Destiny 2’sGhosts of the Deep Dungeon has provided players with a beautiful atmospheric locale on the recently returned moon of Titan. With Titan returning alongside Deputy Commander Sloane, Season of the Deep brings the Arcology location of Titan back to the forefront, along with new and oldDestiny 2lore. This is primarily seen as active engagement with the Hive God of War, Xivu Arath; however, the Dungeon also enhances mythology surrounding her brother, Oryx, the Taken King.
WhenDestinyplayers defeatedOryx in the King’s Fall Raid, his calcified body was stated to be within the orbit of Saturn, the location of the final battle amid his dreaded Dreadnaught. Saturn’s moon Titan disappeared shortly after the arrival of the Black Fleet in the system, along with Io, Mercury, and Mars. Titan’s return has come after battles centered around Neptune and Earth against The Witness and the Black Fleet, with Xivu Arath finally making her grand entrance in the game.
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Xivu Arath in Season of the Deep
Xivu Arath has been a staple inDestinylore and has utilized her forces in several previous Seasons ofDestiny 2, notably Season of the Hunt when her forceskilled Osiris’s Ghost, Sagira. This also holds true for Season of the Lost, where she attacked the Dreaming City during the exorcism of Savathun’s Worm, and Season of the Seraph, where she aimed to use Rasputin and the Warsat Network in a ritual to bring her legions to Earth on behalf of The Witness.
Season of the Deep is the first time players encounterXivu Arath inDestiny 2directly, marking her first appearance in the series proper, where Guardians, Deputy Commander Sloane, and even the Drifter hear her voice. Sloane, who has returned with the moon Titan, is partially Taken, actively resisting the will of Xivu Arath. Meanwhile, Hive and Taken forces led by Xivu Arath work to prevent Guardians and Sloane from learning the origins of The Witness from the proto-Worm, Ahsa.
While the whole nature of Ahsa and her relationship toThe Witness' origins inDestiny 2have yet to be revealed, Sloane has learned that Ahsa is of the species that eventually became the Worm Gods on Fundament - home of the Krill, who became the Hive. Ahsa’s species fell under the machinations of The Witness, embracing the Sword Logic in killing each other. Ahsa had tried to prevent the Krill from finding the Worm Gods, so Xivu Arath’s attack on Titan against Ahsa is part strategy and part vendetta.
Xivu Arath’s Memory Fragments Show Her Feelings About Oryx
Scattered throughout theGhosts of the Deep Dungeonare Memory Fragments which, when collected, reveal audio of Xivu Arath’s thoughts. While it’s easy to believe these fragments are Xivu Arath’s memories, they aren’t. The Dungeon’s final room reveals the corpse of Oryx, where the Hive Wizard, Simmumah ur-Nokru, attempts to resurrect the Taken King. Lore behind the Dungeon reveals that Xivu Arath often visited Oryx’s remains.
The lore states that the body of Oryx isn’t entirely dead. The body heard Xivu Arath and remembered, hence the Fragments. However, the Memory Fragments show that despite the war and murder between the Hive siblings, Xivu Arath loves her brother in the only way Hive can love. She has nothing but praise and admiration forthe Taken King Oryx, calling him Navigator, which is a nice nod to the new exotic Trace Rifle. She is angry at his death and even more so at the Guardians for not following the Sword Logic and taking Oryx’s place as his murderer.
Even more interesting is her wailing heard at her brother’s demise, revealing her genuine affection. Her love is further highlighted since she doesn’t care that the Lucent Hive is trying to resurrect him, which would be heretical by the notions of the Sword Logic. Sword Logic is defined by the fact that those who are weak and able to be destroyed deserve that fate. To resurrect anyone and let them try again is blasphemous.
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What Ikora’s Hidden Discovered About Oryx’s Corpse
Ikora’s Hidden went to the Dungeon after Guardians disrupted the Lucent Hive ritual to resurrect Oryx. Within the Taken King’s cellular structure, the Hidden found concentrations of Taken energy, with Darkness still active. This Darkness could induce hallucinations and absorb knowledge and memories – which were seen withXivu Arath’s Memory Fragments. However, despite these abilities, the Hidden discerned the body was not reactive in a physical sense, at least not yet.
Despite lacking physical life or movement, the mass of the corpse showcases the body is changing and growing despite lacking a mind or presence of the being. It’s implied that Oryx’s Worm is also missing, as no remains were found. This could explain why the ritual failed - ifOryx’s Worm inDestiny 2is alive and thus Oryx is active, there was nothing to resurrect. With the Worm missing, it could indicate future trouble involving Oryx.
Savathun’s Alter of Reflection and Memories Hint at Oryx’s Return
Memories of Savathun during the Witch Queen campaign revealed that she understood she would not be the Taken Queen. She recounts a riddle that Oryx missed when he wrote the Tablets of Ruin and the ability to Take, as his chisel was affected by a viral power fromthe Darkness. Savathun claims she studied the vermicular path and read between the lines, and the answer to the riddle is greater than the power to Take - it’s the Witness' power to move worlds. Perhaps, in defeat, Oryx learned this power and moved to another world similar to the Ascendant Plane.
During one of the Altars of Reflection, Savathun says, “The Taken King will rise again” as part of her two truths and two lies game. With the information revealed from Ikora’s Hidden that Oryx’s body is still alive in some form, and with his Worm missing, it’s possible that Oryx isn’t genuinely dead – at least not in the way some might assume – which means his return is possible. However, if he returns, where his allegiances will fall regardingThe Witnessremains a mystery.
Destiny 2is available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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