Thinking about how KCD1 and 2 are both set in 1403 is always crazy to me. Because at the beginning of KCD 2, you have Henry telling Hans that he's behaving like a spoiled brat (which he is, absolutely).
But when you start KCD1, which, again, happened that same year, you have big baby Henry, who would whine to his Ma about being hungry, who also would run to his Ma when he had a booboo because some drunk beat him up, and who gets pocket money from his Pa to go woo his girl at the tavern.
And it breaks my heart to think about how fast Henry had to grow up after losing everything in Skalitz. He was so unprepared for everything that was thrown at him. The only things he had going for him to face his new reality were a braveness that verges on madness and maybe a certain way with people – Because he was Skalitz’s beloved boy. Beloved by his parents, obviously, but also by most of the villagers who all seemed fond of him. But then, after the raid, he didn't even have the support of those people anymore, because they were either dead or had lost everything.
After Skalitz, the remaining villagers needed him to find them jobs to survive. And the people at Rattay did eventually warm up to him, but it was a slow process. And for that to happen, he had to chase and kill bandits for them, or to steal things for them and join them in their shady business. Such a stark contrast to the favors people would ask from him back in Skalitz, like throwing dung at people's houses for shittalking the king.
But among everyone else who needed him for vital or grim reasons, there was Hans and his silly requests. Hans, who needed him to fetch wine and flowers, and to be his wingman to woo a girl. Hans, who wanted him to take part in a tourney and pretend to be his page to get his uncle off his back. Hans, who despite their rocky start and class divide, was one of the people who warmed up to him the quickest, and who essentially reminded Henry that the days when his actions didn't have to have life or death stakes and could be just mischievous fun weren't gone completely.
"A bad day is just a bad day and it doesn't mean that your whole life is fucked" That piece of wisdom from Hans in KCD2, it’s Hans who makes Henry realize that in KCD1, during the earliest and darkest days of his grief.
Fast forward to KCD2, it's now Hans who has to grow up too fast, when he's first brutally stripped of the privileges of his status, and then is thrown into a losing battle against Sigismund and his allies.
If KCD1 is Henry's coming of age story, KCD2 is Hans's. He goes from making Henry do his share of his work, to wishing he could be the one to save Henry for once(*). He also goes from thinking that hauling sacks is beneath him to volunteering to dig graves. And he learns to accept responsibility for what happened at the pond.
Up until KCD2, Hanush was always nearby to handle serious matters for Hans as his guardian. Delivering that message to Von Bergow is Hans's first time in a leading position.
He thinks he's ready, but almost immediately, he makes a mistake that gets his men killed, and puts him in a situation where people won't recognize his status because he doesn't look the part. That mistake almost gets him hanged, one of the lowliest deaths, even for a peasant. It reminds him of the precariousness of his status, which he has been taking for granted.
Then, when his status is acknowledged again, he realizes it makes him a bargaining chip more than anything. And he is a bargaining chip both to his enemies, who will capture him for a ransom, but also to his allies who, will marry him off without his input to reinforce their political standing.
And through all of this, the one person who stayed loyal to him was Henry. Henry did everything in his power to save him when no one else was on his side because they took him for a mere poacher. Then he found that while his allies mostly care about what they can gain or lose from him, Henry only cares about keeping him safe, and it's not because it's his duty, but because he cares about him, plain and simple.
In KCD1, Henry, who was used to a carefree life, suddenly has to take on responsibilities that are too heavy for him (or anybody, really). But Hans reminds him that his carefree days aren't completely gone.
In KCD2, Hans thinks that inheriting Rattay will open a smooth path to glory for him, but the following events quickly disillusion him about that. But he also finds that there is someone he can always rely on, and it's Henry, and it's not because he's a noble but because of his person.
They were each other's beacon in their darkest times. The way they complete each other, it's really no surprise that they fell in love along the way.
(*) Never mind that he did save Henry multiple times, but I think what he means is that he wishes he could take on some dangerous tasks so that Henry wouldn't be the one who has to risk his life all the time.
🐶 HENRY REFERENCE SHEET by @serevarin
credit to Armads and other wonderful people from Luke Dale's Discord server who contributed screenshots to our community.
soooooo behold, hansry community! reference list for henry's head! enjoy!
besides, here's my analysis of henry's facial features. it may be really helpful for artists painting in semi-realism or just wanting to learn his features! i also struggle with learning his facial structure SO YALL ARE NOT ALONE GUYS
(i'm bad at creating tutorials lmaooo, hope my writing is readable haha. i'll soon create a similar thing for hans, so stay tuned)
credit to Armads and other wonderful people from Luke Dale's Discord server & Tumblr who contributed screenshots to our community!
enjoy! :~) i will soon release another version "henry VS hans face comparison"
is it just me or is it EXTREMELY HARD to draw his face?? his face is literally more difficult than Mona Lisa's?? it's so harrrrd to get him just right (but can we all just admit that he's henry's beautiful princess)
So I was making some potions, and needed more Buck's blood (really helps in fights if you're struggling btw) and I couldn't help but notice that the base for it is...
Couldn't stop thinking about the hidden book - and Hal's suggestion to take a look at Hans' arrow wound 🫠
Btw did you notice that there is a bucket with blood stained cloth next to the bed's foot? And AGAIN I dunno if this was added with the patch or not 👀✨
I just restarted KCD2 and now, with the knowledge of what will happen, something has picked my interest...
(and of course, it's about hansry again!)
The scene, after Henry falls down the cliff and is carried through the woods by Hans, is very interesting. Henry starts to hallucinate (Idk if it’s because of the fall, the pain, the bleeding wound or all combined) about the most traumatic moment in his still young life - the fall of his home and the death of his parents. He has to relive all these gruesome memories once again - all the deaths and horrible things he had to witness, like the slaughtering of his own parents... The life he only knew was taken away from him in a mere minutes-long bloodbath and all of this he had to see once again in front of his inner eye - with just one little difference: Hans.
With Henry babbling in pain because of his trauma, Hans is there and always tries to shield these memories away - tries to break the cycle. He constantly tries to bring Henry back to reality - telling him that he is not alone, that he doesn’t have to be scared and that everything is alright. He also tries to counter the blame Henry places on himself. When Henry says that he betrayed his parents, Hans reminds him that he never had done this to him.
He chooses to never talk about a hypothetical third person - he just speaks about himself. Henry never let him down. He is there for Henry. They can do this together. Hans provides Henry with an anchor - something he can really feel and see, because Hans is right there. That’s nothing to hallucinate about, it’s something undeniable and that’s exactly what Henry needs in this moment because of his condition. Something real, something he can hold on, so he doesn’t lose himself in this nightmare.
Hans is like Henry’s lifeboat in this situation. He not only carries him physically but also mentally through this life-or-death situation. He is the reason why Henry isn’t losing himself and makes it through the night. And not just that, he also shows Henry a different ending to this gruesome day.
Originally, Henry had to leave everything behind - to flee - scared and alone. But this time, Hans was there. He didn’t lose him and he wasn’t alone - they made it together. Even if everything else was lost, they still have each other. This alone will give them a reason to live through tomorrow and many days beyond - to look forward.
And right there, a light is shining through Henry’s dark dream - breaking the hallucination and leading him back to reality. The whole scene where they see the light in the distance is very beautiful, because for Henry, there is not just the real shine from the cabin, it’s also Hans. His acknowledgment of "the light" is not just related to the light in the distance, it’s also Hans - he is the light that leads him out of these bad memories - back to reality. Where he isn’t alone anymore and hope will shine even through the darkest night.
If you think about it, the "heart" options were never flirty. They aren't flattering compliments or smug comments - they are statements. Henry talks about real emotions and fears here. "I'm worried for you", "I care about you", "I think we didn't talk enough" - Henry doesn't want to flatter Hans, he isn't even thinking about that. Tbh, I would say he doesn't even intend for a single second to be "romantic" with Hans. Everything he says is not because he wants to flirt - he is just honest. Those are Henry's real emotions, we chose here.
Something was starting to hit me there—especially after Henry awakened the next day. The first thing he wanted to know from the strange woman he had never seen before in his life, who could potentially be an enemy, was: "What is with Hans?", "Will he make it?", "Will you help him?" He wasn't worried about himself or even aware of his own pain at first, until he was sure about what happened to Hans. Even after he realized and felt that his own body was in bad condition, he got up to help his friend. That's when I started to realize that Hans's romance didn't begin with the choice of the first heart option—because there was never a way for the player to influence the development of emotions or to stop them. They were already there, and the only decision we were allowed to make was whether to give Hans the courage to show them openly in the end and for Henry to understand them.
The other options are mostly jokes or "don't worry" comments - things he says to hide his own fears or to brush off a situation. Statements like "oh come on, just stop talking and move on" don't sound like Henry at all. Henry is caring and nice, he is helpful and always tries to be fair. He fights with his own demons, but he will always put himself aside to fight for someone else's rights. He can be a bit foolish, but he wants to learn as much as possible and listen to people's stories.
For me, it looks like the only "real" romance option is the last one. And even there, it's not about the first interaction or the first kiss - these goes straight to Hans. But he wouldn't have done it without our help to ensure Henry stays true to himself, his emotions, and Hans. What we choose as players is not to romance Hans, we choose for Henry to realize the true nature of his own feelings.
When he pulls away from the first kiss and takes a few steps back, you can see his confusion. He isn't disgusted or angry, he isn't even scared about "the sin" they just committed. He is just confused because we helped him realize why he did all those things. None of what Henry ever said to Hans was smug or even particularly romantic, he just always spoke the truth. He spoke from his heart about things he genuinely felt and it didn't feel specifically romantic because they were just honest emotions. Henry never worried about what he said - he never feared hiding his feelings because it felt natural to talk this way to Hans. There was never a reason to hide anything.
Henry wears his heart on his sleeve whenever he talking with Hans and that's why he just now realizes what all of this means - for Hans, for himself, for both of them and their future. Only then our choices take effect, only then does Henry kiss Hans and follow his feelings. I wouldn't say that, at this point, he fully understands what this is between them, but he is willing to follow this path. He isn't disgusted or afraid, he expects whatever this new, clearer situation is - even if he can't put a name to it yet. He wants to continue and follow his heart, he isn't running away, which is something Henry always reminds himself and others not to do. He will never run away again and he isn't doing it now or in the future. Whatever comes next, Henry is willing to face it because there is nothing to regret. He didn't run away, he was honest and he wanted this - even if he just now realizes it.
Just a little random note for the end, that I think is very interesting: Hans's romance is not a side quest, it's completely intertwined with the main campaign. Every important decision Henry made with him took place in the main quest. Sure, you sometimes didn't necessarily have to speak to him, but the dialogues still occurred during main events. For example, during the robbery - you don't have to talk to Hans, but the dialogue happens there.
In contrast, with Katherine or Rosa, you have to do some side activities, which makes their stories feel more excluded. Hans's romance is part of the main story, which really gives this route a more canon-vibe than the girls' romances.
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