Deliverance 2 Left One Stone Unturned That Legacy of the Forge Has to Pick Up

Henry’s story in the Kingdom Come: Deliverance series has always been deeply personal, with the overarching narrative even kicking off with a tragedy that would understandably be hard for anyone to bear: a raid on his homestead and the death of his parents. Early in the first Kingdom Come: Deliverance, Henry’s adoptive father Martin forges a special longsword intended for Sir Radzig Kobyla, after which Henry promises to deliver it. Unfortunately, the sword is stolen during the raid, setting Henry on a quest for vengeance. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 continues that story, giving Henry an opportunity to exact his revenge upon Sir Istvan Toth and retrieve his father’s sword.

Needless to say, despite the fact that both of Henry’s parents were taken from him in the raid on Skalitz, almost all of Kingdom Come: Deliverance story thus far has centered around Martin, leaving Henry’s mother with minimal exposition. However, with Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2‘s Legacy of the Forge expansion on the horizon, there may be a chance for the series to give Henry’s mother the attention she deserves. As Legacy of the Forge aims to take players back to Martin’s early days as a blacksmith, it would be a great opportunity to shed some light on Henry’s mother, perhaps even finally giving her a name in the process.

Legacy of the Forge Should Finally Address Henry’s Mother

The Missing Piece in Henry’s Story

From the opening hours of the first game, players meet Henry’s father and see his influence over Henry’s early life. His mother, on the other hand, is basically treated as a side character, despite her death being a major variable in Henry’s quest for revenge. She is not given a name, nor a backstory, and there is no mention of her beyond the fact that she exists. With how committed Kingdom Come: Deliverance is to realism and history, it’s odd, to say the least, that Henry’s mother would be left out like this. In an effort to fill that void, fans have speculated on the history of Henry’s mother, with the most popular theory being that Henry is the illegitimate son of Lord Radzig, born from an unspoken romance or fleeting affair with her.

If it wasn’t enough for the first game to leave Henry’s mother in the dust, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 continues to omit her, signifying it as an intentional choice that was perhaps made to keep the focus on the sequel’s political narrative. On the other hand, it could be that the series has left her out of the story up to this point in order to save it for a moment where it might be most relevant, most groundbreaking, and most impactful. Legacy of the Forge could be that moment.

How Legacy of the Forge Can Fill the Gap

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2‘s Legacy of the Forge DLC is already positioned to revisit Henry’s roots, with an emphasis on rebuilding his father’s blacksmithing legacy. While there will obviously be a focus on his father throughout the narrative, it’s also the perfect opportunity for the series to explore his mother’s backstory, potentially through reflections, revelations, and flashbacks. Perhaps Henry finds an old letter hidden in the rubble of the forge, an old trinket with a noble crest that all but confirms the theory about her affair with Lord Radzig, or even an unexpected visit from someone who knew her. Even finally hearing her name for the first time would make her role in Henry’s life mean more than it does now.

Of course, this is likely to mean far more to hardcore Kingdom Come: Deliverance fans who have not only played both games but have also remained invested in the overarching story. Nevertheless, Legacy of the Forge including Henry’s mother in its story could finally resolve one of the series’ biggest mysteries, finally giving players, Henry, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance‘s narrative closure.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

10/10

Released

February 4, 2025

ESRB

Mature 17+ // Use of Alcohol, Blood and Gore, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity

Developer(s)

Warhorse Studios

Engine

CryEngine