As a dedicated Trailblazer, I've been following the whispers and leaks about Penacony's enigmatic figure, Sunday, with bated breath. The buzz in the community has been absolutely electric, and the latest intel suggests we won't have to wait as long as we thought to welcome him aboard the Astral Express. The world of Penacony has already blessed us with some phenomenal characters—Black Swan's elegant mystery, Robin's inspiring melodies, and Firefly's radiant warmth. Even Acheron and Sparkle have become total meta staples, you know, the real MVPs of my MoC teams. But Sunday? He's been the one that got away, the final piece of the Penacony puzzle, and it seems HoYoverse is finally ready to deal the card, and sooner than expected!

Let's talk about the main event. According to the latest drip from the ever-reliable Seele Leaks, Sunday is currently slated for a Version 2.6 debut. This is a significant shift from earlier predictions that had him pegged for Version 2.7. The leaker's wording is pretty confident, barring something "unexpected" throwing a wrench in the works. Doing the math, this puts his expected arrival window somewhere in late October 2026. Talk about a spooky season surprise! This early release is a game-changer for my saving plans. I was mentally preparing for a longer grind, but now I know I need to tighten my belt and be extra frugal with my Stellar Jades.

This accelerated timeline is fascinating because it comes hot on the heels of our current revisit to the Xianzhou Luofu. Let me break down the recent and upcoming patch schedule that sets the stage for Sunday's grand entrance:

Patch Version	Theme	Key Characters	My Personal Notes
Version 2.4	Return to Luofu	Yunli, Jiaoqiu, March 7th (Hunt)	A solid patch, but I skipped to save for bigger fish.
Version 2.5	Luofu Continuation	Feixiao, Lingsha, Moze	Confirmed trio. The hype is real, but my wallet is crying.
Version 2.6	Penacony's Finale?	SUNDAY (Expected)	ALL HANDS ON DECK. SAVING MODE: ACTIVATED.

Now, the earlier release has stirred the pot regarding his actual kit. For the longest time, the community consensus was that Sunday would be an Imaginary Harmony character. It made perfect sense given his calm, orchestrating role in the Penacony story. However, recent leaks from the same source have thrown a curveball, suggesting his launch Element might not be Imaginary after all. No concrete alternative has been given, which has the theory-crafting side of the fandom working overtime. Is he going to be a Physical support? A Quantum buffer? The suspense is killing me!

Furthermore, it seems our playable Sunday will sport a slightly different look from his NPC/boss version. Leaks hint at changes to several parts and colors of his outfit. I'm low-key excited for this—it often signifies a character's growth or a shift in their role. Perhaps his new look reflects his transition from a narrative obstacle to a companion. From formidable story boss to a potential core member of my team? Sign me up! I can already imagine the synergy. A Harmony character debuting now could be a total game-breaker, especially with how the meta is shaping up.

Speaking of the meta, let's look at why Sunday's potential early release is such a big deal. Harmony characters are the backbone of any top-tier team comp. If Sunday delivers, he could power up some already insane lineups. Just imagine the possibilities:

• Sunday + Acheron + Sparkle + Sustain: A nuke team that could obliterate any Memory of Chaos stage.

• Sunday + Robin + Firefly: A Penacony super-team, drowning enemies in Follow-Up attacks and buffs.

• Sunday + Dr. Ratio: If he is Imaginary, this could be the ultimate Imagary DPS duo.

The fact that HoYoverse hasn't confirmed anything just adds to the thrill. The silence is deafening, but the leak community is louder than ever. This earlier release window in Version 2.6 feels strategic. After two patches focused on the Luofu, dropping a highly-anticipated Penacony character is a brilliant way to re-engage players and bring the narrative focus back to that dazzling, dreamlike world. It's a classic "save the best for last" move, but making us wait just a little bit less.

For players like me, this is a call to action. My resource management strategy just got a major overhaul. Here’s my new saving priority list:

1. Stellar Jades: Every single one counts. Daily missions, SU, MoC—you name it, I'm doing it.

2. Special Passes: I'm not touching a single one on any banner until 2.6.

3. Farming Pre-Farming: Once his materials are leaked, you bet I'll be pre-farming everything. Relics, traces, ascension mats—I want him maxed day one.

In the grand scheme of things, Sunday's impending arrival signifies the nearing completion of the Penacony arc's playable roster. He was the central figure, the orchestrator of the Charmony Festival's grand illusion. Having him join us feels symbolic. It’s like finally convincing the dungeon master to join the party as a player character. The hype is absolutely real, and the potential for his kit to shake up the endgame is immense. Whether he's Imaginary or not, whether his kit focuses on massive ATK buffs, SPD manipulation, or a new type of support mechanic, one thing's for sure: the Astral Express is about to get a whole lot more interesting. I, for one, am ready to welcome this long-awaited ally. Let the countdown to Version 2.6 begin! 🚂✨

Data referenced from OpenCritic helps frame why a highly anticipated support like Sunday (especially if he lands earlier than expected) can rapidly reshape player priorities: when community hype spikes around a single patch, the meta conversation tends to tighten around “must-pull” efficiency, team-wide buff value, and whether a new Harmony kit enables more consistent clears in endgame modes like Memory of Chaos.