Zenless Zone Zero Version 2.6, “Encore for an Old Dream,” doesn’t just shower players with rewards — it quietly delivers one of the most thematically rich story beats in the game so far. At the heart of it is a flashy idol group with a deceptively heavy name: Angels of Delusion.
On the surface, they’re performers lighting up New Eridu’s festival stage. Underneath? They’re a carefully crafted narrative device that reflects ZZZ’s core ideas about illusion, control, and survival in a city built on unstable truths.
This deep dive breaks down who the Angels of Delusion really are, their personalities, symbolism, and how their story ties directly into Zenless Zone Zero’s broader mythology — and possibly its future.
Who Are the Angels of Delusion?
The Angels of Delusion are a newly introduced idol faction in Version 2.6, debuting during New Eridu’s Gilded Carrot Day festivities. Unlike traditional combat-focused factions, they exist primarily as cultural icons — performers whose influence comes from visibility, emotion, and narrative framing rather than raw force.
Yet in Zenless Zone Zero, nothing that shines is purely harmless.
Their name alone signals deeper intent:
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“Angels” implies guidance, hope, or salvation
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“Delusion” directly contradicts that — suggesting illusion, manipulation, or false comfort
Together, the Angels of Delusion embody one of ZZZ’s favorite themes: beautiful lies that help people survive harsh realities.
Encore for an Old Dream: Why an Idol Group, Why Now?
Version 2.6’s story is framed around nostalgia, performance, and celebration — a city-wide festival masking deeper anxieties about the future of New Eridu.
The Narrative Purpose of the Festival
In a city constantly threatened by Hollows, corruption, and economic imbalance:
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Festivals act as pressure valves
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Performances become emotional anesthesia
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Idols serve as symbols of stability, even if temporary
The Angels of Delusion aren’t just entertainers — they’re tools of collective distraction. Their presence reinforces how New Eridu copes with existential danger: smile, sing, and don’t look too closely behind the curtain.
Angels of Delusion: Character Profiles & Personalities
Sunna — The Guiding Halo
Sunna presents herself as warm, composed, and reassuring — the kind of idol who makes people feel like everything will be okay.
Narrative Traits
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Calm authority
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Subtle emotional leadership
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Carefully curated kindness
Lore Interpretation
Sunna represents the benevolent face of delusion. She doesn’t lie maliciously — she offers comfort when truth would hurt too much. In ZZZ’s world, that makes her both admirable and dangerous.
Her support-oriented gameplay mirrors this role perfectly: she doesn’t dominate the battlefield, she enables others to function.
Aria — The Voice That Breaks the Illusion
Where Sunna stabilizes, Aria disrupts.
She’s sharper, more emotionally charged, and thematically aligned with anomaly and instability — both narratively and mechanically.
Narrative Traits
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Emotional intensity
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Unfiltered expression
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A sense of internal conflict beneath the performance
Lore Interpretation
Aria feels like the crack in the idol fantasy. Her presence hints that even within manufactured perfection, truth leaks through. She embodies the cost of living inside a lie — and what happens when the mask starts to slip.
Symbolism: Why “Angels of Delusion” Matters in ZZZ Lore
Zenless Zone Zero consistently explores the tension between:
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Reality vs illusion
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Control vs freedom
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Survival vs truth
The Angels of Delusion sit directly at that crossroads.
Performance as Power
In New Eridu:
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Influence isn’t just economic or military
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Narrative control matters just as much
Idols shape how people feel — and feelings dictate behavior. This mirrors real-world propaganda structures and reinforces ZZZ’s cyberpunk DNA.
The Illusion Economy
Polychromes, festivals, and rewards all tie into a system where pleasure and distraction are currency. The Angels of Delusion aren’t outside that system — they are the system, personified.
How They Connect to Broader ZZZ Mythology
Hollow Zero & Manufactured Normalcy
While Hollow Zero represents chaos and existential threat, idol culture represents manufactured normalcy — proof that life is “still okay.”
The contrast is intentional:
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Hollows destroy reality
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Idols reshape perception
Both alter truth — just in opposite ways.
Faction Contrast: Angels of Delusion vs Yunkui Summit
Notably, Pan Yinhu — despite receiving a cosmetic tied to the event — is not part of the Angels of Delusion. His faction, Yunkui Summit, represents grounded survival and practical resilience.
This contrast reinforces the theme:
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Angels of Delusion = emotional escape
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Yunkui Summit = physical survival
New Eridu needs both — but trusting either too much comes with consequences.
Narrative Hooks & Future Story Implications
Version 2.6 quietly plants several hooks:
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Can New Eridu keep relying on illusions to stay stable?
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What happens when the idols stop singing?
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Are the Angels aware of the role they play — or are they trapped in it too?
Aria, in particular, feels positioned for future conflict — either as a catalyst for truth or a casualty of the system she supports.
Why Fans Are Drawn to This Storyline
Lore-driven content like this resonates because:
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It expands the world without heavy exposition
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It rewards players who pay attention to tone and symbolism
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It reframes a “fun event” as meaningful narrative development
Search interest around terms like “Angels of Delusion lore” and “Who are Angels of Delusion in ZZZ” reflects this curiosity — players want to understand what they just experienced.
FAQ: Angels of Delusion & Zenless Zone Zero Lore
Who are the Angels of Delusion in Zenless Zone Zero?
They are an idol faction introduced in Version 2.6, representing illusion, comfort, and cultural influence in New Eridu.
Are Angels of Delusion villains?
Not directly. They’re morally ambiguous — symbols of survival through distraction rather than truth.
Is Pan Yinhu part of Angels of Delusion?
No. He belongs to Yunkui Summit. His event outfit is cosmetic and thematic, not factional.
Do Angels of Delusion connect to Hollow Zero?
Indirectly. They represent the psychological response to Hollow-related instability rather than the threat itself.
Final Thoughts: A Quietly Important Chapter in ZZZ
The Angels of Delusion may arrive wrapped in neon lights and pop music, but their role in Zenless Zone Zero’s story is anything but shallow. They are a mirror — reflecting how New Eridu survives by reshaping reality instead of confronting it.
Version 2.6 proves that ZZZ’s strongest storytelling doesn’t always come from explosions or boss fights — sometimes it comes from a song, a smile, and a lie everyone agrees to believe.
If this is the direction HoYoverse continues to take, Zenless Zone Zero’s lore future looks deceptively bright — and that should make us just a little uneasy.
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