Destiny 2 has continued to enhance its tapestry of story and lore through successive expansions that detail the cosmic battle between the Light and the Darkness that will comprise the first saga of the game. Destiny 2's latest addition, The Witch Queen, expanded the lore surrounding the Hive God Savathun and her ability to now wield the Light, which the Traveler typically grants to Guardians to fight the Darkness. Assuming Savathun stole the Light in some cunning way, the Guardians set out to unravel the mystery, unaware at first that the Traveler bestowed these powers intentionally.

Furthermore, the story expansion delved into the history of Savathun and her acceptance of the Worm Gods billions of years ago on her home planet of Fundament. In its conclusion, players learned that the Hive God, in her native Krill form as Sathona, had been deceived by her Worm familiar, revealed to be the Witness, to embrace the Worm Gods and the Darkness to survive an apocalyptic cataclysm. While these twists and turns provided a fountain of answers and lore building, many unresolved mysteries remain within Destiny 2's universe.

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Origins of the Darkness and the Light

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The saga between the Darkness and the Light has comprised the first part of Destiny 2, and the battle between these two forces has been the template for the story throughout the game. Seen as eternal enemies, the Light drives the creation of lifeforms and civilizations, increasing the diverse complexity of such beings to achieve a harmonious universe. In contrast, Darkness creates strife as it views existence as a struggle to continue existing and, therefore, must defeat other life to survive. Countless beings have pondered the nature and origins of these forces, and while theories abound, no definitive answer has been provided.

While the Light rarely communicates with those it imbues, save for cryptic and symbolic visions at times, the Darkness is more than happy to speak. According to the Unveiling Lore Book, which appears to be narrated by the Darkness, both forces have existed since before the universe or time existed, with both having no beginning. Instead, they emerged from mathematical structures that form reality, with both Darkness and Light locked in a game of complex and evolving patterns that would eventually reach a self-perpetuating design that absorbed all others.

The Darkness claims it favored this outcome, yet the Light found this dull and felt that new and complex patterns were needed. To achieve this, the Light created new rules, which forced the Darkness to do the same, with both forces setting these new rules aside to avoid influence from the original rule set. The new rules were, however, allowed to interfere with the original regulations to enable them to achieve their intended outcome. It is widely believed the game is the universe, with the original rules representing the laws of physics and the new rules forming paracausality in the Destiny universe.

While these revelations seem representative of the fundamental principles of creation and the actions of both forces throughout the Destiny 2 universe, this origin story is presented from only one side. Without verification from the Light itself or any other artifact, including the Traveler, the creation story can be cast in doubt. Even the first references to the existence of the Light come from a collection of Hive texts called the Book of Sorrows, which detail the creation of the Hive by the Darkness.

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The Traveler

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While the Traveler has been responsible for lifting countless civilizations into Golden Ages of advanced technology, exploration, and unity, its exact nature and origin have never been discerned. The Traveler has existed for billions of years and is continuously hunted by the Darkness and its forces throughout the Destiny 2 galaxies. In every instance, save for humanity, when the Darkness attacks, the Traveler flees, abandoning the civilizations it enlightened.

With humanity, the Traveler fought the Darkness for the first time, managing to repel it at the cost of its senses and flesh. With its last strength, the Traveler created Ghosts and imbued certain humans with the power of the Light to create Guardians to battle the Darkness when it returned. Despite the Traveler being able to bestow the forces of Light onto subjects in the same way the Darkness can, elements within the lore indicate that Destiny 2's Traveler is not all-knowing. This implies that it is not the Light or some physical manifestation; instead, the Traveler may be an emissary or child of Light.

The Witness

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Foreshadowed in early story expansions such as Shadowkeep, the enigmatic Witness made its appearance to the Guardians at the conclusion of The Witch Queen. Tall, pale, and humanoid with a metallic-like robe that ripples and shimmers of its own accord, the Witness hides its true face with a partially concealed mask. Meanwhile, plumes of white smoke billow from its head, filled with dozens of humanoid faces dissipating as it moves. The Guardians learn that this entity had not only deprived the Traveler of enlightening the proto-Hive civilization but also manipulated the Witch Queen into embracing the Worm Gods and the Darkness, thus creating the Hive race to serve.

Little is known about this entity, with even the Witch Queen, Savathun, offering conflicting reports about its origins. In some instances, she claims it belonged to a mortal species that embraced the Darkness eons ago; other times, it birthed the Darkness while also calling it a child of the Darkness. Because the Darkness claims to have existed before time, it seems unlikely the Witness created the Darkness. Since the Witness has manipulated and corrupted individuals and civilizations to serve the Darkness, its role as a child, emissary, or physical representation seems more likely.

Destiny 2 has created a rich story and history detailing the eternal struggle between the Light and the Darkness. While The Witch Queen provided answers to burning questions regarding the Hive God and her use of the Light, it also opened the door to more questions regarding the Witness, the Darkness, and the Traveler. With the Lightfall expansion set to release in 2023, only time will tell if the exact nature of these cosmic forces will be revealed.

Destiny 2 is available now PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

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