Queen of the Awoken and Kell of the House Of Wolves, Mara Sov is one of the more interesting and powerful characters in Destiny 2. Her ambitions are rarely clear and her plans are complicated, but you can bet that no matter what happens she will usually find a way to come out on top and with greater power.
This pirate queen is so deeply layered that it’s hard to know whether she is ultimately an ally or a foe to the player. With all this subtlety, statecraft, and mystery, it’s understandable that players missed a few facts about this interesting woman.
10 Born Of Starlight And Darkness
Mara Sov states in the game that she was “born of Starlight and Darkness”. This is in reference to when the Traveler (Starlight) and Darkness (obvious) clashed in the solar system. This conflict created a singularity that encompassed a generation ship known as Yang Liwei.
When this event occurred Mara Sov and the other Awoken were born. In reality they were once humans who through this singularity became tied to the very fabric of the universe, changing their physiology, psychology, and granting them incredible powers. It is unknown the full extent of Mara Sov’s power or who she was when she was human.
9 Swiftly Deals With Threats
One of the reasons for Mara Sov’s success as a leader is that she quickly and decisively deals with every threat that presents itself to her. When the House Of Wolves were at her doorstep she immediately mustered arms and confronted them.
When the Silent Fang betrayed her and started civil war she had them brutally assassinated and when Oryx, The Taken King was gathering his forces and preparing to invade she took her fleet to Saturn and confronted him. No bureaucracy, no debate, just immediate and swift action.
8 Started The Reef Wars
It’s this swift and decisive action that sparked the Reef Wars. As the other Houses of the Fallen were gathering to launch an assault on Earth, the House of Wolves were traveling through her domain. Letting them through would spare her people, but she could potentially be the next target after Earth fell and she’d be facing the entire might of the Fallen.
Taking action she confronted the House of Wolves who demanded her to surrender or face destruction. Instead Mara Sov launched her forces, wiped out more than half of their forces and killed their leader. The survivors embedded themselves in the area and the Reef Wars began.
7 Frequently Protects Earth
The Reef Wars is an example of Mara Sov’s consistent efforts to protect The Last City and its inhabitants. The House Of Wolves had no clue the Awoken even existed when they were traveling through the Reef and she could have laid low and avoided the conflict.
When Oryx invaded she could have stayed put and fought defensively letting him face Earth head on. Instead she took the fight to him on Saturn to give the Traveler and the Guardians enough time to muster their armies and join the fight.
6 Regrets Not Destroying The Traveler
Having said that, she doesn’t necessarily wish to protect Earth. In the Dreaming City, she reveals that she regrets not taking the opportunity to obliterate the Traveler while it lay dormant. In her mind the Traveler seeks conflict, drawing foes like the Fallen, Oryx, and even the Darkness to the solar system in order to fight it.
She hesitated to attack it out of concern that it would bring the wrath of the humans to her doorstep and sees now that would have been a favorable fight compared to the horrors that occurred over the course of the games. While she’s currently committed to safeguarding her allies to keep herself protected, it’s a tenuous relationship and the Traveler will always be a beacon for evil that threatens her and her people.
5 You’re The First Guardian She Ever Meets
Interestingly even though she has a vast spy network and numerous contacts throughout the solar system she had never met a Guardian until the player arrived at her court. Part of this may have been her policy of staying in the shadows and avoiding detection, but it’s surprising her Crows haven’t once brought one back for her inspection.
Even more incredulous is the fact that she’s shocked when the player is revived by his Ghost, proving she had no previous knowledge of their resurrection ability. This shows that while the Queen is powerful, she is far from all knowing.
4 Ready To Make A Deal
Another key to her powerful and effective leadership is her willingness and eagerness to make deals with those who prove powerful and capable. She almost always pursues the diplomatic path when confronting potential foes, seeking to strike deals or negotiate truces, but when she’s turned down her claws come out.
In fact her entire relationship with the Guardian is predicated on mutual benefit. She provides the player with resources and assistance in exchange for favors. For instance after providing access to the Black Garden she had the Guardian’s help in overthrowing the House of Wolves rebellion.
3 Generous To Allies
In fact when people prove their loyalty or at the very least their usefulness she is quick and more than willing to shower them with rewards. After the Guardian helps her take down the Silent Fang she rewards them with loot and the knowledge that they are her allies.
This relationship would continue to grow as she defends the Traveler from Oryx, the Guardian assists her loyal followers following the aftermath of her apparent destruction, she rewards the player for quelling the rebellion, the Guardian assists her with the Curse Cycle plaguing the Dreaming City and she continues to reward the player.
2 Cheated Death
One of Mara Sov’s abilities is her fulfillment of Sword Logic, the belief that existence is the struggle to survive and any being powerful enough will continue to exist. This is proven when Oryx turns his Dreadnaught’s superweapon on her ship, obliterating her body, but she doesn't die.
In spite of this setback Mara Sov’s consciousness remained intact and went to the Ascendant Realm. This development supposedly played into her plans as she used her new form of existence to gather knowledge for her next steps after Oryx’s death.
1 Thinks Long Term
Which ultimately points to Mara Sov’s greatest power, the ability to think and plan far, far into the future. Every individual she interacts with is a potential cog in her master plan. Every major development or setback is yet another cog that she can fit into the wheels and make it work for her.
Uldren’s betrayel, the House of Wolves rebellion, even her own death led to her accumulating more power and control. Now as she’s stuck in an infinite time loop she’s taking the opportunity to meet with powerful beings like the Nine and one who despises Light to plan her next steps, whatever that may be.