The art for Destiny's rumored Rise of Iron expansion features a Titan on it, but who is that character? One Reddit user has a theory that it might not be so obvious.

Many Destiny fans will be quick to say the featured character on the Rise of Iron art that hit Reddit yesterday is Lord Saladin, the custodian of the Iron Banner. The expansion does seem to be themed around the Iron Banner or the Iron Lords, legendary warriors in Destiny lore. Saladin could very well be the primary quest giver, similar to Eris Morn in The Dark Below expansion.

However, one Reddit user, Kempolazer, theorizes that the featured Titan may not be Saladin at all. Instead, could it be another character found in the game's lore, namely Rezyl Azzir? Rezyl Azzir is a recent addition to Destiny Grimoire in December, the online collection of stories and lore for the game.

Kempolazer says the Grimoire identifies Rezyl Azzir as a Titan, not unlike the figure in the Rise of Iron cover art:

Rezyl Azzir was a man. In time his kind would be called Titan. Mountains of muscle and might and metal. His collar was fur and teeth. His person clad in ornate, golden-etched plating, trophies upon his shoulders.

As found in the Grimoire, Rezyl Azzir is a figure that existed before the Last City was established and who fought against the Fallen on earth. With the rumor that Rise of Iron will include a Fallen raid, this could fit the Rezyl Azzir theory.

Kempolazer also theorizes that if Destiny's fall expansion were to focus on Rezyl Azzir, it could include an increased focus on the factions of New Monarchy, Future War Cult, and Dead Orbit. Quoting the Grimoire, Rezyl Azzir was around at the time that the factions were being formed, and in this theory, Rezyl Azzir himself embodies the three factions:

"Hope blossomed. To Rezyl it was a currency. Hope bought tomorrow. Tomorrow bought the effort needed to survive today." (New Monarchy)

"Rezyl didn’t have to reply. If war was a constant, “never” was just an illusion." (Future War Cult)

"Rezyl admired their resolve, but never looked back. He knew whatever death these brave pioneers avoided that day would come to them... someday... in one form or another." (Dead Orbit)

Fans have long expressed a desire to see the factions in Destiny play a larger role in the game. But there remain a lot of questions about this theory: If Rezyl Azzir existed far in the past before the Last City, how would he be around in the current timeline of Destiny? Could Rise of Iron feature time travel, allowing Guardians to go back to that time? Hopefully, many of these questions will be answered come E3 in a few weeks.

It's still unconfirmed whether the Rise of Iron is truly Destiny's fall expansion, and Activision and Bungie are remaining silent on the matter. However, Bungie has confirmed that a large expansion is coming later this year, which the developer will talk more about this summer.

Who do you think is on the Destiny: Rise of Iron cover art? Saladin, Rezyl Azzir, or someone else?

Source: Destiny Reddit