Genshin Impact: Why the Tsaritsa Contradicts Venti and Zhongli

The central contradiction between the Tsaritsa's military campaign and the passive compliance of Venti and Zhongli comes down to their differing assessments of Celestia's retaliation. As the two remaining original rulers of the Seven from the Archon War, Barbatos (Venti) and Morax (Zhongli) witnessed the cataclysm firsthand and understand the destructive scope of the Heavenly Principles. Rather than confronting divine authority, both elder Archons chose calculated non-resistance. In contrast, the Tsaritsa operates on the premise that Celestia must be actively overthrown through the collected power of all seven Gnoses.

Rebellion Versus Strategic Inaction

The divide between the elder gods and Snezhnaya centers on whether direct defiance liberates Teyvat or triggers its destruction:

The Tsaritsa's Position: The Cryo Archon views Celestia's order as an oppressive framework that must be broken. She deployed the Fatui Harbingers across all nations to confiscate the Gnoses by any means necessary, willingly accepting severe collateral damage to build an arsenal capable of confronting the divine throne.
The Elder Archons' Position: Venti and Zhongli prioritize the survival of their people over challenging higher authority. Having seen the consequences of past divine punishments, both gods avoid direct conflict with the Heavenly Principles, choosing to step aside rather than participate in an offensive war.

Why Venti and Zhongli Surrendered Their Gnoses

Neither elder Archon was overpowered when losing their celestial focus item. Instead, both used Snezhnaya’s campaign to sever their formal ties to Celestia without incurring divine wrath:

Venti’s Exit: In Mondstadt, Venti offered minimal divine resistance when La Signora ambushed him. Given his historical feats—such as reshaping Mondstadt's geography and overthrowing Decarabian—his defeat functioned as a deliberate step down from Celestia's active hierarchy.
Zhongli’s Contract: In Liyue, Morax voluntarily finalized a "contract to end all contracts" with the Tsaritsa via Signora. He traded his Geo Gnosis under confidential terms to guarantee Liyue's transition to mortal rule, stepping away from divine stewardship on his own legal conditions.

By peacefully yielding their Gnoses, both gods offloaded the burden of celestial oversight while letting Snezhnaya bear the entire risk of Celestia's response.

Faction Stances and Systemic Risks

The opposing strategies across Teyvat carry distinct risks for humanity and the stability of the mortal realm.

Archon / Faction	Primary Method	Stated or Implied Objective	Primary Risk to Teyvat
The Tsaritsa (Snezhnaya)	Seizing all seven Gnoses through force and diplomacy	Overthrowing the Heavenly Principles and dismantling the old order	Triggering divine retaliation, Abyssal contamination, or systemic collapse
Venti & Zhongli (Elders)	Feigned defeat and legal contracts to yield Gnoses	Preserving mortal autonomy while avoiding direct divine judgment	Allowing Snezhnaya to provoke an uncontrolled celestial catastrophe
Celestia / Sustainer	Enforcing the Heavenly Principles and deploying divine nails	Preserving cosmic stability and suppressing forbidden knowledge	Imposing destructive purges and permanent stagnation on mortal nations

Primordial Rules and Higher Entities

Story lore framing higher cosmic entities, such as Ronova (associated with the Shade of Death), highlights that Celestia functions on primordial laws that supersede standard Archon authority. Zhongli confirmed in his story quests that he is bound by a ancient contract predating recorded history, prohibiting him from revealing the truth behind Khaenri'ah and Celestia to the Traveler.

If speaking or acting against the Heavenly Principles automatically invites ruin, the Tsaritsa’s war means one of two things: she has discovered a specific mechanism to neutralize divine judgment, or her rebellion is walking straight into the same catastrophic punishment the older Archons chose to avoid.

What to Track in Snezhnaya's Archon Quests

When playing through later Archon Quests, evaluate dialogue concerning the origin of the Gnoses, the nature of the false sky, and Paimon's connection to higher authority:

Verify Snezhnaya's Safeguards: Watch whether the Tsaritsa demonstrates a functional defense against Celestia's direct intervention. If she lacks a countermeasure, the elder Archons' inaction will be validated as necessary self-preservation.
Examine Contract Terms: Note any future revelations regarding Zhongli's final contract with the Tsaritsa, which will clarify what concessions Snezhnaya promised in exchange for the Geo Gnosis.