarily rare. The writers craft this resolution with precision: Soldier 11's intervention upon viewing the footage resolves Anby's inner conflict, yet her subsequent memory erasure prevents catastrophic clashes with the Silver Army.

Anby's emotional liberation didn't require Soldier 11's permanent acceptance-merely glimpsing the possibility. Soldier 11's words and actions during this temporary memory loss phase revealed that potential. Crucially, her subsequent memory erasure prevents catastrophic consequences. Had Soldier 11 retained these memories, it might have solidified Anby's belief that she doomed Soldier 11, permanently sealing her inner conflict.

Thus, while many lament Soldier 11's renewed amnesia, this outcome achieves a "mutually beneficial resolution" from this narrative perspective.

3. The heart of "Silver Soldier"

Earlier we analyzed the "Paper Ballerina" and "Tin Soldier" motifs in the narrative. The third crucial element lies in the Tin Soldier's ultimate fate-being burned into a heart. This fiery transformation may symbolize the essence truly belonging to the tin soldier himself, something even death cannot obliterate. In other words, it represents the unique value forged through his existence.

Within Zenless Zone Zero's storyline, what remains as this metaphorical "heart"? For clones like Anby and other Silver Army replicants, what defines their intrinsic worth? From their creators' perspective, clones seemingly hold "external" value as tools-executing dirty work, perilous missions, or even serving as organ donors like livestock. Yet for the clones themselves, such imposed purpose remains transient and non-inheritable. Their true "intrinsic" value manifests through the lives they shape via choices and actions.

The Silver Squad replicants once mechanically obeyed superiors' orders, even executing self-termination commands without hesitation. Yet as living beings with flesh and blood, they gradually developed individuality-bestowing names upon each other, forging familial bonds, and cultivating personal preferences. These initially blank-slate girls gradually developed their own "hearts."

Anby's early resistance remained covert. During assessments, she deliberately exhibited "tactical recklessness" to appear flawed, convincing commanders to retain backup replicants. But when ordered to eliminate the last remaining sister, her defiance crystallized-she chose to die in Soldier 11's stead. This forced Silver Squad leadership to acknowledge their replicants weren't mere puppets; they possessed self-awareness. Ultimately, the Silver Project was terminated. While cost factors dominated, perhaps commanders also recognized the replicants' unpredictable autonomy.

Though Anby's rebellion couldn't save the Silver Squad collective, preserving Soldier 11 alone rendered her efforts meaningful. If asked whether she regrets her choices, Anby would undoubtedly say no. For her, this unshakable purpose constitutes life's intrinsic value-choices and actions born of free will.

Fundamentally, clones differ from us only in origin. Created as tools with destinies rigidly predetermined, their struggle against fate and pursuit of self-defined meaning becomes extraordinary.

4. Extended Inquiry: The Clone Dilemma in Zenless Zone Zero

Discussing perspectives on clones requires addressing two dimensions. On the first level, the technology appears ethically neutral-clone technology itself isn't inherently evil. As Anby states early in the narrative: "Clones differ from naturally-born humans only quantitatively, not qualitatively." If clones possess equivalent self-awareness to ordinary humans, they fundamentally share the same humanity. In other words, what clones are matters less than what we do with them-specifically, whether they're granted agency to choose their life paths.

Yet this remains theoretical. Why would humans create clones without ulterior motives? Historical precedents suggest clones are engineered for inhumane purposes.

This leads to the second dimension. Take the film "The Island" as an example: a corporation clones celebrities and tycoons not to empower their replicas, but to harvest their organs. Similarly, the Silver Project's clones in Zenless Zone Zero-despite developing autonomy-were initially designed as disposable assets for high-risk missions and biological resource extraction.

In Zenless Zone Zero's narrative, the Silver Army clones were engineered specifically for high-risk Hollow operations. This creates a paradoxical conclusion: while clone technology itself remains morally neutral-and clones with equivalent self-awareness to humans shouldn't be deemed inferior-the deeper issue lies in humanity's motives. People rarely create clones without exploitative intent, often assigning them inhumane tasks. The crux isn't whether clones can perform such duties, but whether they engage in them through free will.

The above encapsulates the philosophical depth hidden within "Echoes of Silver." Through Agent narratives, the Zenless Zone Zero writing team consistently challenges players to ponder post-apocalyptic morality-where absolutes of right and wrong dissolve into ethical gray zones. If Anby's journey resonated with you, stay tuned for deeper dives into this existential labyrinth through future articles and more official merchandises.