The Genshin Impact community is pretty divided when it comes to Paimon, the Traveler's aide since the start of the game. Regardless of her status among players, it seems Paimon may be hiding a dark secret from everyone. Some characters in Genshin Impact have pretty interesting names, quite a few of which are derived from demons from The Lesser Key of Solomon, a 17th century grimoire on Demonology. Among the 72 demons listed in the grimoire, one in particular stands out: King Paimon.

King Paimon is one of the nine Kings of Hell, and one of Lucifer's most loyal devotees. He is usually invoked either to gain knowledge or power over the physical world and is said to teach all arts, philosophy, sciences, and "secret things." King Paimon originates in Arabic mythology, where he is originally a djinni, a supernatural creature that can grant wishes when summoned.

RELATED: How Fans Are Turning Genshin Impact Into a Rhythm Game

Who Is Genshin Impact's Paimon?paimon genshin impact

King Paimon is pretty powerful, to say the least. However, the same cannot be said of Genshin Impact's Paimon. The game's Paimon notably differs from her demonic counterpart, though nothing is known of her backstory at the moment. She was simply fished out of a lake by the Traveler and has served as a guide for them ever since. Paimon isn't notably intimidating, wise, commanding, or powerful. She's just a small, floating fairy-type being that aids the Traveler. However, it's possible she knows more than she's letting on, and considering the powers of her demonic counterpart, nothing is off the table.

Paimon is not the only character in Genshin Impact to share a name with demons. Every god has its own Goetic name either derived or directly lifted from the Ars Goetia, one of five parts of The Lesser Key of Solomon. Deities like Morax, Baal, and Barbatos serve as Archons, the gods of each region of Teyvat. Meanwhile, other gods like Andrius and Istaroth have been relegated to their own roles and were largely forgotten over time. This all begs the question: Why does Paimon have a Goetic name?

RELATED: Genshin Impact: How to Solve Mona's Astral Puzzles

Genshin's Paimon Might Have Her Own Plans

The Unknown God from Genshin Impact

It’s possible that Paimon herself is secretly a devilish god taking after her namesake, but that she's currently struggling with a loss of power. The gods in Genshin Impact are known to physically and mentally grow and decline with their power level (derived from the belief of their followers), and it's possible that Paimon has gone through something similar. Perhaps Paimon was once a powerful corrupted god, caught up in a calamity that ended with her losing both her power and her memory.

Popular fan theories state that Paimon may actually be the Unknown God responsible for separating the protagonist from their sibling at the beginning of the game. While that's certainly possible, the similarities largely start and end with her physical appearance. It seems unlikely that Paimon is the Unknown God, but what if Paimon's origin was instead more sinister? Rather than being the Unknown God, it’s possible Paimon is a separate deity with an agenda that could rival the threat posed by the Unknown God or any of the current ruling Archons.

RELATED: Genshin Impact: The Best Kazuha Build

It's possible that Paimon orchestrated her meeting with the traveler after witnessing the attack at the beginning of the game. Perhaps she intends to take advantage of the Traveler and their ability to harness any element without the necessary Vision. If that is the case, then this current low point may only be temporary, leaving open the possibility of her regaining her power and resuming her mission.

Many powerful deities in Genshin Impact derive their names from demons from The Lesser Key of Solomon. Some gods partially match their demon namesake thematically, but Paimon currently isn't a god at all -- at least not that players are aware of. The gods in Genshin Impact aren't inherently good, and it's worth noting that, being a djinn in origin, King Paimon is not inherently good nor bad either. Genshin Impact's Paimon seems to have a pretty good moral compass for the most part, but that doesn't mean she can't undergo changes in her morality over the course of the story. If Paimon is anything like her Goetic counterpart remains to be seen, but if she is, she might just be sitting on a devilish secret that threatens to change everything.