Contrasting Sequel Antagonists in the Horizon franchise, including its DLCs The Frozen Wilds and The Burning Shores.
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Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds
HEPHAESTUS and HADES
Both are A.I.s derived from components of GAIA, and the only rogue subfunctions that pose an active threat to humanity. However, their similarities largely end there.
While HADES is a malicious Omnicidal Maniac trying to end earthly life, HEPHAESTUS is a Well-Intentioned Extremist whose aggression towards humanity is for the protection of the terraforming system, and thus life on Earth. Following GAIA's self-destruction, HADES fled to the processing module of a derelict Horus, thus isolating it from the terraforming system. HEPHAESTUS fled to the global Cauldron network, and over the years evolved into an effective Ghost In The System. Ironically, this culminates in HEPHAESTUS being arguably the greater existential threat, as its continued rampancy has triggered major disruptions for humanity, including large-scale war. HADES would have been effectively powerless were it not for Sylens' aid.
HADES is strongly associated with the past: not only has it long-since served its intended purpose, its separation from the terraforming system has forced it to rely mainly on reactivated ancient war machines and a cult formed of loyalists to an usurped despot. HADES is itself confined within a Horus' processing module, yet another ancient machine. HEPHAESTUS is more subtly associated with the future and progress, in line with its design as a driver of Mechanical Evolution: aside from making more powerful and dangerous machines, the Derangement is one of the main influences in tribal culture and politics in recent decades.
While HADES is a malicious Omnicidal Maniac trying to end earthly life, HEPHAESTUS is a Well-Intentioned Extremist whose aggression towards humanity is for the protection of the terraforming system, and thus life on Earth. Following GAIA's self-destruction, HADES fled to the processing module of a derelict Horus, thus isolating it from the terraforming system. HEPHAESTUS fled to the global Cauldron network, and over the years evolved into an effective Ghost In The System. Ironically, this culminates in HEPHAESTUS being arguably the greater existential threat, as its continued rampancy has triggered major disruptions for humanity, including large-scale war. HADES would have been effectively powerless were it not for Sylens' aid.
HADES is strongly associated with the past: not only has it long-since served its intended purpose, its separation from the terraforming system has forced it to rely mainly on reactivated ancient war machines and a cult formed of loyalists to an usurped despot. HADES is itself confined within a Horus' processing module, yet another ancient machine. HEPHAESTUS is more subtly associated with the future and progress, in line with its design as a driver of Mechanical Evolution: aside from making more powerful and dangerous machines, the Derangement is one of the main influences in tribal culture and politics in recent decades.
Horizon Zero Dawn (comic series)
Korl and Dervahl
Both are rogue Oseram men who betrayed Avad and their allies after they grew disillusioned over his father, the Mad-Sun King Jiran, and became obsessed with revenge in killing him. But their motivations are starkly contrasting to one another. While Dervahl uses the alliance with Avad in order to gain revenge against the Carja through bombing, Korl uses it out of pure greed, whom he wants to plunder the Carja once Meridian has been captured. Contrasting to Dervahl's Evil Genius, who uses weaponry he invented like his trademark Sonic Device made of Tearblasters, as well as Machine Lures, Korl serves more as The Brute, prioritizing physical, brute strength over intelligence, being able to overpower the Vanguard member Erend in a fistfight, at one instance, with just his bare hands.
Horizon Forbidden West
Far Zenith to HADES and the Eclipse
Unlike HADES, an AI with control over people whose intention is based on just following its programming, they are flesh and blood humans with control over machines and fully conscious of their actions, with long-term plans in play. Primarily, they serve as the contrast to the Eclipse, the main antagonistic faction of the prequel.
Both the Eclipse and Far Zenith's association to Earth's eras contrast from one another. The Eclipse are strongly associated to the tribal, primitive past of Earth where they are Future Primitive humans who largely rely on using primitive weapons in combat, as well as ancient FARO machines and Focuses that Sylens supplied on them to communicate from one to the other. Far Zenith are strongly associated to the more technologically advanced future of Earth, as they are Advanced Ancient Humans who have highly technological weapons including a golden arm cannon and in Erik's case golden blades made from nanotechnology, as well as energy shields; unlike the Eclipse who used Corruptors and Deathbringers, Far Zenith use the highly advanced Specters and the Specter Primes for some as their go-to machines.
Both the Eclipse and Far Zenith's association to Earth's eras contrast from one another. The Eclipse are strongly associated to the tribal, primitive past of Earth where they are Future Primitive humans who largely rely on using primitive weapons in combat, as well as ancient FARO machines and Focuses that Sylens supplied on them to communicate from one to the other. Far Zenith are strongly associated to the more technologically advanced future of Earth, as they are Advanced Ancient Humans who have highly technological weapons including a golden arm cannon and in Erik's case golden blades made from nanotechnology, as well as energy shields; unlike the Eclipse who used Corruptors and Deathbringers, Far Zenith use the highly advanced Specters and the Specter Primes for some as their go-to machines.
Gerard Bieri and Bahavas
Both are Hate Sink Social Darwinists with little regard for humanity, seeing anything they oppose as weak, as well as saving their own skin. While Bahavas seems to be interested in weeding out the sick and old for the Shadow Carja's elite, even holding Itamen and Nasadi hostage, Gerard has an extreme disdain for new humanity, regardless of their status and social standing, often seeing them as "insects" and "bugs" and is actively open in exterminating them, exemplified when he and his Zeniths massacred a group of tribals mercilessly from an unknown tribe, as well as ordering Erik to kill Aloy's companion Varl. With Bahavas, despite his despicable nature, even fanatically worshiped by a group of like-minded Shadow Carja elite and his co-High Priests, Gerard is virtually respected by absolutely no one, even by his Ax-Crazy right-hand Erik.
Tilda van der Meer to the Zero Dawn villains
Where most of the prequel's villains were some variation of "ignorant, politically conservative male", Tilda is the opposite of all these things. She upholds more liberal values, including being a lesbian due to her past relationship with Elisabet Sobeck. While Helis, one of the villains that contrasts her, is deeply loyal to Jiran, albeit on the levels of fanaticism, Tilda is portrayed as a defector who hatches a plan to backstab them, betray Gerard, its current leader, and the rest of its members, so that she would intend to use Aloy for the same goal as the Zeniths: leave Earth to Nemesis. Helis serves as Zero Dawn's Climax Boss before HADES, but Tilda serves as the Final Boss after Erik, Forbidden West's Climax Boss. Both Helis and Tilda have some connections to Aloy, but on a differing scale. Helis serves as Aloy's Arch-Nemesis and the main killer of Rost, who knows her because of her thwarting many of the Eclipse's machine-digging operations. Tilda knows Aloy due to being the genetic clone of Elisabet Sobeck, a "superior" version of her former love, where she is less being Aloy's nemesis but her refusal of her questionable offer ultimately made her the personal threat to Aloy at the end.
Erik Visser and Helis
Both are vicious military commanders of their respective organisation, with Helis to the Eclipse and Erik to the Zeniths. Helis is a Psycho Supporter to Jiran during the Red Raids, who willingly carried out atrocities in the name of his devotion to the Mad Sun-King, but he has some tiny semblance of standards. Erik is a pure-and-simple Blood Knight and a textbook Psycho for Hire who takes pleasure in fighting and mass-murdering innocents often with sadism and glee, regardless of who he faces for his entertainment, while showing no remorse for his kills. Their weapons also vastly contrast to one another. With Helis, he uses a sword and a blast sling, while Erik uses advanced weapons including a nanomachine-infused golden blade and a golden hand cannon, as well as him being capable of dishing out various attacks.
Regalla and Dervahl
Both have the same hatred over Jiran's Red Raids, but their motivations and the causes of their villainy are a contrast. Dervahl's Revenge motivation solely started due to the deaths of his daughter and his wife from the Sun-Ring. Regalla's vengeance was catalyzed by the deaths of her younger brothers after they were burned alive by Jiran. Dervahl, while a Gadgeteer Genius who uses technologies he invented like the Sonic Device, as well as machine lures, in order to gain advantage against his opponents, is a warrior with combat experience, but he has limited understanding of ancient technology. Regalla is a battle-hardened warrior with years of actual combat and battle experience in line with her Tenakth heritage, but also having some understanding of ancient technology thanks to Sylens. Both also wanted to kill Avad and commit genocide against the Carja, albeit for different reasons. Dervahl wants to bomb Meridian with piles of Blaze bombs stored inside a warehouse, to turn the capital ablaze and kill Avad. Regalla through Asera strikes a deal with Sylens, plans an invasion to the Memorial Grove to usurp Hekarro and subsequently use her army of rebels and overridden machines to invade Meridian unaware that she was being used by Sylens as fodder for the attack of the Zenith base. While Dervahl remained unrepentant after being defeated by Aloy, complete with gloating, Regalla's defeat was portrayed in a more sympathetic light as her death scene at the end with the Tenakth honoring including Hekarro showed that they honored her despite the atrocious acts she committed throughout the game.
Horizon Forbidden West: The Burning Shores
Walter Londra to the Zeniths and Tilda
Despite being a member of Far Zenith (themselves a contrast to HADES, the Eclipse and the machines from the first game), he’s visually distinct compared to Erik, Gerard, and Tilda, looking more aged and "natural" compared to their uncanny agelessness. While his plot also involves getting off-world before NEMESIS arrives, he also takes the opportunity to exploit the Quen’s worship of the Old Ones to set himself up as a cult leader. And in contrast to the other Zeniths, he's willing to take some of the locals with him. He "auditions" his followers to select those with personalities like those of his old inner circle, including his lost love, and then plans to escape the coming apocalypse on a new planet with his new retinue, ruling as a god over an utterly compliant population comprised of clones of his other followers. While he is also a Final Boss, he uses an ancient Horus during his boss battle, in contrast to Tilda who used an appropriately futuristic Specter Prime exoframe in her own boss battle.
Quen Devotees and Eclipse
While both cultist organizations worship a specific "deity", with the Eclipse and the Shadow Carja worshiping the rogue AI HADES as the "Buried Shadow", the Devotees worship Londra, a "God" who is a human in flesh and blood. The Eclipse members are seen as Always Chaotic Evil, whereas the Devotees, especially the ones given the faulty MSP treatment by Londra, are seen as Brainwashed and Crazy, and with the ones who were subjected to the improved treatment are submissive and compliant.
Zeth and Helis
Both serve as The Dragon to the main villain, with Zeth to Londra and Helis to HADES. While Helis is the commander of the Red Raids with a vicious personality and having a fanaticism to Jiran, Zeth is a member of the Quen's Eastern Expedition who is known for his temper amongst his shipmates. Helis uses a blast sling and a sword in combat, while Zeth uses a futuristic Specter Gauntlet and his raw strength. Both are also extremely fanatical, but Helis is fanatically devoted to Jiran, the Mad Sun-King of the Carja, while Zeth is fanatically devoted to Walter Londra, an affluent business magnate and a member of Far Zenith.
