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- Aglaea, dear Aglaea… What has caused your heart to soften?
- — Anaxa to Aglaea during the citizen's assembly in Citizen, Listen to Those Roaring Tides
Aglanaxa is the het ship between Aglaea and Anaxa from the Honkai: Star Rail fandom.
Canon[]
Background[]
Aglaea and Anaxa are both Chrysos Heirs, one having inherited the Coreflame of Romance and the other inheriting the Coreflame of Reason, respectively. Aglaea has already completed this inheritance, while Anaxa is implied to have lost his physical body to become the Reason titan. Mnestia, the Titan of Romance, and Cerces, the Titan of Reason, are explicitly described as lovers.
Aglaea serves as the leader of the heirs adhering to the prophecy, while Anaxa expresses skepticism regarding the legitimacy of the prophecy and strives to distance himself from it, although Aglaea allows other members to study under him due to her respect for his expertise. They occasionally exchange blows and insults.
For instance, Aglaea is able to accurately predict Anaxa's actions in a situation where he is in grave danger. When engaged in conversation with Tribbie and Hyacine in the Chrysos Heirs' Bath, she comments that Hyacine is indeed Anaxa's student, as evidenced by her apparent rationality and her immediate reaction to a fact being one of denial.
Light Slips the Gate, Shadow Greets the Throne[]
After Nikador’s defeat, the Grove of Epiphany sends Hyacine to help treat the injured people for a few days. Just before she heads back, Aglaea plans to contact the Grove about retrieving Cerces’ Coreflame. Hyacine's a bit nervous about it, but Aglaea reassures that she’ll send Trianne as the official messenger with Castorice, who wants to ask him Anaxa some questions, tagging along for support before encouraging the Trailblazer to also visit the Grove. Before the Trailblazer heads out, Aglaea hands them a golden spindle called Weft as a sign of her goodwill and as something to show to the Grove if they encounter some issues.
When they finally reach the Grove of Epiphany, they find it already overrun by the Black Tide with no survivors in sight so they return back and report the situation to Aglaea. Despite the situation, Aglaea insists they keep searching for Anaxa. Tribbie asks how she can be so sure he’s alive. Aglaea says she knows him too well. If he thought he was going to die, he would try to seize the Coreflame and take the Titan down with him. Tribbie thinks she’s joking, but Aglaea says she means it. They strategize on how to deal with the situation. Given how bad the attack was and the condition of the survivor they brought back, Aglaea believes Anaxa is the only one who could have survived.
Later, Trianne reassures everyone that the Grove’s scholars are smart enough to fend off the Black Tide, and if Anaxa is still alive as Aglaea claims, then there’s hope for the others too. Curious, Mem asks why everyone puts so much faith in Anaxa. Castorice explains that Aglaea doesn’t trust Anaxa at all, since he’s a Chrysos Heir who openly rejects the belief in Titans and prophecies, and consistently votes against the Flame-Chase Journey. This surprises Mem, given the Grove’s origins around a Titan. Trianne explains that Cerces is known for being tolerant of new ideas, that’s why even someone like Anaxa is allowed to continue his work. Since she is the only one who could fly, Trianne volunteers to be the one to find him and flies off.
While Trianne was scouting, the group was able to find an echo of Anaxa who leaves a message where they can find the Coreflame and their bodies, so they dread that he might not have survived. They later met a mysterious woman named Calypso who guided them and claimed Anaxa was still alive. Later, they regrouped with Trianne, who reported that the Weft Aglaea gave them was powerful enough that she might have located Anaxa near the treetop though she didn’t get close because there were too many enemies. This confirmed Calypso's claims that Anaxa was at the Luminary Throne, but when Mem turned to look for her to introduce her to Trianne, she had already vanished. Trianne also shows them a burnt cloth she found and using the Weft, found out that the entire Grove gives off a similar aura, so she thinks that Anaxa might have used it to guide them.
The group later learns that Calypso is actually the Titan Cerces, who explains that she split her Coreflame into three, one of which is hidden inside Anaxa's body which is in need of repair. She reveals that he tore apart his own soul to trap the enemies so they won't harm others, which impressed her so much that she decided to save his life. She asks the group to help her reach him so she can restore the Coreflame and uncover who destroyed the Grove. They managed to reignite the Coreflame of Reason and at the top, they find Anaxa slumped on the Luminary Throne with the Flame Reaver standing over him. During the tough battle, Cerces briefly takes over Anaxa’s body to assist, but his body is in terrible shape. Trianne opens the Century Gate to banish the Reaver, and the group retreats back to Okhema to recover.
Later, Anaxa vents his frustrations to the Trailblazer and Castorice. He thinks that while he's safe from the black tide for now, he feels like a prisoner under Aglaea's control and can't leave the city whenever he wants. Anaxa also suspects that Aglaea would want to keep news of the attack on the Grove quiet, which is why he decides to offer his condolences to his colleagues' families first before meeting with her. When Castorice asks if he plans to do it without her knowledge, he retorts that she wouldn’t treat him well even if he behaves and that he doesn’t mind seeing more anger on her face. When a guard tells him she’s unavailable, his first thought is that she’s already ordered his arrest.
After offering his condolences to the grieving families, he says he's lucky he didn't run into Aglaea and then takes his leave. Castorice tells him to be careful and he reassures her that he knows the entire city is covered by her golden threads so he'll be on his best behavior.
Once they managed to fend off the Flame Reaver, the group returned to Okhema to discuss what to do with Oronyx’s Coreflame. Anaxa wasn’t happy about the idea of him speaking with Aglaea again, so Phainon suggested he find a place to rest first since he knows that their meeting would only distract her. Anaxa says that it wasn’t up to him, and he felt like a prisoner since stepping into Okhema as the price he paid for having a Titan inside him. But he reassured him he didn’t want trouble either. The Trailblazer remarked to Phainon that the two of them didn’t get along and Phainon explained that it was due to their differing ideologies, though he admitted it was more complicated than that. He assured the Trailblazer that they’d figure out the intricacies of their relationship sooner or later.
Aglaea notices during their meeting that Anaxa is missing and asks Phainon if it was his decision, which he admits it was as it’s more efficient than letting them argue. While she calls it a rash choice, she agrees with the need for efficiency and suggests putting the issue of Anaxa aside for more pressing matters.
While Anaxa and Cerces discuss about her reason of implanting the Coreflame of Reason inside him and other matters, Aglaea appears to confronts him about his relationship with the Titan Cerces. When Anaxa boldly asks what will happen if he refuses to answer, she coldly warns him that his silence will only lead to his demise. So Anaxa defiantly insults and taunts her about her waning humanity and suggests that she won't kill him because he possesses the Coreflame of Reason, something she can use to stand against the Council of Elders. Cerces awkwardly tries to join their conversation and Anaxa says not to interrupt him, which she ignores and asks if the thought of death is troubling him, before revealing that he is already a cold corpse before she implanted the Coreflame of Reason within him.
Through the Petals in the Land of Repose[]
Aglaea and Castorice catch up after she finishes reading a poetry book the latter lent her. Castorice then start reminiscing about her time studying under Professor Anaxa, whose classes (Alchemy and History of Mythology) were infamous for being tough. Aglaea comments that she can easily imagine the students' dread, especially with someone like him as their teacher, and jokingly assumes that his exams were just as unreasonable as he is. When Castorice asks about their relationship, Aglaea explains that she and him have always been destined to clash due to their opposing beliefs. Despite their differences, she admits to holding a certain respect for him, especially for his nature as a scholar. He’s someone who stays true to his principles even if it means standing against the world and that kind of resolve isn’t something she takes lightly.
Sensing there’s more to the conversation since she can feel her golden spindle trembling, she asks why Castorice really wants to bring up. Castorice then asks what Aglaea intends to do about Anaxa. After his help in the battle against their enemy, the Flame Reaver, Aglaea is willing to give him time to remove the Coreflame that was implanted inside him. However, she makes it clear that if he puts everyone in danger, she won’t hesitate to take extreme action. Still, she trusts that Anaxa will make the right decision. Castorice hopes that he might overcome his limitations now that time is running out for him.
She later senses that Anaxa has initiated contact with the Council of Elders behind their backs.
As he waits for the messenger, Anaxa wakes from what he thinks is a strange and unsettling dream. Cerces appears and warns him that his consciousness will last only fifteen more days and nights and she asks if he truly intends to betray Aglaea's will. Anaxa answers that betrayal isn't possible since he was never loyal to her to begin with.
Anaxa meets with Lygus, an Antikytheran and honorary member of the Council of Elders who, thanks to his ability to perceive the frequency of souls, immediately senses that Aglaea is secretly eavesdropping on their conversation through her threads. He offers to sever the threads to protect his privacy, but Anaxa tells him not to bother, saying it’s better to let her listen. In his eyes, her actions will just end up revealing her own foolishness. When Lygus asks if he has a countermeasure, Anaxa isn't not worried since he’s convinced that spying is the only thing she can do from a distance.
Along the way, he notices how deeply the council members resent Aglaea and are eager to see her overthrown. They're thrilled when they saw him as they believe that with him on their side, their chances of toppling her have greatly improved.
Before meeting Elder Caenis, Cerces notices that Anaxa been avoiding Aglaea and asks why he won’t speak to her directly. He sarcastically tells her to try digging for the answer herself. Taking him up on it, she delves into his memories and uncovers more about her and discovering that he actually holds her in high regard. This catches Anaxa off guard, leaving him momentarily speechless before he regains his composure and insists that, as a teacher, he treats all his students fairly.
Once he meets up with Caenis, he bluntly asks her if she’s ready to start a war with Aglaea since she has slowly and steadily earned most of the citizen's support. Caenis explains that since Aglaea is trying to suppress the common people, they won’t hesitate to stand up for the rights and strength of Okhema’s citizens. She believes everything hinges on the next citizens' assembly where gaining the support of the masses could shift the balance. Caenis sees this as an opportunity for both of them to lead the people back to the ideals of Era Chrysea. They discuss the upcoming danger posed by Aglaea, who wants his Coreflame, and how it will be used as leverage in negotiations. Both acknowledge that they’ll need to work together and make wise decisions to get what they want, with Caenis agreeing to support Anaxa if the terms are fair.
Anaxa explains that Aglaea, having lost much of her humanity, is a dangerous opponent, but her need for him alive for the Titan’s trial means she may not outright kill him. Despite the risks, Anaxa makes it clear that he has no intention of following Aglaea’s path, as he rejects the Titans and their prophecy. He believes that Aglaea's arrogance and authoritarianism are her greatest weaknesses, and he plans to use these to his advantage, and says that she will not easily recover from such a betrayal since the Chrysos Heirs are never united.
Caenis, while acknowledging Anaxa's strategic insight, questions his loyalty and his ability to be trusted, given his history with Aglaea. She wonders if he might betray Okhema in the future, just as he plans to betray Aglaea. Anaxa defends his loyalty, stating that it is unquestionable, but he implies that the Council of Elders must act carefully to maintain their power. He also hints at an alliance with Castorice, Aglaea’s executioner, who may switch sides, giving him further leverage against her.
Lygus interrupts their conversation, revealing that Aglaea is on her way to Dawncloud. This sets up a tense situation, with Anaxa warning Caenis that if Aglaea demands his surrender, the Council’s authority could be destroyed. He suggests that handing him over would mean losing two Coreflames and that Aglaea could use his capture to undermine the Council entirely. Caenis agrees to handle the matter carefully but warns Anaxa not to deceive the people, implying that any trickery will have consequences. Anaxa remains confident in his plan, and the conversation ends with a sense of uneasy cooperation between the two.
After hearing news from Dan Heng and Hyacine that Anaxa might be trying to do something with Kephale's divine body, Phainon worries about what Anaxa and the Council of Elders might do. Aglaea says that Anaxa is called the "Great Performer" who is capable of fooling everyone with his tricks for nothing surmises that they can take advantage of Anaxa's desires and react to whatever Caenis has planned.
Later, Krateros delivers the news to Phainon and the Trailblazer that the Flame Reaver is back, but when they tried to inform Aglaea, they found out that Caenis has already called for a Council. During the gathering, Caenis gives a rousing speech to rally the people, then shocks everyone by announcing that both Anaxa and Castorice have joined the Council of Elders. Aglaea curtly greets Anaxa, and he pointedly asks if she can still talk to the people the way she once did. Together, he and Caenis persuade the crowd that the Council of People will lead Amphoreus back into the golden age of Era Chrysia and shape a new future by killing the Titan Thanatos. Phainon and Anaxa briefly debate whether the latter can truly kill the Titan and protect Okhema from the Flame Reaver and the Black Tide. After that, Aglaea challenges Anaxa directly, asking if he can even prove that Thanatos exists. Anaxa sarcastically thanks her for still caring about the city and announces that Castorice holds the key to finding the missing god. Caenis then promises to keep the Coreflame of Death safe and ends the debate with a passionate speech. Anaxa taunts Aglaea that she doesn't seem as sharp as she used to be. Aglaea snaps at him to shut his mouth, and firmly declares that the Flame-Chase journey has already been set in motion so they won’t fail. Anaxa just smirks and replies that they’ll see at the citizens' assembly.
After the debate, Aglaea confronts Castorice, questioning why she sided with the Council of Elders. Castorice explains her reasoning, revealing that Anaxa showed her visions of the past and proof that Amphoreus moves in cycles. She admits she’s aware that the Council of Elders, like Aglaea, seeks the Coreflame of Death and that their plan with Anaxa is to suspend the Flame-Chase once the Coreflame is recovered. But despite that, she insists she can’t pass up the opportunity to uncover the truth and find the missing Titan.
The fifteenth hour arrived and the debate is almost to the end. Meanwhile, after enduring a long and arduous journey, Castorice finally reunited with her sister and awakened as the Titan of Death, confirming the truth on Anaxa’s conjecture.
Anaxa have a brief chat with Phainon, and correctly guesses that what he really wants to ask if Aglaea is making the right decision in entrusting the fate of the world to him. Anaxa retorts if he sees himself as a pawn of Aglaea and turns the question back on Phainon, telling him to ask himself what should he do instead. He adds, with a hint of irony, that the answer should be given to those who still believe in gods. During Phainon's speech, he reveals that Okhema stayed safe from calamity because Aglaea had been tirelessly and quietly holding everything together with her golden threads, which clearly ruffles Anaxa. He also calls out the Council of Elders as being “infested with vermin” for slandering Aglaea and claiming she’d abandoned the people, all while giving her no support. The speech throws fuel on an already divided crowd, and when it comes time to vote, the results end in a perfect tie leaving Anaxa with the deciding vote. Before casting his vote, Anaxa turns to Aglaea and asks if she will stand by the outcome no matter what. She doesn't promise anything as to not influence his decision so he thanks her for her honesty.
Castorice telepathically contacts Anaxa just in time to confirm that she has the proof he was waiting for. With that, he makes a grand show of casting his vote in favor of continuing the Flame-Chase journey. The decision catches Caenis off-guard since she had not expected the betrayal, while Phainon and Aglaea are visibly relieved.
Anaxa and Caenis have a falling out over what she sees as a betrayal, and he taunts that he never said he will join their side. He then addresses the assembly with an unexpected announcement. He says he still has doubts about the Flame-Chase journey and questions whether the promised Era Nova will really lead to a world free of suffering, which makes Aglaea huff in frustration. Wanting to make one final lesson, Anaxa scans the crowd and asks if anyone can truly swear the prophecy is real. He calls out a few people before stopping at Phainon, who asks what he’s doing but Aglaea tells him to let him finish his performance. Anaxa then taunts that they can’t even stand by the promise they claim to uphold. Then, with full certainty, he declares that the prophecy is true and reveals the hidden truth of the world: the Titans were once Chrysos Heirs, and the current Heirs will become the Titans of the next Era. In the end, everyone will enter the new world under the Worldbearer's protection.
Caenis is furious at his revelation, enraged by the idea that they will be worshipped as Titans in the next era. She accuses him of deceiving everyone with lies. But Anaxa turns the moment around by shouting to the crowd that the Council of Elders approved his experiment to fuse his own soul with Kephale's. He declares that by committing such blasphemy, he deserves nothing but death, and that the Council should also be punished for helping him carry it out. Caenis denies any knowledge of this while Aglaea stands silently watching the drama unfold.
Lygus steps forward and asks Aglaea to oversee Anaxa's judgment since she holds the highest authority present as the only demigod. Aglaea agrees and announces that a committee will be formed to investigate the Council of Elders. As for Anaxa, since he has confessed to committing grave blasphemy against Kephale, she gives the people a chance to voice their opinion on whether he should be pardoned or have his sentence reduced. The crowd answers with a unanimous chant for his death. Hearing their voices, Aglaea pauses and is slightly shaken, so Anaxa asks her why she is hesitating. She then regains her composure and proceeds to call out his punishment.
Before his demise, Aglaea and Anaxa shared one final conversation. Anaxa had already anticipated that she would seize power during the crisis, remarking that she had "performed as expected." He says that he may have lost an eye, but knows that her humanity is nearly gone and she's not different from his current state as a walking corpse. Aglaea affirms this, saying that she burnt herself out over a thousand years. Knowing this is their last chance to speak, Anaxa offers to bury the hatchet and asks her to resonate their coreflames together. While he had predicted that she had lost much of her humanity over the years, he’s so shocked by just how thinned her soul has become that he calls her insane. She simply says that just as he lugs his own corpse for his his unfinished goals, she must continue leading the Flame-Chase even if she’s become only a shell of who she once was. This causes him to lament that the conflict between them could have been avoided if they had simply spoken honestly with each other earlier. In the end, they both agree that Phainon will make a better leader for what's to come. They also share a mutual opinion that his fashion sense is terrible. Aglaea jokingly remarks that they've finally found common ground at the end of their destined paths and he wants to take his opinion back when she puts it that way. Phainon then comes in with the Trailblazer. Aglaea hopes that Phainon didn’t hear his earlier comments and he says that it wouldn’t be the first time he criticized him and he should be aware of his own flaws.
Later, he gives Phainon one final lecture and warns him that he better not dare to disappoint Aglaea's expectations of him. Anaxa says all he has to say and tells everyone goodbye hoping they meet again in the next life. Aglaea also says her farewells followed by the Trailblazer.
After speaking with Cerces one last time, Anaxa pulls out the Coreflame keeping him alive while Aglaea witness the execution unfold before her without flinching.
Quotes[]
- Main article: Aglanaxa/Quotes
Fanon[]
Although discussed and cherished by some fans from the very outset of the Amphoreus arc, this pairing gained increased popularity following the 3.1 patch, as it marks Anaxa's first appearance in the main storyline. The dynamic of rivals with a complicated relationship captivates many, while others imagine the two as former lovers. The fact that they are both Heirs to Titans who were in a romantic relationship with one another adds an additional layer to their dynamic, not to mention the intrigue stemming from their standing. Additionally, the potential for the impending doom that awaits all Flame-Chasers involved piques the curiosity of many fans.
Aglaea and Anaxa have a dynamic that fans often describe as a divorced couple, with many liking the idea that Phainon is their son who tries to keep the peace between them. Following the release of Hyacine's Keeping Up with Star Rail trailer, Hyacine being their therapist or even their unofficial marriage counselor quickly became popular.
Since Cerces is stuck in Anaxa’s mind after implanting her Coreflame inside him and watching his chaotic rivalry with Aglaea, plus being the lover of the former Titan of Romance (Mnestia), fans love to imagine Cerces trying to pair the two up whether they want it or not, much like how fans joke about Jing Yuan matchmaking Yunli and Yanqing together.
There has been some pushback against this ship from shippers who prefer to pair them with other heirs of the same sex due to the headcanon that Aglaea is a lesbian and Anaxa, being a variant of Su from Honkai Impact 3rd, is thought of to be gay. In particular, Aglanaxa and Phainaxa shippers quickly clashed after the 3.1 patch when the ship quickly gained popularity. Phainaxa shippers hoped Phainon and Anaxa would mirror the dynamic of KevinSu, but were disappointed by their different dynamic and Aglaea and Anaxa were given more in-game interactions and paired in some marketing materials instead.
It is also one of the most popular het ships among the Amphoreus cast.
It currently has 149 romantic works and 35 platonic works on AO3.
Fandom[]
- FAN FICTION
- Aglaea/Anaxa tag on AO3
- Aglaea & Anaxa tag on AO3
- Aglanaxa hashtag on Twitter
- Anaglaea hashtag on Twitter
- アナアグ hashtag on Twitter
- アグアナ hashtag on Twitter
- 夏雅 hashtag on Twitter
- TIKTOK
- Aglanaxa tag on TikTok
- Aglanaxa posts on TikTok
- Anaglaea tag on TikTok
- Anaglaea posts on TikTok
Trivia[]
- Aglaea's outfit features numerous floral motifs, even though plant life is more commonly associated with Cerces, the Titan of Reason. Interestingly, Cerces' human form bears a strong resemblance to Aglaea.
- Due to the undisclosed price paid by Aglaea for her ascension to demigod status, her heart is gradually losing its capacity to experience emotion, becoming increasingly cold. Conversely, prior to the implantation of the Coreflame into his body, Anaxa was already a "silent, cold corpse" due to altercation between him and the Flame Reaver at the Grove.
- In a readable featuring regular correspondence between the Grove of Epiphany and Okhema[1], the only school that did not submit any reports is the one led by Anaxa, the Nousporists.
- Aglaea is one of the few characters who usually refers to him by his full name, it’s only in rare moments where she uses Anaxa. Interestingly, Anaxa never corrects her when she chooses not to use his full name. She also calls him "The Great Performer" a few times during the main quests.
- While both may not get along with each other and their ideologies are different, it's later shown that both actually secretly respect each other due to their steadfast beliefs.
- After finishing the "Witch Mirrored Reversal" quest, Aglaea's dialogue towards Anaxa updates where she reflects on her past resentment toward Anaxagoras, acknowledging his powerful ideas and dedication to truth. Despite their differences, she now respects him as a remarkable scholar and hopes he finds what he sought in the new world.
- Anaxa has two lines about Aglaea, one unlocked after completing the "Witch Mirrored Reversal" quest. In this, he says he’s never believed in vague divine prophecies or wanted to be bound by duty, and that stance hasn’t changed. However, he admits that he respects her for maintaining her beliefs for a thousand years.
- The relationship chart between the two shifts from dissenter to comrades in 3.2, indicating that they had genuinely come to understand each other before Anaxa’s death.
- In the 2nd Astral Express Annual Trailblaze Report event, Aglaea and Anaxa have special voicelines that trigger when they ride the roller coaster together. Interestingly, they do not engage in interactions with any other characters beyond the Trailblazer and one another.
- In the CHRYSOS magazine series, the majority of the volumes are styled by Aglaea. However, Anaxa's[2] was styled by himself.
- Regrettably and ironically, they were the only two Amphoreus characters whose themes were not performed at Honkai: Star Rail Concert 2025.
- Both are featured in a HoyoLab event called "Amphoreus Event: Dromas Shopping Frenzy." In this event, the player is tasked with helping Phainon and Anaxa purchase the Dromas products he wants, all while staying within a limited budget that is overseen by Aglaea. In the dialogue they still share the same sentiment when it comes to Phainon's fashion sense as Aglaea quietly removes the pants from the options, and Anaxa jokes that he can't be trusted with outfits. The art shows Aglaea glaring in the background at Anaxa, who is admiring the Dromas figures in front of him.
- In Hyacine's Keeping Up with Star Rail, Aglaea and Anaxa first appear together during the introduction sequence. They are featured as Owlbert explains Hyacine’s role in mending relationships, specifically during the segment addressing the "stubborn afflictions of fate" and "seemingly unsolvable conflicts." The location where they appear is the same site where Mnestia’s threads intertwine with the roots of Cerces and where the Romantic Nymph is found.
Gallery[]
- Main article: Aglanaxa/Gallery
